March 2025 Request for Proposals:
Website Development for the Rockingham Planning Commission
ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND
The Rockingham Planning Commission (RPC), located in Exeter, NH, is one of nine regional planning commissions in New Hampshire. Enabled by state law, regional planning commissions are voluntary associations formed by local municipalities to provide technical assistance and plan for issues that span town and city boundaries. The RPC employs a small professional staff that serves 27 communities on a variety of issues, including transportation, land use planning, economic development and more.
The Rockingham Planning Foundation is a separate entity and has a 501(c)(3) designation. The purposes of the foundation are to promote and mobilize funding to support coordinated planning for housing, land use, transportation access, economic development, capital/infrastructure investment, resiliency to climate change, and environmental protection.
This mission aims to benefit the citizens and communities of the Rockingham Planning Commission planning region, to lessen the burdens of government, combat community deterioration, and aid in meeting the needs of underprivileged populations. The Foundation will pursue grant funding, otherwise inaccessible to the communities of the Rockingham Planning Commission planning region, to implement planning and infrastructure projects.
PROJECT GOAL
RPC’s existing website, www.theRPC.org, was last updated over ten years ago. RPC is seeking a qualified web developer to create a modernized, easily updated, more accessible website template.
The updated website will include a landing page for the Rockingham Planning Foundation. This is intended to provide basic information about the foundation, raise its profile, and allow donations to support the foundation.
RPC is seeking a site design that:
1) Leverages a proven content management system for streamlined website maintenance and updating information. WordPress is the Commission’s preferred content management system for cost, flexibility, and familiarity, but recommendations regarding alternatives will be considered.
2) Uses a theme that is stylistically consistent with the RPC while allowing the flexibility to add and edit text blocks, links, pictures, and event updates.
3) Modernizes the site and makes priority information easily accessible.
The existing RPC website contains an abundance of content. The selected developer will not be expected to migrate all content from the existing site to the new site. Instead, the selected firm will transfer only a limited subset of existing content, to be identified by RPC.
DELIVERABLE REQUIREMENTS
By the end of the project, the developer will have developed a modernized website for the RPC including the following:
- A visually engaging, mobile-responsive, up-to-date user interface utilizing a built-out, customizable theme.
- A flexible content management system (CMS), preferably WordPress or a similar alternative, that allows staff of varying levels of experience to create/edit web pages.
- “Core” pages with critical content included. Core pages include:
- Landing Page: A visually engaging landing page that can be controlled via the CMS to display the latest information including news, meetings, and events.
- Program Area Pages: Provide information about RPC core programs such as Land Use, Transportation, Coastal Resilience, GIS, and Environmental Planning.
- About Page: To provide information about the organization including information on RPC boards and committees and a staff bios page.
- A page for the Rockingham Planning Foundation, describing the foundation with a link to donate through a secure site or embedded secure donation feature.
- A searchable document library used to curate and present RPC reports and other publications[TR1] .
- A “Contact Us” footer that appears universally throughout the site with clickable icon links for the RPC’s general email address, social media links, address, and phone number.
- A drag and drop method for adding PDF documents for RPC meetings and events.
- Implementation of a site analytics system (e.g. Google Analytics).
- Incorporation of web accessibility guidelines as applicable that can support screen readers and other assistive technologies.
- Buttons to allow people to subscribe to our Mail Chimp monthly newsletter or visit our Public Input portal where we host surveys and other public engagement opportunities.
- Automatic site backup system to prevent content loss.
In addition to developing a site with the specifications above, the selected developer will be expected to provide 1-2 training sessions with staff, either in person or remotely.
WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS
The RPC is a recipient of Federal funding and a public-serving organization. As such, there are anticipated requirements on the horizon for compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA.
The RPC seeks a web developer with basic knowledge of creating accessible/Section 508-compliant websites. The RPC aims to provide web content that is accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities who might use screen readers or other assistive technology.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
A complete submission should include the following elements:
- A description of the developer’s experience performing similar work, including links to relevant work samples.
- An outline of the process that the developer would use to complete the project, including a timeline.
- A base fee for project execution, along with an itemized list of site features that would be covered by the fee.
- Any additional fees or charges not included under the base fee. Developers are encouraged to propose supplemental services or additional site features along with corresponding fees that could enhance the end deliverable.
- Bios for the individual(s) on the project team, including a designated project lead.
- Contact information for at least two client references for which the developer has performed similar work. Client references do not need to be exclusively local government or planning entities, and developers of varying backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
SUBMISSION FORMAT AND PROCESS
Proposals may be submitted via e-mail. E-mailed proposals should be sent to Tim Roache, Executive Director (troache@therpc.org) and Annette Pettengill, Business Manager (apettengill@therpc.org). The submission deadline is Friday, May 30, 2025, at 3:00 PM EST. Proposals received after this time will not be considered.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Submissions will be scored according to the following criteria:
- Submission completeness.
- Project process is clearly outlined and includes a timeline.
- Cost.
- Proposed site features meet technical requirements.
- Prior experience and references.
SELECTION SCHEDULE
RFP Issue Date
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Submission Due Date
Friday May 30, 2025
Candidate Interviews (at RPC’s discretion)
Week of June 2, 2025
Final Selection
Friday, June 9, 2025
Contract Negotiations Finalized
Monday, June 30, 2025
All proposals upon submission become the property of RPC. The expense of preparing and submitting a proposal is the sole responsibility of the proposing developer. RPC reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received, to negotiate with any qualified source, or to cancel in part or in its entirety this RFP. This solicitation in no way obligates RPC to award a contract.
[TR1]Might need to be searchable