Amendment+1.docx

STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA

North Dakota Office of the Secretary of State 600 E. Boulevard Ave, Dept. 108 Bismarck, ND 58505-0500

SOLICITATION AMENDMENT 1

July 2, 2024

Solicitation Number: 108.5-24-002 Title: Blue Book Project Deadline for Receipt of Proposals: July 23, 2024 by 1:00 PM, CT Solicitation Issued: June 17, 2024

This solicitation is amended as follows:

Section 3.1 - Scope of Work is amended as follows:

The following paragraphs are added to the end of Section 3.1 - Scope of Work to provide further clarification of the scope of work:

The intention of this RFP is to reimagine processes that create the content and structure of the Blue Book within the confines of the budget. It is our belief that there can be a blend of featured printed information (coffee table book) that can be supported by digital information maintained on a site by the Office of the Secretary of State, but also by other partner agency sites who are continuously maintaining some pieces of information. It is our intention that a strategy and structure can be developed around the following:

· What information exists and is maintained on other sites – outbound links – ie. Legislative Assembly members and bios are maintained by Legislative Council; bios of current Supreme Court justices are maintained by ND Courts, etc.

· What information is not elsewhere and should be maintained on a Blue Book Site – ie. Peace Officers Memorial, TR Rough Rider Award recipients, etc.

· How feature sections which have rotated in Blue Book publishings could potentially inform the topics/features for a coffee table style booklet.

We are seeking ideas and strategies for structure that would support some blend of these concepts within budget. If you believe a budget expansion is needed, please indicate what you feel could be accomplished within budget parameters and present a value-added option for additional ideas.

Section 1.4 – RFP Schedule established a Deadline for Submission of Questions and Requests for Clarification. The responses, including any necessary amendments, are as follows:

Questions related to Section 3.1 – Scope of Work:

1. Question: What are the specifications/guidelines for the coffee-table book? Will the coffee table book have an index?

Response: Depending upon the content structure determined during initial collaboration after contract award, a final format/style will be determined for the publication. We are not looking for a specific format or size. The intent is the booklet could either maintain an index, or have a QR code that would direct the reader to an online index (with linked access to online publications of past Blue Books).

No amendment necessary.

2. Question: Is the Secretary of State’s Office still planning to publish the full/updated 2025-2027 Blue Book information online, in the same manner as past issues? Will this also include an index as well?

Response: No. Please see the above amendment to Section 3.1 - Scope of Work and response to Question 1.

No amendment necessary.

3. Question: Will the Secretary of State’s Office be the main point of contact/liaison with the web designer and coordinate the content communication with the web designer, or will the contractor be the point of contact/liaison as the website is constructed?

Response: This RFP is looking for content and structure. If a website outside of the state platform is sought, the Office of the Secretary of State team would work as the liaison with the vendor.

No amendment necessary.

4. Question: Are we bound by any specific size dimensions or number of pages for the print version? Coffee table books have a variety of sizes.

Response: We are not looking for a specific format or size. See the response to Question 1.

No amendment necessary.

5. Question: Are you looking to maintain the current look and feel of past bluebooks or are you looking to make it feel relative while modernizing it visually for today’s consumer? The current work is high text, low graphic. A coffee table style might be the opposite – high graphic, less text.

Response: The intention would to be to make it feel relative. We are envisioning something with greater visual interest, featured content with call outs, and more of a nod to a magazine style layout.

No amendment necessary.

6. Question: How do you prefer progress and milestones be tracked and communicated throughout the project?

Response: This could be a combination of status check-ins, meetings, and/or reports.

No amendment necessary.

7. Question: What will the collaboration process look like?

Response: The intention is that the vendor would assist in the development of strategy/structure and then would work with individual committee members on content or information updates. Collaboration with the Office of the Secretary of State would include finalizing strategy and structure directions, participation through committee meetings and content gathering, as well as project management activities and oversight.

No amendment necessary.

Questions related to Section 3.2 – Value-Added Option:

1. Question: For the value – added website/interactive digital versions, what is your anticipated budget?

Response: The range for this answer would depend on the offering considered. This could be a relatively simple website with content hosted within our current platform, or a standalone site with greater user features. Any budget outside current project budget would need to be requested of the 2025 Legislative Assembly and supported.

No amendment necessary.

2. Question: Are you seeking a database website with content from print version formatted for web and old versions of the bluebook archived and searchable or rather a website that houses e-versions of each PDF bluebook, while highlighting the most recent one upfront?

a. For example, your current bluebooks are formatted like the latter.

b. Based on the RFP and the need for easy updating, I think you need the former.

Response: The Office of the Secretary of State is looking for a website that is designed and functions like a website and provides searchability for past versions of the Blue Book – deliverables are included in Section 3.3A - Deliverables. This would also include future facing strategies for digital content and future print versions.

