REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS for SiteCore Content Management System Integration Services RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Date Issued: January 20, 2016 Proposal Submission Deadline: 2:00 p.m. ET on February 22, 2016 Page 1 of 29
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.1 Invitation to Proponents...3 1.2 Background - Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)...3 1.3 RFP Not Binding...3 1.4 RFP Timetable...3 1.5 IESO Contact...4 1.6 Definitions...4 PART 2 EVALUATION & SELECTION PROCESS...6 2.1 Stage I Compliance with Submission Criteria...6 2.2 Stage II General Criteria...6 2.3 Stage III Short List and Further Evaluation...6 2.4 Stage IV Negotiation of Agreement(s) and Award...6 PART 3- TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RFP PROCESS...7 3.1 IESO s Information in RFP Only an Estimate...7 3.2 Proponents Shall Bear Their Own Costs...7 3.3 Communication during the Procurement Process...7 3.3.1 Proponents to Review RFP...7 3.3.2 All New Information to Proponents by way of Addenda...8 3.3.3 Post-Deadline Addenda and Extension of Proposal Submission Deadline...8 3.3.4 Prohibited Proponent Communications...8 3.3.5 Proponent Not to Communicate With Media...8 3.3.6 IESO May Contact Proponent for Clarification...8 3.4 Notification of Outcome and Debriefing...9 3.4.1 Notification to Proponents of Outcome of Procurement Process...9 3.4.2 Debriefing...9 3.5 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act...9 3.6 Make Public Proponent Names...9 3.7 Acceptance of Non-Compliant Proposals...9 3.8 No Incorporation by Reference by Proponent...9 3.9 Proposal to be Retained by the IESO...9 3.10 No Contract... 10 3.11 IESO s Right to Select One or more Successful Proponent(s)... 10 3.12 Governing Law of RFP Process... 10 3.13 No Claims... 10 PART 4 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS... 11 4.1 Proponents to Follow Instructions... 11 4.2 Proposals in English... 11 4.3 Proposals Submitted Only in Prescribed Manner... 11 APPENDIX A REGISTRATION FORM... 13 APPENDIX B REFERENCE FORM... 16 APPENDIX C IESO INFORMATION & REQUIREMENTS... 17 APPENDIX D RATE FORM... 17 APPENDIX E SAMPLE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF AGREEMENT... 27 REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 2 of 29
PART 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Invitation to Proponents This Request for Proposals ("RFP") is an invitation by the Independent Electricity System Operator (the IESO ) to prospective Proponents to submit proposals for the provision of Content Management System ( CMS ) Integration Services, as further described in Section 2 of Appendix C - RFP Specifications (the "Deliverables"), for a period of two (2) years. The IESO may, at its sole discretion, extend the term by up to 2 (two) additional 1 (one) year periods. 1.2 Background - Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) works at the heart of Ontario's power system ensuring there is enough power to meet the province's energy needs in real time while also planning and securing energy for the future. It does this by: balancing the supply of and demand for electricity in Ontario and directing its flow across the province's transmission lines planning for the province's medium- and long-term energy needs and securing clean sources of supply to meet those needs overseeing the electricity wholesale market where the market price of electricity is set fostering the development of a conservation culture in the province through programs such as saveonenergy. The IESO includes both unionized and non-unionized employees. There are two unions within the IESO, namely, the Power Workers Union and the Society of Energy Professionals. The Proponent will need to convey their ability to work within this type of environment. Please see the IESO's website at http://www.ieso.ca for further information. 1.3 RFP Not Binding This RFP is not intended to create and does not create a formal legally binding bidding process. This RFP does not commit the IESO in any way to select a Successful Proponent, or to proceed to negotiations for an Agreement, or to award any Agreement, and the IESO reserves the complete right to, at any time reject all Proposals, and to terminate this RFP process. This RFP is not intended to create, and should not be construed as creating, contractual relations between the IESO and any Proponent. 1.4 RFP Timetable The RFP timetable is tentative only and may be changed by the IESO in its sole discretion. The following is the schedule for this RFP (all times noted in ET): Issue Date of RFP January 20, 2016 Proponents Deadline for Questions 3:00 pm on January 27, 2016 REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 3 of 29
Posting of responses to Questions February 2, 2016 Deadline for Issuing Addenda February 17, 2016 Proposal Submission Deadline 2:00:59 pm on February 22, 2016 1.5 IESO Contact 1.6 Definitions Name : Megan Filey, Sr. Procurement Specialist E-mail : megan.filey@ieso.ca and rfp.info@ieso.ca Unless otherwise specified in this RFP, capitalized words and phrases have the following meaning in this RFP. AAA means Level AAA conformance to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) published by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). "Agreement" means a Master Services Agreement between the IESO and a Successful Proponent for the delivery of the Deliverables, as set out in APPENDIX E AODA means Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. API means Application Program Interface. CMS means Content Management System. CSS means Cascading Style Sheets. HTML5 means Hypertext Markup Language Version 5. "Personal Information" means recorded information about an identifiable individual or that may identify an individual. "Successful Proponent" means the Proponent selected by the IESO to enter into negotiations for an Agreement. Proponent means an entity who has submitted a response to this Request for Proposal. QA means Quality Assurance. Qualified Proposal means a Proposal that has met the minimum score criteria as outlined in Section 5 of Appendix C IESO Information & Requirements REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 4 of 29
