to: all proposers from: kevin christopher, director of ... · 6/2/2020 · d. how are emails sent...

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TO: ALL PROPOSERS

FROM: KEVIN CHRISTOPHER, DIRECTOR OF SUPPLY MANAGEMENT

DATE: JUNE 2, 2020

SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR INTERACTIVE WEBSITE AND CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM – RFP #2020-12

PROPOSAL DUE DATE: JUNE 10, 2020- 2:00 P.M. EDT

ADDENDUM #2 Please bind the following into the above-referenced Request for Proposals dated May 22, 2020. THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SUBJECT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN POSED:

Question Response 1 We are planning to ask our questions early in the process

and as they arise. What is the expected turnaround time to receive responses to our questions?

Response to questions will be provided by June 2, 2020.

2 To ensure that we enough time to develop a professional response, I would like to respectfully request an extension to the due date of RFP 2020-12 until Friday, July 3rd?

The new proposal due date is June 10, 2020 @ 2:00PM EDT.

3 Is COTA open to a phased approach as part of our solution? yes 4 Is the budget for the CMS a separate budget line item or is it

part of the total estimated budget? Part of the total

5 For data to be ADA compliant would it be responsibility of service provider or COTA?

Creating an ADA-compliant site is the responsibility of the service provider. ADA needs to be baked in from the very beginning.

6 From Content Management perspective, we are assuming there will be no change in current content and we would use data AS-IS?

It is our feeling that some content that will need to be created and should manifest during experience research. New content will be created by COTA and its creative partners.

7 For languages other than English our understanding is COTA would have SME’s to verify the quality of content?

No, we do not have SMEs. Your recommendation is requested based on best practices within our budget constraints

8 For different languages we are assuming we could use Google translator or expectation is to have a different application?

Your recommendation is requested based on best practices within our budget constraints

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9 What is the Proposal Due Date? The new proposal due date is June 10, 2020 @ 2:00PM EDT.

10 Can responses be submitted via email or if it needed to be a hard copy proposal?

Proposals are to be emailed to [email protected].

11 What are the high-level pain points that a new site will solve? a. For end customers? b. For the COTA team?

a) Difficult to navigate and find desired information; trip planner isn’t the most user friendly; translation could be improved

b) Support touchless payment systems; implement loyalty program; account management and communications

12 What does the team feel the current site does well? a. For end customers? b. For the COTA team?

a) Provides detailed trip planning information to riders (including real time bus tracking).

b) It is simple to update and manage content.

13 What are the business reasons for wanting a single-page application?

Fast and responsive design and a linear user experience

14 Can the team provide high-level analytics for browser usage, most visited pages/sections, etc.?

a. Related, what does the team consider the key performance indicators of the site? Are there certain user flows that are considered “high value”?

b. Google Analytics is currently in use on the site. Are there any other tools used for analytics, optimization & reporting?

i. For example, heat maps are mentioned in the RFP. Does the team currently leverage any heat mapping tools / applications? Or will this need to be chosen and purchased?

Yes, this is something we can provide.

a. Thought KPI’s were included in the scope? From my perspective, I would say everything that goes into UX – optimized responsiveness, accessible site, integration, etc.

b. GA is the only analytics tool

15 What does the team see as “seamless experience/integration with current apps”? (How should the site tie in with existing mobile applications)

a. How would the team characterize the current integration with the apps? Is this the desired state or does it require improvement?

We want our customers to enjoy a recognizable experience across all our touchpoints, including:

• The Connector app uses the daily alerts endpoint from the trip planner API.

• New integrations will need to be established – PIVOT is an example of something we will be taking over that we will need to integrate with.

• Opportunity to integrate with existing apps like Transit App

• Also Google maps, trip planning, CRM (Salesforce + Marketing Cloud, potentially)

16 Are there certain technologies the team prefers for the front-end system or CMS?

c. Does the team have a preference regarding use of headless CMS configurations (versus traditional, non-headless CMS systems)?

d. Does the team have a preference regarding hosting the CMS solution on-premises vs. a cloud hosted solution?

e. How important are WYSIWYG editing tools to the marketers managing the site?

c. no preference. d. on-premises is preferred, but there could be flexibility based on security options e. WYSIWYG is necessary for non-IT users.

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17 How does the team currently handle the multiple languages (beyond Google Translate)?

PDF brochures in three other languages are provided.

18 What will be used to measure accessibility compliance? (this may be an internal question)

WCAG 2.1 AA is required. Vendor is required to bring tool recommendation. But I looked here for options for you… https://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/tools/

19 Does the vendor need to verify (test) for compliance with WCAG 2.1 and section 508 requirements or certify the site is ADA complaint?

Yes.

20 Does COTA own mobile devices for testing purposes?

Yes but we should be doing acceptance tests and not regular testing for bugs etc. That is the responsibility of the developers.

21 What elements of the current site are not powered by WordPress but are instead using third party tools or open source libraries? Is the desire to continue to use these third party applications in the new platform, or replace them? Some specific questions on this subject below:

a. The trip planner was mentioned in the RFP as something potentially powered by an open source admin interface. Can you confirm?

b. A Google Translate plugin appears to be used to manage translations. Please confirm if there are other tools used for translation/language support.

c. What powers the current on-site search application? To what extent does the team have administrative control over search results today?

d. How are emails sent to subscribers? To what degree is there integration with an Email Service Provider (ESP) or CRM? What ESP and/or CRM is in use? Does the ESP also manage text/SMS notifications?

e. A live chat feature is referenced in the RFP. Is there an application chosen to support this functionality, or is that to be part of the project?

f. An Events calendar is outlined in the RFP. Does the team use an existing application for this functionality?

g. A form creation functionality is outlined in the RFP. Is there an existing tool/WordPress plugin (such as WordPress Contact Form) that the team uses today for form creation?

h. The Vendor Solicitations section is somewhat complex from a data model standpoint – is this all managed via WordPress or is there a degree of integration that will need to be supported?

i. Section 3.3.10 references “four (4) third party applications”. Are these in the above? If not, what applications are being referenced?

