Website Redesign and Webhosting RFI PWS.pdf

Website Re-design and Web Hosting Services Performance Work Statement (PWS)

1.0 SCOPE

The Contractor shall provide the Government with all services required to host, maintain, upgrade, service, and support the external customer website. Performance under this task order shall include a redesign of the website, ongoing website upgrades, complete website support services, all associated incidental services, and other tasks herein described.

2.0 WEBSITE COMPLIANCE

• The Contractor shall perform all work and provide all deliverables in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, standards, and guidelines for federal government websites and information systems including the following:21st Century IDEA, including the required website standards, December 2018

• Connected Government Act, January 2018

• OMB M-17-06, Policies for Federal Agency Public Websites and Digital Services (PDF, 1.2 MB, 18 pages, November 2016)

• OMB Circular A-130, Managing Information as a Strategic Resource (July 28, 2016)

• Relevant provisions of the E-Government Act of 2002

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (disabled access)

• Privacy Act of 1974

• OMB Circular A-130

• OMB M-20-19 —Harnessing Technology to Support Mission Continuity

• OMB Memorandum M-05-04 (website policies)

• OMB Memorandum M-03-22 (privacy)

• OMB Memorandum M-00-13 (prohibition on use of persistent “cookies”)

• OMB Memorandum M-10-13 (use of third-party websites and applications),

• OMB Memorandum M-10-22 (use of web measurement and customization)

3.0 PERFORMANCE LOCATION(S)

The Government expects that all services will be provided from the Contractor's site. Any travel costs incurred by the Contractor in relation to the work performed under this task order will not be reimbursed.

4.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance with respect to this agreement shall include a 12-month base period from the date of award and four 12-month option periods.

5.0 TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

5.1 Hosting

The Government requires that the agency website be available to the public 24/7, the https://digital.gov/resources/21st-century-integrated-digital-experience-act/ https://designsystem.digital.gov/website-standards/ https://digital.gov/resources/connected-government-act/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/memoranda/2017/m-17-06.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/circulars/A130/a130revised.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/M-20-19.pdf?dg contractor must take all possible precautions to prevent service disruptions; and that the Contractor make maximum efforts to limit any disruptions to less than 2% of the time. This means that any planned outages should be communicated to the agency well before an issue occurs.

DEFINITION

Continuous and/or Continuously – Means unbroken or without disruption.

The Contractor shall host the agency website in accordance with each of the following minimum requirements:

1. Shall be hosted at a Level 1 PCI Compliant hosting Facility

2. The primary contractor may house the hosting facility on or offsite – this cannot be contracted out to a subcontractor. The contractor must own and operate the hosting facility.

3. Shall accommodate at least 100,000 page views per day

4. Shall allow the download of files up to 1 GB in size

5. Shall be a dynamically generated site based in HTML

6. Shall provide a Content Management System (CMS) for Government personnel to directly and rapidly modify the content of the web site via a secure, remote connection to the production server

7. Shall provide two (2) IP addresses. The first serves as the primary website and the second is used to access the CMS.

8. Shall provide continuous network monitoring to quickly respond to problems.

9. Shall operate a second (backup) data center from the primary host facility to avoid or minimize service disruption in the case of natural disaster or other event affecting a particular city or region

10. Shall host the agency streaming safety videos in flash format. Public web users shall be able to download, view, and request these videos.

11. The Contractor shall track and monitor downloads and safety video requests according to city, state regulations and enable sorting of such requests on a number of detailed criteria (e.g., by Congressional district or according to keyword). Such capabilities must be compliant with the Government website privacy policy (copy to be provided to the contractor by the agency).

5.1.1 Transition In/Out Phase

If the Contractor is not currently hosting the agency website at the time this task order is awarded, the Contractor will be responsible for performing the work necessary to facilitate the transfer of the agency website from the prior host to the Contractor. This includes all pages currently included on the agency website– the contractor is responsible for all transfer of data, pages, documents, investigations, recommendations etc. The contractor will ensure a complete transfer of all components of the agency website are completed.

The redesign should commence immediately following award of the contract – this will occur simultaneously with transferring of website hosting capabilities from the old contractor to the new contractor.

5.2 Re-design

The Contractor shall develop a revised website. As part of the re-design process, the Contractor shall consult with agency staff (as identified by the agency) on the overall look of the re-designed website prior to initiating design work. The Government expects that the re-design process will involve collaboration between the agency and the Contractor, the Contractor remains responsible for meeting the performance requirements of this task order and delivering design proposals that meet the specifications of this PWS. The final determination as to whether website design proposals are acceptable will be made by the agency Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

The Contractor shall perform all of the following at minimum:

1. Provide the Government with 3 homepage design options. Each of the three options should be distinct design "mock-ups".

