Heart of It All Branded Merchandise

Ohio Department of Development

Buyer seeks an experienced e-commerce partner to design, host, and manage a platform for 'Ohio, The Heart of it All' branded merchandise. The selected vendor will create a consumer-facing website, source and produce high-quality branded products, and handle all aspects of order fulfillment and customer service. This is a no-cost agreement to the buyer for the first year, with the vendor retaining all revenue from product sales. The platform must align with brand guidelines and integrate with Ohio.org.

• 4/9/2025 - RFP Issued
• 4/9/2025 - Inquiry Period Begins
• 4/30/2025 - Inquiry Period Ends
• 5/7/2025 - Proposal Due Date
• 8/1/2025 - Estimated Website Launch

• Experience in conducting similar e-commerce work
• Must provide references for similar work
• Must complete required certification forms

• Design and develop e-commerce website for branded merchandise
• Source and produce high-quality branded apparel and merchandise
• Manage inventory and fulfill customer orders
• Provide customer service for orders and returns
• Ensure brand compliance across all products
• Develop mobile-responsive platform integrated with Ohio.org
• Submit digital proofs/mockups for approval before production
• Provide detailed monthly sales and performance reporting
• Source varying quality tiers (good, better, best)
• Implement secure payment processing and checkout
• Package and ship orders with tracking capabilities
• Manage returns and exchanges process
• Ensure ADA compliance and data privacy standards
• Provide website maintenance and technical support
• Create tiered product recommendations
• Supply embroidered and silkscreened apparel options
• Recommend product styles and logo placement
• Uphold brand integrity in all customer touchpoints
• Implement secure hosting with high uptime standards
• Track inventory levels and fulfillment rates