Request for Proposals: Economic Partnership Website Redesign & Development

    Press Release

    February 2, 2026

    The Economic Partnership website committee is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to redesign and redevelop the website currently located at www.economicpartnership.ca. The goal is to create a modern, user-friendly, and visually appealing website that reflects the professionalism of the Economic Partnership Summit and related regional economic development initiatives, while supporting business connections, events, and community engagement.

    The new website should enhance the user experience for attendees, sponsors, partners, and regional stakeholders, improve backend usability for staff and volunteers, and integrate seamlessly with event management, email marketing, and analytics tools, among other functional requirements.

    Project Overview

    We are seeking a website that:

    • Provides a visually impactful, speedy, mobile-friendly design that highlights the Economic Partnership Summit and related initiatives.
    • Offers an easy to use Content Management System (CMS) so staff and committee members can quickly update pages, add events, and manage resources.
    • Includes online registration functionality for events, with options for delegate tickets, exhibitor/business connections, and sponsorship purchases.
    • Highlights Indigenous industry partnerships, regional collaboration, and business connection opportunities in a clear and engaging way.
    • Supports search engine optimization, analytics, and accessibility best practices.
    About the Economic Partnership Website

    The Economic Partnership Summit is an annual event in the Lloydminster region that brings together businesses, leaders, and Indigenous communities, primarily in Treaty 6 territory, to build partnerships, provide education, and grow businesses. The Economic Partnership website serves as the central hub for information about the summit, related events, sponsorship opportunities, and business connection activities.

    The site is used to:
    • Promote the annual Economic Partnership Summit and related programming.
    • Facilitate delegate registration, exhibitor/business connection bookings, and sponsorship sales.
    • Share event schedules, speakers, success stories, and resources on Indigenous–industry partnerships and regional economic development.
    • Provide ongoing information to businesses, Indigenous partners, and community organizations in the region.
    Project Goals

    The primary goals of this project are to:
    1. Create a visually appealing, mobile responsive website that reflects the Economic Partnership brand and the professionalism of the summit.
    2. Provide an easy to navigate platform for users to find event information, register, and explore partnership opportunities quickly and efficiently.
    3. Increase delegate registrations, exhibitor participation, and sponsorship engagement through clear calls to action and streamlined online processes.
    4. Enhance backend usability so staff and committee members can update and maintain the site independently, including content, events, and resources.
    5. Integrate seamlessly with event registration and payment tools (ChamberMaster), email marketing, social media, and analytics.
    Target Audience

    The website’s primary users will be:
    • Event Delegates: Business leaders, Indigenous community representatives, government, and industry partners attending the Economic Partnership Summit and related events.
    • Sponsors & Exhibitors: Organizations seeking visibility, relationship-building, and business opportunities through summit sponsorships and business connections.
    • Indigenous and Community Partners: Indigenous communities and regional organizations engaged in economic development and partnership building.
    • Media & General Public: Individuals looking for information on the summit, speakers, and regional economic partnership efforts.
     
    Scope of Work

    The selected vendor will be responsible for:
    • Strategy and Planning: Discovery sessions, content inventory review, information architecture, and sitemap development tailored to Economic Partnership – mâmawi wîcihitowin | Building Inclusive Partnerships for a Better Tomorrow
    • UX/UI Design: Creation of responsive, accessible layouts that highlight summit dates, registration, business connections, sponsors, and news/resources.
    • Development: Building the site on a CMS (e.g., WordPress or similar), configuring templates, custom post types as needed, and integrating third-party tools.
    • Content Migration: Migrating and organizing existing content from the current website, refining structure and presentation where needed.
    • Integrations: Connecting with event registration/payment tools (Chamber Master), email marketing (e.g., Constant Contact or similar), social media, and analytics.
    • Testing & Launch: Cross browser and device testing, performance optimization, accessibility checks, and support during launch.
    • Training & Documentation: Providing training and basic documentation for staff and committee members to manage content and events.
    Essential Features

