Be AOK with an RFP: Building a Request for Proposals for Website Design

Unless you’re a one-person shop needing help with a small website, it is probably a requirement to prepare a Request For Proposals (RFP) for any major contract/vendor work. Building or redesigning your company’s website should be no exception.

Building an RPF accomplishes two main goals: it helps define the scope of the project both internally and for the web design firm, and it contains costs by making sure you get  fair and accurate bids for the work needed. There are many variables at play in building a site, including the size, graphic design needs, and functionality required. An RPF will ensure you don’t end up paying $15,000 for a $1,000 job, or that you get a $15,000 site and nothing less for that price.

There are many web design RPF sample templates available on the web you can reference as a starting point. Of course, some are better than others, so your mileage may vary. Let’s take a look at what should be included as you build your RFP.

Description, Purpose and Objectives

Why are you building a new website? Outline the scope of your web design project, including the problems you want to solve or any new capabilities the site will bring to your customers. Define who your target audience is, and identify secondary audiences.

Background Information

To effectively research your company, it is helpful for a web designer to have a bit of company history. If you have an existing website, provide links to this information. The more context a web design firm has, the better they will be able to produce a site that truly reflects your company’s history and goals.

Budget and Time Frame

This section should also include the anticipated budget range (a range allows for flexibility in providing solutions) and the desired completion date or project duration. What you are soliciting is a quote for your web design job, so web design firms can give a more accurate estimate of costs when they can factor in the requirements as well as the time frame.

Be aware that designers and firms may take two to four weeks to respond to an RFP, as they need to develop an initial project scope to define their estimate. Factor this response time, as well as the time needed to interview finalists, into your time frame.

Design Requirements

Most companies have an established set of brand guidelines. These guidelines include color palettes and corporate identity guidelines that must be utilized in any public-facing project.

Design also includes overall look and feel; use adjectives to describe how the site should feel to the user. It is appropriate to compare and contrast your desired finished site with other sites you do and do not like. Also be sure to indicate if there are any elements such as Flash animations desired.

If your company is subject to Americans with Disabilities Act legislation, your site must adhere to the requirements set forth by this legislation. Indicate your ADA compliance status and requirements.

Technical Requirements

Your web designer or firm will need to know how your site is hosted. Indicate who is your internet service and hosting provider and the platform on which your site will be hosted (Windows, Linux, etc.). The page delivery system is also crucial information (ASP.NET, JSP, PHP, etc.).

It also also important to include staff resources such as an internal web team and/or IT staff who can or will be utilized as resources on your web design project. Non-technical staff such as Marketing and Communications or Compliance may also be required to review web content and design elements.

Functionality and Programming Requirements

Describe any special functions your site must include, such as forms, e-commerce platform, content management system, and any other interactive features. Include how this information and the interactions involved need to work and who will manage them. Your web design firm will then be able to recommend either developing custom applications or using out-of-the-box, plug-in type applications, depending on your hosting platform, delivery system, requirements and budget.

Response Deadline and Contact Information

Be sure to include a submission deadline for responses, and to whom those responses should be directed.

This is something of a bird’s eye view of the construction of an RFP. There may be other pieces of information you may wish to include; look at samples from other companies or found on the internet for further research. This overall structure will be sufficient to set you on your way.

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