Request for proposals (RFP) recreation software update

The Wausau and Marathon County Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department is issuing a Request for Proposals for a complete, turnkey recreation software platform to replace their current system expiring November 3, 2026. The procuring jurisdiction is Marquette County, Wisconsin, and the desired outcome is implementation of a single, centralized, web-based system capable of processing camping reservations (164 campsites across 3 campgrounds), facility reservations (2 ice sheets and 90+ reservable spaces), recreation program registration, membership management, and point-of-sale operations. The platform must be fully responsive across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices with a minimum Google Lighthouse score of 90; comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards; support 5,000+ simultaneous users; process approximately $1.5 million in annual transactions; offer native multilingual support; enable email and SMS communications; and include event ticketing and merchandise sales modules. The solution must integrate with the County's existing Teller Cashiering and Workday financial systems and support Stripe or equivalent payment processing, Apple Pay, Google Pay, contactless Tap-to-Pay, and Buy Now, Pay Later services. Vendors must provide at least three verifiable public-sector references from clients managing 50 or more campsites and demonstrate that primary engineering and design operations are located within the Continental United States. The County will evaluate proposals based on ability to process transactions, year-round capability, user-friendly interface, quality of references, service costs, and implementation timeline. Questions must be submitted in writing by 12:00 p.m. Friday, February 6, 2026, and electronic proposals are due by 12:00 p.m. CST on Monday, February 16, 2026, with the selected system required to be implemented and live on or before November 3, 2026.

There are no identified set-aside designations or restrictions limiting responses based on organization type or disadvantaged enterprise status. Vendors must maintain current SOC 2 Type I and Type II certifications, PCI Level 1 compliance for payment systems, and HIPAA compliance where applicable. The RFP does not identify an incumbent vendor or current contractor by name. Pricing must be submitted as itemized line-item costs separated into one-time implementation expenses and ongoing annual fees through December 31, 2028, with two optional one-year renewal periods; implementation costs must be broken down by project management, configuration, data migration, testing, and go-live support, while annual recurring costs should include licenses, subscriptions, hosting, maintenance, and support with any price escalators disclosed. The County estimates approximately $1.5 million in annual transactions, suggesting a substantial contract value, though no specific budget range or award value is stated in the RFP. Standard insurance requirements include General Liability ($5,000,000), Professional Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), and Automobile Liability ($5,000,000), with dispute resolution governed by Wisconsin law and a one-year warranty from date of receipt required under Marathon County Standard Terms and Conditions.