2. Propose improvement ideas to the appearance, navigational structure, and content

3. Develop five short user forms for the website. Form data entered into the forms shall populate a database that can either be accessed remotely or transmitted to the agency.

The five user forms shall be used to:

• Sign up users for agency auto-emails

• Collect feedback about agency videos and other products

• Process requests for agency speakers at conferences and events

• Process requests for agency videos.

• Submit incidents in response to the agency’s incident reporting rule

4. Propose and use any up-to-date and appropriate web server software, application server software, and database software platforms to accomplish the objectives of this task order. The selection, configuration, and use of all software shall be fully documented, and must be approved by the agency COR.

5. The website shall include thousands of pages that are dynamically generated based on established templates to allow future rapid content changes via the CMS. At a minimum the home page, news release page, investigation information pages, Open government page, and recommendations information pages shall be dynamically generated and modifiable by the agency using the CMS. Other pages that are infrequently modified may be static.

6. Provide direct access to live incident news reports from the agency’s outside provider (Meltwater) and flash video depictions of the agency’s safety videos that can be accessed and downloaded (by clicking on the appropriate link). The homepage will also provide a snapshot of current agency activities and initiatives.

7. The Contractor shall ensure that the agency website and web server do not use persistent “cookies”.

8. All public web pages, as well as the content management tool, shall be tested and verified to be fully compatible with all major operating systems representing more than 0.1% of traffic, e.g., Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Mac OS X, UNIX, and Linux.

9. All public web pages shall be compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows mobile devices.

10. Ensure the redesign is compliant with provisions of section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

The Contractor shall continuously strive to help the agency improve the website appearance, navigation, content, and outreach by suggesting changes and improvements as often as possible.

5.3 Content Management

The Contractor shall provide a CMS that will allow agency staff to directly and rapidly modify the content of the website via a secure, remote connection to the production server. At a minimum, the CMS shall allow agency users to control the content of the home page, news release page, investigation information pages, and recommendations information pages without the intervention of the Contractor, including photos and video content. The Contractor shall train the agency on the use of the CMS.

The CMS shall:

1. Provide hierarchical access for up to 8 agency staff members with the option of have administration right for each or limiting users who may have control of specific portions of the web content.

2. Have scheduling capabilities, so that content can be entered and programmed for future publication at a specified time and date.

3. Shall be designed to ensure that scheduled information is protected from inadvertent public disclosure. Hackers or public users doing routine searches must not be able to access scheduled information, which may include sensitive or embargoed information, prior to the scheduled time.

4. Automatically log all actions taken by the CMS including, at a minimum, the username, time, date, and the specific change(s) made to the web site.

5. Include multimedia applications such as streaming video and a photo library.

6. Ensure that all information is easily accessible to viewers, specifically final investigation reports and open government information.

7. Periodically test the site to ensure accessibility issues are addressed.

The Contractor shall be responsible for making periodic changes requested by the agency to the appearance or content of static web pages, menus, dynamic page templates, or other feature of the site that are not controlled by the CMS. Minor changes, such as changing the text of page, replacing a photo, adding link(s) or documents, shall be implemented within 48 hours.

Any emergency requests should be resolved within 4 hours. For more significant changes, such as changing the architecture, organizations or graphics of the site, the Contractor shall provide and agree upon a schedule with the agency.

5.4 Continuity of Operations and Portability Plan (COPP)

The Contractor shall maintain a COPP for the entire period of the task order. This plan shall address, and the Contractor shall provide, all of the following:

1. Daily back-ups, and rapid emergency recovery, of the website and associated data and files. In particular, the plan should address both local (e.g., disk-to-disk) and offsite (e.g., disk-to-tape) backup of website data.

2. Shall provide a mechanism for the agency to receive a backup copy of the website information biweekly.

3. The continuity of operations plan shall be reviewed and updated as needed, not less than once a year.

4. Portability of the redesigned website to a new website hosting company, including but not limited to:

a) Taking the current website and moving it to a new website provider while guaranteeing continuity of operation standards, and

b) Ensuring that the CMS is compliant with all current portability and accessibility standards as they relate to government websites.

Following any changes, the Contractor shall provide an updated copy to the agency and a current copy sent to the COR with the October and April monthly reports.