The site uses a trip planning API that is hosted on-premises and is based on .NET architecture (c#). a. The trip planner API is not based on any

third-party applications. c. The WordPress default search feature is currently in use. d. The site uses Twilio to send SMS messages to riders. A custom PHP script sends email. f. No. g. Contact Form 7 wordpress plugin (with Flamingo) h. The vendor portion of the site is not managed by WordPress or any plugins. It is based on a collection of page templates and custom functions that work with the database.

22 The site currently supports three login “paths” – one for Connector, one for Users, and one for Employees. There is also a Vendor login in the “Businesses” section.

This project is a build it from scratch opportunity for COTA and our partner. I see all of this falling into the UX portion of the scope.

https://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/tools/

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a. To what extent is the login / sign up user journey and related functionality a part of the project scope?

b. To what extent is the content and functionality within these portals part of the project scope?

c. If part of scope, can any additional details around the user experience/functionality of these portals be shared?

Everything should be evaluated from a UX/UI perspective and adapted. Vendor site will be scoped as basic needs only, they are evaluating a special solution at this time (for their vendor needs) and could add funding for the website if additional functionality is built in to this scope.

23 What APIs are currently integrated with the current site? Does the COTA team leverage any type of service bus to manage APIs?

The site uses a custom API based on C# and .NET architecture.

24 Is there any guidance on the budget? The allocated 2020 budget is $400,000. We will look at adding to the contract in 2021 if/as needed to meet expectations and continue the appropriate work.

The last contract was awarded for $350,000.

25 Will COTA consider extending the due date of the proposal by two weeks? Given the size, complexity and criticality of this site and the comprehensive vision that COTA has for the future site, this extension will provide additional time to thoroughly evaluate: 1) the current website and the proposed features of the future site 2) multiple solution options and identify the best-fit option, and 3) the additional COTA responses anticipated for the questions asked through the procurement process.


26 Could you clarify the due date for the proposal submission? The new proposal due date is June 10, 2020 @ 2:00PM EDT.

27 Could you please, share your detailed visitor metrics? Volume is good, but traffic by website component, new visitors vs. return vistors, etc. would be helpful.

SEE ATTACHMENTS

28 Do you have a style guide or a brand guide?

Yes, style guide attached

29 Do you have a budget you are able to share? Does the budget include tech support and hosting? What was the investment in the previous website?

The allocated 2020 budget is $400,000. We will look at adding to the contract in 2021 if/as needed to meet expectations and continue the appropriate work. The last contract was awarded for $350,000.

30 Does COTA have a CMS preference? Open source? Drupal/WordPress?

We have ample experience with WordPress but are open to suggestions that align with our strategy. 2020 Marketing Strategy (related to website development/opportunity)

1) Community: Showcase COTA as a thought leader to Customers and constituents in the Columbus Region.

a. They should recognize COTA as Central Ohio’s mobility leader, as an indispensable community servant, and as a

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critical link to the region’s economic prosperity.

2) Customers: Our website needs to be a safe, reliable, easy-to-use, customer-centric mobility services connection (to COTA offerings and partners in mobility)

a. Increase ridership of current customers (or bring them back, given the circumstances)

b. Increase ridership by using data & analytics to enhance our communications to drive new customers

3) Colleagues: Use data and analytics to Continually leverage feedback to drive marketing tactics, messaging and delivery to result in moving our goals forward and providing ROI

31 What 3rd party vendor are you using for live bus tracking

(avail, doublemap, trapeze, clever devices, etc.)? Trapeze

32 Who are your primary and secondary users? 1. Prospective customers 2. Current customers

33 Would you like detailed research in terms of your audience in the form of an audience needs assessment?

yes

34 Do you have a desired launch date? Is there a specific event driving the launch date?

We need a minimum viable product (plus) in 6 months from contract date, as per the CEO’s request. We understand this will be a phased approach to ‘ideal build’ and propose to have a separate budget in 2021 to fuel it.

35 What is the current hosting environment? Believe this is in the scope Under Current Environment

36 How many visitors does the current website receive on a monthly basis?

Please see attached analytics

37 How many pages of content do you anticipate transferring to the new site?

This should be determined in the research portion of the project in collaboration with COTA staff.

38 What are your current pain points with the existing website? Refer to answer in question 11 39 What are the current technical challenges (if any)? Technical debt leftover from the initial

development of the site, custom trip planning API instead of something more established such as OpenTripPlanner.

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Will the incumbent vendor be submitting a proposal? We do not currently work with an agency on website projects. Suppliers that will be submitting a proposal is unknown.

41 How many site administrators will you have? Minimum three Administrators will full access, then likely five to ten (still a bit TBD) staff who will need some level of access to make updates, pull reports, etc.

42 Will you require different levels of admin permissions? Yes, please see #41 43 Is there an incumbent agency you currently work with on

web development efforts? If so, are they participating in this process?

We do not currently work with an agency on website projects. Suppliers that will be submitting a proposal is unknown.

44 What do you view as the most important qualities of a digital agency partner beyond the capabilities outlined in the RFP?

Vision to see what we don’t see in regards to building a strategy to enhance and maintain our

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site. Help us exemplify what a mobility solutions provider can do for its community online. User-centered design is imperative, and thus being substantially excellent at learning what our user want both expressed and unexpressed needs/wants)

44 Is there an intended budget range for the services outlined in the RFP? Are there any other budget parameters we should consider?

The allocated 2020 budget is $400,000. We will look at adding to the contract in 2021 if/as needed to meet expectations and continue the appropriate work. The last contract was awarded for $350,000.

45 How will success be measured? Are there specific metrics that you consider to define the success?

We are literally starting from scratch. We want a beautifully designed, easy to use website that begins to drives mobility solutions use for customers and engages with the community and Cbus visitors. Part of the ROI we are looking for is driving use (new and return), compliments, and interaction. We’d also like to have an e-commerce site to allow purchase/re-up of bus passes, customer account (loyalty programs, think Starbucks), which will provide COTA a new way to meet the needs and engage with our customers and provide a financial return to our investment.

46 Who built the existing COTA website? ZED Digital did the preliminary development. Our COTA employee has heavily modified it since then.

47 How many websites (domains and subdomains) are there in total?

There is only www.cota.com at present.

48 The existing site is built in WordPress - are you looking for a different CMS for the new website?

We are open to any CMS that aligns with our strategic goals.

