HTA RFP 27 13 Addendum 1 FINAL 080426.pdf

Addendum Date: August 4, 2026

ADDENDUM 1 TO RFP NO. 27-13

for

CAPITOL HISTORIC DISTRICT – URBAN TRAIL WALKING TOUR - OʻAHU

STATE OF HAWAI‘I

HAWAI‘I TOURISM AUTHORITY

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

This Addendum includes:

• RFP 27-13 Capitol Historic District – Urban Trail Walking Tour – Oahu answers to questions submitted on HIePRO.

• Updates to Section 1.9 Website References

Note: A new version of the RFP is not forthcoming. All changes are documented in the Addendum(s).

Applicants must refer to the Addendum(s) to know of the changes.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. RFP page 16, Section 3.1.3(5)(b), Minimum Qualifications: Please clarify whether the minimum ten years of professional experience must be held by the Offeror entity itself, or whether the combined experience of the Offeror’s principals, key personnel, joint-venture members, and approved subcontractors may satisfy this requirement.

a. HTA may consider the combined relevant experience of the Offeror and proposed key personnel, partners, and subcontractors identified in the proposal, to the extent permitted by the solicitation requirements. HTA will determine whether the experience presented satisfies the applicable minimum qualification requirements.

2. RFP page 17, Section 3.1.3(6), Professional Experience: May the required case studies include projects completed by proposed key personnel while employed by or contracted to another organization, provided that their individual roles and responsibilities are clearly identified?

a. Relevant references associated with the Offeror and proposed project team may be considered, provided the proposal clearly identifies the entity or individual that performed the work and their role. All submissions remain subject to the requirements of the RFP and applicable attachments.

3. RFP page 17, Section 3.1.3(6)(d), and Attachment 05: Must all three Prime Contractor references represent work performed under the exact bidding entity, or may references from a joint-venture member or proposed lead partner be accepted?

a. References from a joint-venture member or proposed lead partner may be considered, provided the proposal clearly identifies the entity that performed the referenced work, its role in that work, and its proposed role in this project. All references remain subject to HTA’s review and determination that they sufficiently demonstrate the relevant experience required by the RFP.

4. RFP page 11, Section 2.3, Performance Measures: The business and community participation framework references downtown Hilo. Please confirm whether this should read downtown

Honolulu.

a. Yes, Honolulu. Our apologies, there is also a related Hilo trail in a separate RFP.

5. RFP page 26, Section 4.2, Price Evaluation Criteria: The price calculation references three contract periods and a multi-year contract, while Section 2.5 describes one eight-month term.

Please confirm that the evaluated total price is the Offeror’s total proposed price for the single eight-month contract period.

a. One single, 8-month contract period.

6. RFP pages 8–12, Sections 2.2–2.4: Please provide the anticipated number of routes, points of interest, QR codes, and physical activation materials that Offerors should use when developing their budgets, or confirm that Offerors should propose these quantities

a. Offerors should propose the recommended number of routes, points of interest, QR codes, and physical activation materials based on their proposed approach, available budget, and overall visitor experience. Proposals should clearly identify the quantities assumed and associated costs.

7. RFP page 32, Section 5.9, Payment: Will HTA provide an anticipated milestone-payment schedule, or should Offerors propose a deliverable-based payment schedule as part of the budget and workplan

a. Offerors should propose a deliverable-based payment schedule as part of their budget and workplan. The final payment schedule and milestones will be determined by HTA in coordination with the selected contractor and incorporated into the final contract.

8. Attachment 04, Standard Qualifications Questionnaire: Because the questionnaire uses construction-specific terminology, may a non-construction Offeror mark nonapplicable construction fields “N/A” and provide an explanatory attachment? Please also confirm whether every financial schedule and affidavit must be completed and notarized at proposal submission

a. Yes. Offerors may mark construction-specific items that are not applicable as “N/A.”

Offerors should complete and submit all applicable portions of the Standard Qualifications

Questionnaire and any required affidavits with their proposal. Notarization is only required where expressly indicated on the applicable form.

9. The RFP states "Due to technical and capacity considerations, the experience will operate across GoHawaii.com and a secondary web platform managed by a separate contractor". Do you know what platform that will be already, or is this a separate RFP? We are interested in learning more about the features and capability of the web platform. We would also be interested in suggesting a platform if that is an option?

a. The secondary web platform has not yet been selected and will be procured separately.

Offerors may recommend potential platforms, features, or capabilities that would best support their proposed content and visitor experience; however, development, hosting, and ongoing management of the secondary platform are not part of this RFP. The selected contractor will be expected to coordinate with HTA and the eventual platform provider to ensure compatibility and effective delivery of the content.

10. For the content the RFP states that the contractor's responsibilities will include "Collaborating with cultural practitioners and subject matter experts throughout the process". Do you have preferred cultural advisors and subject matter experts that the successful vendor can work with? If not, should they be identified as part of the RFP response? Or is it ok to confirm these advisors and experts in the first phase of the project if the award is successful?

a. HTA has not designated specific cultural advisors or subject matter experts for this project.

