Request for Information – Custom Database Development – IREX – February 10, 2009

Published by:
Keith Berner
IT Projects Manager
IREX
2121 K Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20037
kberner@irex.org

I. Introduction

IREX, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is seeking information from

companies/organizations (“firms”) qualified to develop a custom database application
(“Datastan II”). The deadline for responding to this RFI is March 2, 2009.

IREX provides leadership and innovative programs to improve the quality of education,
strengthen independent media, and foster pluralistic civil society development around the world
(see www.irex.org). Founded in 1968, IREX has an annual portfolio of $50 million and a staff
of over 400 professionals worldwide. IREX and its partner IREX Europe deliver cross-cutting
programs and consulting expertise in more than 50 countries.

II. Minimum Qualifications for Respondents

• Key project staff must be located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area

• Demonstrated experience in building custom web-based applications of similar size and
complexity for organizations of similar size and complexity
• Sufficient expertise in MS SQL Server 2005, MS Access, and Cold Fusion to be able to
understand the existing architecture and migrate the data from the existing to the future
application
• Staff expertise in:
o Industry-standard technologies for application development
o Project management
o Business-process analysis
o Usability/the end-user experience
o Internal marketing for adoption/change management
o Documentation
o Training

1
III. Process

A. Intent to Participate and Questions

Firms intending to respond to this RFI may notify Keith Berner, IT Projects Manager, by email –
kberner@irex.org.

Questions about this RFI may be submitted to Keith Berner by email only by March 2,
2009. These questions (without identifying information) and answers provided by IREX will be
shared with all firms that have indicated intent to participate.

B. Response Submission

Firms wishing to participate must submit required materials by March 2, 2009 to

kberner@irex.org. Hard copy materials will not be accepted.

Submissions must include the following (see Addendum, page 6, for details):
• Data sheet
• Five references for whom similar work has been performed in the past two years. References
of similar size/complexity to IREX and/or whose purpose is international development are
preferred. For each reference, indicate whether IREX would be able to view and/or test the
product developed.
• Résumés or biographies of the firm’s principals and for members of a sample project team,
along with notation of the role each individual would play in the project
• Listing of hourly rates by position and/or function
• Narrative describing the technologies, methodologies, and processes the firm uses for custom
application development. No narratives over 10 pages or 5 MB will be considered.

B. Review

IREX will evaluate written materials vis-à-vis the minimum requirements (see Section II, above)
and invite qualifying firms for onsite meetings, most likely during the period March 9-20. These
meetings will provide an opportunity to discuss qualifications and methodologies in detail, as
well as assess the potential of establishing a mutually beneficial partnership between the firm and
IREX.

C. RFP/SOW

A small number of firms that meet all qualifications and where the potential of a mutually
beneficial relationship is deemed promising will be designated as finalists. Upon executing a
nondisclosure agreement, finalists will be provided a detailed request for proposals that includes
a list of all relevant requirements underlying the existing database (see Section IV, below), and
additional specific requirements for the new application. Finalists will also be provided with full
access to the existing database.

2
Finalists will be given a reasonable period of time to submit draft statements of work that address
the RFP, including project timelines and budgets.

Further information about deadlines and criteria for evaluation will be provided to finalists at an
appropriate time.

D. Costs Incurred

IREX will not reimburse or compensate respondents for any time, fees, or costs incurred while
developing their responses. Additionally, if a respondent is asked to provide further information
onsite, IREX will not provide any reimbursement or compensation related to the meeting,
including but not limited to staff time, travel, and out-of-pocket costs.

IV. Background

A. Datastan Status

IREX currently has a custom-built database (“Datastan”) for contact and program management.

The relational data storage engine is built on MS SQL Server 2005, and the user interface and
application logic tiers are built on MS Access. The application uses MS Access’s built-in form
design / rendering capability to generate user interfaces for data entry and update operations, and
additional application logic is programmed using Visual Basic for Applications hosted within the
MS Access runtime environment. The user interface tier (MS Access) is distributed to users’
desktops, making remote calls over the Internet to a hosted SQL Server instance.

There is an additional Cold Fusion component, used by applicants for participation in IREX’s
programs to answer application questions through a web interface.

The database is approximately 1GB in size and includes 70 data tables.

Datastan was first deployed in October 2007, but never achieved widespread adoption in the
organization, largely because it is highly unintuitive and difficult to use. At this time, only staff
whose program-management responsibilities allow no other option are using the tool. Tweaking
and development of the application ceased in October 2008.

