Harnessing Creativity Programme Website and Maintanence Tender

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Invitation to Tender

Harnessing Creativity Project

 Website Design, Development and Maintenance

      

  

Introduction and Brief

Leitrim County Enterprise Board (LCEB), Leitrim County Council, Leitrim Design House, Omagh Enterprise Company (OEC), Fermanagh District Council and Tyrone Donegal Partnership (TDP) are working in collaboration with the Irish Central Border Area Network (ICBAN) to deliver an innovative creative sector Project entitled ‘Harnessing Creativity’.

The Harnessing Creativity Project has received funding under the Cross Border EU INTERREG IVA Programme under Theme 2.1 (Enterprise).

Harnessing Creativity has a strong vision and ethos based on a belief in the value and potential of creativity. It aims to make a significant impact in the regional economy at a time when confidence and economic vibrancy is at an all time low.

The project needs to convey this vision and provide a beacon of new thinking and fresh hope. It needs to stimulate positive, broad engagement in the activities and supports it will provide, and to facilitate creative sector and wider business participants to work creatively and collaboratively with one another as freely as possible.

The programme is targeting both the creative sector (artists, designers, filmmakers, craft makers and so on) and wider business. Indeed, a key objective is to encourage collaboration between the creative sector and wider business in new products and experiences.

The programme will provide direct support to the creative sector to generate new ideas and gain better business skills. It will stimulate creativity and innovation across wider businesses in their products and services, encourage creative collaboration, and showcase the region internationally as a creative, vibrant region drawing added value from the local natural and cultural resources that distinguish it.

The delivery of the Project will involve a range of activities including training, master classes, mentoring, the development of creative clusters, launch conference, regional showcase events and exhibitions.

The website will be a valuable core resource to the programme and to participants. It should act both to cultivate and support a creative community and be an international shop window for showcasing the geography of the project as a creative region.  This is an ideal opportunity to design an innovative website for an innovative programme.

Details of Requirements 

The website should be able to consistently provide the following functionalities grouped under 4 main ‘spaces’:

Programme Gateway 

  1. A homepage that quickly engages people, provides a clear message, clear branding with high quality design (eg  logo of www.newworknetwork.org.uk
  1. Easy navigation, including an overview or map of the project services and associated links to different parts of the website which will be relevant to different users;
  1. A self assessment tool guiding different potential participants to the particular benefits of the programme for them (the self assessment tool is being developed by the project);
  1. A means of registering for the programme online that will be communicated to programme staff quickly and reliably;

Broadcasting Space:  live streaming Events and Activities

  1. Provision for an easily updated schedule for posting information about workshops, dates, times, venues, (location details) and content, including profiles of speakers / trainers;
  1. A  clear defined space for Live Streaming of events such as workshops or showcase events;
  1. A separate, clearly defined space for the promotion of the annual Showcase week and associated events which forms part of the programme cycle;

Collaboration Space: Fostering and Supporting Collaboration and Exchange of Ideas

  1. Contain a digital resource / library which will include searchable training session videos and other support materials (to be uploaded over the course of the programme by programme staff);
  1. Allow participants to have their own profile page which can include links to a personal website or promotional information participants may have The website should be able to host 40+ participant profile videos in HD quality that are no more than 2 minutes in length;
  1. Allow members to upload pictures of their work including text (see for example Makers and Brothers Notes http://www.makersandbrothers.com/notes/);
  1. Support a ‘Pintrest’ ideas space (pinterest.com);
  1. Linkups- enable activities under items 9, 10 and 11 to facilitate:
  • individuals to see / search for and contact others they may wish to collaborate with;
  • potential buyers to see participants work and find out more about them;
  1.  Provide ‘basecamp’ style spaces for ongoing communication and sharing for project development;
  1.  A Facebook landing page & twitter account custom designed & registered.

Information and Signposting Space

  1. Provide for  easily updated news about funding / commissions / training opportunities external to the programme;
  1. Provide links to other websites, networks, groups and resources;
  1. Support a blog on reflections and experiences of the programme;
  1. Provide information on Programme Partners and steering committee;

Other information

A domain name for the programme has been purchased.

The provider should ensure the design and guidance information enable our staff to update and upload content on the website as necessary over the programme lifetime.

Timeframe and Deliverables

The successful service provider must be able to start work immediately on appointment. He or she should consult closely with the programme team.

Development work should at a minimum adhere to the following timescale:

•Selection and appointment of provider: End of October 2012;

•First stage development: Website Homepage and Gateway functions, website hosted and live by Dec 7th 2012;

•Second Stage Development: Collaborative Space by end Feb 2013;

•Third Stage Development: Broadcasting Space by end March 2013;

•Additional Site development / maintenance on an annual basis;

Extension of the contract to include next stage of development will depend on satisfactory completion of the previous stage.