49 How would you rate your organization's happiness with Wordpress?

We are very happy with Wordpress. We just need a feature rich, customizable solution that’s easy to administer

50 Your current CMS and site are hosted on-premise. Are you open to a cloud-based solution?

when possible, we prefer to host our applications, but we are not adverse to cloud where it makes sense.

51 The RFP calls out DDoS attacks - has the site been DDoS'd often or recently?

no

52 Does the website handle transactions and/or store payment date?

It will going forward

53 Are there any security compliance requirements like PCI, HIPAA, SOC-1, SOC-2, FedRamp, etc?

There will be, to secure customer payment information as well as secure vendor’s sensitive information (W9 etc.)

54 Is the content used on the website decoupled and used on other front-end frameworks like station screens, mobile applications, etc?

Not at this time.

55 Do bidders need to have HQ'd in the USA or could a Canadian company bid directly?

Bidders do not need be headquartered in the USA.

56 What is driving COTA to redesign and rebuild the current site?

Align better with the COTA 5-year strategy, showcase COTA as a thought leaders and to provide a better customer experience. 2020 Marketing Strategy (related to website development/opportunity)

http://www.cota.com/

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a. They should recognize COTA as Central Ohio’s mobility leader, as an indispensable community servant, and as a critical link to the region’s economic prosperity.





57 Can you share who will be involved in the evaluation

process?

Team members from: Innovation Marketing Development IT Planning Finance

58 Clarification - “Section 3.12. Alternative proposals (proposals that offer something different than what is asked for) will be rejected.” and “3.5 Additional Options Although COTA has the specific requirements as outlined in this section, COTA is also interested in your ideas for the approach of redesigning the COTA site. We encourage respondents to consider and propose alternative solutions and recommendations. We are particularly interested in specific web functionality that your company may have already developed or deployed for other customers.” These sections appear to conflict with each other, can you provide guidance?

Proposals at a minimum are to include an offer for what has been requested with the specifications. Additional options may be proposed, however must be clearly identified as an additional option.

59 Can confirm that the scope included in the RFP has an expected timeline of 8 months or less?


60 Does user testing/research include existing applications like PIVOT app, VIA (provider of COTA PLUS APP), and Transit app

If yes, are there other apps we should include in the research scope?

No. Re: sunset – any or all of the content could be sunset depending on the user research we execute that determines what is important, what is missing, and how we solve for the experience.

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Are there any pages or content on the current site that should be sunset? Any new content that should be added?

61 Are the fare prices dynamic based on an integration with other systems? Or are they hardcoded via CMS?

All fare data is contained in the GTFS static feed.

62 What system does the “contact us” form submit the contact request to?

Form results are sent to a customer service email account.

63 On the Vendor Opportunities page, what system provides the open opportunities to the site?

This is a customer set up involving several WordPress page templates. We manually enter the open opportunities. But, the system does connect to LAWSON (internal system) which alerts of the contract awards.

64 Clarification - “Section 3.3.3.3 Searches both web content as well as the contents of files (PDFs, Word Documents, etc.)” and “2.2.4 Website Documents – none” These sections appear to conflict with each other, can you provide guidance?

This is simply asking that the search option we implement be able to search all the site, including content – current or future (which could be PDFs etc.)

65 Logged-in features ● General Users

○ Please confirm that this user account is separate from a COTA connector account?

● Employees ○ What functionality is available to Logged-in

employees? ○ Can COTA provide access to an employee

test account? ● Vendors

○ What functionality is available to logged-in vendors?

• Accounts on cota.com are not shared

with any other application. • Employees log into a separate system

that is independent of cota.com. • VENDORS - This area is open to the

vendors, you can create a profile and see it. https://www.cota.com/vendor-registration/

66 Are the following pages included in the scope of this RFP? ○ ApplicantPro job search (assume no) ○ COTA “Connector” appears to be a separate

site from the main WordPress site. https://connector.cota.com/efare/?login=true. Is a rebuild of this site in scope of the RFP?

Applicant Pro is Connector is our app, and there will be slight integration (for instance the ride planner would be the same across them both) There is the potential for an addendum to this contract that would include app enhancements. That is TBD.

67 Is COTA satisfied with Google Analytics as a tracking tool? Yes. 68 Is active directory used for employee, customer, and vendor

log-in? If not, please clarify which systems manage each of these account types, as they may need to be migrated as a part of this solution.

Active Directory is not currently in use on cota.com.

69 3.3.5 requires “Trip planning” to integrate with the existing SMRT Columbus tools.

○ What is the scope of these tools? E.g. Does SMRT Columbus provide the mapview UI, to/from/configuration fields, and final directions? Or does it simply expose data integrations?

○ Trip Planning - Does the existing trip planning tool currently integrate into SMRT?

○ Trip Planning - Is the selected vendor expected to redesign or enhance the trip

1. The Pivot app is not currently integrated into cota.com. It has the capacity to plan multimodal trips. Mtech/Etch GIS is currently developing a browser-friendly web application. 2. No. 3. No, the trip planner should use Pivot or OpenTripPlanner. 4. We would like to get away from the current custom trip planning API and use Pivot or OpenTripPlanner.

https://www.cota.com/vendor-registration/

https://www.cota.com/vendor-registration/

https://connector.cota.com/efare/?login=true

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planning tool to align with performance and user experience requirements?

○ Does this RFP require any modifications to the current trip planning flow?

70 3.3.7 requires a way to subscribe to important notices via email/text.

○ Is there an existing process and toolset for creating these notifications and sending them to subscribers?

○ What CRM does COTA currently use? Are you open to new solutions for this functionality?

1. The current workflow sends email using custom scripts and sends SMS messages via Twilio. 2. COTA does not currently have a CRM.

71 3.3.8 asks for a live chat feature. Does COTA have a current live chat solution (e.g. Zendesk?)

No.

72 Can you provide the integrations that are required, per section 3.3.10 (Third party integration – ability to integrate with at least four (4) third party applications)?

• Twilio for SMS notifications • the Connector app uses the daily alerts

endpoint from the trip planner API. • New integrations will need to be

established – PIVOT is an example of something we will be taking over that we will need to integrate with.