Offerors may identify proposed advisors or experts in their response; however, final individuals may also be identified and confirmed during the initial phase of the project in coordination with and subject to HTA approval. Proposals should describe the Offeror’s approach to engaging appropriate cultural practitioners and subject matter experts to ensure cultural accuracy and integrity throughout the project.

11. Regarding Attachment 01 Checklist specifying 'One PDF File' versus HIePRO electronic upload rules under HAR § 3-122, please confirm whether offerors must compile the executed

Form OF-1 ($1,200,000.00 USD offer) and Attachments 01-08 into a single consolidated PDF proposal file, or if uploading completed Attachments 01-08 as separate individual PDF attachments on HIePRO is fully compliant and acceptable.

a. Offerors shall follow the proposal submission requirements stated in the RFP. Items 1- 8 must be individually labeled, arranged in the order listed, and submitted as one consolidated PDF file titled Offeror Name_Proposal Part 1. Any additional required forms or attachments not identified as part of Proposal Part 1 may be submitted separately through HIePRO in accordance with the RFP instructions and HIePRO upload requirements. Attachment 01 Offeror Checklist references Section 3.1.2 of the RFP.

12. Regarding ATTACHMENT 02 Proposal Transmittal Letter issued as a editable .docx file, please confirm whether executing and submitting ATTACHMENT 02 satisfies all State requirements for Offer Form OF-1 under HRS § 103D-310, or if a separate pre-printed SPO

Form OF-1 template is required.

a. Attachment 02, Proposal Transmittal Letter, is intended to satisfy the Offer Form OF-1 submission requirement for this RFP. Offerors are not required to submit a separate pre-printed SPO Form OF-1. Offerors must complete, execute, and submit Attachment 02 as provided with the solicitation documents. A separately created Offer Form OF-1 or Proposal

Transmittal Letter on company letterhead is not required.

13. Please confirm to Buyer Tracey Fermahin that all official State answers to vendor questions will be issued via a formal published Addendum on HIePRO by August 04, 2026 @ 08:00 PM

HST, and confirm whether offerors must include a signed Addendum Acknowledgment form within the proposal package.

a. Official responses to vendor questions will be posted in HIePRO through the Question and

Answer tab and, if applicable, incorporated into a formal Addendum. Offerors are responsible for reviewing all responses and Addenda issued for this RFP. Offerors must acknowledge receipt of any issued Addenda as required by the RFP submission instructions.

14. Regarding Attachment 06 (Subcontractor References), please confirm whether verified PKI digital signatures (e.g., DocuSign / Adobe Certified PDF Digital Signature) on subcontractor commitment letters satisfy all State execution requirements in lieu of physical wet-ink paper signatures.

a. Electronic signatures, including verified digital signatures, are acceptable in lieu of wet-ink signatures, provided they comply with applicable State requirements and the requirements of the RFP. Offerors remain responsible for ensuring that all submitted documents are properly executed and valid.

15. Regarding Attachment 03 (Corporate Resolution) requirement for Offeror authorization, please confirm that for a Hawaii Manager-Managed LLC (Studio PxG LLC under HRS

Chapter 428), a signed LLC Operating Agreement Manager Authorization or Manager

Certificate fully satisfies Attachment 03 for Signer Binh C. Phan, MBA, MIS.

a. Offerors shall submit documentation that demonstrates the authority of the individual signing the proposal on behalf of the Offeror. For a manager-managed LLC, documentation such as an executed Operating Agreement or Manager Certificate may be acceptable if it clearly establishes the signer’s authority to bind the LLC. Offerors should ensure that the submitted documentation satisfies the requirements of Attachment 03.

16. Regarding Attachment 04 (SPO Form-21) Section 3, please confirm that offerors may submit audited financial statements in a separate PDF file explicitly designated as confidential pursuant to HRS § 92F-13(3) and cross-referenced on Attachment 07 to protect non-public financial metrics and tax ID disclosures (FEIN 41-2626496).

a. Offerors may submit financial information in a separate PDF file clearly identified as confidential, in accordance with the RFP submission instructions. Offerors should also identify any portions of the submission they consider confidential and provide the basis for the confidentiality request. Confidentiality determinations will be made in accordance with applicable Hawaii laws, including HRS Chapter 92F.

17. Regarding Attachment 07 (Confidential Information List), please confirm that an offeror's proprietary software architecture, trade secret algorithm specifications, and custom UX design system frameworks may be designated as confidential trade secrets under HRS § 92F-13(3) to prevent post-award public disclosure.

a. Offerors may identify information they consider confidential or proprietary using Attachment

07, Confidential Information List and must provide the basis for each confidentiality designation. The State will review and determine whether information qualifies for withholding from disclosure in accordance with applicable laws, including HRS Chapter 92F.

Submission of information as confidential does not guarantee that the information will be withheld from disclosure.

