Westport RFP Website Re-Design

1 SELECT BOARD OF WESTPORT 816 Main Road Westport, MA 02790 The Coastal Agricultural Resource of New England Office of the Select Board NOTICE REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) Westport RFP Website Re-design SELECT BOARD OF WESTPORT, MA DATE OF RELEASE: April 12, 2024 The Select Board of Westport, acting through its Select Board, seeks to engage a qualified firm to design, support and host the Town of Westports Website. The Select Board retains the right to solicit additional consulting services beyond the scope of the subject matter of this RFP if doing so is in the best interest of the Select Board. Proposals must be emailed to Hartnettj@westport-ma.gov and bouchardd@westport- ma.gov Proposals must be received by 2:00 p.m. on May 9, 2024. Late proposals will be returned unopened. Indicate in the subject line Westport RFP Website Re-design. The Town will only accept attachments up to 20MB. Please separate the cost sheet from

the original proposal. The Contract/Proposal awarding authority is: Select Board Town of Westport 816 Main Road Westport, MA 02790 Tel. (508) 636-1003 Fax. (508) 636-1147 Select Board Administrator James K. Hartnett OF WES a LN - Dh fi le \ S | 4 x oy S4 mailto:Hartnettj@westport-ma.gov mailto:bouchardd@westport-ma.gov mailto:bouchardd@westport-ma.gov 2 Table of Contents Section I: Project Description Overview ................................................................................. 3 Section II: General Information ............................................................................................... 4 Section III: Minimum Requirements ........................................................................................ 6 A. Website Re-design & Content Management System ................................................................ 6 B. Project Management & Implementation ................................................................................ 8 C. Training............................................................................................................................ 8 D. Continuing Services ........................................................................................................... 8 Section IV: Fees for Services ..................................................................................................... 9 Section V: Proposal Submittal Requirements .......................................................................... 9 Section VI: Evaluation Criteria ...............................................................................................10 ATTACHMENT A Required Proposal Form ........................................................................14 ATTACHMENT B Certificate of Non-Collusion Form .........................................................15 ATTACHMENT C Certificate of Authority ..........................................................................16 ATTACHMENT D Insurance Requirement ..........................................................................17 ATTACHMENT E Required Price Proposal Form ...............................................................19 Project Pricing Estimate/Cost for Services Outlined .....................................................................19 3 Section I: Project Description Overview The Town of Westport (hereinafter referred to as the Town) is a municipal corporation of the State of Massachusetts, and is seeking proposals for website Re-design. The Town is investigating entering into a contract with a qualified and responsible firm and accordingly is furnishing herein a set of specifications by which such proposals shall be judged. Any firm (hereinafter Vendor) desiring to furnish a quotation for such services shall submit a proposal according to the instructions and format of the attached Request for Proposal (RFP) documents. The Town is seeking the aid of an experienced Vendor who specializes in partnering with municipalities to enhance their online capabilities. Specifically, the Town needs an updated website to enhance the user experience, simplify content management, and provide improved citizen centric information and customer service to the community, while meeting high standards for design quality and visual appeal. At a minimum, the new website must be developed with a responsive design that will adjust to all devices. Further, the site must be easily maintained without requiring HTML or other specialized knowledge. The new website will have the depth of functionality that will enable the Town staff to streamline processes and provide the best user experience for our citizens. In addition, the Vendor should have a team of experts who have in-depth experience working with local government and will equip our staff with the training, resources, and tools to do their jobs quickly and efficiently, both during implementation and after system launch. The Town also seeks a Vendor that has the capability of integrating additional features and functionality that may be identified in the future. The Town is requesting the Vendor provide secure, cloud-based hosting services and 24/7/365 support. The Town seeks a partnership