Search canadabuys ab-2026-05756
Town of High River - Request for Proposal - New Website Platform
Closes in 13 days 08 Sep 2026 00:00 UTC
IT fit 85 Website platform project is a core fit for a small IT shop with web/app skills.
AI workability
Effort & value
929 h AI · 371 h human · 1,300 h total
Deliverable mix
agent · assisted · human
Dates
01 Oct
17 Aug
17 Aug
03 Sep
08 Sep
08 Sep
21 Sep
09 Oct
23 Oct
25 Aug
AI agents can perform the majority of this website platform project. The work is software/CMS configuration, content migration, integration, testing, and documentation, which maps well to the shop's AI-agent capabilities. Human effort is concentrated in legal/contractual accountability, client workshops, final approvals, and relationship management.
Bid call: MAYBE The project is a strong core fit for an AI-agent-first IT shop and AI can perform the majority of the delivery work. However, the RFP requires two references in the previous five years, $5M insurance coverage, and a fixed-sum contract, which are potential barriers for a small independent shop with no large reference-contract history. If insurance and references can be secured, this is a go; otherwise, the risk of disqualification is high.
| Deliverable | Mode | AI share | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Proposal and RFP response
Prepare Schedule B response, pricing breakdown, exceptions, conflict-of-interest disclosure, and references. |
ai assisted | 70% | 60 | AI drafts the full response and compliance matrix; human validates pricing, references, and legal exceptions. |
|
Requirements analysis and solution architecture
Map RFP requirements to platform capabilities, define architecture, hosting, integrations, and migration approach. |
ai assisted | 80% | 80 | AI synthesizes the RFP and produces architecture options; human confirms with Town stakeholders. |
|
Platform configuration and CMS setup
Configure CMS, permissions, workflows, menus, document manager, preview/restore, and content types. |
ai agent | 90% | 120 | AI agents configure the platform end-to-end; human performs final review and acceptance. |
|
Custom theme, design, and branding
Design responsive templates, branding elements, page layouts, widgets, photo galleries, and information highlights. |
ai assisted | 75% | 100 | AI generates design systems and templates; human provides art direction and final brand approval. |
|
Content migration and data cleaning
Migrate existing website content, clean HTML, generate redirects, and organize documents/media. |
ai agent | 90% | 120 | AI scrapes, transforms, and migrates content; human spot-checks high-value pages and redirects. |
|
Integrations with external applications
Integrate Dayforce, Intelli, SylogistGov, Citywide, SharePoint, Azure AD SSO, and other external tools. |
ai assisted | 80% | 120 | AI builds APIs, iFrames, SSO, and SharePoint workflows; human coordinates credentials and vendor access. |
|
Online forms and interactive reporting workflows
Build fillable forms, service request tracking, back-end workflows, and SharePoint population. |
ai agent | 85% | 80 | AI configures forms and workflows; human tests with Town staff and approves business rules. |
|
Testing, QA, and WCAG accessibility
Cross-browser/device testing, page speed, SEO checks, search validation, and accessibility audits. |
ai assisted | 80% | 100 | AI generates and runs automated test scripts and accessibility scans; human performs UAT and final sign-off. |
|
Security, backup, uptime, and compliance setup
Configure logging, antivirus, 3-2-1 backups, patching, vulnerability management, and 99% uptime monitoring. |
ai assisted | 70% | 80 | AI automates security configuration and monitoring; human reviews incident response and accepts liability. |
|
Training materials and sessions
Create CMS training manuals, video references, and deliver training to Town staff. |
ai assisted | 80% | 60 | AI produces written/video training content; human delivers live sessions and answers staff questions. |
|
Help-desk support (first year)
Provide ongoing help-desk support for Town staff and website users. |
ai assisted | 70% | 200 | AI triages tickets, resolves common issues, and drafts responses; human handles escalations and complex requests. |
|
Project management and client communication
Track milestones, status reporting, change orders, and stakeholder communication. |
ai assisted | 40% | 100 | AI tracks tasks and drafts reports; human leads workshops, decisions, and client relationship. |
|
Legal, contract, insurance, and financial
Sign agreement, obtain insurance certificates, GST registration, invoicing, and compliance with contract terms. |
human only | 0% | 40 | Requires human signature, financial accountability, and insurance coverage. |
|
Presentations and stakeholder workshops
Present to short-listing committee and conduct stakeholder workshops. |
human only | 10% | 40 | AI prepares slides and briefs; humans must present, facilitate, and build trust. |
Risks
-
high
Insurance and reference requirements may be disqualifying for a small shop.