18. Regarding Attachment 08 (Form 1 - Organizational Conflict of Interest), please confirm that the 6-year prior contract disclosure requirement applies strictly to state contracts awarded directly to the proposing corporate entity (Studio PxG LLC), and does not extend to prior employment history of individual W-2 employees prior to joining the offeror.

a. The disclosure requirements in Attachment 08, Form 1 – Organizational Conflict of Interest, apply to contracts and relationships as specified in the form and the RFP. Offerors should disclose information regarding prior contracts or relationships that may create an actual or potential organizational conflict of interest. The disclosure requirement does not generally extend to an individual employee’s prior employment history unless such information is relevant to identifying an actual or potential organizational conflict of interest.

19. Regarding Attachment 05 (Contractor References), please confirm whether relevant mobile web application or cultural experience development projects completed within the past ten (10) years are acceptable to demonstrate prime contractor experience.

a. Yes. Relevant mobile web application, cultural experience development, interpretive content, or similar projects completed within the past ten (10) years may be submitted to demonstrate experience, provided the references sufficiently demonstrate experience relevant to the scope and requirements of this RFP. HTA reserves the right to determine the relevance and sufficiency of the experience presented.

20. We note that the solicitation package contains ATTACHMENT 02 Proposal Transmittal Letter but omits a pre-formatted SPO Offer Form OF-1. Under SPO guidelines and HIePRO workflows, please confirm that generating Offer Form OF-1 / Proposal Transmittal Letter on official company letterhead satisfies all statutory Offer Form OF-1 requirements.

a. Attachment 02, Proposal Transmittal Letter, is intended to satisfy the Offer Form OF-1 submission requirement for this RFP. Offerors are not required to submit a separate pre-printed SPO Form OF-1. Offerors must complete, execute, and submit Attachment 02 as provided with the solicitation documents. A separately created Offer Form OF-1 or Proposal

Transmittal Letter on company letterhead is not required.

21. Regarding physical trail signage and QR marker implementation, please confirm that the contractor's scope is strictly limited to delivering print-ready digital vector artwork (e.g.

SVG/EPS with embedded QR links), and that physical plaque fabrication, procurement, and physical mounting onto historic buildings will be handled separately by the State or City &

County of Honolulu.

a. The contractor’s scope is limited to the development and delivery of print-ready digital artwork and QR code assets necessary for physical trail activation. Physical fabrication, procurement, permitting, installation, and mounting of plaques or signage are outside the scope of this RFP and will be coordinated separately by HTA with the appropriate State, City and County of Honolulu, and/or other applicable partners.

22. Regarding Section 2.3.4 (ADA Compliance), please confirm whether the State requires compliance testing against axe-core automated audits, Lighthouse accessibility benchmarks

(score >= 95), or manual screen reader validation (VoiceOver/NVDA), and whether third-party

ADA certification is required prior to launch.

a. The State does not require compliance testing using a specific automated audit tool, accessibility score, or third-party ADA certification unless expressly stated in the RFP. The

Offeror is responsible for ensuring that all deliverables comply with applicable ADA accessibility requirements and applicable standards identified in the RFP. Offerors may describe their proposed accessibility testing, validation, and quality assurance processes as part of their proposal.

23. Regarding Section 2.1 (Integration with GoHawaii.com), please confirm whether the mobile walking tour Web Application will be hosted directly on GoHawaii.com production cloud infrastructure (or a designated subdomain such as capitoltrail.gohawaii.com), or if the contractor is required to provision, operate, and maintain independent AWS/GCP cloud hosting infrastructure for the duration of the contract.

a. The contractor under this RFP will not be required to provision, operate, or maintain independent cloud hosting infrastructure. GoHawaii.com will serve as the primary entry point for the experience, with extended or interactive content anticipated to be hosted through a secondary web platform selected and managed separately by HTA. The specific hosting environment, platform, and integration approach have not yet been determined. The selected contractor will be responsible only for coordinating with HTA and the applicable platform provider(s) to ensure that the content and visitor experience can be effectively integrated and delivered.

24. Regarding web application performance under peak visitor load, please confirm the expected concurrent user capacity (e.g., 5,000 to 25,000 simultaneous active visitor sessions) that the application and GoHawaii.com CDN origin servers must support without degradation in audio streaming or map render speeds.

a. HTA has not established a required concurrent user capacity for this RFP. Web hosting, server capacity, CDN performance, and other infrastructure requirements are outside the scope of this procurement and will be addressed separately with the applicable platform provider(s). The selected contractor will be expected to coordinate with those providers as necessary to ensure that content is appropriately formatted and optimized for the intended visitor experience.

25. Please clarify whether recurring third-party API subscription costs (such as Mapbox WebGL tile rendering, Google Maps Platform API calls, or premium text-to-speech CDN bandwidth) post-launch (Month 9 to Month 12) are to be included in the contractor's firm-fixed-price proposal, or if HTA will maintain master agency enterprise accounts for these mapping services.

a. Recurring platform-level API, mapping, hosting, or similar subscription costs are not required to be included in the base price under this RFP unless specifically proposed as part of the Offeror’s content solution. Any proposed third-party service and associated initial or recurring cost must be clearly disclosed. Responsibility for future platform-related costs will be determined separately and should not be assumed by Offerors.

