WASBE Web Site

Request for Proposal and Quotation

About WASBE

The World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) is a not-for-profit association with over 800 members worldwide. Its primary goal is to promote symphonic bands and ensembles as serious and distinctive mediums of musical expression and culture. Communication and general sharing of resources amongst members worldwide is very important. This is facilitated through a biennial conference, a quarterly magazine, an academic journal, a web site, and periodic e-mailings to members.

The Current Setup

The WASBE web site (www.wasbe.org) was most recently redesigned in 2001. Since that time, the basic layout has remained the same — a two-frame layout, with navigation in the top frame and the main content (in one, two or three columns) occupying the bottom frame. Under the hood, the pages that load into the frames have been modified over time to comply with XHTML 1.0 standards and table-less layout (except for some archival content). Thus, the existing content, while not “pretty” to view, is technically very clean.

The site offers content to all visitors as well as specific content exclusively to members of WASBE (“Members Only”). All Members Only content is located within a single top-level directory (www.wasbe.org/members_only) and its subdirectories. This directory is protected by http authentication. From the user’s perspective, there is no Members Only area where all protected content lives; the site is organized by type of content, where some items require authentication. A text file of usernames (membership numbers) and passwords is uploaded as needed by the Treasurer using a web interface (single members can also be added to the existing list for convenience).

Encrypted connections for input forms and credit card information are conducted via an https connection under a certificate issued to University Theatre Services and running on another domain name. The Treasurer processes all credit card transactions manually.

Server-side Includes (SSI) are used in many places on the site, primarily to avoid redundant entry of contact information for key officers (Executive Director, Treasurer) and to make it easy and efficient for date-sensitive information (e.g., list of International Events) to be updated daily. With regards to the latter, a FileMaker Pro database (accessed remotely using Instant Web Publishing) stores and uploads (via scheduled script) the information that is to be updated daily.

Both PHP and Perl scripts are used to process forms and enhance functionality. The most intricate work has been done on the online membership Join/Renewal pages (https://secure.ffa.ucalgary.ca/wasbe/membership1.php?lang=en), where PHP manages the language displayed and whether or not certain fields are available based on the type of membership chosen.

WASBE also owns the wasbe.com domain, but it is not advertised and simply points to the same pages that wasbe.org uses. The wasbe.com domain is registered until October 4, 2010 and wasbe.org is registered until January 1, 2010.

Currently, WASBE does not run an e-mail server for wasbe.org or wasbe.com.

The site has been supported by two staff members in the University of Calgary Faculty of Fine Arts: one dealing with server-related issues and another (the “Web Publisher”) responsible for posting content provided by WASBE and liaising with WASBE on a regular basis. (WASBE does not self-publish any content other than what is automatically published using FileMaker Pro.) Both staff members have contributed server-side scripting to enhance the site’s functionality.

For this package of services, WASBE pays a monthly fee in US Dollars, billed semi-annually. Any extraordinary requests (e.g., initial set up of a member survey in PHP) are billed separately.

Currently, all content to be posted to the web site passes through the hands of the WASBE Executive Director. He ensures that it is edited in Microsoft Word exclusively using style sheets so that it can be more easily republished in both web and print form if needed. He then sends the materials to be posted to the Web Publisher. The web publisher then converts the content to HTML and posts it.

Moving Forward

WASBE would like to make a significant leap forward in the design and functionality of the site. While all the services currently being provided will need to be maintained in some shape or form, there are three major changes desired:

Allow the Executive Director (and others selected by WASBE) to post content directly to the web site without the requirement to know HTML. (The ability to post content with HTML markup by knowledgeable users would still be desirable.)
Update/overhaul the look and feel of the web site, keeping bandwidth requirements relatively low (in order to support mobile devices, as well as to support parts of the world where low bandwidth connections are still commonly used).
Allow content to be viewed in multiple languages when available (including user interface). Such a multiple language system should facilitate the involvement of translators (again, without the requirement to know HTML).

We have determined that the best way to achieve these goals is to implement some sort of Web Content Management System (WCM or CMS). An open source solution that supports multiple languages well would be best (e.g., Drupal, Plone), but a custom solution would also be considered.

We also would like to expand our member-contributed offerings. At first, we would like to set up a wiki and blog system for what is currently known as the WASBE Schools Network (www.wasbe.org/wsn) — a new name will be selected before this web project goes ahead. Commenting by site visitors (with moderator controls) would be important, but establishing login IDs would not necessarily be required. (If a login system were used, using the same credentials as for Members Only content would be the simplest approach.) This could be an integrated part of the WCM/CMS or it could behave as a sub-site. Should this initiative be successful, we may wish to implement similar wiki/blog areas for other specific interest groups within WASBE. Integration of social networking features into this (or any other) aspect of the site would be desirable.

