Response to Bidder Questions for RFP TM140556
Second Round of Questions and Answers
Published August 13, 2014
1. The RFP states ‘Migrate the website Content Management System (CMS) code and all content
from the current custom platform to the awarded Contractor.’ Does this mean that if discernible
value and a lower cost of overall ownership can be demonstrated that the Department of
Tourism is receptive to moving all website properties to a different CMS platform with hosting
on a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) environment?
Answer: The Department of Tourism is receptive to moving website properties in the future
under two circumstances.
 The solution meets all business requirements
 Cost Savings
2. Who is the current vendor?
Answer: Ascedia, Inc.
3. Can you provide the current CMS technology specs?
Answer:
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All code is based on custom ASP.NET MVC 3 with C#
Use of dependency injection and an onion architecture design pattern
SQL Server 2008 database with heavy use of stored procedures for data querying
and SQL Geography for proximity queries
Bing Maps Enterprise API integration
Coveo integration for site search
Microsoft App Fabric at server level for site caching
Google Analytics integration
Custom javascript, jQuery
knockout.js
heavy use of AJAX and JSON
jQuery templates, particularly for the fall color and snow condition reports
CSS3 using SASS for the responsive design layout
4. Do you anticipate maintaining the current custom CMS after the awarded contractor "Migrate(s)
the website Content Management System (CMS) code and all content from the current custom
platform"?
Answer: Yes.
5. Does section 4.2.1.d Organization Capabilities, pertain ONLY to digital work won and lost during
this time period, or all work?
Answer: Only to Digital work.
6. In section 5.1.5, Digital Marketing, besides SEO, what other digital marketing programs or tactics
has the department used in the past?
Answer:
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Search (SEO, PPC)
Email
Mobile (SMS, Apps)
RSS
Social (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest)
Content (Written, Images, Video)
7. Does the Department currently use or have access to any marketing automation platforms (e.g.;
Marketo, Act-On, Pardot, etc.)?
Answer: Yes, Gov Delivery.
8. We have observed from the RFP and the first set of answers provided to the vendors that “there
is nothing to estimate” other than providing the hourly rates by resource. Can you please let us
know how do we account for the effort/cost associated with any of the technical effort required
to work on things like visualization improvements, enabling website for mobile development etc
mentioned in the RFP under design and development needs? Is it correct to conclude that State
of Wisconsin has identified the roles in Annexure B based on the effort required and there are
no additional resources or effort required?
Answer: The awarded proposer will use the hourly rate to invoice all work scoped, agreed
upon and contracted by the Department. In regards to identified roles in Attachment B, see
4.1.2 of the RFP where it explains that these roles are the minimal expertise required.
9. Attachment B, Second paragraph says, “See RFP, Section 2.5 for the Organization of Proposal”.
RFP Section 2.5 doesn’t contain Organization of proposal, Do we have to follow section 2.4?
Answer: See Amendment 2, where this was changed to reference section 2.4.
10. Is there any currently vendor involved in the development and maintenance of these current
Websites?
Answer: Yes, the current vendor is Ascedia, Inc.
11. How many resources are currently working on all these websites?
Answer:
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Tourism Staff: 7
Vendor Staff:
o 2 account service staff
o 3 developers
o 2 creatives
o 1 marketing services specialists.
o There are additional staff that contribute to the team as needed depending
on the requested/approved projects and development/technology
requirements. This may include additional developers with knowledge of
the various websites who assist with projects/tasks as necessary, additional
marketing service staff (SEO, analytics, usability testing, research), mobile
application developers (android and iOS), quality assurance software tester,
and project manager, as well as IT Hosting Manager and Support.
12. Can we use existing databases?
Answer: Yes, awarded vendor will migrate the existing database. See Section 1.2,
Development Needs.
13. Do we have to integrate all the Sites?
Answer: Yes, all sites identified in section 1.1 apply to this RFP.
14. Where are the sites currently being hosted?
Answer: Windstream, moving to TSR Solutions in coming months.
15. Is data coming from external agencies / Databases / Webservices?
Answer: Data is entered and maintained by external partners. These partners include
visitors and conventions bureaus, chamber of commerce offices and various associations.
16. What is the current content managed system being used?
Answer: The current content management system is custom built. See following specs.
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All code is based on custom ASP.NET MVC 3 with C#
Use of dependency injection and an onion architecture design pattern










SQL Server 2008 database with heavy use of stored procedures for data querying
and SQL Geography for proximity queries
Bing Maps Enterprise API integration
Coveo integration for site search
Microsoft App Fabric at server level for site caching
Google Analytics integration
Custom javascript, jQuery
knockout.js
heavy use of AJAX and JSON
jQuery templates, particularly for the fall color and snow condition reports
CSS3 using SASS for the responsive design layout
17. Archival strategy – Database records, compression, etc. Where are the archival records stored?
Answer: Databases are backed up nightly to a SAN.
18. Source code CMS used is available. Are you amenable to using a standardized CMS? Is an open
source product acceptable?
Answer: The Department of Tourism is receptive to moving website properties in the future
under two circumstances.
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The solution meets business requirements
Cost Savings
19. Access to the partners to update the site using extranet. Authentication and authorization
mechanism – is this windows based challenge mechanism? Are there any authorization rules for
updates – approvals to publish, etc.?
Answer: Partner access to the extranet uses a hybrid of custom .NET code and use of the
ASP.NET Membership Provider. All user credentials are stored (encrypted) in the Travel
Wisconsin database. There is no Windows-based authentication. In addition, Users and
Groups are subject to:
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Roles & Permissions
Review & Approval Process
20. Is a failover strategy currently in place? With 99.8% availability requirement, this would need to
be included.
