BID ADDENDUM 02 - Answers to Questions.pdf

IMPORTANT BID ADDENDUM

August 26, 2026

FAILURE TO RETURN THIS BID ADDENDUM IN ACCORDANCE WITH INSTRUCTIONS

MAY SUBJECT YOUR BID TO REJECTION ON THE AFFECTED ITEM(S):

BID Number: RFP 115-6181 COMMODITY: Website Redesign ADDENDUM Number: 02 USING AGENCY: Pitt Community College PURCHASER: Jane Alligood OPENING DATE/TIME: September 2, 2026 @ 2:00 PM ET

INSTRUCTIONS:

Please make the following change(s) in the bid referenced above:

Reference Vendor Question PCC Response Section 1.2 / Section 5.1 (Pages 5, 14):

Do you currently have an intranet site? If yes, what CMS or platform is being used for it?

Yes, PCC currently utilizes SharePoint for its intranet.

Section 5.2 (Page 16): What content editor or page builder (e.g., Gutenberg, Elementor, Classic Editor) is currently used on your WordPress instance?

PCC currently uses the Classic Editor, with Elementor used for more dynamic pages.

Section 5.3 & Attachment A (Pages 18, 22):

A crawl of pittcc.edu identified ~4,351 pages, including numerous orphaned or outdated pages. Given that Phase 4 and Attachment A restrict migration to "up to 500 combined pages," will PCC prune/archive these pages prior to migration, or is the awarded vendor expected to perform the content audit and selection within the 500-page cap?

The selected Vendor will perform the content audit and help identify and prioritize content for migration. The Vendor will be responsible for migrating up to 500 pages, while PCC staff will handle the remaining content identified for retention.

Section 5.2 (h) (Page 17): What specific third-party systems (e.g., Ellucian Colleague/Banner, Canvas LMS, Salesforce/Element451 CRM, TouchNet, Localist) need to be integrated into the new website or intranet?

PCC utilizes Colleague as a source for personnel directory information and Element451 for chatbot functionality. No other major third-party system integrations are currently anticipated.

Section 5.1 & Attachment A (Pages 14, 23):

Is PCC expecting the vendor to provide and manage cloud hosting (e.g., WP Engine, Pantheon, AWS), or will hosting be provided on PCC’s internal or state infrastructure?

PCC expects the vendor to provide and manage cloud hosting for the website. Hosting must be US based.

Section 1.2 & Section 5.1 (Pages 5, 14):

Is Single Sign-On (SSO) required for the employee intranet, and if so, what Identity Provider (IdP) does PCC use (e.g., Microsoft Azure AD / Entra ID, Okta, Shibboleth)?

Yes, PCC requires Single Sign-On (SSO) for the employee intranet using Microsoft Azure AD / Entra ID.

Section 1.2 & Section 5.1 (Pages 5, 14):

Does PCC prefer the intranet to be built within WordPress (e.g., multisite/gated directory) or as a separate solution like Microsoft SharePoint Online / 365?

PCC currently uses SharePoint for its employee intranet but is open to the selected Vendor’s recommendation. Our goal is to establish a separate, secure and user-friendly intranet for faculty and staff, distinct from the college’s public-facing website.

Section 5.2 (b/h) (Pages 15, 17): Does PCC currently have comprehensive brand guidelines, messaging frameworks, and photography/video assets, or will creative strategy and asset creation be required as part of this project?

Yes, PCC will provide existing logos, fonts, color palette and photography/video assets. The selected vendor will be responsible for developing the website's visual design concepts and creative direction, including the overall look, feel and application of the College's brand across the website.

Attachment A (Pages 22–23): Has a target budget or budget ceiling been established for Year 1 implementation and recurring annual costs?

PCC has established a budget for the project; however, the College will not disclose the specific amount.

Section 5.3 (Page 18): Who will serve as the primary decision-making body (e.g., Steering Committee), and how many stakeholder/user feedback groups are expected during Discovery?

The RFP anticipates stakeholder and user discovery activities during Phase 2. The specific decision-making structure and number of stakeholder groups have not been established.

Section 4.1, Page 12;

Attachment A, Pages 22–23

Could PCC please provide the anticipated budget or approved funding range for implementation and five years of operation?

PCC has established a budget for the project; however, the College will not disclose the specific amount.

