G-Cloud Clarification Questions Playbook
Guide Origin: Official | ArcKit Version: [VERSION]
/arckit:gcloud-clarify analyzes G-Cloud service gaps and generates supplier clarification questions for procurement.
Inputs
| Artefact |
Purpose |
Requirements (ARC-<id>-REQ-v1.0.md) |
What the service must deliver |
| G-Cloud search results |
Services being evaluated |
| Architecture principles |
Governance standards to verify |
| Security requirements |
NCSC, Cyber Essentials requirements |
Command
Output: projects/<id>/ARC-<id>-GCLC-v1.0.md
Clarification Document Structure
| Section |
Contents |
| Service Summary |
G-Cloud service being evaluated |
| Requirements Mapping |
How service maps to requirements |
| Gap Analysis |
Requirements not clearly addressed |
| Clarification Questions |
Specific questions for supplier |
| Evaluation Impact |
How answers affect scoring |
Question Categories
| Category |
Purpose |
Examples |
| Functional |
Feature capabilities |
"Does the service support X?" |
| Technical |
Architecture and integration |
"What APIs are available?" |
| Security |
Security controls and compliance |
"What certifications held?" |
| Commercial |
Pricing and terms |
"What's included in the price?" |
| Support |
Service levels and support |
"What SLAs are offered?" |
| Data |
Data handling and location |
"Where is data stored?" |
Gap Types
| Gap Type |
Description |
Question Focus |
| Missing |
Requirement not mentioned |
Does service support it? |
| Unclear |
Vague description |
Can supplier clarify? |
| Partial |
Some but not all features |
What's included/excluded? |
| Conflicting |
Service description contradicts |
Which is correct? |
One-Page Workflow
| Phase |
Key Activities |
ArcKit Commands |
| Requirements |
Define what's needed |
/arckit:requirements |
| Search |
Find candidate services |
/arckit:gcloud-search |
| Analysis |
Generate clarification questions |
/arckit:gcloud-clarify |
| Clarification |
Send questions to suppliers |
Manual via Digital Marketplace |
| Evaluation |
Score services with answers |
/arckit:evaluate |
Review Checklist
- Questions reference specific requirements (e.g., NFR-SEC-001).
- Questions are specific and answerable (not vague).
- Security questions cover required certifications.
- Data residency questions asked if relevant.
- Pricing questions clarify what's included.
- SLA questions align with NFR requirements.
- Integration questions cover required APIs.
Digital Marketplace Process
| Step |
Description |
| 1 |
Identify services via G-Cloud search |
| 2 |
Generate clarification questions |
| 3 |
Submit via Digital Marketplace messaging |
| 4 |
Supplier responds (usually 5 working days) |
| 5 |
Evaluate responses against requirements |
Key Principles
- Requirement Traceability: Every question links to a requirement.
- Specificity: Avoid vague questions that get vague answers.
- Fairness: Ask same questions to all shortlisted suppliers.
- Completeness: Cover all unclear areas before evaluation.
- Documentation: Record questions and answers for audit trail.
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