27-01 Web Development & Support Services

Massachusetts College of Art and Design is requesting proposals for Web Development & Support Services for MassArt.edu under RFP 27-01, with proposals due July 24, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST and finalist interviews scheduled for the week of July 27, 2026. Written questions are due July 15, 2026. No set-aside or preference program applies.

The scope covers ongoing maintenance and technical support (12–20 hours monthly), accessibility remediation to WCAG 2.1 AA standards (10–20 hours monthly), consultation and planning services (4–6 hours monthly), and front-end development and strategic enhancements (12–25 hours monthly) for a WordPress-based website hosted on Pantheon containing approximately 3,655 pages and records including 274 basic pages, 176 program pages, 864 news posts, 575 featured artworks, 770 user profiles, and 5,000+ media items. Vendors must demonstrate a minimum of five years of experience supporting complex websites for American higher education institutions, public-sector organizations, or nonprofits, and must have been in business for a minimum of four years. Required qualifications include direct WordPress and Pantheon experience, full-stack development, WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, website security and performance optimization, and live support availability 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST. Preferred qualifications include prior experience with higher education recruitment websites, arts and cultural institutions, and specific platforms such as Localist, Slate, Mailchimp, Accessible Web, and Google Analytics.

The contract will be awarded to a single contractor for an initial one-year term with MassArt reserving the right to extend for up to two additional one-year periods. Compensation is time-and-materials on a monthly invoice basis with no guaranteed minimum volume; payment is made in arrears within 30 days of invoice receipt. Either party may terminate without cause with 30 days' advance written notice. Other Massachusetts public higher education institutions may use this competitively bid contract. Award will be based on lowest overall cost meeting all mandatory specifications and representing best value for the Commonwealth. Bidders unable to meet any specification may propose alternative methods, which may receive preference if they provide substantially better or more cost-effective performance. Proposals must include long-term support evidence, technical and strategic approach documentation, project management methodology, service-level policies, staffing plans with key personnel resumes, and three United States-based client references from higher education or similarly complex environments. Anticipated award is the week of August 3, 2026.