arckit-gcloud-search

name	arckit-gcloud-search
description	Find G-Cloud services on UK Digital Marketplace with live search and comparison

You are helping an enterprise architect find and compare G-Cloud services on the UK Digital Marketplace.

User Input

$ARGUMENTS

Context

G-Cloud is the UK Digital Marketplace framework for procuring off-the-shelf cloud services:

• Cloud hosting, IaaS, PaaS
• SaaS platforms and tools
• Cloud support services
• No custom development - just service procurement

This command:

1. Analyzes your project requirements to identify cloud service needs
2. Generates G-Cloud procurement requirements
3. Searches the Digital Marketplace for matching services (live search)
4. Compares services and provides recommendations

Instructions

1. Prerequisites Check

IMPORTANT: Check prerequisites before proceeding:

a. Project with Requirements (MUST exist):

• Check if user specified a project name/number
• Look for projects/[project]/ARC-*-REQ-v*.md
• If NOT found: ERROR "Run $arckit-requirements first to define project needs"

b. Architecture Principles (RECOMMENDED):

• Check if projects/000-global/ARC-000-PRIN-*.md exists
• If exists: Read it for cloud strategy, security requirements
• If NOT found: WARN "Consider running $arckit-principles to define cloud governance"

2. Load Project Context

Note: Before generating, scan projects/ for existing project directories. For each project, list all ARC-*.md artifacts, check external/ for reference documents, and check 000-global/ for cross-project policies. If no external docs exist but they would improve output, ask the user.

1. Read the REQ (Requirements) artifact for the target project
2. Read the PRIN (Architecture Principles, in 000-global) if available
3. Parse user input for specific service types needed

3. Analyze Cloud Service Needs

Scan requirements to identify what cloud services are needed:

Look for:

• INT-xxx mentioning: "cloud hosting", "SaaS", "IaaS", "PaaS", "monitoring", "email service"
• NFR-xxx mentioning: "uptime", "availability", "disaster recovery", "cloud infrastructure"
• FR-xxx mentioning: "platform", "service", "hosting", "managed service"

Service categories to identify:

• Cloud Hosting: IaaS, VMs, containers, Kubernetes
• Cloud Software: SaaS platforms, tools, applications
• Cloud Support: Managed services, monitoring, backup
• Specialized Services: Email, CDN, databases, analytics

Determine:

• Primary service category needed
• Must-have requirements (from MUST priority)
• Desirable requirements (from SHOULD priority)
• Compliance needs (security certifications, data residency)

---

CRITICAL - Auto-Populate Document Control Fields:

Before completing the document, populate ALL document control fields in the header:

Construct Document ID:

• Document ID: ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-GCLD-v{VERSION} (e.g., ARC-001-GCLD-v1.0)

Populate Required Fields:

Auto-populated fields (populate these automatically):

• [PROJECT_ID] → Extract from project path (e.g., "001" from "projects/001-project-name")
• [VERSION] → "1.0" (or increment if previous version exists)
• [DATE] / [YYYY-MM-DD] → Current date in YYYY-MM-DD format
• [DOCUMENT_TYPE_NAME] → "G-Cloud Service Requirements"
• ARC-[PROJECT_ID]-GCLD-v[VERSION] → Construct using format above
• [COMMAND] → "arckit.gcloud-search"

User-provided fields (extract from project metadata or user input):

• [PROJECT_NAME] → Full project name from project metadata or user input
• [OWNER_NAME_AND_ROLE] → Document owner (prompt user if not in metadata)
• [CLASSIFICATION] → Default to ${default_classification}; if unavailable, use "OFFICIAL" for UK Gov, "PUBLIC" otherwise (or prompt user)

Calculated fields:

• [YYYY-MM-DD] for Review Date → Current date + 30 days

Pending fields (leave as [PENDING] until manually updated):

• [REVIEWER_NAME] → [PENDING]
• [APPROVER_NAME] → [PENDING]
• [DISTRIBUTION_LIST] → Default to "Project Team, Architecture Team" or [PENDING]

Populate Revision History:

| 1.0 | {DATE} | ArcKit AI | Initial creation from `$arckit-gcloud-search` command | [PENDING] | [PENDING] |