• Also Google maps, trip planning, CRM (Salesforce + Marketing Cloud, potentially)

73 3.3.12.6 requires integration with GIS mapping applications. ○ How will these maps be incorporated? ○ Is there an expectation that the CMS has the

ability to create a form that integrates with COTA GIS mapping applications?

1. Maps need to be used with a trip planner like Pivot or OpenTripPlanner 2. no.

74 Is COTA comfortable deploying the application in a cloud environment? E.g. AWS for the website or a cloud-hosted CMS solution for content management?


75 The current site is built on WordPress -- does COTA have a preference for remaining on WordPress vs. exploring other CMSs?

COTA is open to any CMS that aligns with the overall strategy for cota.com. 2020 Marketing Strategy (related to website development/opportunity)




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76 Requirement 3.1.5 calls for building the site as a “Single

Page Application”. While XXXXXXX often uses this approach, does COTA have specific reasons for requiring a SPA?

While it may be preferred, we won’t require it. It will depend on what the best solution is to meet our needs.

77 Clarification - “Section 3.3.4 APIs, import and export – major components should have import and export capabilities, and APIs should be clearly defined.” Does this mean the selected CMS should have APIs for integrations? Can COTA please clarify which components this applies to and how the APIs will be used?

Anything stored in the CMS should be exportable.

78 Subscriptions - What application does COTA use to manage subscriptions?

Custom PHP scripts

79 CMS Procurement ○ Can you confirm that the CMS and

maintenance cost is to be excluded as procurement is a part of the project?

○ Is there an expectation to include estimates around a potential CMS?

CMS recommendation, procurement, and implementation should be in scope, maintenance will be an addendum, or a separate contract altogether, depending on the vendor solution we choose.

80 What are the budgeting constraints that should be considered?

The allocated 2020 budget is $400,000. We will look at adding to the contract in 2021 if/as needed to meet expectations and continue the appropriate work.


81 Based on COTA’s current content management team composed of 2 people from marketing and 1 from IT, is it correct to assume that the CMS of choice should make it simple to create and customize the layout of new pages?

yes

82 Does COTA anticipate making code-level changes to the site via their IT team, or will all maintenance be done by a vendor-provided development team?

Our Multi-media Programmer can make code based edits, but we will look to have a maintenance agreement in place at the end of the implementation for larger projects.

83 Do existing apps have any API or other existing integration capabilities or will we be expected to work with external vendors to modify their apps to allow for interoperability as well?

Existing services such as Twilio have well-defined APIs.

84 Are their specific data integration in mind that should be considered for import and export of data?

Salesforce is our intended contact management system and should be in the consideration set. Anything stored in the CMS should be exportable.

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85 Is there an expectation of embedding an existing trip planner or should the proposal include building a new UI on to an existing trip planning API?

Pivot (from SMRT Columbus) or OpenTripPlanner should be used.

86 What are the third party applications to be integrated with? Do these applications have appropriate APIs or integration facilities to achieve the desired interoperability?

TBD but existing services such as Twilio have well-defined APIs.

87 (2.2.1) Do you have any usage data from your 2017 build that helped inform decisions in that build?

We do not at this time. I can check with legacy employees prior to Discovery meeting with approved vendor.

88 (2.2.1) Do you have any current feedback, interviews, comments from users of the current site?

Not at this time, but I will ask our call center if they have any they can provide in time for Discovery.

89 (2.2.3) Have you determined a broader brand, marketing and/or content strategy that will inform this process? Does any of this include a competitive/comparison assessment?

We have a content/creative guide that will determine our messaging. We have Brand Guidelines what will guide our look/feel. We have not done a competitive assessment. 2020 Marketing Strategy (related to website development/opportunity)







90 (2.3) Do you have current audience segmentation data

available? If so, what type and form/artifact can we expect to see it in (e.g. personas, journeys, behavioral maps,etc)?

We do, and we can share after NDA is signed and we are heading into the Discovery session. We have 6 defined customer personas. We will have customer journey mapping complete by the time we enter into contract as well. Analytic data is available via Google Analytics.

91 (2.3) Is there a desire to produce audience segmentation artifacts like personas and journey maps that outline the website experience? If so, do you expect that these go broader than the website experience to understand connected experiences and journeys? And is the expectation

We can apply our Personas (both customer and prospect) to the website experience. We intend to interview them to understand and implement solutions that meet and exceed their needs.

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that these are standalone or can they be illustrated as part of the overall user experience recommendation?

Scenarios should include disabled people, slow connections, mobile users, and the elderly (among others).

92 (3.2) Are you expecting the vendor to source any user research and testing participants? Or are you able to solicit individuals or groups provided direction from the vendor?

We have a group of customers (over 1000) that are willing to be a part of our research. Non-customers who are part of research will be sourced by you or by our current Sentiment Research partners if you don’t have the capability.

93 (3.2) Do you have a messaging guide and/or creative expression developed? Are there brand concepts developed that can be extended?

Yes, brand guide is posted. Creative messaging is being finalized currently which will be the guidepost to all content moving forward.

94 (3.2) What type of design inputs can we expect? Do you have a current brand standards guide? Are digital standards outlined?

Please attached Brand Guide.

95 (2.2.5) What features of the current WordPress admin are working well for you?

Default WordPress features are working well for us presently.

96 (2.2.5) What features are not working well? No-code plugins such as Visual Composer are not working well for us presently.

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(3.1.1) There is a lot of language around “easily” updating content. Do you currently struggle with content updates? If so, do you believe this is an education issue, setup/implementation issue or do you feel the current platform just does not support your needs?

We a platform/system that is not technically restrictive to our needs. There are definitely opportunities for training for newer team members.

98 (3.1.1) Are you looking to migrate away from WordPress? Do you have a specific CMS or type of CMS in mind or are you open to a recommendation based on needs?

We are not looking to move away from WordPress necessarily. We are open to recommendation.

99 (3.3.4) Can you expand upon the requested component import/export capabilities? What are some examples of content that would live in the CMS but be available via API? Are you looking to utilize this for content and copy updates?

Anything entered into the CMS should be exportable.

100 (2.2.3) In the RFP you mention a preference for open-source components. Can you expand on this, and would you be open to a proprietary CMS recommendation if it better met your needs and was within your budget?

COTA has a strong preference for open-source software.

