Do More Tourism Website

Dorchester County is seeking proposals from qualified firms to design, develop, and implement a standalone, interactive tourism website titled "Do More" to promote local tourism separate from the County’s main government site. Published in December 2025 under solicitation number 2026-22, this project carries a budget cap of $30,000 and requires completion within 300 calendar days from the Notice to Proceed. The website must feature several key elements including an interactive map, itinerary builder, events calendar, categorized activities, search engine optimization, and full ADA compliance aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA standards. The County requires ownership and control over the website, including content management capabilities through a user-friendly CMS and a mobile-responsive design. Post-launch, the winning firm will provide hosting, maintenance, and support services, with training for County personnel to manage the platform. The evaluation of proposals will be based on a best-value trade-off process with six weighted factors of equal or varying importance: qualifications and relevant experience (20%), technical approach and methodology (20%), design quality and user experience (20%), project schedule and work plan (10%), support, maintenance and hosting (10%), and cost (20%). Proposals must demonstrate prior experience with comparable tourism or government websites, particularly those with interactive features, and address details such as security, data ownership, ADA compliance, and SEO strategy. The contract is structured with a one-year base period and up to four optional one-year renewals, although the project completion timeline applies within the initial phase. Subcontracting requires prior written approval by the County. The solicitation mandates certifications including compliance with South Carolina’s Illegal Immigration Act, Equal Employment Opportunity policies, and submission of a non-collusion affidavit. The contract incorporates extensive terms covering intellectual property rights (assigning ownership to the County), insurance requirements, licensing and permits, drug-free workplace compliance, and conflict of interest provisions. While no formal FAR clauses or federal acquisition clauses are included, the agreement reflects standard professional service contract structures. Inspection and acceptance rights are reserved by the County, ensuring work is performed per contract standards, with the Consultant responsible for remedying any deficiencies at no charge. Proposals are due electronically via the OpenGov procurement portal by January 8, 2026, with inquiries accepted until December 22, 2025. The County’s Purchasing Services Manager serves as the contracting officer liaison for administration and oversight throughout the contract life.