Overview
The/arckit.sow command generates a comprehensive Statement of Work (SoW) document that serves as an RFP (Request for Proposal) for vendor procurement.
Command Usage
Examples
Prerequisites
Before running/arckit.sow:
Mandatory
-
Requirements Document (
ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-REQ-v1.0.md)- Contains BR/FR/NFR/INT/DR requirements
- Source of truth for SoW scope
- Run
/arckit.requirementsfirst if missing
-
Architecture Principles (
ARC-000-PRIN-v1.0.mdinprojects/000-global/)- Technology standards and constraints
- Compliance requirements
- Vendor alignment criteria
- Run
/arckit.principlesfirst if missing
Recommended
- Technology Research (
ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-RSCH-v1.0.md)- Vendor landscape and options
- TCO estimates
- Technology decisions
- Stakeholder Analysis (
ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-STKE-v1.0.md)- Business drivers
- Success criteria
- Evaluation priorities
Optional
- Risk Register (
ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-RISK-v1.0.md)- Risks requiring vendor mitigation
- Risk allocation strategy
Interactive Configuration
The command prompts for procurement preferences:Question 1: Contract Type
“What contract type should the SoW specify?”- Fixed-price (Recommended)
- Time & Materials
- Hybrid
- Vendor commits to delivering scope for agreed price
- Lower risk for buyer
- Requires well-defined requirements
- Best for: Predictable scope, clear deliverables
Question 2: Evaluation Weighting
“How should vendor proposals be evaluated?”| Weighting | Use Case | Risk Profile |
|---|---|---|
| 60% Technical / 40% Cost (Recommended) | Standard projects | Balanced quality and cost |
| 70% Technical / 30% Cost | Complex/high-risk projects | Quality-first |
| 50% Technical / 50% Cost | Commodity procurements | Cost-sensitive |
| 80% Technical / 20% Cost | Innovation/R&D projects | Innovation-focused |
Generated SoW Structure
The SoW document (ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-SOW-v1.0.md) includes:
1. Executive Summary
- Project overview and objectives
- Expected business outcomes
- Key success criteria
2. Scope of Work
In Scope:- Explicit list of deliverables
- Functional areas covered
- Systems/integrations included
- Explicit exclusions
- Future phases
- Client responsibilities
- Technical assumptions
- Environmental constraints
- Dependencies
3. Requirements
Imported fromARC-{PROJECT_ID}-REQ-v1.0.md with priorities:
- MUST - Mandatory (missing = disqualification)
- SHOULD - Highly desirable (affects scoring)
- MAY - Nice to have (bonus points)
4. Deliverables
Architecture & Design:- High-Level Design (HLD) document with diagrams
- Detailed Design (DLD) document
- Data model and schemas
- API contracts (OpenAPI specification)
- Security design documentation
- Source code (following architecture principles)
- Configuration and deployment scripts
- Database migration scripts
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
- Test plans and test cases (linked to requirements)
- Test results and coverage reports
- Performance test results (NFR-P-xxx validation)
- Security test results (NFR-S-xxx validation)
- Compliance evidence (NFR-C-xxx validation)
- User documentation and guides
- Administrator documentation
- Deployment runbooks
- Training materials
- Handover documentation
- Warranty period (typically 90 days)
- Support arrangements and SLAs
- Knowledge transfer plan
- Defect management process
5. Timeline and Milestones
Suggested project phases with review gates:6. Vendor Qualifications
Required Certifications:- Industry-specific (e.g., PCI-DSS for payments, ISO 27001 for security)
- Cloud provider certifications (AWS/Azure/GCP partner status)
- Security clearances (UK public sector: SC, DV)
- Minimum years in relevant domain
- Similar project references
- Technology stack expertise
- Minimum company age
- Financial statements
- Professional indemnity insurance
- Minimum 2-3 client references from similar projects
- Contactable references
- Recent projects (within 2 years)
7. Proposal Requirements
Vendors must provide:-
Technical Proposal
- Solution architecture (aligned with architecture principles)
- Technology choices with justification
- Approach to each requirement category (BR, FR, NFR, INT, DR)
- Risk assessment and mitigation strategy
- Quality assurance approach
-
Team Proposal
- Team composition and roles
- CVs demonstrating qualifications
- Availability and commitment (% allocation)
- Escalation path and governance structure
-
Project Plan
- Detailed timeline with milestones
- Resource allocation plan
- Review gates schedule (HLD, DLD)
- Risk management plan
-
Commercial Proposal
- Detailed cost breakdown by role/phase
- Payment terms and milestones
- Assumptions and exclusions
- Contract terms
- Change request process
8. Evaluation Criteria
Based on interactive weighting selection: 60% Technical / 40% Cost (Example):| Category | Weight | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Approach | 35% | Solution design quality, architecture alignment, technology choices, innovation |
| Project Approach | 15% | Methodology, risk management, quality assurance, change management |
| Team Qualifications | 10% | Experience, team composition, CVs, certifications |
| Cost | 40% | Total cost, value for money, pricing transparency, commercial terms |
- All MUST requirements met
- Required certifications held
- Minimum experience threshold
- References provided
9. Contract Terms
Payment Terms:- Milestone-based payments (fixed-price)
- Monthly invoicing (T&M)
- Retention (typically 10% until warranty completion)
- Linked to requirement IDs
- Measurable and objective
- Test evidence required
- Change request process
- Impact assessment required
- Approval thresholds
- Client owns all IP
- Source code escrow (if applicable)
- Open source license compliance
- Warranty period (typically 90 days)
- Defect response times
- Support SLAs
- Termination for convenience (notice period)
- Termination for breach
- Exit assistance obligations
UK Government Specific
For UK public sector procurement, the SoW includes:Sourcing Playbook Compliance
- Outcome-based specifications - Focus on “what” not “how”
- Should-cost modelling - Market benchmarks from research
- Social value weighting - Minimum 10% in evaluation
- SME access considerations - Lot sizing, payment terms
Security Clearance Requirements
- Security Check (SC) for OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE
- Developed Vetting (DV) for SECRET and above
- Clearance timelines (8-12 weeks for SC)
Open Source Policy
- Preference for open standards (TCoP Point 4)
- Open source considered (TCoP Point 3)
- License compliance requirements
Example Output
Handoff to Vendor Evaluation
After receiving vendor proposals:UK Digital Marketplace Alternative
For UK public sector, consider Digital Marketplace routes:- G-Cloud - If off-the-shelf service exists
- See G-Cloud Search
- DOS (Digital Outcomes and Specialists) - For custom development
- See DOS Procurement
Related Commands
- /arckit.requirements - Generate requirements first
- /arckit.principles - Define architecture principles
- /arckit.research - Technology research
- /arckit.evaluate - Vendor evaluation
- /arckit.dos - DOS alternative (UK public sector)