How to Build a Government Website Re-Platform RFP

In the fast-paced digital world, maintaining an up-to-date and functional website is crucial for any business. When your current website platform no longer meets your needs, it may be time to consider re-platforming. However, embarking on a website re-platforming project is no small feat, and it requires careful planning and execution. One of the first and most critical steps in this process is creating a website RFP (Request for Proposal).

An RFP is a formal document that outlines the specifics of a project and solicits bids from qualified vendors or service providers. It serves as a comprehensive guide detailing your project requirements, objectives, and criteria for evaluation. The RFP process allows you to gather detailed proposals from various vendors, enabling you to compare their offerings and select the one that best aligns with your needs.

In a nutshell, a website redesign RFP should include the following:

• Executive Summary: A high-level overview of your company and the project.

• Project Background and Context: An explanation of the current situation and why re-platforming is necessary.

• Scope of Work: A detailed description of the project requirements, including technical specifications, desired features, and functionalities.

• Proposal Requirements: Guidelines on how vendors should structure their proposals and what information they should include.

• Timeline and Budget: Expected timelines for project completion and budget constraints.

• Evaluation Criteria: Criteria that will be used to evaluate and score the proposals.

Not only should these components be included, but they should also be well-crafted in order to set the project up for success. Let’s dig into the details and how you can create a killer RFP.

Defining Your Website Re-Platform Objectives

Defining clear objectives is a crucial step in the website re-platforming process. Your objectives will guide the entire project, ensuring that the new platform aligns with your business goals and meets the needs of your users. Here are some goals to keep in mind when creating your website RFP:

Performance Improvements

• Load Times: Faster load times can improve user experience, reduce bounce rates, and enhance SEO rankings. Aim for industry-standard load times or better.

• Scalability: Ensure the new platform can handle increased traffic and data loads, accommodating future growth without compromising performance.

• Reliability: Improve uptime and reduce the risk of crashes or downtime, which can negatively impact user trust and revenue.

Enhanced Design and User Experience (UX)

• Modern Design: Create a visually appealing, modern design that aligns with your brand identity and appeals to your target audience.

• User-Friendly Navigation: Improve site navigation to make it intuitive and easy for users to find what they’re looking for.

• Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure the site is fully responsive and provides a seamless experience across all devices, including smartphones and tablets.

• Accessibility: Enhance accessibility to make your site usable for people with disabilities, complying with relevant standards (e.g., WCAG).

Better Content Management Capabilities

• User-Friendly CMS: Implement a content management system (CMS) that is easy for non-technical users to manage, update, and publish content.

• Content Personalization: Enable personalized content delivery based on user behavior, preferences, and demographics.

• Advanced Media Management: Improve the handling of images, videos, and other media types, including tools for editing, optimizing, and organizing media assets.

Integration with Other Systems

• CRM Integration: Seamlessly integrate with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to streamline customer data management and marketing efforts.

• E-commerce Platforms: Ensure smooth integration with e-commerce solutions to manage product listings, inventory, and transactions.

• Marketing Automation: Connect with marketing automation tools to enhance campaign management, lead nurturing, and analytics.

• Analytics and Reporting: Integrate with advanced analytics platforms to gain deeper insights into user behavior, site performance, and marketing effectiveness.

No matter what objectives you set, you want to ensure you attach them with tangible KPIs you can track to monitor the project’s progress. This may include:

• Website Traffic: Measure the increase in the number of visitors to the site.

• Bounce Rate: Track the percentage of visitors who leave the site after viewing only one page.

• Conversion Rate: Measure the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.

• Time on Site: Track the average duration visitors spend on the site.

• Pages per Session: Measure the average number of pages viewed during a single session.

Conducting a Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Start by taking a critical look at your existing website platform. This involves evaluating its performance, usability, and capabilities to identify both strengths that should be retained and weaknesses that need to be addressed. Key areas to examine include:

Performance Quality

Does your website load quickly for visitors and react well to their interactions? If not, this is a key area to focus on when you switch over to a new platform. 