    The new Economic Partnership website must include the following features:
    1. User-Friendly Navigation
    2. Clear menu structure (e.g., Home, About, Summit, Business Connections, Sponsors, Resources, News, Contact).
    3. Prominent calls to action such as “Register Now,” “Book Business Connections,” and “Become a Sponsor.”
    4. Site-wide search for quick content access.
    5. Mobile Optimization
    6. Fully responsive design that works seamlessly on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
    7. Event & Registration Management
    8. Summit event pages with agendas, speaker information, and session details.
    9. Online registration forms for delegates, exhibitors/business connections, and sponsors.
    10. Integration with secure online payment systems for registration fees and sponsorships.
    11. Business Connections & Partner Engagement
    12. Dedicated area for “Business Connections” explaining the program and how to participate.
    13. Space to highlight participating businesses and partners.
    14. Sponsorship & Supporter Visibility
    15. Sponsorship information pages outlining opportunities and benefits.
    16. Sponsor logo displays (e.g., rotating banners, tiered sponsor sections).
    17. Accessibility and Compliance
    18. Compliance with current web accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1) to ensure inclusivity.
    19. High-contrast options, keyboard navigability, alt text for images, and screen reader compatibility.
    20. SEO and Analytics
    21. Basic on-page SEO tools (meta titles, descriptions, alt tags, friendly URLs).
    22. Integration with Google Analytics or equivalent to track traffic, registrations, and user behavior.
    23. Visual Appeal and Branding
    24. Modern, professional design that reflects the Economic Partnership brand and the summit’s focus on Indigenous industry collaboration.
    25. Use of high-quality imagery and graphics that represent the region, Indigenous partners, and business community.
    26. Hosting and Security
    27. Recommendation for secure and reliable hosting, with regular backups and software updates.
    28. Security best practices implemented to protect against common vulnerabilities.
    29. Staff-Friendly Backend
    30. Easy-to-use CMS allowing non-technical users to create and update pages, events, news posts, and resources.
    31. Role based access if needed (e.g., admin vs. editor).
    Example Direction (Inspiration Only)
    Vendors may refer to the current Economic Partnership site and similar economic development or summit-style sites for inspiration in terms of clarity of information, event promotion, and stakeholder focused structure. The final design should be unique to the Economic Partnership brand and values.

    Budget

    The budget for this project is approximately $6,000, which should include:
    • Design and UX work.
    • Development and configuration of the CMS.
    • Integration with registration, payment, email marketing, and analytics tools.
    • Content migration and basic on-page SEO setup.
    • Testing, launch support, and training.
    Website hosting charges may be contracted separately.

    Proposal Submission Requirements

    Interested vendors must include the following in their proposal:
    1. Company Information
    2. Name, address, and primary contact details.
    3. Brief company history and relevant experience with event, summit, or economic development websites.
    4. Portfolio
    5. Links to similar projects or examples of recent work, especially those involving event registration, sponsorships, or community/economic development organizations.
    6. Proposed Solution
    7. Detailed approach to meeting the project goals and scope, including proposed information architecture and design approach.
    8. Proposed CMS, plugins, and technologies, with rationale.
    9. Timeline
    10. Development timeline with major tasks and milestones (e.g., discovery, design, development, content migration, testing, launch).
    11. Budget
    12. Itemized breakdown of costs (design, development, integrations, training, ongoing support options).
    13. References
    14. Contact information for at least three references from past clients for similar projects.
    Evaluation Criteria
    Proposals will be evaluated based on:
    • Demonstrated experience and portfolio quality, especially for event and economic development sites.
    • Understanding of project goals and how well the proposed solution aligns with the Economic Partnership’s objectives.
    • Technical expertise and ability to meet functional and accessibility requirements.
    • Clarity of timeline and capacity to deliver within agreed deadlines.
    • Cost-effectiveness and overall value for investment.
    The committee may request follow-up meetings or presentations from shortlisted vendors.

    Timeline
    Indicative project timeline (to be confirmed by the Economic Partnership website committee):
    • RFP Release Date: February 12, 2026
    • Proposal Submission Deadline: February 26, 2026
    • Vendor Selection: March 4th, 2026
    • Anticipated Project Start: March 9th, 2026
    • Target Website Launch: June 15th, 2026
    Vendors should indicate their anticipated completion date for the project based on the above context and their recommended process.

    Proposal Submission
    Please submit your proposal, including:
    • Links to previous similar projects or your portfolio.
    • Development timeline with major tasks and milestones.
    • Detailed breakdown of budget and any ongoing support/maintenance options.
    Proposals should be submitted electronically in PDF format to:
    Teri-Lynn Mackie 
    Executive Director
    info@lloydminsterchamber.com
    780-875-9013 
     

    Request for Proposals: Economic Partnership Website Redesign & Development