Task

The Contractor must develop a public facing website hosted on the Clients servers. The website must have a home page, a member highlight page, a page for open job postings, and a repository for public facing documents.

Website Requirements:

• The website must be aligned with the Secretariat’s vision. This will be achieved by final review as well as approval of site map and wireframe, layout, review and approval of accessibility features, and final product approval by the Secretariat and Network co-chairs.
• The website must provide the user with an intuitive and seamless user experience. The Secretariat will consider a website’s user experience by the following criteria:
  • Intuitive Navigation: Easy-to-use menus and navigation bars that help users find information quickly.
  • Fast Load Times: Optimized content and images to ensure the website loads quickly, enhancing user retention and satisfaction.
  • Interactive Elements: Thoughtful use of animations, hover effects, and transitions that engage users without distracting them.
  • Clear Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Strategically placed buttons and links that guide users towards desired actions, such as signing up, purchasing, or learning more.
• The website must enable the ability for a user, such as the Secretariat, to update without coding experience.
• The website must be aesthetically appealing and modern, while also considering accessibility (Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. (2013). Standard on Web Accessibility. Government of Canada). The Secretariat will consider a website’s aesthetic and modern qualities by the following criteria:
  • Clean and Minimalistic Layout: Simplistic design that avoids clutter and emphasizes essential elements.
  • Responsive Design: Adjusts seamlessly across various devices (desktops, tablets, smartphones) ensuring a consistent user experience.
  • High-Quality Visuals: Use of high-resolution images, illustrations, and icons that are relevant and enhance the content.
  • Consistent Typography: Thoughtful selection of fonts that are legible and harmonize with the overall design, often with a hierarchy in font sizes for headings, subheadings, and body text.
  • Balanced Color Scheme: A well-chosen color palette that complements the brand and enhances readability without overwhelming the user.
• The website’s need for backend maintenance must be minimal.
• The website must comply with the updated Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) accessibility standards.
• The website must comply with the GCWEB WET-BOEW Canada.ca theme

5.4 Logo Development

The Contractor must develop a BSL4ZNet logo. The new BSL4ZNet logo must:

• Be inclusive for all five member countries.
  • The BSL4ZNet includes institutions from Canada, US, Australia, UK and Germany. The design should include elements (e.g. the flag) of all 5 countries in a creative and visually appealing way.
• Design elements must include the following to be considered modern, effective and visually appealing:
  • Simplicity: Clean and uncomplicated design that is easily recognizable and memorable.
  • Versatility: Scalable and adaptable to different sizes and formats without losing clarity or impact. It should look good on everything from business cards to billboards.
  • Relevance: Reflective of the network’s identity, values, and subject matter. The design should communicate Network material effectively.
  • Timelessness: Designed to remain effective and relevant over the years, avoiding overly trendy elements that may quickly become outdated.
• The website must include a colour theme/ pallet to be used with member documentation and website layout; the colour pallet must be chosen to complement the brand and enhance readability without overwhelming the user, and the contrast ratio must be considered for accessibility and aesthetics. Other visual criteria that will be assessed include:
  • Memorability: Easy to recall and leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
  • Scalability: Maintains quality and legibility across various applications, from tiny icons to large signage.
  • Relevance to Audience: Appeals to the target audience and conveys quality as well as professionalism.
  • Color and Monochrome Flexibility: Works well in both full color and black-and-white versions, ensuring versatility in different media.
  • Adaptability: Flexible enough to be used in various contexts and media, including digital, print, and merchandise.
  • Cultural Sensitivity: Avoids elements that could be misinterpreted or offensive in different cultural contexts.
  • Subtle Details: Includes thoughtful details that can add depth and interest without complicating the overall design.
  • Balanced Proportions: Harmonious and visually pleasing proportions, ensuring that no part of the logo overwhelms another.
  • Strong Concept: A well-thought-out idea or story behind the logo that serve as the visual depiction of the Network (i.e. represent the mission, vision, values).
  • Appropriate Color Palette: Thoughtful use of colors that engage the audience, reflect the Network content and ensure good contrast and readability.
  • Effective Typography: Carefully chosen fonts that are legible and align with the brand’s personality, whether modern, classic, playful, or professional.

Mandatory
Relevant education
References
Security clearance

Rated

P1	The Bidder’s proposed resources must have a minimum of 24 months combined experience in using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to apply the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada Web Experience Tool Kit Standards, including dynamic websites that conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) AA, leveraging HTML5 and Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) to enhance accessibility.
P2	The Bidder’s proposed resources must have a minimum of 24 months combined experience managing and deploying websites in hosted environments (e.g., Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), etc.).
P3	The Bidder’s proposed resources must have a minimum of 12 months combined experience creating and managing document repository web hosting solutions:
P4	The Bidder’s proposed resources must have a minimum of 18 months combined experience in Graphic design.