26. Regarding physical trail markers in the Capitol Historic District, please confirm the exact target number of physical QR plaque locations (e.g. 15 vs 30 historic stops), and confirm HTA's policy regarding replacement timelines and financial responsibility in the event of physical plaque vandalism or weather damage post-installation.

a. HTA has not established a final number of physical QR plaque locations. Offerors should propose an appropriate number based on their recommended visitor experience, project scope, and available budget. Physical fabrication, installation, replacement, and ongoing maintenance of trail markers, including those damaged by weather or vandalism, are outside the scope of this RFP and will be addressed separately by HTA in coordination with the appropriate government and/or project partners.

27. Regarding Section 2.2 (System Availability and SLA Uptime), please confirm that the required

99.9% uptime SLA applies exclusively to the digital web application and cloud API endpoints during the 9-month development and initial post-launch warranty period, and clarify whether ongoing maintenance past Month 12 will be procured via a separate post-warranty SLA contract.

a. The 99.9% uptime SLA does not apply to the contractor under this RFP, as hosting, cloud infrastructure, API availability, and ongoing platform maintenance are outside the scope of this procurement. Any uptime, warranty, or post-launch maintenance requirements will be established separately with the applicable platform provider. The selected contractor under this RFP will only be responsible for reasonable coordination and content-related support during testing and launch.

28. Regarding Section 4 (Payment Schedule), please confirm whether progress payments will be disbursed upon formal HTA written approval of specific WBS deliverables (e.g., Milestone 1:

Requirements & UX Prototype, Milestone 2: Core PWA Development, Milestone 3: Content &

Voiceover Integration, Milestone 4: Beta Testing & ADA Certification, Milestone 5: Production

Launch), and confirm accounting for HIePRO's 0.75% transaction fee ($5,000 cap).

a. Progress payments will be tied to the completion and formal HTA approval of agreed-upon deliverables and milestones established in the final contract. Offerors should propose a deliverable-based payment schedule consistent with the content-focused scope of this RFP. Offerors are responsible for accounting for all applicable HIePRO transaction fees in their proposed budget, including the applicable 0.75% fee, subject to the established maximum.

29. Regarding Section 2.3.4, please confirm whether HTA will engage an independent third-party accessibility auditor to certify WCAG 2.1 AA compliance prior to final acceptance, or if contractor self-certification with automated testing reports (axe-core/Lighthouse) is acceptable for Milestone 4 sign-off.

a. HTA does not anticipate requiring the contractor under this RFP to obtain independent third-party WCAG 2.1 AA certification. Technical accessibility testing and certification of the digital platform will be the responsibility of the applicable platform provider. The selected contractor will be responsible for ensuring that content and media assets are developed with accessibility in mind and for coordinating with the platform provider to support applicable accessibility requirements.

30. Regarding final contract closeout and payment retention release under State procurement rules, please confirm the exact acceptance criteria and EVM financial reconciliation documentation required for HTA to issue the final certificate of completion.

a. Final acceptance and payment will be based on HTA’s review and approval of all required contract deliverables and confirmation that the agreed-upon scope of work has been satisfactorily completed. Any required final financial reconciliation and closeout documentation will be established in the final contract and administered in accordance with applicable State and HTA requirements. Earned Value Management (EVM) documentation is not specifically required under this RFP unless otherwise identified by HTA.

31. Regarding Section 2.1 (Content Creation), please confirm the target total number of historic trail stops requiring original audio narration (e.g. 12, 15, or 20 stops) and the maximum recommended audio duration per stop (e.g. 2 to 3 minutes) to ensure optimal visitor pacing and content scope alignment.

a. HTA has not established a final number of trail stops requiring original audio narration.

Offerors should recommend the appropriate number based on their proposed content strategy, visitor experience, and available budget. For budgeting and experience design purposes, audio narration should generally be concise, with approximately 2–3 minutes per applicable stop recommended to support visitor pacing and engagement.

32. Regarding voiceover narration production, please confirm whether audio tracks must be produced in both English and 'Ōlelo Hawai'i (Hawaiian Language), or if additional foreign language translations (such as Japanese, Traditional Chinese, or Korean) are required under the initial base contract budget.

a. English is required within the base scope. Offerors should separately identify their proposed approach and associated cost, if any, for ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi content and/or translation. Given the cultural nature of the project and the status of Hawaiian as an official language of the State, HTA may elect to incorporate ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi based on project needs, available funding, and the final contracted scope. Other languages may be proposed as separately identified optional enhancements. Additional visitor-language translations, such as Japanese, Traditional

Chinese, or Korean, may be proposed as optional enhancements, with associated costs clearly identified. Final language requirements will be determined by HTA based on cultural appropriateness, project needs, and available budget.

