Website Redesign and CMS Implementation

Website Redesign and CMS

Implementation

REQUEST FOR QUOTATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

RFP NO: WS462202033

PROPOSAL DUE DATE: February 27, 2015, 5:00 PM Pacific Time

Only emailed responses will be accepted. Faxed responses will not be accepted.

ESTIMATED TIME PERIOD FOR CONTRACT: 03/1/2015 – 12/31/2015

The UW reserves the right to extend the contract at the sole discretion of the UW.

VENDOR ELIGIBILITY: This procurement is open to those Vendors that satisfy the minimum

qualifications stated herein and that are available for work in Washington State.

CONTENTS OF THE REQUEST FOR QUOTATION & QUALIFICATIONS:

1.

Introduction

2.

General Information for Vendors

3.

Proposal Contents

4.

Evaluation and Contract Award

5.

RFP Exhibits

A. Certifications and Assurances

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... 2

1. Introduction ... 3

2. General Information for Vendors ... 12

3. Proposal Contents ... 15

4. Evaluation and Contract Award ... 18

5. RFP Exhibits ... 20

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND STAFFING ... 23

1.

INTRODUCTION

1.1

PURPOSE

University of Washington Educational Outreach ("UWEO”) is initiating this Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit proposals from Vendors interested in participating on a project to assist with a website redesign and implementation of a new content management system (CMS).

1.2

ABOUT UWEO AND UWPCE

For more than a century, the mission of University of Washington Educational Outreach has been to provide broad access to the UW and to expand UW educational programs by serving the needs of diverse, global communities of learners. Today, UW Educational Outreach administers a wide range of fee-based,

self-sustaining programs, making the incredible resources of the university available to nearly 50,000 students each year.

Within UWEO, UW Professional & Continuing Education (“UWPCE”) offers 130 certificates, 60 graduate and undergraduate degrees and hundreds of courses, all designed with the needs of busy adults in mind.

Professionals take these programs to gain the advanced expertise needed for employment, a career change, career advancement or simply the development of personal interests.

UWEO information systems use the Microsoft technology stack, including Windows Server, Internet Information Services (IIS), .NET Framework, SQL Server, Dynamics AX and Dynamics CRM.

More information about UWEO and UWPCE is available in 2013 UWEO annual report.

1.3

ABOUT OUR WEBSITES

The UW Professional & Continuing Education website (http://www.pce.uw.edu) serves as the main portal for continuing education programs at the UW. Comprising about 5,700 pages, the site was last redesigned in April 2010. Since that time, there have been significant changes to parts of the site, but the overall look and feel has remained the same.

The UWPCE site includes detailed descriptions of certificate programs and individual courses. Degree program pages are not currently hosted on the site; instead, the organization has employed a strategy of creating microsites for degree programs and linking to them from the UWPCE site. Besides academic program content, the site includes resources and policies for current students, articles on career tips and industry trends and information about UWPCE itself. About 70 percent of visitors say their primary reason for visiting the site is to get information about UW academic programs or courses, according to our website survey.

The following table provides examples of some typical content types on the UWPCE site. Note this is not a comprehensive list of content types.

Content type What it is Example

Program listing page A way to browse all of our degree programs, certificate programs, or courses; uses an expand/collapse control

Certificate Programs

Program listing page (UW Online)

A way to browse our online degree programs, certificate programs, or courses

Certificate master page “Evergreen” content about a certificate program; not about a specific offering

Certificate in Data Visualization

Certificate instance page An offering of a certificate program at a specific place and time

Certificate in Data Visualization, Bellevue/Winter 2015

Course master page “Evergreen” content about a course; not about a specific offering

Data Visualization Strategies

Course instance page (certificate course)

An offering of a course at a specific time and place, offered as part of a certificate program

Certificate in Data Visualization, Bellevue/Winter 2015

Course instance page (standalone course)

An offering of a course at a specific time and place, NOT offered as part of a certificate program

Oceanography of the Pacific Northwest (OCEAN 101)

Landing page Page promoting particular PCE certificate programs, criteria for inclusion vary

New Certificates launching in 2014 & 2015

Career Insights article Article about career tips or trends, promoted by our monthly email newsletter

The Mother of Reinvention: Returning to Work After a Parenting Break

Student Resources detail page Resources for current PCE students about registration, costs, and policies

Fees, Aid & Payment

Blank Template (empty page) Manly used in iframe and popup windows

http://www.pce.uw.edu/blank.aspx?id=18720

Non branded landing page Used for inbound marketing landing pages

1.4

CMS PROJECT HISTORY

Concurrent with the 2010 redesign of the PCE website, UWEO implemented the Ektron content management system (version 8.0.2). The initial implementation, which was handled internally, did not follow best practices and has been problematic in a number of ways. At a high level, processes required to manage and maintain the website are often complex, inefficient and time-consuming. Some examples:

 Content folder structure is disorganized and hard to navigate for content authors.

 The CMS is not integrated with our internal database (EOS) of courses and programs, so program and course information must be keyed in manually, making it more prone to error. EOS is a large

application that supports almost all of the business functions in UWEO in some fashion, from

Registration to Academic Programs and Finance. It is written in classic ASP and JavaScript and runs on a SQL Server database.

 The website is not closely integrated with our CRM (Microsoft Dynamics CRM), although there is minimal integration.

 Content metadata and attributes are often duplicated across the system. For example, the academic quarter in which a program starts must be entered in seven different places in order to display everywhere it is needed on the website.

 Due to the implementation, we cannot use significant core functionality in Ektron, such as PageBuilder (Ektron’s drag-and-drop page creation system) and depend on developers more heavily.

 It’s difficult to accurately preview a page without publishing it.

 Custom code has been written in various languages to support website features, making any Ektron upgrade more difficult.

 More than 20 microsites are currently manually authored in HTML and managed outside of any CMS, resulting in a dependency on developers for simple changes.

