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.

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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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