Your website tender document: what to include?

How to write a website tender document? Suggested content:

• Provide a description of your organisation and the services you offer.
• Provide a summary of the reasons you would like a new website design. Perhaps outline the weaknesses of the current website and features you would like on your new website.
• Describe the target group for your services and website, including their needs. How does your new website intend to serve the needs of your target group?
• Provide an example site structure and a summary of the content that will be on the site. However, don’t get too attached to your proposed site structure; assume that the web developers you choose will suggest a different structure or a different way to organise the site content; it is their expertise after all that you are paying for.

List any dynamic functionality you would like included, for example:

• Video.
• Photographs.
• Illustrations.
• Social media integration (i.e. Facebook badges, Like buttons, Twitter feeds).
• Contact forms.
• Booking forms.
• Newsletter integration ( e.g. subscribe to a newsletter).
• Discussion forum.
• Events calendar.
• RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds.
• Blogs.
• Online surveys.
• Accessibility information/toolbars.
• Password-protected members area.

Are you expecting the vendor to include time/cost of carrying out:

• Usability/accessibility testing?
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
• Training?

Will you need:

• Visitor statistics?
• A print stylesheet?

• Include information about how the contract will be awarded. For example, will there be interviews/presentations? On what basis will you be judging those who put in a proposal?
• State that the finished website must comply with any legal requirements; i.e. it should be accessible to disabled people as that could contravene The Equality Act 2010.
• State the accessibility requirements; In general this means adherence to the lastest WCAG Guidelines – minimum AA level and that the vendor should have an awareness of ISO 30071: 2019 digital accessibility standard.
• Provide information about your design and branding, such as; colour schemes, logos and fonts.
• Provide a list of appropriate websites that you like and what you like about them.
• Say what information the tendering company should provide about themselves.
• Provide a proposed timeline for the web design project.
• Provide information about any specific website hosting requirements/expectations – if you have them.
• Provide information about any specific website content management requirements if you have them.
• Say whether you want to manage the website yourself or if you expect the web design company to do the updates.
• Provide a closing date for tenders to be put in.
• Provide a main contact person for the website tendering process. Say whether those putting in a tender are allowed to get in touch to ask questions? If answers are given, say whether, or not, they will be shared with the other tendering companies.
• is there any particular format the tender documents should be in, for example, MS Word/PDF.

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