In 2013, UWEO hired a consultant to perform an assessment of the existing content management system. Three options were considered: (1) keep the system “as is” with no changes to software or business processes; (2) upgrade Ektron to the latest version and fix the implementation problems while keeping the same website design (a redesign would follow later); and (3) redesign the website and, at the same time, either upgrade Ektron or switch to a different CMS (however, only WordPress and Drupal were considered). Option 2, upgrading and reimplementing Ektron, was recommended.

In early 2014 UWEO selected a vendor to perform the Ektron reimplementation. The vendor was hired specifically for its expertise with Ektron. After discovery and documentation of business requirements, the vendor conducted audits of the CMS configuration, website code base, and website technical architecture, and assessed the feasibility of EOS integration and CRM integration. As the project moved through the planning phases, however, new concerns were raised internally about Ektron itself—including usability, extensibility, performance, and reliability—and whether UWEO would be better served by an alternative .NET-based CMS. After a period of reevaluation, UWEO decided to suspend the Ektron reimplementation project and evaluate other .NET-based content management systems. In addition, UWEO decided to combine the CMS migration and the PCE website redesign into a single project. UWEO is currently considering Kentico and possibly others as .NET CMSes, and expects to make a decision on its choice of CMS concurrent with the evaluation of proposals from this RFP.

1.5

WEBSITE VISION AND GOALS

The PCE website is the most important system that supports the marketing of UWEO's programs. As such, it is critical that visitors to the site find it highly useable and useful for what they want to accomplish, and that the site reflects UWEO’s mission and brand strategy. In addition, UWEO staff should be able to efficiently manage and maintain the site.

PCE website vision statement TBD

In support of that vision, the UWPCE website has the following goals: Customer Goals

Find degrees, certificate programs, and courses that match my interests, schedule and budget

 Search for programs and courses by the criteria that matter to me (e.g., area of study, keyword, program type, location, start quarter, learning format, meeting schedule)

Decide whether a program or course is right for me based on criteria that matter to me (e.g., curriculum, format, instructors, requirements, cost, schedule, and career outcomes)

Apply for admission to the program or course

Register and pay for courses I’ve been admitted to (not currently supported) Find student resources, policies or support for a program or course I’m enrolled in Get career tips and learn about career trends

Find free online courses offered by the UW

Stay in touch with UWPCE so I can learn about new programs, events and career info

 Manage my email preferences

Contact customer service

Business Goals

Attract prospective students to the website and build awareness of UWPCE  Ensure that pages and content are optimized for search

 Drive traffic to the site through a variety of marketing channels (SEM, email, referrals, social media, print) Improve lead generation

Communicate our brand story (UWPCE, UW Online, UW) consistently across the site; build trust in the brand through the quality of the user experience, visual design and content

Inspire website visitors to further their education through UWPCE programs

 Communicate the academic quality, career value of UWPCE programs and courses Improve conversion of website visitors from prospective students to applicants

Enable students to apply to programs and courses easily

Ensure that content on the website is timely, accurate, engaging and understandable

Allow customers to engage with the website no matter what kind of device they’re using (desktop, tablet, mobile) Maximize the efficiency of website management/maintenance for UWEO staff

1.6

PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF WORK

This project involves engaging a vendor to redesign the UWPCE website (http://www.pce.uw.edu) and migrate from the Ektron content management system to a new CMS (to be selected).

Project objectives and tasks are listed below, along with whether primary responsibility lies with the vendor or UWEO. Even if primary responsibility for the objective is assigned to the vendor, it is assumed that UWEO resources will contribute to, review and approve decisions related to these objectives.

1.6.1 VISUAL DESIGN, INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE & USER EXPERIENCE

Goal Vendor

responsibility

UWEO responsibility

Review and revise information architecture  

Develop new content models for programs and courses Currently, specific offerings (instance) of certificate programs and courses have their own pages. Our new strategy is to consolidate the master and instance content onto the same page to improve usability and reduce maintenance costs.

 

Redesign the UWPCE website using current UW branding and website as a starting point to adapt for our goals and audience

 Design elements to be based on recent updates to the UW brand, including typography, color palette,

graphics, logo positioning, photography, etc.

 Develop iconography system, mimicking UW iconography, and adaptable from web to print

 Adhere to UW and UWPCE brand guidelines

 Responsive design friendly to desktop, tablet and mobile devices

 

Develop layouts and responsive design templates for each identified content type, to include:

 PCE home page

 Degree page (does not exist on current site)

 Certificate page

 Course page

 UW Online section home page

 UW Online Why Choose page

 UW Online listing pages

 UW Online free online courses page

 Career Insights section home page

 Career Insights article page/blog post

 Student Resources home page

 Student Resources information page

 About section home page

 Landing page for seasonal/topical program listings

 Flexible templates for content authors to create new pages



Develop a robust site search that supports search filters/ facets for multiple criteria

(e.g., area of study, keyword, program type, location, start quarter, learning format, meeting schedule)



1.6.2 CONTENT MIGRATION

Goal Vendor

responsibility

UWEO responsibility Conduct content inventory and audit

Determine which content should be migrated, revised and retired



Migrate content

Migrate all site pages (as identified by the content audit) into new templates. Restructure content into separate modules as needed to support CMS editing model.



Define what content should become shared content. Reg fee, phone numbers….

1.6.3 TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION

Goal Vendor

responsibility

UWEO responsibility Install the latest production version of selected CMS

currently under evaluation into a Microsoft stack environment



Define and implement improved approaches for delivering features currently accomplished through custom code

 Integrate the CMS with EOS

Create a fault-tolerant connector between the CMS and the EOS database to allow selected course and program details that appear on the website to be sourced from the database rather than manually entered



Assure responsive web page loading performance for all site pages

 Establish multisite infrastructure to support the future

migration of websites currently built outside a CMS

 Configure development, staging and production

environments



Integrate the CMS with Active Directory 

Port current CRM integration, including email signup forms  Port custom Google Analytics and tracking scripts  Port site alert feature

Allows a site administrator to create a global message that appears at the top of every page on the site



Install and enable social media sharing widgets  Site must pass google mobile friendly test

(https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/)

1.6.4 BUSINESS PROCESSES

Goal Vendor

responsibility

UWEO responsibility Assess and define workflows for creating and publishing

content

 Assess management/automation of workflows and

business processes using the CMS or a separate task management tool

 

Define improved content and asset folder structures within the CMS

Ensure content, media and other assets in the CMS can be located and managed efficiently



Train CMS users in best practices for using the product  Train UWEO developers in best practices for maintaining

the website using the chosen platform.