Content Management

Ensuring that your CMS is organized and user-friendly is crucial when it comes time to bring in non-technical staff to utilize the platform. 

Technical Capabilities

Evaluate whether or not you need your new platform to integrate well with other systems such as a CRM. 

Search Engine Optimization

This is a great opportunity to ​​analyze your site’s search engine rankings and identify any technical SEO issues. Understanding where there are pitfalls in your SEO performance can be beneficial in moving forward with better practices within your new platform.

Drafting the Website RFP Document

If you need to attract the right vendors, your RFP document should include all the vital information needed to capture the essence of what your project will entail. Here’s a breakdown of each of the sections we mentioned earlier and what needs to be included in each:

1. Overview of Your Company

This section should include a brief introduction to your company. Don’t forget to also highlight your target industry, market, and any other relevant achievements or milestones the business has attained.

2. Brief Project Description

The project description is essential for identifying the need for a website re-platform and pinpointing the key areas of focus. This initial overview should be crystal clear in what the main objectives are for the end of the project. 

3. Current Pain Points

Clearly communicate the challenges you’re facing with your current website environment. This sets the stage for what areas need to be prioritized for improvements. 

3. Key Objectives and Goals

Outline the primary goals of the re-platforming project, such as improving site performance, enhancing user experience, or integrating with other systems. Include who your target audience is and how the structure of the re-platform would suit that audience well. This section should mention clear performance metrics you wish to reach. 

4. Proposal Requirements

Compile a list of materials you need from the vendor including examples of past work and contact information for references, resumes of team members who are going to be involved in the project, and any relevant degrees and/or certifications those team members have attained.

5. Timeline and Budget 

Establishing a timeline and budget helps create the framework for the web project. This also sets a good foundation for what the expectations are going into the partnership. 

6. Evaluation Criteria

The Evaluation Criteria section outlines the standards by which all vendor proposals will be assessed. This section is crucial for ensuring a fair and consistent evaluation process. Criteria may include the vendor's experience and expertise, the quality and relevance of their past projects, the proposed approach to the project, technical capabilities, and cost.

Distributing Your Website RFP

Once you have established your RFP, you now have to start distributing it to potential vendors. This will require some in-depth research to uncover the partners that are best suited for your particular project. There are a few ways you can approach this project and it may include the following techniques. 

Conduct Industry Research

Identify vendors who specialize in website re-platforming, especially those with experience in your industry or sector. Look for those with a proven track record of delivering similar projects.

Collect Recommendations

Reach out to your colleagues or contacts who have expertise in your industry. Utilizing your network can help you expedite this process and discover the right partner who can deliver quality work for your re-platforming project. 

Explore Online Directories

Use online directories and marketplaces like Clutch, UpCity, and DesignRush to find reputable vendors. These platforms often provide detailed profiles, client reviews, and case studies.

There are also a few ways you can distribute your RFP. Consider the following channels and narrow down the options that would work best for your organization. 

Email Outreach

Sending the RFP directly to vendors via email is a straightforward and efficient method. This allows for personalized communication and direct follow-up. Be sure to include a clear subject line, a brief introduction, and all necessary attachments or links.

RFP Portals

Utilize specific RFP portals and platforms like RFP360, BidNet, or Government-specific platforms. These portals streamline the RFP distribution process and allow you to reach a broader audience of qualified vendors.

Make a Public Announcement

For government organizations or larger projects, consider issuing a public announcement or press release. This can be done through your organization's website, social media channels, or industry-specific publications.

Leverage Your Industry Network

Leverage industry networks and associations that you are a part of. These networks often have communication channels that can help disseminate your RFP to a targeted audience.

Key Takeaways on Website RFPs

In order to have a smooth website project with a new partner/agency, a strong RFP is required to ensure that all stakeholders understand what the expectations are. Migrating to a new web-hosting platform can get complex, and this approach establishes a road map for all that are involved. Make sure there is a clear path forward, with metrics that serve as a clear target that needs to be hit.