ADDENDUM #2 TO REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS NO. 15-0551 WEBSITE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, AND MARKETING SERVICES
College of Southern Nevada Purchasing Department 3200 E. Cheyenne Avenue N. Las Vegas, Nevada 89030
(702) 651-4320
Date of Addendum: January 14, 2015 Date of RFP Release: December 23, 2014
Date and Hour of RFP Opening: January 29, 2015 @ 3:00P.M. Local Time
THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, AND/OR CHANGES SHALL BE
MADE AND INCORPORATED IN THE SUBJECT INVITATION:
The following questions were raised and are answered below:
1) Question: Is the July 31, 2015 launch date firm? Speaking from over 12 years of experience in designing and building higher education websites, the timeline is very aggressive. We caution CSN on taking this approach as the compact timeline will impact virtually every aspect of the process and could potentially impact the ability to deliver on CSN’s vision of creating a best in class website.
Answer: CSN is requiring that the awardee allocate the appropriate number of
developers, designers, marketing professionals and copy writers needed to complete the CSN .edu website by the requested timeline. It is CSN’s desire for the website to go live at the beginning of the Fall 2015 Semester but the portal can go live in October 2015.
2) Question: What is the earliest date in which the agency partner can begin work? Answer: Upon award and execution of a contract. We anticipate the third week of February 2015.
3) Question: What is the budget for the initial redesign and development? Is there a separate budget for post-launch support and website enhancements?
Answer: There is no specific budget for this project. CSN is interested in reviewing your firm’s submittal for both the creative elements of the project and the related pricing.
4) Question: What does CSN consider “outside the box”?
Answer: CSN considers outside-the-box to be a creative and award winning approach offered by your company. CSN is not looking for an ordinary re-theming or one-size-fits-all functionality; instead, the college in very interested in innovative ideas, ingenuity, and the unique approach your company will take to meeting the project’s requirements.
5) Question: How will CSN declare the project a success?
Answer: CSN will consider the project to be a success when the awardee meets all of the requirements within the RFP by using the most secure, seamless, and tailored
solution. Timeline, constituency input, and functionality – all of which must meet CSN’s approval – are also fundamental to a successful project.
6) Question: Please elaborate in detail on the functional and technical requirements for each of the items listed under 4. Scope of Work, 4.3-4.3.4 (page 23).
Answer: The awardee will be required to build a dashboard/interface that will display live data and real-time functionality which interacts directly with the following, but not limited to, third-party applications:
4.3.1 Canvas - Provide pertinent data excerpts, interactivity and allow seamless authentication between CSN.edu and Canvas.
4.3.2 Office 365 - Provide pertinent data excerpts, interactivity and allow seamless authentication between CSN.edu and Office 365.
4.3.3 MyCSN (Peoplesoft) - Provide pertinent data excerpts, interactivity and allow seamless authentication between CSN.edu and MyCSN.
4.3.4 Microsoft (internal network services) - Provide pertinent data excerpts, interactivity and allow seamless authentication between CSN.edu and
Microsoft Active Directory/User Services.
4.3.4 Other network applications - Other applications may be substituted, depending on project requirements during the development stages and are expected to be covered under this project scope.
NOTE: Proposers must have a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of Central Authentication Services (CAS) to provide CSN a seamless integration between the new website and third-party applications. CSN is relying on proposers’ expert CAS and development skills to provide the best solutions for functioning and communicating between the new CSN.edu portal and the listed third-party applications.
7) Question: Please elaborate in detail on the functional and technical requirements for each of the items listed under 4. Scope of Work, 4.6-4.6.5 (page 23).
Answer: The build of the new website must include:
4.6.1 Community Calendars - Community Calendars are to include events related to Student Activities and Events, College Events, CAPE (training), Arts and, Lectures, Holidays, Academic Dates and Events, and Athletic Events. The calendar functionality should include RSS and viral capabilities. CSN is receptive to the proposers’ creative and functional ideas in creating the calendar(s).
