Amendment #3 Q & A.pdf

SAP

State of South Carolina

Request for Proposal

AMENDMENT #3

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Solicitation:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400023864 09/16/2022

JEFFERY SCHWALK

1-803-737-1018 SchwalkJC@scdot.org

SCDOT Procurement Office PO Box 191 Columbia SC 29202-0191

DESCRIPTION: WEB CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM RFP

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: SC Department of Transportation

SUBMIT YOUR OFFER ON-LINE AT THE FOLLOWING URL: http://www.procurement.sc.gov

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 09/23/2022 09/28/2022 14:30:00 (See "Deadline For Submission Of Offer" provision)

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 09/01/2022 09/08/2022 11:00:00 (See "Questions From Offerors" provision)

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: ONE

CONFERENCE TYPE: Pre-Proposal Conference

DATE & TIME: 08/31/2022 13:30:00 09/07/2022 10:30 AM

CLOSED

(As appropriate, see "Conferences - Pre-Bid/Proposal" & "Site Visit" provisions)

LOCATION: This conference will be held both in person at the SCDOT Headquarters location, and via teleconference. Dial-In: 1- 800-753-1965 Access Code: 7236783. Please register with the Procurement Officer by 5:00 PM August 30 September 6, 2022. CLOSED

AWARD &

AMENDMENTS

Award will be posted on 10/27/2022. The award, this solicitation, any amendments, and any related notices will be posted at the following web address: http://www.procurement.sc.gov

You must submit a signed copy of this form with Your Offer. By signing, You agree to be bound by the terms of the Solicitation. You agree to hold Your Offer open for a minimum of ninety (90) calendar days after the Opening Date. (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

NAME OF OFFEROR

(full legal name of business submitting the offer)

Any award issued will be issued to, and the contract will be formed with, the entity identified as the Offeror. The entity named as the offeror must be a single and distinct legal entity. Do not use the name of a branch office or a division of a larger entity if the branch or division is not a separate legal entity, i.e., a separate corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(Person must be authorized to submit binding offer to contract on behalf of Offeror.)

DATE SIGNED

TITLE

(business title of person signing above)

STATE VENDOR NO.

(Register to Obtain S.C. Vendor No. at www.procurement.sc.gov)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

STATE OF INCORPORATION

(If you are a corporation, identify the state of incorporation.)

OFFEROR'S TYPE OF ENTITY: (Check one) (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

___ Sole Proprietorship ___ Partnership ___ Other_____________________________

___ Corporate entity (not tax-exempt) ___ Corporation (tax-exempt) ___ Government entity (federal, state, or local)

COVER PAGE - ON-LINE ONLY (MAR. 2015)

mailto:SchwalkJC@scdot.org http://www.procurement.sc.gov/ http://www.procurement.sc.gov/ http://www.procurement.sc.gov/

SAP

AMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION (JAN 2004)

(a) The Solicitation may be amended at any time prior to opening. All actual and prospective Offerors should monitor the following web site for the issuance of Amendments: www.procurement.sc.gov (b) Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation (1) by signing and returning the amendment, (2) by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on Page Two, (3) by letter, or

(4) by submitting a bid that indicates in some way that the bidder received the amendment. (c) If this solicitation is amended, then all terms and conditions which are not modified remain unchanged. [02-2A005-1]

QUESTIONS FROM OFFERORS - AMENDMENT (JUN 2017)

THE SOLICITATION IS AMENDED AS PROVIDED HEREIN. INFORMATION OR CHANGES

RESULTING FROM QUESTIONS WILL BE SHOWN IN A QUESTION-AND-ANSWER FORMAT. ALL

QUESTIONS RECEIVED HAVE BEEN REPRINTED BELOW. THE “STATE’S RESPONSE” SHOULD BE

READ WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE QUESTIONS. THE QUESTIONS ARE INCLUDED SOLELY TO

PROVIDE A CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE POTENTIAL OFFEROR THAT SUBMITTED THE QUESTION.

QUESTIONS DO NOT FORM A PART OF THE CONTRACT; THE “STATE’S RESPONSE” DOES. ANY

RESTATEMENT OF PART OR ALL OF AN EXISTING PROVISION OF THE SOLICITATION IN AN

ANSWER DOES NOT MODIFY THE ORIGINAL PROVISION EXCEPT AS FOLLOWS: UNDERLINED

TEXT IS ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL PROVISON. STRICKEN TEXT IS DELETED.

QUESTION #1

Can Drupal be provided as a solution for this procurement?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #1

SCDOT has a preference for a proprietary commercial solution.

Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications/General Requirements states:

The WCMS should be an actual commercialized product offered and supported by your company, not Open-Source Freeware.

QUESTION #2

If Drupal is not an option, can South Carolina please provide details as to why this would not be acceptable?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #2

SCDOT has a preference for a proprietary commercial solution.

Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications/General Requirements states:

The WCMS should be an actual commercialized product offered and supported by your company, not Open-Source Freeware.

QUESTION #3

Could you please clarify the requirement for WGAC2 compliance in the RFP? Generally this type of compliance can be achieved through configuration of the software much like ADA compliance. Would that be an acceptable response?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #3

The WCMS should be useable by people using assistive technology. If this can be achieved by proper configuration of the software, then this is an acceptable response.

QUESTION #4

Is there an incumbent? Will they be bidding?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #4

There is not an incumbent.

QUESTION #5

Is there any preference for local vendors?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #5

SCDOT is open to all responsive and responsible offerors, and office location is not an evaluation criteria.

QUESTION #6

What is the budget for this project?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #6

The project plan should be designed and sized by the proposer to meet the specifications laid out in the solicitation documents (RFP and associated documents, including published amendments) and not engineered to fit within a perceived budget assumption. SCDOT has obtained funding.

QUESTION #7

What is your current annual spend on CMS, hosting, and related support?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #7

There is not currently any CMS spending.

QUESTION #8

How are you defining success from a technical perspective for this project? (please use numbers where possible)

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #8

Current site migrated and Construction Project Sites migrated to new WCMS is success.

QUESTION #9

Who built the current websites - your internal team or a vendor?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #9

The work on the current website was done by an SCDOT internal team.

QUESTION #10

If it was a vendor, who was it?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #10

See the response to Question #9, above.

QUESTION #11

If you used an outside vendor, how much did you spend on the implementation of your current sites?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #11

See the response to Question #9, above.

QUESTION #12

How many websites are in-scope for this project?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #12

o Required SCDOT.org o Optional Tasks

10 Small Construction Project sites (5 – 10 pages ea)

QUESTION #13

Is there a plan (or desire, if it's easy to do so) to create more sites in the future?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #13

Yes, we regularly create Construction Project Sites and this will continue.

QUESTION #14

Are there any sites (or web apps) that are not directly referenced in this RFP that the county would benefit from consolidating into this new platform? If so, approximately how many?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #14

No.

QUESTION #15

Is there an organizational preference for open source vs. a proprietary CMS?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #15

SCDOT prefers a proprietary solution.

Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications/General Requirements states:

The WCMS should be an actual commercialized product offered and supported by your company, not Open-Source Freeware.

QUESTION #16

Are there any sites (or web apps) that are not directly referenced in this RFP that the county would benefit from consolidating into this new platform? If so, approximately how many?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #16

Duplicate submission – see response to Question #14 above.

QUESTION #17

What shortcomings of the current CMS do you hope to remedy with this effort? What are some things you DO NOT like about your current CMS?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #17

We do not have a current CMS. The current site is manually updated.

QUESTION #18

Please describe any existing taxonomy that needs to migrate to the new site.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #18

SCDOT currently has a static, hand maintained web site. There are no existing taxonomies.

QUESTION #19

How many files (PDF/Word /Etc.) need to be migrated?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #19

Please see Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications/ Background and Information.

SCDOT.org 281 web pages, 4000 tech docs (word, pdf, excel)

QUESTION #20

Please describe media entities (videos, etc) that need to be migrated.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #20

Please see Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications/ Background and Information.

Approximately 531 media files. This does not include images.

QUESTION #21

Are paragraphs in use on-site? If so, please advise on migration needs related to paragraphs.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #21

Current site has a content area in a <main> tag on most pages. Most content is in <div> tags, although you will find some <p> tags on the site.

QUESTION #22

How many nodes exist on the current site?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #22

SCDOT does not currently have a WCMS, and does not have an inventory of pieces of individual contrant. Refer to Section III. Scope of Work/Specifications – Background and General Information for the details we are able to provide.

QUESTION #23

Please estimate the percentage of the above nodes and files you expect to migrate to the new site.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #23

Please see the answer to Question #23, above. We expect to migrate approximately 90% of the existing content.

QUESTION #24

Are there multi-lingual requirements? Is Google Translate or similar sufficient?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #24

Please see Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications/ Features.

“Offers Translation Services” is listed in the specifications. Machine Translation is sufficient.

QUESTION #25

What sets firm/org apart from the alternatives?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #25

We are unsure about the intent of this question. The South Carolina Department of Transportation is a state agency, and there are no comparable alternatives.

If the question is related to what factors will differentiate one vendor from another, please review Section VI: Award Criteria/Evaluation Factors.

QUESTION #26

Who/what are the primary alternatives?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #26

N/A. The South Carolina Department of Transportation is a state agency.

QUESTION #27

How many levels of users are needed?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #27

Admin: Full Control, Edit any content, layout, settings, users Developer/Designer: Edit any content, edit layouts, settings, and configuration.

Author: Author content and approve contributor content Contributor: Can author and submit content for approval.

QUESTION #28

Can you provide information on your workflow needs?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #28

From Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications/Administration:

Approval Workflows that allow an admin to approve content editor changes.

