York University
Procurement Services
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada, M3J 1P3
Description:
1.1 Objectives
The objective of this RFP is to engage qualified and experienced Proponent to provide the Work specified in Section 6.0.
1.2 Background
Launched in 2015, the Community Workspace on Homelessness (www.workspaceonhomelessness.ca) is a bilingual, forum-based website hosted on IGLOO Software. Its purpose is to allow users to share information, seek input and guidance from others and have discussions around homelessness in both public and private spaces. Following consultations with our users, this RFP is in search of a vendor who can redesign the website, including a new, modern interface, on a platform that is truly bilingual and fully customizable. The website is managed by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (COH) and receives funding from the Government of Canada’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy.
The COH is a non-partisan research and policy partnership between academics, policy and decision makers, service providers and people with lived experience of homelessness. Housed at York University, the COH evolved out of a 2008 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funded project called the Canadian Homelessness Research Network. Led by Dr. Stephen Gaetz, CEO & President, the COH collaborates with partners to conduct and mobilize research that contributes to better, more effective solutions to homelessness.
In an effort to bridge the gap between research, policy and practice, the COH goes beyond the mandate of a traditional research institute. As the largest homelessness-dedicated research institute in the world, we support service providers, policy makers, and governments to improve their capacity to end homelessness. Our philosophy is simple: through research, evaluation and design, we can develop evidence-based solutions and together, solve homelessness.
Learn more about the COH at www.homelesshub.ca/COH
1.3 Deliverables
1.3.1 Website Statistics
COH using Google Analytics to track page and content views and audience. The website has approximately 2,000 registered users. Overall, we average about 1,000 unique visitors per month.
1.3.2 Audience
The workspace is intended for those working in the homelessness sector across Canada:
- Service providers/front-line workers/program managers
- Policy makers/Government
- Researchers/academics
1.3.3 Website Structure and Content
Proponent shall migrate the existing pages, folders and discussions from Igloo to the new platform.
Current main menu sections include:
- Home
- Homelessness
- Youth
- PiT Counts
- Housing First
- HPS
- PT Corner
- Training Faculty (Private)
- A Way Home (Private)
With the redesign, COH shall simplify the main menu and shall provide a final sitemap to the selected Proponent.
1.3.4 High Level Functionality
The list below includes the functionality the new Workspace website shall have:
- Site Administration, user levels:
- Super Admin – Can add new spaces/pages, delete users, broadcast messages to all site members, add events, start new discussions, create folders
- Page Admin – Can manage dedicated page(s), add events, broadcast messages to dedicated page members, start new discussions, create folders
- Content Editor – Can edit content on designated pages only
- Authenticated Users – Can comment on discussions and start new discussions
- Public and Private pages (spaces)
- Spaces should have folders to store content (PDFs, PPTs, Word docs)
- Page-specific forums
- Forums that update in real time (example: Reddit)
- Search feature
- Events Calendar – Super Admin and Page Admin users can add events to the website.
- User Directory
- Mobile-Friendly
All of the above features must be fully bilingual.
1.3.5 User Interface Design
The successful Proponent, in consultation with the COH’s design team, will design a new, modern interface for the workspace. The website must be responsive and adapt to desktop, tablet and mobile resolutions.
1.4 Technology
The Proponent shall identify the technology that will be used for the new workspace website and why it is the ideal fit for this project. Technology must adhere to Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) legislation.
York will only consider Proposal submissions received from Proponents who have registered with MERX (www.MERX.com) for this competitive bid. Proposal submissions from Proponents who have not registered and obtained this Bid Document directly from MERX will be disqualified.
Tendering Website:
Proponents will find the complete RFP Documents at: https://www.merx.com/
Pricing and Payment Terms are available on the MERX website, respectively.
Procurement Method:
Open tender whereby all interested Proponents may submit a Proposal.
Estimated Quantities:
Available within the RFP Documents.
Submission Details:
Proponents shall submit their Proposal response at: https://yorku.bonfirehub.ca
Submission Deadline:
September 6, 2018 at 3:00:00pm EST.
Public Opening:
Not Applicable.
Conditions for Participation:
Available within the tender document.
Mandatory Submission Requirements:
- Executive Summary and Qualifications
- Methodology and Timetable/Workplan
- References/Past Experience
- Financial Considerations
- Acknowledgement
Complete submission requirements are provided within the RFP documents.
Scored Submission Requirements:
- Mandatory Requirements
- Qualifications, Experience
- Approach
- Scope of Work; and
- Financial Evaluation
Complete submission requirements are provided within the RFP documents.
This procurement is covered by Chapter 5 of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement.
Delivery Date:
[Service implemented by a tentative date of September 2018
Duration of Agreement:
The initial term of the Agreement shall be for thirty-six (36) months, with two (2) optional twelve (12) month extensions; for a potential Term of sixty (60) months.
Additional Options:
Available within the tender document.
Negotiation:
York reserves the right in its sole discretion to negotiate modifications to any Proposal received without becoming obligated to offer to negotiate with any other Proponent(s).
Responses must be submitted in English.
Proponents should note that information contained within this notice is subject to change. Proponents are encouraged to download the tender document which contain the most current information.
If there is a conflict between the RFP documents and this RFP Notice, the RFP documents will take precedence.