33. Regarding cultural consultations and authentic oral history recordings with Native Hawaiian kūpuna and cultural advisors, please confirm whether cultural advisory stipends/honoraria are to be billed as pass-through reimbursables under a dedicated project allowance, or included within the contractor's firm-fixed-price labor cost.

a. Costs associated with cultural consultations, kūpuna participation, cultural advisors, subject matter experts, and oral history contributions should be included within the Offeror’s proposed project budget. These costs should be clearly identified as a separate budget line item or category, including anticipated honoraria or stipends where applicable. HTA does not anticipate establishing a separate pass-through reimbursement allowance for these costs.

34. Regarding intellectual property rights under AG-008 General Conditions Section 8, please confirm that while HTA retains full, exclusive ownership of all custom media content, audio recordings, historical text, and branded graphics created under this contract, the contractor retains ownership of pre-existing software code libraries, PWA frameworks, and reusable

WebGL rendering engines, granting HTA a perpetual, royalty-free license for project operation.

a. Intellectual property rights will be governed by the applicable AG-008 General Conditions and the final contract. The intent of this RFP is for HTA to retain the necessary ownership and usage rights for custom content and materials created specifically for this project, including approved text, graphics, audio, video, and other media deliverables. Development of proprietary software, PWA frameworks, WebGL rendering engines, or similar technology is outside the scope of this RFP; therefore, ownership and licensing of such technology are not anticipated to be addressed under this procurement.

35. Drawing upon Dr. Jonathan Schwartz's pedagogical framework (EDEE 422 Reading Literacy), how will HTA evaluate proposed UX/UI content scaffolding to ensure historical narratives are accessible across multi-generational user groups (e.g., DOE K-12 student field trips, adult residents, and international visitors) while adhering to State educational reading standards?

a. HTA will evaluate proposed content and user experience approaches based on clarity, accessibility, cultural and historical accuracy, and their ability to effectively engage a broad range of audiences. While Offerors may incorporate educational best practices and age-appropriate content scaffolding, this RFP does not require adherence to a specific pedagogical framework or State K–12 reading standard. Proposals should demonstrate how content can be presented in an engaging and understandable manner for diverse audiences, including residents, students, and visitors.

36. In alignment with Dr. Schwartz's published research on inquiry-based learning and place-based pedagogy (Packback Study), what specific criteria will HTA use to validate that the digital walking tour's moʻolelo (storied places) authentically reflect Native Hawaiian cultural equity, historical accuracy, and community-guided oral traditions?

a. HTA will evaluate proposed moʻolelo and place-based content based on cultural integrity, historical accuracy, appropriate sourcing, and demonstrated engagement with qualified

Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners, kūpuna, historians, and/or other relevant subject matter experts. Offerors should describe their process for research, consultation, attribution, cultural review, and community input. All final cultural and interpretive content will be subject to HTA review and approval. While inquiry-based and place-based learning approaches may be incorporated, this RFP does not require adherence to a specific academic or pedagogical framework.

37. Reflecting Dr. Schwartz's educational technology methodology (ETEC 279 Instructional

Design), does HTA anticipate incorporating interactive micro-reflection prompts or digital badges within the PWA to measure visitor comprehension and engagement along the Capitol

Historic District trail stops?

a. HTA is open to interactive engagement approaches, such as brief reflection prompts, thematic checkpoints, digital badges, or similar techniques that encourage visitors to engage more deeply with the content. Offerors may recommend these features as part of their proposed visitor experience; however, they are not required under a specific instructional design methodology. Any proposed digital functionality will need to be feasible within the capabilities of the separately managed platform and coordinated with the applicable platform provider.

38. Applying Dr. Schwartz's framework for educational evaluation, will HTA provide access to centralized visitor analytics dashboards (or specify preferred telemetry metrics) to evaluate the learning impact, dwell time, and user path navigation across the historic district?

a. HTA has not established a centralized visitor analytics dashboard or a required educational evaluation framework for this RFP. Offerors may recommend appropriate content-engagement metrics, such as QR scans, content interactions, completion rates, dwell time, and user pathways, where technically feasible. The selected contractor will coordinate with

HTA and the applicable platform provider regarding available analytics capabilities and reporting. This RFP does not require adherence to a specific educational evaluation framework.

39. Incorporating Dr. Schwartz's inclusive education principles (SPED 405 Universal Design for

Learning), what specialized visual, auditory, or cognitive accessibility accommodations (such as high-contrast modes, screen-reader text alternatives, and simplified reading toggles) does

HTA require to serve neurodivergent and sensory-impaired visitors?

a. HTA expects content developed under this RFP to follow inclusive and accessible design principles, including clear language, appropriate visual contrast, alternative text and/or transcripts for visual and audio content, and content structured to support screen-reader accessibility. Technical accessibility features, such as platform-level display modes, screen-reader functionality, or user-controlled accessibility settings, will be addressed with the applicable platform provider. Offerors may recommend additional accommodations that enhance access for users with diverse sensory, cognitive, or learning needs; however, this RFP does not require adherence to a specific Universal Design for Learning framework.

