2-RFI Response - Grunin Website.docx

Request for Information (RFI) Response

RFP 25-26 R-1696

Website Redesign for The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts

TO: All Prospective Vendors

FROM: Ocean County College Purchasing Department

DATE: August 5, 2025

Clarification Questions

Q1: Is there any mandatory division of work between the prime contractor and subcontractor? (For example, the prime contractor has to execute 50% of the work.) Or can a subcontractor execute 100% of the work?

A: No mandatory division of work between contractor and subcontractor. All subcontractors must be listed in the proposals and must comply with NJ Business Certificate requirement.

Q2: Does the prime contractor need to notarize the proposal?

A: No

Q3: Is WordPress a strict requirement for the CMS, or are alternative platforms (e.g., Headless CMS, Drupal, Webflow) acceptable if they provide better scalability, security, or ADA compliance?

A: As per the RFP (page 40), The website is currently built on WordPress, and the College prefers to maintain this platform. The redesigned site must feature a user-friendly content management system (CMS) that allows internal staff to easily update content.

Q4: Will XDuce be responsible for WordPress hosting and infrastructure, or will the hosting environment be provided by OCC/Grunin Center?

A: As per the RFP (page 43) The website will be hosted on Ocean County College’s servers and jointly maintained by the College’s Web Services team and the Grunin Center for the Arts Marketing Team.

Q5: Are there custom plugin or integration needs beyond typical event calendars, e-commerce (tickets), and donation platforms? (e.g., CRM, ticketing software like Tessitura, or backend integration with Ocean County College systems?)

A: As per the RFP (page 41), The current website includes 53 published pages and utilizes the Events Calendar plugin to manage 140–170 event listings, depending on the season. The College seeks to eliminate reliance on this plugin by leveraging the Spektrix API (https://integrate.spektrix.com/docs/Introduction) to embed event listings and ticketing functionality directly into the redesigned site.

Q6: Does the site require multisite or multilingual capabilities within WordPress?

A: - We would prefer Multilingual capabilities. Ocean County College uses the GTranslate plugin on the college website.

Q7: Will there be a need to support APIs or external data feeds (e.g., YouTube, social media events, OCC course catalog, ticketing platforms)?

A: As per the RFP (page 41), The current website includes 53 published pages and utilizes the Events Calendar plugin to manage 140–170 event listings, depending on the season. The College seeks to eliminate reliance on this plugin by leveraging the Spektrix API (https://integrate.spektrix.com/docs/Introduction) to embed event listings and ticketing functionality directly into the redesigned site.

Q8: Are there any user personas or audience segmentation insights already available (e.g., students, donors, parents, event-goers)? Or should we plan to conduct primary research during discovery?

A: The Grunin Center has identified the three audiences: event patrons, grant funders, and agents/artists who this website should function for. Please see page 41 of the RFP, Target Audiences, for more details.

Q9: How many distinct content types or user journeys are expected (e.g., browsing events, buying tickets, becoming a member, artist submission)?

A: Approximately 5-10; browsing, buying tickets, memberships, or gift vouchers, making a donation, venue information (directions/parking/policies), joining the mailing list, viewing season archive, educational initiatives, renting the facility.

Q10: Do you expect a design system or component library to be created for future scalability of the site?

A: Developing synced and unsynced patterns will streamline future updates and ensure a consistent design aesthetic across all elements.

Q11: Is there a preference for mobile-first design or specific accessibility levels (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA or AAA)?

A: As per the RFP (page 42-43), website requirements include but are not limited to:

Legal and Accessibility Compliance: The website must comply with all applicable legislation and standards, including:

· Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

· General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

· U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17)

· Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

· Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA (the technical standard for state and local governments’ web content and mobile apps) Responsive Design: The website must be fully responsive and optimized for performance across all devices and screen sizes.

Q12: What level of content personalization or localization is envisioned (if any)? Should the system remember user preferences for events or artists?

A: No. The website does not require custom content personalization.

Q13: How many pages, PDFs, and media assets are expected to be migrated from the current site?

