TOWNSHIP OF OTONABEE-SOUTH MONAGHAN

Request of Qualifications and Price Proposal

For Design and Redevelopment
of the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan
website: www.osmtownship.ca

Issue Date: 28 May, 2015

Closing Date: 15 June, 2015
Closing Time: On or before 12:00 noon

Table of Contents
Section
1.0
2.0
2.1
2.2

3.0
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
3.10

4.0
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5

5.0
5.1
5.2

6.0
7.0
7.1
7.2

8.0
Declaration

Page
General Background
The Project
Primary Goals
Optional Items

General Terms and Conditions

General and Specific Requirements
Contact Information
Compliance
Freedom of Information
Employment Insurance & Workplace Safety
and Insurance Act
Employees
The Occupational Health and Safety Act
Confidentiality
Disclaimer
Warranty

Request for Proposal Process

Pre-Submission Request for Information
Proposal Addenda
Additional Information
Accept/Reject
Cancellation of Request for Proposal

Proposal Requirements
Proponent Background and Experience
Proposal

Schedule of Events
Submission Requirements
Closing Date and Time
Proposal Opening and Results

Scoring of Qualifications and Price

2
3-4
3-4
4

4-7
4-5
5
5
5
5-6
6
6
6
6
7

7-8
7
7-8
8
8
8

8-9
8-9
9

9
9-10
9
10

10-11
12

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1.0

General Background

Nestled on the north shore of Rice Lake and along the banks of the Otonabee and
Indian Rivers, you will find the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan in
Peterborough County , Ontario, Canada. Located on the Trent-Severn Waterway ,
Otonabee-South Monaghan is the gateway to the Kawartha Lakes region. OSM
Township offers a rural retreat of rolling hills, hidden valleys and sparkling waters. Our
countryside is the perfect destination for weekend outings with fresh air, local fare, oneof-a-kind and vintage finds.
Our primary goal is to have a fully accessible website that is mobile and tablet friendly.
The Township website needs to be redeveloped to keep it up-to-date with technology
and to better showcase all that the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan has to
offer. Our current website has many limitations including the search engine, calendar,
photo gallery, and overall design of the website.
The Township is requesting a combined Statement of Proponents Background and
Experience combined with Proposal Price from Proponents capable of
development/redevelopment of the website (www.osmtownship.ca), as per
specifications set out in, but not limited to, The Project (Section 2.0)
Proponents wishing to submit a proposal should do so no later than 12:00 noon,
Monday June 15, 2015 by submitting a PDF format copy of the proposal and any
accompanying documents, including a letter of submission signed by an authorized
representative of the consultant via email to Eleanor J. Rath, Chief Administrative
Officer at ejrath@osmtownship.ca
It is understood that the information in the Statement of Proponents Background and
Experience and the Proposal Price shall be the general basis for the selection of the
Proponent to provide this professional service. The Township expects to select the
highest scoring Proponent based on a structured scoring evaluation which shall include
three reference websites.
The evaluation shall consider each Proponents ability to perform the required service,
their experience and reference check, the personnel assigned to the actual project
work, the quality of the work plan, the costs of the project, and the time period in which
the project will be completed.
The Township reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals or to accept any
Proposal should it be deemed to be in its best interest to do so.
The Township reserves the right to change, make additions or subtractions to the
website request for proposal throughout the process. All changes with a project price
implication must be discussed, put into writing and signed off by the CAO prior to
implementation.

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2.0

The Project

The project will encompass the re-development and design of the Township of
Otonabee-South Monaghan website www.osmtownship.ca. The Township website
serves several purposes:
It is a place to display news and notices, community events, etc.;
Provides a business directory;
It displays information about Council, the services provided by the various
departments of the municipality including forms, contact information and links to
the Township Meeting Management system (civic web); and
It is a resource for residents and visitors that clearly defines the community and
all it has to offer its citizens via a mix of visually appealing text, photos, and
graphics which may include links to external resources.
Due to the many functions of the site, we need to ensure that all information is easy to
locate by users and is accessible by persons with disabilities. As well, due to the limited
availability of high speed access and cell phone reception to many of our residents,
information will need to be designed to be accessible by all, broadband and dial-up
connectivity included.

