Vendor Questions and Answers - RFP 260000001772.pdf

RFP 260000001772

Vendor Questions and Answers

1. Can the State confirm the anticipated contract start date and End date, contract duration, and any renewal options beyond the initial term?

Answer: May 25, 2026 – May 24, 2027 with seven (7) additional one-year period renewals.

2. Can the State provide guidance on the expected staffing model, including estimated team size or resource mix, for a hybrid managed services model (fixed and variable components)?

Answer: Project Manager (Fixed), Variable: Front-End Developers and a Back End Developer

3. What is the expected transition period from the incumbent vendor, and will the incumbent be required to support knowledge transfer activities?

Answer: Library of Michigan will provide access to all environments and support knowledge transfer activities. Incumbent vendor has completed transfer activities to the state.

4. Can the State provide details on the current technology stack, CMS platforms, hosting environments, and integrations used across the existing websites?

Answer:

a. Michigan eLibrary (MeL.org)

SpringShare LibApps, Vendor Cloud Hosted

b. Michigan Memories (michmemories.org)

Drupal, Apcahe Solr, Combine (custom metadata harvesting tool). Partner Hosted On-Site

c. Library of Michigan Digital (lmdigital.libraryofmichigan.org)

Drupal, CONTENTdm, Vendor Cloud Hosted

d. Ready to Read Michigan (readytoreadmi.org)

SpringShare LibApps, Vendor Cloud Hosted

5. What is the current level of ADA/WCAG compliance of the existing websites, and are there any known accessibility gaps or audit reports available?

Answer: WCAG 2.1 AA, no known accessibility gaps or audit reports.

6. Please clarify expectations regarding project management roles: should a dedicated Project Manager be included throughout the contract term, or will PM effort be engaged and billed on an as-needed basis for enhancements and support activities?

Answer: Dedicated Project Manager be included throughout the contract term and level of effort will depend on project needs.

7. Is it acceptable for bidders to propose a flexible staffing model with ramp-up and ramp-down capabilities based on workload, enhancements, and support requirements?

Answer: Yes

8. Does the State permit a hybrid delivery model that includes remote and/or offshore resources, provided all security, data residency, and compliance requirements are met?

Answer: Remote work performed by entities located within the continental United States is acceptable; the use of offshore resources is not permitted.

9. What is the current hosting model (on-premises, vendor-hosted, or cloud), and does the State have a preferred cloud platform or hosting strategy for the future state?

Answer:

a. Michigan eLibrary (MeL.org): Vendor Cloud Hosted

b. Michigan Memories (michmemories.org): Partner Hosted On-Premises

c. Library of Michigan Digital (lmdigital.libraryofmichigan.org): Vendor Cloud Hosted

d. Ready to Read Michigan (readytoreadmi.org): Vendor Cloud Hosted

10. Can the State confirm the number of websites in scope and whether they share a common platform, design system, or content management system?

Answer: There are currently four (4) custom websites, two (2) on Drupal CMS and two (2) on Springshare LibApps.

11. What are the State’s expectations regarding testing, user acceptance, and approval processes for deliverables?

Answer: Critical issues impacting site functionality must be addressed within 1 business day. For new development projects initiated under this contract, the Contractor must provide a timeline for completion as part of the project-based quote, with typical delivery expected within 30–90 business days depending on scope. Timelines, quotes, and project parameters are subject to change at the discretion of the Library of Michigan and in collaboration with Contractor.

Deliverables will be reviewed and either approved or rejected within 15 business days.

12. Can the State clarify the expected scope of ongoing support and maintenance, including SLAs, response times, and support hours?

Answer:

• Provide ongoing maintenance, security updates, and performance monitoring for all sites. The Contractor will integrate Library-approved text, images, and other media into project websites and migrate existing content—including text, images, videos, and other digital assets—from the current websites as directed by the Library.

• Maintain responsive design to provide optimal viewing experience—easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling— across a wide range of devices (from desktop computer monitors to mobile phones).

• All work is based on time and materials pricing model and support hours would be included in project quotes to help meet ramp-up and ramp-down capabilities based on contractor workload.

• All contract activities must begin within 5 business days of receipt of quote approval and/or delivery order and be completed within 10 business days, unless otherwise agreed upon for complex tasks. Critical issues impacting site functionality must be addressed within 1 business day.

• For new development projects initiated under this contract, the Contractor must provide a timeline for completion as part of the project-based quote, with typical delivery expected within 30–90 business days depending on scope.

Timelines, quotes, and project parameters are subject to change at the discretion of the Library of Michigan and in collaboration with Contractor.

• The Contractor must be available for calls and service during the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.

13. Are there specific security frameworks, policies, or compliance standards (e.g., NIST, State IT policies) that vendors must adhere to beyond those outlined in the RFP?

Answer: The RFP states all required compliance.

14. Does the State expect a full redesign of the websites, or should bidders assume enhancements to the existing design and user experience?

Answer: Enhancements to the existing design and user experience. Any potential full redesign would be quoted separately.

15. Does the State have a preferred pricing model (e.g., fixed price, time and materials, managed services), or are vendors encouraged to propose the most suitable model?

Answer: Time and Materials