Tender - Website Redevelopment Tender

1. Overview

NI Science Festival (NISF) is inviting proposals from experienced website design and development agencies to redevelop its primary website – www.nisciencefestival.com.

The successful applicant will work with the NISF team to create a modern, accessible, secure, and user-friendly website that supports our digital presence year-round and promotes our annual festival each February.

Please note: NI Science Festival requires the website to be developed using the WordPress platform. Proposals that do not adhere to this requirement will not be considered.

2. About NI Science Festival

NI Science Festival is one of the largest celebrations of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) on the island of Ireland. With a wide programme of events for all ages, the Festival provides a platform for discussion, exploration, and celebration of the world around us.

Our current website acts as a festival programme hub each February while also serving as a digital home for our broader organisational activity across the year.

3. Objectives of the New Website

• Redevelop www.nisciencefestival.com on WordPress CMS
  
  

• Present a clean, modern, and intuitive user experience
  
  

• Optimise for mobile and tablet browsing (responsive design)
  
  

• Support rich media content (video, audio, gallery)
  
  

• Improve accessibility (AA or higher WCAG compliance)
  
  

• Integrate seamlessly with our third-party ticketing platform
  
  

• Support filterable, searchable events listings
  
  

• Enable easy content updates by NISF staff (WordPress admin access with appropriate permissions)
  
  

• Allow blog/news posts, press release uploads, and archival of past content
  
  

• Ensure hosting compatibility, robust uptime, and fast performance
  
  

4. Scope of Services

The successful supplier will be responsible for:

• Design and development of the new website on WordPress
  
  

• Transfer or redesign of content and structure as needed
  
  

• Advising on and implementing SEO best practice
  
  

• Setting up analytics (e.g. Google Analytics 4)
  
  

• Testing for usability, speed, security, and mobile responsiveness
  
  

• Training for NISF staff on CMS use
  
  

• Ongoing hosting, support and maintenance (optional but preferred)
  
  

• SLA with clearly defined support response times and costs (see below)
  
  

5. Deliverables Required in Proposal

Your proposal should include the following:

5.1 Company Background

• Overview of your company, including years in operation
  
  

• Evidence of previous work with public sector, charity, or arts organisations
  
  

5.2 Relevant Experience

• Links to three websites you are proud of producing, ideally for clients similar to NISF
  
  

• Details on how your previous work has improved user experience, accessibility, or digital engagement
  
  

5.3 Design & Development Proposal

• Approach to UX/UI design
  
  

• Technical architecture and CMS functionality
  
  

• Proposed sitemap and key pages
  
  

• Timeline for delivery (design, development, testing, launch)
  
  

5.4 CMS & Training

• Description of how the WordPress backend will be structured
  
  

• How much access NISF staff will have for day-to-day updates
  
  

• Training plan and/or documentation for staff
  
  

5.5 SLA and Support

Include a Service Level Agreement (SLA) proposal outlining:

• Response time for major issues (e.g. site crash)
  
  

• Turnaround time for new feature requests
  
  

• Monitoring, maintenance, and patching schedule
  
  

• Support availability (e.g. office hours, emergency cover, site backup and recovery)
  
  

5.6 Costs

Please provide a clear cost breakdown including:

• Total cost for website design and build
  
  

• Annual hosting and maintenance fees (if offered)
  
  

• Support fees (monthly or hourly)
  
  

• Feature development costs (e.g. adding new sections or plugins)
  
  

• Emergency response fees (e.g. site crash recovery)
  
  

6. Budget

While we do not wish to limit creativity, value for money is essential. Proposals exceeding reasonable public sector cost expectations without strong justification are unlikely to be considered.

7. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be assessed based on:

8. Submission Process

Please submit your proposal as a single PDF document to info@nisciencefestival.com by Friday 11 July.

Shortlisted agencies may be invited for a short virtual presentation/interview.

9. Timeline

10. Contact

For queries about this tender, please contact:

Andrew Moore

Marketing Manager

NI Science Festival

info@nisciencefestival.com