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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR WATER TRAIL WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT
TO:
Website Development Consultants
DUE: April 17, 2015
RFP NAME: Lake Superior/St. Marys River Water Trail Website Development
REQUESTED BY:
Jeffrey S. Hagan, CEO
Eastern U.P. Regional Planning & Development Commission
P.O. Box 520
1118 E. Easterday Ave.
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
Date of Issuance:
Pre-Proposal Written Questions Due:
Responses to Pre-Proposal Questions
Proposal due Date and Time:
Evaluation of Proposals/Vendor Selection
Suggested Project Period:
March 27, 2015
April 2, 2015
April 10, 2015
April 17, 2015
April 21, 2015
April 30, 2015 – September 30, 2015
THIS IS A QUALIFICATION BASED SELECTION PROCESS
THE COST PROPOSAL MUST BE PLACED IN A SEPARATE SEAL ENVELOPE FROM THE PROPOSAL
This proposal is due no later than 5pm on April 17, 2015.
1.0 Company Overview
The Eastern U.P. Regional Planning and Development Commission (EUPRP&DC) is one of 14
Regional Agencies in the State of Michigan; established in 1968 as a multi-county
organization to pool resources for the assistance of local governments in the Eastern Upper
Peninsula. We assist EUP cities, townships and counties in the areas of grant writing,
community surveys, land use planning, recreation planning, economic and community
development, transportation, and GIS mapping. The EUPRP&DC is a regional, non-profit
government agency operating under Michigan Public Act 281 of 1945. Our website address
is www.eup-planning.org.
2.0 Project Scope
Description of Project
In 2013 EUPRP&DC, with collaboration of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Transportation Department, applied for and received a MDEQ Coastal Zone Management
Grant for the purposes of identifying and inventorying public access sites along the eastern
U.P. shore line of Lake Superior from Grand Marais to Sault Ste. Marie and the St. Marys
River from Sault Ste. Marie to DeTour Village. Part of the project includes development of
an interactive website to relay this and other related information to the public. The
purpose of the website is to provide a user with all the information and resources needed
to plan an adventure along our water trails and lead them (links) to community resources,
as well as, to inform them of local safety/hazard issues, environmental concerns, heritage
and cultural stories.
The EUPRP&DC’s current site www.lakehuronrec.com - allows for viewing of access points
along Lake Huron with an interactive map. EUPRP&DC also completed a project for Lake
Michigan access sites in partnership with LIAA - www.michiganwatertrails.org. It is our goal
to combine this information into the newly developed web-site for a one-stop shop for the
region.
3.0 Time frame
Request for proposals will be due by 5 p.m., Friday, April 17, 2015. A Web Design
Consultant will be chosen by April 21, 2015 with anticipated start date of April 30, 2015.
Project must be completed by September 30, 2015.
4.0 Target Audience
Paddlers – kayaks, canoes and small water craft users are the main target audience, but
anyone interested in visiting the area would be able to use this website as a resource of
information or link to information on available local amenities, attractions and recreational
resources.
5.0 Design Requirements
The website should have a modern, contemporary design with a uniform branding/theme
throughout. The new website should use several main navigation links or graphics, with
drop-down lists of sub-pages so the user can easily navigate to any website page within the
website.
Functionality/Programming Requirements
The developer shall use WordPress as the CMS. EUPRPDC has a current domain and
hosting provider established. Login credentials will be provided to the developer in
order to build/test/publish the WordPress site.
If any paid plugins, themes, WordPress tools, etc. are used, EUPRPDC shall be provided a
way to update those tools (login credentials for location where purchased, for example)
The finished product should accomplish the following:
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Provide citizens and visitors with information about the region’s water trails.
Have a consistent look and feel to all pages (fonts, graphics and color schemes).
Load rapidly and provide easy navigation between pages.
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Contain links to other related websites.
Be registered with the major search engines (Search Engine Optimized)
Site Size
It is anticipated that the website will be multi-layered with a main page and navigational
links with a potential size of 25-50 pages.
Ongoing Site Maintenance Plans
The website will be housed on EUPRPDC’s hosting provider using WordPress.
6.0 Proposal Requirements
1. Name of Applicant
2. Name and contact information of primary point of contact
3. Summary of qualifications of applicant, including experience in preparing similar
websites
4. Professional and educational experience of key personnel
5. Demonstrated ability to complete the scope of services per the schedule outlined in the
RFP.
6. Cost proposal for completing the scope of work
7. Other pertinent information
7.0 Type of Contract
The selected consultant will enter into a contract with EUP to undertake this project,
providing services outlined in the RFP and described in the Scope of Service. This, along
with the Consultant’s Proposal, as accepted, will become part of the Consultant’s contract.
The consultant will be reimbursed on a time-and-expense basis, not to exceed the total
firm, fixed cost included in the proposal. The Commission will not reimburse for expenses
beyond the cost figures submitted in the Cost Proposal. The Consultant shall, at no time,
pursue additional compensation for work not previously agreed to in writing by the
Commission and the Consultant through a contract amendment.