Training must encompass both direct knowledge transfer and contributions through participation in design, development and approval of technical deliverables.



1.7

DELIVERABLES

The project is expected to be executed in two or more phases to enable incremental planning with greater accuracy and execution with less risk. The initial phase of the project will include detailed discovery and planning for the subsequent phase or phases. Implementation may be divided into multiple phases to enable better transition planning, minimize impact to users, accommodate resource and time constraints, and to control project cost and risks.

Expected deliverables from the first phase of the project include:

 Business Requirements Document

 Determines how to optimize CMS folder structures for improved publishing processes, workflows and content delivery to the website

 Assesses current content publishing templates and determines ways to improve use of CMS templating procedures

 Provides guidance on how to improve processes for content publishing, including optimizing CMS workflows

 Assessment of EOS/CMS integration feasibility and advisability with guidance on implementation approach

 Assess CRM/CMS integration (the preference center) and provide guidance on implementation approach.

 Functional Specification

 Will contain the definition for each template, widget, and additional item within the scope of work – which includes the business logic of how each new element should function.

 A more technical portion will be included to contain documentation detailing the proposed front-end CMS design of folder structure, menu structure, taxonomy structure, templates, and metadata.

 Technical CMS Migration Plan

 Determines CMS platform installation requirements  Documents steps for installing CMS platform

 Content Migration Plan

 Identification of the content to be migrated

 Plans for migration of existing content to the new implementation of CMS

 Provides guidance on determining content migration strategy for existing content to new CMS implementation

 Prioritizes content into phases

Expected deliverables from the subsequent phases of the project include:

 Wireframes

 Draft and final wireframes for each template type

 Visual Comps

 Draft and final visual comps for each template type

 Graphics and iconography

 Website images and graphics  Iconography plan



Functional prototypes

 Prototypes for certain key templates (TBD) for usability testing

 CMS Training Materials

 Provides both technical and non-technical user training for new CMS implementation

 Production implementation of selected CMS latest version, including:  Page templates based on approved visual comps

 The new version tested and available in production, staging, test, dev and developer workstations ready for use by UWEO.

 Automated data migration completed (across all levels – production, staging, test, dev)  Improved folder structures

 Modified or rewritten custom code as needed to support UWEO requirements  Confirmed web page performance meeting industry accepted measures

 Workflows implemented to automate content entry, editing and publishing steps  Groups, roles and permissions defined in the CMS work area to support implemented

workflows and best practices.

 Scheduled and on demand synchronization from staging to production functions



Documentation for:

 Content folder structure and intended use  Groups, roles and permissions.

 Workflows and usage  Page templates and usage  Metadata and usage  Taxonomies and usage  Coding modules

 Widgets (if used) and usage  Others to be determined

1.8

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Vendor qualifications include:

 Licensed to do business in the State of Washington or provide a commitment that it will become licensed in Washington within thirty (30) calendar days of being selected as the Apparent Successful Vendor.

 5+ years experience with site redesign projects and CMS implementations, including experience with implementation of Kentico and other .NET-based CMSes.

 Vendor must demonstrate implementation record and customers served.

 If selected as a finalist, Vendor to provide 5 year financial pro-forma statements including income statement and balance sheet.

 Experience with migrating websites from Ektron CMS

1.9

FUNDING

Any contract awarded as a result of this procurement is contingent upon receipt of funding.

1.10 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance of any contract resulting from this RFP is tentatively scheduled to begin on or about 02/15/2015 and to end on 12/31/2015. Amendments extending the period of performance, if any, shall be at the sole discretion of the UW.

1.11 CONTRACTING WITH CURRENT OR FORMER STATE EMPLOYEES

Specific restrictions apply to contracting with current or former state employees pursuant to RCW 42.52 of the Revised Code of Washington. Vendors should familiarize themselves with the requirements prior to submitting a proposal that includes current or former state employees.

1.12 DEFINITIONS

Definitions for the purposes of this RFP include:

Apparent Successful Vendor – The Vendor selected as the entity to perform the anticipated services, subject to completion of contract negotiations and execution of a written contract.

Vendor(s) – Individual or company interested in the RFP that may or does submit a proposal in order to attain a contract with the Agency.

Response(s) or Proposal(s) – A formal offer submitted in response to this solicitation.

Proposer(s) - Individual or company that submits a proposal in order to attain a contract with the UW. Request for Proposal (RFP) – Formal solicitation document in which a particular product and/or service is identified by the UW. The purpose of an RFP is to permit the Vendor community to submit proposals for consideration by the UW.

1.13 ADA

2.

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR VENDORS

2.1

RFP COORDINATOR

The RFP Coordinator is the sole point of contact in the UW for this procurement. All communication between the Vendor and the UW upon release of this RFP shall be with the RFP Coordinator, as follows:

Steve Ebling

Purchasing Services

[email protected]

Any other communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding on the UW. Vendors are to rely on written statements issued by the RFP Coordinator. Communication directed to parties other than the RFP Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Vendor.

2.2

ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

Activity Due Date Due

Time

RFP Released February 2, 2015 5:00 PM

Written Questions Due from Vendors February 20, 2015 5:00 PM

Written Answers Due to Vendors Questions February 23, 2015

Vendor Responses Due February 27, 2015 5:00 PM

Evaluate Responses Mid-March, 2015

Conduct Oral Interviews with Finalists, if required March 2015 Announce “Apparent Successful Vendor” and Send

Notification via Email to Unsuccessful Vendors

Mid-March 2015

Contract Negotiations Complete Late March 2015

Contract Execution End March 2015

The Agency reserves the right to revise the above schedule.

2.3

PROPRIETARY INFORMATION/PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

UW is subject to RCW 42.56 (Public Records Act). All Vendor Responses and any subsequent Contract will be “public records” as defined in RCW 42.17.

