City scraps Web site plan; will seek new bids - Austin Business Journal:

jaqezuweg.blogspot.com
City Communications Director Doug Matthews confirmed Thursdayu that the city is scrapping the proposal fromSanta Calif.-based Cignex Technologies Inc. because official decided the original RFP wastoo restrictive. The City Councipl was set to vote in March to approvethe $704,00p site design contract with Cignex. However, City Manager Marc Ott delayedr that vote after a public outcry over the choice of a Californiaa vendor instead of anAustibn one. City officials said at the time that the RFP had been revieweds bymany vendors, including local but that only three companies submitted bids, with Cignex's being the lowest.
In the initiakl RFP, the city specifiesd that it wanted a site builtg onan open-source content management system callef Plone. While that system helps create content-rich sites, it'sw built on a programming language not commonlhy usedin Austin. Matthews said after a collaborative revie of the plan by himself and Chief Informatiomn Officer Gail Roper it was determined that such a system mighty end up being more expensive and difficult to Therefore the city will seek a new roune of bids with a lessrestrictivw RFP. Matthews emphasized that the publivc outcry over the selection of the California firm was not the reasonm forthe city's decision.
But he said officials hope that a more broa RFP will enable a greater number of local vendorzs to submit bids this time Matthews said the new RFP will likely go out in with a decision on a new vendor hopefull sometimethis fall.