We have been notified that our current web host may not be available to us past March 2010. Thus, proposals for web hosting — whether provided as a part of a new solution or as a separate service — are also under active consideration. Donating hosting for benefits in kind (e.g., advertising, recognition) may be acceptable. The current Web Publisher (Webmaster, for most intents and purposes) should be available to manage the transition from the old host and system to the new one. Once the transition is complete, the WASBE Board may choose a technical representative to liaise with the provider of ongoing support. It would be ideal if the WASBE technical representative could have limited administrative powers over the system, but if that were not the case, a person well versed in the symphonic band world on the vendor’s side would be a substantial asset. It would also be quite beneficial to have someone on the vendor’s side that can explain technical matters in simple-to-understand terms to non-technical people.

We are interested in having wasbe.org e-mail addresses for at least the Officers (5 people) but preferably all Board members and appointees (about 20 people). E-mail redirection service is sufficient, but if a proper e-mail server is to be established, the accounts should permit forwarding and would preferably use the IMAP standard.

We periodically send e-mail messages to members (about 8 per year). Currently, our membership database (developed in FileMaker Pro) creates plain text e-mail messages in the Treasurer’s local e-mail client to accomplish this. We are content to stay with this system, but if an alternative system was available that allowed easy administration by more than one person (especially in conjunction with a wasbe.org e-mail address), it would be considered. (The Treasurer’s periodic upload could be revised to include e-mail addresses as well as usernames and passwords.) HTML-formatted messages would be desirable, but only if a decent plain text alternative was included with each message.

Invitation to Submit Proposal / Quotation

WASBE wishes to retain all current functionality (although a new method to achieve the same functionality is acceptable) and add the items mentioned above. We invite potential suppliers to submit a proposal and price quotation for one or all of the following aspects of the WASBE web site redevelopment and hosting:

Redesign of the web site.
Implementation of a web content management system (or your alternative system), including delivery of all current services (either in the same manner or in a new manner with similar functionality).
Migration of the existing web site content to the web content management system.
Establishment of a wiki & blog system (integrated into or apart from the web content management system) for the interest group currently known as the WASBE Schools Network.
Personal training for at least one person (probably the Executive Director) on operating the new web content management system.
Ongoing hosting of the WASBE web site (please specify whether domain name registration is included).
Ongoing maintenance of the system and liaising with WASBE on support matters (including addressing future needs).
Support for a limited number of wasbe.org e-mail addresses, either via hosting or redirection.
Support for bulk e-mailing to members by selected WASBE officers.

Please provide separate pricing on each of the items listed. WASBE’s accounts are in U.S. Dollars (USD), so it would be beneficial if charges were in USD, but you may opt to quote in a different currency. If there is a discount for accepting most or all of the proposed items, or if some costs will be waived if a term support contract is signed, please specify this. Proposals for advertising in lieu of some charges can be proposed for consideration (especially as an option). Also note that the most likely elements to be omitted would be bulk e-mailing (we already have a solution), content migration (it might be done by volunteers or the current web publisher) and the wasbe.org e-mail addresses (it is desired but not essential).

As stated, you may submit a proposal for a subsection of the project, but a full proposal that involves a consortium of providers (e.g., web designer, CMS expert, hosting company) would be more convenient for WASBE and therefore more likely to succeed. A proposal that omits bulk e-mailing would still be considered complete.

Your proposal should list any assets that you or your consortium would bring to such a project and our organization. Knowledge of music, particularly wind bands and ensembles, is a significant asset. Please supply URLs to examples of your work that we can access online. Client references are recommended. If your proposal is short-listed, we may ask for a more formal demonstration.

Your proposal should also include an approximate timeline for implementation. The completed system must be in place no later than March 15, 2010.

All proposals and quotations should be sent to the WASBE Executive Director, Markus Mauderer at wasbe [a][ gmx.org. [Other info redacted.] General questions about WASBE and non-technical elements of the quotation should be also directed there.

If you have any technical questions, or which to view existing systems, please contact the current Web Publisher Anthony Reimer at wasbe [at] jazzace.ca [other info redacted].

We wish to receive proposals as soon as possible. Initial proposals will not be accepted after November 01, 2009.