Website Revamp (Drupal Platform)

1. Introduction

1.1 Organization Overview

The National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) is a national member association representing all 50 state workforce agencies, D.C. and U.S. territories. These agencies deliver training, employment, career, business and wage and hour services, in addition to administering unemployment insurance, veteran reemployment and labor market information programs. We provide policy expertise, share promising state practices, and promote state innovation and leadership in workforce development. Our mission is to enhance the state workforce agencies’ ability to accomplish their goals, statutory roles, and responsibilities. Our strategic goals are to drive the national agenda for workforce policy and provide high value member services.

1.2 Technical Environment

The existing Drupal site is an enterprise Drupal 10 platform hosted on Pantheon, with plans to upgrade to Drupal 11 within three months. The current front-end architecture uses Pattern Lab v6.1 for component-driven development and is built on Bootstrap-SASS 3.4.3 (not Bootstrap Barrio). This project is a cosmetic facelift only – the back-end architecture, integrations, and content structures should remain largely unchanged, and the new theme must work within these existing technical constraints.

Current Architecture

• Theme Layer: Custom theme with Pattern Lab integration, Gulp build pipeline, 300+ SCSS partials, and extensive Twig template overrides
• Content Architecture: 36+ custom Paragraph types, Layout Builder for page structuring, custom blocks for landing pages, and complex entity reference hierarchies
• Salesforce Integration: Real-time data rendering from Salesforce REST APIs via Drupal Views and Views Remote Data (committee memberships, contact management) – theme templates must accommodate dynamic data that doesn't exist in Drupal's database
• Search & Hosting: Search API Solr on Pantheon with Redis caching and advanced page cache optimization
• Development Environment: Lando for local development (to be continued), GitLab CI/CD pipeline with Backstop, JS visual regression testing and Cypress end-to-end testing

Technical Requirements for New Theme

The new theme should maintain compatibility with existing content structures, Salesforce data rendering patterns, and multi-tenancy requirements. We are open to continuing with Layout Builder or migrating to Drupal Canvas if appropriate for Drupal 11 compatibility. The theme should integrate seamlessly with our existing Lando-based development environment and Gitlab CI/CD pipeline. Custom modules (20+) tailored to our business requirements should generally remain unchanged and must function with the new theme with limited modification.

1.3 Project Overview

We are initiating a comprehensive website revamp to deliver a modern, responsive, and user-friendly digital experience that accurately reflects our organization’s services, tools, products, member resources, and the wide array of meetings and conferences we host throughout the year. Our current website, built on the Drupal platform, requires a strategic redesign to align with our evolving brand goals and meet contemporary web standards. Currently, navigation can be arduous and unclear, the homepage lacks a cohesive and compelling introduction that clearly communicates who we are, and subpages are dull, text-heavy, and outdated in visual design. This results in a user experience that can be frustrating and confusing, making it difficult for visitors to quickly understand our mission and access our services. This hinders our ability to effectively connect with and serve our members and expanded audience of vendors, sponsors, affiliates and other stakeholders.

We are seeking a qualified and experienced partner to collaborate with us on this initiative. The selected vendor will provide end-to-end services including project management, User Experience (UX) design, web design, and front-end development. The ideal partner will demonstrate a strong understanding of Drupal, a user-first design philosophy, and a proven track record of delivering successful website revamps that meet industry best practices.

2. Scope of Work

2.1.a Project Goals

1. Improve website navigation and enhance user experience
2. Realign messaging to effectively reflect our services and drive strong connections with current and an expanded audience of stakeholders and visitors
3. Modernize the visual design to align with current branding and industry trends
4. Improve site performance (potentially move to future phases, need back-end specialist)
5. Implement a responsive design for desktop, tablet, and mobile
6. Optimize for Search Engine Optimization/Generative Engineering Optimization best practices
7. Develop new pages as necessary to promote better navigation, user experience and realigned messaging
8. Maintain the Drupal platform while optimizing its capabilities for performance, scalability, and ease of content management

2.1.b Project Management

The vendor’s project manager for the website revamp will be responsible for overseeing the project from initiation through completion, ensuring it is delivered on time, within scope, and on budget. Key responsibilities include developing and managing the project timeline, coordinating communication between internal stakeholders and the selected vendor, and ensuring all deliverables align with the organization’s goals and brand standards. The project manager will facilitate regular check-ins, monitor progress against milestones, and proactively address any risks or issues that may arise. They will also be responsible for ensuring that user experience, messaging, design, functionality, and technical requirements are met, and for managing approvals at each project phase to maintain momentum and quality control throughout the process.

2.2 UX Design

The user experience (UX) design process for the website revamp is expected to be collaborative, user-centered, and data-informed. The selected vendor should begin discovery activities such as stakeholder interviews, user surveys, or usability audits to understand current pain points and audience needs. This process should result in clear user personas and journey maps that guide design decisions. The new theme should follow modern component-driven development best practices, utilizing design system tools (e.g., Figma for design, Storybook for component documentation), and Drupal's Single Directory Components (SDC) architecture. The implementation should maintain compatibility with Layout Builder (or Drupal Canvas) and our existing block-based content editing approach to ensure minimal disruption to content workflows. Wireframes and interactive prototypes should be developed to illustrate key page layouts and navigation flows, with opportunities for stakeholder review and user testing incorporated at key stages. The final UX design must prioritize ease of navigation, clarity of content, and accessibility, ensuring the site is intuitive and engaging for all users across devices. The design approach should reflect best practices and be adaptable for future updates and enhancements.

