Blue Army Mobile Web App Development
Prepared by Chris McMahon
Project Objective
The project objective is to build a mobile web app based on the content of BlueArmy.com.
The reason this will be a mobile app instead of a native app for android or iOS is due to the requirements of both platforms that applications perform tasks that cannot be duplicated in a web browser.
The more I get acclimated to the new design, the better I like it. It feels clean and airy, like it is breathing.
Paul Bernish
CCO
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
The app design will be clean and modern, allowing the app to be easy to maintain and quick to download. The goal is to have the app that is similar in design and use as Relevant Radio.
Every decision will be viewed through the lens of speed, ease of use, and whether is satisfies both the users' and the client's goals. This does not mean bandwidth-intensive elements such as video will be excluded, merely that it should be initiated by the user instead of foisted upon them.
The app layout will adapt to the user's device so that the site will be usable across a wide range of mobile devices.
Designing In-Browser
Instead of the traditional design process of creating static design mock-ups in a graphics program such as PhotoShop, I prefer to design within the web browser itself.
This allows for the client to view and interact with the site across multiple platforms (mobile, tablet, desktop, etc).
If the option of adding an alternative design exploration is chosen, the designer who works on that may not take the same approach.
Design Exploration
Finding the best design to meet the needs of the project.
- App Header & Footer: I will begin with the header and footer of the app. These 2 elements will determine the global design elements found on most every page.
- App Start Screen: I will create a start page based upon the decisions reached during the design of the header and footer. Up to 6 hours of revisions are included in this phase of the design.
Supporting Design Elements
These elements round out the app design, providing content specific templates.
- Primary Interior Templates: After the start page is approved I will move on to the interior page templates, including audio & video templates, news/blog templates, and a contact form template. This phase of the design process includes up to 4 hours of revisions.
Chris helped us relaunch our website in 2011. He was so easy to work with, made great suggestions, and has been a HUGE asset since completing the project. He is a great resource when it comes to the tricky pieces of web design, a great trainer, and takes the time to break things down for a non-tech person. I really enjoy working with him.
Grace Mohr
Operations & Communications Director
Mackey Advisors
Content Management
The project will be using WordPress as the content management system. This will allow the client to easily make updates and additions to the app.
A WordPress theme will be custom built for this project. The theme will focus on design only. Functionality will be handled by plugins. This approach allows for the app's theme to be updated or changed without affecting the content and functionality of the app and also ensures that only elements needed for the app are included, avoiding all of the bloat that is common with pre-built themes.
This will lead to improved performance, ease of maintenance, and portability of content.
A tool for building and managing forms will also be included. This will allow all forms to be part of the app instead of hosted by a 3rd party.
Up to 4 hours of training is included in this proposal.
How Two Owners Got the Web Sites They Wanted
A New York Times piece on Mackey Advisor's experience building their website
App Specifications
- App will be HTML 5 compatible
- App development will follow the concepts of progressive enhancement.
- The App will be compatible with the following browsers:
- Most Recent Version of Chrome for Android
- Most Recent Version of Safari for iOS
Content Population
Content will be imported from the existing Blue Army site. This proposal also includes up to 4 hours of updates to the imported content.
Additional content updates will be billed hourly or can be completed by the client as part of training and after.
Chris has delivered every project on time and at budget. What I like most is his desire to make our projects better by offering suggestions and guidance.
Ed McMasters
Director of Marketing & Communications
Flottman Company, Inc.
Hosting
The app can be hosted on any host that provides PHP 7.1 or greater and MySQL 5.6 or Greater. Unix is preferred to Windows for the server’s operating system. I can provide recommendations for hosting and will evaluate any other providers the client may be considering. Up to 2 hours of hosting related consulting and configuration is included in this proposal.
Hosting is included (along with many other helpful tools) in all of the hosting & maintenance packages listed at the bottom of this proposal.
Timing
Project timeline is 5-6 weeks and, as of the submission of this proposal, can start September 1st.
A more detailed timeline, along with key deliverable dates, will be provided upon signed agreement and receipt of deposit.
