Moab city approves contract for website redesign
by Laura Haley
contributing writer
Jan 24, 2013 | 1264 views | 0 0 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend | print
The website for the city of Moab will be redesigned and upgraded this year. The Moab City Council voted Tuesday, Jan. 22, to approve a three-year contract with CivicPlus, a company that specializes in designing websites for government entities.

CivicPlus, a Kansas-based company, was chosen by a committee made up of city staff members. The company was chosen based on the fact that it was “the most responsive, offered the most experience and [was] reasonably priced,” according to a memo given to the city council by the committee.

Under the terms of the contract, CivicPlus will redesign the website to improve functionality and online navigation. CivicPlus will also provide all necessary training for city staff who will serve as system administrators.

According to CivicPlus’s website, the company has been specializing in “city and county e-government communication system[s]” since 2001.

The three-year contract will cost the city $10,627 per year. That price initially seemed high to some council members, according to Tuesday’s discussion.

“I was taken aback by sticker shock,” council member Gregg Stucki said. “But seeing the other bids, I realized that it’s not out of line.”

The city had the option of a slightly cheaper contract which would have required a payment of $23,998 up front. However, Rachel Stenta, assistant city manager, explained that paying the yearly fee would allow the city of the option of having another website redesign done at the end of the three-year period.

“The option we would be going with is the three payments,” Stucki said. “There are some advantages to that, even though it works out to being a little bit more.”

Council member Kirstin Peterson said the website changes will be useful for city residents and employees.

“I sat in on the meeting with this company,” Peterson said. “It’s very comprehensive. I think it will be taking the city website a huge step forward to really serving our community, and being a great tool for all the departments to work with.”

Stenta said that the next step will be to develop a project schedule for the redesign, but city officials are hoping to have it done by the end of the fiscal year.

“Hopefully we can launch in July,” she said.
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