Puerto Rican Action Board Issues Website RFP

The Puerto Rican Action Board (“PRAB”) is a comprehensive human services organization that offers early childhood, youth, family, and community services to over 25,000 individuals and families annually from 11 locations throughout New Brunswick, Middlesex County, and Central New Jersey. We are seeking proposals to redesign our website to facilitate the use of our programs and services in an ever-growing virtual world.

Background:

PRAB has come a long way from 1971, when a group of Puerto Rican/Latino volunteers provided English classes to recently arrived Latinos and assisted them with securing a high school equivalency diploma. By 1974, we were running state-funded ESL and GED programs, and were operating New Jersey’s first full-time, bilingual/multicultural Daycare Center for children, ages 2 ½ to 5. Today, we’re a “one-stop shop” that helps diverse Central New Jersey residents identify their assets and abilities, and strengthen themselves, their families, and their community. PRAB’s mission is to equip diverse individuals and families in Central New Jersey to achieve personal, family, and community development. Our vision is that Central New Jersey is a healthy, diverse community with productive, self-sufficient and socially-responsible individuals and families. As the Community Action Agency for Middlesex County West (since 2009), we also address issues of poverty to change people’s lives, bring hope, and improve our local communities.

Scope of Work:

In 2009, PRAB designed an agency website and revised its site in 2018. This year, we are looking to redesign our website to increase the use of our programs and services within an ever-growing virtual world. Through our website, we seek to educate, inform, and inspire diverse individuals and families in Central New Jersey toward becoming self-sufficient and working for a better life for themselves and others. Ultimately, we expect the website to be easily accessible via Google and other search engines, which would enable us to expand our audience. The redesigned website will have a new, modern design that is user-friendly, mobile responsive, and interactive. It will allow for multiscreen use, in which viewers will enjoy the same accessibility via phone, laptop, tablet, or computer screen. It will offer an integrated visual and experience, including social media, videos, photo gallery, events, news, blogs, and a Vlog channel. It will also include multilingual accessibility for our diverse audience. The selected consultant/firm will work with PRAB’s communications team. It will conduct a ½ day planning session envisioned for February 2021. In addition, it may include input from agency staff members, community stakeholders, and program participants. A final product is expected in summer/fall 2021.

We anticipate that the website redesign will, at a minimum, include the following items:

v Agency and Programs & Services Info

v Partnerships and Community Info

v News & Events 

v Calendars 

v Online Event Registrations

v Videos & Photo Gallery

v Blogs & Vlog Channel

v Success Stories & Infographics

v Automated Chat / Live Chat

v Program Contact Info

v Online Appointment Scheduling System

v Client Contact Applications & Forms

v Social Media Platforms

v Online Donations & Payments

v Volunteer Forms 

v Careers & Internships

v Electronic Mailing List / Newsletter Subscriptions

v PRAB Sites Map 

v Covid-19 Live Update Communication System

The deliverables will include the following: 

1) Provide a specific timeline for the production of the website redesign;

2) Gather information and data from the Communications Team for incorporation into website redesign;

3) Share website redesign sketches and versions for pre-approval;

4) Write SEO metadata for all website pages; 

5) Integrate Google Analytics for user tracking and site analysis;

6) Integrate smart, third-party technologies to increase operational efficiency;

7) Produce a user-friendly, mobile responsive, and interactive website; and

8) Provide access to all proprietary and third-party technologies.

Proposals should include estimates of costs and a timeline, with breakdowns of cost estimates for each component of the work product as applicable

Bidding consultants/firms need not follow a prescribed format, but at a minimum should include the following (maximum six pages, not including attachments):

v Brief proposal summary;

v Bidder’s qualifications, including any special experience, knowledge, or skills that uniquely qualify you for this project (e.g. familiarity with PRAB’s field of work, NJ landscape, etc.);

v A brief statement of your understanding of the requested effort including the conclusions;

v A concise description of how you would approach and accomplish the general tasks described in this RFP, including a specific list of deliverables;

v A staffing plan with information on the individuals who will work on the project;

v Names, positions, and telephone numbers of three (3) non-profit organization representatives (executive staff or board members) who will serve as your references

F Include your basis for selecting these particular references (those you select should be able to comment on how you/your firm have handled projects similar to this one);

v At least two representative samples or links of your prior work on projects similar to this one; and

v Any additional information the bidder deems pertinent to assist PRAB in its selection process.

Due Date:

February 11 

Address:

Aitza Elhuni, Administrative Assistant to the CEO, at 90 Jersey Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 0890

Relevant agencies to consider include Ruder Finn and Headline Media.