Service Provider means a Successful Proponent which ultimately executes an Agreement with the IESO. SEO means Search Engine Optimization SiteCore XP means SiteCore Experience Platform. SiteCore CMS refers to the SiteCore Content Management System. SiteCore xdb refers to the SiteCore Experience Database. UX means User Experience. [End of Part 1] REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 5 of 29
PART 2 EVALUATION & SELECTION PROCESS The IESO will conduct the evaluation of the Proposals in the following four stages: 2.1 Stage I Compliance with Submission Criteria Stage I of the evaluation process will consist of a review of each Proposal to determine which Proposals comply with the following submission criteria: i. Registration Form Each Proposal should include a completed Registration Form (Appendix A) signed by an authorized representative of the Proponent; and ii. Reference Form Each Proposal should include a completed Reference Form (Appendix B). iii. Acceptance of Master Services Agreement Each proposal should include any proposed amendments to the Master Services Agreement. Amendments should be provided in a marked-up version of the Agreement as attached to this RFP. Any Proponent who fails to include proposed amendments to the Agreement will be deemed to have accepted the terms and conditions as issued with this RFP. Proposals which do not comply with all of the submission criteria, may, subject to the express and implied rights of the IESO, be disqualified and not evaluated further. 2.2 Stage II General Criteria Stage II of the evaluation process will consist of evaluating Proposals based on the criteria set out in Section 3 of Appendix C IESO Information & Requirements. 2.3 Stage III Pricing Stage III of the evaluation process will consist of evaluating the pricing submitted by Qualified Proposals based on the criteria set out in Section 4 of Appendix C IESO Information & Requirements. 2.4 Stage IV Short List and Further Evaluation The IESO may, in its sole and absolute discretion, short list one or more Proponents for further evaluation, including by way of interview, presentation and/or demonstration, and/or request for additional references. At the conclusion of Stage IV, a Successful Proponent or Successful Proponents will, subject to the express and implied rights of the IESO, be selected. 2.5 Stage V Negotiation of Agreement(s) and Award If the IESO selects a Successful Proponent or Successful Proponents, then it may: (a) (b) enter into an Agreement with the Successful Proponent(s); or enter into discussions with the Successful Proponent(s) to clarify any outstanding issues and attempt to finalize the terms of the Agreement(s), including financial terms. If discussions are successful, the IESO and the Successful Proponent(s) will finalize the Agreement(s); or REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 6 of 29
(c) if at any time the IESO reasonably forms the opinion that a mutually acceptable Agreement is not likely to be reached within a reasonable time, give the Successful Proponent(s) written notice to terminate discussions, in which event the IESO may then either open discussions with another Proponent or terminate the RFP and retain or obtain the Deliverables in some other manner. [End of Part 2] PART 3- TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RFP PROCESS 3.1 IESO s Information in RFP Only an Estimate The IESO and its advisors make no representation, warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy of the information contained in this RFP or issued by way of addenda. Any quantities shown or data contained in this RFP or provided by way of addenda are estimates only and are for the sole purpose of indicating to Proponents the general size of the work. It is the Proponent's responsibility to avail itself of all the necessary information to prepare a Proposal in response to this RFP. 3.2 Proponents Shall Bear Their Own Costs The Proponent shall bear all costs associated with or incurred in the preparation and presentation of its Proposal including, if applicable, costs incurred for interviews, presentations or demonstrations. 3.3 Communication during the Procurement Process 3.3.1 Proponents to Review RFP Proponents are advised to examine all of the documents comprising this RFP and: (a) (b) are requested to report any errors, omissions or ambiguities; and may direct questions or seek additional information, in writing by e-mail on or before the Proponents Deadline for Questions to the IESO Contact. All questions submitted by Proponents by e-mail to the IESO Contact shall be deemed to be received once the e-mail has entered into the IESO Contact s e-mail inbox. No such communications should be directed to anyone other than the IESO Contact. It is the responsibility of the Proponent to seek clarification from the IESO Contact on any matter it considers to be unclear. The IESO will not be responsible for any misunderstanding on the part of the Proponent concerning this RFP or its process. The IESO is under no obligation to provide additional information but may do so at its sole discretion. To ensure consistency and quality of information provided to Proponents, the IESO will collect all enquiries and respond to all enquiries by way of a written response which will be communicated to all REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 7 of 29
