Request for Proposals: Website Developer

Indigenous Climate Action

About The Position

Indigenous Climate Action (ICA) is seeking proposals from qualified web designers and developers to redesign and develop their organizational website. ICA is an Indigenous-led climate justice organization focused on building Indigenous climate leadership through community-based education, relationship building, and movement support, centering Indigenous rights, sovereignty, land-based knowledge systems, and climate justice across Turtle Island. The new website will be the primary digital platform for storytelling, education, campaigns, research, fundraising, and community engagement, and should reflect ICA’s values, strengthen accessibility and usability, and support long-term growth and sustainability. They are looking for a partner capable of delivering a redesigned and accessible website with improved architecture and user experience, a flexible and maintainable CMS, content migration, technical documentation, staff training, and ongoing maintenance and support.

Requirements

Qualified web designers and developers
Ability to deliver a redesigned and accessible organizational website
Ability to deliver improved site architecture and user experience
Ability to deliver a flexible and maintainable content management system
Ability to migrate and retain existing content and resources
Ability to provide technical documentation and staff training
Ability to offer ongoing maintenance and support options post-launch
Ability to refresh and strengthen ICA’s digital presence
Ability to improve accessibility, navigation, and user experience
Ability to better communicate ICA’s mission, programs, campaigns, and impact
Ability to support multiple audiences (Indigenous communities, youth, partners, funders, media, public)
Ability to create a scalable infrastructure
Ability to improve internal staff capacity to manage and update website content
Ability to ensure the website aligns with accessibility, security, and performance best practices
Experience with discovery and planning, including stakeholder meetings, existing site review, audience assessment, and recommendations for architecture and improvements
Experience with website design and development, including information architecture, sitemap development, UX/UI design, responsive development, CMS implementation, template creation, branding integration, SEO/performance optimization, analytics integration, accessibility compliance, and security implementation
Experience with content migration from Squarespace
Experience preserving SEO and existing URLs
Experience organizing archived and retained content
Compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards
Experience with accessible navigation and content structures
Experience with screen reader compatibility
Experience with appropriate colour contrast and typography practices
Experience with accessibility testing across devices and browsers
Experience implementing security best practices for public-facing organizational websites
Experience with website hosting recommendations
Experience with security infrastructure and protections
Experience with backup and recovery processes
Experience with CMS and plugin maintenance
Experience with performance optimization
Experience with long-term sustainability of technical frameworks
Ability to outline ongoing technical support and maintenance
Ability to provide post-launch support including CMS/plugin updates, security monitoring, bug fixes, and troubleshooting
Ability to provide staff training and documentation
Overview of the vendor/team and relevant experience
Examples of similar website projects
Proposed approach and methodology
Proposed CMS and technical framework
Accessibility and security approach
Content migration strategy
Proposed timeline and milestones
Detailed budget breakdown
Post-launch support and maintenance options
Team composition and roles
Experience working with Indigenous organizations, nonprofits, or mission-driven organizations
Qualified persons of Indigenous Ancestry will be given preference

Nice To Haves

Experience with Squarespace content migration
Experience preserving SEO and existing URLs
Experience organizing archived and retained content
Experience with accessibility auditing tools and methods
Experience providing website hosting recommendations
Experience providing security infrastructure and protections
Experience with backup and recovery processes
Experience with CMS and plugin maintenance considerations
Experience with performance optimization
Experience with long-term sustainability of technical frameworks
Experience with ongoing technical support and maintenance after launch
Experience with post-launch support including CMS/plugin updates, security monitoring, bug fixes, and troubleshooting
Experience providing staff training and documentation
Experience with long-term maintenance retainers or support agreements

Responsibilities

Conduct meetings with ICA staff and key stakeholders
Review existing website structure and digital assets
Assess audience needs and user journeys
Provide recommendations for site architecture and platform improvements
Identify opportunities for improved accessibility, storytelling, and engagement
Develop information architecture and sitemap
Design user experience (UX) and user interface (UI)
Develop responsive website across desktop and mobile devices
Develop using a flexible and maintainable CMS
Create templates for key page types
Integrate ICA branding and visual identity
Optimize for SEO and performance
Integrate analytics
Implement accessibility compliance
Implement security best practices
Ensure the website clearly communicates ICA’s mission, values, and programs
Support storytelling, campaigns, fundraising, reports, and educational resources
Enable internal staff to efficiently manage and update content
Support future expansion and evolving organizational needs
Outline proposed approach to content migration from Squarespace
Outline strategies for preserving SEO and existing URLs
Outline recommendations for organizing archived and retained content
Ensure compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards
Ensure accessible navigation and content structures
Ensure screen reader compatibility
Ensure appropriate colour contrast and typography practices
Ensure accessibility testing across devices and browsers
Describe accessibility approach and testing process
Describe previous experience building accessible websites
Describe tools and methods used for accessibility auditing
Implement security best practices
Provide website hosting recommendations
Provide security infrastructure and protections
Outline backup and recovery processes
Address CMS and plugin maintenance considerations
Address performance optimization
Address long-term sustainability of the technical framework
Outline ongoing technical support and maintenance after launch
Outline length and scope of post-launch support
Outline response times for technical issues
Outline CMS and plugin updates
Outline security monitoring and maintenance
Outline bug fixes and troubleshooting
Outline options for long-term maintenance retainers or support agreements
Provide staff training and documentation