Section 5.1, Page 14;

Attachment A, Pages 22–23

Could PCC please clarify whether PCC will host the website and intranet or whether Vendors should include managed hosting?

Vendors should include managed hosting as part of their proposed solution. Hosting must be US based.

Section 5.1, Page 14; Section 5.2, Pages 16–17

Could PCC please provide information regarding the current hosting provider, architecture, WordPress version, website traffic, storage, bandwidth, uptime, backup requirements, RTO, and RPO?

PCC’s current website is hosted on SiteGround and runs WordPress version 7.1. PCC does not have all of the requested technical information readily available.

Section 5.2, Page 16; Section 5.3, Page 18

Could PCC please clarify whether the employee-facing intranet/internal content solution is also expected to be implemented in WordPress, or whether Vendors may recommend a separate platform?

PCC currently uses SharePoint for its employee intranet but is open to the selected Vendor’s recommendation. Our goal is to establish a separate, secure and user-friendly intranet for faculty and staff, distinct from the college’s public-facing website.

Section 5.2, Page 16 Could PCC please provide the anticipated number of authenticated intranet users, roles, departments, and approval workflows?

PCC anticipates approximately 1200 employees and 45,000+ student users. Roles, departments, approval workflows, unknown at this time.

Section 5.2, Pages 16–17;

Section 5.3, Page 18

Could PCC please identify the integrations, systems, APIs, and forms currently used or expected in the redesigned environment?

PCC’s current systems and platforms include Colleague, Element451, Modern Campus, FundFive, SharePoint/Microsoft Entra ID, and Moodle (soon to be Canvas). Vendors should identify any recommended integrations, systems, APIs, or form connections and include associated costs in their proposals. PCC would also like to explore opportunities to incorporate/integrate program-specific job outlook and salary information into relevant webpages.

Section 5.3, Page 18 Could PCC please provide an estimated breakdown of the 500 combined pages, including public pages, intranet pages, documents, forms, media assets, and program pages?

The 500-page migration limit applies to public-facing website pages. It does not include intranet content, PDFs/documents, forms, media assets, program records, news/events, or faculty/staff profiles. The final content to be migrated will be determined during the discovery, design, and development phases based on the needs of the redesigned website.

Section 5.2, Pages 15–16 Could PCC please provide the approximate number, file types, and page count of existing documents requiring accessibility review or remediation and clarify whether this work should be included in the Vendor’s scope and pricing?

There are approximately 120 PDF files requiring accessibility review. The college is unable to provide an approximate page count. Vendors should consider document accessibility review and remediation as part of their proposed scope and pricing, with the goal of reducing the number of downloadable documents where possible.

Section 5.2, Page 16; Section 5.3, Page 18

Could PCC please provide the approximate number of website content items, pages, documents, and other records that should be indexed and searchable?

The current PCC website contains approximately 2,477 core content URLs, including 1,362 static pages and 1,115 news posts that should be indexed and searchable. There are also 2,112 documents that should be indexed and searchable, with the goal of reducing the number of downloadable documents where possible.

Section 5.2, Page 16 Could PCC please provide the current or anticipated number of on-site search queries per month?

PCC anticipates around 6,000 on-site search queries per month.

Section 5.1, Page 14; Section 5.2, Pages 16–17

Could PCC please identify any content sources outside the public website and employee-facing intranet that should be indexed, such as document repositories, program databases, catalogs, or third-party systems?

Assuming “indexed” refers to making external content searchable through the College’s website search, PCC uses external systems for certain academic and event-related content. Vendors should propose an approach for incorporating relevant external content into the website search, as appropriate.

Section 5.2, Page 16 Could PCC please clarify whether generative AI capabilities are expected within the website’s on-site search experience?

Generative AI is not expected for on-site search but vendors may recommend AI capabilities and explain their benefits and costs.

Attachment A, Page 23 Could PCC please clarify whether search software subscription costs should be proposed as annual recurring fees or whether PCC prefers an upfront payment option covering the full contract term?

PCC does not have a preference regarding the payment structure for search software subscriptions. Vendors should propose the pricing structure they recommend for their solution.

Section 5.1, Pages 14–15;

Section 5.2, Page 16

Could PCC please clarify whether PCC staff will administer and optimize the search experience after implementation or whether Vendors should include ongoing search management and optimization services?

