Wednesday 28 August 2013

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL Website Strategy, Design, Development, and hosting of the New Ontario Volleyball Association website

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Website Strategy, Design, Development, and hosting of the New Ontario Volleyball Association website.

ABOUT THE OVA

Established in 1929, the Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) is the official governing body for the sport of volleyball in the province of Ontario. The OVA is involved in every facet of the sport and offers a broad range of programs for both indoor and beach volleyball. The organization strives to provide all Ontario residents with fair and equal access to participation and personal growth through recreational, competitive, elite, instructional, administrative, coaching and officiating programs.


OVA programs and volunteer activities are funded and supported by the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, membership fees, user fees, corporate partners, municipalities and through fund raising activities.
The OVA website is the main hub of communication exchange between the Association and its stakeholders. Athletes, coaches, parents, media, school leaders, partners, sponsors, etc., access the OVA website on a daily basis to obtain information on programs, special events, and to access news stories and purchase OVA equipment and resources, find results, etc.

PURPOSE, DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE WEBSITE RFP
The OVA is launching a project to create a new website that is professionally designed and developed to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. We are looking for expertise in the development of a website strategy, site design and structure, and the implementation of a content management system (CMS) and customer relationship management (CRM) system.


In the past, the OVA has considered areas of operations, such as website, CRM (customer relationship management), registration system, tournament results, etc., as siloed, standalone areas. As a result of the multiple, non-integrated systems, the OVA currently requires additional effort by its resources (internal and external) to serve OVA members (players, coaches, parents, etc.) and meet its objective of promoting and growing the sport in Ontario. However, the OVA is shifting the Organization’s thought process about areas of operations from a siloed to integrated delivery model. It is the hopes of the Association that integrated solutions will result in efficiency improvements and improved program delivery.

One of them main objectives of the website redesign is to have the Bidder address integration issues in their RFP submission, and tell the Association how they will integrate an information technology solution across all OVA technology and program platforms, which will ensure that the website development reflects priorities as identified in the Association’s strategic plan.

Not only is it our objective to bring the OVA’s website up to current standards and integrate platforms, but to also use the new website as the number one vehicle to deliver and receive a wide variety of content to a diverse group of stakeholders, including:

Ontario Volleyball Association regions (Six Regions – Northwestern Ontario, Northeastern Ontario, Central West Ontario, Central East Ontario, Southwestern Ontario) and their 90+ Community Clubs, and 12,000+ registered Club and League Players
Elementary and High School Players
Elite Players
Administration and Staff
12,000+ registered Coaches, Referees, and Volunteers
Parents of Players
Sponsors and Partners

The new website must be easy to navigate to enable site visitors to find information without difficulty, including:
Game results and statistics of tournament games
Releases and policy documents
Rules and regulations
Coaching information
Notices and newsletters
Integrated YouTube videos


Registration for membership, courses, clinics, and tournaments


National Registration System (NRS - https://nrs.volleyball.ca)
OVA E-commerce store (https://secure.ontariovolleyball.org/store/message.asp)
OVA News blog (run through WordPress – (http://www.ova-news.org/)
OVA E-bulletin sign up (through Constant Contact)
Ashbridges Bay Beach Volleyball League website (http://www.ashbridgesvolleyball.com)
Ontario Championships website (www.ontariovolleyballchampionships.org)
Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
Email integration and webmail access and redirects for staff, Committee Members and Board of Directors
Google Analytics


CURRENT WEBSITE
The current design for the OVA web site was developed and put in place in 2005. As web technologies and the OVA’s needs have developed, the current site has become inflexible for users’ needs and navigation has been identified as needing improvement through a survey completed by a Communications Consultant, Dina Bell-Laroche.


Currently, the OVA staff are responsible for updating 95% of the site content on a regular basis. However, the OVA has a decentralized model for website maintenance. The OVA staff are responsible for updating content on their own page areas, with a small central team – normally two – maintaining site-wide pages such as the home page, OVA’s news pages, and secondary navigation pages. The new website must use a robust yet flexible CMS application in order for these staff to manage varied types of content. Note: the OVA current CMS system is Joomla Open Source CMS, however, the Association’s staff are not opposed to moving to a new CMS system if required.

The current OVA website (www.ontariovolleyball.org) is hosted through Firesnacks Web Solutions. The domain name was registered, by Firesnacks Web Solutions, on behalf of the OVA. Firesnacks Web Solutions also provides email hosting services for all ontariovolleyball.org email accounts, including redirects to other email addresses and forwarding from one domain to another.