101 (3.1.1) Are you looking for a CMS platform recommendation as part of the proposal or is that something that would be considered an activity as part of the Discovery?

The choice of CMS will be guided by COTA’s overall strategy for the website.

102 Who within your IT staff (by roles or job descriptions) will be involved in this project? Do you foresee your team having any development responsibilities?

We have a multi-media developer and he is intimately involved in the project.

103 (3.1.5) What are the reasons for wanting to build the entire site as a SPA?


104 (3.1.8) Do you have any internal tools you are currently using to test site response time and optimization?

No formal tools are currently in use. However, Google PageView Insights has been used in the past.

105 (3.1.9.4) You mention integrations with some of your existing apps (PIVOT, VIA and Transit App). Are you looking to include functional features from these apps on the new site? Can you expand on those features?

Yes. We look to provide a recognizable experience whether in the Pivot, Connector or Plus app.

106 (3.1.9.4) Can you tell us whether the existing apps are developed with this kind of integration in mind? E.g. is there an API behind each app that could easily be repurposed for

Only Twilio has a well-defined API for integrations.

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the web site, or would these be development projects in their own right?

107 (3.1.9.4) Are these app integrations must-have for an initial launch, or could they be deferred to a later project or phase?

We are certainly expecting this will be a phased approach and we will have a product owner that will assist in prioritization of delivery.

108 (2.2.6) Do you anticipate that the new site will be hosted on-premises like the current one, or are you open to moving to a Cloud hosting provider such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services?


109 (3.3.2) Can you expand on the Active Directory integration? Is this in reference to content creators / managers logging in with their Active Directory accounts, or do other users have access to logged-in content as well? How do users currently authenticate?

Cota.com does not currently use AD integration.

110 (2.2.3) Where is the trip planner data currently managed? Is this part of the current CMS or a standalone system?

The present trip planner is based on a custom API.

111 (3.3.5) Is the current trip planning tool meeting your needs? Expand on the integration with SMRT Columbus.

We would prefer to use Pivot or OpenTripPlanner.

112 (3.3.5) Are the trip planning features (customized trip planning, multiple travel choices, future travel times, multi-modal trips, tailored points of interest) already developed, or are any of these new features?

We would prefer to use Pivot or OpenTripPlanner.

113 (3.3.7) What CRM are you currently using? None currently, but are looking into Salesforce. 114 What types of existing content do you anticipate will need to

be migrated from the current system to a new system as part of this project?

Video, images, copy, social links.

115 (1.1) “Collaborative content development” - • Can you elaborate on this expectation? • Are you expecting the vendor to provide the information architecture and content strategy while directing art direction for section/page content? Will you provide copywriting and graphic production based on concepts? • Of the content on the current site, what do you believe can be migrated vs. repurposed vs. what will need to be completely redesigned? Is there a general expectation around migrating content?

Using data-driven, informed decision making we will determine what content is imperative to repurpose and what needs our writer and designer will need to create. 2020 Marketing Strategy (related to website development/opportunity)






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116 (2.2.8) Do you feel the Google Translate plugin is adequate

for your translation needs? We know this is a sub-par translation, and would prefer to have a better solution. Budget/priority will be a constraint/consideration.

117 (2.2.8) Are you looking for more control of the translated content within your CMS?

Possibly

118 (2.1.2) You mentioned wanting users to be able to share and post information. Is that primarily by social sharing integrations or by allowing users to make comments on the site?

Social sharing integrations

119 (2.1.2) Have you considered incorporating social media strategies into your redesign efforts? Ad spend?

Yes, we will be working closely with our internal manager and eternal agencies to ensure the messaging and strategies align.

120 (3.3.3.3) Do site documents (pdfs, docs, images, etc) live in the CMS? Or is there a digital asset system?

Documents are stored in the CMS as well as on the server file system.

121 (1.1) Can you expand on the “Cybersecurity” evaluation criteria, e.g. what are you expecting the selected partner to demonstrate as part of this response or a follow-up?

This will depend on platform such as cloud or on premise. Be familiar with https://owasp.org/www-project-top-ten/ security standards.

122 (3.4.1) Can you expand on the types of support you need? Is this support for developers / content creators on your side, end-user support, or creative/consulting support?

Support for all users is required.

123 Is WordPress the desired target platform or should supplier provide a recommended CMS? [Section 2.2.5]

WordPress works well for us but we are open to any CMS that aligns with our strategy for the website.

124 Is this the desired target state for the site to be hosted on premise or are cloud providers an option? [Section 2.2.6]


125 Is Google Translate the desired state or does COTA wish to provide translations of all content manually? [Section 2.2.8]

Google Translate works well presently.

126 The RFP lists Single Page Application as a technical requirement, is there a specific front-end framework desired (Angular, React, Vue) or are you looking to the supplier to recommend? [Section 3.1.5]

Frameworks and CMS’es should align with COTA’s strategic goals for the site.

127 Is Active Directory hosted within COTA datacenter and if so, is federation / SSO enabled for applications hosted outside of the network? [Section 3.3.2]

It is hosted on premise and they are SSO, but we are just now starting to breach out into cloud-based so external is not.

128 Does COTA have a Live Chat vendor already in place or should the supplier recommend? [Section 3.3.8]

The supplier should recommend a solution.

129 Can you provide the list of four (4) third-party applications that need to be considered for integration? [Section 3.3.10]

• Twilio for SMS notifications • the Connector app uses the daily alerts

endpoint from the trip planner API. • New integrations will need to be

established – PIVOT is an example of something we will be taking over that we will need to integrate with.


Also Google maps, trip planning, CRM (Salesforce + Marketing Cloud, potentially)

https://owasp.org/www-project-top-ten/

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130 Can you describe the integration requirements? [Section 3.3.12.6]

I assume this is Trapeze but I’m not sure ( 3.3.12.6 The ability to integrate with COTA GIS mapping applications )

131 Has a CMS already been selected, or will a selection process need to be performed?

Choice of CMS should align with COTA’s strategic goals for the site.

132 Is a cloud implementation acceptable for delivering the solution?

a. If so, does COTA have a preferred cloud vendor?