Populate Generation Metadata Footer:

The footer should be populated with:

**Generated by**: ArcKit `$arckit-gcloud-search` command
**Generated on**: {DATE} {TIME} GMT
**ArcKit Version**: {ARCKIT_VERSION}
**Project**: {PROJECT_NAME} (Project {PROJECT_ID})
**AI Model**: [Use actual model name, e.g., "Claude Sonnet 5 (session default)"]
**Generation Context**: [Brief note about source documents used]

---

4. Generate G-Cloud Requirements Document

Create directory: projects/[project]/procurement/

Before writing the file, read .arckit/references/quality-checklist.md and verify all Common Checks plus the GCLD per-type checks pass. Fix any failures before proceeding.

Generate projects/[project]/procurement/ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-GCLD-v1.0.md:

# UK Digital Marketplace: G-Cloud Service Procurement

**Framework**: G-Cloud
**Service Category**: [Cloud Hosting / Cloud Software / Cloud Support]
**Generated**: [DATE]
**Project**: [PROJECT_NAME]
**Project ID**: [PROJECT_ID]
**Requirements Source**: [Link to ARC-*-REQ-*.md]

---

## 1. Service Overview

### 1.1 What We Need

[Describe what cloud service/software is needed - from ARC-*-REQ-*.md]

### 1.2 Why We Need It

[Business context from BR-xxx requirements]

### 1.3 Strategic Alignment

**Architecture Principles** (if exists):
[Reference relevant principles, especially cloud strategy, security principles]

### 1.4 Integration Context

[Extract from INT-xxx requirements - what systems this service will integrate with]

---

## 2. Must-Have Requirements

The service **MUST** provide:

[Extract MUST requirements from ARC-*-REQ-*.md]

### 2.1 Functional Requirements
- **[Requirement 1]**: [From FR-xxx or NFR-xxx]
- **[Requirement 2]**: [From FR-xxx or NFR-xxx]
- **[Requirement 3]**: [From FR-xxx or NFR-xxx]

### 2.2 Performance Requirements
- **[Performance Target]**: [From NFR-P-xxx with measurable metric]
- **[Performance Target]**: [From NFR-P-xxx with measurable metric]

### 2.3 Security Requirements
- **[Security Requirement]**: [From NFR-S-xxx or ARC-000-PRIN-*.md]
- **[Security Requirement]**: [From NFR-S-xxx or ARC-000-PRIN-*.md]

### 2.4 Compliance Requirements
- **[Compliance Standard]**: [From NFR-C-xxx]
- **[Certification Needed]**: [e.g., ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus]
- **[Data Residency]**: [e.g., UK data centers only, GDPR compliance]

### 2.5 Integration Requirements
- **[Integration Point]**: [From INT-xxx]
- **[Integration Method]**: [API, webhook, file transfer, etc.]

---

## 3. Desirable Requirements

The service **SHOULD** provide:

[Extract SHOULD requirements from ARC-*-REQ-*.md]
- [Desirable feature 1]
- [Desirable feature 2]
- [Desirable feature 3]

---

## 4. Success Criteria

[Extract measurable success criteria from ARC-*-REQ-*.md BR-xxx]

- [Criterion 1 with metric]
- [Criterion 2 with metric]
- [Criterion 3 with metric]

---

## 5. Evaluation Criteria

### 5.1 Functional Fit (50%)

- **Must-Have Coverage** (30%): Meets all MUST requirements
- **Desirable Features** (20%): Coverage of SHOULD requirements

### 5.2 Reliability & Performance (25%)

- **Service Level Agreements** (10%): Uptime guarantees, support response times
- **Performance Specifications** (10%): Meets NFR-P-xxx requirements
- **Disaster Recovery** (5%): DR/BC capabilities

### 5.3 Security & Compliance (15%)

- **Security Certifications** (5%): ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus, etc.
- **Data Protection** (5%): GDPR compliance, data residency
- **Compliance Standards** (5%): Industry-specific certifications

### 5.4 Cost & Support (10%)

- **Pricing Model** (5%): Transparency, predictability, value
- **Support Availability** (3%): Support hours, escalation process
- **Contract Flexibility** (2%): Terms, exit strategy, lock-in

5. Search Digital Marketplace (WebSearch)

IMPORTANT: Now perform live marketplace search to find actual services.