2.1 Primary Goals (Mandatory):

Requirements:
1. Hosted website on a secure server, password protected with 24/7 access and
support;
2. Mobile and tablet friendly;
3. Meet or exceed compliance with Integrated Accessibility Standards, as made under
the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005;
4. Utilize a common theme and consistent design throughout;
5. Ensure the site is reflective of Townships corporate image- farms, fishing, families;
6. Develop an easy to use navigation system including drop down menus and quick
links;
7. Provide easy to use content management system with WYSIWYG for document
editing and flexible design to be administered by internal staff;
8. Dynamic web pages using client and server side scripting languages
(JavaScript, ASP, JSP, PHP);
9. Image optimization (have all graphics/photos load quickly);
10. Integrated search engines for electronic versions of documents (e.g. PDFs),
including Meeting Management system if possible;
11. Alt tags and keyword customization to ensure search engine optimization;
12. Alternate content when plug-ins arent installed;
13. Minimum browser functionality requirements;
14. Ability to upload standard file and photo formats including PDF, Word, jpeg etc.;
15. Google Analytics dashboard set-up;
16. Integration
with
social
media,
where
appropriate
(@OSMTownship,
@OSMRecreation);

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17. Community Calendar displayed on homepage and administered by Township staff;

18. Style guide (Header, font, colours etc.) throughout website, built in automatically for
new pages;
19. Contact information centralized for all departments;
20. Employment opportunities;
21. News and Notices displayed on homepage;
22. Integration with external applications from user perspective. (County GIS, Waste
App, Meeting Management System);
23. Area for Department function specific information;
24. Fire Department Password protected portion of the site with the ability to post
memos/notices, operating guidelines, training schedules, directives and pictures of
training exercises, department events etc.;
25. Business Directory

2.2 Optional Items:

1. Different levels of user permissions;
2. Ability to track updates for version control and audit function;
3. Ability to extract information for distribution list (i.e. Business Directory);
4. An approach to speaking to multiple audiences (residents vs. tourists);
5. Homepage clean looking A-Z listing;
6. FAQ;
7. Add/delete content management system users;
8. Custom page naming;
9. Emergency alert area.
Proponent is encouraged to include additional solutions and recommendations not
stated above that would enhance the functionality and further reflect the corporate
image of the Township.

3.0

General Terms and Conditions

3.1 General and Specific Requirements

a) This project must address all the usual components of a website design and
include the items set out in The Project (Section 2.0) of this document.
b) The website design is to be developed with input from the Website Committee.
The successful Proponent is required to arrange with the CAO, the location and
timing of the required start up meeting with the Website Committee within 10
days of the award.
c) The successful Proponent is required to set out in detail, the development and
implementation strategies for the various components of their proposal and the
time lines attached thereto. The successful Proponent will be required to provide
bi-weekly status updates. As part of the proposal, the Proponent will provide a
work schedule including the date that the website will be available for Website
Committee review and for public launch. Please note that the Townships goal is
to have the website in place by September 30, 2015.

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d) Upon completion of the final website design, the ownership of all source code
and intellectual property of the finished design will remain the property of the
Corporation of the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan.
e) The Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan website requires a password
protected area for our Fire Department personnel to access confidential
information. The information contained in this section is sensitive and discretion
will be of the utmost importance.
f) Although the Township intends to provide most or all photos, maps and text,
please include in your quote, as a separate and distinct component, prices for
the inclusion of stock photos or creation of graphics based on an hourly rate.
g) The proposal must include a listing of any additional software, hardware,
communication requirements, cost of initial training for a minimum of five (5)
Township employees, integration needs and costs necessary to host and
maintain the Website.
h) The Proponent shall not assign the contract or any portion thereof without the
prior written consent of the Township.