5.5 E-marketing System

The Contractor shall provide a system for automatic email distribution of news releases, job announcements, and/or incident news report links to users of the agency website.

Public web users shall be enabled to subscribe, modify subscription preferences, and unsubscribe using a website form without the need to contact the agency directly.

The Contractor shall ensure that all personal information submitted through the e-marketing subscription service, including, but not limited to, user email addresses, is protected from inadvertent disclosure to outside parties. The Contractor shall not purposely disclose any information submitted through the e-marketing subscription service to any party other than the agency COR. Any unauthorized disclosure (intentional or unintentional) of personal information in the possession of the Contractor made to any party other than the agency COR shall be reported by the Contractor to the agency in accordance with the agency Breach Notification Policy (Board Order 034, Appendix J will be provided to Contractor at time of award). The Contractor shall indemnify and hold the agency harmless in the event of any unauthorized disclosure (intentional or unintentional) of personal information by the Contractor.

The Contractor's E-Marketing System shall:

1. Allow users to choose the time and date that these materials will be distributed.

2. Allow subscribers to choose the kinds of content they wish to receive via email.

3. Be operated via secure, remote access by agency staff. Control of the e-marketing shall be integrated into the remote CMS if technologically feasible.

4. Have scheduling capabilities, so that content can be entered and programmed for future distribution at a specified time and date.

5. Be designed to accommodate at least 1200 automailed messages per year and 50,000 subscribers.

The agency currently has approximately 50,000 subscribers to agency news releases and 10,000 subscribers to agency job announcements. The e-marketing should allow for 150,000 emails sent per month.

5.6 Web User Support

The website shall include the Contractor’s contact information in a conspicuous (i.e., small "Contact Us" in the corner of the homepage), yet readily accessible, location so that users (agency and public) encountering technical difficulties or navigation problems may contact the "help desk" for assistance. The

"Contact Us" link shall provide users with a telephone number and an email address. The Contractor shall be available via the telephone and email inbox continuously and the Contractor shall respond to user inquiries within 30 minutes and provide a resolution to the user as soon as possible but not more than 24 hours from the initial contact.

5.7 Usage Tracking

The Contractor shall continuously monitor website traffic. The Contractor shall capture the following data for report to the agency for all users that visit the website:

1. Page(s) visited

2. File(s) downloaded

3. Host IP address

4. Entry page

5. Exit page

6. Visit duration

7. Daily unique visitors

8. Country of origin

9. Referring site (if any)

10. Set up and maintenance of the agency’s google analytics page

The Contractor shall provide quarterly summaries data to the agency throughout the period of the task order. The Contractor shall ensure that this information is not shared with any party other than agency COR. Any request for this information shall be immediately sent to the COR and may only be released with a written authorization from the agency legal counsel.

5.8 Other Requirements

The Contractor shall provide information for any federally required audit of the security or other features of the web site. The Contractor shall promptly notify the COR of inquiries or requests received and may only release the information specifically authorized in writing by the agency legal counsel.

All modifications to the website, other than routine postings, and changes to the CMS shall be tested and reviewed with agency staff using a separate, nonpublic development server prior to implementation on the production-level server.

All changes to the website, production server configuration and content CMS shall be fully documented, including changes to architecture, code, settings, databases, and configurations.

Documentation shall describe who performed the change, the time and date, reason for the change, and the outcome. The Contractor shall provide documentation of changes to the agency on request.

The Contractor shall be responsible for testing (on a development server), implementing on the production server), and documenting all necessary software and security updates and patches.

The Contractor shall propose and be responsible for the acquisition and appropriate licensing of all computer hardware and software required to perform under this task order, except that the agency will be responsible for acquiring any hardware or software used by agency personnel for remotely accessing and using the CMS, e-marketing system, and user form databases. Any hardware or software purchased by the Contractor in order to perform the services under this task order shall remain the property of the Contractor.

5.9 Ongoing tasks

Ongoing within-scope tasks related to website development and technical assistance shall be submitted to the contractor on an ongoing basis.

6.0 MONTHLY REPORTS

The COR will hold monthly virtual meetings occurring the first week of the month to ensure adequate progress and maintenance of the website. Meetings will summarize each task listed in Section 5.0 for the preceding month and include the following information to the extent for which it is applicable for the reporting period:

1) Hosting, Download and Network Monitoring Summary.

A summary of the total up-time and down-time of the website for the preceding calendar month, all download data, and summary network monitoring data (such as file integrity data).