133 How many users and roles will need to be supported in Active Directory? [Section 3.3.2]

b. Will external users that register in other areas on the site (riders, vendors) be included?

c. Will multi-factor authentication methods need to be supported?

d. Will the vendor need to provide mechanisms to support COTA's user management policies for external users? (e.g. password formation, expiration, expungement, fraud detection

External users should not be included in AD. The vendor will need to address security concerns according to prevailing best practices.

134 Please identify the “major components”. [Section 3.3.4] Please define what would be considered a "major component" that requires APIs and/or import/export capabilities and identify these “major components”.

Anything entered in the CMS should be exportable.

135 Is all the required trip planning functionality currently available in the SMRT Columbus set of services, or will we need to add functionality on top of their base in order to meet the requirement? [Section 3.3.6]

SMRT Columbus is developing the app completely then we are maintaining going forward. If we find there are additional requirements for the app to exceed user expectations we will either present an RPF opportunity or add an addendum to the contract to supplement both the website and the functionality to the app.

136 Regarding the notifications requirement, what is the need for administrators to add notifications that need to be dispatched to subscribers? [Section 3.3.7]

a. Do notices need to be scheduled? b. Do notices need to be recurring? c. Do notices need to be targeted to certain

groups?

a. Yes b. Yes c. Yes

137 For the live chat requirement, will there need to be any automated chatbot functionality as well? [Section 3.3.8]

Potentially, and it will require new content so will be phased in as we can include our customer information center partners internally to develop it.

138 What types of events are being tracked in the application's calendaring system? [Section 3.3.11]

None currently. We frequently are the transportation provider for events, and would like to have all those events on our site (OSU Football, Blue Jackets games, Red White and Boom) but also have community events etc. recently we assisted in the delivery of Bob Evans packaged food to non-profit organizations. We also have recruiting events, booths at festivals, major services changes, etc. that may need placed on the calendar.

139 Will COTA be providing level 1 and/or level 2 support with the vendor providing level 3? [Section 3.4.1]

COTA currently supports itself, which could change depending on the complexity of the site, security, customization – that is TBD and not part of this budget.

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140 Is COTA looking for the selected vendor to be the focal point of all support requests, even those for vendors that are tangentially related to the project (e.g. vendor is the conduit to the CMS provider for CMS support? [Section 3.4.2]

No, our multi-media developer will be the central point of contact, and if we decide to go into support contract with the chosen vendor he will work with you.

141 Can you describe any workflows that currently happen when a user submits a form? For example, a new vendor registration.

a. How many such workflows exist that will need to be migrated?

Customer contact form sends email to customer service. All other user workflows are handled with custom PHP.

142 How many COTA stakeholders will be important to include in the process of getting information and providing input into the project?

I would anticipate a Discovery session with at least 10 stakeholders, then a project manager that will recruit and organize and prioritize feedback. We will assign one Product Owner that will have final say here at COTA.

143 What data can you share about usage of the website and the current applications?

See attached

144 How many different target segments and people will you prioritize to include in the user research?

We have 6 Personas, we’d like fair representation of each.

145 Will you have customer panels already established for the user research or does the vendor need to manage recruiting from the general Central Ohio population?

We have an online customer panel that we can recruit for in-person interviews/focus groups/whatever type of research we agree upon.

146 Given the different languages the website needs to support, does COTA expect the implementation and use of translation services such as Google or Amazon translate services to be utilized? Or does COTA expect the content to be written for each language? If so, will COTA provide the translated content or do the vendors need to account for it?

Google seems to be working well currently (this could be a different perspective than we learn in user research.) Translate services could be used. COTA doesn’t have employed translators.

147 Is Internet Explorer 11 a required browser target? No. 148 Will the website support any “right-to-left” languages WCAG 2.1 AA is acceptable. 149 The minimum accessibility target defined in the document is

section 508 (WCAG 2.1 AA + exceptions). Is this acceptable, or are there specific requirements for WCAG 2.1 AAA-level accessibility that we need to be aware of?

Yes.

150 Is there interest, post-launch, in routine accessibility testing to discover accessibility violations for eventual remediation?

Yes.

151 Is it possible to have access to your brand guidelines to audit them for accessibility issues that may lead to a design that violates defined accessibility requirements?

See attached.

152 Is there a common authentication service/identify provider shared by existing apps/properties?

No.

153 Are you amenable to installing additional analytics tools on https://cota.com to improve the dataset we have to work with while auditing the site functionality and behavior?

Yes.

154 Do you require that all content entered by content authors meets minimum accessibility requirements, such as within rich text fields?

Yes.

155 Regarding font and audible content accessibility addons, do you see these applying to specific sections of the site, such as on just the body of an article?

We are required to follow all ADA requirements. https://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/chap5toolkit.htm

156 Will additional prior research regarding the customer/user (persona, user profiles, journey maps, etc.) be available?

yes

157 Would it be possible to get a walkthrough of the current Google Analytics configuration to ensure we will be able to

Yes, once contract is awarded you will have full access to what we have.

https://cota.com/

https://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/chap5toolkit.htm

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use this data in order to “understand patterns and information useful to the development of the new site”.

158 What platforms beyond the CMS make up the COTA marketing technology stack? - What additional integration will need to be supported?

The site currently uses a LAMP stack typical of WordPress installations. The current custom trip planner API is based on .NET architecture and uses C#.

159 What are the objectives/goals of the current content strategy?

1) Customers and constituents in the Columbus Region recognize COTA as Central Ohio’s mobility leader, as an indispensable community servant, and as a critical link to the region’s economic prosperity

2) More people recognize COTA as a mobility option resulting in increased ridership

160 What quantifiable performance targets are you looking to hit

with the new website? The KPIs and Success Metrics should be set up as part of the outcomes of user research.

161 Why are you looking to redesign and replatform the current website?

The website does not meet the needs of our customers and community. We need a flexible solution we can continue to innovate and build upon for the foreseeable future.

162 Are you open to different hosting options? when possible, we prefer to host our applications, but we are not adverse to cloud where it makes sense.

163 Can you provide a list of your current Wordpress modules. Our web site currently uses a mix of plugins from the WordPress plugin library as well as custom plugins.

164 Section 3.31 indicates an 8-month contract, is there a reason for this restriction? Are there milestones or drivers that have impact on the end-date?

