Request for Proposals: Online Intake Portal Development

communications898
Jun 5
4 min read

Updated: Jun 16

Section 1: Introduction and Background

Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC) is a nonprofit legal aid organization committed to expanding access to justice for low-income Texans. TLSC is seeking a qualified U.S.-based vendor to develop a secure, user-friendly online intake portal that integrates directly with TLSC’s LegalServer case management system and streamlines client intake to enhance access to legal aid services.

While this portal will initially only serve TLSC’s clients, the system must be designed with flexibility to potentially serve as a foundation for a larger intake platform to include other organizations outside of TLSC. Some of these organizations use LegalServer case management, and others use different systems, so the portal must support broad integration options.

TLSC’s current intake process is hosted at www.tlsc.org/generalintake, where applicants can learn about services, submit requests for assistance, and receive custom information and referrals if they do not qualify. The new online intake portal will eventually replace this form and also be accessible via TexasLawHelp.org, Texas’ statewide legal information website. While this project is being developed for TLSC’s use, it will be designed from the ground up to integrate with TexasLawHelp.org and support future expansion.

A similar model was used to build Family Helplink, a triage and referral tool created specifically for child welfare issues. This project offers a valuable example of how a modular, centralized intake tool can serve a statewide network while allowing individual organizations to connect their own systems and workflows.

Section 2: Project Purpose and Goals

The goal of this project is to create an accessible, scalable online intake portal that:

Allows clients to apply for legal services online in English and Spanish, with the option for additional languages in the future
Screens clients for eligibility based on legal issue, income, geography, and other pre-defined criteria
Establishes a dashboard that connects with TLSC’s LegalServer case management system via API, with the ability to extend integration to other case management platforms used by partner organizations
Allows TLSC staff to easily update the platform independently (e.g. changing internal intake flowchart) with minimal long-term reliance on the selected vendor
Collects and stores data securely and in compliance with HIPAA and accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA)
Offers a clean, mobile-responsive interface that works well on desktop and mobile devices, including voice-to-text input or alternatives for applicants with disabilities
Provides applicants with automated curated links to relevant resources based on their submission criteria
Includes a capacity meter feature that allows programs to open or close intake slots in real-time based on availability, and configure how new applications are handled when capacity is reached

Optional

Enables role-based dashboards tailored to different types of users, including intake staff, attorneys, program managers, and system administrators
Supports administrative reporting and on-demand custom KPI reports for program managers
Leverages AI-assisted features when applicable

Section 3: Scope of Work

The selected vendor will:

Conduct discovery sessions with TLSC stakeholders to define user needs and workflows.
Design and develop an intake portal that includes:

A mobile-responsive user interface that aligns with TLSC.org and TexasLawHelp.org branding and visual design standards
Multilingual support
Eligibility screening by issue, geography, income, and other predetermined factors
Automated customized resources and referrals for clients who do not qualify for services
Secure data storage and encryption compliant with HIPAA standards
An administrative dashboard including the capacity meter feature to manage program intake limits
Scalable for future expansion

Optional:
File and document upload capabilities
Consent and privacy disclosures
User engagement features including visual progress bars showing completion status

Integrate the portal with TLSC’s LegalServer CMS via API, ensuring flexible and extensible design to support integration with other CMS platforms in the future.
Explore feasibility of incorporating TLSC’s VOXO voicemail system into the intake platform.
Conduct usability testing with staff and clients to ensure accessibility and ease of use.
Provide comprehensive training, documentation, and a knowledge base to support TLSC staff and future partners with minimal reliance on the selected vendor long-term.
Offer 6 to 12 months of post-launch maintenance and technical support.

Section 4: Project Timeline

RFP Released: June 6, 2025

Proposals Due: June 20, 2025

Vendor Interviews: June 23-27, 2027

Vendor Selected: July 3, 2025 or earlier

Final Launch: January 2026 or earlier

Section 5: Budget

The anticipated budget for this project is $200,000. Vendors should propose a milestone-based payment schedule aligned with deliverables.

Section 6: Proposal Requirements

Please include the following in your proposal:

Company background and relevant experience, especially with data migration and API-based tech projects
Description of the project team, including roles and relevant expertise
Detailed scope of services and approach to meeting the project goals
Project timeline with milestone breakdown
Budget and pricing details, including payment schedule
Three references from similar projects
Samples or portfolio of relevant work products

Section 7: Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Relevant experience and demonstrated capacity (30%)
Approach to accessibility and user experience (20%)
Integration capabilities with LegalServer and other case management platforms (20%)
Budget and overall value (20%)
References and past performance (10%)