PCC staff will administer and optimize the website’s search experience after implementation.

Attachment A: Pricing, p. 22 Could the College share the anticipated budget range or funding ceiling for this project, including year-one implementation and recurring costs for the four option years?

PCC has declined to provide this information.

Section 5.2 Content Management, item g; Section

5.3 Phase 4

Regarding migration of up to 500 pages: what division of labor does the College anticipate between the vendor and PCC staff for content inventory, editing, and entry?

Does the 500-page ceiling include intranet content, or public website pages only?

Vendors should propose a strategy for content identification, prioritization, editing, and migration. PCC staff will participate in the review and approval of content. The 500-page migration limit applies to public-facing website pages only and does not include intranet content. PCC staff will be responsible for migrating the remaining content identified for inclusion in the new website.

Section 5.1; Section 5.3 Phase 3 The College appears to currently operate an employee portal (myPittCC) on SharePoint. Should the proposed employee-facing intranet replace, integrate with, or complement this existing portal? Additionally, must the intranet reside within the same WordPress instance as the public website, and will it authenticate through the College's existing identity provider?

The proposed employee-facing intranet is intended to replace the existing myPittCC SharePoint portal. It does not need to reside within the same WordPress instance as the public website. PCC’s goal is to establish a separate, secure, and user-friendly intranet for faculty and staff that is distinct from the College’s public-facing website. The intranet will require Single Sign-On (SSO) through Microsoft Entra ID.

Section 5.1 This section describes configuration in "the agreed-upon PCC technical environment." Does the College intend to host the website and intranet on PCC-managed infrastructure, or will the

PCC prefers to have the website managed and hosted by a third party. Hosting must be US based.

College consider third-party WordPress hosting?

Attachment A: Pricing, p. 22 To help vendors calibrate pricing, can the College share the contract value of its most recent website redesign as well as the approximate annual amount spent on external website maintenance and support in the most recent fiscal year, and generally what that support covers?

PCC will not be providing historical contract values or annual website maintenance and support expenditures.

General Whether companies from Outside Tanzania can apply for this? (like,from India or Canada, USA )

Section 3.5 addresses this question. Except for any limitations imposed upon us by federal or state requirements, it does not preclude companies outside of the US from submitting a proposal.

However, it does state that PCC may consider the location of the vendor for the purposes of evaluating the proposal.

General Whether we need to come over there for meetings?

While a face-to-face meeting may be beneficial, it is not a requirement. We have the ability to communicate with web-based meeting platforms.

General Can we perform the tasks (related to RFP) outside Tanzania? (like, from India or Canada, USA)

Section 3.5 addresses this question. Except for any limitations imposed upon us by federal or state requirements, it does not preclude companies outside of the US from submitting a proposal.

However, it does state that PCC may consider the location of the vendor for the purposes of evaluating the proposal.

General Can we submit the proposals via email?

No. All proposals must be submitted via the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) eBid.

General Do you have an established or anticipated budget range for this project, either for Year One or for the full contract?

PCC has established a budget for the project; however, the College will not disclose the specific amount.

General For the 500-page migration, do you want most of those pages to simply be migrated over, or

PCC anticipates that the 500-page migration will include a combination of content migration, editing, rewriting, will a large portion need to be rewritten or reorganized?

and reorganization. Vendors should propose a strategy for identifying and prioritizing content for migration, with PCC staff providing review and approval.

General For the employee intranet, are you already using a platform you want to keep, or are you open to recommendations from the selected vendor?

PCC currently uses SharePoint for its employee intranet but is open to using a different platform based on the selected Vendor’s recommendation.

General Are there any major systems or integrations we should know about up front, such as admissions, CRM, student services, forms, or other tools the new site will need to connect to?

PCC does not have any major third-party system integrations that require direct integration with the website. The website does utilize third-party services and tools; however, these do not require custom system integrations.

General For accessibility, are you looking for standard WCAG 2.1 AA testing and remediation, or do you expect an outside accessibility audit or certification before launch?

PCC’s priority is that the website meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility requirements at launch. Vendors should propose the testing, remediation, and validation approach they recommend to achieve and verify accessibility compliance.

Execute Addendum:

BIDDER: ____________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS (CITY & STATE): _____________________________________________________

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: __________________________________ DATE: ____________

NAME and TITLE (Print): ________________________________________________________