4.6.2 Interactive Campus/Building Map - The interactive Campus/Building Map will include all CSN campuses and satellite offices. At a minimum, the calendar will interact with map API’s, will be adaptable to display on
desktop/mobile/tablet devices and have the ability to be shared electronically. CSN is receptive to the proposers’ creative and functional ideas in creating the Interactive Campus/Building Maps.
4.6.3 Interactive Video and Narrative - The Interactive Video Narrative will be an HTML5 step-by-step narrative using video/imagery and browser friendly approaches to insure optimal display on desktop, tablet and mobile devices. The awardee will be required to create an interactive video narrative featuring the schools Administrative Official(s), faculty, personnel, students and/or campus landmarks. The vendor is required to provide the concept, design, development and copy. CSN is receptive to the proposers’ creative and functional ideas in creating the Interactive Video and Narrative.
4.6.4 On-site Imagery and Video – The awardee will be expected to provide on-site video footage and imagery needed for all requirements of this project. 4.6.5 Multi-Site Functionality - Multi-Site Functionality includes the built-in
ability to easily create additional sites to the existing main website. Site administrators must have the ability to easily activate multiple blogs/sub-sites with assignable URL’s, domain names, themes and roles/users.
8) Question: What assets (copy, photos, video, audio, etc.) is the agency partner expected to provide?
Answer: The awardee must provide all the copy, photos, video, audio and other tools and equipment necessary to be fully engaged in and to complete this project. CSN may provide a limited repository of imagery, but the amount or availability is not known at this time.
9) Question: We noticed that there are several sites that have a unique look and feel – such as the Foundation and Athletics. Are these sites within the scope of the project and if so, will they require a unique look and feel or will they be integrated within the look and feel of the main website?
Answer: These external websites are expected to be integrated within the look and feel of the main website. The requested Multi-Site functionality specified in the RFP is anticipated to be a solution to allow these unique sites to be incorporated into the main website’s central structure.
10) Question: What other related sites like the Foundation and Athletics are in scope?
Answer: None at this time though CSN expects any additional sites such as the Foundation and Athletics website to be easily assignable through your solution’s Multi-Site functionality.
11) Question: Under Tab 3, question 5 (page 10). Please elaborate on the college department and college initiatives.
Answer: These include increasing enrollment, enhancing donations, and to entice, capture, and retain site visitors for the college and college departments.
12) Question: Under Tab 3, question 6 (page 10). Can you provide an instance of how a department would use this approach?
Answer: The Multi-Site Functionality required in the RFP would include the built-in ability for administrators to activate a blog or sub-site with an assignable URL, domain name, theme, and role/user. The college department would have the option to create and maintain a more personalized web presence, however, they would be limited to the main websites navigational parameters that are universal to the entire CSN.edu web presence.
Answer: Google Analytics and SiteImprove
14) Question: Under Tab3, question 20 (page 11). Please elaborate on CSN’s vision to implement personalization.
Answer: The ability to automatically change imagery, text, and pages to cater
specifically to new and returning site visitors (many of whom are prospective students) is an important element in personalizing the visitor’s experience. This functionality will assist the college in understanding the needs of our target audience which is crucial to capturing and retaining the visitor’s interest. The Acquia Lift platform has been chosen to provide this functionality. Proposers that are experienced with this tool must be able to leverage that experience to improve the personalization needs of the project.
15) Question: Under Tab3, question 23 (page 11). Please elaborate on the functional and technical requirements.
Answer: This pertains to the Central Authentication Services (CAS) being requested in the RFP which must include a seamless authentication between CSN.edu and PeopleSoft (the product chosen to process student applications). CSN desires to improve the process of choosing a career path that will appropriately guide the student to the final step of applying via the PeopleSoft application. The end result is to simplify identifying the career path and completing the appropriate application during a single sign-on/session.