40. Regarding Section 2.1 (GoHawaii.com Platform Integration), please specify the underlying

CMS architecture (e.g., Drupal, WordPress, headless REST/GraphQL API) and subdomain routing rules (e.g., capitoltrail.gohawaii.com) required for seamless integration of the Web

Application into GoHawaii.com.

a. HTA has not specified the underlying GoHawaii.com CMS architecture, API framework, or subdomain routing requirements for this RFP. The contractor under this procurement will not be responsible for developing or configuring the GoHawaii.com platform. The selected contractor will be expected to provide content and supporting assets in formats required by

HTA and to coordinate with the applicable GoHawaii.com and secondary platform providers regarding integration, routing, and technical compatibility.

41. Regarding GoHawaii.com Brand & Style Guidelines, please confirm whether HTA will provide official brand assets, CSS design tokens, typography specifications, and unicode font requirements for proper rendering of Hawaiian diacritical marks ('okina and kahakō) across all mobile viewports.

a. HTA will provide the selected contractor with applicable GoHawaii.com and HTA brand guidelines and available brand assets necessary for content development. All content and creative assets must support the accurate use and display of Hawaiian language, including

ʻokina and kahakō. Specific technical requirements related to CSS, typography, fonts, responsive rendering, and platform implementation will be coordinated with the applicable

GoHawaii.com and secondary platform providers.

42. Regarding analytics and visitor telemetry, please confirm whether the mobile web application must embed GoHawaii.com's master Google Tag Manager (GTM) container and Google

Analytics 4 (GA4) measurement IDs to unify visitor tracking across the main state tourism portal.

a. HTA has not established a requirement under this RFP to embed specific Google Tag

Manager (GTM) containers or Google Analytics 4 (GA4) measurement IDs. Analytics implementation and integration with GoHawaii.com will be coordinated separately with the applicable platform provider. The selected contractor will be expected to identify desired content-engagement metrics and coordinate as necessary to support appropriate tracking and reporting.

43. Regarding high-resolution image and audio asset delivery, please confirm whether media files will be hosted directly on GoHawaii.com's Content Delivery Network (CDN) servers, and clarify whether media storage limits or asset bandwidth quotas apply to the contractor.

a. HTA has not established whether high-resolution image, audio, or other media assets will be hosted directly on GoHawaii.com or through the secondary platform. Media hosting, storage limits, bandwidth requirements, and CDN configuration will be determined in coordination with the applicable platform provider. The selected contractor under this RFP will be responsible for delivering properly formatted and optimized media assets and coordinating with HTA and the platform provider to ensure compatibility with the final hosting environment.

44. Regarding content publishing workflows, please detail the exact review and sign-off stages required by HTA's internal marketing team, GoHawaii.com webmasters, and Native Hawaiian cultural advisory boards prior to pushing updates to the live production server.

a. The final content review and approval workflow will be established by HTA in coordination with the selected contractor and applicable project partners. At a minimum, content will be subject to HTA review and approval for accuracy, cultural appropriateness, branding, and overall project alignment prior to publication. Cultural content may also require review by appropriate cultural practitioners or subject matter experts. Technical publishing and deployment to the live environment will be coordinated separately with the applicable platform provider. Specific review stages, responsible parties, and approval timelines will be finalized during the initial project planning phase.

45. Regarding GoHawaii.com's CDN edge infrastructure (e.g., Cloudflare Enterprise / Fastly), please confirm whether HTA will grant contractor API cache purge keys or define edge TTL caching rules to ensure instant propagation of critical historical narrative updates across global edge nodes.

a. HTA does not anticipate providing the contractor under this RFP with direct access to

GoHawaii.com CDN infrastructure, API cache-purge credentials, or edge caching configurations. CDN management, cache policies, and production deployment are outside the scope of this procurement and will be managed by the applicable platform provider. The selected contractor will be responsible for providing approved content updates and coordinating with HTA and the platform provider when timely publication of revisions is required.

46. Regarding PWA offline performance in urban Honolulu dead-zones, please confirm whether

GoHawaii.com's CDN permits Service Worker pre-fetching of MP3 audio tracks and vector map tiles, and clarify if edge headers allow background asset caching for offline visitor use.

a. HTA has not established requirements under this RFP for Service Worker functionality, offline asset caching, CDN pre-fetching, or background storage of audio and map assets.

These technical capabilities are outside the scope of this procurement and will be evaluated with the applicable platform provider. Offerors may identify offline accessibility as a desired visitor-experience feature; however, the selected contractor’s responsibility will be limited to developing and delivering appropriately formatted content and coordinating with the platform provider regarding its implementation.

47. Regarding large DOE school bus field trips accessing trail stops simultaneously, what CDN rate-limiting or DDoS protection rules exist on GoHawaii.com, and will HTA whitelist contractor API endpoints to prevent IP throttling during peak student group tours?

a. CDN rate limiting, DDoS protection, IP throttling, API whitelisting, and related infrastructure requirements are outside the scope of this RFP and will be managed by the applicable

GoHawaii.com and/or secondary platform provider. The contractor under this RFP is not expected to operate independent API endpoints or manage network infrastructure. Offerors may identify simultaneous group usage, including school field trips, as a visitor-experience consideration when developing content and recommending platform capabilities.