The developer will be responsible for:

  1. Building the site according to an agreed site structure and design;
  2. Testing including usability, accessibility and software applications testing;
  3. Refining in a post launch warranty period to ensure the programme brief is met in full.

After-sale Service

  1. 1.     The developer should provide free technical support for a period of 6 months.
  2. 2.     The technical support team of the developer should specify the response time to any kind of technical and/or operational problem that may be reported.
  3. 3.     The developer should remove all the technical / operational bugs and errors that emerge during the first 6 months at no cost to Leitrim County Enterprise Board.7
  4. 4.     Thereafter, the developer will provide an additional 10 hours maintenance support.

Format for Proposals

The successful provider will be innovative and collaborative, willing to work in close consultation with the programme team. This is an ideal showcase opportunity for a new website that will be heavily promoted and utilised. 

Proposals should include the following:

  1. 1.     Company name, trading name (if different), company registration number (if applicable), and contact information.
  2. 2.     An understanding of the context and role of the website for the programme.
  3. 3.     Specify a price and proposed solution for each of the following;
  • •Website design and development, addressing each of the key ‘spaces’ described above;
  • •Hosting costs;
  • • Future upgrading to accommodate emerging programme needs;
  • •Maintenance support.

Cost

  • Costs should be quoted as one overall fixed price inclusive of travel and expenses.
  • Prices must be provided in Euro and should be inclusive of VAT.
  • Details to be provided on any follow up support costs outside of maintenance.
  1. 4.     The approach to ensuring quality and reliability of product;
  2. 5.      Project plan that includes how the developer will approach the project and a timetable for completion;
  1. 6.     Links to three case examples of websites you have been responsible for that demonstrate similar functionality to the above.  Example websites should demonstrate one or more of the innovative key spaces (Gateway, Broadcasting Space, and Collaboration Space). Where a case example demonstrates just one or two of these spaces the particular relevance of the case example should be explained.
  1. 7.     Contact details of two referees whom may be approached regarding previous projects.

Criteria for the Assessment of Tenders

The tenders received will be scored according to the following criteria:

  1. Understanding of the requirements / brief; (25%)
  2. Methodology; (25%)
  3. Ability to meet service delivery requirements; (20%)
  4. Aftercare provision; (10%)
  5. Cost: All inclusive of services specified above (20%)

A clarification meeting, including a presentation by and interview of, the providers may be needed if the competition is close.

Intellectual Property Rights

All content, deliverables and copyrights will be vested with Leitrim County Enterprise Board as part of this proposal by the successful bidder.

Submission

Tenders should be clearly marked: ‘Leitrim County Enterprise Board, Harnessing Creativity Project Website Development’ and should be submitted in a sealed envelope addressed to:

Anna-Marie O’Rourke

Harnessing Creativity Project Coordinator

Leitrim County Enterprise Board Offices

Hartley

Carrick-on-Shannon

County Leitrim

Deadline for Proposals is 4.00 pm Friday 19th of October 2012.

Applications will not be accepted after the closing date/time.

Two copies of the tender should be provided.

Please complete, sign and return the Application Form with your tender submission.

Prior to award of contract the successful service provider will be required to produce a valid Tax Clearance Certificate.  All payments under the Contract will be conditional on the Contractor being in possession of a valid Certificate at all times.  Where a Tax Clearance Certificate expires within the course of the contract a renewed Certificate should be submitted to Leitrim County Enterprise Board.

Payments will be made on satisfactory completion of each stage of the work.

30% of the amount payable as a result of this contract will be withheld until the programme is satisfied with:

  • The functionality of the site;
  • Graphic look and feel of all content delivered as part of this contract;
  • Content management tools.

Formal Contact and Communications

Potential service providers may seek to clarify any points of doubt or difficulty relating to this documentation before submitting their proposals.

Queries in respect of the tender process should be addressed by email to: info@leitrimenterprise.ie

Please address all queries is REF –Harnessing Creativity Project Website Development.

Appendix 1

Website Development Contract

under the Harnessing Creativity Project

 

To:                  Leitrim County Enterprise Board

 

From:              __________________________________________________

 

Please identify number of days and overall fixed cost of website design , development and maintenance.

 

Consultant

Number of days

Overall fixed price in euros

€
     
     
     
     

 

Name (Capital Letters):          ______________________________________________

 

On behalf of:                           ______________________________________________

 

Address:                                  ______________________________________________

______________________________________________

 

Telephone:                              ______________________________________________

Fax:                                         ______________________________________________

 

Email:                                      ______________________________________________

 

Date:                                       ______________________________________________

 

 

Form of Tender Signed by:    ______________________________________________

           

 

THIS FORM OF TENDER MUST BE COMPLETED, SIGNED AND RETURNED

WITH YOUR TENDER DOCUMENT FOR IT TO BE CONSIDERED VALID