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Request for Proposal for Professional Services City of Laramie Website Design Laramie, Wyoming Issued by the City of Laramie PO Box C 406 Ivinson Laramie, WY 82073 [PHONE REDACTED] Due March 1, 2011 ---PAGE BREAK--- Introduction The City of Laramie invites prospective respondents to submit proposals for the design of a website for the City of Laramie and the purchase and implementation of a web content management system (CMS) along with website design, development and implementation services. Proposals must be submitted in accordance with the conditions outlined in this Request for Proposals (RFP). The overall goal is to have the web site offer an exceptionally attractive and welcoming resource to our citizens, visitors and the economic development community, while providing an easily manageable back end for city staff. The current City of Laramie website is online at http://www.cityoflaramie.com/ Submittals will be received in the office of the City Clerk at the following address no later than 1:00 pm on March 1, 2011: City of Laramie PO Box C 406 Ivinson Laramie, WY 82073 Mark the outside of the submittal “City of Laramie Website”. Any questions or requests for clarification related to this RFP should be addressed in writing to the above address or via email, no later than 5:00pm MST, February 23, 2011 to: Jonathan Rhoades – Information Technology Manager ([EMAIL REDACTED]) Ahmed Yousif – Web Administrator ([EMAIL REDACTED]) Dave Derragon – Assistant City Manager ([EMAIL REDACTED]) The proposals for the City of Laramie Website will be opened on March 1, 2011 at 1:00 pm MST, by the City of Laramie in the office of the City Clerk. Information Technology staff will give their recommendation to the City Manager’s Office by mid March, 2011 to consider the selection of a consultant. The project start date is ASAP. The City of Laramie will work with the consulting firm to establish a mutually agreeable schedule. ---PAGE BREAK--- Submittal Requirements Each submittal must include 3 copies of the written response to this RFP containing the requested information. Consultant proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria as a measure of the respondents’ ability to successfully complete the project scope of work. Cost will not be the sole basis for selection, since it is in City of Laramie’s best interest to retain a firm that has significant relevant professional credentials. 1) Vendor must have been in the business of providing website design and web content management solutions for government/municipalities or other clients with similar functions and complexity for at least five years. 2) Provide the size and a brief background and history of the lead firm and consultants that will provide professional services. 3) Vendor must provide a client history to demonstrate that they have designed and developed similar websites. Provide at least five examples of similar projects completed by members of the consulting team in the past three years that demonstrate relevance to the City’s website update project. 4) Provide client references and contact information 5) Vendor’s proposal must be valid for not less than one-hundred and twenty (120) days after the Open Date. 6) A total of the consultant fee, including expenses required to complete the scope of services as detailed. The final consultant fee and related expenses will be negotiated before the contract is awarded. The City of Laramie reserves the right to accept, reject, amend, or negotiate any terms or overall proposals, in any form or manner whatsoever, as it is deemed in the best interest of the City. No proposals will be considered which are received after the submittal date. The City of Laramie reserves the right to waive any and all informalities of any proposal. All proposals will be retained by the City of Laramie. ---PAGE BREAK--- Insurance and Indemnification Requirements 1) Vendor shall at all times during the term of the agreement carry, maintain, and keep in full force and effect, a policy or policies of Comprehensive General Liability Insurance, with minimum limits of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) for each occurrence, combined single limit, against any personal injury, death, loss or damage resulting from the wrongful or negligent acts by Vendor, or infringement of copyrights. 2) Vendor shall at all times during the term of the agreement carry, maintain, and keep in full force and effect, a policy or policies of Comprehensive Vehicle Liability Insurance covering personal injury and property damage, with minimum limits of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) per occurrence combined single limit, covering any vehicle utilized by Contractor in performing the services required by the agreement. 3) Vendor agrees to maintain in force at all times during the performance of work under the agreement worker’s compensation insurance as required by law. 4) Vendor shall require each of its sub-consultants or sub-contractors to maintain insurance coverage which meets all of the requirements of the agreement. 5) Vendor agrees that if it does not keep the aforesaid insurance in full force and effect City may either immediately terminate the agreement or, if insurance is available at a reasonable cost, City may take out the necessary insurance and pay, at Vendor expense, the premium thereon. Guidelines & General Information 1) Respondents are advised to become familiar with all conditions, instructions, and specifications of this RFP. By submitting a proposal, Respondent represents and warrants that it has thoroughly examined and become familiar with work required under this RFP, that Respondent has conducted such additional investigation as it deems necessary and convenient, that Respondent is capable of providing the equipment, goods and services necessary to furnish, install and support the website for City of Laramie use in a manner that meets the City’s objectives and specifications as outlined in this RFP, and that Respondent has reviewed and inspected all materials submitted in response to this RFP. Once the award has been made, a failure to have read the conditions, instructions, and specifications herein shall not be cause to alter the contract or for Vendor to request additional compensation. 