3.2

Contact Information

The successful Proponent may contact Mallory Arthur at marthur@osmtownship.ca,

during normal working hours (Monday Friday 8:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m.) with questions
related to the detailed specification of the nature of the work required.

3.3

Compliance

The Proponent shall comply with relevant federal, provincial, and municipal statutes,
regulations and by-laws pertaining to the work and its performance. The Proponent
shall be responsible for ensuring similar compliance by its suppliers and
subcontractors, including rights for use of any photos or graphics.

3.4

Freedom of Information

The Proponent hereby consents to disclosure of their total project price, pursuant to the
Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, C.M. 56.
Any other information in proposal document would only be available pursuant to the
act.

3.5

Employment Insurance & Workplace Safety and Insurance Act

a)

The successful Proponent shall be responsible for Employment

Insurance and Workplace Safety and Insurance Act contributions and
other incidental expenses, and no extras will be allowed for such items.

b)

The successful Proponent, at its expense, shall obtain and file with the
Municipality prior to commencement of the work and shall keep in force
until the work is completed comprehensive general liability insurance in
respect of the work (including insurance for personal injury and property
damage in respect of all equipment and all motor vehicles used or to be

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used in connection with the work and contractual liabilities) with minimum
inclusive limits of $2,000,000, all with such insurers and in such forms as
may be approved by the Municipality, with the Municipality added as an
additional third party insured (with a cross liability endorsement provision
provided in such insurance policy).

3.6

Employees

In the performance of the contract, the successful Proponent shall be an independent

contractor. Neither the Proponent nor any of their employees shall be deemed to be
employees of the Municipality.

3.7

The Occupational Health and Safety Act

The Proponent shall comply with all conditions and regulations of the
Occupational Health and Safety Act 1990 and Regulations for construction projects and
amendments thereto, any other Federal or Provincial Statute or Local By-Law
concerning safety or any other phase of his/her work on the contract.

3.8

Confidentiality

The successful Proponent recognizes that it will, by the nature of the items being
supplied for the Municipality, have access to confidential information. It is understood
and agreed that the Proponent, its employees, agents, representatives and officers,
(the "Proponent") shall hold all information, whether confidential or not, in the strictest
confidence. The Proponent shall not disclose, nor permit by any act or failure to act the
disclosure of, any information to any third party at any time during or after the term of
its contract with the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan. Nor will the Proponent
use any information, however obtained, as a result of performing duties for the
Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan for its own commercial, financial, or personal
advantage. The Proponent also acknowledges that it may be held both criminally and
civilly responsible for any breach of confidentiality.

3.9

Disclaimer

The Proponent shall, at its expense, defend all claims, actions or proceedings against
the Township based on any allegations that the work or any part of the work constitutes
an infringement on any patent, copyright or other proprietary right and shall pay to the
Township all costs, damages, charges and expenses, including any legal fees.
The Proponent shall pay all royalties and patent license fees required for the work. If
the work or any part thereof is in any action or proceeding held to constitute an
infringement, the company shall forthwith either secure for the Township the right to
continue using the work, or shall at the Proponents expense, replace the infringing
items with non-infringing work or modify them so that the work no longer infringes.

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3.10

Warranty

The successful Proponent shall correct at their own expense, any defects in the
service. Further, the Proponent shall provide a name, cellphone number and email
address of the assigned personnel that will affect this warranty.

4.0

Request for Proposal Process

4.1 Pre-Submission and Request for Information

If any Proponent has questions concerning the Request for Proposal, finds
discrepancies or omissions in the solicitation document, or requires clarifications, such
matters should be submitted to:
Mallory Arthur
P.O. Box 70
Keene, Ontario, K0L 2G0

Telephone: 705-295-6852
Fax:
705-295-6405
email: marthur@osmtownship.ca

By 12 noon on Thursday, June 11, 3015.