A: As per the RFP (page 41), The current website includes 53 published pages and utilizes the Events Calendar plugin to manage 140–170 event listings, depending on the season. The College seeks to eliminate reliance on this plugin by leveraging the Spektrix API (https://integrate.spektrix.com/docs/Introduction) to embed event listings and ticketing functionality directly into the redesigned site.

Media assets that are required to be migrated would be appx 200-400 images and 5-10 PDF documents (the Grunin Center has moved away from linked PDFs whereever possible to improve accessibility).

Q14: Will content migration include clean-up of outdated events or do you require a complete 1:1 migration first?

A: As per the RFP (page 41), The current website includes 53 published pages and utilizes the Events Calendar plugin to manage 140–170 event listings, depending on the season. The College seeks to eliminate reliance on this plugin by leveraging the Spektrix API (https://integrate.spektrix.com/docs/Introduction) to embed event listings and ticketing functionality directly into the redesigned site.

By utilizing the API for event listings, there would be no requirement to migrate old events to the site.

Q15: Will the Grunin Center provide new written/visual content, or should the proposal include content strategy and copywriting?

A: The Grunin Center would like recommendations on site structure and layout and would welcome recommendations on where to condense or restructure pages, but they are able to provide copywriting of their evergreen content.

Q16: The RFP requests a “not to exceed” cost — should the proposal include itemized estimates by phase (discovery, design, development, content migration, testing, training)?

A: Yes, please provide itemized estimates as per Fee sheet on page 50.

Q17: Is this a fixed-scope engagement, or would you prefer time and materials pricing with optional change order provisions?

A: The total cost of the project is agreed upon upfront. The scope of work (what will be delivered, features, functionalities) is clearly defined and agreed upon before the work begins.

Q18: Are there plans for ongoing maintenance or content updates after launch? Should we include hourly or monthly retainers post-launch?

A: As per the RFP (page 43) The website will be hosted on Ocean County College’s servers and jointly maintained by the College’s Web Services team and the Grunin Center for the Arts Marketing Team.

Q19: Is there a preferred project timeline or launch date tied to specific events or fundraising goals?

A: As per the RFP (page 46), the project timeline is as follows:

• RFP Issued: July 15, 2025

• Proposal Submission Deadline: August 14, 2025

• Vendor Presentations: August 18, 2025 - August 26, 2025

• Vendor Selection: September 4, 2025

• Project Kickoff: October 1, 2025

• Target Launch Date: April 1, 2026

Q20: Who will be the primary point of contact and approver on your end — Grunin Center, OCC, or a committee?

A: OCC

Q21: Will XDuce have direct access to end-users or internal staff during discovery/usability testing phases?

A: The Grunin Center could arrange for a focus group of patrons for usability testing.

Q22: Are there any ongoing or parallel digital initiatives that may affect or integrate with this website (e.g., college-wide rebranding, student portal refresh)?

A: This project is timed to align with the completion of a lobby expansion project that will increase the square footage of the Grunin Center for the Arts and provide additional programming space in the form of a new lobby and art gallery.

Q23: Could the College please confirm if a budget range has been established for this project? If so, may you share the anticipated budget allocation or not-to-exceed amount for planning and pricing purposes?

A: The budget has not been established. We are seeking competitive proposals that reflect the relatively small scope of work, which includes approximately 53 published website pages. Cost will be evaluated as part of the overall criteria, accounting for 20% of the total score. The committee will assess all proposals to determine pricing reasonableness.

Q24: Is there an anticipated contract start date and target go-live date for the redesigned website? What is the expected overall project duration, from kickoff to final launch?

A: As per the RFP (page 46), the project timeline is as follows:

• RFP Issued: July 15, 2025

• Proposal Submission Deadline: August 14, 2025

• Vendor Presentations: August 18, 2025 - August 26, 2025

• Vendor Selection: September 4, 2025

• Project Kickoff: October 1, 2025

• Target Launch Date: April 1, 2026.

Q25: Could the College clarify the expected level of Research & Discovery activities required? (e.g., stakeholder interviews, content audit, user personas, analytics review, etc.) Or is the vendor expected to propose the level of R&D based on best practices?