QUESTION #29

Are survey/voting tools required?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #29

This is not a requirement, although there may be future interest.

QUESTION #30

Is there a need for a document library?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #30

WCMS needs to be able to host and serve technical docs (pdfs, word, excel, dgn, etc).

QUESTION #31

Do you want email newsletter distribution capabilities?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #31

This is not a requirement, although there may be future interest.

QUESTION #32

Are Ecommerce or personalization features desired?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #32

This is not a requirement.

QUESTION #33

Please describe all integrations with other sites or data sources more complex than an iFrame or embed code.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #33

Refer to Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications: Background and General Information/ SCDOT News Releases.

SCDOT has a SharePoint Based News release site that will need to be replaced in the WCMS.

QUESTION #34

Will single-sign-on be used to control administrative access to the site? If yes, please elaborate.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #34

Azure Federated Identity Credentials is our preference.

QUESTION #35

Are there granular levels of permissions needed where certain people should only have access to certain sites? Or, even certain areas of sites?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #35

Yes, granular levels of permissions are needed. .

QUESTION #36

Where is the CMS/website currently hosted?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #36

The current website is hosted on an SCDOT on premise server. We do not currently use a CMS.

QUESTION #37

Are you open to a cloud-hosted CMS?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #37

Yes. Section III Scope of Work/Specifications/Function Requirements/Hosting specifies Cloud Hosting for Development and Production as a requirement.

QUESTION #38

If yes, do you have an existing relationship with a cloud provider like AWS, Azure, etc?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #38

No. Please identify your cloud provider as part of the RFP. SCDOT desires a well-established, high-end hosting provider such as Azure, AWS, Google or equivalent.

QUESTION #39

What is it about your current hosting setup that is making you seek a PaaS offering?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #39

Current process is manual, labor intensive, error prone, and has no scheduling ability. The current site was built by SCDOT staff and is hosted on a SCDOT on premise server.

QUESTION #40

Are there any security standards required for your CMS platform? i.e. HIPAA, PCI, SOCII, Fedramp, etc?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #40

SCDOT desires a solution which meets industry recognized security standards. Proposers should describe the standards their solution meets.

QUESTION #41

Please provide the average monthly numbers for page views of the websites combined (to the nearest 100K is fine)

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #41

Please see Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications/Background and Information.

QUESTION #42

Do you experience frequent surges of traffic that impact performance at critical times?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #42

During major weather events, traffic can surge. In Sep 2018 (Thousand Year Flood event) we received 614k visits and 1.5 million page views.

QUESTION #43

Have you dealt with any security issues or malicious traffic on your sites like DDoS attacks, SQL injections, etc? If so, what was the impact?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #43

There have been no significant incidents and no significant impacts. Submitted proposals should outline how the proposed solution attenuates this risk.

QUESTION #44

Are you using anything for CDN or WAF currently?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #44

No.

QUESTION #45

Do you require 24/7 support access in the case of critical (site availability) issues?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #45

Yes.

QUESTION #46

Do you require specific response time SLAs for critical issues? If so, please specify expectations

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #46

Phone/Chat during business hours Email Support for Minor issues 15 minute initial response time, 2 hour response for major issues.

QUESTION #47

Would you describe the existing content as structured, with consistent separation of content and code?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #47

Yes.

QUESTION #48

Are tables used for layout in the existing content?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #48

No, tables are not used.

QUESTION #49

What percentage of the current content is obsolete and won’t be migrated to the new site?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #49

SCDOT estimates 10% of the current content falls into this category.

QUESTION #50

What is your plan for editing/creating content during the redesign?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #50

The SCDOT Web team will manage the legacy site, while working on migration.

QUESTION #51

Do you expect copywriting or editing services as part of engagement?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #51

No.

QUESTION #52

Do you need us to conduct an extensive discovery process that includes extensive research into user persona development -or a more streamlined discovery based on the web team's input and best practices?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #52

No.

QUESTION #53

Can you provide examples of sites that are good models for what you want?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #53

This is a “lift and shift” to migrate current web site to similar or same design on WCMS platform. This is not a redesign.

QUESTION #54

How detailed are the existing branding guidelines?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #54

The existing branding guidelines are minimal.

QUESTION #55

Do you have high-quality photography/media assets available for the new site?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #55

We have Adobe stock, and active staff media team that has a library or that can take new professional photos.

QUESTION #56

Please confirm that one design theme will carry across the entire site. If we need sub-themes of any type please specify.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #56

There is one theme for SCDOT.org.

Optional Tasks: Construction Project sites are based on a different template than scdot.org, and each have unique color scheme within template.

QUESTION #57

Please confirm that the awarded vendor will primarily work remotely, with regular web conference meetings as needed.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #57

The awarded offeror may work remotely, or on site.

QUESTION #58

Please describe the internal team who will be responsible for the website post-launch (developers, non-tech users, etc)

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #58

The Web Team consists of a Manager/Developer, 2 Senior Designers, and 1 Junior Designer.

