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ALINEDS LLC | WEBSITE DESIGN| RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL WEBSITE DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES Offeror Information ALINEDS LLC Phone: (512) 522 1605 Email: info@alineds.com Website: www.alineds.com Address: 108 Wild Basin Rd South, Ste 250 Austin, TX, US 78746 DUNS #: 052733494 Point of contact Davids Achonu, Managing Director davids.achonu@alineds.com Date March 21st, 2025 Submitted to City of La Quinta Attn: Marcie Graham, Marketing Manager 78495 Calle Tampico La Quinta, California 92253 2 | WEBSITE DESIGN | TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. COVER LETTER ................................................................................................................................................ 3 2. BACKGROUND, QUALIFICATIONS, AND EXPERIENCE ........................................................... 5 3. CLIENT REFERENCES – CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ........................................ 8 3.0. Relevant Project References ................................................................................................................ 8 4. PRICING .............................................................................................................................................. 10 4.0. Fixed-Fee Implementation Phases ................................................................................................. 10 4.1. Year 1 Support ....................................................................................................................................... 10 4.2. Optional Annual Support & Hosting (Years 2–5) ..................................................................... 10 5. COMPLEMENTARY SERVICES OFFERED .................................................................................. 12 6. STAFFING AND PROJECT ORGANIZATION .............................................................................. 13 6.0. Key Personnel & Roles ........................................................................................................................ 13 6.1. Communication Protocols ................................................................................................................. 16 6.2. Staffing Continuity ................................................................................................................................ 16 7. SUBCONTRACTING SERVICES ..................................................................................................... 17 8. DISCLOSURES ................................................................................................................................... 17 3 | WEBSITE DESIGN | 1. COVER LETTER March 21, 2025 Marcie Graham Marketing Manager City of La Quinta 78495 Calle Tampico La Quinta, CA 92253 Email: MGraham@LaQuintaCA.gov Subject: Proposal Submission – Website Design and Maintenance Services Dear Ms. Graham, On behalf of ALINEDS, we are pleased to submit our proposal in response to the City of La Quinta’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for Website Design and Maintenance Services. Our team brings extensive experience delivering secure, accessible, and visually compelling websites for municipalities and public agencies. All services for this engagement will be directed at our headquarters at: ALINEDS 108 Wild Basin Rd South, Suite 250 Austin, TX 78746 To support the successful execution of this project, we have identified Bytecorp as a subcontractor to assist with development and technical implementation. Bytecorp will operate under our supervision to ensure full alignment with the City's goals and expectations. Their involvement reflects our commitment to leveraging highly specialized capabilities while maintaining clear accountability through a single contracting entity. This proposal, including all pricing, commitments, and representations, is valid for a period of ninety (90) days from the submission date. We affirm that all personnel assigned to this engagement will be free of any actual or potential conflicts of interest in accordance with applicable laws and City policy. We appreciate the opportunity to participate in this important initiative and look forward to the possibility of serving the City of La Quinta. Should you have any questions or require further clarification, please feel free to contact me directly. 4 | WEBSITE DESIGN | Sincerely, Davids Achonu Managing Director ALINEDS LLC Phone: (512) 522-1605 Email: davids.achonu@alineds.com Website: www.alineds.com 5 | WEBSITE DESIGN | 2. BACKGROUND, QUALIFICATIONS, AND EXPERIENCE We are established in 2013, is a dynamic and certified minority-owned Information Technology consulting firm headquartered in Austin, Texas. Specializing in digital transformation for public sector clients, we provide comprehensive services including website development, cybersecurity, cloud solutions, project management, and IT staff augmentation. a) Number of Years in Business We have been in continuous operation since 2013, delivering IT services to municipal, state, and federal clients for over a decade years. b) Taxpayer Identification Number EIN: 46-3864320 c) Resumes of Project Manager and Key Personnel Denise Burney: Project Manager Professional Summary Denise Burney is a certified project management professional with over 17 years of experience delivering technology, web, and digital transformation projects in the public sector. Known for her structured approach, stakeholder collaboration, and on -time delivery, Denise has led multi-agency IT and website projects across municipal and state governments. She brings a strong background in client