The GVR Foundation (GVRF), the non-profit 501(c)(3) affiliate of Green Valley Recreation, Inc. (GVR) in Green Valley, Ariz., is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit proposals from qualified web firms with demonstrated capabilities for the design and development of a new tourism/economic development website and for a three (3) year contract for web hosting, technical support and maintenance with an optional two (2) year renewal. The website will be under the domain www.RetireArizona.org.
Intro
Grow Green Valley, Arizona! The purpose of this request for proposal (RFP) is to solicit qualified web firms to design and develop a brand new tourism and economic development website under the domain www.RetireArizona.org to position Green Valley, Ariz., in the domestic and international markets as the destination of choice for active adults and retirees.
Services required for this project include website design, website production, SEO, ongoing website hosting, and maintenance and support. This is a destination website with an e- commerce component for listing homes for rent or sale just in the Green Valley market (two zip codes). This GVR Foundation project is being funded by a grant from the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation. A cost analysis of this project has determined that a reasonable budget for this project is $24,000-32,000. The target date for launch of the new website is March 1, 2017.
We live in an online world, which connects people to information and each other. Active adults and retirees have many locations in the U.S. (and in Arizona) to choose from when selecting a retirement destination. The RetireArizona.org website will promote home sales and rentals, tourism, attractions, and local businesses. It will help stimulate real estate sales and rentals, attract vacationers, seasonal and full time residents, and new businesses; and it will tout the many factors that contribute to the high quality of life in this Southern Arizona community.
Key objectives are to create a website that is:
- Clean, contemporary, attractive and engaging in its design;
- Simple and easy for web visitors, especially mature adults 45+, to find, read, navigate and share;
Successful implementation of this web design and development project will result in the following:
- First page placement on SEO searches and increased website traffic
- Inquiries in home sales and rentals
- Click throughs to local hotels, restaurants, businesses and attractions
- Repeat visits by unique users
- Sustainability of the website with revenue generated by web ads and home listing functionality
- Viewing of multiple pages on the website
- Longer than average dwell times and lower than average bounce rates
The principal economic driver in Green Valley is the GVR Foundation’s corporate affiliate, Green Valley Recreation, Inc., a private, nonprofit [501(c) 4], members-only corporation that owns and operates 13 recreational centers for use by its 13,405 GVR member homes with deed-restricted membership to GVR and 23,000 individual GVR members. This represents 80.6 percent of Green Valley CDP (U.S. Census Designated Place) households and 74.9% of all residents.
GVR offers its members a wide range of recreational and leisure activities geared toward active adults and retirees. Additionally, Southern Arizona offers many outdoor activities attractive to this demographic, including birding, hiking, cycling, golf, and many other activities.
Prospective firms must factor in the complexities of Green Valley standing out in the current domestic and international marketplaces and competing with other retirement destinations, and demonstrated proficiencies in strategic planning, content marketing strategy, brand development, and mobile first-user experience development. Target audiences include pre-retirees 50+, active retirees, previous and prospective visitors and tourists, seasonal residents, tour and travel partners and agents, real estate agents, and current residents who refer others to Green Valley.
On average, 38% (5,094) of GVR properties are used as second homes and rentals, and 6% (808) of homes are sold annually. It is estimated a minimum of 350 homes for rent/sale will be listed on the home listing section of the website.
Proposal due by November 23, 2016 to:
The GVR Foundation
Project Manager: Sherri Cadeaux
Email: sherri@gvrec.org
The GVR Foundation
1070 Calle de las Casitas
Green Valley, AZ 85614