All bidders who obtain a copy of the Request for Proposal package are required
to contact Mallory Arthur at marthur@osmtownship.ca to advise of their contact
information, should any addenda or clarifications be issued with respect to the
proposal document. The municipality reserves the right to supplement, add to, delete
from, and change this solicitation document. Proponents will be advised by email of any
changes that are made providing that contact with the Township has been made as
described above.
Contact with Council members is prohibited and can be considered as grounds for
disqualification from the selection process. Proponents are required to disclose any
potential conflicts of interest and existing business relationships with the municipality.

4.2

Proposal Addenda

It may be necessary for a variety of reasons to issue addenda, which may include, but
not be limited to:
a) correction to the Proposal documents and related forms
b) to extend closing dates for the proposal
c) clarification of parts of the Proposal documents
d) responses to specific questions asked by one proponent that the CAO feels
should be made available to all Proponents
e) retraction or cancellation of the Proposal.
All addenda will be issued via email. All addenda issued to Proponents who have
received Proposal documents will include a covering letter asking the recipient to
confirm receipt of the most recent addendum and any previous addendum via email.

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If a Proponent does not reflect the proper number of addenda issued on the Proposal
documents submitted, the Proposal may be rejected.
Although the Municipality will make every reasonable effort to ensure a Proponent
receives all addenda issued, it is the Proponents ultimate responsibility to ensure all
addenda have been received and the proper email address has been provided.

4.3

Additional Information

The Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan reserves the right to communicate with

one or more Proponents following the proposal close, to clarify elements of the
submission if, in the Townships sole view, such data or information is considered
pertinent to aid in the review and evaluation process.
4.4

Accept/Reject

The Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan may accept a Proposal in whole or in

part, whether the submitted price is the lowest or not, and may reject any or all
Proposals. There will be no requirement of this RFP, implied or otherwise, that the
Proposal representing the lowest submitted price would be selected or preferred. The
RFP process is used as a means of evaluating a number of criteria (one of which is
submitted price).
In the event that a favourable proposal does not exactly meet with the Township of
Otonabee-South Monaghan requirements, the Municipality reserves the right to enter
into negotiations with the Proponent to arrive at a mutually satisfactory arrangement
with respect to any modifications to the proposal.
Revised proposals will not be called for if only minor changes are contemplated.

4.5
Cancellation of Request for Proposal
The Township reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, in whole or in part, to
advertise for new proposals, to abandon the need for services, and to cancel or amend
the RFP at any time prior to the execution of the written contract.

5.0

Proposal Requirements

5.1 Proponents Background & Experience

Each Proponent must include the following information in a clear and concise manner:
a)

Provide the full name and main office address of the responding entity;

b) Identify when the Proponent was organized and if a corporation, when

incorporated and how many years engaged in this type of business/service;
c) Identify and set out the qualifications of any firms or individuals that the
Proponent intends to subcontract or otherwise use to perform work on this project;
d) Identify the personnel who would take the lead position in this request and set
out their particular qualifications and experience in carrying out this type of work;

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f) Identify where the website will be hosted will be hosted and how the website will
remain secure.
5.2

Proposal

Each proposal must respond to, or conform with each of the following areas in a clear
and concise manner:
a) Provide an initial concept sketch/vision of the Township Website Home Page;
b) Provide a clear and detailed work plan for project that addresses the items listed
in The Project (Section 2.0);
c) Provide a set price for the project. Included in the information will be the
expected payment schedule;
d) Specifically identify any additional work or services that exceed the services
requested herein and the associated costs thereof. If on an hourly basis, include
the estimated number of hours;
e) Provide 3 Municipal Website Design Projects that the Proponent has completed
in the last 3 years, as well as references contact information;
f) Identify the Township requirements and timelines to complete;
g) Annual cost of hosting services.

6.0 Schedule of Events

Item

Date

Request for RFQ and RFP Issued.

Proposal submission deadline.
Completion of evaluation and scoring of the
submissions.
Completion of Proposal (Website live on the Web).