Proponents, either by (a) posting on the IESO website and on any other site on which this RFP was posted, or (b) email or facsimile if the RFP was not posted, on the date specified in the RFP Timetable, without revealing the sources of the inquiries. 3.3.2 All New Information to Proponents by way of Addenda This RFP will only be amended by an addendum in accordance with this section. If the IESO, for any reason, determines that it is necessary to provide additional information (including responses to questions) relating to this RFP, such information will be communicated to all Proponents by addenda either (a) posted on the IESO website and on any other site on which this RFP was posted, or (b) emailed or transmitted by facsimile if the RFP was not posted, by the date specified in the RFP Timetable. Each addendum shall form an integral part of this RFP. Such addenda may contain important information including significant changes to this RFP. Proponents are responsible for obtaining all addenda issued by the IESO. 3.3.3 Post-Deadline Addenda and Extension of Proposal Submission Deadline If any addendum is issued after the Deadline for Issuing Addenda, the IESO may at its discretion extend the Proposal Submission Deadline for a reasonable amount of time. 3.3.4 Prohibited Proponent Communications The Proponents shall not engage in any communication which would constitute or create a Conflict of Interest (as defined in Appendix A Registration Form) and should take note of the Conflict of Interest declaration set out in the Registration Form. Communication by a Proponent with any IESO representative other than the IESO Contact may result in disqualification of the Proponent s Proposal. 3.3.5 Proponent Not to Communicate With Media A Proponent should not at any time directly or indirectly communicate with the media in relation to this RFP or any contract awarded pursuant to this RFP without first obtaining the written permission of the IESO Contact. 3.3.6 IESO May Contact Proponent for Clarification The IESO may contact the Proponent to request clarification (or the submission of supplementary written information in relation thereto) with respect to the Proposal and incorporate a Proponent s response to the request for clarification into the Proponent s Proposal. REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 8 of 29
3.4 Notification of Outcome and Debriefing 3.4.1 Notification to Proponents of Outcome of Procurement Process Once the Successful Proponent(s) and the IESO execute the Agreement, the other Proponents will be notified by the IESO in writing of the outcome of the procurement process, including the name(s) of the successful Proponent(s). 3.4.2 Debriefing Proponents may request a debriefing after receipt of a notification of award. All requests should be in writing to the IESO Contact and should be made within 30 days of receipt by the Proponent of notification of the award of the contract. The intent of the debriefing information session is to aid the Proponent in presenting a better Proposal in subsequent procurement opportunities. Any debriefing provided is not for the purpose of providing an opportunity to challenge the procurement process. 3.5 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.f.31, as amended, applies to information provided to the IESO by a Proponent. Subject to Section 5.5.4, a Proponent should identify any information in its Proposal or any accompanying documentation which is supplied in confidence and for which confidentiality is to be maintained by the IESO. The confidentiality of such information will be maintained by the IESO, except as otherwise required by law or by order of a court or tribunal. Proponents are advised that their Proposals will, as necessary, be disclosed on a confidential basis, to the IESO s advisers retained for the purpose of evaluating or participating in the evaluation of their Proposals. By submitting any Personal Information requested in this RFP, Proponents are agreeing to the use of such information as part of the evaluation process, for any audit of this procurement process and for contract management purposes. 3.6 Make Public Proponent Names The IESO may make public the names of any or all Proponents. 3.7 Acceptance of Non-Compliant Proposals The IESO may accept Proposals which do not comply with the requirements of this RFP. 3.8 No Incorporation by Reference by Proponent The entire content of the Proponent s Proposal should be submitted in a fixed form and the content of web sites or other external documents referred to in the Proponent s Proposal will not be considered to form part of its Proposal. 3.9 Proposal to be Retained by the IESO The IESO will not return the Proposal or any accompanying documentation submitted by a Proponent. REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 9 of 29
3.10 No Contract By submitting a Proposal and participating in the process as outlined in this RFP, Proponents expressly agree that no contract or agreement of any kind is formed under, or arises from, this RFP, prior to the signing of a formal written Agreement. 3.11 IESO s Right to Select One or more Successful Proponent(s) The IESO reserves the right and discretion to divide up the Deliverables, either by scope, geographic area, or other basis as the IESO may decide, and to select one or more Successful Proponents to enter into discussion with the IESO for one or more Agreements to perform a portion or portions of the Deliverables. If the IESO exercises its discretion to divide up the Deliverables, the IESO will do so reasonably having regard for the RFP and the basis of Proposals. 3.12 Governing Law of RFP Process This RFP process shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein. 3.13 No Claims Neither party shall have the right to make claims against the other (including any application or other proceeding for a review by any court or other body) with respect to this RFP process, the selection of any Proponent, the failure to be selected to enter into a formal written agreement, or the failure to honour submissions prior to the execution of a formal written agreement. [End of Part 3] REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 10 of 29