with the chosen Vendor to create an online presence that continually engages our citizens. Responses will only be considered from Vendors who have extensive experience partnering with municipalities and are regularly engaged in the business of providing and performing similar services requested in this solicitation. The town of Westports website URL is currently https://www.westport-ma.com/ but is seeking to transition to a new URL upon the launch of a new website. The Select Boards emphasis is on incorporating extensive content management tools and database driven architecture while providing a user-friendly and intuitive site structure and an interface that is both attractive and ADA compliant. The Select Board would like the vendor to host the website in a secure data center. https://www.westport-ma.com/ 4 Section II: General Information A. Point of contact and issuing office: Chief Procurement Officer Mr. James Hartnett, Town Administrator Town of Westport 816 Main Road Westport, MA 02790 Phone: (508) 636-1150 Fax: (508) 636-1147 Email: hartnettj@westport-ma.gov B. Limits of Liability The Select Board of Westport assumes no liability for any costs incurred by Proponents in responding to this RFP or in responding to any further requests for interviews, additional information, etc. prior to the issuance of the contract. C. Questions All questions are to be submitted in writing to the Chief Procurement Officer identified in Section IIA. Electronic (email) submission is acceptable. All submissions must contain the name of the person asking the question, company name, address, phone number, and email address. All submitted questions and answers will be distributed to all who received the RFP document. It is the Proponent's responsibility to perform due diligence. Failure to perform full due diligence does not relieve the Proponent from fulfilling project requirements. D. Solicitation Process This RFP is being solicited under a multi-step procurement procedure. The first step requires all Proponents to submit proposals addressing those items cited in Section III of this RFP. An Evaluation Team will evaluate and rank the proposals based on the evaluation criteria outlined in Section VI - Evaluation Criteria. A short list of Proponents will be selected for further evaluation. Only those firms that are placed on the short list on the basis of the evaluation criteria will be considered during the second phase. During the second phase, interviews may be held if the Evaluation Team feels it is in the Select Board's best interest to do so. Based on the evaluations, a contract will be written. The contract must be approved by the, Select Board and Chief Procurement Officer. After such approvals and signature by appropriate parties work may begin. 5 E. Conditions of Award It is the intent of the Select Board to award the project to the most responsive Proponent provided the proposal has been submitted in accordance with the requirements of this Request for Proposals document. The Select Board shall be the sole judge of the firm's qualifications and whether the proposal is in the best interests of the Select Board. The Select Board may conduct such investigations, as the Select Board considers necessary to assist in the evaluation of any proposal and to establish the responsibility, qualifications and financial ability of the proponents and will award in accordance with the RFP documents within the prescribed time. The Select Board may consider, but not be limited to, the performance date and guarantees of materials and equipment as part of its evaluation. Up to the time of signature of contract, the Select Board shall have the right in its sole discretion to terminate negotiations with or without cause if it deems in its best interest to do so. Any successful proposer (s) (Consultant) shall indemnify and hold harmless the Select Board of Westport, its employees and agents, and any successors or assigns, to the limit of the fiduciary Liability Insurance coverage required, from any and all claims, judgments, fines, or costs of defense (including attorneys fees) arising out of or as a result of or in connection with his/her performance of his/her obligations under the contract for services, including any nonfeasance, misfeasance, or malfeasance; or arising out of or as a result of the breach of any representation or warranty given by the contractor. This indemnification and hold harmless class shall survive the expiration of termination of the contract. The successful proposer (Consultant) shall hold in the strictest confidence any and all confidential, secret, or proprietary information, knowledge, or data obtained either prior to or during the term of the Contract and pertaining to the business of the Select Board of Westport, or of entities with which the Select Board may be affiliated or stand in a contractual relationship with during such periods. The contractor shall not, during the term of the contract or at any time thereafter, disclose such knowledge or information to any person or use the same in any manner whatsoever except in the furtherance of his/her efforts under the Contract and in the interests of the Select Board. Furthermore, the contractor shall agree that any breach of the confidentiality will serve as cause for termination of the contract. This confidentiality clause shall survive the expiration of termination of the contract. F. Amendments to this Request for Proposal The Select Board reserves the right to amend this RFP by an addendum at any time prior to the date set for receipt of proposals. All amendments will be distributed to all who received the RFP document. G. Additional Information Proposals will be considered only from Proponents who are financially responsible and who have the resources and ability to successfully complete and operate the project. The Select Board reserves the right to be the sole judge of these criteria. 