16) Question: Under Tab3, question 24 (page 11). Please elaborate on the functional and technical requirements of processing and tracking donors.
Answer: In answering this section, please describe how your company will successfully configure CSN’s personalization tool (Acquia Lift) to attract new and returning donors. Also please describe the ecommerce platform your company will use to process orders and track donor transaction history.
17) Question: Does CSN require marketing assistance outside of redesigning the Donors section of the website?
Answer: CSN requires marketing assistances for marketing all school departments, in addition to the Donors section.
Answer: The Interactive Video Narrative will be a HTML5 step-by-step narrative using video/imagery and browser friendly approaches to insure optimal display on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. The awardee will be expected create an interactive video narrative featuring the college’s Administrative Official(s), faculty, personnel, students and/or campus landmarks.
19) Question: Is the agency partner responsible for producing or modifying any custom web applications?
Answer: The awardee will be required to provide customization to modules and/or web applications as needed to meet the scope of this project and implement the tools provided by CSN’s Acquia Cloud platform.
20) Question: Will the agency partner be responsible for sourcing Drupal modules? Customizing the modules?
Answer: The agency partner will be responsible for creating and/or customizing modules needed to meet all requirements of this project.
21) Question: Tab 2 - Question 6: What existing schemas, applications, files and other collateral are you referring to? Can you provide more detail about them (eg. - what format are they currently in? - perhaps a sample of each of these on the live site?)?
Answer: Some of this collateral may include .pdf files, images, videos, etc. CSN encourages proposers to independently visit and research CSN’s existing website for potential collateral that will need to be migrated to the new website. CSN is open to alternative methods, as long as the migrated content is properly represented into the new website.
22) Question: Tab 3 - Q4: Does this scope of work include the build of an intranet portal? If so, what is the list of requirements for functionality?
Answer: This project requires a seamless integration with third-party applications, which will make it a portal that communicates with intranet applications. Please review the requirements in the Scope of Work, Section 4.3 and number 4 in Attachment A of the RFP for further details.
23) Question: Tab 3 - Q6: Can you please provide a sample sub-site? Is the expectation that CSN could develop independent websites (eg. - subdomain) or pages/sections within the main website? Are you looking for the ability to publish a new website using the CMS?
Answer: CSN does not have a sample sub-site as it is anticipated the awardee will produce this. The expectation is that administrators can easily assign a blog/website to college departments/partners that conform to the domain, functionality, and style guidelines of the college. The option for administrators to easily assign a theme, domain/subdomain, and allow department users to update these sites is important. Yes, CSN must have the ability of assigning blogs/websites to individual departments within the new CMS.
24) Question: Tab 3 - Q7: Will you be providing a map for the overlay?
Answer: The awardee must provide all materials needed in the planning, execution, and completion of this item.
25) Question: Tab 3 - Q8: Can you expand on what you mean by “Interactive” video? In what ways are you envisioning people would be able to interact with the video?
Answer: CSN will be relying on the awardee’s experience and creativity in developing an “interactive” video in which users can click choices or click for further information. CSN understand the video will have a narrative, provide interactivity and contain video. Please describe in your response how your company will bring these elements together in creating a high quality representation of the college in the video.
26) Question: Tab 3 - Q10: Can you please provide samples? What kind of personalization are you envisioning?
Answer: CSN is requesting proposers provide samples of marketing personalization in their proposal. It is important that proposers have a strong understanding of
personalization to provide the best options and outcome for this project.
27) Question: Tab 3 - Q19: Who would be able to submit items for the calendar? The public or just administered by one party?
Answer: The calendar is open to the college. Users with permission to administer the calendar will vary as needed per college department requirements.
28) Question: Tab 3 - Q20: Personalization can fall across a wide spectrum. Can you provide more detail or examples of your expectation for personalization?