PART 4 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS 4.1 Proponents to Follow Instructions Proponents should structure their Proposals in accordance with the instructions in this RFP. Where information is requested in this RFP, any response made in a Proposal should reference the applicable section numbers of this RFP where that request was made. 4.2 Proposals in English All Proposals should be in English only. Any Proposals received by the IESO that are not entirely in the English language may be disqualified. 4.3 Proposals Submitted Only in Prescribed Manner Proposals should be submitted by the following method: A Proponent should submit one (1) original of the Proposal in either.doc or searchable.pdf format by email to the IESO Contact email address listed in Part 1.5 above. Proponents should submit separate electronic files for: i) the technical submission as outlined in Section 3 of Appendix C (Proposal Content); ii) the pricing submission as outlined in Section 4 of Appendix C (Pricing); and iii) documentation outlined in PART 2.1 Compliance with Submission Criteria, specifically Appendix A, B and proposed amendments to Appendix E. Proponents who fail to submit their responses in the manner outlined may be deemed to be noncompliant and may be disqualified at the sole discretion of the IESO. Proponents should note that the total file size (including all attachments and appendixes) may not exceed 10 MB. Submission emails should reference the following in the subject line: RFP for Sitecore Content Management System Implementation Services (RFP/IT/15/12/000193) 4.4 Proposals Should Be Submitted On Time at Prescribed Location Proposals should be submitted only in the Prescribed Manner on or before the Proposal Submission Deadline. Proposals submitted to another location or after the Proposal Submission Deadline will be deemed late and will be disqualified. IESO is not responsible for any technical difficulties experienced by the Proponent in submitting its proposal. Proposals submitted after the Proposal Submission Deadline as a result of technical difficulties will be deemed late and will be disqualified. For the purpose of calculating time, the time of receipt noted by IESO s e-mail inbox will be used. 4.5 Amending or Withdrawing Proposals Prior to Proposal Submission Deadline At any time prior to the Proposal Submission Deadline, a Proponent may amend or withdraw a submitted Proposal. The right of Proponents to amend or withdraw includes amendments or withdrawals wholly initiated by Proponents and amendments or withdrawals in response to subsequent information provided by addenda. REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 11 of 29
Any amendment should clearly indicate what part of the Proposal the amendment is intending to replace. A notice of amendment or withdrawal should be sent to the IESO Contact prior to the Proposal Submission Deadline and should be signed by an authorized representative. The IESO is under no obligation to return amended or withdrawn Proposals. 4.6 Proposal Not to be Amended after Proposal Submission Deadline Proposals may not be amended following the Proposal Submission Deadline. [End of Part 4] REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 12 of 29
APPENDIX A REGISTRATION FORM TO : Independent Electricity System Operator FROM : [Insert Name of Proponent] RE : RFP for Sitecore Content Management System Implementation Services (RFP/IT/15/12/000193) 1. PROPONENT INFORMATION (a) The full legal name of the Proponent is: (b) Any other relevant name under which the Proponent carries on business is: (c) The jurisdiction under which the Proponent is governed is: (d) The name, address, telephone, facsimile number and e-mail address of the contact person for the Proponent is: (e) Whether the Proponent is an individual, a sole proprietorship, a corporation, a partnership, a joint venture, an incorporated consortium or a consortium that is a partnership or other legally recognized entity: 2. RFP NOT A BINDING PROCUREMENT PROCESS The Proponent has carefully examined the RFP documents and has a clear and comprehensive knowledge of the Deliverables required under the RFP. By submitting the Proposal, the Proponent confirms its understanding that the RFP is not a binding procurement process and that no contractual relations are created between the IESO and the Proponent as a result of the RFP or the submission of the Proposal. REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 13 of 29
3. ADDENDA The Proponent confirms that it has read and accepted all addenda issued by the IESO prior to the Deadline for Issuing Addenda. The onus remains on the Proponent to make any necessary amendments to its Proposal based on the addenda. 4. CONFLICT OF INTEREST Prior to completing this portion of the Registration Form, Proponents should refer to the definition of Conflict of Interest set out below. "Conflict of Interest" includes, but is not limited to, any situation or circumstance where: (a) (b) in relation to the RFP process, the Proponent has an unfair advantage or engages in conduct, directly or indirectly, that may give it an unfair advantage, including but not limited to (i) having or having access to information in the preparation of its Proposal that is confidential to the IESO and not available to other Proponents; (ii) communicating with any person with a view to influencing preferred treatment in the RFP process; or (iii) engaging in conduct that compromises or could be seen to compromise the integrity of the open and competitive RFP process and render that process non-competitive and unfair; or in relation to the performance of its contractual obligations in an IESO contract, the Proponent s other commitments, relationships or financial interests (i) could or could be seen to exercise an improper influence over the objective, unbiased and impartial exercise of its independent judgement; or (ii) could or could be seen to compromise, impair or be incompatible with the effective performance of its contractual obligations. If the box below is left blank, the Proponent will be deemed to declare that: (1) there was no Conflict of Interest in preparing its Proposal; and (2) there is no foreseeable Conflict of Interest in performing the contractual obligations contemplated in the RFP. Otherwise, if the statement below applies, check the box. The Proponent declares that there is an actual or potential Conflict of Interest relating to the preparation of its Proposal, and/or the Proponent foresees an actual or potential Conflict of Interest in performing the contractual obligations contemplated in the RFP. If the Proponent declares an actual or potential Conflict of Interest by marking the box above, the Proponent must set out below details of the actual or potential Conflict of Interest: 5. DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION The Proponent hereby agrees that any information provided in this Proposal, even if it is identified as being supplied in confidence, may be disclosed where required by law or if required by order of a court or tribunal. The Proponent hereby consents to the disclosure, on a confidential basis, of this Proposal by the IESO to the IESO s advisers retained for the purpose of evaluating or participating in the evaluation of this Proposal. REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 14 of 29