The Vendor must clearly specify any specific information that it claims is confidential or proprietary. Marking of the entire Response or entire sections as proprietary will not be honored. UW will not accept Responses where pricing is marked as proprietary.

All Responses received will remain confidential until the Contract, if any, resulting from this RFP is signed by UW and the Apparent Successful Vendor; thereafter, the Responses will be deemed public records.

To the extent consistent with RCW 42.56, UW will maintain the confidentiality of all information marked confidential or proprietary. If a request is made to view the Vendor’s information, UW will notify the Vendor of the request and the date that such records will be released unless the Vendor obtains a court order enjoining that disclosure. If the Vendor fails to obtain the court order enjoining disclosure, UW will release the requested information on the date specified.

2.4

REVISIONS TO THE RFP

UW reserves the right to change the acquisition schedule or cancel the RFP at any time.

UW reserves the right to make corrections or amendments due to errors identified in the RFP by UW or a Vendor. Any changes will be date and time stamped and attached to, and made a part of, the RFP. All changes must be coordinated in writing with, authorized by, and made by the RFP Coordinator.

All RFP corrections and amendments will be posted to https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webs/. Vendors are responsible for checking the website for this information. UW will not send corrections and amendments to Vendors.

2.5

MINORITY & WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

In accordance with RCW 39.19, the state of Washington encourages participation in all of its contracts by firms certified by the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE). Participation may be either on a direct basis in response to this solicitation or on a subcontractor basis. However, no preference will be included in the evaluation of proposals, no minimum level of MWBE participation shall be required as a

condition for receiving an award and Proposals will not be rejected or considered non-responsive on that basis. The established annual procurement participation goals for MBE is 3% and for WBE, 3%, for this type of project. These goals are voluntary. For information on certified firms, Vendors may contact OMWBE at 360.753.9693 or http://www.omwbe.wa.gov.

2.6

ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

Proposals must provide 120 days for acceptance by Agency from the due date for receipt of Proposals.

2.7

RESPONSIVENESS

All Proposals will be reviewed by the RFP Coordinator to determine compliance with administrative

requirements and instructions specified in this RFP. The Vendor is specifically notified that failure to comply with any part of the RFP may result in rejection of the Proposal as non-responsive.

The UW also reserves the right at its sole discretion to waive minor administrative irregularities.

2.8

MOST FAVORABLE TERMS

The Agency reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the Proposal submitted. Therefore, the Proposal should be submitted on the most favorable terms which the Vendor can propose. There will be no best and final offer procedure. The Agency reserves the right to contact a Vendor for clarification of its Proposal.

This solicitation document and the Proposal will be incorporated into any contract resulting from this RFP.

2.9

CONTRACT AND TERMS & CONDITIONS

The Apparent Successful Vendor will be expected to enter into a contract which is substantially the same as the Model Contract with Terms and Conditions attached as Exhibit B. In no event is a Vendor to submit its own standard contract terms and conditions in response to this solicitation. The Vendor may submit exceptions as allowed in the Certifications and Assurances form, Exhibit A to this solicitation. All exceptions to the contract terms and conditions must be submitted as an attachment to Exhibit A. The Agency will review requested exceptions and accept or reject the same at its sole discretion.

The UW will not be liable for any costs incurred by the Vendor in preparation of a Proposal submitted in response to this RFP, in conduct of a presentation, or any other activities related to responding to this RFP.

2.11 NO OBLIGATION TO CONTRACT

This RFP does not obligate the UW to contract for services specified herein.

2.12 REJECTION OF PROPOSALS

The UW reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any and all Proposals received without penalty and not to issue a contract as a result of this RFP.

2.13 NO COSTS CHARGEABLE

No costs or charges under the proposed contract may be incurred before the contract is fully executed.

2.14 ELECTRONIC PAYMENT

The University of Washington prefers to utilize electronic payment in its transactions. The successful Vendor will be provided a form to complete to authorize such payment method.

2.15 INSURANCE COVERAGE

The Apparent Successful Vendor will be required to obtain insurance to protect UW should there be any claims, suits, actions, costs, or damages or expenses arising from any negligent or intentional act or omission of the Vendors or its subcontractor(s), or their agents, while performing work under the terms of any contract resulting from this solicitation. Vendors will find a complete description of the specific insurance requirements in the proposed contract terms in Exhibit C.

2.16 VENDOR QUESTIONS

Each Vendor may submit questions regarding this RFP until the date and time specified in Section 2.2. Questions must be submitted by email to the RFP Coordinator. An official written UW answer will be provided for Vendor questions received by this deadline and posted at https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webs/.

The Vendor that submitted the question will not be identified. Verbal answers to questions will be considered unofficial and non-binding. Only written answers posted tothe website will be considered official and binding.

3.

PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Proposals must be written in English and submitted via email to the RFP Coordinator in the order noted below: 1. Letter of Submittal, including signed Certifications and Assurances (Exhibit B);

2. Technical Proposal;

3. Management Proposal; and, 4. Cost Proposal.

Proposals must provide information in the same order as presented in this document with the same headings. This will not only be helpful to the evaluators of the Proposal, but will assist the Vendor in preparing a thorough Response.

Items marked “Mandatory” must be included as part of the Proposal for the Proposal to be considered

responsive; however, these items are not scored. Items marked “Scored” are those that are awarded points as part of the evaluation conducted by the evaluation team.

3.1

LETTER OF SUBMITTAL (MANDATORY)

The Letter of Submittal and the attached Certifications and Assurances form (Exhibit A) must be signed and dated by a person authorized to legally bind the Vendor to a contractual relationship, e.g., the President or Executive Director if a corporation, the managing partner if a partnership, or the proprietor if a sole

proprietorship. Along with introductory remarks, the Letter of Submittal is to include the following information about the Vendor and any proposed subcontractors:

1. Name, address, principal place of business, telephone number, fax number and email address of legal entity or individual with whom contract would be written.

2. Name, address, and telephone number of each principal officer (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Chair of the Board of Directors, etc.).

3. Legal status of the Vendor (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, etc.) and the year the entity was organized to do business as the entity now substantially exists.

