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Solano supervisors approve $946,545 contract to redesign county website with user‑focused features
Summary
The board approved a $946,545 contract with Interpersonal Frequency to rebuild solanocounty.gov on a Drupal platform; staff emphasized improved search, translations in 10 languages, mobile usability, editorial governance and single sign-on for content editors.
The Solano County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve a contract with Interpersonal Frequency to build and implement a redesigned county website and related support services.
County staff presented a multi‑stage project intended to replace the county’s outdated platform with a Drupal content management system running at solanocounty.gov. The contract value presented to the board was $946,545 for the period of Oct. 1, 2024 through June 30, 2028, with ongoing maintenance and support included in the scope. Board members authorized the county administrator to execute the agreement and subsequent amendments under the delegated authority specified in the contract language.
Project leads Megan Richards and Monique (Monica) Schafer said discovery work found slow search, many outdated PDFs, inconsistent page structure and a low task‑success rate (about 45%). Staff described user‑centered changes: simplified navigation, translation via Weglot with human overrides for critical pages, improved mobile displays, an elastic search engine with curated search terms to surface the correct services and a feedback loop to prompt content editors to review pages on a scheduled cadence.
Other planned features include an events calendar with department-level permissions, integrated forms (JotForm), custom alert banners for emergencies, single sign‑on provisioning for content editors, and training for departmental content contributors. Staff proposed a phased content migration and an estimated launch in May 2025, followed by a stabilization period.
Supervisors asked about external user input; staff cited community listening sessions, on‑site surveys and a ‘voice of the citizen’ pop‑up that yielded nearly 100 responses during discovery. They also discussed governance rules, calendar permissions and the goal of making department updates (newsletters, bios) simple for nontechnical users.
The board approved the contract and motion by unanimous vote (5-0). Staff said further work will prioritize accessibility, translation oversight and editorial governance to keep content current.
