REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS REDESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND HOSTING OF THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION WEBSITE. April 2, 2019

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1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS REDESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND HOSTING OF THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION WEBSITE April 2, 2019 Requesting Organization: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, th Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC Contact: Mary Henkin, Digital Media Manager, ; OVERVIEW The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) seeks an experienced company to build a new website that will host our more than 70 conservation programs, media center, Where We Work map and grants library. This is a website redesign, and not an update to the current website. The top purpose of the website is to 1) educate the public and stakeholders about NFWF and work being done on the ground by our grantees, and 2) integrate with Easygrants, NFWF s grants management system. The website should highlight NFWF s mission and work through our videos, stories and imagery. The Foundation is not a membership-based organization, and does not run on donations. It is a grantmaking organization whose website should serve current and prospective grantees, partners and conservation enthusiasts. Our top priority is a website that is user-friendly, both on the back end for NFWF s website manager and on the front end for the website s audience. The company selected will have experience in creating websites that on the front end are intuitive to navigate, visually appealing, on-brand and incorporate the latest design aesthetics. User experience is extremely important to the Foundation. The company selected will also have experience in building websites with a large ecosystem and complex structure. The company will understand how to build a website back end that keeps content and images organized, and is user-friendly for the website manager. Overall, NFWF seeks a clean, forward-thinking website that is designed to remain current into the coming years. The new website should reflect who we are the nation s largest private conservation grant-maker. The Foundation has allocated up to $150,000 for this project, which is not to be exceeded. ABOUT THE NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 4,500 organizations and generated a conservation impact of more than $4.8 billion. Learn more at 1

2 AUDIENCE NFWF s audience includes current and prospective grantees, corporate funding partners, federal agency partners, lawmakers, and conservation experts. NFWF would like to grow our presence with private citizens interested in conservation, with interactive content explaining the work we ve funded and programs we run. PHASES AND DELIVERABLES 1) Research: Develop a report for NFWF based on our current website and discussions with the Foundation that establishes and outlines the new website s needs. 2) Content and Design: Establish content structure, design, branding guidelines and images. Submit three mock-ups for NFWF to choose from. 3) Content Migration: Migrate content from Sharepoint database. 4) Website Development: Create a website that allows for exceptional user experience and back end usability. Ensure all migrated content and images are organized in the back end of the site. 5) Where We Work Map: The agreed upon map vendor will produce the project map. The website vendor must assure compatibility and functionality. 6) Beta Website and Training: Test website across platforms and devices. Resolve any final issues. Train NFWF s communications department on how to update the website. 7) Launch: Release the new website. Submit a website style guide to NFWF. BUDGET Our budget for the new website is up to $150,000, which is not to be exceeded. This budget includes the seven (7) Phases and Deliverables outlined in the previous section. CURRENT WEBSITE Our current website is built on outdated Microsoft Office SharePoint software. Issues with our current website s front end include a poor site map and difficult navigation, clutter, and outdated layout, visual design and images. Issues with our current website s back end include limited capabilities with editing page layouts, outdated widgets, and poor SEO, organization and navigation. NEW WEBSITE FUNCTIONALITY REQUIREMENTS: FRONT END Superb User Experience and User Interface design (UX/UI) Please see Appendix A for further information on the UX/UI design. NFWF seeks a website with exceptional UX/UI design. This includes building the website s wireframe and prototype, and testing for usability. Following, design and interactive elements will add depth to and enliven the website. Done well, this was allow users to read through and navigate the webpage fluidly, and subtly imply action cues. Mobile-responsive NFWF seeks a mobile-responsive webpage, allowing a website to adjust to a user s screen size based on the devise, so that it remains functional, legible and aesthetically pleasing across platforms. It is important that our audience can use our website properly from their mobile devices, and that they are not turned away from using the site as a result of it not functioning properly. Our mobileresponsive website should work across all mobile devices, including Apple, Android and Windows. 2

3 Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) Consistent with Branding Guidelines The new website s CSS should allows NFWF to reinforce our brand across our website. This grows and solidifies our image and appearance. Cross-browser capability The new website should function across a person s browser of choice, including current versions of Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome and Safari. Grants Library NFWF seeks a new grants library that allows users to search for and read about past conservation projects. The grants library should be user-friendly, with a look and feel that matches the rest of the site. The grants library will consist of data that is currently being stored in Easygrants, our grants management system and a SQL database. High-quality Digital Media NFWF will supply the selected web vendor with a mixture of professional and grantee photos and videos that are of high resolution to use across the site. Photo: The web vendor will size the images appropriately. Video: Videos are a key strategy with NFWF s marketing plan. We produce three to five videos a year about the organization and our individual programs. The videos are used at fundraisers and events, and are shared widely on social media. It is extremely important to showcase these videos across our site in a powerful way for messaging. NFWF s videos should be integrated into the site in a sleek and innovative way. Vimeo Compatible NFWF uses Vimeo to host videos we produce, and the new website should be compatible with embedding Vimeo HTML code. Our Stories The website will include an Our Stories section, that is built with a tagging system, photo and video integration, and social media sharring buttons. The stories should be tagged by program, partners and grantee. Embedded Forms NFWF uses third-party platforms for the Foundation s mailing list and two donation pages. The Foundation seeks embedded forms that appear native on the new website for these sservices. Social Media Icons NFWF has active Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Vimeo accounts. It is important for users to easily be able to find those accounts. Donate Button A donate button should be included on the Foundation s homepage. The organization is not donation-driven, so this does not need to be a primary call to action. Currently, donations are processed by PayPal. RSS Button An RSS button should be included on the homepage and media center so that users can be ed when NFWF posts new announcements and press releases. Printable webpages When a user prints a webpage, the printed webpage should resemble the digital layout as closely as possible, while being functional. 3

