REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) STARTUP CONNECT STARTUP CANADA 50 O CONNOR STREET, SUITE 300 OTTAWA, ONTARIO

Transcription

1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) STARTUP CONNECT STARTUP CANADA 50 O CONNOR STREET, SUITE 300 OTTAWA, ONTARIO JUNE 10, 2013

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND PROPOSAL GUIDELINES PROJECT PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION PROJECT SCOPE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL AND PROJECT TIMELINE BUDGET BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

3 1. SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND Startup Canada is currently accepting proposals to develop host a new entrepreneurial hub, Startup Connect. The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit proposals from various candidate organizations, conduct a fair and extensive evaluation based on criteria listed herein, and select the candidate who best represents the direction Startup Canada wishes to go. Startup Canada is an entrepreneur-led movement to enhance the nation s competitiveness and prosperity by supporting and celebrating Canadian entrepreneurship. Startup Canada is consolidated in its headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario with team members spread out across Canada. Startup Canada advances entrepreneurial success in Canada by educating: Entrepreneurs on where to go and how to access support to take their startup to the next level; Entrepreneur community leaders on how to cultivate vibrant startup communities; Academic, industry and government leaders on how to better support entrepreneurs; and, Media and the public about the vital role that entrepreneurs play in creating a more sustainable and prosperous Canada. 2. PROPOSAL GUIDELINES This Request for Proposal represents the requirements for an open and competitive process. Proposals will be accepted until 2pm EST July 12, Any proposals received after this date and time will be returned to the sender. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the Startup Canada website at If the organization submitting a proposal must outsource or contract any work to meet the requirements contained herein, this must be clearly stated in the proposal. Additionally, all costs included in proposals must be all-inclusive to include any outsourced or contracted work. Any proposals which call for outsourcing or contracting work must include a name and description of the organizations being contracted. All costs must be itemized to include an explanation of all fees and costs. Contract terms and conditions will be negotiated upon selection of the winning bidder for this RFP. All contractual terms and conditions will be subject to review by Startup Canada legal department and will include scope, budget, schedule, and other necessary items pertaining to the project. 2

4 3. PROJECT PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION The purpose of this project is as follows: Startup Connect will be a destination for entrepreneurs seeking assistance, resources, networking, financial support, and routes to market. It is Startup Canada s mandate to create a rich startup ecosystem that is free from red tape and much political clutter. Startup Connect must be intuitive, user friendly, and an effective distribution centre for entrepreneurial resources Project Description: Startup Canada is seeking a provider to utilize the latest web-based technology to create a web-based application that is user driven, makes smart content recommendations based on user profile, is simple to use, provides detailed information about our resources, becomes a platform for entrepreneur to entrepreneur (E2E) engagement, has a rich administration environment, and is easy to add or modify content. Working with the Startup Connect management and design team, the development project should incorporate the latest key word search practices and maximize searchability in all current internet search engines and be deeply integrated with today s top social media platforms. The finished application must allow Startup Connect s IT/Web Technolongy group to easily manipulate the layout and content in order to allow for frequent changes in the dynamic environment in which we work where things constantly change. While the Startup Connect team will be providing creative direction, the user interface design must be aesthetically pleasing, simple for users to navigate, easy for users to input their startup business profiles, provide descriptions of all Startup Connect services, and put user experience first. The site must also be completely secure against intrusion. The site should also allow users to add their own personal profiles in order to promote social networking rooted in Canadian entrepreneurship. There will be six main sections of the Startup Connect ecosystem, as follows: User and startup profiles that will allow participating members of Startup Connect the ability to connect with like minded individuals, find mentors, discuss issues, and otherwise build a social presence. Startup builder recommendation platform will take information entered about the current phase of the user s business and make smart recommendations for tools, people, resources, media, and opportunities that live within Startup Connect. This information will be used to prepare digital pitch decks for the business owners and to collect insights on the Canadian entrepreneurial landscape An exchange network that will include elements such as jobs, deals, promotions, partnership opportunities, sales channels, and personal/classified posts. This section should be scalable in category and data fields. 3

