Application
Describe your approach to the digital transformation roadmap.
Thank you for participating in the Washington Resident Portal Challenge. We recommend reviewing all application requirements, Rules, and the Scoring Rubric used to assess all valid submissions before you begin.
The State of Washington and Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech), as the lead agency, are committed to a connected Government vision to transform how the public engages with their Government. This vision includes a resident portal which will provide frictionless, equitable access to state services.
Innovative teams are invited to develop a roadmap that provides platform, functionality, data, architecture, cost, and agency digital service integration recommendations. The roadmap will enable the state, in a follow-up phase, to procure a platform and develop the portal foundation and the initial set of service integrations. See Guidelines & Resources for more details.
Responses to this submission form must be in English. This provides consistency across all submissions during our review process and reduces the risk of misinterpretation or translation error.
This application form saves automatically and the status of your application is available to view on your dashboard (you will not receive any automated emails).
Your entire submission will be shared with Evaluation Panel members and the Washington Resident Portal Challenge Team during the evaluation process. Portions of your submission may be published online and may be shared with the general public to promote your solution or to highlight results (see Rules for more information). Those portions may include, but are not limited to, Quick Pitch and Video Pitch.
Prior to submission:
Submit your application no later than 5:00 PM Pacific Time on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. Participants who do not submit their completed application by the deadline will not be considered for this challenge. Contact us by email with questions or technical issues.
All fields are required.
Offer a brief and compelling overview of your solution.
Solution Title (up to 10 words)
Provide a title for your solution that easily identifies and distinguishes it from others.
Solution Summary (up to 75 words)
Provide a concise overview of the most compelling aspects of your solution. This should be a stand-alone summary of the problem and proposed solution.
Submit a video that showcases your solution in a succinct format. This is an opportunity to share your vision and approach in a way that is different from the written proposal format. You may include screen shots, walk-throughs, or other visuals of your solution if you wish. This DOES NOT need to be a professionally produced video – a video shot on a smartphone is acceptable.
To complete this requirement, upload a short digital film using YouTube. Video submissions should follow these guidelines or else it will render the application ineligible:
Here are general suggestions for delivering a high-quality video pitch:
The following information is required to capture a basic understanding of the leadership, structure, vision, and capabilities of the people working on this solution.
Should you receive funding, you must designate a Lead Participant responsible for entering into a separate agreement, taking accountability for those award funds, and providing project direction, control, and supervision. Your Lead Participant was identified during registration. If your Lead Participant has changed, please select Edit Registration Form from the Submissions menu to update the Lead Participant information.
Washington UBI Number
Enter the Lead Participant or Organization’s Washington UBI number or enter “In Progress” below if you do not yet have a Washington UBI number but plan to if you are selected as the apparently successful vendor (ASV). The ASV must be licensed to conduct business in the State of Washington, including registering with the Washington State Department of Revenue (DOR).
Lead Participant Federal Tax ID
Provide the Federal tax identification number (EIN) for the Lead Participant or Organization.
Use of Subcontractors
We will accept Responses that include third party involvement only if the Vendor submitting the Response agrees to take complete responsibility for all actions and work products and deliverables of such Subcontractors. Vendors must state whether Subcontractors are/are not being used. WaTech reserves the right to approve or reject any and all Subcontractors that Vendor proposes.
Specific restrictions apply to contracting with current or former state employees pursuant to chapter 42.52 RCW. Vendors should familiarize themselves with the requirements prior to submitting a Response. Be sure to review the Rules for additional requirements.
Will subcontractors be used as part of this roadmap development project?
Subcontractors
Please list the legal names and email addresses for all subcontractors that will be engaged with this roadmap development effort. If you will not use subcontractors as part of this roadmap development project, please enter “Not applicable.”
Team Structure (up to 200 words)
Describe the roles, responsibilities, and contributions of each key team member or partner. Specify if the team member is full-time or serving as a consultant or external partner.
Capabilities & Track Record (up to 250 words)
Describe your team’s skills, capacity, relationships, and experience to successfully deliver a roadmap for a statewide resident portal. Be sure to include core competencies and how they apply to your ideas for the challenge, any relevant past efforts or experience, and any other additional details that support your ability to complete the project. You may include a description of any support or endorsements from key decision-makers, local leaders, residents, media, and others.
Illustrate your approach and the impact your solution will deliver. Demonstrate how you will achieve meaningful results and emphasize how your project aligns with the criteria used to assess each valid application (see Scoring Rubric) and within the allotted three-month timeline.
Problem Statement (up to 200 words)
Set the stage for your solution and explain why you have committed to help solve the challenges described on the Washington Resident Portal Challenge website. Describe specific needs and/or inefficiencies your approach will address. Demonstrate your understanding of any current relevant systems and Washington state-specific local conditions which may affect your plans.