Example:

• Conduct user research and create user personas.
• Map out user journeys and wireframes for key pages and interactions.
• Provide recommendations on site structure, information architecture, and navigation.
• Conduct usability testing and refine designs based on feedback.
• Ensure that the site is designed with accessibility standards in mind.

2.3 Web Design

The web design should translate our organization’s goals, brand identity, and user experience strategy into visually compelling and functional designs. This includes creating modern, on-brand design concepts that align with current industry standards and ensure a cohesive look and feel across all pages and devices. The designer will collaborate closely with the UX team to bring wireframes to life, integrating intuitive layouts, appropriate typography, and engaging visual elements that enhance usability. They must also ensure the design is responsive and accessible, providing seamless experiences on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. In addition, the web designer will prepare design assets and style guides for development handoff and participate in reviews to ensure that the final implementation accurately reflects the approved designs.

Example:

• Create high-quality, custom website designs that align with our brand identity.
• Design responsive pages that work seamlessly across devices (desktop, tablet, mobile).
• Provide design assets, including templates, images, and icons.
• Ensure adherence to modern web design trends and best practices.

2.4 Front-End Development

Front-end development is expected to transform approved designs into a fully functional, responsive, and accessible website that performs seamlessly across modern browsers and devices. Developers must implement clean, efficient, and standard-compliant HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to ensure design fidelity, fast load times, and strong usability. The front-end code should support accessibility best practices (e.g., WCAG compliance) and incorporate mobile-first, responsive design principles.

The new theme must maintain compatibility with existing API integrations, including our Salesforce REST API integration (which renders real-time committee membership and contact data directly in Twig templates via Views Remote Data) and Constant Contact email marketing integration. Developers should ensure proper rendering of Salesforce Contact data within the new design system. Bidders should be prepared to collaborate with our back-end development team to understand existing data structures and API response handling throughout the theme layer.

Emphasis will be placed on performance optimization, cross-browser compatibility, and SEO-friendly development practices.

Example:

• Implement the design in our existing Drupal site with an emphasis on performance, accessibility, and responsiveness.
• Develop or modify a contemporary custom Drupal theme and templates as needed.
• Ensure the front-end code is clean, efficient, and maintainable.
• Ensure compatibility with modern browsers.
• Collaborate with the in-house Drupal developer to integrate functionality as required.

3. Proposal Requirements

3.1 Company Overview

Provide a summary of your company, including your experience with similar projects.

Example:

• Company background, including years in business.
• Relevant project experience (preferably with Drupal).
• Previous work samples or case studies of similar websites.

3.2 Team Composition and Qualifications

Provide information on the key members of the team who would be assigned to our project, including their roles and relevant experience.

Example:

• Project manager with a minimum of five years of experience in web design/development.
• Lead UX designer with a deep familiarity of Design Systems and a strong portfolio.
• Front-end developer with expertise in HTML, CSS, JavaScript Frameworks Drupal theme development, and UI component development best practices.

3.3 Approach and Methodology

Describe the approach your team will take for the project, including the phases and timelines for each stage. Examples listed below can be used, or you can provide examples specific to your organization’s approach.

Example:

• Discovery phase: [timeline, deliverables].
• Design phase: [timeline, deliverables].
• Development phase: [timeline, deliverables].
• Testing & Launch phase: [timeline, deliverables].

3.4 Timeline

Provide an estimated timeline with specific weeks for the completion of the website revamp, with key milestones that are connected to the approach and methodology above.

Example:

• Discovery and design: [Date Range]
• Development: [Date Range]
• Testing: [Date Range]
• Final launch: [Date]

3.5 Budget

Provide a detailed budget, breaking down the costs for each service (project management, UX design, web design, front-end development, etc.).

Example:

• Project management: [Cost estimate]
• UX design: [Cost estimate]
• Web design: [Cost estimate]
• Front-end development: [Cost estimate]

3.6 References

Include contact information for at least three references from previous clients who have had similar projects completed.

4. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals submitted in response to this RFP will be evaluated based on how effectively they address the outlined project goals. Particular emphasis will be placed on the proposer’s ability to enhance website navigation and overall user experience, ensuring a seamless and intuitive interface. Proposals should demonstrate a clear strategy for website messaging that accurately reflects our services while building strong engagement with both existing and potential audiences. Aesthetic and functional alignment with our current branding and relevant industry trends is essential. Proposals must also include solutions for improving site performance, with consideration for scalable back-end development that may be pursued in future phases. Mobile responsiveness across devices, adherence to SEO best practices, and thoughtful integration of third-party tools (such as email marketing platforms and analytics systems) will be key factors in the evaluation process along with relevant experience and portfolio.

Below are some additional points for consideration:

• Proposed methodology and project approach
• Understanding the project goals
• Creativity and design vision
• Estimated timeline and cost
• Client references

Proposal Submission Instructions

The following table details the schedule of events in the proposal process.