5 An educational component that will house all learning tools, templates, reference materials, our media centre, and the connection with industry experts. This section should be scalable in category and data fields. A hub for social and influencer engagement where the users of Startup Connect can participate in live chats, forums, social media, surveys, consume blogs, and learn about or share upcoming events. This section will be mainly user driven content and must be engaging. User experience is paramount and should require minimal effort on the part of our user base to operate. A place for entrepreneurs to connect to co-working/office space, funding opportunities, mentors, accelerators, training and seminars, education, community and industry leaders, and other startups (success stories, case studies, etc.). This will be a Startup Connect managed component that should be easy to publish content to. Users must find the connection process intuitive and responsive. 4. PROJECT SCOPE The scope of this project includes assisting with user interface design (working from provided wireframes and UI design spec sheets) all development, coding, and licensing of new Startup Connect web property. All initial text and copy will be provided to the selected bidder by Startup Canada s communications team for inclusion in the population of the application. The following criteria must be met to achieve a successful project: User-friendly environment that is easy to navigate Consistency of user interface across all pages/sections/components of the application in a design theme that fits targeted market segment(s) Site can be changed/modified easily by Startup Canada personnel with minimal effort All software and licensing requirements should be included as part of this project Site should be searchable with on key word searches based on site content Prominent display of Startup Canada and Startup Connect corporate logos, company mission, vision, and strategy throughout all pages of the web site Site should be compatible with all current web browsing technology and easily upgradeable including an elegant adaptive mobile environment Ability to work closely with Startup Connect management team on coordination of project tasks and resources Plan and perform a complete testing process on web site and database in order to ensure functionality 5. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL AND PROJECT TIMELINE Request for Proposal Timeline: All proposals in response to this RFP are due no later than 2pm EST July 26,

6 Evaluation of proposals will be conducted from July 26, 2013 until Aug 16, If additional information or discussions are needed with any bidders during this window, the bidder(s) will be notified. The selection decision for the winning bidder will be made no later than Aug 19, Upon notification, the contract negotiation with the winning bidder will begin immediately. Contract negotiations will be completed by Aug 23, Notifications to bidders who were not selected will be completed by Aug 19, Project Timeline: Project planning to begin Aug 23, 2013 and development should being no later than August 26, Beta testing for phase 1 to begin October 14, Project launch date will be November 14, BUDGET All proposals must include proposed costs to complete the tasks described in the project scope. Costs should be stated as one-time or non-recurring costs (NRC) or monthly recurring costs (MRC). Pricing should be listed for each of the following items in accordance with the format below: Project Initiation and Planning NRC MRC Functionality Development NRC MRC Database Development NRC MRC Database Testing NRC MRC Database Deployment NRC MRC Database Hosting NRC MRC NOTE: All costs and fees must be clearly described in each proposal. 7. BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS Bidders should provide the following items as part of their proposal for consideration: Description of experience in planning, building, and launching web-based applications An understanding of how the lean startup process works including references to timelines, shifting functionality requirements, technology requirements, and scalability List of how many full time, part time, and contractor staff in your organization Examples of 3 or data driven applications designed and implemented by your organization 5

7 Testimonials from past clients Anticipated resources you will assign to this project (total number, role, title, experience) A full testing plan Timeline for completion of the project in order to hit the November 14 th launch target Project management methodology 8. PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA Startup Canada will evaluate all proposals based on the following criteria. To ensure consideration for this Request for Proposal, your proposal should be complete and include all of the following criteria: Overall proposal suitability: proposed solution(s) must meet the scope and needs included herein and be presented in a clear and organized manner Organizational Experience: Bidders will be evaluated on their experience as it pertains to the scope of this project Previous work: Bidders will be evaluated on examples of their work pertaining to web site design and hosting as well as client testimonials and references Value and cost: Bidders will be evaluated on the cost of their solution(s) based on the work to be performed in accordance with the scope of this project Technical expertise and experience: Bidders must provide descriptions and documentation of staff technical expertise and experience Each bidder must submit their intent to bid no later than July 15, 2013 via to Patrick.lyver@startupcan.ca and the proposal shall be submitted electronically to the Startup Connect Manager, Patrick Lyver through the Startup Canada website at no later than July 26, 2013 at 2PM EST. Patrick Lyver Startup Connect Manager Startup Canada patrick.lyver@startupcan.ca 6