QUESTION #59

Do different teams/departments manage their own sites? Or does one team own all web work?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #59

Currently one team owns all web work, but we envision handing off some content maintenance to vetted content owners when the WCMS is implemented.

QUESTION #60

We are a US company with some remote team members working from outside of the US. Is there any restriction on their ability to contribute to the project?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #60

As per Section VII: Terms and Conditions – B. Special/Offshore Contracting Prohibited (Feb 2015):

No part of the resulting contract from this solicitation may be performed offshore of the United States by persons located offshore of the United States or by means, methods, or communications that, in whole or in part, take place offshore of the United States.(07-7B122-1)

This would apply to any component of the specifications, including offshore hosting, and development.

QUESTION #61

How do you envision the relationship with the developer post-launch? Do you need a maintenance contract to keep sites patched and secure?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #61

We envision vendor managing the support and maintenance of hosting environment and content management system software. SCDOT will manage content updates and design.

QUESTION #62

Would you be open to a product that is built on open source technology that meets all the requirements and is fully supported by our company?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #62

SCDOT has a preference for a proprietary commercial solution.

Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications/General Requirements states:

The WCMS should be an actual commercialized product offered and supported by your company, not Open-Source Freeware.

QUESTION #63

Are there any other integrations outside of SiteImprove for any of the sites mentioned in the RFP?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #63

Google Analytics and Azure Federated Credentials would be an additional required integrations.

QUESTION #64

Can you list in more detail the different types of content each site has (Examples, Programs events, articles, etc)?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #64

The site is primarily articles and links to technical documents.

QUESTION #65

Is SCDOT looking to have one instance of the WCMS or multiple for the different sites mentioned in the RFP?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #65

If one instance can accommodate SCDOT.org and the (optional task) smaller construction project web sites which are based on a different design, this is acceptable.

QUESTION #66

Does SCDOT have a timeline in mind for the migrated Websites? (Please state timelines for each site)

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #66

This is a project that has been planned for some time and we have moved it onto our approved project list. We are looking for proposers to include their suggested timeline and approach in their submission. There is no hard date that the new web site needs to be available for.

QUESTION #67

Is the SCDOT team doing a complete redesign of each of the sites listed, or is the goal to maintain the current look and feel and migrate to the new WCMS?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #67

At this time, the SCDOT is planning to maintain the current look and feel of the site.

QUESTION #68

Does the SCDOT plan on working with the vendor to redesign the site in an agile manner?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #68

No, the SCDOT does not plan on a redesign of the site in an agile manner.

QUESTION #69

Would you be open to working with a Canadian company?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #69

We are open to working with any company, provided restrictions within the solicitation are met. Please see the answer to Question #60.

Additional, appropriate arrangements would need to be made by the company with the South Carolina Secretary of State to meet requirements for doing business in South Carolina. Additional information may be found at https://sos.sc.gov/ and https://procurement.sc.gov/doing-biz.

QUESTION #70

Can you share the budget?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #70

The project plan should be designed and sized by the proposer to meet the specifications laid out in the solicitation documents (RFP and associated documents, including published amendments) and not engineered to fit within a perceived budget assumption. Funding has been obtained for the project.

QUESTION #71

In order to give our team a sense of the complexity of your current website, please share the following:

a. Number of pieces of content

b. Number of types of content

c. Number of taxonomies

d. Number of custom user roles

e. Number of custom modules https://sos.sc.gov/ https://procurement.sc.gov/doing-biz

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #71

Refer to RFP Section III on Page 16 for details of content to be migrated. We currently do not have a WCMS and do not have an “inventory” of pieces of content as a WCMS would define it.

QUESTION #72

Who are the people on your core team?

a. What are their roles and responsibilities?

b. What percentage of their time will be dedicated to this project?

c. What superpowers/abilities can we leverage on this project?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #72

Core Team:

1 IT Manager, project owner. Responsible for oversight of project, and can also assist in content migration.

2 Senior Designers. Skilled graphic designers and web page builders. Proficient in CSS and HTML. Can build templates, design new templates, layout pages, and migrate content.

1 Junior Designer. Familiar with CSS, HTML, and designing graphics. Can migrate content.

We have to maintain our current site during migration. Assume that team members will be able to devote 60% of their time to the migration.

QUESTION #73

Please tell us about the stakeholders at your organization

a. How large is the stakeholder group?

b. Is there a RACI chart or steering committee set up to manage them?

c. How do you envision the selected partner interacting with your stakeholders?

d. Is there a designated project champion and core team, and are they prepared to collaborate with us on a weekly basis?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #73

This is an IT driven project, and we consider this a migration. The web design team are the stakeholders, and will deal with any other internal stakeholders.

