Kent State University At Kent Kentuniversity #2026

Kent State University Seeks Digital Partner for Online Degree Recruitment Website Rebuild and Optimization

Kent State University is seeking a strategic digital partner to rebuild and optimize the Kent State Online (KSO) degree recruitment website. - Government Buyer: - Kent State University Procurement Department - Kent State Online (KSO) - Scope of Work: - Comprehensive rebuild, redesign, and migration of the onlinedegrees.kent.edu website - Ongoing development, optimization, and maintenance - Hosting and infrastructure services - Integration with Slate CRM, Brightspot CMS, and university catalog APIs - Enhancement of user experience (UX), personalization (including AI-enabled features), and conversion pathways - Technical and content SEO improvements - Centralized content governance and support for multi-campus operations - Analytics, reporting, and performance monitoring - Accessibility compliance (EIT standards, VPATs for front-end and back-end) - Training and documentation for internal management - Support for future enhancements such as AI-assisted matching, program discovery tools, and community features - Notable Requirements: - Vendor must have higher education experience and comply with public-sector requirements - Content creation remains internal; vendor supports platform, hosting, and technical services - Service Level Agreements (SLAs), emergency response procedures, and support for data migration and knowledge transfer are required - Scalability for future innovation and phased delivery options - Period of Performance: - Initial contract term of three years, with options for two one-year renewals (up to five years total) - Project targets an early 2027 go-live with ongoing optimization post-launch - Places of Performance and Delivery: - Kent State University main campus (Kent, Ohio) - Seven regional campuses across Northeast Ohio - College of Podiatric Medicine (Independence, Ohio) - Urban and Professional Academic Centers (Cleveland, Columbus, New York City) - International Academic Sites (Florence, Italy and Geneva, Switzerland) - No specific OEMs or product part numbers are named; the procurement focuses on digital services and platform solutions.

Description

Kent State University is seeking proposals for an Online Degree Recruitment Website Partner to support Kent State Online (KSO). The project involves a full site rebuild, including redesign and migration, to create a scalable, high-performing platform that enhances user experience, personalization, SEO, and conversion pathways. The vendor will integrate with existing systems like Slate CRM and Brightspot CMS, support content management workflows, and align with university brand standards. Proposals are due by April 17, 2026, and the contract aims to support sustained enrollment growth and internal efficiency improvements.

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