engagement, agile/hybrid methodologies, and ensuring cross-functional alignment from planning to post- deployment. Certifications • PMP – Project Management Professional (PMI Certified) • CSM – Certified ScrumMaster • ITIL® V3 Foundation • Certified Government Digital Services Manager (CGDSM) • Certificate in Agile Project Leadership – NASCIO Roles & Responsibilities for This Project • Primary liaison to the City of La Quinta • Oversee all phases of the project (initiation through closure) • Manage scope, timeline, risk mitigation, and deliverables • Facilitate stakeholder meetings and sprint reviews • Ensure compliance with ADA, data privacy, and City governance standards 6 | WEBSITE DESIGN | • Coordinate resources across teams Relevant Experience • Led a full-scope IT Strategic Plan including digital services redesign, project governance, and roadmap delivery • Managed IT consulting and digital process improvement initiatives, including content portal upgrades • Oversaw development of password management and secure portal deployment for over 2,000 users Ali Azmat Role: Solutions Architect / Backend Developer Summary: 15+ years of experience in CMS development, backend integration, and cloud infrastructure for government clients. Expert in WordPress, Drupal, and secure API integrations. Key Skills: CMS configuration, API integration, AWS/Azure, site security, backend optimization Certifications: AWS Developer Associate, Acquia Drupal Dev, CompTIA Security+ Relevant Projects: • Secure multi-agency web portal • CMS migration with compliance focus • Backend development and deployment Syed Faran Mustafa Role: UX Strategy Consultant Summary: 13+ years of UX experience in civic technology. Specializes in user journey mapping, mobile-first design, and accessibility planning for government websites. Key Skills: UX strategy, stakeholder workshops, ADA/WCAG 2.1, design systems Relevant Projects: • SHAED EV Platform – User portal UX 7 | WEBSITE DESIGN | • ALEF Translation Portal – Multilingual UX design • Various CA-based digital services platforms Mohammad Areeb Role: Lead UI/UX Designer Summary: Experienced UI designer focused on responsive web design for civic portals. Skilled in designing ADA-compliant, user-friendly interfaces. Key Skills: Figma, Adobe XD, responsive layouts, accessibility design Relevant Projects: • Visual design for municipal site • Citizen-centric web interface d) Firm Ownership and Incorporation • We are privately held, minority-owned business enterprise. • Our company is a Limited Liability Company (LLC) incorporated in the State of Texas on October 24, 2013. • We fully compliant with all federal and state business registration and reporting requirements. e) Parent Company Information We are independently owned and operated. We are not a subsidiary and has no parent company. 8 | WEBSITE DESIGN | 3. CLIENT REFERENCES – CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT AGENCIES We have provided IT and consulting services in California, our website -specific engagements have primarily occurred outside the state. To strengthen this proposal, we have partnered with Bytecorp, a digital design firm with a strong track record of government-adjacent and civic-facing web solutions. Below is a summary of relevant projects: 3.0. Relevant Project References Reference 1: Mazik Global Project Title: Mazik Care – Web-Based Healthcare Dashboard Client Contact: • Name: Syed Afzal • Title: Head of Product Development • Email: syed.afzal@mazikglobal.com Project Description: We developed a modern, responsive web dashboard for Mazik Care, a healthcare client, to improve user access to medical services and communication tools. The application featured real-time management of appointments, medications, lab results, and secure messaging, accessible across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. The layout emphasized accessibility, mobile responsiveness, and cross-platform consistency. Scope Relevance: This engagement reflects our experience delivering responsive design, dynamic content modules, and user-friendly web interfaces, which directly align with the City of La Quinta’s goals for a modern, ADA-compliant municipal website. Technology Stack: React, Angular, .NET Core, Microsoft Azure Contract Value: $55,000 Reference 2: Takamol Project Title: AI-Driven Training & Performance Portal Client Contact: • Name: Fatima Ramadan • Title: Project Lead • Email: f.ramadan@takamol.com.sa 9 | WEBSITE DESIGN | Project Description: We designed and implemented an interactive web portal for Takamol, focused on AI- assisted evaluations and user performance tracking. The platform included interactive dashboards, real-time assessments, user scheduling, and personalized dashboards— delivered through a visually engaging and mobile-friendly interface. Scope Relevance: This project demonstrates our capability in delivering intuitive UX/UI design, modular architecture, and interactive web features, all of which support La Quinta’s need for a citizen-focused, easy-to-manage municipal web platform. Technology Stack: Node.js, Vue.js, Python, AWS Lambda Contract Value: $85,000 Reference 3: SHAED Project Title: SHAED – Commercial EV Web Portal Client Contact: • Name: Masood • Title: Chief Technology Officer • Email: masood@shaed.ai Project Description: We developed a full-scale web platform for SHAED to support electric vehicle delivery, fleet logistics, and configuration workflows. The frontend was engineered to provide a seamless and accessible user experience with support for mobile and tablet use. The system supports dealers, OEMs, and end users across a dynamic, real-time environment. Scope Relevance: The SHAED portal project highlights our team’s ability to consolidate multiple user types, create role-based navigation, and integrate with third-party systems—key functional areas for government websites like La Quinta’s. Technology Stack: React, Django, PostgreSQL, AWS Contract Value: $500,000 10 | WEBSITE DESIGN | 4. PRICING The following pricing outlines the fixed implementation cost, Year 1 support and hosting, and optional annual maintenance and hosting services for Years 2 through 5. 