A: The vendor should propose the level of R&D based on best practices.

Q26: Does the College have a preferred CMS platform for this project (e.g., WordPress, Drupal), or is the vendor expected to recommend the CMS based on project needs?

A: As per the RFP (page 40), The website is currently built on WordPress, and the College prefers to maintain this platform. The redesigned site must feature a user-friendly content management system (CMS) that allows internal staff to easily update content.

Q27: Is the selected vendor expected to recommend hosting services as part of the scope, or will the College retain or procure its own hosting solution separately? If hosting is included, are there specific technical requirements or preferred platforms?

A: As per the RFP (page 43) The website will be hosted on Ocean County College’s servers and jointly maintained by the College’s Web Services team and the Grunin Center for the Arts Marketing Team.

Q28: Are there any third-party systems (e.g., ticketing platforms, event calendars) that will need to be integrated into the new website? If so, could the College provide a list of these systems?

A: As per the RFP (page 41), The current website includes 53 published pages and utilizes the Events Calendar plugin to manage 140–170 event listings, depending on the season. The College seeks to eliminate reliance on this plugin by leveraging the Spektrix API (https://integrate.spektrix.com/docs/Introduction) to embed event listings and ticketing functionality directly into the redesigned site. By utilizing the API for event listings, there would be no requirement to migrate old events to the site.

Q29: Is there an estimate of the total number of pages or documents to be migrated?

A: As per the RFP (page 41), The current website includes 53 published pages and utilizes the Events Calendar plugin to manage 140–170 event listings, depending on the season. The College seeks to eliminate reliance on this plugin by leveraging the Spektrix API (https://integrate.spektrix.com/docs/Introduction) to embed event listings and ticketing functionality directly into the redesigned site. By utilizing the API for event listings, there would be no requirement to migrate old events to the site.

Q30: Could you please provide clear instructions on the specific content and structure expected in the proposal response (e.g., format, required sections)?

A: We're seeking the vendor's expertise to evaluate our existing website content. Their recommendations should pinpoint content gaps and propose effective structural and content improvements.

Q31: Kindly confirm if there are any page limits or formatting requirements (e.g., font size, font style, margin, spacing) for each section of the proposal.

A: There are no specific page limits or formatting requirements for each section of the proposal. However, please note that submissions will be scanned and shared electronically with committee members. We kindly ask that you avoid using hard staples or binders where pages are glued together (e.g., book-style formats). Simple paper clips or soft binding methods are preferred.

Q32: How many users manage content on the current WordPress site?

A: The site is jointly maintained by the College’s Web Services team (2 members with active access) and the Grunin Center for the Arts Marketing Team (2 members with active access).

Q33: Can you share a list of the plugins currently in use?

A: We're currently using the following plugins; however, we anticipate the vendor will apply their specialized knowledge to recommend and integrate the most effective plugins for the website they're designing.

· AddToAny Share Buttons

· Akismet Anti-Spam

· Contact Form 7

· Disable Canonical URL Redirection

· Dynamic Widgets

· Easy FancyBox

· Enable Media Replace

· Full Background Image Manager WordPress Plugin

· Google Analytics for WordPress by MonsterInsights

· Google XML Sitemaps

· Jetpack by WordPress.com

· jQuery Masonry Image Gallery

· MetaSlider

· PHP Compatibility Checker

· Recent Posts Widget Extended

· Regenerate Thumbnails

· Responsive Gallery Grid Pro

· Sucuri Security - Auditing, Malware Scanner and Hardening

· The Events Calendar

· The Events Calendar Pro

· The Events Calendar: Filter Bar

· WP Gallery Custom Links

· WPBakery Page Builder

· WPFront Notification Bar

· Yoast SEO

Q34: What analytics platforms are in use today?

A: The site currently uses MonsterInsights plugin to integrate Google Analytics to the site.

Q35: How many staff members will require training?

A: The site is jointly maintained by the College’s Web Services team (2 members with active access) and the Grunin Center for the Arts Marketing Team (2 members with active access). These are the members that would require training on the site.