6. TAX REPRESENTATION Please select one: The Proponent represents and warrants that the Proponent is a resident of Canada. The Proponent represents and warrants that the Proponent is a non-resident of Canada. [Insert Name of Proponent Representative] Signature of Proponent's Authorized Representative Name and Title : Date : REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 15 of 29
APPENDIX B REFERENCE FORM Each Proponent is requested to provide three (3) references from clients who have obtained similar goods or services from the Proponent in the last five (5) years as those requested in this RFP. Company Name : Company Address : Contact Name : Contact Telephone Number : Date Work Undertaken : Nature of Assignment : Reference #1 Reference #2 Company Name : Company Address : Contact Name : Contact Telephone Number : Date Work Undertaken : Nature of Assignment : Reference #3 Company Name : Company Address : Contact Name : Contact Telephone Number : Date Work Undertaken : Nature of Assignment : REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 16 of 29
APPENDIX C IESO INFORMATION & REQUIREMENTS SECTION 1 OVERVIEW 1.1 Context The online presence of the IESO supports business operations, enhances corporate reputation and satisfies numerous regulatory requirements. The corporate website (www.ieso.ca) is relied upon by participants, contract holders, communities, stakeholders, government and the public to provide important system information on a 24/7 basis. The merger with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has necessitated a redevelopment of all of the organization s online properties, specifically amalgamating five (5) separate websites into one (1) and fully redeveloping a sixth. It is estimated that the collective sites attracted more than 1.4 million users in 2014 across a broad spectrum of the electricity sector and the general public, and currently contain approximately 1,400 pages, 10,000+ documents and 50+ videos. The new websites will provide a modern, sophisticated, content and data-rich user experience using the Sitecore XP platform. The purpose of this RFP is to engage an experienced Service Provider for the purpose of installing and integrating SiteCore XP on servers hosted by the IESO on premise and on the cloud. The Successful Proponent will develop the redesigned IESO corporate website under the Consolidated Corporate Website project. In addition, and as required by the IESO, the Successful Proponent may be asked to provide similar service in other engagements. [End of Section 1] SECTION 2 SERVICES The IESO is seeking a qualified Service Provider to assist the IESO in the implementation of a new corporate website using SiteCore XP as a Content Management System ( CMS ) platform to perform the activities listed immediately below (collectively, the Services ). Services may include, but are not limited to: 2.1.1. Support with the configuration, integration, and deployment of the IESO corporate website using SiteCore XP CMS; 2.1.2. Working with the IESO to implement layouts, templates, charts and cascading style sheets ( CSS ); 2.1.3. Working with the IESO and its cloud hosting provider to deploy CMS and integrate with IESO back-end systems; 2.1.4. IT and administration training; 2.1.5. Defining standards, guidelines and procedures necessary to enable the IESO to operate and manage the site after completion of the project; and 2.1.6. Recommending and implementing an AODA compliance management program. 2.2. Requirements REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 17 of 29
The following requirements are expected to be provided by the Service Provider and should be considered as part of the pricing: 2.2.1. Project Management i. The Service Provider will be expected to work closely with IESO project staff on day-today basis throughout the engagement and will be required to work on-site at the IESO s office(s) in Toronto and Mississauga during installation and configuration of the solution; ii. The IESO will be providing a project manager, business lead, technical lead, web designer, user experience expert, developers, and content editors (the IESO Team ); iii. The Service Provider will ensure that effective knowledge transfer to the IESO Team will be provided throughout the project. The preference is to gradually involve the IESO Team in every aspect of the work from the beginning, and ramp up their involvement as the project progresses. iv. The Service Provider s team should include at a minimum, a project manager or team lead responsible for coordinating all aspects of the project in addition to integration and development personnel. Proposals should clearly identify the personnel proposed as the project manager or team lead. v. The Service Provider should be able to provide a second team if the work on another engagement starts before the completion of the first project. vi. The IESO expects that the personnel proposed will be consistent throughout the delivery of the Services. Should any member of the proposed personnel no longer be able to provide the Services for any reason whatsoever, the Service Provider will be required to make arrangements for a replacement resource with equivalent experience, competency, skill and knowledge to perform the Services and submit the name and qualifications of this replacement resource to the IESO for its approval. The IESO, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to deny or request alternate options to any proposed personnel changes or substitutions made by the Service Provider. 2.2.2. Software installation and integration The Service Provider will: i. Provide best-practice recommendations for architecture and hosting based on a detailed and comprehensive knowledge of Sitecore implementations; ii. Install and implement a fully configured Sitecore XP environment in QA and production environments, including both on-premise (management servers) and cloud hosted (content delivery servers). This includes any SiteCore XP modules and SiteCore xdb; and iii. Design configuration to support at minimum 750,000 page views per month, with consideration for irregular traffic spikes. 2.2.3. Website build REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 18 of 29
