The Board of Trustees of the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN), with the State Library of Ohio as fiscal agent, is requesting proposals for:
Altering the theming of thirty (30) website packages to replicate the appearance of each website's Drupal 6 version in its new Drupal 7 version.
Inquiry period begins: December 15, 2014
Inquiry period ends: January 12, 2015
Please download the complete request for proposals below (PDF file).
Note that the successful proposal will result in a contract ending June 30, 2015. This is a requirement of State of Ohio fiscal procedures; the contract can be renewed for another short term if needed.
Questions and Answers
Do these websites require responsive design?
Yes, they will all require responsive design. The current sites are not responsive.
Are these all library websites?
Yes, these are all Ohio public library websites.
Can you provide examples of the current websites?
Good examples are Grafton-Midview, Clark County, and Mercer County. These are already edited down to two columns. With most of the others, we'll need to work with you to get rid of the third column.
Could we get a list of the 30 libraries?
The list of libraries is subject to change, as some may decide to make major design revisions, which would be handled by OPLIN staff. The libraries listed in the previous answer are representative, however.
Are there any custom changes to drupal core or contrib modules (that you know of)?
There are none.
Are there custom modules being used on these sites?
No, there are no custom modules.
Is there any functionality written in a theme, that should in fact be in a module (that you are aware of)?
No, there is none.
Are there modules the site is using in drupal 6 that are not supported in drupal 7?
Basically, no, but the contractor won't be dealing with the actual 6 to 7 migration; that will be done by OPLIN staff before the re-theming work begins.
Are you willing to go through a complete discovery process to help build a perfect solution before quoting, or do you just want flat number quotes to compare people?
While the process of evaluating bids described in the RFP may involve asking an offeror to correct, revise, or clarify portions of its proposal, for the most part negotiations between OPLIN and the offerror will be governed by the Contract Negotiations section of the RFP (page 6). Note also that proposals should include all of the information described in the Requirements for Proposals section (page 9), not just prices.
Are you looking for copywriting as well?
No, the libraries themselves are responsible for creating all the content of the sites. We only provide the framework for their content.
What budget do you have allocated for this project?
We have not made a budget allocation specifically for this project. That being said, it should be noted that if the total cost exceeds $25,000, additional approval will be required from our governing authority, which could delay the project by several months.
What is your desired timeline for completion?
The initial contract must end on June 30, 2015 to comply with state fiscal procedures, and that is ideally when the project would be completed. There is a provision in the RFP for renewing the contract for a short term, if needed, but we hope any such renewal would not extend beyond three months.
Are only individuals and companies located in the United States eligible?
This project is covered by State of Ohio Executive Order 2011-12K [pdf] which prohibits us from purchasing services performed outside the US. As long as all work is performed in the US, at specified locations, we can enter into a contract.
The three example sites you listed are using the "foliage" theme. Are any other themes used for the 30 sites? If so, which ones?
All 30 sites use the Foliage theme in their D6 versions, but when we move them to D7 they will all use the Omega theme. That's the theme you would be working with.
Are the 30 sites part of a multi-site installation?
None of these (or any of our other websites) are multi-site installations.
Can the 30 Drupal sites share a common Drupal 7 theme with minor custom adjustments for each individual site rather than replicating the existing D6 look and feel as mentioned in the RFP, as this would be more achievable in the given timeline?
That depends on your definition of "minor." Notice from the example websites that some basic structural elements are present in each. But much of the look of each website is determined by each of our individual library customers, not by us.
Does OPLIN expect any need for onsite meetings?
We do not anticipate any need for onsite meetings.
Approximately how many three-column sites are there that need to be converted to two-column?
Nearly all of the 30 are currently three-column layouts; however, this number will likely flux because of requested changes by the client libraries as the process goes on.
Do we need to plan for managing or heavily participating in the review process of redesigning three-column sites to two columns or is this OPLIN’s responsibility?
This will be OPLIN's responsibility. We will work with each library to narrow their side columns to only one (instead of two).
Who is responsible for block, menu and other page components layouts in the sandbox sites? e.g., will the sandbox have all code based and manually created blocks already laid out with page/role/etc display rules or do we need to “recreate” manual (and other) blocks and layout/rules?
OPLIN will construct the appropriate blocks and page components on each sandbox site. The contractor will not be expected to do anything with block layout; just appropriate theming of blocks as required by the design.
Are there any “display layout” modules being used by the webkit? e. g. panels, the display suite, the context module, and the like.
Only a couple of these sites are currently using Context; none are using other display modules that you mention. Under the hood, so to speak, these sites are not terribly complex.
We feel the underlying design of the sites could use an update. We would like to know if OPLIN would be willing to consider a stronger base design?
No, sorry. We have over 70 sites using this base design, and it has been flexible enough to handle most of our customer requests. This RFP only asks for re-theming of a portion of our customer base.
Are you committed to using the Omega theme?
We could be convinced to looks at other themes, but it's important to us that the theme will continue to be developed for future Drupal releases.