…Impressive and very inspirational.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, after touring the exhibit ‘Invisible: Slavery Today’
App Design & Development
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| App User Interface Design | $1,000 |
| App Development | $2,350 |
| Sub-Total | $3,350 |
| Lee Non Profit Discount | 20% |
| Total | $2,680 |
Maintenance & Hosting Packages (Optional)
The packages below will help keep your website running smoothly, keep it patched for performance and security issues, and provide back-ups in case something were to break or be accidentally changed or deleted.
| Features | Entry | Standard | Plus | Pro | Realtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month to Month | $49 | $79 | $149 | $199 | $249 |
| Yearly | $499 | $799 | $1,499 | $1,999 | $2,499 |
| 2 Years | $899 | $1,499 | $2,699 | $3,599 | $4,499 |
| Free WordPress Optimized Hosting | |||||
| Included Storage | 2 GB | 5GB | 10GB | 20GB | 40Gb |
| Free SSL Certificate | |||||
| Free CDN | |||||
| Free Site MigrationFree Site MigrationWe will move your site from its existing hosting providers server to our own at no charge. | |||||
| Over $400 in Premium Plugins | |||||
| WordPress Core Updates | |||||
| WordPress Plugin Updates | |||||
| Update Rollbacks | |||||
| Security Scan | |||||
| Off-Site Backups | Monthly | Weekly | Daily | Every 4 hours | Real-Time |
| Email Forwarding | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Email Accounts | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* |
| Database Optimization | |||||
| Page Speed Optimization | |||||
| Spam Prevention & Clean Up | |||||
| Uptime Monitoring | |||||
| 404 Monitoring | |||||
| Broken Link Monitoring | |||||
| E-Commerce Support | |||||
| Real-Time Order Backups | |||||
| Free Services per Month | 1/2 hour free, a yearly savings of $600 |
1 hour free, a yearly savings of $1200 |
2 hours free, a yearly savings of $1800 |
3 hours free, a yearly savings of $2400 |
4 hours free, a yearly savings of $3600 |
| Discount on Additional Services | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% |
*Email is not included in any of the above plans. However, CRM will help configure up to 5 email addresses at a third party email service provider, such as hover.com (preferred), Microsoft 365, or Google Workspace. As of March 1st, 2023, cost of these services are between $20 -$72 per user (email address) per year.
Payment Schedule
- Payment is accepted online via all major credit cards and PayPal. Checks and bank transfers will also be accepted.
- A 50% deposit is required before the project can be scheduled and work begun.
- If development exceeds 30 days, an additional payment(s) of 25% of the remaining balance is due every 30 days.
- The remaining balance is due upon completion of the project. Payment must be made before the site is publicly accessible.
- Care & Maintenance Packages are paid in full annually or on a monthly schedule.
All original materials completed by CRM Holdings Limited including but not limited to graphics and test results will become the property of and be delivered to Client upon payment to CRM Holdings Limited of all outstanding charges. CRM Holdings Limited retains display rights in the work, i.e., for use in portfolios, exhibitions, and other self-promotion channels.
This project uses WordPress, which is licensed under GNU General Public License. Please be aware of the implications regarding copyright this may entail.
All out-of-pocket charges will be billed at cost; no mark up will be applied to out of pocket charges. Cost to license stock photography is not included in this budget and will be billed separately.
Alterations or modifications requested that are not detailed in the above proposal will be billed in addition to the above total estimated project budget. The client will approve any additions to the estimated total budget prior to the initiation of the requested modifications.
Client will be billed at the completion of each stage or as described in a payment schedule in this agreement.
Payment terms are 30 Days Net except for initial deposit and/or hardware items. A 2% finance charge or $25, whichever is greater, will be applied to invoices past due every 30 days. Once work has begun no refunds will be offered for completed work.
CRM Holdings Limited will provide a 90 day Break/Fix Guarantee (extended to lifetime for clients who are using one of the Maintenance & Hosting packages listed above) for the custom software provided. If during the first 90 days of implementation any software issues should arise that are the responsibilities of CRM Holdings Limited and reported within the guarantee time frame, CRM Holdings Limited will repair the problem free of charge. Issues beyond 90 days will be charged at CRM Holdings Limited’s normal hourly rate. This excludes issues with 3rd party plugins (but that rarely happens and are usually easy to fix).