Q36: Will all existing content be migrated to the new site?

A: Yes, the content that currently lives on the 53 published pages, such as mission/vision/values, ticketing policies, directions to the venue, etc., will need to be migrated.

Q37: Can you share insight into the SEO strategy?

A: The current site has limited SEO functionality, and it is the hope that this new website can be designed to enhance our SEO strategy.

Q38: Do you currently engage with a third party for ongoing SEO services?

A: No

Q39: The fee sheet lists "content audit" under content strategy and migration. Can you expand on the expectations for the content audit?

A: Assessing the current content on grunincenter.org and ensuring comparable content appears on the new site.

Q40: It appears the current site links to forms.office.com for forms like the rentals form, is the expectation that this forms solution will continue to be utilized?

A: The Grunin Center is open to reviewing other forms solutions, however, we do not want to incur an ongoing annual cost for a plugin for forms.

Q41: Beyond Spektrix, are there any other integration requirements?

A: Beyond things such as embedding YouTube videos, SEO/Analytics, not at this time.

Q42: It appears that group ticket sales cannot be completed online, will that continue to be handled offline?

A: That is a customer-service policy decision, not a functionality decision. Our ticketing CRM would allow us to sell group tickets online; we choose to require groups to contact us for orders of 10 or more tickets.

Q43: How does the Center plan to measure the success of the new site post launch?

A: Ticket sales, traffic levels, patron feedback via surveys.

Q44: Can you share insight into the site's current traffic levels (i.e. Average monthly page views)?

A: 5k to 9k average monthly page views, website traffic ebbs and flows based on the show and ticket sale schedule.

Q45: Can you share insight into any existing pain points related to the site today from either a front end user perspective or a content editor perspective?

A: The site is dated, as it was designed in 2017. The theme prevents much of the updated functionality of plugins, specifically the Events Calendar plugin, from functioning. The menu structure is cluttered, and we’d be open to recommendations on how to streamline. We are looking for a more templated approach to event listings, and the reduction of duplicated work of having to input event content on both the website and the ticketing system.

Q46: Is there a specific budget or budget range allocated for this project? Will a proposal exceeding $50,000 be considered?

A: The budget has not been established. We are seeking competitive proposals that reflect the relatively small scope of work, which includes approximately 53 published website pages. Cost will be evaluated as part of the overall criteria, accounting for 20% of the total score. The committee will assess all proposals to determine pricing reasonableness.

Q47: Can you provide a full list of systems or platforms that require integration (e.g., ticketing, CRM, calendar/events, payment)?

A: As per the RFP (page 41), The current website includes 53 published pages and utilizes the Events Calendar plugin to manage 140–170 event listings, depending on the season. The College seeks to eliminate reliance on this plugin by leveraging the Spektrix API (https://integrate.spektrix.com/docs/Introduction) to embed event listings and ticketing functionality directly into the redesigned site. There are no additional systems or platforms that require integration.

Q48: How are current integrations implemented (API, iframe, embed, etc.)? For example, how is ticket purchasing currently managed?

A: Currently, the website only uses iframes and embeds for things such as YouTube videos from artists. Ticketing is handled by linking to Spektrix’s public ticketing pages for each event. For example, https://www.grunincenter.org/event/cherish-the-ladies/ has a button, Get Tickets, linked to https://booking.grunincenter.org/ChooseSeats/26001 which is the Spektrix ticketing page for that event. We would like to eliminate this redirecting by utilizing the Spektrix API to keep the ticket purchasing path on our site.

Q49: Who would be on the core project team on the Client side? Can you describe the stakeholder landscape within the organization? In other words, which groups will be involved in final decision-making for the brand, website design, content, and feature set?

A: The Grunin Center team consists of an Executive and Artistic Director, three Assistant Directors (Marketing/Sales, Operations/Production, Education/Community Engagement), a Marketing/Sales coordinator, and technical production staff. The Grunin Center Marketing team would be the leads on this project in terms of content, design, and strategy, but all team members would provide input at various stages. The college’s web services team would also be involved, as they are the technical and structural maintenance providers to the site.