The CEO of COTA desires an improved customer experience within 6 months. We will evaluate the priorities and budget once user research is completed. There is potential for a contract addendum if find there is a need to extend the time or the budget as appropriate. I would be cautious in your thinking, however, as it is based on environmental and business activities and results.

165 Is there an incumbent technical partner? no 166 Will there be an advantage or preference given to “local”

firms? No, we will choose the best partner for our project.

167 Can you share the overall budget allocated to this project or will the budget be determined with the partner selection?



168 Do you have any current research, strategy and/or insights about user needs and/or feedback for pain points of current experience that could be leveraged to inform the design direction?

We intend to use the user research up front to deliver these data points for evaluation/prioritization. We also will be aligning those decisions to our 5 year marketing strategy: (related to website development/opportunity)


a. They should recognize COTA as Central Ohio’s mobility leader, as an indispensable

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community servant, and as a critical link to the region’s economic prosperity.





169 There are several options to consider and propose in regard

to gathering the voice of customer (VOC) to fuel a new design experience. In regard to potential focus groups and/or stakeholder sessions, what approach has you taken to conduct this type of insight gathering in the past that has worked the best with your audiences (internal/eternal)?

We currently do on-board interviews and online surveys (when necessary, phone interviews of the online survey) to determine sentiment, both community and customer.

170 Are there examples of website experiences within or outside of your industry or category that the team finds inspiring and use as an example internally for what you hope to have in the future? Ifso, could you share examples and the reasons the team feels these are great examples(the“whys”they were selected is most important to give us a vision).

We do not have examples to provide at this time.

171 In regard to assets overall (video, photography), should we offer details as an ala carte item should these be needed? Or should we assume your team will provide all needed assets for our team to use?

We have active RFPs for video/photography and it will not be a part of this project. We will provide.

172 Are there current planned changes and/or additions of new services that will need to be considered along with this redesign effort? If so, can you provide insight to those efforts?

Yes, there are new COTA service innovations that will be included as part of the website. At the least, e-commerce and live chat, and likely more depending on the user research and COTA prioritization of its own service innovations and customer experience upgrades.

173 Do you have team members on staff and/or a partner that could do translation (languages in RFP: Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, French, and Somali) should we migrate from the Google Translate approach?

We do not have the translation experts.

174 There is an 8-month timeline indicated within the documentation. Is there a key driver for the 8-month timeframe (such as a key event, moment, new service launch)? Should we only propose approaches that can accommodate an 8-month timeline or less?

The proposal should indicate the 8-month or less timeframe, but additional insight is welcome as an addendum.

175 Do you have a web accessibility team internally that can support the QA testing efforts to evaluate accessibility? Many of our large corporate clients that maintain an internal team to support testing and own a point of view for the

COTA’s in-house web developer will audit the redesigned site for compliance with WCAG. However, the onus for QA testing is on the vendor.

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WGAC guidelines and acceptable accessibility specifically for your organization.

176 On page two (2) of the RFP document, it lists the Proposal Due Date as June 3, 2020. Below that, there is an ask to forward the proposal on June 22, 2020. Just confirming the due date for the proposal is indeed June 3, 2020?


177 Should the scope include functionality updates (allowing users to check balances online and the like)?

The scope should include things such as a loyalty program (customer login, tracking their account etc.)

178 Is there existing research (such as personas) or visioning documents to leverage?

yes

179 Will there be any new COTA branding work coming within the next eight to twelve months from the award of this project? If yes, should this redesign be based on existing brand standards? Or will be extending/developing the brand? (This includes visual and voice standards)

Possibly. We will move forward with existing brand guidelines and if things change, we’ll address them then. We will be sending out a creative services RFP in a few weeks to accommodate things such as brand/campaign development.

180 Are all the language options expected to be available for the new site launch? If not, what languages are required to be available for the sites initial launch?

Yes

181 Has a CMS already been selected? Currently WordPress Choice of CMS should align with COTA’s strategic goals for the site.

182 Is there a new vendor selected to provide multi-language support? Currently Google Translate

No, google translate is currently working.

183 Has the homepage heatmapping tool been incorporated already?

No

184 Are design services needed in the ongoing support needs? If they affect how the site works, then the technical portion/support may be requested. A maintenance/upkeep contract may be considered as an addendum.

185 For support and maintenance, how long / what period of time are you looking for support to extend?

We’d like to have a 6 month support term, after implementation is complete. It’s possible this is an addendum item for 2021+

186 What is your preferred method to continue to use Google Analytics free tagging and site analytics solution? If not, is it acceptable to recommend a purchased solution for this?

We do not have a preferred method, Google is just what we have currently. It is acceptable.

187 For usage metrics reporting, is it expected that a certain set of usage and analysis reporting be provided at launch of this site? Or is the requirement just that the tagging and metrics be available and support the build out of reporting later?

We currently have Google Analytics and will provide access to the awarded partner. They can then pull the reporting required for a baseline to measure success for the future as well as make actionable recommendations.

188 Does COTA have a current method for ADA testing compliance that would need to be used for the new site?

COTA’s in-house web developer will audit the redesigned site for compliance with WCAG. However, the onus for QA testing is on the vendor.

189 Do you have an example or two of the third party application integrations referenced in 3.3.10?

Twilio for sending SMS messages. Google maps, trip planning, CRM (Salesforce + Marketing Cloud, potentially)

190 Do you have a style guide or a brand guide?

Yes, please see attached

191 Do you have a budget you are able to share? Does the budget include tech support and hosting? What was the investment in the previous website?



192 Does COTA have a CMS? COTA currently uses WordPress.

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193 Preference? Open source? Drupal/WordPress?

Choice of CMS should align with COTA’s strategic goals for the site.

194 Who are your primary and secondary users?

1) Prospective customers 2) Current customers

195 Would you like detailed research in terms of your audience in the form of an audience needs assessment?

yes

196 Do you have a desired launch date? Is there a specific event driving the launch date?


197 What is the current hosting environment?

Believe this is in the scope Under Current Environment

198 How many visitors does the current website receive on a monthly basis?

Please see attached analytics

199 How many pages of content do you anticipate transferring to the new site?

This should be determined in the research portion of the project in collaboration with COTA staff.

200 What are your current pain points with the existing website?

Refer to answer in question 11

201 What are the current technical challenges (if any)?

Technical debt leftover from the initial development of the site, custom trip planning API instead of something more established such as OpenTripPlanner.