6 The Select Board may request additional information as deemed necessary. Failure to provide such information may result in the proposal being considered incomplete. The Select Board of Westport reserves the right to reject any and all proposals in whole or in part; to waive any technicalities and informalities; to amend and/or cancel the RFP prior to the time of submission; and to correct any proposal erroneously made as a result of a clerical error on the part of the Select Board. The Select Board reserves the right to accept the proposal deemed most advantageous to the Select Board. The Proponent will be required to sign and submit with their proposal a Certificate of Non- Collusion (Attachment B), Tax Compliance Certification (Attachment B). H. Proposed schedule and target dates: Proposals Due . 5/9/24 Estimated Contract Award Date ..6/1/24 Section III: Minimum Requirements The information in this section represents the required functional capabilities necessary to meet the Town goals for a website Re-design. The items listed are not all-inclusive, and other items may be recommended or added that would benefit the Town. The Towns selected Vendor must be able to provide, at a minimum, the components shown. A. Website Re-design & Content Management System Minimum functional requirements must include: Engagement & Communication Calendar: Update/publish calendars for departments/categories with a main calendar to display all events. ADA compliant Multilingual translation service and support Accessibility: Easy to use with a desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile devices News & Announcements: Post news releases or updates dynamically to relevant pages based on category. Ability to post quarterly newsletters. Make a Request or Submit Feedback tab for the public to submit tips, ideas, and feedback to individuals or departments. Alerts & Notifications: Display alerts prominently on website Sharing Capability: Links to share content via email and social media. A section for departments to keep the community informed about special projects. 7 Document Management Agenda Management: Upload existing, create new, categorize, approve, and manage meeting agendas. Online Forms: Create unlimited customizable forms, track, and export results. Municipal Code: Link to the clearinghouse. Each ordinance should be available to download and print as a PDF. Rotating photos/banners highlighting Viroqua. Slideshow capabilities. Access to minutes and recordings of public meetings. Information & Navigation Frequently Asked Questions: Ability to categorize FAQs by department or subject. Directories for staff with pictures Pictures and bios of all elected officials Online Job Postings and Applications RFP/RFQ/Bid Posting Link to GIS mapping Downloadable Town map Downloadable ward maps Map showing bike and pedestrian pathways. Map showing Town parks with detailed information. Reminder area for special event licenses, permits, and applications. Site search: Internal site search engine and log of search terms Quick Links section Administrative Features Brower Based Administration: Update, delete, and create content from any device with internet access. Easy to update by department heads. Permissions: Allow system administrators to establish levels of rights for staff to update/manage/access content based upon roles. Multilingual support Social Media Interface: display feeds and push to social media accounts Ability to link the Town website to partner websites. Content Scheduling: Set dates for content to automatically publish and expire. Employee portal Printable pages: Print friendly function. Online Payments Online reservation software 8 Push notification app Site Statistics: Analytics and site audit reports B. Project Management & Implementation The chosen Vendor will supply a professional project team to oversee and provide the implementation services needed for the successful launch of the Towns new website. The Vendors project team shall be responsible for developing a comprehensive project management plan to include outlining methods of communication for implementation, supplying a detailed project timeline, and identifying tasks and deliverables for both Town staff and Vendors staff. C. Training The Town expects the Vendor to provide in-depth, professional training services which will educate Town staff on functionality, features, processes, and best practices. After training sessions, Town staff should be confidently prepared