4. Federal Employer Tax Identification number or Social Security number and the Washington Uniform Business Identification (UBI) number issued by the state of Washington Department of Revenue. If the Vendor does not have a UBI number, the Vendor must state that it will become licensed in Washington within thirty (30) calendar days of being selected as the Apparently Successful Vendor.

5. Location of the facility from which the Vendor would operate.

6. Identify any state employees or former state employees employed or on the firm’s governing board as of the date of the Proposal. Include their position and responsibilities within the Vendor’s organization. If following a review of this information, it is determined by the Agency that a conflict of interest exists, the Vendor may be disqualified from further consideration for the award of a contract.

3.2

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (SCORED)

The Technical Proposal must contain a comprehensive description of services including the following elements: A. Project Approach/Methodology – Include a complete description of the Consultant’s proposed approach

and methodology for the project. This section should convey Consultant’s understanding of the proposed project.

B. Preliminary Work Plan – Include a preliminary work plan that details project requirements and the proposed tasks, services, activities, etc. necessary to accomplish the scope of the project defined in this RFP. This section of the technical proposal must contain sufficient detail to convey to members of the evaluation team the Consultant’s knowledge of the subjects and skills necessary to successfully complete

the project. Include any required involvement of AGENCY staff. The Consultant may also present any creative approaches that might be appropriate and may provide any pertinent supporting documentation. C. Project Schedule – Include a project schedule indicating when the elements of the work will be completed.

Project schedule must ensure that any deliverables requested are met.

D. Outcomes and Performance Measurement – Describe the impacts/outcomes the Consultants propose to achieve as a result of the delivery of these services including how these outcomes would be monitored, measured and reported to the state agency.

E. Risks – The Consultant must identify potential risks that are considered significant to the success of the project. Include how the Consultant would propose to effectively monitor and manage these risks, including reporting of risks to the AGENCY’S contract manager.

F. Deliverables – Fully describe deliverables to be submitted under the proposed contract. Deliverables must support the requirements set forth in Section 1.6, Objectives and Scope of Work.

G. Staffing – Fully describe the proposed project team that will be assigned to the project and include resumes/CVs for those staff.

3.3

MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL

A. Experience of the Vendor (SCORED)

1. Indicate the experience the Vendor has in the areas outlined in Section 1.6 Scope of Work.

2. Indicate the experience the Vendor has in meeting or exceeding the minimum vendor qualifications outlined in Section 1.8, Minimum Qualifications, including experience with Kentico and other .NET-based CMSes.

3. Indicate other relevant experience that indicates the qualifications of the Vendor for the performance of the potential contract.

4. Describe your staffing methodology – are staff typically full time, temporary contractors, or off-shore? B. Related Information (MANDATORY)

1. If the Vendor or any subcontractor contracted with the University of Washington during the past 24 months, indicate the name of the UW Department, the contract number and project description and/or other information available to identify the contract.

2. If the Vendor’s staff or subcontractor’s staff was an employee of the University of Washington during the past 24 months, or is currently a University of Washington employee, identify the individual by name, the UW Department previously or currently employed by, job title or position held and separation date.

3. If the Vendor has had a contract terminated for default in the last five (5) years, describe such incident. Termination for default is defined as notice to stop performance due to the Vendor’s non-performance or poor performance and the issue of performance was either (a) not litigated due to inaction on the part of the Proposer, or (b) litigated and such litigation determined that the Proposer was in default. Submit full details of the terms for default including the other party's name, address, and phone number. Present the Vendor’s position on the matter. The Agency will evaluate the facts and may, at its sole discretion, reject the proposal on the grounds of the past experience. If no such termination for default has been experienced by the Vendor in the past five (5) years, so indicate.

C. References (SCORED for finalists only)

The Agency is seeking a Vendor with the attributes of a high-quality service provider. Customer references will be evaluated based upon the Vendor’s demonstrated ability to meet customer’s business and technology needs, provide quality staffing, quickly resolve problems, deliver agreed-upon services, and ensure overall customer satisfaction.

The Vendor must provide at least three (3) relevant references, with at least one from a higher education institution. The vendor should provide contact information including company, contact name and title, address, email, and phone number. Please also describe briefly the type of work being done for the client and the duration of the overall relationship.

Vendors must contact their three (3) references and authorize them to provide confirmation of the quotation to Agency representatives. The references must be available by phone during the evaluation process. The Agency may, at its option, contact other sources for reference information.

D. OMWBE Certification (OPTIONAL AND NOT SCORED)

Include proof of certification issued by the Washington State Office of Minority and Womens Business

Enterprises (OMWBE) if certified minority-owned firm and/or women-owned firm(s) will be participating on this project. For information: http://www.omwbe.wa.gov.

3.4

COST PROPOSAL

A. Identification of Costs (SCORED)

The evaluation process is designed to award this procurement not necessarily to the Vendor of least cost, but rather to the Vendor whose Proposal best meets the requirements of this RFP. All costs must be stated in U.S. dollars for performing the services necessary to accomplish the objectives stated in Section 1.3.

Vendor must identify hourly rates for each role anticipated under any resulting Contract. Vendors should also identify any additional costs, such as travel or per diem charges, or any administrative overhead charged in addition to hourly rates that would be changed under any resulting contract, and include an estimate of those costs in your RFP response. Please base any travel or other charges on your proposed project plan.

Additionally, Vendors may propose a separate rate to cover periods when working remotely. The possible periods of remote work will be mutually agreed upon by Vendor and UW during an engagement.

When scoring the cost proposal, the University will consider the hourly rates bid, the Vendor’s proposed project plan, the estimated vendor travel/per diem costs, and any UW contributions to the project to arrive at a total project cost. The University reserves the right to adjust these costs based on any subsequent vendor clarifications or modifications of the Vendor’s proposed project plan.

The University acknowledges that the scope of the project may be difficult to determine without a detailed review of the existing website and the underlying coding. In order to minimize the potential uncertainty, the University intends to take the following approach to the RFP award and associated project costs:

Phase 1: Discovery

The University will select top-ranked vendors for vendor presentations and an initial mutual discovery session. Based on this initial preliminary discovery, the University expects that the vendor will provide a preliminary estimate of the number of hours needed for the project. This estimate of hours, plus the associated hourly rates bid and a travel estimate, will be used to award points for the Cost section of the proposal.