Q50: Are there any incumbent agencies or internal teams expected to submit a proposal?

A: There are no incumbent agencies or internal teams expected to submit a proposal for this project.

Q51: Current Website Architecture & Integration: Could you provide more details on the existing website's architecture and the types of integrations it currently supports? Are there any specific third-party systems or tools that the new website will need to support or integrate with in the future?

A: As per the RFP (page 41), The current website includes 53 published pages and utilizes the Events Calendar plugin to manage 140–170 event listings, depending on the season. The College seeks to eliminate reliance on this plugin by leveraging the Spektrix API (https://integrate.spektrix.com/docs/Introduction) to embed event listings and ticketing functionality directly into the redesigned site.

Q52: SEO Strategy & Migration Plan: Given the importance of SEO for your online presence, what are the specific SEO objectives you want to achieve with the redesign? Are there any current SEO strategies, keyword priorities, or content that should be preserved during the migration process?

A: We would be looking for our site to be better optimized for folks searching for more vague search queries, such as “concerts near me” or “toms river theater tickets.” Older, less savvy patrons are also sometimes duped by ticket resell sites and we want to outrank them as much as possible.

Q53: Mobile-First Design Priorities: In terms of mobile optimization, could you clarify the specific user flows or key functionalities that need to be prioritized for mobile users? For instance, should mobile-friendliness take precedence in any specific sections of the website?

A: The entire site should be mobile-first designed. Specifically, 63% of patrons purchase tickets on their mobile phones, 1.8% on tablets, and 34.5% on desktop.

Q54: CMS Customization & Usability: Are there any specific features or limitations in the current CMS that you want to address in the new website? Also, would you prefer a fully customized CMS experience for the editorial team, or is a more templated approach with pre-defined workflows acceptable?

A: The site is dated, as it was designed in 2017. The theme prevents much of the updated functionality of plugins, specifically the Events Calendar plugin, from functioning. The menu structure is cluttered, and we’d be open to recommendations on how to streamline. We are looking for a more templated approach to event listings, and the reduction of duplicated work of having to input event content on both the website and the ticketing system.

Q55: User Experience (UX) & User Interface (UI) Design: What specific challenges have you encountered with the current site’s user experience? Do you have any design benchmarks or websites you consider ideal in terms of both functionality and aesthetic appeal for this project?

A: The site was designed in 2017 and is dated. The menu structure is complicated and event listings are bland. We are looking for modern, templated event listings. Please see pages 43-44 for the RFP for website features from other venues that we like.

Q56: Accessibility Compliance: Besides WCAG 2.1 and ADA requirements, are there any additional accessibility guidelines or specific user groups (e.g., visually impaired users, people with hearing disabilities) that the website should cater to in terms of usability and design?

A: The college, and subsequently the Grunin Center, is required to be compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA by April 2026.

Q57: Content Migration & Scalability: Could you provide more details on the volume and type of content (e.g., media, event listings, news articles) that will need to be migrated? Also, what future scalability considerations (in terms of content or functionality) should we plan for?

A: As per the RFP (page 41), The current website includes 53 published pages and utilizes the Events Calendar plugin to manage 140–170 event listings, depending on the season. The College seeks to eliminate reliance on this plugin by leveraging the Spektrix API (https://integrate.spektrix.com/docs/Introduction) to embed event listings and ticketing functionality directly into the redesigned site.

Media assets that are required to be migrated would be appx 200-400 images and 5-10 PDF documents (the Grunin Center has moved away from linked PDFs wherever possible to improve accessibility).

Q58: Security & Data Privacy: Are there any specific security protocols or data privacy requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) we need to take into account, particularly with user data or event ticketing transactions?

A: As per the RFP (page 42), Legal and Accessibility Compliance: The website must comply with all applicable legislation and standards, including:

o Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) o General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) o U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17) o Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act o Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA (the technical standard for state and local governments’ web content and mobile apps).

Q59: Project Phases & Milestones: What are your critical milestones for the redesign project? For example, are there specific deadlines for content migration, testing, or integration phases that we should align with in our proposal?