Answer: The ability to automatically change imagery, text, and pages to cater
an important element in personalizing the visitor’s experience. This functionality will assist the college in understanding the needs of our target audience which is crucial to capturing and retaining the visitor’s interest. The Acquia Lift platform has been chosen to provide this functionality. Proposers that are experienced with this tool must be able to leverage that experience to improve the personalization needs of the project.
29) Question: Tab 3 - Q22: Can you please provide a sample of your expectations?
Answer: CSN will be relying on the expertise of the awardee to provide samples of this functionality. The goal is to simplify the ability for users to calculate the cost of
enrollment.
30) Question: Tab 3 - Q23: Can you please provide a sample of your expectation? What is the current process for a student to identify a career path and which application to complete?
Answer: CSN currently does not have a formalized online process to assist potential students in degree identification and related course pathways to graduation.
The expectation is the awardee will work closely with CSN to create an online experience that will assist students in researching degree options including, but not limited to, the classes required for their chosen degree, ability to research each class, suggested course pathways to complete the degree in the most efficient time frame, ability to contact an advisor/mentor/counselor, tuition and financial aid options, and scholarship and grant opportunities.
31) Question: Tab 3 - Q24: How are you handling this currently, and what functionality do you feel like you’re lacking?
Answer: Current donor tracking is performed through The Raiser’s Edge. However,
the donor site (https://secure1.merchantmanager.com/tpro/csnfoundation/donation.asp) is
not a third party solution and does require manual entry into The Raiser’s Edge. CSN requires a solution that will make tracking easier, will be viewable and accessible by many internal stakeholders, that is consistent, and allows for administrators and those with privileges to produce reports.
32) Question: Tab 3 - Q26: Would we be meeting with each department to develop an independent marketing plan?
Answer: The awardee will be communicating directly with CSN’s Web Services department who will then identify which college departments will require in-person meetings to develop and finalize a marketing plan for their website.
33) Question: Tab 3 - Q28: Is it the expectation that the vendor will shoot and edit the video?
Answer: The Interactive Video Narrative will be an HTML5 step-by-step narrative using video/imagery and browser friendly approaches to insure optimal display on desktop, tablet and mobile devices. The awardee will be required to create an interactive video narrative featuring the college’s Administrative Official(s), faculty, personnel, students and/or campus landmarks. The awardee will be required to provide the concept, design, development, and copy. CSN is receptive to the proposers creative and functional ideas in creating the Interactive Video and Narrative. The awardee is expected to provide on-site video footage and imagery needed for all requirements of this project.
34) Question: In our experience, a project with this scope and within a learning institution will typically take longer than the timeline you note in your RFP. Will you accept bids that project a launch date outside the stated July launch date?
Answer: It is CSN’s desire for the website to go live at the beginning of the Fall 2015 Semester but the portal can go live by October 2015. CSN will accept proposals with alternative timelines but deviating from the timeline included in the RFP may impact the scoring proposer(s) receive.
35) Question: What is your ideal budget range for this project?
Answer: There is no specific budget for this project. CSN is interested in reviewing your firm’s submittal for both the creative elements of the project and the related pricing.
36) Question: The RFP states you expect to host the site internally, but use of tools like Acquia Lift may require you to use Acquia’s hosting platform. Are you considering using Acquia as a hosting provider as well? Are there alternate tools you are considering for content personalization?
Answer: Hosting the site internally only refers to the “existing environment” within the RFP. Moving forward with this project, we are using Acquia for their tools and cloud platform. All content personalization must utilize Acquia’s Lift for personalization.
37) Question: Regarding System Users: you state you expect to cut down non-technical system users by 70% after the launch of the new website. Would you consider trimming down the list prior to migration so these users don’t have to be migrated into the new system?
Answer: CSN is currently in the process of communicating with existing users in determining whose accounts will be migrated. At this time, we do not have firm figures on which to base that decision.
38) Question: Generating reports: do you expect to generate reports from the website admin interface, or are there other tools you expect to use to generate the reports referenced in Attachment A, point 7?