48. Regarding mobile data conservation for international visitors, does GoHawaii.com's CDN support automated Adaptive Bitrate Audio streaming (HLS .m3u8 or MPEG-DASH), or should contractor pre-render audio files into fixed low-bitrate MP3/AAC formats?

a. HTA has not established requirements under this RFP for Adaptive Bitrate Streaming, HLS, MPEG-DASH, or other CDN-level audio delivery methods. The selected contractor should deliver high-quality, mobile-optimized audio assets in commonly supported formats and should consider file size and mobile data usage when producing content. Final audio encoding, streaming, caching, and delivery requirements will be coordinated with the applicable platform provider based on the capabilities of the selected hosting environment.

49. Regarding cross-domain WebGL map rendering and audio asset fetching, please confirm that

GoHawaii.com CDN origin servers configure proper Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) headers (Access-Control-Allow-Origin: *) to allow seamless WebGL tile rendering within the

PWA.

a. HTA has not established or confirmed specific Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) configurations for GoHawaii.com under this RFP. CORS policies, WebGL rendering requirements, cross-domain asset delivery, and related server configurations are outside the scope of this procurement and will be addressed by the applicable platform provider. The selected contractor under this RFP will be responsible for content development and coordination as necessary to support compatibility with the final digital delivery environment.

50. Regarding Section 2.1 and 2.2 (Augmented Reality & WebXR Spatial Computing), please confirm that leveraging Apple Developer Program (ARKit), Google Developer Program

(ARCore / Google Research XR Blocks framework), and NVIDIA Inception Program spatial

AI acceleration within the Progressive Web App (PWA) is fully approved by HTA to deliver high-performance 3D historical building overlays and WebGL spatial rendering without requiring proprietary 3D engine licensing or native app downloads.

a. HTA has not pre-approved or required the use of ARKit, ARCore, WebXR, NVIDIA spatial

AI technologies, or similar augmented reality frameworks under this RFP. Offerors may recommend augmented reality, 3D interpretation, or other innovative storytelling approaches where they meaningfully enhance the visitor experience; however, such recommendations must be clearly identified and remain consistent with the content-focused scope and available budget. Any advanced technical implementation would be subject to HTA approval and coordination with the separately procured platform provider to determine feasibility, compatibility, licensing, accessibility, and ongoing support requirements.

51. Regarding device accessibility and legacy smartphone support, please confirm whether HTA requires 2D interactive historical photo sliders and high-resolution visual overlays as accessible fallbacks for visitors using older devices that lack WebXR / ARKit / ARCore hardware capabilities.

a. HTA does not specifically require 2D historical photo sliders or visual overlays as fallback features under this RFP. However, the overall visitor experience should be designed to remain accessible and meaningful across a broad range of commonly used mobile devices and should not depend solely on advanced technologies such as

WebXR, ARKit, or ARCore. Offerors may recommend appropriate low-technology or 2D alternatives as part of their content and visitor experience approach. Final technical implementation and device compatibility requirements will be coordinated with the applicable platform provider.

52. Regarding off-site and remote accessibility (e.g. global audiences or disabled visitors unable to physically walk the trail), please confirm if the contractor's scope includes capturing and rendering 360-degree VR panoramic virtual tours of key Capitol District interiors (e.g. Iolani

Palace grounds, State Capitol rotunda).

a. The base scope of this RFP does not require the contractor to capture or produce 360-degree

VR panoramic tours. However, HTA recognizes the value of providing meaningful access to the experience for users who are unable to physically walk the trail. Offerors may propose

360-degree imagery, virtual tours, or other remote-access content as optional enhancements, with associated costs clearly identified. Any such content involving access to or representation of specific historic or government properties would be subject to HTA approval and coordination with the appropriate property owner or managing agency.

53. Regarding 3D model performance, please specify the target maximum file size (e.g., < 5MB per glTF/GLB asset) and polygon budget allowed for 3D historical buildings or artifacts to ensure smooth 60fps mobile web performance on 4G/5G cellular networks.

a. HTA has not established specific file-size, polygon-count, frame-rate, or mobile network performance requirements for 3D assets under this RFP. Three-dimensional modeling is not a required component of the base scope. If an Offeror proposes 3D content as an optional enhancement, the proposal should identify anticipated technical requirements and demonstrate that the content can be efficiently delivered on commonly used mobile devices and cellular networks. Final technical specifications will be determined in coordination with the applicable platform provider.

54. Regarding immersive audio storytelling, please confirm whether HTA requires 3D binaural spatialized audio (simulating historical ambient soundscapes, traditional Hawaiian instrumentation, and royal court atmospheres) tied to user head orientation or GPS walking velocity.

a. HTA does not require 3D binaural or spatialized audio, head-orientation tracking, or GPS-responsive audio as part of the base scope of this RFP. Offerors may propose immersive soundscapes, traditional Hawaiian instrumentation, ambient audio, or other audio storytelling techniques where culturally appropriate and where they meaningfully enhance the visitor experience. Any advanced spatial-audio functionality should be identified as an optional enhancement and would be subject to HTA approval, cultural review, available budget, and coordination with the applicable platform provider.