Phase 2: Award of Contract and Detailed Scoping

The University anticipates awarding the contract to the successful vendor and engaging that vendor in a more detailed scoping study, which may include a deeper review of code and a more extensive scoping effort. The University anticipates that this effort will be conducted by the vendor on a time and materials basis using the rates bid in the Vendor response. Expected deliverables from this effort will be as mutually agreed, but will, at a minimum, include a detailed project plan and project budget.

Phase 3: Implementation

Following the detailed scoping phase, the successful vendor will be expected to complete the project within the agreed-to project plan and budget.

Vendors are required to collect and pay Washington State taxes as applicable. B. Computation

The score for the cost proposal will be computed by dividing the lowest cost bid received by the Vendor’s total cost. The resultant number will then be multiplied by the maximum possible points for the Cost Proposal section. Note that references and the cost proposal will be scored for finalist vendors only.

C. Change Orders

During this project, UW or the Vendor may suggest changes that were not possible to identify during the procurement or contract negotiations process. It is expected that the collaborative approach to this project will accommodate such changes in a cost-neutral manner and change orders will not be required. However, if change orders are required, a formal time and materials, deliverables-based amendment to the Contract will be executed. Change orders will also contain a statement of work, specific deliverables and not-to-exceed pricing. The Vendor will have the burden of proof in justifying any change order requests. All change orders will be developed using a standard form and process defined by UW.

4.

EVALUATION AND CONTRACT AWARD

4.1

EVALUATION PROCEDURE

Responsive Proposals will be evaluated strictly in accordance with the requirements stated in this solicitation and any addenda issued. The evaluation of Proposals shall be accomplished by an evaluation team(s), to be designated by the UW, which will determine the ranking of the Proposals.

The UW, at its sole discretion, may elect to select the top-scoring firms as finalists for an oral presentation. The RFP Coordinator may contact the Vendor for clarification of any portion of the Vendor’s Proposal.

4.2

EVALUATION WEIGHTING AND SCORING

The following weighting and points have been assigned to the Proposal for evaluation purposes:

Technical Proposal – 40% 40 points

Project Approach/Methodology 20 points (maximum)

Quality of Work Plan 10 points (maximum)

Project Schedule (maximum) 5 points (maximum)

Project Deliverables 5 points (maximum)

Management Proposal – 40% 40 points

Experience of the Vendor 25 points (maximum)

References (evaluated for finalists only) 15 points (maximum)

Cost Proposal – 20% 20 points

TOTAL 100 POINTS

After evaluating the written Proposals UW will schedule oral presentations and a preliminary discovery effort by finalist vendors. The RFP Coordinator will contact the top-scoring Vendors from the written evaluation to schedule a date, time, and location for the presentations and the discovery process. For non-local finalist vendors, this presentation or discovery process may be conducted virtually. Commitments made by the Vendor at the oral interview, if any, will be considered binding. The score from the oral presentation, scoring of finalist vendor references, and the resulting preliminary project plan and budget will determine the Apparent

Successful Vendor.

4.4

NOTIFICATION TO PROPOSERS

The Agency will notify the Apparent Successful Vendor of their selection in writing upon completion of the evaluation process. Individuals or firms whose Proposals were not selected will be notified separately by email or facsimile.

4.5

OPTIONAL DEBRIEFING OF UNSUCCESSFUL PROPOSERS

Proposers who submitted an unsuccessful Response may request an optional debriefing conference to discuss the evaluation of their Response. The request must be sent via email to the RFP Coordinator within three business days of the announcement of the Apparent Successful Vendor. The requested debriefing conference must occur on or before the fourth business day following the announcement of the Apparent Successful Vendor.

The optional debriefing will not include any comparison between the Response and any other Responses submitted. However, UW will discuss the factors considered in the evaluation of the Response and address questions and concerns about the Proposer’s performance with regard to the solicitation requirements. Debriefing conferences may be conducted in person or by phone and will be scheduled for a maximum of one (1) hour.

4.6

PROTEST PROCEDURE

Solicitation Complaint and Protest Procedures are available at: http://f2.washington.edu/fm/ps/info-for-suppliers/terms-and-conditions.

5.

RFP EXHIBITS

Exhibit A Certifications and Assurances

5.1

EXHIBIT A

CERTIFICATIONS AND ASSURANCES

We make the following certifications and assurances as a required element of the Response, to which it is attached, affirming the truthfulness of the facts declared here and acknowledging that the continuing compliance with these statements and all requirements of the RFP are conditions precedent to the award or continuation of the resulting Contract.

The prices in this Response have been arrived at independently, without, for the purpose of restricting competition, any consultation, communication, or agreement with any other offeror or competitor relating to (i) those prices, (ii) the intention to submit an offer, or (iii) the methods or factors used to calculate the prices offered. The prices in this Response have not been and will not be knowingly disclosed by the offeror, directly or indirectly, to any other offeror or competitor before Contract award unless otherwise required by law. No attempt has been made or will be made by the offeror to induce any other concern to submit or not to submit an offer for the purpose of restricting competition. However, we may freely join with other persons or organizations for the purpose of presenting a single proposal or bid.

The attached Response is a firm offer for a period of one hundred twenty (120)days following the Response due date specified in the RFP, and it may be accepted by UW without further negotiation (except where obviously required by lack of certainty in key terms) at any time within 120-day period. In the case of protest, our Response will remain valid for 150days or until the protest is resolved, whichever is later.

In preparing this Response, we have not been assisted by any current or former employee of the state of Washington whose duties relate (or did relate) to the UW's solicitation, or prospective Contract, and who was assisting in other than his or her official, public capacity. Neither does such a person nor any member of his or her immediate family have any financial interest in the outcome of this Response. (Any exceptions to these assurances are described in full detail on a separate page and attached to this document.)

