Q_A_RFP-020-25_Website_Redesign_lot_1.pdf

RFP-020-25 FOR WEBSITE REDESIGN SERVICES

Q&A for answering vendors questions1

Lot 1

No. Questions Answers Additional Information

1. Could you please confirm if this is an indefinite contract, or if there is a defined duration for the services?

This is not an indefinite contract. A service timeline is required in the proposal.

See note at bottom of Form 1- (STANDARD

SEALED BID PRICE

SHEET)

2. What is the budget for this effort? Undisclosed

3. Will RTA provide access to any existing system documentation, analytics, or user behavior data from the current website to help inform UX strategy?

Yes.

4. Does RTA have a preferred hosting environment (e.g., AWS, Azure, on-premises, or government cloud)?

No. We recommend that vendors propose a secure, scalable hosting solution aligned with industry best practices, clearly specifying whether hosting is included in the base scope or offered as an optional service.

5. Should the vendor include hosting and ongoing website maintenance as part of the base scope, or is that considered an optional add-on only?

Optional add-on only.

6. Does RTA prefer development in WordPress specifically, or will Drupal or other open-source CMS solutions be acceptable if they meet accessibility and security requirements?

RTA prefers WordPress but is open to other open-source CMS that meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility and security standards.

1 These answers are informational and don't change the RFP-020-25 for Website Redesign Services.

No. Questions Answers Additional Information

7. For real-time data integration, will RTA provide API access to Swiftly or any other real-time bus data sources during development?

Yes.

8. For the Careers/HR integration, can you confirm if Paylocity is currently being used and whether API access will be provided for direct integration?

Yes.

9. Should the website support multilingual content through automated translation (e.g., Google Translate widget) or manual localized content management?

The site should use automated translation (e.g., Google Translate) for multilingual support.

10. Are there any specific accessibility audit tools or standards RTA prefers beyond WCAG 2.1 AA (e.g., Section 508 testing, third-party certification)?

No.

11. Does RTA intend to include payment integration (e.g., Token Transit, QR, or mobile payments) in the initial launch, or should it be treated as a future phase?

Yes.

12. Are there any existing brand guidelines, logos, color codes, or marketing materials RTA will provide to align design and branding?

Vendors are required to follow RTA’s brand standards, including the official logo, red color(#EE2F2D), and slogan. Visuals should reflect a friendly, technical tone and represent the diversity of RTA’s service area.

Messaging is expected to align with RTA’s mission and values.

The user experience should be intuitive, accessible, and fully responsive across devices. Interactive elements such as forms, maps, and apps must load quickly and maintain strong information security, especially for data and payment transactions. Vendors are expected to request all necessary brand assets during project kickoff.

13. Will RTA require content migration (e.g., moving legacy website content, PDFs, or images) to the new platform, and if so, what is the approximate volume?

Yes, RTA will require content migration to the new platform. Approximately 15–25 PDFs and forms, along with 30–50 images, are expected to be transferred. Additionally, integration of RTA’s social media pages and alert pages is required to ensure seamless communication and real-time updates for users.

14. We assume the current sitemap OR nav-menu pages will remain the same, can you please confirm?

Core Rider Tools

● Schedules, fares, maps, rider policies/guides

● Service alerts (disruptions, detours) and event calendar

Yes.

15. We assume that you are looking for a section on the website to display important notice/alerts, can you please confirm otherwise kindly explain the functionality you are looking for.

● Robust site search ● Public Feedback Portal (forms/surveys) with routing to RTA inbox(es)

Yes. RTA requires a prominent section for service alerts and notices. These are currently displayed via the Transit App and on the Rider Alerts page. The new site should support:

• Real-time service alerts

• Event calendar integration

• Optional push notifications or banners for urgent updates https://www.transitrta.com/welcome-to-rta/rideralerts/

16. We assume that you are looking for some contact forms to engage users. Is that correct?

Yes, RTA currently uses contact forms for compliments, complaints, and general inquiries on the Contact page. These should be retained and enhanced if possible.

17. We assume to use the same 3rd-party CTA link that you currently have https://live.goswift.ly/rtamaryland/. Can you please confirm?

Yes. This third-party link should remain as-is.

18. We assume to use something like "Google Maps (Transit Mode)" where you use the Google Maps Directions API — which already supports bus, metro, train, and ferry routes automatically, without hosting GTFS data yourself. Can you please confirm, otherwise can you clarify your requirement in detail?