Mitigation: Obtain insurance quotes early; consider partnering with an established firm or using subcontractor references. -
high
Fixed-sum pricing with unknown content volume and integration complexity.
Mitigation: Include a thorough discovery phase, detailed assumptions, and clear exceptions in the proposal. -
medium
Subjective evaluation and broad municipal discretion.
Mitigation: Follow instructions exactly, emphasize compliance, and provide strong optional enhancements. -
medium
ATIPP disclosure of proposal information.
Mitigation: Mark confidential sections carefully; remember total proposed amount cannot be excluded. -
medium
Third-party integration APIs or credentials may be delayed.
Mitigation: Start integration discovery early; AI can build adapters once access is granted. -
high
Security breach liability and 24-hour reporting requirement.
Mitigation: Implement robust monitoring, incident response runbooks, and insurance; designate human on-call. -
low
No bid contract is created until a definitive Supply Agreement is signed.
Mitigation: Treat the RFP as no guarantee of work; limit pre-contract spend.
Human roles needed
- Legal, contract, insurance, and finance · 11% — Signing agreements, obtaining insurance, GST registration, invoicing, and accepting liability are human-only.
- Client workshops and presentations · 10% — Short-list presentations and stakeholder workshops require human presence, facilitation, and trust-building.
- Project management and client relationship · 16% — Decisions, scope changes, and relationship management need a human accountable to the client.
- Security and compliance review · 6% — Human must accept security breach liability, review incident response, and approve compliance sign-off.
- QA/UAT and content spot-check · 12% — Town staff and humans must validate content, forms, and user experience before launch.
- Design and brand approval · 7% — Final aesthetic and branding decisions require human judgment and client approval.
- Third-party integration coordination · 6% — Credentials, vendor relationships, and API access require human coordination.
- Training delivery · 3% — Live training sessions need a human instructor to answer questions and demonstrate.
- Help-desk support escalations · 16% — Complex or sensitive support issues require human judgment and communication.
- Proposal review and pricing decisions · 5% — Human must own final pricing, exceptions, and commercial risk.
- Requirements confirmation · 4% — Human must confirm scope and priorities with Town stakeholders.
- Platform configuration review · 4% — Human reviews final CMS configuration and accepts delivery.
Why not more AI
- AI cannot sign contracts, obtain insurance, or accept legal/financial liability.
- AI cannot facilitate in-person workshops, presentations, or council briefings that require human presence.
- AI cannot make final brand or design decisions on behalf of the client.
- AI cannot independently obtain third-party credentials or manage vendor relationships.
- AI cannot provide professional certifications, P.Eng. stamps, or certified audits.
- AI cannot fabricate relevant references or past-performance history.
- AI cannot make subjective commercial judgments on fixed-sum pricing and exceptions.
Suggested delivery stack
- Open-source CMS such as Drupal 10/11 for content management, permissions, workflows, and WCAG support.
- Canadian cloud hosting in AWS Canada (Central) or Azure Canada Central to meet hosting-in-Canada requirement.
- Infrastructure-as-Code with Terraform and CI/CD with GitHub Actions for automated deployments.
- Azure AD SSO via SAML 2.0 for authentication.
- Microsoft Graph/SharePoint REST APIs for SharePoint integration and form submission workflows.
- Webform module or equivalent for online fillable forms and service request tracking.
- Solr or similar search engine for comprehensive website search.
- Automated accessibility testing with axe and CI integration.
- Matomo or GA4 for website analytics.
- 3-2-1 backup strategy using object storage in a separate Canadian region.