We understand that the UW will not reimburse us for any costs incurred in the preparation of this Response. All Responses become the property of the UW, and we claim no proprietary right to the ideas, writings, items or samples unless so stated in the Response. Submission of the attached Response constitutes an acceptance of the evaluation criteria and an agreement to abide by the procedures and all other administrative

requirements described in the solicitation document.

We understand that any Contract awarded, as a result of this Response will incorporate all the solicitation requirements. Submission of a Response and execution of this Certifications and Assurances document certify our willingness to comply with the Contract terms and conditions appearing in Exhibit C, or substantially similar terms, if selected as a Vendor. It is further understood that our standard contract will not be considered as a replacement for the terms and conditions appearing in Exhibit C of this solicitation.

We (circle one)

are / are not

On behalf of the Vendor submitting this Response, my name below attests to the accuracy of the above statement. We are submitting a scanned signature of this form with our Response.

Proposer Signature Proposer Company Name

5.2

EXHIBIT B

MODEL CONTRACT CONTRACT NO. UW-XX-XXXX

BETWEEN

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON AND

VENDOR

NOTE: THIS DOES NOT NEED TO BE COMPLETED & SUBMITTED WITH YOUR PROPOSAL This Contract is made and entered into by and between the University of Washington, hereinafter referred to as “UW” or "Agency", and the below named firm, hereinafter referred to as “Vendor,”

(Vendor Name) (Address) (City, State Zip) Phone: Email:

Federal ID No.: WA State UBI No.:

PURPOSE [PURPOSE] SCOPE OF WORK

The Vendor will provide services, and otherwise do all things necessary for or incidental to the

performance of work, as included in the Vendor’s Proposal dated ______________ attached as Appendix C, and the Agency’s Request for Proposal attached as Appendix B.

Appendix A contains the General Terms and Conditions governing work to be performed under this Contract, the nature of the working relationship between the Agency and the Vendor, and specific obligations of both parties.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Subject to other Contract provisions, the period of performance under this Contract will be from DATE or date of execution, whichever is later, through DATE, unless sooner terminated or extended as provided herein.

COMPENSATION AND PAYMENT

Agency shall pay an amount not to exceed XXX dollars ($XX,XXX) for the performance of all things necessary for or incidental to the performance of work.

BILLING PROCEDURES AND PAYMENT

Agency will pay Vendor upon receipt of properly completed invoices, which shall be submitted to the Project Manager not more often than monthly. The invoices shall describe and document to the Agency's satisfaction a description of the work performed, the progress of the project, and fees.

Payment shall be considered timely if made by the Agency within thirty (30) days after receipt of properly completed invoices. Payment shall be sent to the address designated by the Vendor.

The Agency may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Contract or withhold payments claimed by the Vendor for services rendered if the Vendor fails to satisfactorily comply with any term or condition of this Contract.

No payments in advance or in anticipation of services or supplies to be provided under this Contract shall be made by the Agency.

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

The Contract Manager for each of the parties shall be the contact person for all communications and billings regarding the performance of this Contract.

Vendor Contract Manager Agency Contract Manager Enter Contract Manager's Name

Enter Name of VENDOR Enter VENDOR Address Enter City, State & Zip Code

Phone : ( )

Fax: ( )

Email address:

Enter Contract Manager's Name University of Washington Enter AGENCY Address Enter City, State & Zip Code

Phone: ( )

Fax: ( )

Email address:

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND STAFFING

5.3 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. UNLESS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH OTHERWISE IN ANY STATEMENT OF WORK (“SOW”) HERETO, VENDOR PROVIDES ITS SERVICES TO AGENCY ON A TIME AND MATERIALS BASIS. ACCORDINGLY, VENDOR WILL USE COMMERCIALLY REASONABLE EFFORTS TO FULFILL ITS RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERFORM ITS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITHIN THE TIME PERIOD, AND FOR THE ESTIMATED FEES DESCRIBED IN ANY SOW TO THIS CONTRACT, PROVIDED THAT AGENCY FULFILLS ITS RESPONSIBILITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THIS CONTRACT. IF VENDOR CANNOT COMPLETE ITS TASKS AS ASSIGNED WITHIN THE COST ESTIMATE IN ANY SOW, IT SHALL IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY PURCHASER. THE ESTIMATED BUDGETED HOURS OR COST ESTIMATE MAY THEN BE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY, AT AGENCY'S SOLE OPTION; PROVIDED THAT VENDOR WILL NOT BE DEEMED TO BE IN BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT IF AGENCY ELECTS NOT TO AUTHORIZE ADDITIONAL TIME OR BUDGET HEREUNDER OR ANY SOW HERETO. TO THE EXTENT THAT THE COST INCREASE IS DUE TO VENDOR'S NEGLIGENCE OR MISCONDUCT, VENDOR WILL COMPLETE THE TASK WITHIN THE TASK BUDGET AT ITS SOLE RISK AND EXPENSE. IF AGENCY FAILS TO FULFILL ITS RESPONSIBILITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SOFTWARE, AND SHOULD SUCH FAILURE REQUIRE VENDOR TO PERFORM ADDITIONAL TASKS, VENDOR SHALL GIVE PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE TO AGENCY , AND AGENCY SHALL PAY FOR SUCH ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THAT SOW. IN ADDITION, IN THE EVENT AGENCY REQUESTS VENDOR TO PERFORM ADDITIONAL TASKS BEYOND THOSE DESCRIBED IN CONTRACT IT SHALL DO SO IN WRITING AND SHALL PAY FOR SUCH ADDITIONAL SERVICES AS THE PARTIES SHALL AGREE AT SUCH TIME OR AT THE HOURLY RATES THEN IN EFFECT IN THE CONTRACT.

5.4 VENDOR’S PROJECT REPORTS SHALL DESCRIBE, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY ASPECT OF THE

PROJECT OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT ARE DELAYED OR INCREMENTALLY OVER BUDGET, AND THE REASONS THEREFOR.