4 NEW WEBSITE FUNCTIONALITY REQUIREMENTS: BACK END Secured Website Security is the No. 1 priority for NFWF. This plan will be implemented in consultation with IT. Content Management System NFWF is open to suggested content management systems. However, due to security issues, the Foundation is not seeking a WordPress site. Search Engine Optimized NFWF seeks a website that is search engine optimized across all program pages through editing webpage content and HTML to increase the relevance of specific keywords. NFWF also seeks the following to increase SEO: Title tags: An HTML tag that briefly and accurately describes the topic and theme of an individual webpage. It allows you to choose what the title of the website is in the search engine bar. Meta description tags: A snippet of HTML code in a webpage header that summarizes the content on the webpage. The content appears in search engine results under the title tag. Meta keywords tags: A snippet of HTML code placed on each webpage that helps tell search engines what the topic of a webpage is. Robust Tagging System A tagging system allows content to feed into particular sections of the website. NFWF would like this implemented across the entire website, allowing announcements, press releases, grant applications, stories, staff contact information, partner logos, documents and all content be tagged to ultimately to feed into the correct landing pages. A clear tagging system will allow for an orderly flow of information and keep the website clean and organized. Image Libraries Each program or section of the website should have its own image library, helping keep the back end organized. Video Libraries If certain videos require hosting directly on the site, those videos should have their own library, helping keep the back end organized. High-Quality Image Widget All images and logos should remain high-quality when uploaded to the website. Documents Library Each program or section of the website should have its own documents library, helping keep the back end organized. Site Caching The new website should include site caching to help with loading speed. URL Redirects The new website should have the capability to create URL redirects. Google Analytics Google Analytics should be integrated into the new website. 4

5 Google Analytics for PDFs NFWF produces several reports and business plans that remain in PDF format. The Foundation would like to be able to track their clicks. Google Analytics can track clicks on links to PDFs through one of two ways: 1) setting up an event to track clicks on a PDF link or 2) setting up a virtual pageview for the PDF. NFWF would like this set up for each PDF uploaded to the website. Google Search Console The new website should be integrated with Google Search Console, a free service that measures the site s search traffic and performance, and notes SEO issues. Twitter Card meta tag Twitter Card meta tags should be included in the HTML of each page of the new website so that Twitter generates previews when users link to our website pages. Facebook OpenGraph meta tag Facebook OpenGraph meta tags should be included in the HTML of each page of the new website so that Twitter generates previews when users link to our website pages. NEW WEBSITE WISH LIST ADA Compliancy Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the activities of places of public accommodations and requires newly constructed or altered places of public accommodation to comply with the ADA Standards. NFWF seeks to implement WCAG 2.0 AA on the website. WGAC 2.0 AA Guidelines can be found at Drag and Drop Functionality If possible, the website manager should be able to select page templates. The web manager should also be able to drag and drop web parts including image inserters, video inserters, text boxed, tables, etc. onto the page from a menu. WHERE WE WORK MAP Please see Appendix B for further information on the interactive Where We Work map. NFWF seeks an interactive Where We Work map that allows users to visually explore the projects the Foundation has funded across the country. The interactive Where We Work map is a separate section of the proposal and is its own line item. The Where We Work map section of the proposal should include the suggested map vendor, examples of the map vendor s work, and total cost of creating the map. CONTENT MIGRATION NFWF hosts its current website on an outdated SharePoint 2010 platform. Please include a separate line item on the cost of content migration. This cost is included in the total budget of up to $150,000. INTEGRATIONS/TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS The new website will need to integrate with the following systems: 1) EasyGrants, which is NFWF s grants management system and a SQL database, 2) PayPal, which NFWF captures donations through for both its general donation page and LEED certification donation page, and 3) ArcGIS, which individual programs build maps on. 5