- AI-agent toolchain for content migration, QA test generation, documentation, and support ticket triage.
Requirements & compliance (22)
| Ref | Requirement | Kind | Compliance |
|---|---|---|---|
| ITP 9 | Electronic submission only by email to submissions@highriver.ca; subject line X070 New Town Website Platform; Attention Michelle Geminiano; closing Sept. 8, 2026, 12 p.m. MT. AI can draft and check the submission; human sends and verifies receipt. |
mandatory | met |
| ITP 8 | Proponents should refrain from contacting other employees, agents or members of Council; any such contact may result in disqualification. Process control; AI can monitor communications and enforce no-contact rule. |
mandatory | met |
| ITP 26 | Successful proponent will be expected to enter into an agreement based on Schedule C Supply Agreement. Requires human legal review; insurance and indemnity terms may be barriers for a small shop. |
mandatory | unclear |
| General - Required Specifications | Proposals must be able to meet the requirements identified in the required specifications section to be considered. AI can map every requirement to platform capabilities and produce a compliance matrix. |
mandatory | met |
| Site Functionality - Integration of External Applications | Ability to display, link to, or embed connections to Dayforce, Intelli, SylogistGov, Citywide, etc. AI can build URL/embed/iFrame/API integrations; third-party credentials are needed. |
mandatory | met |
| Site Functionality - Content Accessibility Guidelines | Ability for website to meet WCAG international standards. AI can implement and run automated accessibility checks; human UAT is still required. |
mandatory | met |
| CMS-1 to CMS-7 | CMS functionality: editing, rich text, permissions, preview, restore, menus, document/media manager. AI can configure CMS, roles, workflows, and document management end-to-end. |
mandatory | met |
| TECH-1 | Azure AD integration hosted by the Vendor; external website SSO using SAML 2.0. AI can configure SAML/Azure AD; human provides tenant credentials and approves access. |
mandatory | met |
| TECH-3 | Data and hosting services must be located within Canada; Town maintains control of DNS records. AI can provision Canadian cloud region; human manages DNS/account ownership. |
mandatory | met |
| TECH-6 | Systems kept up to date with security patches; high-risk vulnerabilities remediated within 60 days. AI can automate patching and vulnerability scanning; human is accountable for remediation sign-off. |
mandatory | met |
| TECH-9 | Vendor will maintain a 3-2-1 backup of Town data and have DR plans. AI can configure backups, offsite storage, and disaster recovery runbooks. |
mandatory | met |
| TECH-10 | Vendor bears all costs associated with resolving a security breach and reports within 24 hours. Contractual/insurance issue; human must accept terms and ensure coverage exists. |
mandatory | unclear |
| TECH-12 | Ability to provide CMS training sessions and written/video reference materials. AI creates training materials; human delivers live sessions. |
mandatory | met |
| TECH-13 | Ability to assist with data migration or provide self-directed tools. AI can perform migration and build self-service migration tools. |
mandatory | met |
| TECH-15 | Parallel development/test copy and 99% uptime on the website per year. AI can configure on-demand test environments and uptime monitoring. |
mandatory | met |
| TRN-1 | Staff training required prior to official launch; include extent of training and additional costs. AI can draft training plan and cost model; human validates with client. |
mandatory | met |
| SCH-3 | Provide description of experience including at least two references in the previous five years. Small shop lacks large reference-contract history; may need partner/subcontractor references. |
mandatory | gap |
| SCH-4 | Goods and Services supplied on a fixed sum basis. AI can assist with scoping and estimation; human owns final pricing decision. |
mandatory | met |
| SCH-6 | Provide detailed description of any exceptions or additions to the Supply Agreement. AI can draft exceptions; human legal review required. |
mandatory | met |
| 10.1 | Maintain $5M professional liability, $5M automobile liability, and $5M commercial general liability insurance. Must confirm or obtain coverage; potential barrier for a small independent shop. |
mandatory | unclear |
| 2.5(1) | Design Material must be reviewed, sealed or stamped by professional engineers or architects registered in Alberta where required by Laws. Likely not applicable to a website platform; legal review to confirm. |
mandatory | met |
| Schedule D s.3 | Payments subject to 10% construction lien holdback where the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act applies. Likely N/A for website services; legal review to confirm. |
mandatory | met |
Evaluation criteria & key dates
- Required Specifications · Pass/Fail — Must be satisfied; AI can produce a detailed compliance matrix.