This information call be provided the first 10 days of the following month.

2) Re-design.

An improved, re-designed, website fully tested on the development server and released on the production server with all design documentation sent to the agency. Progress of this shall be included on the monthly report for the time period applicable. This task should be completed within a year of awarding the contract.

3) Improvement Recommendations

4) Content Management System.

On the monthly report, a summary of all actions taken by the CMS including, at a minimum, the username, time, date, and the specific change(s) made to the web site.

5) Biweekly Website backup.

6) Continuity of Operations and Portability Plan.

Updated copy to the agency following any change and a current copy sent to the COR with the October and April monthly reports.

7) E-Marketing System.

A summary of what correspondences were sent out and on what date they were sent.

8) Application Development.

A summary of the development progress for the time period for which it is applicable.

9) User Support.

A log of all inquiries, solutions, and time from report to resolution.

10) Usage Tracking.

Summary data on website usage.

11) Other Requirements

The information outlined in Section 5.8

6.1 MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS

Ongoing Tasks

Additional required reports related to website development and technical assistance shall be submitted to the contractor on an ongoing basis. This will be in relation to any ongoing task which are assigned.

In addition to these progress reports, the Contractor shall promptly report to the COR any noteworthy accomplishments, significant problems, and/or other matters requiring immediate attention. It is particularly important that the Contractor immediately report to the COR any issues that might adversely affect the performance schedule or delivery date for any tasks and/or deliverables. The COR may ask the Contractor for informal progress updates at any time.

7.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

The Government will evaluate the Contractor’s performance under this Contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). This plan is primarily focused on what the Government does to ensure that the Contractor performs in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s). The Government intends to use the methods delineated in the QASP provided herein as Attachment 1.

Deliverables Table

DELIVERABLE 508

COMPLIANT

Y/N

FREQUENCY or DUE

DATE

MEDIUM FORMAT

Transition Phase N Within 2 months of the contract award

Website

Redesign Y Within one year of contract award

Website

Hosting Y Full Hosting is taken over by contractor withing 2 months of contract award

Website

Application Development

Y Ongoing Projects Assigned for website improvement and completed with 2 weeks of assignment

Website

Web User Support N Assistance with the website provided by the contract

Phone or email

Usage Traffic N Monthly Reports Word, adobe

Other Requirements

Y Ongoing throughout Contract

Various Website Based Tasks

Ongoing Tasks Y Ongoing throughout Contract

Various Website based tasks

8.0 CONTRACT TYPE

This task order will be Firm-Fixed Price with a minimal set amount for website improvements throughout the duration of the contract

9.0 CONFIDENTIALITY AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST

At the time of task order award, the Contractor and all personnel assigned to perform work for the Government under this task order will be required to complete a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement.

List of Attachments

Attachment 1 – Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

Attachment 1 - Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

Deliverable

Performance Standard / Acceptable Quality Level (AQL)

Monitoring Method

Incentive/Disincentive

3.0 WEBSITE

COMPLIANCE

100% Compliance Random Sampling by

COTR

Incentive: If Contractor performs requirement in accordance with performance standard/AQL, full payment will be made.

Disincentive: If Contractor does not perform requirement in accordance with performance standard/AQL, unfavorable comments will be documented on Contractor’s past performance.

5.1 Hosting

Continuous access of website to the public 24x7x365

Incentive: If Contractor performs requirement in accordance with performance standard/AQL, full payment will be made.

Disincentive: If Contractor does not perform requirement in accordance with performance standard/AQL, unfavorable comments will be documented on Contractor’s past performance.

5.3 Content

Management

Minor changes are completed within 48 hours accordance with performance standard/AQL, full payment will be made.

Disincentive: If Contractor does not perform requirement in accordance with performance standard/AQL, unfavorable comments will be documented on Contractor’s past performance.

5.5 Automailer

System accordance with performance standard/AQL, full payment will be made.

Disincentive: If Contractor does not perform requirement in accordance with performance standard/AQL, unfavorable comments will be documented on Contractor’s past performance.

5.7 Web User

Support accordance with performance standard/AQL, full payment will be made.

Disincentive: If Contractor does not perform requirement in accordance with performance standard/AQL, unfavorable comments will be documented on Contractor’s past performance.

6.0 MONTHLY

REPORTS

Received by the COTR on the 5th of each month accordance with performance standard/AQL, full payment will be made.

Disincentive: If Contractor does not perform requirement in accordance with performance standard/AQL, unfavorable comments will be documented on Contractor’s past performance.