COA – Austin Website RFP to be Released on Monday, July 27 – Don’t Call Us
Key Points
- First of 2 RFPs released on Monday July 27. Bids will close on Sept. 17th for the first RFP.
- A pre-bid conference for vendors will be 12:30 p.m. August 12, 2009, at Austin City Hall room 1101 with a webcast
- The completion of the 1st project [gap analysis, design and technology recommendations] will kick off the 2nd RFP for the 2nd project [technology and implementation portion of the project].
In my subscription to the City of Austin website I got this announcement at 6:27 pm today:
[start of email]
AustinGO will release a new RFP on Monday, July 27, 2009. The new RFP is the result of invaluable outreach and feedback from the Austin community and industry experts. Community involvement has been an enormous help in developing a scope of work that is more realistic and efficient for a project of this size. The key takeaway for us in this process was the advice to split the project into more than one RFP. We have decided to release two.
The RFP that will be released Monday seeks organizations that can [RFP 1] focus on providing a gap assessment of the City Web Portal initiative, recommendations for information and technical architecture and design concepts. [RFP 2] The second RFP will be released following the completion of the first and will focus on the technology and implementation portion of the project. The scope of the second will be defined by the findings of the first, an approach that will provide a more detailed picture of specific requirements we need and allow vendors greater opportunity to participate in the project. Here’s the Vendor Services site that you can register on to get the RFP when it is released. [MeterThis will grab the RFP and make it available when we are back from vacation on WED, July 29th.]
The RFP will close on Sept. 17, 2009. Vendors interested in the new RFP or any City RFP can register at the City’s Vendor Self Service System and access the RFP beginning July 27. A pre-bid conference for vendors will be 12:30 p.m. August 12, 2009, at Austin City Hall room 1101. The pre-bid conference will be Webcast at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/austingo/webcast.htm. Vendors with questions about the City Purchasing process can contact Mick Osborne, City of Austin Purchasing Office, 512-974-2995. [But wait, don't dial that number just yet...]
It’s worth stating, if you are interested in bidding on this project, please, under no circumstances or in any way attempt to contact us at AustinGO. Our only opportunity for contact will be at the pre-bid conference in August. Per the City’s strict anti-lobbying ordinance [download PDF of ordinance], which applies to the RFP process, any contact between an interested vendor and City staff involved in the RFP can disqualify a vendor from the process.
Thanks for your patience! You will be hearing more from us soon.
[end of email]
I’m not surprised by the dual RFP plan. But that Gartner was consulted and this is the best they could do… ? I look forward to seeing the language of the new RFP on Monday. I hope all the consulting and community input has clarified the proposal and not muddied the process for those of us looking to actually execute on it. [Big reveal: yes, I might be tendering a bid for the project with a two local companies.]
@jmacofearth
permalink: http://bit.ly/austin-2-rfp
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