A: As per the RFP (page 46), the project timeline is as follows:

• RFP Issued: July 15, 2025

• Proposal Submission Deadline: August 14, 2025

• Vendor Presentations: August 18, 2025 - August 26, 2025

• Vendor Selection: September 4, 2025

• Project Kickoff: October 1, 2025

• Target Launch Date: April 1, 2026

Q60: Tentative Budget & Timeline: Can you share the estimated budget range and expected timeline for the completion of the entire website redesign project? This will help us align our proposal with your expectations and ensure we meet your needs effectively.

A: As per the RFP (page 46), the project timeline is as follows:

• RFP Issued: July 15, 2025

• Proposal Submission Deadline: August 14, 2025

• Vendor Presentations: August 18, 2025 - August 26, 2025

• Vendor Selection: September 4, 2025

• Project Kickoff: October 1, 2025

• Target Launch Date: April 1, 2026 The budget has not been established. We are seeking competitive proposals that reflect the relatively small scope of work, which includes approximately 53 published website pages. Cost will be evaluated as part of the overall criteria, accounting for 20% of the total score. The committee will assess all proposals to determine pricing reasonableness.

Q61: Post-Launch Support & Training: What level of post-launch support and training do you anticipate needing for your internal team? Should we plan for a transition phase for content editors, or will this be handled in-house?

A: College Relations would benefit from training on specialized technical aspects of the site, in addition to editing training provided to the Grunin Team.

Q62: What content management system (CMS) is the website built on?

A: As per the RFP (page 40), The website is currently built on WordPress, and the College prefers to maintain this platform. The redesigned site must feature a user-friendly content management system (CMS) that allows internal staff to easily update content.

Q63: Are you open to CMS recommendations, or do you prefer a specific platform?

A: As per the RFP (page 40), The website is currently built on WordPress, and the College prefers to maintain this platform. The redesigned site must feature a user-friendly content management system (CMS) that allows internal staff to easily update content.

Q64: Will content (copy, photos, videos) be provided by the college or should vendors include copywriting and media services in their proposal?

A: The Grunin Center would like recommendations on site structure and layout, and would welcome recommendations on where to condense or restructure pages, but they are able to provide copywriting of their evergreen content. Images and videos are mostly provided by the artists booked each season.

Q65: Is ADA or WCAG 2.1 accessibility compliance required for the new website?

A: Yes. As per the RFP (page 42), Legal and Accessibility Compliance: The website must comply with all applicable legislation and standards, including:

o Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) o General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) o U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17) o Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act o Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA (the technical standard for state and local governments’ web content and mobile apps)

Q66: Do you expect the vendor to provide ongoing maintenance or hosting services after launch, or will that be handled internally?

A: As per the RFP (page 43) The website will be hosted on Ocean County College’s servers and jointly maintained by the College’s Web Services team and the Grunin Center for the Arts Marketing Team.

Q67: What is your current budget? Do you have something specific in mind?

A: The budget has not been established. We are seeking competitive proposals that reflect the relatively small scope of work, which includes approximately 53 published website pages. Cost will be evaluated as part of the overall criteria, accounting for 20% of the total score. The committee will assess all proposals to determine pricing reasonableness.

Q68: Please confirm the total number of published pages, PDFs, media assets, and event records to be migrated, and which items should be migrated “as‑is” vs. rewritten vs. archived.

A: As per the RFP (page 41), The current website includes 53 published pages and utilizes the Events Calendar plugin to manage 140–170 event listings, depending on the season. The College seeks to eliminate reliance on this plugin by leveraging the Spektrix API (https://integrate.spektrix.com/docs/Introduction) to embed event listings and ticketing functionality directly into the redesigned site.

Media assets that are required to be migrated would be appx 200-400 images and 5-10 PDF documents (the Grunin Center has moved away from linked PDFs whereever possible to improve accessibility).

Q69: Do you have a prioritized URL list and rules for SEO‑preserving redirects (legacy → new IA)?

A: We have a list of the most directly visited pages in the past 18 months and can provide a prioritized list of URLs to preserve.