QUESTION #74

What is the budget for this project? Knowing your budget is critical to help us right-size the project plan.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #74

The project plan should be designed and sized by the proposer to meet the specifications laid out in the solicitation documents (RFP and associated documents, including published amendments) and not engineered to fit within a perceived budget assumption. Funding has been obtained.

QUESTION #75

What is the timeline? What is driving the timeline?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #75

This is a project that has been planned for some time and we have moved it onto our approved project list. We are looking for proposers to include their suggested timeline and approach in their submission. There is no hard date on which the new web site needs to be available.

QUESTION #76

Are there any initiatives happening that this project is dependent on or related to (i.e, are you also doing a rebrand exercise or some other initiative that this project might need to wait for?)

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #76

There are no other initiatives that will impact this project.

QUESTION #77

Are you aware of any major risks to this project or workflow? Are there any known risks a vendor partner should be mindful of?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #77

SCDOT is charged with responding to disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and other events that interfere with transportation.

If an event occurs during the project, the web design team may be required to temporarily stop work on the project to provide an IT response to the event. Work would resume on this project as soon as feasible.

QUESTION #78

Do you have developers on your team? If so, will they be available to co-sprint with our developers during the build phases of this project?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #78

SCDOT does have developers. See the answer to question #72.

Assume they will have limited availability.

QUESTION #79

Has any user research been done to inform this RFP and is the team open to engaging users to participate over the course of the project? This can range from as early as the discovery phase to explore and validate needs, to later in the design process to verify the team’s findings & assumptions prior to build. Scope can range from as minimal as a standardized user survey, to larger scale focus groups, usability testing, social media engagement, and public installations.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #79

No user research has been done. SCDOT views this project as a migration from a manual process to a web platform. We plan to reuse existing designs and UX elements where practical in the migration of the current website. This is not a redesign.

QUESTION #80

Are there any of the following UX deliverables that you have already completed, or would like to exclude from the project scope?

a. Goals & KPIs

b. Personas

c. Brand Identity Positioning (both visual & verbal guidelines)

d. Site Map

e. Audit of Content Types

f. Wireframes

g. Desired Publishing Workflow

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #80

SCDOT views this project as a migration from a manual process to a web platform. We plan to reuse existing designs and UX elements where practical.

QUESTION #81

"General Requirements" Pg. 19 of the RFP states that SCDOT is exclusively looking for proprietary solutions for this RFP.

Proprietary SaaS may limit SCDOT's ability to migrate or make iterative improvements in the future since you would not own the code to your site, whereas the open source community has hundreds of thousands of active users and since you own the code to your site there would be no subscription fees. We are curious why you would not be open to an open sourced solution such as Drupal or Wordpress?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #81

SCDOT has a preference for a proprietary commercial solution.

Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications/General Requirements states:

The WCMS should be an actual commercialized product offered and supported by your company, not Open-Source Freeware.

QUESTION #82

How many different departments and/or users will be doing content management for the websites, including SCDOT.org with news releases, public construction sites, and agency intranet?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #82

Estimate 20 active users, with 10 using system concurrently. This may grow as adoption grows.

QUESTION #83

With regard to content approval workflows, are they simple review/approve workflows, or can you describe any additional complexities that may be needed?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #83

They are simple review/approval workflows.

QUESTION #84

What is the ideal launch timeline?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #84

This is a project that has been planned for some time and we have moved it onto our approved project list. We are looking for proposers to include their suggested timeline and approach in their submission. There is no hard date that the new web site needs to be available for.

QUESTION #85

Is there a budget we should be respectful of?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #85

The project plan should be designed and sized by the proposer to meet the specifications laid out in the solicitation documents (RFP and associated documents, including published amendments) and not engineered to fit within a perceived budget assumption. Funding has been obtained.

QUESTION #86

Please describe the current or anticipated traffic to the site.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #86

Refer to page 16 of the solicitation, Background and General Information.

QUESTION #87

Can you provide any performance or other metrics about the current site?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #87

Available metrics have been provided in Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications, and in the answers to questions 120,121,129, and 148.

QUESTION #88

It is mentioned that the WCMS should allow use of JavaScript frameworks like jQuery and Bootstrap, are you open to different JS frameworks such as React?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #88

Yes, SCDOT is open to different frameworks.

QUESTION #89

It is mentioned that the WCMS offers Translation Services, can this be added as a separate line item?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #89

Since machine translation is sufficient. Since additional translation capabilities are not required an additional line item will not be added.

QUESTION #90

Which languages are required? How many region/country sites?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #90

Spanish should be available. There are no additional regional or country sites. Machine translation is sufficient.

QUESTION #91

Do you use a translation service? If so who?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #91

SCDOT uses Google Translate on some of our pages.

QUESTION #92

Describe your current or “to be” translation workflow.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #92

Machine translation is sufficient for our needs at this time.

QUESTION #93

Under Training, Support, and Maintenance, it is mentioned a 15-minute initial response time, with 2-hour response time for major issues. Are these during working hours or is the expectation a 24/7 type of support model?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #93

We expect 24/7 support for major issues like a site outage. Other issues can be resolved during working hours.