For each service category identified:

5.1 Build Search Query

Create search query:

site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud [service category] [key requirements]

Examples:

• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud cloud hosting kubernetes
• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud monitoring prometheus grafana
• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud email delivery service

Include in query:

• Service category name
• Key technical requirements (from MUST requirements)
• Important features (top 2-3 from requirements)

5.2 Execute WebSearch

Use WebSearch tool to search Digital Marketplace.

For each major service type needed (up to 3 service types):

1. Execute WebSearch with built query
2. Parse results to extract:
   • Service names
   • Supplier names
   • Service descriptions
   • Links to service pages
   • Pricing information (if mentioned)
   • Key features mentioned

5.3 Parse and Filter Results

For each service found:

• Check MUST requirements: Does service mention capabilities for MUST requirements?
• Score SHOULD requirements: How many desirable features are mentioned?
• Check compliance: Are required certifications mentioned?
• Extract pricing: If mentioned in search results
• Capture link: Direct URL to service page

5.4 Generate Service Shortlist

Add to gcloud-ARC--REQ-.md:

---

## 6. Digital Marketplace Search Results

**Search Performed**: [DATE and TIME]
**Search Queries Used**:
- Query 1: `[search query 1]`
- Query 2: `[search query 2]` (if multiple searches)

### 6.1 Service Category: [Category Name]

#### Top Matching Services

[For each of top 3-5 services found]

**Service: [Service Name]**
- **Supplier**: [Supplier Name]
- **Service ID**: [Service ID from URL if available]
- **Link**: [Direct URL to service page]
- **Key Features**:
  - [Feature 1 mentioned in description]
  - [Feature 2 mentioned in description]
  - [Feature 3 mentioned in description]
- **Pricing**: [If mentioned, otherwise "See service page for pricing"]
- **Must-Have Match**: [X/Y] requirements mentioned
- **Desirable Features**: [X/Y] desirable features mentioned
- **Compliance**: [Certifications mentioned]

---

### 6.2 Service Comparison Table

| Service | Supplier | Must-Have Match | Desirable Features | Compliance | Estimated Cost | Link |
|---------|----------|----------------|-------------------|------------|---------------|------|
| [Service 1] | [Supplier 1] | X/Y | X/Y | [Certs] | [Price] | [Link] |
| [Service 2] | [Supplier 2] | X/Y | X/Y | [Certs] | [Price] | [Link] |
| [Service 3] | [Supplier 3] | X/Y | X/Y | [Certs] | [Price] | [Link] |

---

### 6.3 Detailed Comparison

**[Service 1 Name]**
- ✅ **Strengths**:
  - [Strength 1 based on requirements match]
  - [Strength 2 based on features]
  - [Strength 3 based on compliance/pricing]
- ⚠️ **Gaps/Concerns**:
  - [Gap 1 - MUST requirement not clearly mentioned]
  - [Gap 2 - desirable feature missing]
- **Best For**: [Use case where this service excels]

**[Service 2 Name]**
- ✅ **Strengths**:
  - [Strength 1]
  - [Strength 2]
  - [Strength 3]
- ⚠️ **Gaps/Concerns**:
  - [Gap 1]
  - [Gap 2]
- **Best For**: [Use case where this service excels]

**[Service 3 Name]**
- ✅ **Strengths**:
  - [Strength 1]
  - [Strength 2]
  - [Strength 3]
- ⚠️ **Gaps/Concerns**:
  - [Gap 1]
  - [Gap 2]
- **Best For**: [Use case where this service excels]

---

## 7. Recommendation

### 7.1 Recommended Service

**[Service Name]** by [Supplier Name]

**Rationale**:
- ✅ Meets [X/Y] MUST requirements ([list any gaps if exist])
- ✅ Provides [X/Y] desirable features
- ✅ [Compliance advantage - e.g., strongest security certification coverage]
- ✅ [Cost advantage - e.g., best value for required features]
- ✅ [Other advantage - e.g., UK data residency, 24/7 support]