Q70: What are the requirements for a season archive (filters, metadata, retention period, and search across past seasons)?

A: The current season archive is a text-based list of events that must be manually updated. We would be open to exploring what archive features would be possible via the Spektrix API integration.

Q71: Beyond event listings and ticket purchase, which Spektrix capabilities must be supported in the on‑site flow (e.g., reserved seating, promo/coupon codes, packages/subscriptions, donations, gift certificates)?

A: Events calendar/ listing, event search, event descriptions, the full ticket purchasing path regardless of seating type, priority booking, discounts, digital passes, memberships, gift vouchers, mailing list, donations.

Q72: Which taxonomies/attributes (genre, series, venue, audience segment, accessibility features, etc.) must be filterable on event listings, and which of these should be mastered in Spektrix vs. in WordPress?

A: Priorities beyond date range filters would be genre, series, and venue. Spektrix does allow for these attributes to be assigned to events within that system.

Q73: Are there any required third‑party form, email, or social integrations (newsletter sign‑up, press requests, artist inquiries), and how should submissions be routed/stored?

A: Mailing List (email and postal) sign-ups are handled via the Spektrix API integration. We currently have 1 webform built into the site (https://www.grunincenter.org/tickets-events/ticket-donation-request/) and a form that is more complex that is linked to in Microsoft Forms.

Q74: Please confirm accessibility acceptance criteria (WCAG 2.1 AA or higher), expected validation approach (manual assistive‑tech testing + automated checks), and who participates in UAT for accessibility.

A: Legal requirements mandate that we achieve full WCAG 2.1, Level AA compliance. Our testing will primarily utilize Siteimprove, supplemented by manual ADA compliance checks performed by an available employee or student.

Q75: Given a core audience that skews older, what are your minimums for type size, contrast, tap targets, and content density to standardize across templates?

A: We are looking for recommendations from the vendor based on best practices.

Q76: Will hosting be provided by the College or the vendor? If vendor‑hosted, please confirm environments (DEV/QA/PROD), backup/restore, CDN/WAF, hardening standards, and RTO/RPO targets.

A: As per the RFP (page 43) The website will be hosted on Ocean County College’s servers and jointly maintained by the College’s Web Services team and the Grunin Center for the Arts Marketing Team.

Q77: What performance targets should we meet during “on‑sale” peaks (expected concurrent users, acceptable TTFB/checkout time), and should we include load/stress testing with pass/fail thresholds?

A: Load and stress testing, including clear pass/fail thresholds, should be a mandatory part of pre-launch testing. The Time to First Byte (TTFB) must comply with current website best practices.

On peak on-sale days, we receive 700-1000 visitors in a 4-hour period.

Q78: Please confirm privacy/consent requirements (e.g., GDPR/COPPA), data retention, and governance for analytics pixels/tags.

A: The website must comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Q79: Which KPIs matter most (e.g., online sales %, conversion, campaign attribution, cohort/returning buyers), and should we implement GA4 + Tag Manager + dashboards with training?

A: Online sales, returning buyers, conversion, and yes, we’d like to have GA4 +tag manager implemented in the site.

Q80: Should we include a technical SEO audit (schema, CWV, crawlability) post‑launch, and who signs off on redirect mapping and canonicalization?

A: The site must be fully optimized for on-page, technical, and off-page SEO before launch. The vendor should also complete the redirect mapping and canonicalization strategy, which the Grunin Center will approve, and the vendor will implement.

Q81: How many CMS users will manage content? Which roles/workflows (author → editor → approver) do you need, and what training format and handover documentation are expected?

A: A: The site is jointly maintained by the College’s Web Services team (2 members with active access) and the Grunin Center for the Arts Marketing Team (2 members with active access). We do not need roles/workflow for approvals.

Q82: What is the preferred approach for updates (core/theme/plugins cadence), and are there any plugin policies or constraints we must follow?

A: WordPress is automatically updated by WP Engine, our hosting provider. Plugin updates are managed manually by College Relations. We do not currently have a formal plugin policy in place but welcome vendor recommendations.

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