- Desired Specifications & Optional Enhancements and Other Functionality · 35% — AI can draft a strong response and propose optional enhancements.
- Pricing · 20% — AI can build a pricing model; human sets final numbers and accepts fixed-sum risk.
- Proposed Schedule · 20% — AI can generate a realistic schedule; human validates milestones with client.
- Relevant Experience/Portfolio · 15% — AI can assemble portfolio materials; human provides references and relationship credibility.
- Training and Ongoing Support · 10% — AI can draft training/support plan; human delivers training and support.
- Aug. 17, 2026 — RFP Released
- Sept. 3, 2026, 4:30 p.m. MT — Inquiries Deadline
- Sept. 8, 2026, 12 p.m. MT — Closing Date
- By Sept. 21, 2026 — Short-listed proponents notified; presentation requested
- Oct. 1-5, 2026 — Presentations by short-listed proponents
- By Oct. 9, 2026 — Successful proponent notified
- Oct. 23, 2026 — Tentative Supply Agreement Execution
- 2027 — New Town website launches publicly
Assumptions & gaps
Assumptions
- Total effort assumes first-year implementation plus initial help-desk support; ongoing support beyond year one is not included.
- Existing website content volume is assumed to be a typical municipal site with a few thousand pages and documents.
- Integrations assume APIs and credentials are available from Dayforce, Intelli, SylogistGov, Citywide, and SharePoint.
- Town staff training is assumed to involve 20-30 users.
- No physical work, on-site installation, or security clearance is required.
- Canadian hosting can be met by using a Canadian cloud region.
- AI agents operate under human supervision; final legal and financial accountability remains with humans.
- Contract value and duration are not disclosed; fixed-sum pricing will require detailed scoping.
Gaps in source documents
- Full Schedule A required specifications were not fully extracted; some details may be missing.
- Existing website platform, content volume, and data quality are unknown.
- Integration details and API availability for Dayforce, Intelli, SylogistGov, and Citywide are not provided.
- Number of Town staff to train and expected help-desk volume are unknown.
- Contract duration and ongoing support term are not stated.
- Insurance requirements ($5M) and references may be barriers; current coverage is unconfirmed.
- Pricing expectations and budget are not disclosed.
- No information on whether presentations are in-person or virtual; onsite presence may be required.
Deep read covered 1 captured document.
Draft proposal
Generate a first-draft bid response from the AI-workability dossier — approach per workstream, compliance responses, team model, pricing structure, and an honest gap list. Human review required before submission.
- Buyer
- Town of High River
- Type
- municipal
- Location
- Town of High River
- Notice type
- —
- Published
- 17 Aug 2026
- Closes
- 08 Sep 2026 00:00 UTC
- GSIN
- —
- UNSPSC
- —
Description
Town of High River - Request for Proposal - New Website Platform
Extracted document text
notice-page.txt
SAP Ariba system maintenance SAP Ariba will be unavailable for scheduled maintenance at the times listed below. We apologize for any inconvenience. Saturday, August 22 from 8:00 pm until 11:59 pm (EDT) Buy Canadian Policy The Government of Canada has introduced new policies to protect, build, and transform Canadian industries. Check out Buy Canadian Policy for more information on what this could mean for you. Town of High River - Request for Proposal - New Website Platform Solicitation number AB-2026-05756 Publication date 2026/08/17 Closing date and time 2026/09/08 08:00 EDT Status Status Open Time to closing 17 days 12:31 hours Create a notification to follow this notice Follow this notice How to bookmark this notice Bookmark this notice Description The Town of High River is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to select a modern, user-friendly, and customizable website platform to replace the current system. The new platform will help enhance user experience and support the future expansion of e-services. This platform will be visually pleasing, easy for users to navigate, and offer key features outlined in the Technical Requirements provided in this section below. While the platform will be hosted externally by the vendor, the Town will assume full responsibility for website content management and administration following the deployment of the website. Show more description Show less description Contract duration The estimated contract period will be 15 month(s), with a proposed start date of 2026/09/08. Partner with another business Are you interested in partnering with other businesses for this opportunity? Add your company to the list of businesses who are interested in partnering . This list does not replace or affect the tendering procedures for this procurement process. Businesses are still required to respond to bid solicitations, and to compete based on the set criteria. For more information please read