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 /skill: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 /skill: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 → comes from the resolved Document Control header, not from a placeholder. _partials/RENDERING.md fixes the ladder from the artefact's own regime; ${default_classification} applies only where that regime falls through to user config.

Calculated fields:

• [YYYY-MM-DD] for Next 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 `/skill:arckit-gcloud-search` command | [PENDING] | [PENDING] |

Populate Generation Metadata Footer:

The footer should be populated with:

**Generated by**: ArcKit `/skill: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. Read the Template

Read the template (user override takes precedence):

• First, check .arckit/templates-custom/gcloud-requirements-template.md
• Then, .arckit/templates/gcloud-requirements-template.md
• Fallback, .arckit/templates/gcloud-requirements-template.md
• Then read .arckit/templates/_partials/RENDERING.md and resolve the <!-- DOC-CONTROL-HEADER --> marker in the template before writing. Do not hand-write the Document Control table: the partial RENDERING.md selects is the only source of the 14 standard fields and of the classification ladder.

The template owns the document structure. Populate it — do not invent a parallel one.

Create directory: projects/[project]/procurement/

Fill Sections 1-5 from the analysis in Step 3:

• 1. Service Overview — what is needed and why, from the BR-xxx requirements; strategic alignment against ARC-000-PRIN-*.md where it exists; integration context from the INT-xxx requirements.
• 2. Must-Have Requirements — the functional, performance, security, compliance and integration requirements a service MUST satisfy, each traced to its source requirement ID.
• 3. Desirable Requirements — the nice-to-haves, with the weighting they carry in Section 5.
• 4. Success Criteria — how the buying team will know the chosen service worked.
• 5. Evaluation Criteria — the weighted model. The template ships 50/25/15/10; adjust the weights to the project and say why if you do.

Sections 6-9 are filled in Steps 5-7 below, once the search has run.

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 Populate the Search Results Sections

Fill Sections 6-8 of the template from what the search returned:

• 6. Service Search Results — record the search strategy first (queries run, date, filters applied), then one "Service N" block per shortlisted service using the template's block structure: supplier, G-Cloud service ID, service URL, category, pricing model, must-have and desirable match counts, key features, compliance mentions, gaps identified, and a risk level. Keep 3-5 services; the template ships three blocks and says to repeat the structure.
• 7. Service Comparison Matrix — score every shortlisted service against the weighted criteria. Then complete Unmet Must-Have Requirements: any MUST from Section 2 that no shortlisted service clearly meets. Write "No unmet must-have requirements." rather than dropping the section when there are none — an empty heading and a missing heading say different things to whoever reviews the procurement.
• 8. Recommendation — the primary recommendation with its justification, plus at least one alternative. Say what would change the recommendation.

Search-result evidence is external content, so follow the citation instructions in .arckit/references/citation-instructions.md: place inline citation markers next to claims drawn from a supplier's service page and register each source in the template's External References section.

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. Complete the Closing Sections

Fill the rest of the template, then write the file:

• 9. Next Steps — immediate actions, supplier engagement, evaluation and contract award. Give each a named owner and a date rather than leaving the template's placeholders in place.
• 10. Resources and References — the template ships the Digital Marketplace guidance links, the G-Cloud framework notes and the related ArcKit commands. Add the project's own documents; keep the framework notes.
• Appendix A: Search Methodology — the queries, filters and exclusions actually used, so the search is reproducible.
• Appendix B: Glossary — expand any G-Cloud or framework term the buying team will not already know.
• External References — the document register, citations and unreferenced documents, per the citation instructions.

CRITICAL: Use the Write tool to save the completed document to projects/[project]/procurement/ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-GCLD-v1.0.md. Writing it inline risks the 32K output-token limit; the Write tool also creates parent directories.

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

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 /skill:arckit-requirements first - need to define service needs"
• Custom development detected: ERROR "This is for custom development - use /skill: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 /skill: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 /skill: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