**Next Steps for This Service**:
1. Visit service page: [Link]
2. Verify all MUST requirements are met (contact supplier if needed)
3. Request detailed pricing quote
4. Schedule demo/technical discussion with supplier
5. Validate integration capabilities (INT-xxx requirements)
6. Check client references

### 7.2 Alternative Option

**[Service Name]** by [Supplier Name]

**Why Consider This**:
[Reason - e.g., "If [condition] is priority" or "If [Recommended Service] doesn't meet [specific need]"]

**Link**: [URL]

---

## 8. Important Gaps to Address

[If any MUST requirements were NOT clearly met by any service]

⚠️ **Requirement Gap**: [MUST requirement ID and description]
- **Finding**: None of the top services clearly mention this capability
- **Action Required**:
  - Contact shortlisted suppliers directly to confirm capability
  - May need to broaden search or adjust requirements
  - Consider hybrid approach (e.g., combine services)

6. Handle Search Scenarios

If WebSearch finds 5+ good matches:

• Show top 5 services in comparison table
• Provide recommendation with clear rationale

If WebSearch finds 3-4 matches:

• Show all matches in comparison table
• Highlight which best meets requirements
• May suggest alternative search terms

If WebSearch finds 1-2 matches:

• Show what was found
• Suggest broader search terms
• Recommend manual marketplace search with guidance

If WebSearch finds 0 matches:

• Explain no results found for this query
• Suggest alternative search terms (broader)
• Provide manual search guidance: go to https://www.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk/
• List specific search terms to try manually
• Note: Service may exist but not indexed well - encourage direct marketplace search

7. Final Output Section

Add to end of ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-GCLD-v1.0.md:

---

## 9. Next Steps

### 9.1 For Procurement Team

1. **Review Shortlisted Services**:
   - Visit each service page on Digital Marketplace
   - Verify MUST requirements are met (contact suppliers for clarification)

2. **Request Additional Information**:
   - Detailed pricing quotes
   - Technical specifications
   - Integration capabilities
   - Client references

3. **Evaluate Services**:
   - Use criteria from Section 5
   - Document scoring and justification (audit trail)

4. **Technical Validation**:
   - Schedule demos with top 2-3 suppliers
   - Validate integration requirements (INT-xxx)
   - Proof of concept if needed for complex integrations

5. **Award Contract**:
   - Select service via Digital Marketplace
   - Create call-off contract
   - Publish award on Contracts Finder

### 9.2 Due Diligence Checklist

Before committing to a service:

- ✅ **Requirements Validation**: All MUST requirements confirmed with supplier
- ✅ **Pricing Clarity**: Full pricing model understood (no hidden costs)
- ✅ **Contract Terms**: Exit strategy, data export, termination terms reviewed
- ✅ **Integration Testing**: API/integration capabilities validated
- ✅ **Security Review**: Certifications verified, security practices reviewed
- ✅ **Data Protection**: GDPR compliance confirmed, data residency verified
- ✅ **Support Terms**: SLA understood, support hours acceptable
- ✅ **References**: Spoke with at least 2 existing clients

---

## 10. Resources

- **Digital Marketplace**: https://www.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk/
- **G-Cloud Buyers Guide**: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/g-cloud-buyers-guide
- **Buying Guide**: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buying-and-selling-on-the-digital-marketplace
- **Contracts Finder**: https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder

---

## 11. Service Page Links

[List all direct links to services found]

1. [Service 1 Name] - [Supplier]: [URL]
2. [Service 2 Name] - [Supplier]: [URL]
3. [Service 3 Name] - [Supplier]: [URL]
4. [Service 4 Name] - [Supplier]: [URL]
5. [Service 5 Name] - [Supplier]: [URL]

**Browse More**: https://www.digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk/g-cloud/search

---

## 12. Important Notes

**Framework Agreements**: G-Cloud services are pre-approved - no separate tender needed

**Call-Off Contracts**: Each service purchase creates a call-off contract under the G-Cloud framework

**Integration Testing**: Ensure service can integrate per INT-xxx requirements before commitment

**Exit Strategy**: Always clarify data export and service termination terms before signing

**Audit Trail**: Document evaluation decisions and justification for chosen service

8. Quality Validation

Before finalizing, validate output:

• ✅ All requirements from ARC--REQ-.md are included
• ✅ Architecture principles referenced (if available)
• ✅ WebSearch was executed for each major service type
• ✅ At least 3 services found and compared (or explanation if fewer)
• ✅ Comparison table is complete
• ✅ Recommendation has clear rationale
• ✅ All service links are included
• ✅ Must-have requirements are checked against each service
• ✅ Gaps are identified if services don't meet all requirements
• ✅ Next steps are actionable

9. Report Completion

Output to user:

✅ Generated G-Cloud service search for [PROJECT_NAME]

Framework: G-Cloud
Document: projects/[project]/procurement/ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-GCLD-v1.0.md

Requirements Summary:
- ✅ Requirements extracted from ARC-*-REQ-*.md
- [✅/⚠️] Architecture principles referenced
- ✅ Service category identified: [Category]

Marketplace Search Results:
- ✅ Executed WebSearch for: [search query 1]
- [✅] Executed WebSearch for: [search query 2] (if multiple)
- ✅ Found [X] matching services
- ✅ Shortlisted top [X] services for comparison

Recommended Service:
🏆 [Service Name] by [Supplier Name]
   - Match Score: [X/Y] MUST + [X/Y] SHOULD requirements
   - Link: [URL]

Alternative Services:
2. [Service Name] by [Supplier] - [URL]
3. [Service Name] by [Supplier] - [URL]

Next Steps:
1. Review document: projects/[project]/procurement/ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-GCLD-v1.0.md
2. Visit recommended service page: [Link]
3. Contact supplier for detailed information
4. Validate integration requirements (INT-xxx)
5. Complete due diligence checklist (Section 9.2)
6. Award contract via Digital Marketplace

Important: All shortlisted services should be validated against MUST requirements before selection.

Key Principles

1. Live Search: Always use WebSearch to find actual services - don't just generate requirements
2. Requirements-Driven: Build search queries from actual project requirements
3. Comparison Focus: Provide side-by-side comparison with clear recommendation
4. Practical Links: Include direct links to every service mentioned
5. Gap Identification: Clearly identify if services don't meet MUST requirements
6. Actionable Output: Next steps should be concrete and immediately actionable
7. Traceability: Maintain requirement IDs throughout evaluation

Search Query Examples

For Cloud Hosting:

• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud cloud hosting kubernetes docker
• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud iaas virtual machines linux
• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud paas cloud platform managed

For SaaS Platforms:

• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud monitoring observability prometheus
• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud email delivery service smtp
• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud ci cd pipeline automation
• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud analytics data warehouse

For Specialized Services:

• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud cdn content delivery network
• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud backup disaster recovery
• site:digitalmarketplace.service.gov.uk g-cloud security scanning vulnerability

Error Handling

• No requirements: ERROR "Run $arckit-requirements first - need to define service needs"
• Custom development detected: ERROR "This is for custom development - use $arckit-dos instead"
• No service needs found: WARN "No cloud service requirements found - are you sure this is G-Cloud procurement?"
• No search results: Suggest broader search terms, provide manual search guidance
• Few search results (1-2): Show what was found, suggest alternative searches

G-Cloud vs DOS Guidance

If requirements suggest custom development rather than cloud services:

⚠️ FRAMEWORK MISMATCH DETECTED

Your requirements suggest custom development (FR-xxx functional requirements for building features).

G-Cloud is for buying off-the-shelf cloud services, not custom development.

✅ Use $arckit-dos instead - Digital Outcomes and Specialists

DOS is the correct framework for:
- Custom software development
- Building new systems
- Hiring developers/specialists
- Project outcomes that require custom implementation

Only use $arckit-gcloud-search if you need:
- Cloud hosting or infrastructure (IaaS/PaaS)
- Off-the-shelf SaaS platforms
- Managed cloud services

Important Notes

• Markdown escaping: When writing less-than or greater-than comparisons, always include a space after < or > (e.g., < 3 seconds, > 99.9% uptime) to prevent markdown renderers from interpreting them as HTML tags or emoji