202 How many site administrators will you have? Minimum three Administrators will full access, then likely five to ten (still a bit TBD) staff who will need some level of access to make updates, pull reports, etc.

203 Will you require different levels of admin permissions?

yes

204 Attachment F is an Acknowledgement of Addendum Receipt. What Addenda should have been received?

Addendum have been posted to https://www.cota.com/solicitation-summary/?Bid_Id=325

205 Is it necessary for the person executing Attachments A, B, and C to include his/her Social Security number?

No

206 What does success look like for this project?

We intend to establish KPIs and success metrics from our user research up front. We have limited reporting and accountability currently, but are implementing change to ensure ongoing success.

207 Does COTA have specific KPIs (i.e. increase ride usage, increased trip planning, increased site usage, etc.?)

We want provide a seamless, easy to use way for our customer to find their way, purchase passes and enjoy being a loyal COTA user. KPIs could be measuring and increasing net promoter scores, increasing site use, social share, use of live chat and positive reviews of that service…all TBD.

208 The list of potential users is quite large. Could you outline the priority (primary/secondary)? Are there age/income brackets to consider?

1) Prospective customers 2) Current customers We have personas that we will share once the contract is awarded and a NDA is signed. Age and income are defined for each.

209 Does a list of current pain points exist? If so, could you please share?

The trip planner is a custom application instead of using an open-source solution such as

https://www.cota.com/solicitation-summary/?Bid_Id=325

https://www.cota.com/solicitation-summary/?Bid_Id=325

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OpenTripPlanner. Vendor pages are based on cumbersome custom code as well.

210 Why/how are people using the site today?

About 80% of visitors arrive to use the trip planner.

211 COTA states "the site should meet the unique needs of our community." What are those unique needs? Does COTA already have a list/prior research, or is research needed to identify those needs?

We are Central Ohio, and its residents. Currently, we have the results of a 2020 Sentiment survey of the community and we will have a baseline of results we want to create website KPIs from to continue to increase our engagement and reputation within Cbus and outlying areas.

212 Does COTA have a projected Go-Live date? Are there any internal or external dependencies we need to be aware of?

We would like a MVP product going live before the end of the year. The Product Owner will help discover and prioritize what that means, in conjunction with and advised by the user research done previous to building the site. No dependencies.

213 Are there any key milestones that are required for the timeline/along the way?

no

214 Will someone be assigned from COTA as the point person to answer questions, approve direction/methodology, etc.?

You will have full-access to the multimedia developer as well as the product owner, we intend to be a part of the agile team.

215 Will someone be assigned from COTA IT as the point person to answer questions, approve direction/methodology, etc.?

You will have full-access to the multimedia developer as well as the product owner, we intend to be a part of the agile team.

216 Does the content need to be translatable on a per language basis, or are are looking for an automated translation service? Are translations for SEO required as well, and does this need to be content-managed?

We are currently using Google Translate and it seems to work well enough. As of now, translations are not required for SEO.

217 Can we get an idea of the content/experience behind the vendor login - does this need integrated/migrated?

You are welcome to create account, you don’t need to wait for this RFP. The current experience is requested as part of the RFP (no updates are needed – and if they are, we will create an addendum.) This can also be done by our multimedia developer.

218 We assume existing user data will need migrated, can you confirm?

Yes

219 Three other apps are listed as being important to this digital ecosystem. How/why are those used/not used today? Do we know this or should this research identify these things?

Feel free to download the Pivot, COTA Plus, and COTA Connector apps from the Apple or Android store and examine their comments in the store as well as their functionality.

220 Heat Mapping is listed several times as a tool to be used. Is COTA currently using heat maps that could be shared?

We are not using heat maps currently.

221 To confirm, this site should be mobile optimized. Should the research focus on the mobile experience only, or include desktop usage as well?

Mobile users should be prioritized over desktop.

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222 Trip Planning and other system features are identified as key areas to focus on. Does any research or existing metric data exist related to those specific features?

This is a mix of Google Maps and a custom API written in C# We can pull from our Google Analytics page in order to prep for the Discovery meeting with the awarded vendor.

223 Is there a reason COTA is targeting WCAG AAA compliance?

WCAG 2.1 AA is required.

224 Could you further describe the screen reader (text-to-speech) requirements?

The site should follow all WCAG 2.1 AA standards for readable, perceivable content.

225 Live chat: Does COTA currently have a third-party solution? If not, are you planning on buying or building this as part of this project?

We do not, but we would like it included as part of our customer experience upgrade.

226 For the Admin Portal, do the same accessibility guidelines apply?


227 For the Admin Tools (ex: CMS), do the same accessibility guidelines apply?


228 For the Vendor Portals, do the same accessibility guidelines apply?


229 Could you share your approach or requirements as it relates to accessibility for PDFs?


230 Hosting: Is COTA looking to switch to external hosting, and if so, does COTA have preferred hosting vendors?


231 Could you please describe the rationale behind building this site as an SPA?


232 Are COTA content admins happy with WordPress, or would they like to switch to another CMS? If switch, are there any CMS solutions you’re currently reviewing? If stay, what specifically about WordPress do you enjoy?

Choice of CMS will be guided by the overall strategy for the site. WordPress has worked well for us thus far, however.

233 Could you please provide more information/requirements on what 'seamless integration' consists of with COTA’s existing apps:

PIVOT app (with SMRT Columbus) VIA (provider of COTA PLUS app) Transit app

We want our customers to enjoy a recognizable experience across all our touchpoints, including:

• The Connector app uses the daily alerts endpoint from the trip planner API.

• New integrations will need to be established – PIVOT is an example of something we will be taking over that we will need to integrate with.


Also Google maps, trip planning, CRM (Salesforce + Marketing Cloud, potentially)

234 Does COTA have any current method of receiving feedback/comments from site users? If so, could you share some of the feedback/comments you’ve

The contact form currently sends email to the customer service department.

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received?

235 Is COTA able to share any analytics/metrics? What specifically is COTA tracking?

Please see attached.

Since time is of the essence, there will be no further questions accepted regarding this Request for Proposals. Proposers are requested to submit their proposals based on the information previously provided.