The Service Provider will: i. Provide CSS integration and the creation of 15-20 page templates from IESO provided specifications. This includes mobile specific CSS; ii. Build predefined HTML code blocks + CSS styles (IESO-provided), and integrate with content editor/ribbon tool. These predefined blocks or CSS styles should be easily selected or applied. There will be roughly 10 different predefined CSS styles and 20 predefined HTML code blocks that can be added to the page inline via the content editor/ribbon; iii. Build custom page views. There are roughly 30 pages that should be data driven by the backend CMS lists. A form for each list will need to be created/customized so editors and publishers can enter data into the lists; iv. Build dynamic widgets based on provided data or API; v. Create and configure flexible workflows for publishing content; vi. Configure security and role-based access; vii. Configure caching, scalability, and any performance related settings; viii. Migrate list data from the legacy SharePoint Online 2013 web site to SiteCore XP; ix. Integrate with IESO back end systems in order to get the dynamic content to SiteCore XP programmatically on a schedule. The dynamic content is typically PDF, XML, TXT, JSON, and Excel data files; x. Build roughly 10-12 dynamic data driven charts based on the HighCharts (http://www.highcharts.com/ ) JavaScript library. Data will be supplied by IESO in XML or JSON format; xi. Build site menu navigation and breadcrumbs based on wireframes, sitemaps, SEO, taxonomy and navigation structures provided by the IESO; xii. Work with the IESO Team to customize and optimize specific SiteCore components for information management, including media and document asset library, web forms, and multilingual component; xiii. Provide integration with Microsoft Dynamics; and xiv. Ensure implementation optimizes Sitecore s existing support for accessibility compliance, link management, SEO, spell check and any other editor s management tools. 2.2.4. Testing and Training The Service Provider will: i. Provide appropriate testing tools and processes that are aligned with industrystandard testing tools and processes; ii. Provide a Test Plan that includes: a. Functional testing; b. Performance testing; c. AODA compatibility testing; d. Load testing; e. Cross-Browser support testing; and REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 19 of 29
f. Multi-device support testing. iii. Provide testing to ensure optimization for desktop and mobile devices and cross-browser support; iv. Provide testing to ensure the website can handle periods of high load and traffic spikes; v. Test the ability to restore solution from backups of server and databases; vi. Working with the IESO Team, develop and test server failover plans; vii. Document the test results; viii. Develop training and knowledge transfer plan and training materials; and ix. Provide training to approximately 10 assigned IESO staff, including CMS administrators/developers and CMS editor/publishers. As necessary, and if required, additional training sessions may be requested by the IESO. 2.2.5. Launch and Support The Service Provider will provide continued support of the implemented solution for at least six (6) months after the go-live date. 2.2.6. Documentation & Reporting In addition to the Services outlined above, the Service Provider will be expected to provide the following documentation and reporting: i. Solution Specification, including, at a minimum, the following: a. installation; b. configuration; c. custom-built applications; and d. on-going maintenance, including logical and physical diagrams of the system. ii. Test Scripts; iii. Production Implementation Plan; iv. User Guides; v. As-Built Documentation; and vi. Weekly Status Reports. Weekly Status Reports must include: a. Schedule Update; b. Work completed during reporting period; c. Work planned for the next reporting period; d. Issues Log; and e. Outstanding Items 2.3. Material Information 2.3.1. Additional Statements of Work The IESO intends to engage the Successful Proponent to provide integration services for its Consolidated Corporate Website Project ( SOW #1 ). The IESO may, as it requires for future similar activities, engage the Successful Proponent for REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 20 of 29
additional statements of work under the same terms and conditions, and at any point throughout the term of any resulting Agreement from this RFP process. 2.3.2. Out of Scope The following services are not required under SOW #1 and should not be included in submitted Proposals. The IESO reserves the right to negotiate the addition of any of the below services as necessary into future statements of work throughout the Term of any Agreement resulting from this RFP. i. The scope of this project does not require the Proponent to make any purchases for this engagement. ii. iii. iv. Design, CSS, and branding will not be required. The Proponent will not need to include any designers, but will be expected to integrate and build templates based on provided CSS and wireframes. The Proponent is not expected to provide hosting services. The Proponent will not be required to publish website content on behalf of the IESO. 2.4. Project Schedule As further detailed in Section 3 of this Appendix, the Proponent s Proposal should include a high level Project Plan for the integration of CMS with an expected start date of Q1 2016 and desired end date no later than end of Q4 2016. The preceding is the anticipated timeline from the IESO. The IESO reserves the right to alter or amend the dates as necessary to meet its business needs. 2.6 Security Checks The Successful Proponent will be required to provide documentation as required by the IESO so that the IESO may conduct criminal record searches for all of the Proponent s personnel prior to the commencement of work. The Successful Proponent will be required to ensure its project team members confirm a commitment to abide by the security and confidentiality obligations of the IESO. The Agreement between the IESO and the Successful Proponent will be conditional upon all of the Proponent s personnel that will be assigned to the Agreement passing applicable criminal record searches prior to the required engagement start date. The Successful Proponent s personnel will also be required to successfully complete any applicable IESO information security awareness training delivered by the IESO s security team prior to the required engagement start date. 2.7 Experience Requirements REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 21 of 29