55. In the event of a regional cloud outage, CDN origin server failure, or network disruption on

GoHawaii.com's edge infrastructure, what failover redundancy mechanism or backup edge origin URL (e.g., secondary AWS S3 / Cloudflare R2 bucket) does HTA require contractor to configure within the PWA to ensure zero downtime for visitor walking tours in Honolulu?

a. HTA does not require the contractor under this RFP to configure cloud failover infrastructure, backup origin servers, redundant CDN environments, or zero-downtime mechanisms.

Hosting availability, disaster recovery, redundancy, and related infrastructure requirements are outside the scope of this procurement and will be addressed with the applicable platform provider. The selected contractor’s responsibility is limited to content development and reasonable coordination to ensure that approved content can be appropriately delivered within the selected platform environment.

56. Sections 2.2.1 & 2.3.3, pp.8–9: The RFP states that a separate contractor will host and develop the platform, while this contractor develops the experience and coordinates with both

GoHawaii.com and the secondary platform. Can HTA clarify the division of responsibilities between this contract and the separate platform development contract? Specifically, which party is responsible for: UX/UI implementation CMS configuration geolocation functionality

QR code scanning functionality analytics implementation accessibility testing ongoing hosting and maintenance? Has the secondary platform contractor already been selected? If so, will the selected contractor have access to technical documentation, APIs, CMS requirements, design systems, and implementation standards before work begins?

a. The contractor selected under this RFP will be responsible primarily for content development, cultural interpretation, visitor experience design, and defining the intended user journey.

Technical development, implementation, hosting, and maintenance will be the responsibility of the separately procured platform contractor.

Generally, responsibilities are anticipated as follows:

• UX/UI: This contractor will define the desired visitor experience, content flow, user journey, and creative direction; the platform contractor will be responsible for technical UX/UI implementation.

• CMS configuration: Platform contractor.

• Geolocation functionality: Platform contractor, with this contractor identifying how location-based features should support the content and visitor experience.

• QR codes: This contractor will develop the QR content strategy, destinations, messaging, and associated creative assets; technical routing or platform functionality will be coordinated with the platform contractor.

• Analytics: The platform contractor will implement available analytics and tracking functionality.

This contractor may recommend content and visitor engagement metrics and assist HTA in evaluating results.

• Accessibility: This contractor will be responsible for developing accessible content and media assets. Technical accessibility implementation and platform-level testing will be the responsibility of the platform contractor.

• Hosting and maintenance: Platform contractor.

The secondary platform contractor has not yet been selected and will be procured separately. Once selected, HTA will facilitate coordination between the contractors and provide available technical documentation, platform requirements, design standards, and other information necessary for successful integration. Both contractors will be expected to work collaboratively, with HTA providing overall project direction and final approval.

57. Section 2.3.2, p.9 & KPI list, p.11: The Scope requires "print-ready files and specifications for

QR code production and installation," and the KPIs reference production/distribution of physical materials (plaques, stickers, window clings, flyers, posters, map handouts, rack cards).

Is the Contractor responsible only for design files, or also for physical production, installation, and related permitting? Who secures site-owner permissions for placement?

a. The Contractor’s responsibility under this RFP is limited to the design and delivery of print-ready files, QR code assets, and production specifications for applicable physical activation materials. Examples could include plaques, stickers, window clings, flyers, posters, map handouts, and rack cards etc.

b. Physical fabrication, printing, procurement, installation, mounting, permitting, and ongoing maintenance are outside the scope of this RFP unless otherwise specifically authorized by HTA. HTA will coordinate site-owner permissions, placement approvals, and any required permitting with the appropriate State, City and County of Honolulu, private property owners, and/or other applicable partners. The selected Contractor may be required to provide reasonable design, placement, or production guidance to support that coordination.

58. Section 4.2 Price Evaluation Criteria, p.26 & Section 2.5, pp.12–13: The Price Evaluation

Criteria on p.26 references "the total cost for the three contract periods of this multi-year contract," but Section 2.5 describes a single, one-term contract of eight (8) months. Please confirm this is a single-period contract and that the "multi-year" language is a drafting carryover, and clarify how cost points will be calculated for a single period.

a. Confirmed. This solicitation is for a single contract period of eight (8) months. The reference in Section 4.2 to “three contract periods” and a “multi-year contract” is a drafting carryover and does not apply to this RFP.

b. For purposes of price evaluation, Offerors should submit the total proposed cost for the full eight-month contract period. Price evaluation points will be calculated using the total evaluated price for that single contract period in accordance with the price evaluation methodology identified in the RFP.

59. Section 2.3.6, p.9 & Section 1.9, p.6: Does HTA or its partners have existing interpretive content, historical research, imagery, audio, or DMAP materials that the Contractor may build upon, or is all cultural and interpretive content to be created new?

a. HTA and its partners may have existing materials that can inform the project, including historical research, imagery, cultural resources, visitor education materials, and relevant

Oʻahu Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP) content.