to maintain the new website after launch. D. Continuing Services The Town anticipates an ongoing partnership with the chosen Vendor after launch of the system, which shall include: Technical Support & Services Technical Support: The Vendor shall provide U.S. based, live technical support, including emergency support after business hours. Technical support shall be available through multiple communication channels, including phone, email, and chat. Self-service training (video tutorials, documents, or webpages) shall be available for Town staff to access at any time. Maintenance: The Vendor shall continually work to enhance and update the systems. This should include, at a minimum, development, testing, backups, and regularly scheduled fixes, patches, and other enhancements. Hosting & Security 99.9% uptime Unmetered bandwidth Minimum of 100GB storage for website and backups. SSL Certificate Daily malware scans Malware removal Daily Backups within data center Weekly offsite backups outside of data center 9 Software firewall with DDOS protection. Disaster recovery process with a recovery time objective of less than 1 hour for daily backups and 2 hours for weekly backups. Section IV: Fees for Services Specify amounts of items below: First Year development fees including: Days/hours of training, number of employees to be trained, on-site or webinar Amount of content migration (entire website or a specific number of pages) Additional products/functionality Ongoing fees for hosting, maintenance and support for Year 2 and beyond Section V: Proposal Submittal Requirements Submit one electronic file (.pdf file preferred) via email to: hartnettj@westport-ma.gov and bouchardd@westport-ma.gov by 2:00 p.m. on May 9, 2024. Indicate in the subject line Westport RFP Website Re-design. The Town will only accept attachments up to 20MB. Please separate the cost sheet from the original proposal. Submittals not received on or before the specified deadline stated in the Schedule of Events will not be accepted. Proposals submitted in response to this RFP shall be valid for 90 days from the submittal due date. The Town reserves the right to request follow-up information or clarification from Vendors in consideration. A Vendor is responsible to ensure delivery by the date and time included. 1. All forms within this Request for Proposals 2. A Statement of Qualifications shall include the following sections in this order: a. Letter of Transmittal b. Proposal Form (Attachment A.1) indicating the following: Company Name, Individual Contact Name, Title, E-Mail Address, Company Address, Phone, Fax, Date. c. Background and Qualifications of the Firm - Information describing the background of Proponent's company including size, date established office location mailto:hartnettj@westport-ma.gov mailto:bouchardd@westport-ma.gov 10 and resumes of principal staff members. The cover letter must be signed by an official of the firm who has authority to enter into a contract. d. Relevant Project Experience - Information on the company (s) experience as it relates to the services proposed. e. Project Staffing and Project Team Qualifications including resumes and all information pertaining to the qualifications and professional registration and licensure of proposers for the services requested f. Approach to Services and Project Delivery g. References - Provide three relevant references. The reference persons name, position, address and phone number. The Select Board intends, with your permission, to contact references. 3. Signed Certificate of Non-Collusion 4. Signed Certificate of Tax Compliance 5. Certificate of Authority (if a Corporation) 6. Any exceptions taken to the conditions or specifications cited herein must be clearly stated on a separate page of the proposal. Section VI: Evaluation Criteria 1. Evaluation & Comparative Criteria that will be used by the Selection Team are: Selection criteria for finalists will be reviewed by a Committee and based on the items noted below. Proposals will be ranked on the following scale of maximum benefit to the Select Board: Highly Advantageous, Somewhat Advantageous, Not Advantageous, or Unacceptable. In addition, references may be checked and applicants may be interviewed during the selection process. The proposal submitted should specifically address the following evaluation criteria for each service item for which a proposal is submitted: a) Successful experience working with municipalities in similar situations and projects, in Massachusetts, including references, Highly Advantageous Currently provide services to more than 5 Massachusetts communities Advantageous Currently provide services to 3-4 Massachusetts communities Not Advantageous 11 Currently provide services to 1-2 Massachusetts communities Unacceptable Currently provide services to no Massachusetts communities b) Education, training, professional qualifications, and experience of lead technical staff in areas of service required, Highly Advantageous Is clear in identifying project team members, their roles, and time commitments Is clear in identifying sources of staffing per task Demonstrates appropriate skills and qualifications of all staff and subcontractors to