The following experience requirements should be submitted in accordance with the Proposal Content outlined in Section 3.1 of this Appendix C. The Proponent should demonstrate that it has conducted similar work comparable in size, scope and complexity. SiteCore partners will be considered an asset but are not mandatory. 2.6.1 Proponent s personnel for integration and developing should demonstrate the following experience: i. Expert knowledge in implementing UX and web design. Ability to effectively translate the design; ii. Expert knowledge of the following technologies: a) HTML5, CSS b) Microsoft Server, IIS, Microsoft SQL Server, MongoDB c) SiteCore XP developer certification(s). iii. Implementing SiteCore XP to mid-sized companies iv. Demonstrated experience deploying a SiteCore XP environment which consists of content authoring instances on-premises and the content delivery instances on a hosted cloud service. v. Experience working alongside IT staff outside its own, and providing direction and knowledge transfer during implementation and development phases. vi. Building externally facing websites using SiteCore XP. vii. Building solutions that is compatible and fully functional for both mobile and desktop devices. viii. Designing and creating complex workflows in SiteCore XP. ix. Experience leveraging the SiteCore xdb to build targeted content pages. x. Building page templates/layouts based on existing CSS & wireframes. xi. Developing custom applications with SiteCore XP. xii. Building dynamic custom page views using data lists & SiteCore API. xiii. Experience programmatically pushing data in/out to SiteCore XP (high frequency; new data every 5 minutes). xiv. Building highly customized dynamic data charts. xv. Optimizing site performance/speed, caches, and troubleshooting bottlenecks in SiteCore XP. xvi. Expert knowledge AODA AAA web accessibility guidelines. xvii. Experience with high-availability/uptime solutions. 2.6.2 The Proponent`s project manager or team lead should demonstrate the following experience: i. Knowledge and experience of project management methodologies, financial management concepts and processes. ii. General computer application skills, such as Microsoft Project, MS Power Point, MS Excel, and MS Word in order to prepare project documentation. iii. Background with Project support/administration, encompassing aspects of planning, reporting, scheduling, budgeting and general administration. iv. Strong organizational skills. v. Ability to work closely and collaboratively, on a multidiscipline project team. vi. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to influence others. REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 22 of 29
vii. Ability to deliver results within required deadlines, while operating in a demanding project environment. [End of Section 2] REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 23 of 29
SECTION 3 PROPOSAL CONTENT In addition to the requirements outlined in Section 2.1 of Part 2 of the RFP Compliance with Submission Criteria, Proponents are encouraged to submit Proposals that conform to the following section headings and requirements. Failure to conform may impair the Proposal review process, possibly to the detriment of the Proponent. 3.1 Experience, Skills and Qualifications Each Proponent should provide: Brief description of the Proponent s organizational structure and history, including any subcontractors it intends to use; A brief description of the Proponent s knowledge, skills, expertise and experience in providing the required Services; Examples of no less than 2 and no more than 5 previous projects completed that are of a similar size and complexity. Examples should be from projects completed in the last 3 years and should include a description of the services provided and the client s name. For certainty, the examples provided may be the same as, or in addition to, the References provided under Appendix B. A description of the qualifications and experience of personnel and subcontractors the Proponent proposes to assign for the provision of the Services, as detailed in Section 2.6 (Experience Requirements) of this Appendix C (including a curriculum vitae ( CV ) for each proposed resource). 3.2 Understanding & Methodology Each Proponent should provide: A description of the Proponent s overall approach and methodology to delivering the Services; Details which indicate an understanding of the scope, size and complexity of the Services. 3.3 Project Plan Each Proponent should provide: A Project Plan that includes, at a minimum, the following details: o A description of how the Proponent will provided the required Services including management of the work; delegation of responsibility (tasks and assigned persons); work plans; cost control; reporting and quality control; and subcontracting arrangements; o Delegation of responsibility should include the Proponent s expectation of the level of support and resource availability of the IESO Team. o The proposed schedule for delivery of the Services (Gantt chart) in accordance with Section 2.4 of this Appendix C. [End of Section 3] REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 24 of 29