4.0. Fixed-Fee Implementation Phases Phase Fixed Cost Phase 1 $27,473 Phase 2 $33,708 Phase 3 $145,120 Phase 4 $34,476 Phase 5 $20,200 Total Implementation Cost: $260,977 4.1. Year 1 Support • SSL certificates and performance monitoring • CMS patching and maintenance • Helpdesk support • Basic ADA/SEO scans and minor remediations Support Personnel Involved: Role Hourly Rate Project Manager $119.20/hr Technical Support Lead $101.93/hr QA & Support Analyst $75.48/hr Web Admin Support $119.20/hr 4.2. Optional Annual Support & Hosting (Years 2–5) Fixed Hosting Fees Year Annual Hosting Fee Year 2 $5,000 Year 3 $5,250 Year 4 $5,512 Year 5 $5,788 11 | WEBSITE DESIGN | Hourly Rates for Optional Support Services Role Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Technical Support Lead $101.93/hr $107.03/hr $112.38/hr $118.00/hr Accessibility Specialist $75.48/hr $79.25/hr $83.21/hr $87.37/hr Project Manager (Oversight) $119.20/hr $125.16/hr $131.42/hr $137.99/hr Web Developer (Enhancements) $123.38/hr $129.55/hr $136.03/hr $142.83/hr Optional support and hosting services are available annually at the City’s discretion and billed based on actual hours or fixed fees as indicated. No minimum usage is required. 12 | WEBSITE DESIGN | 5. COMPLEMENTARY SERVICES OFFERED In addition to the core services outlined in our proposal, we offer a suite of complementary digital services that may support future enhancements, ongoing optimization, or expanded functionality of the City’s website. These services are optional and can be engaged on an as-needed basis, providing flexibility for the City to address emerging needs over time. Service Description Hourly Rate Additional CMS Training Post-launch training sessions for new staff or as refreshers for City teams. $91.75 Content Entry & Optimization Support with content population, formatting, SEO tagging, and accessibility improvements. $133.94 Interactive Form Development Development of dynamic online forms for permits, service requests, or surveys. $117.43 Multilingual Interface Setup Configuration of language toggle functionality and translation-ready content zones. $123.38 Custom Module Development Buildout of custom website features beyond the initial scope, such as dashboards or data tools. $127.40 Third-Party System Integration API integrations with City tools including GIS, payment portals, and meeting platforms. $144.24 SEO & Analytics Reporting Monthly reports on web traffic, search performance, and user engagement with recommendations. $72.63 Accessibility Compliance Audit (ADA) WCAG 2.1 and ADA assessments with technical remediation support. $75.48 Emergency Alert Banner Tool Implementation of admin-controlled alerts for emergency notifications or citywide messages. $117.43 These complementary services are available on an as-needed basis and may be scoped separately at the City's discretion. 13 | WEBSITE DESIGN | 6. STAFFING AND PROJECT ORGANIZATION To ensure successful and timely execution of the City of La Quinta’s website design and maintenance project, We, will deploy a highly qualified and collaborative project team. Our staffing model is designed to align with the City’s objectives: delivering a modern, accessible, and user-friendly municipal website while providing ongoing technical support and maintenance. This plan outlines team structure, roles and responsibilities, communication flow, escalation protocols, and personnel continuity. 6.0. Key Personnel & Roles 1. Denise Burney – Project Manager Professional Summary: Denise Burney is an accomplished Project Manager with over 17 years of experience in IT consulting, website development, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. She has successfully led multi-million-dollar web projects for municipalities, government agencies, and enterprises. Denise’s expertise in project execution, stakeholder coordination, ADA/WCAG compliance, and strategic planning ensures seamless delivery of complex web solutions that meet accessibility and usability standards. Certifications: • Project Management Professional (PMP) • Certified Scrum Master (CSM) • ITIL v3 (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) • AWS Certified Solutions Architect Role & Responsibilities: • Oversee end-to-end project execution, including planning, budgeting, and milestone tracking. • Ensure ADA/WCAG 2.1 compliance, cybersecurity standards, and quality assurance. • Manage stakeholder engagement, communication, and project deliverables. • Provide strategic direction and monitor progress through regular reporting to City stakeholders. Relevant Experience: • Led website modernization projects for municipal clients, enhancing accessibility and user engagement. • Managed website infrastructure and content management system (CMS) projects for public sector agencies. 14 | WEBSITE DESIGN | • Provided strategic IT advisory services for digital governance and service optimization. 