the Terms of use . Contact information Contracting organization Organization Town of High River Address 309B MacLeod Trail, SW High River, CA-AB, T1V 0A9 CA Contracting authority Michelle Geminiano submissions@highriver.ca Address 309B MacLeod Trail, SW High River, Alberta, T1V 1Z5 Canada Bidding details Full details for this tender opportunity are available on a third-party site Click on the button below to be directed to this website. Note that on the third-party site you may need an account to view and/or bid on this tender. Information on any fees or additional costs to access the full details is outlined in the Description tab of this tender opportunity. View full details on third-party site Related notices There are currently no notices related to this notice. Eligibility and terms and conditions Government of Canada tender and awards notices, solicitation documents, and other attachments are fully accessible and available free of charge and without having to register on CanadaBuys. Information may be available on another source prior to being available on CanadaBuys. You may have received this information through a third-party distributor. The Government of Canada is not responsible for any tender notices and/or related documents and attachments not accessed directly from CanadaBuys.canada.ca. Government of Canada tender or award notices carry an OpenGovernment License - Canada that governs its use. Related solicitation documents and/or tender attachments are copyright protected. Please refer to our terms and conditions page for more information. Summary information Notice type Request for Proposal Language(s) English Region(s) of delivery Alberta Region of opportunity Alberta Contract duration 15 month(s) Procurement method Competitive – Open Bidding Commodity - UNSPSC Click the links below to see a list of notices associated with the UNSPSC. 43232408 Web platform development software See a list of notices associated with this UNSPSC 43232408 Web platform development software 43000
THR New Website Platform - Updated RFP Package 2026-08-21.pdf
Town of High River Revs. June 2026 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Aug. 17, 2026 FOR A NEW WEBSITE PLATFORM TOWN OF HIGH RIVER High River, Alberta CLOSING DATE: Sept. 8, 2026, at 12 p.m. (Mountain Time) New Town Website Platform Aug. 17, 2026 Town of High River, Alberta X070 Page 2 Town of High River Revs. June 2026 4877-9572-4905, v. 1 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 3 RFP DOCUMENTS ...................................................................................................................... 3 INQUIRIES .................................................................................................................................... 3 SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS ............................................................................................... 3 CONTENT OF PROPOSALS ..................................................................................................... 4 COST OF PROPOSALS ............................................................................................................. 4 EVALUATION PROCESS........................................................................................................... 4 EVALUATION CRITERIA ........................................................................................................... 5 ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE OF EVENTS ............................................................................... 6 FORM OF SUPPLY AGREEMENT ........................................................................................... 6 EFFECT OF RFP ......................................................................................................................... 6 CONFIDENTIALITY, PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS .............................................................. 7 AGREEMENT ON INTERNAL TRADE..................................................................................... 8 Schedule "A" – Requirements for Goods & Services ......................................................... 9 Description of Goods and Ancillary Services ........................................................... 9 Required Specifications ........................................................................................... 9 Desired Specifications & Optional Enhancements ................................................. 14 Pricing and Payment .............................................................................................. 15 Schedule "B" – Proposal Content Requirements .............................................................. 16 Appendix “1” - ATIPP IDENTIFICATION ............................................................................ 17 Schedule "C" – Form of Professional Services Agreement............................................. 