No amendment necessary.

3. Question: What specific features and functionalities are most critical for the interactive website?

Response: Searchability is the highest value for functionality. Additional interactive functionality that may be of interest would include elements for user engagement, such as interactive graphics (click for content), video inclusions, reader quiz, etc.

No amendment necessary.

4. Question: Are there any design elements or styles from the current Blue Book that must be preserved in the new website?

Response: Chapter categories may be helpful in preserving key index features, but no specific elements are required.

No amendment necessary.

5. Question: Can you provide more details on the types of data visualization tools you envision using on the website?

Response: Future looking goals may include Power BI style dashboarding for certain information such as trends in agriculture, energy, state revenues, etc. More static data visualization could include infographics used in the printed version also being a part of the website.

No amendment necessary.

6. Question: What are the key priorities for user experience on the new website?

Response: See deliverables outlined in Section 3.3A – Deliverables.

No amendment necessary.

7. Question: Are there any specific accessibility standards or guidelines the website must adhere to?

Response: WCAG 2.1AA must be met under new federal standards by June 2026 by the State of North Dakota. See Section 3.3A – Deliverables for the needed deliverables.

No amendment necessary.

8. Question: How often do you anticipate needing to update the website content, and what kind of support will you require for these updates?

Response: Current Blue Book content is generated on a biennial basis. We believe the updates made to content could fuel changes on the website throughout the period. This could mean updating of static information every two years, but then a rotation of featured articles on a quarterly, or monthly basis (drawing on the work done for the print version) on the website.

No amendment necessary.

9. Question: What are the preferred hosting options for the website, and what factors will influence the decision to have it hosted by the STATE or the vendor?

Response: State hosting is always preferred, but a hosting waiver could be sought for a site with desired user features.

No amendment necessary.

10. Question: Are there any specific security or compliance requirements for the website hosting environment?

Response: If the added-value website option is executed, the website will need to comply with State authentication standards requiring integration of State users with the State’s Azure Active Directory and/or Active Directory as the only method of authentication.

No amendment necessary.

11. Question: What are the performance expectations for the website, such as load times and uptime requirements?

Response: Load times need to be very minimal and support viewing from a mobile device. No specific uptime requirements.

No amendment necessary.

12. Question: How do you envision the website integrating with existing systems?

Response: Unless it is hosted within current website structure maintained by the Office of the Secretary of State, we anticipate an interaction with other sites rather than outbound links.

No amendment necessary.

13. Question: Are there any specific third-party tools or services that the website needs to be compatible with?

Response: No.

No amendment necessary.

14. Question: How should the website handle data archiving and the retrieval of historical information?

Response: An option for data to automatically archive to a certain place on the website on a certain date is desirable; however, a content audit process or manual archiving is also acceptable.

No amendment necessary.

15. Question: What level of ongoing maintenance and support do you anticipate needing after the website launch?

Response: This would depend on an internal or external supported website platform. The Office of the Secretary of State is intending to update site content. Any needed patches for security, etc., may need to be conducted by IT (state or external).

No amendment necessary.

16. Question: Can you specify the types of maintenance tasks that are expected to be handled by the contractor?

Response: This would depend on an internal or external supported website platform. The Office of the Secretary of State is intending to update site content. Any needed patches for security, etc., may need to be conducted by IT (state or external).

No amendment necessary.

17. Question: How frequently do you expect to receive updates and new features for the website?

Response: No expectation.

No amendment necessary.

18. Question: Will there be an extended timeline for the value-added website portion of the project?

Response: Any award in the value-added portion of the RFP will require a funding award that would not be known until April 2025. Timeline for project would begin after than time.

No amendment necessary.

19. Question: Are there specific metrics or benchmarks you will use to measure the success of the new website?

Response: None at this time.

No amendment necessary.

20. Question: What are the primary goals and objectives you hope to achieve with the new interactive website?

Response: The expectation to be able to easily and quickly access information online is now a standard. The Blue Book provides valuable information, but in its print only format, does not allow for the searchability that a web browser requires. Currently, archived versions of the book are searchable only within the PDF, missing an opportunity to provide general information to seekers using search engines. The goal would be to provide a more searchable, reliable resource to a mobile public.

No amendment necessary.

Bidders are instructed to acknowledge receipt of and compliance with this amendment by signing below and returning the Solicitation Amendment Acknowledgement page with your solicitation response.

Questions regarding this amendment must be submitted in writing to the Procurement Officer.

Abigail Dschaak Procurement Officer E-mail: aadschaak@nd.gov Telephone: 701-328-4912 TTY Users call: 7-1-1

AMENDMENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Solicitation Number: 108.5-24-002 Title: Blue Book Project Solicitation Amendment Number: 1

By my signature below, I hereby acknowledge receipt of and compliance with this amendment.

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