5.5 STAFFING. VENDOR'S PROJECT MANAGER AND OTHER ASSIGNED VENDOR PROJECT TEAM STAFF WILL BE QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED AND WILL BE SUBJECT TO AGENCYS REASONABLE APPROVAL; PROVIDED THAT VENDOR WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DELAY UNDER AN SOW DUE TO

AGENCY’S EXERCISE OF ITS APPROVAL RIGHTS HEREUNDER. UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED BY THE PARTIES ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, THE OTHER PEOPLE ON THE VENDOR PROJECT TEAM SHALL ALSO BE EXPERIENCED AND QUALIFIED TO PERFORM THE SERVICES THEY ARE TO PERFORM. UPON REQUEST, VENDOR SHALL PROVIDE TO AGENCY RESUMES FOR VENDOR PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS. VENDOR WILL USE COMMERCIALLY REASONABLE EFFORTS TO RETAIN PEOPLE ON THE PROJECT TEAM UNTIL COMPLETION, UNLESS AGENCY, ON REASONABLE GROUNDS, REQUESTS THEIR REPLACEMENT. FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, EACH PARTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL PROJECT DELAYS CAUSED BY DISCONTINUITY, REASSIGNMENT, OR TERMINATION OF THEIR RESPECTIVE PROJECT STAFF, AND SUCH DELAYS TO THE EXTENT ARISING OUT OF CHANGES IN VENDOR’S STAFF MAY RESULT IN THE ABSORPTION OF ADDITIONAL COSTS BY VENDOR (INCLUDING TRAVEL AND ASSOCIATED COSTS DUE TO THE SUBSTITUTION OF NON-LOCAL STAFF IN THE EVENT OF LOSS OF LOCAL STAFF) OR THE PAYMENT OF ADDITIONAL FEES BY AGENCY.

INSURANCE

Vendor shall, during the term of this Contract, maintain in full force and effect, the insurance described in this section. Vendor shall acquire such insurance from an insurance company/ies authorized to do business within the state of Washington, and shall name the Board of Regents of the University of Washington, officers, and employees as additional insureds under the insurance policy/ies. All policies shall be primary to any other valid and collectable insurance. Vendor shall instruct the insurers to give UW thirty (30) calendar days advance notice of any insurance cancellation.

1. The minimum acceptable limits shall be as indicated below:

a) Commercial General Liability covering the risks of bodily injury (including death), property damage and personal injury, including coverage for contractual liability, with a limit of not less than $2 million per occurrence/$2 million general aggregate;

b) Business Automobile Liability (owned, hired, or non-owned) covering the risks of bodily injury (including death) and property damage, including coverage for contractual liability, with a limit of not less than $1 million per accident;

c) Employers Liability insurance covering the risks of any Vendor’s employee’s bodily injury by accident or disease with limits of not less than $1 million per accident for bodily injury by accident and $1 million per employee for bodily injury by disease;

d) Umbrella policy providing excess limits over the primary policies in an amount not less than $2 million; 2. Vendor shall pay premiums on all insurance policies. Vendor shall maintain policies such that UW

is included under the coverage as an additional insured.

3. All insurance provided by Vendor shall be primary as to any other insurance or self-insurance programs afforded to or maintained by the UW and shall include a severability of interests (cross-liability) provision.

4. Vendor shall include all Subcontractors as insured under all required insurance policies, or shall furnish separate certificates of insurance and endorsements for each Subcontractor. Subcontractor(s) shall comply fully with all insurance requirements stated herein. Failure of Subcontractor(s) to comply with insurance requirements does not limit Vendor’s liability or responsibility.

5. Vendor shall furnish to UW copies of certificates of all required insurance within thirty (30) calendar days of this Contract’s Effective Date and copies of renewal certificates of all required insurance within thirty (30) calendar days after the renewal date. These certificates of insurance must expressly indicate compliance with each and every insurance requirement specified in this section. Vendor shall provide a statement describing how the certificates satisfy the requirements in this section within thirty (30) calendar days of this Contract’s Effective Date.

6. By requiring insurance herein, UW does not represent that coverage and limits will be adequate to protect Vendor. Such coverage and limits shall not limit Vendor’s liability under the indemnities and reimbursements granted to UW in this Contract.

1. Issuance of Change Orders. UW may, at any time, by a written Change Order, request changes within the scope of this Contract. Such changes may include, without limitation, revisions to Products or Services.

Vendor acknowledges that Change Orders may have an impact on the Project schedule and the cost to achieve Project goals. This includes both the impact of evaluating and the impact of implementing the Change Order.

2. Vendor Response. Vendor shall respond in writing to a Change Order within ten (10) business days of receipt, advising UW of any cost and schedule impacts. When there is a cost impact, i.e., increase or decrease in price, Vendor shall advise UW in writing of the increase or decrease involved, including a breakdown of the number of staff hours by level of Vendor and UW personnel needed to effect the change.

ASSURANCES

Agency and the Vendor agree that all activity pursuant to this Contract will be in accordance with all the applicable current federal, state and local laws, rules, and regulations.

ORDER OF PRECEDENCE

Each of the exhibits listed below is by this reference hereby incorporated into this Contract. In the event of an inconsistency in this Contract, the inconsistency shall be resolved by giving precedence in the following order:

 Sections of this Contract;

 Appendix A – General Terms and Conditions

 Appendix B - Request for Proposal No. _______

 Appendix C - Vendor’s Proposal dated _______

 Applicable Washington state statutes, regulations, and case law; and

 Applicable federal statutes, regulations, and case law. ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Contract including referenced exhibits represents all the terms and conditions agreed upon by the parties. No other statements or representations, written or oral, shall be deemed a part hereof.

CONFORMANCE

If any provision of this Contract violates any statute or rule of law of the state of Washington, it is considered modified to conform to that statute or rule of law.

APPROVAL

This Contract shall be subject to the written approval of the Agency’s authorized representative and shall not be binding until so approved. The Contract may be altered, amended, or waived only by a written amendment executed by both parties.

THIS CONTRACT is executed by the persons signing below who warrant that they have the authority to execute the contract.

[VENDOR’S NAME] UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

Signature Signature

APPENDIX A

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

APPENDIX B

APPENDIX C

Vendor’s Proposal dated _______