2) The Vendor selected for the contract will be responsible for complying with all conditions of this RFP and any subsequent formal agreements. All responses provided should be as detailed as possible to provide the proposal evaluators with enough information to make a fair assessment of the Vendor’s services. Please do not include videos. 3) Each Respondent shall state the proposed delivery date for the work outlined in the RFP in terms of business days during the Vendor’s initial timeline meeting, including design and implementation of each phase. ---PAGE BREAK--- Development and Technical Requirements 1) Website Objectives There are a number of primary objectives to be accomplished by the development of a new website, both focused externally on website visitors and internally on website administrators. Aside from specific functionality, the website should meet the following overarching goals: a) Provide accurate, current, comprehensive information to the City of Laramie audiences, in a visually appealing, user-friendly way. b) Make it easier for audiences to interact with the City of Laramie. c) Provide round-the-clock access to City of Laramie information and transactions. d) Reduce City of Laramie staff time to handle routine inquiries. e) Market and showcase the City of Laramie f) Comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in all areas g) Offer a variety of communication methods to keep audiences up-to-date, including e-mail notifications, SMS text messages, RSS feeds and Gov 2.0 interaction. h) Allow audiences to create on-site profiles aimed at increasing participation and interactivity. i) Include a citizen request tracker. j) Include an interactive calendaring system k) Help organize and automatically archive city news stories, agendas, calendar items, and other documents. l) Include the ability to search the site including using advanced searching options to find web pages, documents, and other materials. m) Promote the use of on-site media through photo, audio and video posting methods that encourage user viewing and, when appropriate, feedback and interaction. n) Simplify website administration, allowing users of all skill levels the opportunity and means to update assigned sections of the website. o) Build upon proven and accepted website development standards while maintaining the flexibility to easily grow and add new functionality for audiences and administrators over time and with minimal cost. 2) Audience and Site Structure The website may contain information pertaining to a variety of different audiences; the navigational architecture of the site should therefore take those audiences into ---PAGE BREAK--- consideration, making structure, organization and ease-of-navigation among the top priorities in a website content migration and development process. Audiences served by the City of Laramie’s website include: a) Community councils b) Community commissions c) Internal and external municipal committees d) Community residents e) Local and regional businesses f) Potential visitors and tourists g) Local business clientele h) Community or area employees i) Area Chambers of Commerce j) Area Conference and Visitors Bureaus k) Vendors doing business or seeking business with the community l) Area School Districts m) Residents or visitors seeking employment n) Local or regional press / media o) Community activists and organizations p) Students 3) Design Guidelines and Qualifications The visitor-facing design of the website should be welcoming, attractive and created by a member or members of the vendor’s professional design staff. The final version of the design should be a collaborative effort between the City of Laramie and the vendor, incorporating elements that effectively represent the brand and image desired by the City of Laramie through a consultative development process. Specific design guidelines and qualifications include: i) As a part of standard website project development, the vendor shall develop an original design for the City of Laramie and, over a period of time during the development of the website, consult with key members of the City of Laramie’s website committee to make revisions and alterations to the vendor’s original design submission. ii) Website design must be visually appealing, incorporating the City of Laramie colors and logo where appropriate. iii) Design elements should include photographs that are easily updated. ---PAGE BREAK--- iv) Website design must maintain consistency throughout all pages to maximize usability, except as requested by the City of Laramie. v) Vendor must have the capability to provide original designs for subsites associated with the primary site within the framework of the primary project development period. vi) The final version of the website should be easily identified as the Official Site of the City of Laramie. vii) No advertisements, or pay-per-placement graphics, icons, or elements, will be allowed on the website. viii) Website design and associated elements should comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. ix) Ownership of the website design and all content should be transferred to the City of Laramie upon completion of the project.