QUESTION #94

Is the training and support requirement for response time based on the software and up time or are you also looking for ongoing maintenance support? If you’re also looking for ongoing maintenance, what are your expectations?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #94

We are looking for ongoing maintenance. We envision the vendor managing support and maintenance of the hosting environment and content management software. SCDOT will manage content updates and design. Please see the answers to Question #46 and Question 93.

QUESTION #95

Is there any Authentication or Single Sign-On requirements?

If so, is Active Directory the only required tool for integrating?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #95

The SCDOT preference is for a solution that would work with Azure Federated Identity Credentials. This is the only required tool.

QUESTION #96

Who manages the current domains for the website?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #96

SCDOT works with State of South Carolina IT to manage domains.

QUESTION #97

Can you provide more details on the workflow capabilities needed? What is meant with automate approvals?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #98

By automated approval we mean a simple approval workflow that allows an approver to approve content submitted by a contributor or content editor.

QUESTION #99

Is it analytics work required? Do you have a preferred service for analytics?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #99

Analytics work is not required. If your product has an analytics feature, you may describe it in your proposal. The priority is that the WCMS must work with Google Analytics and SiteImprove, and these should be points of integration.

QUESTION #100

Can you describe what are the integrations on each of the sites?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #100

The integrations are Google Analytics, SiteImprove, Azure Federated Identity Credentials

QUESTION #101

Can you provide more details on what is meant by “robust video player”? Does the team currently use Youtube or Vimeo or will all videos be hosted in the platform?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #101

We currently use JWPlayer and Wowza player on our site. The video player should be able to play hosted video, and stream live video. For live streams, the player should be able to provide a user friendly message to users when a live stream is scheduled but not yet started. We would like to host video on our platform.

QUESTION #102

What content needs to be published to social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube? This was noted as a requirement.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #102

News releases should be able to be posted on the platform, and post to social media.

QUESTION #103

What types of web forms are required? Do you have examples?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #103

The majority of our forms collect comments from customers and send them via email to the appropriate subject matter expert within SCDOT.

Two examples may be found at:

https://www.scdot.org/scdotcontactus/default.aspx https://www.scdot.org/scdotwebforms/travel-map-information.aspx

QUESTION #104

Where will form data be sent and stored?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #104

The majority of the form data will be emailed to a Subject Matter Expert at SCDOT. The proposer should describe if the proposed solution has email capability, or if SCDOT will be required to build. The vendor should describe if the proposed solution can collect and store data, or if SCDOT will be required to provide storage.

QUESTION #105

Will you have developers allocated to the project team? Please describe their development background.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #105

CDOT has a four person design team. Skillset includes HTML/CSS and light Javascript.

QUESTION #106

Will you have a Project Manager assigned to this engagement?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #106

SCDOT will assign a Project Manager from out IT project management team.

QUESTION #107

Do you have an operations team that will manage and maintain the solution post deployments?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #107

https://www.scdot.org/scdotcontactus/default.aspx https://www.scdot.org/scdotwebforms/travel-map-information.aspx

SCDOT will maintain content and design. Vendor is expected to maintain software in cloud environment. SCDOT requests ability to delay updates until fully testing in development environment.

QUESTION #108

Do you need QA services or do you have an in-house team who can provide that during the course of the project?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #108

SCDOT will verify that content is migrated successfully and will ensure it meets standards prior to going into production.

Our expectation is that the vendor shall provide support and expertise in cleaning up content that did not migrate separately.

QUESTION #109

What are the various roles in your organization that need access to the CMS and what capabilities do these people need?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #109

The following roles are needed:

Admin: Full Control, Edit any content, layout, settings, users Developer/Designer: Edit any content, edit layouts, settings, configuration.

Author: Author content and approve contributor content Contributor: Can author and submit content for approval.

QUESTION #110

Does the current system have an interface or means to export existing content?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #110

The main SCDOT.org site is static, and does not have an export interface. It may be possible to export the news releases from the SharePoint site.

QUESTION #111

Who will be responsible for validating content migration and performing any content authoring for content which can’t be migrated?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #111

Per the Scope of Work/Specifications, the selected provider shall migrate the current primary web site (SCDOT.org) and the SCDOT SharePoint based News Releases system into the new WCMS. SCDOT Web staff can assist with validating migration.

QUESTION #112

Will developing new content be part of the overall scope? If not, is there an outline of proposed new content available?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #112

Development of new content is not a part of the scope.

QUESTION #113

How much content will be deprecated vs net new vs remain as part of this project?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #113

Roughly 10% will be deprecated.