be assigned. Demonstrates convincingly that the proposed staffing level is sufficient to meet project requirements within the scheduled time frame. Advantageous Identifies most of project team members, their roles, and time commitments Demonstrates appropriate skills and qualifications of staff to be assigned. Demonstrates that the proposed staffing level is adequate to get the job done. Not Advantageous Staffing plan is articulated in the proposal, but time commitment and critical staffing information is not included. Unacceptable Does not demonstrate that the staffing plan is adequate to be successful c) Proposer Communication Skills Highly Advantageous Proposal clearly and comprehensively explains plans, approaches, technical information, and all other data in a manner that is understandable to both technical and non-technical audiences. Advantageous Proposal explains contents in a manner understandable to both technical and non- technical audiences. Not Advantageous Proposal explains some of the information in a way that can be understood only by an audience with a technical background. Unacceptable Does not demonstrate communication skills necessary to be successful d) Proposer Response to Requirements Highly Advantageous Clearly and comprehensively articulates an understanding of the project Addresses an approach to each defined task in a credible and sensible way Demonstrates mastery of the process necessary to manage projects and complete tasks Has a clear and credible approach to dealing with unknowns and project contingencies if and when they emerge Provides a comprehensive, well-conceived project plan with logical steps and realistic timeframes If warranted, identifies sensible changes to the Scope of Work, addressing missing or poorly conceived activities 12 Advantageous Articulates a general understanding of the project Is credible in addressing specific requirements Demonstrates understanding of the process necessary to manage projects and complete tasks Acknowledges the possibility of unknowns and project contingencies and is prepared to address them in a general way Provides a project plan with logical steps and realistic timeframes If warranted, identifies sensible changes to the Scope of Work, addressing missing or poorly conceived activities Not Advantageous Does not demonstrate a clear understanding of the project Addresses most but not all specific requirements Describes a general project management approach Unacceptable Does not demonstrate a project approach that is likely to be successful e) Quality of Interview (If Interviewed) Highly Advantageous Key personnel on the project team, including the Project Manager, attended the meeting and each demonstrated his/her skill and expertise, and comprehensively communicated a thorough knowledge of the services required to address the Scope of Work. Advantageous Some key personnel attended the meeting and demonstrated relevant expertise and knowledge regarding required services. Not Advantageous Project team member(s) attended the meeting and demonstrated some level of knowledge regarding required services. Unacceptable A company representative attended the meeting but did not demonstrate sufficient knowledge to inspire confidence that the project would be successful. f) Results of Reference Checks (If Checked) Highly Advantageous References show that the firm, the identified Project Manager, and key personnel have positively and successfully completed similar, relevant projects on time and within budget. Advantageous References show that the firm along with some identified project team members have experience with similar projects and generally meet deadlines on time and within budget. Not Advantageous References demonstrate that the firm or team members have limited relevant experience and/or do not have a track record of successfully completing projects on time and within budget. Unacceptable 13 References do not indicate satisfactory experience with firm and/or team members. 2. Miscellaneous The selection of the successful Proponent shall be made without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion, political affiliation or national origin. 14 ATTACHMENT A Required Proposal Form PROPOSAL FOR: Westport RFP Website Re-design Company Name: Individual Contact Name: Title: E-Mail Address: Company Address: Phone: Fax: Signature of Individual Authorized to Submit Proposal: Print Name: Please provide the following on a separate sheet: Information describing the background of Proponent's company including size, date established office location and resumes of principal staff members. Information on the company (s) experience as it relates to the services proposed. Provide three relevant references. The Select Board intends, with your permission, to contact references. 