Answer: Yes, CSN expects that the new website will have the ability to produce content age, modification history, and ownership within the CMS interface.
39) Question: Can you clarify what is meant by “built in tools for accessibility and repair” in Attachment A, point 8?
Answer: CSN requires the awardee to implement the appropriate functionality to force content editors to choose the correct methods for achieving proper accessibility.
40) Question: In Attachment A, points 35 and 42: “Includes API for creating extended modules/functionality,” and “Includes marketing API’s/modules for analytics and
statistics.” Can you elaborate on the requirements for these APIs? What is the desired use case, and who will be using / accessing the APIs?
Answer: CSN anticipates the awardee will be able to create, customize and/or extend Drupal modules as needed to meet the project requirements. For more information, please refer to Scope of Work, Section 4.3.
41) Question: There is mention of a video in the RFP, but it is not clear if the requirement is for the website to support video, or for the vendor to create a video for CSN. Can you clarify this requirement?
Answer: Any video identified in the RFP will need to be supported on the website. The awardee will be required to provide all on-site/stock video for this project.
42) Question: In Attachment A, point 25 you state you would like the “Ability to produce mass emails for users/registered visitors.” Do you expect the functionality to draft,
compose, and send emails from the website admin interface, or would the drafting / sending happen somewhere else? Are you currently using any tools for email newsletters? If so, which ones?
Answer: CSN needs the new website to be able to auto-generate communications/alerts to users within the CMS, from within the CMS. Additionally, we need the new system to provide the ability for administrators and users to communicate between each other. There is no newsletter at this time.
43) Question: Did CSN work with an outside partner on the current website? If so, can you cite the name of the agency/firm?
Answer: In 2007, CSN hired PINT to help design the CSN homepage. Since then, CSN has used the Sitebuilder software to redesign the CSN website. Much of the current CSN website has been developed internally by CSN staff.
44) Question: What is the make-up of CSN’s current marketing team? Can you give us a
sense of the overall internal operating structure and who will be the key contact at the College for this project?
Answer: CSN has an internal marketing department who handles the overall marketing strategy for the college. The awardee will be provided contact information to the
appropriate personnel in the Marketing Department at the onset of this project.
45) Question: Who does CSN consider to be its top three competitors from a cross-applicant/enrollment standpoint?
Answer: Local higher education institutions including UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas), NSC (Nevada State College), and UNR (University of Nevada, Reno) compete for some of the same students as CSN. Please visit the CSN.edu website to research and obtain additional information.
46) Question: What site analytics are available for the awarded consultant to review at the onset of the engagement?
Answer: Google Analytics and Siteimprove
47) Question: Are travel expenses to be included within the total base-price project estimate or will the College be agreeable to these expenses being billed separately and in
Answer: For the purposes of responding to Section G (Pricing Response Form) of the RFP, please submit estimated travel expenses as a separate expense line in your proposal. CSN anticipates the awardee will visit the campus multiple times during the project. All travel expenses will need to align with CSN’s current travel policy which will be
stipulated in the resulting contract. Travel expenses can be billed separately as they are incurred.
48) Question: Are there any sites within or outside of higher education that CSN has reviewed that are indicative of the College's preferences for “out-of-the-box” creative thinking, look, style, navigational features, etc?
Answer: None specifically. CSN anticipates proposers will provide a portfolio of work or samples in their proposal which represents their ability to be creative, technical, and practical.
49) Question: What key attributes is CSN looking for in its new web strategy partner? What key factors in your mind will lead to a successful partnership and outcome for this
engagement?
Answer: CSN is looking for a company that can work to capture the essence, spirit, and goals of CSN and its departments. This collaborative effort will rely heavily on the awardees pertinent experience and approach in engaging CSN and its internal stakeholders.
ALL OTHER TERMS, CONDITIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS OF THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS REMAIN THE SAME.