QUESTION #114

1. Will a re-design be part of the scope or are we migrating the sites as is? If a redesign is in scope, please answer the following questions:

a. Are there documented brand guidelines or a brand visual identity to inform the redesign? Can those be provided?

b. How many stakeholders on the Client team will need to review the design? How many rounds do you expect?

c. For design approval process, what is a reasonable timeframe for that review?

d. Do you need support with photography and imagery on the website?

e. Do you need copywriting support?

f. Will the new site contain the same set of content as the existing site? If"no" will you be able to provide the selected agency with a content strategy or contentroadmap for any new content/content types to be included in the redesigned experience?

g. Will the Client team be conducting audience research? If so, can you provide?

h. Is there an existing strategy we should follow? Please provide documentation if so. Or, let us know if you need us to work on the strategy portion as well (e.g., personas, content strategy, measurement planning, personalization strategy, etc.)?

i. Do you need an SEO strategy?

j. Do you have an existing site map or will this need to be developed?

k. Are you expecting the agency to conduct focus groups and/ or usability testing of the designs?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #114

This is a “lift and shift” migration and we are not planning a redesign.

QUESTION #115

Is the Department looking for redesign and recommendations for a revised information architecture or are they looking to move the site as-is into the new CMS?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #115

The project scope is focused on moving the current site to the new CMS.

QUESTION #116

What are the top three features and/or use cases of the intranet?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #116

There are no use cases available.

QUESTION #117

How many authors will use the system?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #117

SCDOT estimates 20 authors/users.

QUESTION #118

Does SC DOT have internal developers?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #118

SCDOT has design staff whose skill set include: HTML/CSS/Graphic Design and light Javascript.

QUESTION #119

How often will / does content change on the website?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #119

The current pace of updates ranges from 1 to 15 per day.

QUESTION #120

What is the Max number of active/concurrent CMS author users?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #120

We estimate 20 active, with 10 using system concurrently. This may grow as adoption grows.

QUESTION #121

Number of average page views per month across all sites?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #121

This information is provided in the Section III: Scope of Work/Specifications/Background and General Information.

SCDOT.org – 74000 visits per month Construction Project Sites 200-2000 per month

QUESTION #122

Number of peak monthly page views?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #122

Please see Section III: Scope of Work/Specification. The peak was in September 2018 with 614,000 visits and 1.5 million pages in one month.

.Page views increase during disaster events which impact travel in the state.

QUESTION #123

What is the total number of Sites/Domains to be hosted?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #123

The following Sites/Domains are to be hosted:

• SCDOT.org

• 10 Construction project sites.

• 8 domains

QUESTION #124

Is a CDN required or being provided?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #124

A CDN is not provided. Proposer should use their judgement to determine if a CDN is required to achieve good site performance.

QUESTION #125

Should web forms be responsive to adapt to different devices such as phones and tablets?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #125

Yes.

QUESTION #126

Do any of the forms require digital signatures?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #126

No. This may be a capability we would use in the future, but is not currently a requirement.

QUESTION #127

Is there a need for digital forms to integrate with back-end systems? For example, to prepopulate a form with user data or write information to a database.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #127

Current forms send emails. There is a need to connect to back end systems to write to database or send email.

QUESTION #128

Do submitted forms need to go through any kind of workflow approval process?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #128

Not currently, but we may look at this in future.

QUESTION #129

What is the maximum number of forms submissions per year?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #129

Current number of submissions is approximately 9,000.

QUESTION #130

Do you have a preferred Cloud Provider? Azure or AWS?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #130

Identify your cloud provider as part of the RFP. SCDOT desires a well-established, high-end hosting provider such as Azure, AWS, Google, or equivalent tier of provider.

QUESTION #131

What is the Total size of existing Digital Assets to be initially migrated in TB?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #131

The total size of existing Digital Assets to be initially migrated is approximately 400GB.

QUESTION #132

Are Digital Assets be made available for Partners/Outside Orgs for use?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #132

Our digital assets like images and videos are used in work products by SCDOT employees. We do occasionally share with a partner such as an outside vendor contracted to build an application or web site.

QUESTION #133

Would Digital Assets be edited and used outside of posting on Websites?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #133

Digital assets may be used in print materials or on our social media platforms.

QUESTION #134

Software solutions can vary widely depending on budget. Our firm has successfully delivered solutions across various budget ranges. To help us best meet the goals of your RFP, can you please approximate the anticipated budget range for this initiative? For example, is the anticipated budget range for the initial project (i.e. not including recurring costs):

a) Less than $75,000

b) $75,000 - $100,000

c) $100,000 - $150,000

d) $150,000 - $250,000

e) $250,000+

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #134

The project plan should be designed and sized by the proposer to meet the specifications laid out in the solicitation documents (RFP and associated documents, including published amendments) and not engineered to fit within a perceived budget assumption. Funding has been obtained.

QUESTION #135

Remote solution delivery typically enables us to reduce duration and costs. Most solutions can be delivered 100% remotely.

Considering the potential effect on project duration, resource availability, and cost on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 represents "100% onsite solution delivery" and 5 represents "100% remote solution delivery", what are your requirements on this continuum?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #135

SCDOT has no preference.