6 WEBSITE HOSTING CRITERIA NFWF s current website is hosted internally, which includes the main site and sub-sites. Vendors are required to submit solutions for off-site hosting of the redesigned website. The proposal must identify at a minimum the following: 1) Cost-per-month: Must be specific if there are any data limitations or required add-ons 2) Hardware and Software Capabilities and Requirements: Including server operating system, web design software, database engine, whether it is a dedicated or shared server, etc. 3) Redundancy: Server redundancy, description of the backup schedule, backup media and backup storage locations 4) Network Specifications: Internet bandwidth, Internet connection redundancy and available room for growth 5) Maintenance Fees: For needed technical updates and questions after implementation stage Any hosting services proposals must acknowledge NFWF s ownership of its website and all website content. There should be no limits to NFWF if hosting is returned to NFWF s server. CONTINUED MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT The vendor must address how the website will continue to be supported post-launch. This includes operational support and established roles with clear responsibilities, accountabilities and skills to maintain a cohesive, consistent and state-of-art website. REFERENCES Please provice three to five examples of previous websites that your company built or redesigned as references of your past work. REQUIREMENTS AND TIMELINE April 12 April 26 May 10 June 3 November 15 December 17 Deadline for questions about the RFP to NFWF. Offerors should submit questions regarding this RFP via to Mary Henkin (mary.henkin@nfwf.org). NFWF will respond to all Offerors at the same time and with the same answers. All questions must be received no later than 5 PM EDT. Request for Proposals must be submitted electronically as an attachment to Mary Henkin (mary.henkin@nfwf.org) by 11:59 PM EDT. Statements must be provided in Word format or searchable PDF. NFWF will select finalists and notify all applicants of their status. NFWF will award a contract to the selected company. The company will complete the Beta version of the NFWF site for review. The new NFWF website will launch. 6

7 Appendix A User Experience and User Interface Design NFWF seeks a website with a layout, design and interactive elements that engage users and allow them to intuitively navigate throughout the site. Menu Bar The website s menu bar and overall site hierarchy should be organized in a logical, orderly format that allows users to easily locate information and navigate throughout the site. Text Linked text on the website should always have a visual cue, such as being underlined, and an interactive function, such as changing color or bolding. Buttons Linked buttons should always have an interactive function, such as changing color or zooming in when a user hovers over them. All buttons should be large enough that users don t have difficulty clicking on them. Images Linked images should always have an interactive function, such as zooming in or a gradient box appearing over them when a user hovers over them. Banners Images and text should transition smoothly when users click through page banners. Scrolling The website should load and transition smoothly as a user scrolls down or up a webpage. There should not be a delay in content loading. Search Bar A search bar should be available for site users, but should not be deemed necessary to navigate the site. The search bar should be incorporated into the site design so that it is easy to locate but does not stand out and go against the site design. Search Results When a user utilizes the search bar, the results page should follow the same design aesthetic as the rest of the website, and appear organic in the space. The list it generates should keep the same font, font size, color, and overall appearance as the rest of the website. The search result should include page names and summaries. It should not include the date the webpage was built, the webpage size, or any icons indicating what type of page the website was set up on through the back end of the site. A user s experience should not be interrupted by using the website s search function. Mobile User experience should be taken heavily into account when designing for mobile. Any of the categories mentioned above, and any further suggestions offered by the company, should transition to the website s mobile design. There should not be a disruption to user experience when navigating the website from their handheld device. The website should be an organic environment and users should be able to navigate it with ease. 7

8 Appendix B Interactive Map NFWF seeks a clean and modern interactive Where We Work map that features our grant projects in the most user-friendly way possible. The map should be detailed and visual, while protecting the privacy of the individual landowner. NFWF s current interactive map is hosted on ArcGIS. The map s speed, visuals and interactivity is cluttered and outdated. The new map should run faster, and provide an easier and more intuitive data visualization for the user. It should be more streamlined than the current map, with options removed that are not needed for user interaction, e.g. unnecessary base maps. It will display project data points and summaries in a more user-friendly way, and remove repetitious information. The interactive map is a separate section and its own line item within the proposal. In the Where We Work map section of your Proposal, please submit your 1) suggested mapping vendor, 2) samples of the vendor s work and 3) the cost. The total cost of the website plus the Where We Work map is not to exceed up to $150,000. Map Vendor Selection NFWF must review and approve of the map vendor prior to a map vendor being selected. Map Data The current map functions by pulling data from Blue Raster and EasyGrants. The map vendor selected will communicate with NFWF s data vendors to pull the data into the map. Map Search Function The map should have extensive search functions that allows a user to search previously funded projects based on the following categories: landscape, location, program name, project funder, species and theme. The resolution of the spatial data will protect the privacy of the individual landowner. NFWF envisions this search function as a drop down menu by category, and with the ability to overlay data, such as partner and location. Map Design and Implementation The map vendor will create the map in consultation with the selected website vendor and NFWF, which will inform the map vendor of NFWF s vision for the final product, including how its brand should be incorporated into the map, what content will be migrated from the current map and what new functionalities may be needed. Map Longevity This will be a living map that will be updated as NFWF awards new grants. NFWF will need access to updating the map s data and basic design to keep the map current once the initial product is complete. 8