Roadmap Development Approach (up to 250 words)
Describe your approach to developing a roadmap and the ways in which you will address the purpose of this challenge. Explain how the roadmap will encourage new and creative solutions that will enhance resident engagement and generate bold and achievable outcomes. Introduce the measurable impact, outcomes, and benefits of your proposed solution.
Human-centered Design (up to 200 words)
The vendor will work with the WaTech Web and User Experience team to develop the roadmap and utilize information from other work streams including a statewide resident survey, peer reviews, user personas, and functional and non-functional requirements. Describe your experience and success utilizing human-centered design principles and approaches, particularly as it related to inclusivity. Explain how you will ensure that the design and implementation of your approach authentically embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion across all aspects. What is the approach and process you will use to engage with the WaTech team and incorporate information that will inform the draft roadmap that will be delivered by mid-August 2024 and the final roadmap by September 30, 2024?
Requirements Gathering (up to 150 words)
Explain your process for gathering requirements for the roadmap.
Roadmap Development Experience (up to 250 words)
Highlight your experience and technical knowledge of developing a digital transformation roadmap of this magnitude. Explain your familiarity with other portal platforms and solutions, and how your knowledge and experience will result in a quality resident portal roadmap for the State of Washington.
Project Visual
Upload a single PDF that includes a visual representation of your approach and proposed solution. This may include, but is not limited to, examples of related past work, user interface, illustrations, schematics, images, graphs, diagrams, maps, flow charts, organizational charts, table of contents or other visuals to help reviewers to better understand your team and proposed approach. The PDF should not exceed 10MB and up to three pages. The PDF should not contain additional text explanations or be used to circumvent word counts in this application. Some brief labels and/or basic text descriptions are permitted. Any pages beyond the three-page limit, as well as unrelated content to this specific question, will render the application ineligible.
Illustrate your plan and the resources required to successfully implement your solution.
Roadmap Development Plan & Timeline (up to 250 words)
The ASV can expect to have up to six weeks to develop phase one of the roadmap and approximately six more weeks to provide a final roadmap. Share your implementation plan for up to a three-month project period based on our guidelines. Include benefits, key dates, and milestones to help track and measure success.
Risk Management (up to 150 words)
Identify any specific operational or tactical hurdles, principal risks, or challenges to the short- and long-term success of the project and your plans to address them. Explain your understanding of the necessary operations or tactics critical to overcoming implementation challenges, as well as any potential unintended consequences, and your plans to mitigate them. Discuss your experience and capacity to manage technical and/or operational barriers.
Budget Narrative (up to 200 words)
Offer an overview of costs and how you will use award funds, including projected needs by timeline and category. If the Detailed Budget provided below is less than $550,000, describe the rationale for a smaller budget and any anticipated cost efficiencies.
Detailed Budget
Provide a clear budget identifying the cost categories described in the Roadmap Development Plan and Budget Narrative above for up to a three-month project period and a total of up to $550,000.
You may include any relevant cost categories, including indirect/general costs that support the development of your roadmap. You must clearly specify the incurred costs as part of each line item. Review the Rules for more information on use of subcontractors, prohibited use of award funds, and award contract and reporting.
Total Projected Implementation Costs
Provide the estimated total costs (in US dollars) to successfully implement your proposed roadmap by September 30, 2024.
Other Resources (up to 75 words)
List other key sources of funding with amount secured to date for the proposed solution, including in-kind support. Describe how the solution may be impacted if full funding is not secured. If there are no current commitments for the solution or additional funding is not required, enter “Not Applicable.”
Other Considerations (up to 150 words)
This is your final opportunity to raise any other considerations, emphasize or expand upon a previous point, or provide new information. NOTE: Evaluation Panel judges are instructed to avoid online research and/or review links that may be provided as part of this submission – we recommend you include any key considerations and important information within your responses to this application form.
Certifications and Assurances
To be responsive, Vendors must indicate a willingness to enter into a Contract by agreeing to the Certifications and Assurances.
Proposed Contract Exceptions
Any specific areas of dispute with the Terms and Conditions must be identified in the Response and may, at the sole discretion of WaTech, be grounds for disqualification from further consideration in the award of a Contract.
Vendor must explain why each item proposed as additional contract terms is in WaTech’s best interest as a customer and how it will support WaTech’s business objectives. Under no circumstances is a Vendor to submit their own standard contract terms and conditions as a response to this solicitation.
Instead, Vendor must review and identify the language in the proposed Contract that Vendor finds problematic, state the issue, and propose the language or contract modification Vendor is requesting. WaTech expects the final Contract signed by the ASV to be substantially the same as the contract located under the Rules.
Describe your proposed Contract exceptions below. If this is not applicable, enter “Not Applicable.”
If your team is invited to participate in any future phases of this competition, you may be required to provide additional information (refer to the Rules and Timeline), including but not limited to:
The State of Washington reserves the right to perform background checks on key individuals associated with the proposal, and the refusal by key individuals to provide necessary authorizations will be a reason to reject any application for further consideration. Background information and the results of any background checks will be kept confidential.