May 28, 2015

June 15, 2015 at 12 noon

7.0

Submission Requirements

7.1

Closing Date and Time

June 19, 2015

September 30, 2015

Each Proponent shall submit a PDF format of the Proposal no later than 12:00 noon
on June 15, 2015 to CAO Eleanor Rath at ejrath@osmtownship.ca
The subject line must be clearly marked Website Request for Proposal.
RFPs submitted by other means will not be accepted.
Any Proposal received after the above deadline will be returned unopened to the
Proponent.

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7.2

Proposal Opening and Results

The initial RFP submissions will be viewed at 1 p.m. on June 15, 2015.
Proponents can contact the Municipal Office at 705-295-6852 after the opening to
obtain a list of proponents who have submitted a response.

8.0

Scoring of Qualifications and Price

The evaluation of the Qualifications and Price Proposal will be carried out by the
Website Committee. Failure to provide relevant information may result in penalties
being assessed on the evaluation score.
Proponents will be evaluated based on the evaluation matrix attached.
The evaluation matrix addresses the following criteria:
Qualifications to provide the service based on previous experience, capability
and resources;
Qualifications of the personnel responsible for creating the website in terms of
expertise and experience in doing similar projects for a municipality;
Understanding of the project;
Quality and comprehensiveness of the work plan;
The quality of the Proposal in terms of completeness, presentation, and timing;
Price, including project cost and annual fees (if any);
The overall impression gathered from the Website Committee during the review
of the reference websites;
The reference checks.
Selection of the Proponent to create the municipal website will be based upon
qualifications, experience, historical performance record, understanding of needs,
price, suggested innovations and the Proponents proven capabilities.
In addition to the data and documentation being submitted by the Proponent in
response to this request, the Township will also rely on the information received from
the references submitted with the proposal.

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TABLE I - Evaluation Matrix Statement of Qualifications

Criteria

Maximum
Points

1. Proponent Profile
General capabilities
Years of business experience
Corporate depth and resource
Specialist support services

Points
Scored

2. Proponent Experience
Complexities and size of websites
Quantity of similar websites
Qualifications and experience of personnel taking
the lead position in the request
Other relevant experience
Experience in meeting set schedules & budget
Reference Checks

35

3. Detailed Development and Implementation

Strategy
Understanding of the Project
Creativity:
o Innovation
o Methodology
o Approach
Clarity of presentation of services to be provided
Timing

35

Total score for all components other than price

75

TABLE II - Evaluation Matrix Price Proposal

Criteria

Maximum
Points

4. Price

25

Total score from Table 1

75

Total Score

100

Points
Scored

The Township reserves the right to reduce points scored for the price proposal based
on terms and conditions associate with the price proposal of exceptions taken which in
the Townships view would be unfavourable to it.

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Declaration
1. I/WE DECLARE that this Proposal is made without any connection, knowledge,
comparison of figures or arrangements with any other company, firm or person making
a Proposal for the same purchase and is in all respects fair and without collusion or
fraud.
2. I/WE DECLARE that all matters stated in the submitted Proposal are in all respects
true.
3. The undersigned have carefully read the Requirements as per the Request for
Proposal (RFP), and have satisfied ourselves as to the conditions under which the
transaction and subsequent items to be supplied, and do hereby submit a RFP to the
Municipal Corporation of the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan for the Redesign
and Development of the current Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan website:
www.osmtownship.ca
4. I/WE acknowledge that ________ addenda have been received and that it is my/our
ultimate responsibility to ensure all addenda issued have been received.
5. If selected as the successful bidder, I/We agree to abide by the terms as set out in
the Request for Proposal Qualifications and Price with its Specifications and provisions
for the price shown.
6. The price submitted shall be firm for a period of not less than ninety (90) calendar
days from the closing date of this Request for Proposal.
7. Terms for payment are dependent on the schedule submitted with the RFP.
Dated at_______________________ this ____________ day of _____________ 2015

)________________________________________
)
Signature
)
)________________________________________
)
Signing Authority (Print Name)
)
)________________________________________
)
Company Name
)
)________________________________________
)
Street Address/City/Town/Postal Code
)
)________________________________________
) Telephone
Email
Fax Number

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