SUNY EMPIRE State College Issues Website RFP

The State University of New York (SUNY) Empire State College is seeking to design and build a new website that a.) clearly communicates SUNY Empire’s value propositions; b.) moves prospective students into the recruitment funnel; and c.) provides an active platform for telling SUNY Empire stories. The current website (www.esc.edu) is complicated and difficult to navigate. The new website should be smaller in page count, easy to navigate, and should proactively anticipate the questions of prospective students (ie. What can I study? How can I study? How much does it cost?). As a secondary goal, the site should easily direct internal community members to the existing portal for current students, faculty, and staff

Background:

SUNY Empire State College is the SUNY system’s only distributed college, with more than 30 locations across New York state and seven international sites, as well as the system’s leader in online education with more than 800 online courses. SUNY Empire educates students at any stage of life with a personalized learning experience delivered online, in person, or a blend of both. Since 1971, SUNY Empire has empowered students to earn an accredited degree around the demands of a busy lifestyle to advance their personal and professional goals. With world-class faculty, more than 1,300 dedicated mentors to help students tailor their degree programs, and cutting-edge distance learning technology, SUNY Empire delivers a trusted and flexible online college experience grounded in more than 30 New York state locations and seven international sites where students can learn and collaborate in person. Our nearly 50 years as a leader in awarding credit for prior learning and life experience helps students earn a degree faster and at lower cost.

The college currently serves more than 18,000 students, with 2,000 faculty and staff members, and 87,000 alumni. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as an array of certificates. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Scope of Work:

1. Design and build a new website that elevates the brand of SUNY Empire State College and clearly communicates its value propositions.

2. Integrate the college’s CRM tools to quickly and conveniently move prospective students into the recruitment pipeline. Preferred experience with Ellucian CRM Recruit.

3. Ensure goal-oriented design to make information and services easy to navigate for prospective students, current students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

4. Optimize website’s UI/UX design.

6. Develop a content strategy utilizing TERMINALFOUR CMS (T4) that is optimized for search engine performance.

7. Optimize the site for Google Analytics.

8. Ensure compliance with the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the ADA) and Section 508 Standards of the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) throughout the new SUNY Empire State College website.

9. Provide copywriting support for priority pages.

10. Conduct input sessions with content stakeholders within SUNY Empire State College.

B. Technical Specifications Mandatory Technical Specifications

1.1 Discovery and Recommendations

1.1.1 Selected vendor is asked to conduct discovery sessions by working with SUNY Empire staff, reviewing artifacts and contents to analyze current web architecture and complete a technical infrastructure assessment.

1.1.2 Selected vendor is asked to evaluate competitive positioning of SUNY Empire State College and show how their work will improve it.

1.1.3 Delivery: Report detailing key learnings and recommendations.

1.2 Planning of a New Information Architecture

1.2.1 Conduct technical analysis and evaluation.

1.2.2 Interview stakeholders to determine strategy for major areas.

1.2.3 Develop a conceptual model for a new architecture with suggested priorities.

1.2.4 Develop a project plan for implementation, including detailed project schedule with discovery, wireframing, design concepts, copy, layout, and review/revision rounds, as well as client and user testing.

1.2.5 Delivery: Technical Architecture Recommendations Project Implementation Plan

1.3 User Interface/Experience Design

1.3.1 Develop new site map.

1.3.2 Develop new content inventory and mapping.

1.3.3 Develop new wireframe.

1.3.4 Develop new UI.

1.3.5 Ensure integration with Ellucian CRM Recruit.

1.3.6 Deliveries: Sitemap Wireframe model Content strategy Creative design direction

4 1.4 Design

1.4.1 Develop original visual concept for website.

1.4.2 Develop engaging and emotive visuals

1.4.3 Adhere to SUNY Empire State College branding standards

1.4.4 Delivery: Design concept

1.5 HTML Development

1.5.1 Develop new HTML code.

1.5.2 Test HTML development.

1.5.3 Create new responsive HTML templates with a documented design library for multiple use cases.

1.5.4 Ensure integration with Ellucian CRM Recruit.

1.5.5 Delivery: HTML templates with CSS style sheets

1.6 Site Development

1.6.1 Development of new site

1.6.2 Delivery: New website

1.7 Support

1.7.1 Three months of ongoing support to troubleshoot, answer questions, and ensure functionality after website launch.

Due Date:

March 4

Address:

John Meaney Office of Procurement 2 Union Avenue Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 O-518-587-2100 ext. 2272

Strong NY PR agencies include 5WPR and Rubenstein PR.