IREX recently commissioned a thorough review of Datastan by an application development firm.

The conclusions of the study were:

• Datastan’s Access front-end allows for only marginal improvements in usability

• Datastan’s architecture does not sufficiently separate application logic and security
operations from the user interface, rendering it inherently insecure
• Datastan’s architecture does not allow for scaling and extensibility
• The requirements developed for the current version of Datastan remain largely valid and
applicable to the next phase of development.

3
B. General Purposes of Datastan

IREX has relationships with tens of thousands of individuals (including: program

applicants/participants/alumni, consultants and potential consultants, worldwide staff, potential
staff, contacts at partner organizations, etc.) and hundreds of organizations (including: hosts for
program participants, partners in program development, sources of expertise, etc.). These
individuals and organizations interact in the context of programs. Programs begin as concepts,
some of which compete for funding. If funding is received, the programs are implemented,
which includes assigning staff and associating individuals as applicants and/or participants. In
addition, programs may serve as a source of funds for other individuals and organizations
(subawards).

Datastan’s fundamental purposes are to track:

• contact, demographic, and participation records for all individuals and organizations with
which IREX has relationships
• the application and evaluation processes for individuals who wish to participate in IREX’s
programs
• the program-development process from concept development, to grant submission, to receipt
of awards
• subawards given by IREX programs to individuals and other organizations.

C. Knowledge Management

IREX sees the potential for Datastan II to be one component in a larger system of knowledge
management tools to be developed and/or implemented into the indefinite future. Future
components (whether custom built or COTS), might include such functionality as recruiting
management, document management, project management, opportunity management, content
management, social networking, etc. Datastan II will not incorporate these functions, but must
be developed in a manner that does not preclude interoperability with other components in the
future.

At this time, IREX is not considering particular vendors or solutions for a broad knowledge
management initiative. Rather, it is essential that Datastan II succeed in fulfilling its purpose in
order to establish a context for future development initiatives.

V. General Requirements for Datastan II

The next implementation of Datastan must:

• Fulfill the fundamental purposes above

• Include all relevant data from the current application
• Be highly usable, including being responsive enough that it simplifies and speeds end users’
work
• Be web based

4
• Be extensible, allowing not only for custom development of additional capabilities, but also
for “snap on” of COTS products
• Employ industry-standard technologies and documentation, such that other vendors could
assume responsibility for managing or further developing the application
• Be secure
• Allow for simultaneous use by large numbers of widely dispersed users

In addition to fulfilling these requirements, the firm chosen for application development must be
able to provide:

• Complete administrative and end-user documentation for the application

• Initial administrative and end-user training (ongoing training will be provided by IREX)
• Ongoing support/maintenance for the application for a defined period of time

5
Request for Information – Custom Database Development – IREX – February 10, 2009

Addendum: Submission Details: All Materials Must Be Submitted by March 2, 2009

1. Datasheet – Provide the following information on no more than two pages.

• Name of Firm
• Website
• Full Address of Headquarters
• Full Address of Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Office (if different than above)
• Name, Title, Telephone Number, and Email Address for Each Principal
• Name, Title, Telephone Number, and Email Address of Individual Who Prepared this
Submission
• Name of Individual Serving as Follow-Up Contact (Title, Telephone Number, Email
Address, if different than above)
• Year of Founding
• Year Begun Offering Application Development Services (if different from above)
• Mission Statement (if available)
• Total Number of Staff
• Number of Application Development Staff
• Will All Members of the Project Team Be Employees of the Firm?
• Preferred Technologies for Application Development

2. References – Provide contact information of five references for whom similar work has been
performed in the past two years. References of similar size/complexity to IREX and/or whose
purpose is international development are preferred. For each reference, indicate whether IREX
would be able to view and/or test the product developed.

3. Résumés or biographies of the firm’s principals and for members of a sample project team,
along with notation of the role each individual would play in the project.

4. Listing of hourly rates by position and/or function

5. Narrative (no more than 10 pages or 5 MB) – The narrative is intended more to provide
a feel of the firm’s approach to problem-solving than a plan for solving a particular
problem. It should address the minimum requirements (see Section II, above), as well as
describe the technologies, methodologies, and processes the firm uses for custom application
development, citing examples from past projects. A discussion of the general steps to be
followed once an engagement is undertaken should also be included. Discussion of the firm’s
competitive advantage is also encouraged.