2. Mohammad Areeb Siddiqui – Lead Web Developer Professional Summary: Mohammad Areeb Siddiqui is a highly skilled full-stack web developer with over 15 years of experience in CMS integration, frontend frameworks, and performance optimization. Specializing in WordPress, Drupal, PHP, JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3, he has developed high-performance, ADA-compliant websites for government agencies and municipalities. Certifications: • Certified Full-Stack Developer (MERN, LAMP) • Google UX Design Certificate • Adobe Certified Expert in Web Development Role & Responsibilities: • Develop and maintain responsive, mobile-friendly, and ADA-compliant websites. • Implement CMS integrations (WordPress, Drupal) with dynamic modules and custom plugins. • Optimize user experience (UX) and interface design for accessibility and performance. • Conduct cross-browser testing and debugging to ensure compatibility. Relevant Experience: • Built high-performance municipal websites, ensuring ADA/WCAG compliance and user-centric design. • Enhanced website loading speeds by 40% through frontend optimization techniques. • Integrated GIS tools for enhanced city planning and public data visualization. 3. Midha Tahir – UI/UX Designer & Graphic Specialist Professional Summary: Midha Tahir is an experienced UI/UX designer with over 10 years of expertise in designing interactive, user-friendly municipal websites. Specializing in wireframing, prototyping, visual interface design, and accessibility compliance, she ensures that all website elements are optimized for usability and engagement. Certifications: 15 | WEBSITE DESIGN | • Nielsen Norman Group (NNG) Certified UX Designer • Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) – Photoshop, Illustrator, XD • Figma & Sketch UI Certification Role & Responsibilities: • Conduct user research and usability testing to enhance digital experiences. • Design responsive, ADA-compliant interfaces using Figma, Adobe XD, and Sketch. • Ensure consistent branding, typography, and color schemes across all visual assets. • Collaborate with developers to optimize user flow and site navigation. Relevant Experience: • Designed mobile-first municipal websites, improving accessibility and usability by 60%. • Created interactive dashboards for enhanced data transparency and user engagement. • Delivered award-winning UI interfaces for public sector applications. 4. Syed Faran Mustafa – Database Administrator & Backend Developer Professional Summary: Syed Faran Mustafa is a skilled backend developer and database administrator with over 10 years of experience optimizing database architecture for government websites and enterprise applications. He specializes in MySQL, PostgreSQL, and cloud -based database solutions. Certifications: • Oracle Certified MySQL Developer • AWS Certified Database Specialty • Microsoft SQL Server Administrator Certification Role & Responsibilities: • Design and manage MySQL/PostgreSQL database architecture for CMS integration. • Develop secure API integrations and data retrieval mechanisms. • Implement real-time data synchronization, backups, and disaster recovery strategies. 16 | WEBSITE DESIGN | • Ensure data security and optimize query performance for enhanced user experience. Relevant Experience: • Migrated large-scale government databases to secure cloud infrastructures. • Reduced database query processing time by 30% through advanced indexing techniques. • Implemented secure authentication and data encryption for sensitive municipal records. 6.1. Communication Protocols • Weekly Project Status Meetings (via Zoom or Teams) o Led by Project Manager, including key City stakeholders o Covers progress updates, milestones, risk logs, and action items • Bi-Weekly Sprint Reviews (during active build) o UX and development team demos o Opportunity for City input and early validation • Project Management Platform: Monday.com o Tracks tasks, deliverables, timelines, and document versioning 6.2. Staffing Continuity • All key personnel are committed to the duration of the project. • Substitutions, if necessary, will be made with prior City approval and will meet or exceed the qualifications of original team members. • Backup personnel are pre-identified to ensure no disruption in service delivery. 17 | WEBSITE DESIGN | 7. SUBCONTRACTING SERVICES We acknowledge the City of La Quinta’s preference to limit subcontracting. However, we respectfully propose the inclusion of a strategy and essential subcontractor due to their specialized expertise in municipal website design, accessibility, and user experience (UX). Bytecorp will play a vital role in executing this project by: • Designing intuitive, mobile-responsive, and ADA/WCAG 2.1 AA-compliant interfaces • Developing the site’s visual architecture and frontend user experience Their experience designing civic platforms and ensuring accessibility compliance is critical to meeting the City’s objectives. ByteCorp’s scope will be limited, clearly defined, and fully managed under our leadership. All communication, deliverables, and accountability will remain with us. This partnership ensures the city receives the highest standard of design and usability, while maintaining centralized oversight and contractual integrity. 8. DISCLOSURES We hereby state the following: • No Alleged Significant Prior or Ongoing Agreement Failure: We affirm that there have been no significant prior or ongoing agreement failures related to website development, maintenance services, or any other relevant scope of work. • No Civil or Criminal Litigation: We are currently not subject to, nor has been subject to, any civil or criminal litigation or investigation within the last five (5) years that is relevant to our ability to provide the requested services. • No Findings of Guilt or Liability: We have not been judged guilty or liable in any civil or criminal matter relevant to our operations or service delivery within the last five (5) years. This statement serves as a formal declaration of our compliance with the disclosure requirements outlined in the City of La Quinta’s RFP. 108 Wild Basin Rd South, Ste 250 Austin, TX, US 78746