18 New Town Website Platform Aug. 17, 2026 Town of High River, Alberta X070 Page 3 Town of High River Revs. June 2026 4877-9572-4905, v. 1 INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPONENTS INTRODUCTION 1. The Town of High River ("High River") is inviting proposals for the supply of a new website platform (the "Goods") and any ancillary services (the "Services"). 2. The purpose of this Request for Proposals ("RFP") process is to select a vendor to enter into a supply agreement with High River for the supply of the Goods and any ancillary Services. Further details about the Goods and any Services required by High River are set out in Schedule "A" –Requirements for Goods. 3. This RFP is not a tender and is not subject to the laws of competitive bidding. No bid contract or agreement is created by the submission of a proposal. RFP DOCUMENTS 4. The following documents are attached to and form part of this RFP: Schedule "A" – Requirements for Goods and Services Schedule "B" – Proposal Content Requ
notice-page.txt
AB-2026-05756 - Posting - Purchasing Connection Buyers Suppliers Browse search Find UNSPSC codes Support Open & Competitive Opportunity • Request for Proposal Share New Website Platform Amended Aug 21, 2026 • 5:08 pm (MT) APC Reference # AB-2026-05756 Internal Reference # X070 Time Until Closing 17 days 18 hrs 31 min Category Goods Contracting Organization Town of High River Bookmark Express Interest Open Evaluation Selection Awarded Posting Date & Time Mon • Aug 17, 2026 • 10:06 am (MT) Questions Submission Deadline Thu • Sep 3, 2026 • 4:30 pm (MT) Closing Date & Time Tue • Sep 8, 2026 • 12:00:00 pm (MT) General Info Contact Info Submission Info Document Downloads Interested Suppliers Aug. 21, 2026, Addendum # 1. The purpose of this addendum is to: 1. Respond to proponent questions - see addendum # 1 for these questions and the answers provided by the Town of High River. 2. Change the inquiry period timeframe – All inquiries due by Sept. 3 at 4:30 p.m. MT 3. Replace the Supply Agreement with the Professional Services Agreement in the RFP package. The first posted RFP Package has been removed and replaced with a new package that includes these changes: - the inquiry deadline. - and the Professional Services Agreement Please refer to the "THR New Website Platform - Updated RFP Package 2026-08-21" and acknowledge this addendum in your submission. Thank you. When the information in this online posting varies from the downloadable documents (see below), the information in the documents always supersedes the information shown below. General information Contracting Organization Town of High River Organization Address 309B MacLeod Trail, SW High River, Alberta T1V 0A9 Canada Posting Type Open & Competitive Opportunity Solicitation Type Request for Proposal Region(s) of Delivery Alberta, High River Trade Agreement(s) NWPTA Description The Town of High River is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to select a modern, user-friendly, and customizable website platform to replace the current system. The new platform will help enhance user experience and support the future expansion of e-services. This platform will be visually pleasing, easy for users to navigate, and offer key features outlined in the Technical Requirements provided in this section below. While the platform will be hosted externally by the vendor, the Town will assume full responsibility for website content management and administration following the deployment of the website. Estimated Contract Start Date Sep 8, 2026 Estimated Contract End Date Dec 31, 2027 Estimated Contract Duration 1 Year(s) — 16 Week(s) — 2 Day(s) *These estimated contract dates and duration are only estimates and subject to change. UNSPSC Commodity Codes The United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC) is an international classification system for products and services. You can use these codes to search for opportunities/notices that match the specific categories of products and/or services you supply. Previously used Goods and Services Identification Number (GSIN) codes are also listed, where available, as a convenience to Suppliers. Code GSIN Code Description Code Level 43000000 N5895 Information Technology Broadcasting and Telecommunications Segment 43232408 N7030 Web platform development software Commodity 81111504 D308 Application programming services Commodity 81111508 D308 Application implementation services Commodity 81112103 T002 World wide web WWW site design services Commodity Note: Access the full open dataset of codes used in APC at Open Government . Additional Requirements & Information See RFP Package for all details. Back to top Contact information If you have questions, please contact the Contact Person below only by email . Contact Person Michelle Geminiano Senior Communications Advisor Method of Contact submissions@highriver.ca Address 309B MacLeod Trail, SW High River, Alberta Canada T1V 1Z5 Questions must be submitted by email no later than
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