Building Connections: How to

Write a Top-Quality RFP When

Building a Social Networking
Platform
Building Connections: How to Write a Top-Quality
RFP When Building a Social Networking Platform
Associations are all about connecting members with the tools they need to do the
ir jobs. Every
day, you connect members with educational opportunities, advocacy tools and prof
essional
services. More and more, there is another facet to connecting that encompasses a
lmost
everything your association does: connecting members with each other. A comprehe
nsive
social networking strategy is required for any association that wants to foster
community
among members and allow them to interact with each other online and share their
knowledge.

If you don t have a robust social networking platform (or any at all), it can be d
ifficult to know
where to begin. Like most projects, of course, it begins with the request for pr
oposal (RFP). But
what should be in that RFP in order to get the highest-quality responses? How do
you narrow
down the list of potential vendor candidates once the proposals are in? What are
the must
haves to look for?

Every organization has its own unique needs. This paper provides an overview of
the major
issues involved in issuing and evaluating the RFP that will eventually lead to y
our social
networking platform.
Phase I: Preparing to Write the RFP
Do Your Research. Obviously, no organization would implement a social networking
platform if
it is not going to be an effective tool for its constituents. Before you engage
with a vendor,
consider surveying your constituents about their interest in social networking.
Here are some
questions to answer before moving ahead:
Is there a demand for social networking among your constituents?
How involved are your constituents in social media outside your organization?
What can the social network do for your constituents? What need have they identi
fied that an
online community can fill? How was that need identified?
Will you invite non-members? If yes, why? If not, why?
What and how many networks do you wish to establish? How do your members want to
communicate with each other by region? Specialty? Chapter?
Define Your Strategy. Before your organization can begin implementing a social n
etworking
platform, you must decide on the strategy for your online community/professional
network. A
few things to consider:
 What do you want the network to do? Is it primarily to create engagement? Increa
se
revenue? Gather intellectual property and share knowledge? Provide a way for sec
uring
donations?

What does a successful online community look like to your organization? How will
you
define success? How will you know the social network is doing what you want it t
o do?

Know why you want to build an online social network. Why is it important for you
r
organization to have its own venue for social networking? Is it something your m
embers
have asked for? Does another online community exist for your industry that may a
ttract
your members?

Do you currently have a social media strategy? How will the social network compl
ement
your current strategy? Consider a rollout plan and who will manage the network.
Do you
have the staff resources to make sure that the community is a success?

Phase II: Writing the RFP

Write a Powerful Executive Summary. The executive summary is your chance to make
a first
impression. Many potential vendors will decide from the opening summary whether
your
project is a fit for their product and service offerings. While it s true they are
the vendor and
you are the potential client, you still want to attract the highest-quality bidd
ers to ensure the
highest-quality product. Keep in mind that this caliber of bidder probably is in
demand already,
so use the executive summary to show why your project is one they want to take o
n.
Explain Why This Project Is Important. Provide background information about your
organization and why it is seeking a professional network. Outline your strategy
for the
network and include features that you will want built into it, such as document-
sharing,
message boards, blogging capabilities, etc. Keep this section very broad; the de
tails will be
explained later in the RFP.
Define Your Target. Include as much demographic detail as you have available. Wh
at is the age
breakdown of your users? Can you provide an overview of their professional profi
le? How do
they access your site (computer, handheld device, etc.)? Are they heavy Internet
users or only
sporadic?
Be Clear on the Administrative Requirements.
Outline the key dates related to the RFP, including dates for product demos, the
timeline for
making a decision and when the social network should be launched.
Identify the key contact person for the RFP process. State how you wish to be co
ntacted (email
or phone). The contact person should be able to answer questions the vendors may
have
regarding the RFP.
Describe the criteria for RFP evaluation. This might include meeting the require
ments as stated
in the RFP, understanding of the work to be performed, technical approach and me
thodology
to accomplish the work, pricing, completeness and competence in addressing the s
cope of
work.
Define the Scope. Make this section clear and detailed. Be sure to include every
thing you want
the platform to do, both now and in the future. What are the core requirements a
nd
objectives?
Make the Requirements Clear. Outline succinctly which key product elements and s
ervices you
believe are essential to the success of your project. At this time, include only
major
requirements such as:
Peer Groups

Activity feeds (i.e., chronological stream of community member activity so every

one
can keep up with what s happening in the community, to the minute)

Individual blogging capabilities

Ability to brand the platform with your own look and feel

Searchable resource library

Full member collaboration around a video, research document or other type of gro
up
activity that is not offered on Facebook

Discussion lists

Photo and video Libraries

Wikis

Survey and polling

Rating content

Member matching

Content tagging
 Friend requests

Searchable, interactive profiles

Ability to connect with those with similar interests

Integrations to public communities like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, et

c.