15 ATTACHMENT B Certificate of Non-Collusion Form CERTIFICATE OF NON-COLLUSION FORM The undersigned certifies under penalties of perjury that this bid has been made and submitted in good faith and without collusion or fraud with any other person. As used in this certification, the word "person" shall mean any natural person, business, partnership, corporation, union, committee, entity, or group of individuals. ____________________________________ (Name of person signing proposal) ____________________________________ (Name of business) TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION Pursuant to M.G.L. Ch. 62C, Sec. 49A, I certify under the penalties of perjury that I, to my best knowledge and belief, I am in compliance with all laws of the Commonwealth relating to taxes, reporting of employees and contractors, and withholding and remitting child support. ____________________________________ (Name of person signing proposal) ____________________________________ (Name of business) 16 ATTACHMENT C Certificate of Authority Meeting of Board of Directors At a meeting of the Directors of the ________________________________ duly (Corporation) called and held at __________________________________________ on the _____________day of _________________, in the _________ year at which a quorum was present and acting, it was voted, that _______________________________ (name) the __________________________ of this Corporation is hereby authorized and (title/position) empowered to submit a proposal, make, enter into, sign, seal and deliver, on behalf of this Corporation a Contract for __________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ (brief description) with the Select Board of Westport, and to issue any proposal, performance, or payment bonds if required in connection with such Contract. I hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the record, that said vote has not been amended or repealed and is in full force and effect as of this date, and that ______________________________ is duly elected ____________________________ of this Corporation. _________________________________ Clerk or Secretary of the Corporation 17 ATTACHMENT D Insurance Requirement 1. The Contractor shall purchase and maintain such insurance as will protect the contractor from claims set forth below which may arise out of or result from the Contractor's operations under the Contract, whether such operation be by itself or by any subcontractor or by anyone directly or indirectly employed by any of them or by anyone for whose acts any of them may be liable. 1.1 Claims under Worker's Compensation, disability benefit and other similar employee benefit acts; 1.2 Claims for damages because of bodily injury, occupational sickness or disease, or death of its employees, and claims insured by usual personal injury liability coverage; 1.3 Claims for damages because of bodily injury, sickness or disease or death of any person other than its employees, and claims insured by usual person injury liability coverage; and Claims for damages because of injury to or destruction of tangible property, including loss of use resulting therefrom. 2. The insurance required by the above shall be written for not less than the following minimum limits of liability: Comprehensive liability, including bodily and Personal injury, property damage, and contractual liability. $1,000,000 per occurrence $3,000,000 aggregate Automobile comprehensive liability to include owned, hired, and non-owned vehicles and equipment $1,000,000 per occurrence $3,000,000 aggregate Excess liability (umbrella coverage) As needed to provide a minimum of $5,000,000 per occurrence coverage listed above. In addition, during the entire Contract Period, the Contractor, at its own expense, shall maintain for its employees all Workers Compensation coverage required by Massachusetts Law. 3. The above insurance policies shall also be subject to the following requirements: 3.1. Certificates of Insurance acceptable to the Select Board shall be addressed to and filed with the Select Board prior to commencement of work. Renewal certificate shall be addressed to and filed with the Select Board at least ten (10) days prior to the expiration date of required policies. 18 3.2. No insurance coverage shall be subject to cancellation without at least thirty (30) days prior written notice forwarded by registered or certified mail to the Select Board. The Select Board shall also be notified of the attachment of any restrictive amendment to the policies. 3.3. All Certificates of Insurance shall contain true transcripts from the policies, authenticated by the proper officer of the insurer, evidencing in particular those insured, the extent of the coverage, the location and operations to which the insurance applies, the expiration date and the above mentioned notice clauses. 3.4. All premium costs shall be included in the Contractor's proposed cost quote. 19 ATTACHMENT E Required Price Proposal Form PROPOSAL FOR: Westport RPF Website Re-design Company Name: Individual Contact Name: Title: E-Mail Address: Company Address: Phone: Fax: Signature of Individual Authorized to Submit Proposal: Print Name: Please Attach separate form with pricing breakdown Project Pricing Estimate/Cost for Services Outlined Specify amounts of items below: First Year development fees including: Days/hours of training, number of employees to be trained, on-site or webinar Amount of content migration (entire website or a specific number of pages) Additional products/functionality Ongoing fees for hosting, maintenance and support for Year 2 and beyond