Answer: Yes, the current environment uses failover technologies.
21. Third party software for RSS feeds and alerts. Should we continue with this integration?
Answer: Yes
22. www.NorthwoodsSummit.com. Is this part of the RFP? Any there any special considerations that
we should be aware of?
Answer: Yes, this site is part of the RFP. See section 1.1 where all sites of the RFP are
identified.
23. Since the mobile site is a standard web representation, is a responsive mobile design part of the
initial plan?
Answer: Sections 5.1.3 and 5.1.4 provides respondents the opportunity to provide
suggestions.
24. Subdomain for Industry.travelwisconsin.com – What is the authorization and authentication
mechanism – is this different from the main domain. Are we expected to design and develop
anything specific to authentication and authorization for this sub domain?
Answer: The authentication scheme for the Industry site is the same as the main domain.
25. Are there any plans to update the visual design of the sites? We are assuming that you are
expecting our proposal to include our approach to improve the UI aspects in order to have the
WOW factor. Can you please reconfirm if this is in scope of the RFP.
Answer: Section 4.2.3 provides respondents the opportunity to provide suggestions.
26. Can you please provide a list of applications to integrate? Is there an existing mechanism for
integration.
Answer:
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Travelwisconsin.com – Custom .NET – Has its own SQL Server 2008 database
Industry.travelwisconsin.com – Custom .Net – Shares code base and database with
Travelwisconsin.com
Meetinwisconsin.com – Custom .NET based on the same code base as
travelwisconsin.com, but code base is kept separate. Has a SQL Server 2008
database shared with sportswisconsin.com
Sportswisconsin.com - Custom .NET based on the same code base as
travelwisconsin.com, but code base is kept separate. Has a SQL Server 2008
database shared with meetinwisconsin.com
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Ecrm.travelwisconsin.com – Custom .NET eCRM developed 6+ years ago. SQL Server
2008 database.
eCRM API – SOAP-based
travelwisconsin.com API – RESTful
27. One of the expectations listed in the RFP is to provide programming to support iOS and Android
application development. Is this currently supported in any manner? What we have in mind is if
there are any web services exposed by the application?
Answer: Yes, this is currently supported. There are no web services exposed by the
iOS/Android applications.
28. RFP requires us to provide database design and management. Is there any existing
documentation on the current DB schema?
Answer: We are not able to provide documentation on the current DB schema. Please see
the response to question #3 for CMS technology specs.
29. RFP needs vendors to support the Department’s extranet CMS partnership strategy. Is it
possible to elaborate which you think will be required for the proposal?
Answer: Our industry extranet partners are able to update and manage their destinations
and records on our website and CMS. See sections 1.2 for requirements and 5.1.5.c for an
opportunity to demonstrate how you accomplish this.
30. It is mentioned that vendor needs to develop and execute strategic website initiatives. Are there
any plans that need to be included in the RFP, or is this for new initiatives?
Answer: There are no specific plans that need to be included. Section 4.2.3 provides an
opportunity for the respondent to provide suggestions if they choose.
31. What is the frequency of content updates?
Answer: Daily
32. Track website and application performance and suggest improvements. Is this tracked
currently? With the new hosting environment, are there specific requirements like a tracking
dashboard or any other kind of visual metrics?
Answer: Yes, various performance metrics are currently tracked. See section 1.2, Scope of
Project, Objectives.
33. Administer and/or provide technical support for industry content via co-op programs. Can you
please provide more information that is relevant to this RFP?
Answer: The co-op advertising program is administered by our advertising agency of record
which includes some components on the website. Section 5.1.7 provides the respondent
with an opportunity to address this.
34. Digital Marketing. – Is there anything in place currently?
Answer:
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
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Search (SEO, PPC)
Email
Mobile (SMS, Apps)
RSS
Social (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest)
Content (Written, Images, Video)
35. Capture and report website traffic analytics and trends. Any dashboards that are currently
utilized?
Answer: Yes, various metrics are currently tracked. Vendors are expected to work with
internal staff to identify reporting needs.
36. What is the timeline to move the hosting services from current hosting environment?
Answer: An agreed upon transitional plan will be developed between Tourism and Vendor
to accomplish this.
37. Is there current backup and failover strategy for database? Is there a scalable web server farm in
place?
Answer: Yes, the current environment uses failover technologies. Yes there is currently a
scalable web farm in place.
38. For Attachment A - Price Proposal, can we allocate one team member for two separate role
requirements? As an example, our SEO specialist does QA as a part of his current position.
Another example is the Project Manager for 4.1.2.10 also does some of the duties from 4.1.2.8?
Answer: Yes.
39. If two people can be included in the role requirements for Attachment A, how does that affect
the points calculated on those job descriptions?
Answer: RFP Section 4.1.2 is not a scored section.
40. Will including contractors we regularly utilize for design, content writing, graphic design, and
hosting negatively affect the proposal vs. having in-house staff included in these roles?
Answer: No
41. Can you tell me what 'customized CMS' is being currently utilized? (Based on Joomla, Kajona,
Drupal, etc.)
Answer: The Department of Tourism currently uses a custom built, propriety CMS. See
specs below.












All code is based on custom ASP.NET MVC 3 with C#
Use of dependency injection and an onion architecture design pattern
SQL Server 2008 database with heavy use of stored procedures for data querying
and SQL Geography for proximity queries
Bing Maps Enterprise API integration
Coveo integration for site search
Microsoft App Fabric at server level for site caching
Google Analytics integration
Custom javascript, jQuery
knockout.js
heavy use of AJAX and JSON
jQuery templates, particularly for the fall color and snow condition reports
CSS3 using SASS for the responsive design layout