Domain masking

Incorporation of your brand and graphics

Global enterprise-search functionality

Invitations can be sent outside of the community asking people to visit and regi
ster

Services like hosting should be included along with descriptions of the vendor s s
ervice
level agreements, security, back-up, 24x7 monitoring, and Internet connections.

Be Specific about Infrastructure and Integration. Explain your current associati

on management
system (AMS) and content management system (CMS), and be sure to indicate whethe
r there
will be changes to this infrastructure within the next two years. List other tec
hnologies that
your organization uses. The vendor should clearly state how its product will int
egrate with your
current system and, if applicable, any future systems. Vendors also should state
what
experience they have, if any, integrating with your AMS or CMS.
How Much Help? Determine what support, if any, you will need from the vendor. Th
is requires
an honest discussion within your organization about how prepared the staff is fo
r social media
integration. Are they tech-savvy or do they require a lot of guidance? Are they
active in social
media already, either on their own or through the organization? Are they excited
about the
initiative and eager to support it? Or are they wary of adding more responsibili
ties to their jobs
and concerned they won t catch on?
Once you know the answers to these questions, and you have an honest profile of
your
organization s technical needs, you can assess what support you need from the vend
or. Some
questions for the vendors:
.. What is the support during the implementation? How will the vendor handle ind
ividual
staff training and follow-up questions?

.. What support will the vendor provide after the social media platform is in pl
ace?

.. What format will that support be - telephone number? E-mail? Live chat?
.. Is there a limit to how many calls/e-mails your organization can send request
ing help?

.. What is the protocol for technical problems on the vendor s end? Will you have
an after-
hours number to call or e-mail?

.. What is the turnaround time for technical problems?

.. Is there a tiered system of billing based on how much post-implementation sup

port you
wish to have?

Don t Be Shy. Ask the vendors any questions that may come to mind. If they don t kno
w the
answer, ask them to provide it within 72 hours. Some questions to keep in mind f
or vendors:
How will their solution meet the needs of your organization?

What is the background of the senior management? What is the background and
technical/professional expertise of the primary person who will be assigned to y
our
organization?

What is the total number of staff? How many will be devoted to this project?

Are there opportunities for co-marketing? How could the bidding company work wit
h
your organization to generate business for both of you?

Who are your references?

What do you propose as the project timeline, from information-gathering to

implementation?

What is your experience with our AMS, CRM and/or CMS?

What is your quality assurance and testing methodology?

What is the process for training your staff in the social media platform? Will t
here be
documentation of the training for later reference?
 Will the vendor provide an outline of pricing for design, implementation, integr
ation,
migration, licensing and maintenance?

Will the vendor provide sample agreements?

Phase III: Demonstrations and Selection:
Ask the vendors to follow demonstration scripts so you can make an exact compari
son of the
vendors and their capabilities. Make sure there is a process for evaluation by t
he staff. Identify
the key criteria for selection.
Things to Remember
Research indicates long, overly complicated RFPs almost always receive fewer and
lower-
quality responses. Put together a strong, workable document and be as succinct a
s possible. Try
to eliminate non-essential sections and/or requests that tend to drown out a foc
used, clear and
logical reply.
The vendor should demonstrate knowledge of both your mission and your members. D
oes the
vendor understand how you and they work? Will your community empower your member
s to
connect and communicate?
Be open-minded and flexible. Vendors often develop creative solutions your organ
ization may
not have considered. New approaches to old problems can help reduce the project
timeline and
save resources.
Conclusion
A strong RFP is the key to attracting quality vendors for your organization s soci
al networking
platform. There must be detailed research into what you and your members need, f
ollowed by
a well-written RFP and then a comprehensive review of the proposals. The tips in
this document
are designed to guide you and your organization through all phases of the proces
s so you can
arrive at the best member engagement solution.
About The Authors
orgsrc_no tag_150dpi.bmp

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Founded in 2005, .orgSource is a recognized authority

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planning. Prior to launching .orgSource, Sherry was
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and Web services for a major medical association and
chief operating officer of its subsidiary Internet
company, which solely focused on associations.

.orgSource is an active participant in the association

community as a knowledge expert and frequent
authors and speakers for the Association Forum, the
American Society of Association Executives and Digital
Now.

You can view client testimonials

at http://www.orgsrc.com/testimonials.html and on
LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/sherryb.

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