EDIT (August 27, 2026): This Request for Proposals (RFP) has been withdrawn by the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA). The procurement process has been cancelled, and no proposal submissions will be accepted or evaluated.

All proponents who expressed interest have been notified. We sincerely appreciate the time and effort invested by organizations that reviewed or began preparing submissions, and thank everyone for their understanding.

The Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA) is seeking proposals from qualified web development firms to design and build a new Trade & Investment Vancouver Island website. The platform will serve as the region’s primary gateway for investment, trade, and economic development opportunities.

Proposal Deadline: September 15, 2026, at 5:00 PM PST

Please review the attached RFP – Trade & Investment Vancouver Island Website Development (1.1) for project details, requirements, submission instructions, and evaluation criteria.

Questions & Clarifications

To ensure a fair and transparent procurement process, questions received from prospective proponents that result in clarification of the RFP will be added to the FAQs below. Proponents are encouraged to review this section before submitting questions, as it will be updated throughout the procurement period.

Procurement FAQs

Will VIEA schedule discovery calls with prospective proponents?
No. To ensure a fair and transparent procurement process, VIEA will not schedule individual discovery calls with prospective proponents. Questions should be submitted in writing. Responses that clarify the RFP will be shared with all proponents as appropriate.

Can firms located outside Vancouver Island submit a proposal?
Yes. Firms from outside Vancouver Island are welcome to submit a proposal.

How will local presence be considered during evaluation?
As an organization with a mandate to support Vancouver Island’s economy, VIEA is seeking to work with Vancouver Island-based agencies wherever possible. This consideration forms part of the evaluation criteria alongside factors such as experience, technical approach, project fit, and overall value. We encourage proponents to carefully review the evaluation criteria in the RFP before investing significant time in preparing a submission.

If an agency outside Vancouver Island partners with a Vancouver Island-based subcontractor, will that satisfy the local presence criterion?
No. The local presence criterion is intended to recognize agencies that are based on Vancouver Island. An agency located outside the Island does not meet this criterion solely by partnering with or subcontracting work to a Vancouver Island-based individual or firm.

How much content will need to be migrated?
VIEA has not prescribed an exact number of pages, reports, or datasets to be migrated. Proponents should identify their assumptions regarding the scope of content migration and describe how they would validate and refine that scope during the discovery phase.

Should proposals include hosting?
VIEA is open to vendor recommendations. Proponents should outline their recommended hosting approach, whether that involves vendor-managed hosting or hosting procured directly by VIEA.

Is ongoing support beyond the initial post-launch period required?
The RFP requires 90 days of post-launch support. Proponents are welcome to include optional ongoing maintenance, monitoring, or optimization services as separate items.

What warranty period and response times does VIEA expect?
VIEA has not specified minimum warranty periods or service level requirements. Proponents should include their standard warranty terms and response times for critical issues.

Should future capabilities such as GIS, CRM integrations, or multilingual content be included in the proposed architecture?
Yes. While these capabilities are not required as part of the initial implementation, proponents are encouraged to demonstrate how their proposed architecture can accommodate future enhancements in these and other areas.

Will answers to questions be shared with all proponents?
Yes. Where a question results in clarification of the RFP, VIEA will publish the question and response so that all proponents have access to the same information.