8.0 RFP Response Deadline and Contact Information
Statements of Qualifications packets shall be submitted to:
Jeff Hagan, CEO
Eastern UP Regional Planning & Development Commission
P.O. Box 520
1118 E. Easterday Avenue
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan 49783
Or by email to:
Ellen Benoit
ellen@eup-planning.org
Statements that are mailed or brought to EUPRP&DC must be sealed and clearly marked
“Water Trails Website Design Project” and submitted no later than EST 5:00 p.m. Friday, April
17, 2015. Statements received after that time and day will not be considered responsive.
The digital format copy of the proposal (in PDF or MS Word) should be submitted via email
to ellen@eup-planning.org.
Questions may be posed regarding this RFP until April 2, 2015. Responses to any/all
questions will be posted at www.eup-planning.org no later than April 10, 2015.
Verbal inquiries or requests for information shall not be made of EUP staff. Any attempt on
the part of a consultant or any of its employees, agents, or representatives to contact EUP
staff with respect to this RFP, other than as described above, may lead to disqualification.
The recipient must supply a statement verifying that the consulting firm presently has no
interest and shall not have any interest direct or indirect, which would conflict in any manner
with the performance of the services contemplated by the agreement with the Commission.
No person having such interest shall be employed by or associated with consultant during
the term of this agreement.
Send one original (unbound) and four (4) copies (bound) and one digital format copy (in
PDF or MS Word) of the technical proposal to the issuing office by the proposed due date
and time, as indicated on page 1 of this RFP. The pages must be numbered consecutively,
e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc. No other distribution of the proposals will be made by the consultant or his
agent.
Send one original and one copy (both unbound) of the price proposal, separate from the
technical proposal, in a sealed envelope clearly marked, “PRICE PROPOSAL”, with the
consultants name identified on the front of the envelope. Continue the consecutive page
numbering from the last page of the technical proposal, e.g., 3, 4, 5. The instructions and
format for the price proposal are attached.
Proposals must be signed by an authorized agent to bind the consultant to its provisions.
The proposal must remain valid for a period of at least 60 days from the due date of
submission.
Consultants who submit a proposal maybe requested to make an oral presentation of their
proposal. This presentation will provide an opportunity for the consultant to clarify his/her
proposal.
Any news release(s) pertaining to this RFP or the services, study, data or project, to which it
relates, will not be made without prior written Eastern U.P. Regional Planning &
Development Commission approval, and then only in accordance with the explicit written
instructions from the Commission.
All information in a consultant’s proposal and any contract resulting from this RFP are
subject to disclosure under the provisions of the “Freedom of Information Act”, of 1976,
Public Act No. 442, as amended, MCL 15.231, et seq.
9.0 SELECTION PROCESS
Proposals will be evaluated based on previous experience creating similar websites, quality
of previous work, time to completion and price. Proposals should include a list of similar
websites created in the last three years with the web address and a contact person and a
project timeline. Proposals should also indicate any software products to be used in
creating the website.
An evaluation committee comprised of the Eastern U.P. Regional Planning & Development
Commission staff and the Lake Superior/St. Marys River Water Trail Project Team will
review each proposal. The Commission reserves the right to reject all proposals. The cost
of preparing responses to this RFP shall be borne by the respondents and shall not be
reimbursed by the Commission. Criteria for rating firms will include the following:
A. METHOD OF APPROACH: 20 Percent.
This refers to the technical soundness of the consultant’s stated approach to the
project, the comprehensiveness of the proposed approach, and the techniques to be
used.
B. UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE: 20 Percent.
A determination will be made of the consultant’s understanding of the project
purpose and goals as presented in the RFP. Evaluation will be based on the data
presented in the consultant proposal, and the approach and allocation of time on
specific tasks. Consultants should feel free to suggest other requirements and
problems that may have been overlooked.
C. CAPABILITY AND QUALIFICATIONS: 35 Percent.
We will evaluate the ability of a prospective consultant to meet the terms of the RFP
relative to having a consulting team with the qualifications needed to successfully
complete the project. Qualifications of professional personnel assigned to the
project, as specified in the proposal, including sub-consultants, will be measured by
both education and experience, with particular reference to experience on projects
similar to that described in the scope of work. The consultant’s professional and
project staff who work on the project must be the same staff identified in the
proposal. Sub-consultants must be approved by EUP.
D. ORIGINALITY OR INNOVATIVENESS OF PROPOSALS: 10 Percent.
This RFP generally outlines the work activities and products expected by EUP. A
factor in the selection of a firm, in addition to terms in A through C above, is any
innovative approach that goes beyond the suggested scope of work. It must be
shown how this will be accomplished within the time limits.
E. COOPERATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE: 10 Percent.
Consultant’s experience working as a cooperative team with other consultants and
public agencies. Qualifications of professionals assigned will be measured by
experience on past projects within a cooperative team environment.
F. SCHEDULE: 05 Percent.
We will evaluate the clarity and adequacy of the detailed project plan and the ability
of the consultant to appropriately allocate staff to the identified tasks.