The current OVA website has many integrated platforms that will need to be transferred over to the new website:

PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS/SPECIFICATIONS
Website User Interface Design:

Clean, professional, modern, clutter-free page design
Effective page layouts for a variety of content types
Good use of whitespace
Consistent web font style and font size
Site colour palette in line with the Ontario Volleyball brand
Site background that doesn’t detract site usability
Minimize distractions and animated graphics

Website Navigation:
Flat navigation structure
Avoid excessive layering of fly-out menus
Avoid horizontal scrolling
Consistent use of breadcrumb navigation
Home page used to provide quick site overview
Clear page headings
Interactive features for our membership
Browser Compatibility (at minimum):


Internet Explorer 8.0
Firefox 3.6
Chrome 8.0
Safari 5.1.1


Optimized for mobile devices

Operating System Compatibility (at minimum):
Windows 7
Windows XP

Screen Resolution:
Resolution at 1024 x 768
Site URL:
Create Ontario Volleyball favicon
Point Site.com to www.ontariovolleyball.org


Functions:
Printable version of pages
 

Integration:
National Registration (NRS) system integration – hosted through iFathom/a National Registration System database used by Provincial and Territorial Volleyball Associations across Canada
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Integration - Membership database and for Complaints management
Multiple website integration for OVA Ontario Championships, Ashbridges Bay Adult Leagues and stand alone OVA main website
Social media integration (Facebook, Twitter, online blog, YouTube, OVA Between the Lines bi-weekly E-bulltetin through Constant Contact, etc)
E-commerce solution integration for possibly selling merchandise through an OVA online store and possible Membership registration/renewal through
Integrated online photo album
Accounting system integration for reporting, budgeting and receipts and expenditures
Avoid pop-ups
Redirect external links to a new window or browser tab (I.e. sponsor pages)
Full site search capability
Site map
Forms (i.e. feedback form)
Rotating ads or banners
Quiz, surveys and voting mechanisms
Flash
Ability to sign up for the OVA Constant Contact newsletter
Private login ability on the user end


Development:
Implement analytics for site use tracking
Validate HTML and CSS

Content Management
Robust, flexible CMS tool
WYSIWYG editing capability
Content modules, i.e., News, Blog, Event Calendar, Photo Gallery, etc.
Style guide for content editors
Integration capabilities, e.g., with Excel, Access, NRS, WordPress blogs, etc.


Other Functions to Take Into Consideration:
The OVA would like to find a way to track Athlete, Coach and Officials Development as well as look into the possibility of booking tournament facility bookings, as well as tournament scheduling and tracking for rankings. Potential data tracking through a CRM system would be:


Athlete Development
Tracking growth and development
Identify potential Team Ontario or Team Canada members
Identify positional development (i.e. middles, setters, etc.)
Coaching Development
Course offerings
Certification levels
Tournament hosting facilities
Suitability
Usage
Tournament scheduling
Distribution of hosting
Scheduling based on results, facilities available
Tournament results
Tracking for rankings
Tracking for development


GENERAL BUDGET AND TIMELINES
As defining the scope and detailed requirements are processes still to be completed, we’re aware that definitive pricing and timing for this project is not a reasonable request at this time. We do ask, however, that you provide an estimated price range and approximate timeframe for consideration for each of the items outlined in the required budget submissions on page 8 (Guidelines for Proposal section).
Please note: the migration of content (text, photos, etc.) from the current site to the new site can be done by Ontario Volleyball staff. However, the coordination of training and launch plans will need to include the site migration timeline as a constraint.
It is the intention of the OVA to have the new website launched by September 1, 2013.

DUE DATES
A written confirmation of the Vendor’s intent to respond to this RFP is required by July 20, 2012August 3, 2012. All proposals are due by 4:00 p.m. on August 31, 2012. Any proposal received at the designated location after the required time and date specified for receipt shall be considered late and non-responsive. Any late proposals will not be evaluated for award.


This RFP is being sent out via the OVA website, through Charity Village and to pre-selected vendors in a open bidding process. The RFP schedule will proceed as follows:

1. RFP release date - July 20, 2012
2. Submission letter of intention - August 3, 2012
3. Submission of questions on RFP - August 10, 2012
4. Answers to bidders questions released to all candidates - August 17, 2012
5. Proposals due - August 31, 2012
6. Shortlist Finalist interviews - Week of September 10-14, 2012
7. Estimated Proposal award date - September 21, 2012
8. Initial meetings - October 1-5, 2012
9. Quarantine begins (no new concepts/functionality added) - June 1, 2013
10. Beta site - July 2013
11. Proposed site launch – September 1, 2013


The deadline for receipt of proposals is: August 31, 2012. Proposals are to be submitted via e-mail in Microsoft Word or PDF format to alidums@ontariovolleyball.org.

GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSAL PREPARATION FORMAT FOR PROPOSALS
1. Executive Summary

2. Technical Volume & Expertise - We’re looking to understand your approach to all aspects of website provision and support. Although you may not offer all of the products or services outlined below, please let us know to what extent you do.
 

i. Online Strategy - Please let us know how you would help facilitate the definition of our online strategy.
ii. Website Development Process - Please let us know about your services, expertise and process (including major milestones) for the following:

Requirements
Design
Development
Testing
CMS Training
Launch
Evaluation

iii.Address integration matters for social media, National Registration System (NRS), accounting system (Simply Accounting), E-commerce solutions for OVA online store, multiple OVA websites (Ontario Championships and Ashbridges Bay Adult League)
iv. Address usability standards and testing
v. Address any important technology information and specifications used in your solution (languages, platform, etc.)
vi. Content Management System - Please describe the tools you would use and how our needs would be met by the CMS you recommend for us.
vii. Customer relationship management – Please describe the tools you would use and how our needs would be met be the CRM you recommend for us.
viii. Potential Registration and Data Tracking System – Please describe a system you would use to track athlete/coach/officials development and potentially use for tournament hosting awards and tournament tracking for season rankings.
ix. Address what tools you will use to create a mobile website optimized for smartphones
x. Address email hosting applications for the OVA
xi. Ongoing Support & Maintenance - Please list the services that you provide including:


Hosting
Support
Maintenance
Fixes & Enhancements
Additional Training

xii. Project evaluation

3. Management Volume
i. Organizational structure: communication process; including lines of reporting and any special tools used.
ii. Schedule of deliverables; include major milestones and testing proposal.


4. Budget
i. Break down cost by production hours, tools and functionalities
ii. Maintenance and support: ID any costs that should be assumed as part of the site and ongoing costs for maintenance and support we need in the future.
iii. License fees: ID the costs we will need to pay to develop or host the site.
iv. Hosting: ID whether we must or are highly encouraged to host with your company. If hosting is provided as an option or requirement, provide pricing options.
v. Training and Style Guide: ID costs to train our staff to use site tools and provide a style guide.
vi. Other charge areas: Please ID whether there will be other expenses, consulting fees, future work, etc. to complete this project5.


5. Attachments
i. Qualifications and Experience: relevant case histories with information on accessing online demos or examples
ii. Example sites - Please provide up to three (3) sample sites including a listing of which parts of the work (strategy, CMS, requirements, design, development, testing, training, launch, support, and maintenance) were provided/completed by your firm. Please note: we will not be contacting these companies for references.
iii. Biographies of all who will work on account
iv. Professional references will be requested for short-listed vendors.


PROPOSAL SUBMISSION/CONSIDERATION

Award of the contract resulting from this RFP will be based upon the most responsive Vendor whose offer will be the most advantageous to the OVA in terms of cost, deliverables, experience in providing similar services and any other factors as may be specified elsewhere in this RFP.
The OVA reserves the right to:
Reject any or all offers and discontinue this RFP process without obligation or liability to any potential Vendor
Reserves the right to accept or reject all or parts of any proposal received and to waive any informality or technicality in any proposal received
Ontario Volleyball also reserves the right to determine the selection process
Accept other than the lowest priced offer
Award a contract on the basis of initial offers received, without discussions or requests for best and final offers, and
The Vendor will confine its submission to those matters sufficient to define its proposal and to provide an adequate basis for the OVA’s evaluation of the Vendor’s proposal
Vendor’s proposal in response to this RFP will be incorporated into the final agreement between the OVA and the selected Vendor.


PROPOSAL EVALUATION

The Project Selection Committee will review all proposals and contact the shortlisted candidates to set up meetings for the week of September 10-14, 2012. Evaluation of the proposals will be based on the following criteria:


Completeness and quality of the proposal in addressing the Scope of the Work and required content
Feasibility of the proposed methodology, process, and timelines
Overall qualifications and relevant experience
Cost and value of the services provided
 

Resources and capabilities.
Those proposals that most closely meet the criteria will be selected for an interview with the selection committee. References may be checked, as part of the screening process, for selecting those to be interviewed or following the interview.


PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Payment for all goods and services supplied will be made on the submission of appropriate invoices. The payment schedule and invoicing arrangement will be agreed upon with the successful applicant following selection.

CONTACT
For more information about this RFP or further details about the project, please contact Alishia Lidums, Program Director, Ontario Volleyball Association at alidums@ontariovolleyball.org.


To view the entire website RFP document, please visit the OVA website at www.ontariovolleyball.org.

Source: http://www.communityoutreach.ca/job/new-website-design-rfp

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