SECTION 4 - PRICING Each Proponent should provide pricing in the manner and format provided in Appendix D (Rate Form). All prices should be inclusive of all labour, materials, equipment, transportation and other applicable costs. All prices should be in Canadian dollars, exclusive of applicable taxes. Proponents must not provide price ranges. Proponents must also not provide optional pricing without first providing the Fee for the Services requested. Any Proponent who fails to provide fees in the manner stipulated for the Services outlined will be disqualified from further review. If a Proponent wishes to provide additional optional pricing for alternate or additional services not included in the Rate Form, they may do so by affixing an additional price form outlining the details of such optional pricing. Optional pricing will not be considered in the scoring of Price as outlined in Section 6.1 of Appendix C. The IESO will not pay or reimburse any hospitality, incidental or food expenses; such items should not be included in pricing submissions. The IESO will not responsible for any travel or accommodation expenses incurred by the Service Provider that are not pre-approved in writing by the IESO and charged in accordance with Management Board of Cabinet s Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses Directive, as may be amended or replaced from time to time. Accommodation arrangements may only be made with those facilities listed in the Ontario government s Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses Directive, as may be amended or replaced from time to time. SECTION 5 SUBMISSION EVALUATION CRITERIA 5.1 Proponent Submissions will be evaluated in the following manner: EVALUATION CRITERIA CATEGORY WEIGHTING (Points) Technical Submission: 1 a b Experience, Skills and Qualifications as described in Section 3.1: Proponent & Personnel Experience & Qualifications Previous Experience in similar engagements 20 Points 5 points 2 Understanding of the Deliverables as described in Section 3.2. 3 Project Plan, as described in Section 3.3. a Project Plan 20 Points 15 Points REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 25 of 29
b Project Schedule 5 Points 5 Ability to provide the second team as described in2.2.1 v 6 Pricing as described in Section 4 TOTAL POINTS Total Technical Points: 5 Points 70 Points 30 Points 100 Points 5.2 Minimum Score Proponents who do not meet a minimum Technical score of 49.0 points will not proceed to Stage III of the Evaluation & Selection Process as outlined in Part 2 of the RFP and will not have their pricing reviewed. 5.3 Pricing Evaluation Methodology Pricing will be scored in the following manner: Proponents who meet the minimum score criteria as outlined in Section 5.2 above ( Qualified Proposals ) will receive a percentage of the total possible points allocated to price for the particular category, as calculated by the following formula: lowest Qualified Proposal price/proponent price = % For example, if the lowest price from a Qualified Proposal is $120, it receives 100% of the points (120/120 = 100%); a Qualified Proposal who bids $150.00 receives 80% of the possible points (120/150 = 80%) and a Qualified Proposal who bids $240.00 receives 50% of the possible points for that category (120/240 = 50%). [END OF APPENDIX C] REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 26 of 29
APPENDIX D RATE FORM Proponent s Legal Name All prices should be inclusive of all labour, materials, equipment, transportation and other applicable costs. All prices should be in Canadian dollars, exclusive of applicable taxes. Proponents must not provide price ranges. Proponents must also not provide optional pricing without first providing the Fee for the Services requested. Any Proponent who fails to provide fees in the manner stipulated for the Services outlined will be disqualified from further review. If a Proponent wishes to provide additional optional pricing for alternate or additional services not included in the Rate Form, they may do so by affixing an additional price form outlining the details of such optional pricing. Optional pricing will not be considered in the scoring of Price as outlined in Section 6.1 of Appendix C. 1. CMS Implementation Fees Proponents should provide the Fees for the complete implementation of the CMS, as detailed in Section 2 of Appendix C. Part A: Professional Services for the full implementation of the CMS Solution Personnel # Hours Per Hour Rate Total Cost per Personnel Personnel s Name Role $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Formula: (# of Hours) x (Per Hour Rate) Subtotal: $ Part B: Training & Knowledge Transfer Personnel # Hours Per Hour Rate Total Cost per Personnel Personnel s Name Role Formula: (# of Hours) x (Per Hour Rate) REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 27 of 29
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Subtotal: $ Part C: Maximum Price Part A - Professional Services for the full implementation of the CMS Solution Part B - Training & Knowledge Transfer $ Maximum Price: $ $ Price In the event of a mathematical discrepancy relating to Part A and Part B above, the hourly rate multiplied by the indicated number of hours will prevail. In the event of a discrepancy between the total price indicated in Part A or B and the Maximum Price provided in Part C, the price indicated in Part A, B and C will prevail. [END OF APPENDIX D] REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 28 of 29
APPENDIX E SAMPLE MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT Proponents should refer to Appendix E, included as an accompanying document to this RFP, for the IESO s Terms and Conditions of contract. Any proposed amendments to Appendix E as it has been provided should be submitted to the IESO as a marked-up (red-line) version for review. The IESO makes no guarantee that it will accept proposed amendments to Appendix E. In the event the IESO elects to commence negotiations with a Proponent, such negotiations may include negotiating changes, amendments or revisions to the Proposal of a selected Proponent and such other terms and conditions as the IESO determines are required to be included in the contract. Proponents are cautioned that while this RFP contemplates that the IESO may conduct post-proposal discussions, including negotiations, with one or more Proponent, the IESO does not expect to enter into significant post-proposal discussions or negotiations with Proponents. REF: RFP/IT/15/12/000193 Page 29 of 29