However, as per Section VII: Terms and Conditions – B. Special/Offshore Contracting Prohibited (Feb 2015):

No part of the resulting contract from this solicitation may be performed offshore of the United States by persons located offshore of the United States or by means, methods, or communications that, in whole or in part, take place offshore of the United States.(07-7B122-1)

This would apply to any component of the specifications, including offshore hosting, and development.

QUESTION #136

What, if any, specific vendor certifications or credentials are required?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #136

Please refer to Section IV: Information for Offerors to Submit/Experience and Qualifications. There are not specific certifications or credentials required, but scoring may factor in special capabilities or proven skills.

QUESTION #137

If any contractor/vendor assisted with the development of this RFP or provided you with an initial evaluation, proof of concept, demonstration, pricing, or any other analysis related to this solicitation:

a. Please provide the name of all contractors and/or vendors

b. Are these contractors and/or vendors eligible to bid on this project?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #137

We have been researching and contemplating this project for over 5 years. In that time, we’ve had informal demos by many providers, and we are unable to provide an accurate, complete list. No vendor assisted in preparation of the RFP. All vendors are eligible to bid.

QUESTION #138

On a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 represents a vendor proximal to you in South Carolina and 5 represents a vendor in another state such as California, what is your preference for vendor proximity for this project? In other words, please rate your preference for local vendors and detail any RFP response scoring advantages that local vendors will receive.

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #138

There is no preference.

QUESTION #139

Regarding the requirement to submit financial statements; given the confidential nature of this information for privately held corporations, can financial information be submitted upon shortlist or award?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #139

No. This information is required at the time of submission. It may be marked “Confidential” and a redacted copy provided as per the provisions in the solicitation.

QUESTION #140

How many internal users will manage content in the new CMS solution?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #140

The initial estimate is 20.

QUESTION #141

To confirm, is the primary intent of this solicitation to migrate/re-platform the current SCDOT.org website as-is to a modern platform with a Content Management System, and not to initially redesign the look and feel of the website?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #141

That is correct.

QUESTION #142

If a redesign of the website is within the scope of this solicitation:

a. Please provide links to 3-5 web sites that are representative of the new design you desire.

b. Are you open to a scenario where the website design (e.g. concepts/wireframes, graphics, CSS, etc.) is provided by one firm and the implementation is performed by another firm?

i. If yes, would you prefer to find and contract with a design firm directly or have the two firms partner on the response to this solicitation?

c. Which of the following artifacts will you provide, and which are to be provided by the chosen vendor:

i. Website images/graphics

ii. Wireframes and other design artifacts that illustrate the desired look and feel

iii. The CSS that matches your brand/visual guidelines

iv. Sample HTML that uses this CSS

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #142

Site redesign is not within scope.

QUESTION #143

On a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 represents “we are vendor neutral and prefer to use a broad array of technologies and products from many different manufacturers” and 5 represents “where possible, we prefer to use Microsoft technologies and products as Microsoft is our preferred vendor/product manufacturer" what is your preference as it relates to using Microsoft technologies and products on this continuum?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #143

Based on knowledge base and investment, we would rate this as a 4.

QUESTION #144

We have the ability to import entire websites into our CMS solution and rebrand them. This enables you to update, add, and delete content from the existing website(s) in the new CMS over time without having to start from scratch:

a. Do you see value in being able to import your existing content into the new CMS and rebrand it (immediately) as a starting point, and then update the content (i.e. text and images) over time to make it current/modern?

b. On a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 represents “adding all of the content to the new CMS manually from scratch” and 5 represents “importing the content into the new CMS and immediately rebranding it, and then updating the content over time”, what is your preference on this continuum?

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #144

We would prefer to have the content imported as opposed to adding all the new content from scratch.

QUESTION #145

Please provide details for each of the items below (e.g. description, product name and manufacture, version, etc.) if your current website(s) interact(s) with any of the following:

a. Your current Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system

b. Your current email marketing solution (e.g. Constant Contact, Mail Chimp)

c. Any type of workflow or process automation currently in use related to the CMS and CRM

d. Any internal database (e.g. for data input forms) currently in use related to the CMS and CRM

SCDOT RESPONSE TO QUESTION #145

We do not current have a CMS. We use Constant Contact on a limited basis.

QUESTION #146

Regarding the current CMS(s) and CRM, as applicable:

a. Do these systems support the export of data (i.e. not content) to Excel?

b. Do these systems have APIs that can be used to read the data as part of a migration process?

c. Please provide a list of data tables that exist in the current CMS solution(s) that need to be re-implemented/migrated.

d. We typically do the rebranding, create the necessary tables in the CMS, update some of the content, and then teach the customer to continue this effort, which empowers them to maintain and enhance the solution going forward. Will this methodology meet your requirements?

e. Given the unknowns and potential complexity related to the CMS and/or CRM data migration, is it sufficient to include…