Yes. RTA supports Google Maps Transit Mode for trip planning. No need to host GTFS data directly.

19. Please explain/clarify what you are looking for:

Prominent Careers section integrated with Paylocity (or current Applicant tracking system): simple “find & apply” flow from RTA site to ATS; avoid burying links in submenus.

RTA wants a clearly visible Careers section that links directly to its applicant system (like Paylocity) with a simple “find and apply” process. Avoid hiding it on menus.

20. We assume all the existing 3rd-party CTA links to be implemented the same way as they are. Can you please confirm? Currently career is handled through the 3rd-party CTA link:

https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/All/aef9617c- 3c06-459b-8bab-3abca4850781/Transit-Management-of- Central.

Yes. The current careers page links externally to Paylocity: RTA Careers on Paylocity. The new site should feature a clearly visible CTA and avoid burying the link in submenus.

21. Can you please confirm whether we should use the 3rd-party CTA link to Paylocity as it is? Or are you looking for API integration for fetching the job-openings using their endpoints and API integration process? Can you please clarify?

Yes. All current third-party links, including Paylocity and Swiftly, should be retained in their current form.

https://www.transitrta.com/contact/ https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/All/aef9617c-3c06-459b-8bab-3abca4850781/Transit-Management-of-Central https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/All/aef9617c-3c06-459b-8bab-3abca4850781/Transit-Management-of-Central https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/All/aef9617c-3c06-459b-8bab-3abca4850781/Transit-Management-of-Central

NOTE: The link to Apply Now will be external Paylocity job portal link.

Yes. RTA is not requesting API integration currently. The “Apply Now” button should link directly to the external Paylocity portal.

22. Payments (as directed) Support integration with RTA’s chosen method (e.g., Token Transit/QR).

Can you please explain/clarify what you are looking for in detail?

RTA currently uses the Transit App in partnership with Token Transit for mobile ticketing, fare capping, and QRvisual validation. The new site should:

• Promote the Transit App for fare purchases

• Optionally include QR code visuals or links to download the app

23. What are the KPI's for the website? • Primary KPIs:

• Increase in trip planning tool usage

(e.g., number of route searches).

• Growth in online fare purchases and pass renewals.

• Reduced bounce rate and improved average session duration.

• Accessibility compliance score

(WCAG standards).

• Customer engagement metrics: clicks on service alerts, newsletter sign-ups.

• Mobile responsiveness performance (since most riders use mobile).

24. Are you providing content for the website or are you expecting the vendor to create content?

We will provide the majority of content, including route details, schedules, fare information, and service alerts – most of which already exist on the current site.

25. If you are providing content, how many content editors/managers would be working on this?

Approximately 2–3 internal staff members will manage and edit content.

26. What is the approval process for content like?

a. Is it 1-tier, 2-tier etc.?

Tier 1: Content drafted/updated by editors.

Tier 2: Final approvals by General Manager and Marketing & Community Coordinator (or whom the GM designates)

27. What is the number of integrations you have for inbound and outbound?

a. Could you give some brief details about each integration?

Inbound integrations:

• GTFS/GTFS-RT feed for schedules and real-time bus tracking (1 integration)

Outbound integrations:

• GTFS export to third-party transit platforms (e.g., Google Transit, Moovit, etc.)

• Social media feeds (Twitter/X for service alerts)

• Payment gateway for physical fare products (monthly passes and 10-ride ticket books)

28. What are the top 5 issues on the website? • Outdated design and poor mobile experience.

• Slow load times on schedule pages.

• Limited accessibility compliance

(needs WCAG AA).

• Navigation complexity (hard to find routes/fares quickly).

• Lack of integrated real-time updates for riders.

• Not user friendly

29. Are you using any other payment gateway other than PayPal? Currently, PayPal is the primary gateway.

Exploring options for credit card processing via Stripe or similar.

30. What is the level of accessibility compliance you are looking for? i.e. A, AA, AAA

Targeting WCAG 2.1 AA compliance (industry standard for public-facing government sites).

31. Can you provide the sitemap? Yes. It is:

• Home o Routes & Schedules o Fares & Passes o Trip Planner o Service Alerts o About Us o Contact o Accessibility o News & Events o Careers o Policies

• (We can share a detailed XML or visual sitemap upon request.)