RFP: Request for proposal
Request for a web designer and developer to redesign the Borderzine website.
Borderzine is a bilingual online magazine cultivating student journalists in multimedia reporting. The magazine is housed at the University of Texas at El Paso and it publishes stories about borders by student journalists and media professionals.
(©Borderzine.com)
The current Borderzine.com site has been around for several years now and our team believes it is time for the site to get a fresher look that reflects the changes in news media offerings and audiences’ needs, and exploits the Web’s new interactive tools.
The work on the new design will include work on branding, look and feel, and functionality of the website according to specifications (see below). The proposal should also include the development of a Borderzine APP for Apple iOS and Android that will extend our users’ experience when using their mobile devices.
The website is powered by WordPress, therefore knowledge of PHP, HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript is a must. Demonstrated ability to develop templates for WP is also important.
Please submit a one page project proposal that includes a work plan, timeframe and budget with links to a portfolio of relevant projects. It is our expectation to launch the new site by July 1, 2014.
The candidate should be comfortable working within a collaborative team of editors, staff and students.
Completed proposals should be sent to: angel@borderzine.flywheelsites.com
For questions contact: webmaster@borderzine.flywheelsites.com
Deadline for RFP: February 28, 2014.
SPECIFICATIONS
BASIC MAINTENANCE
Update to latest WP version. Secure compatibility with/of plugins.
BRANDING
The Borderzine team will provide a description of the brand’s personality and a new color palette for the website to better appeal to its target audience. Primary and secondary navigation menus will be reviewed and expanded to reflect changes in the organization and to reflect/showcase all the new projects Borderzine is involved in.
RESPONSIVE DESIGN
The site should be optimized to look great on computers and mobile devices.
FUNCTIONALITY
Proposals should include:
1. Home page
A way to promote not only stories but also multimedia content, contributors(writers), sponsors, partners, subscription to newsletter, feeds from social media, and feedback from readers. In general, we would like to increase opportunities for readers to interact with content.
2. Story page (post page)
Expand the possibilities for placing images, preview of multimedia and other story’s sidebars. Add the option to customize content of side columns (i.e. to add feeds from social media). Provide access to related stories.
3. Partners/Projects pages
Create a template that helps showcase work with partners and special projects (i.e. mexodus.borderzine.flywheelsites.com). Should include some of the homepage functionality and the capability to customize it.
4. Author’s (writer) profile page. Improve presentation and add functionality (i.e. a way to pinpoint geo location).
5. Registration page
Improve registration process and security.
SEO & AD SPACE
Proposals should also provide recommendations to improve/implement SEO and the possibility to add advertisement placeholders on homepage and post page.
BORDERZINE APP
Should provide readers with a way to review latest stories, browse among categories, and discover multimedia content.
NOTE: Borderzine will own any new code or changes on the old one as result of the work for this contract.
