Request for Proposals (RFP): Discover Extension Front-End Platform

The Extension Foundation is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to develop Discover Extension, a public-facing digital front-end platform that will serve as the entry point to two core systems:

Campus (Moodle-based LMS): Extension Foundation’s national platform for non-credit online courses from Land-grant universities across the United States.

AgriProspects Marketplace: An emerging hub for agricultural workforce training and credentialing, career exploration, and aligned job pathways (see https://agriprospects.extension.org for more details about AgriProspects).

The goal of this project is to create a user-friendly, mobile compatible platform that simplifies access, improves discoverability, and connects learners and job seekers to relevant content, credentials, and career information. We invite vendors with experience in learning experience platforms (LXP/LXS), workforce development interfaces, or educational technology integration to respond.

Objectives

Discover Extension will serve as a unified front door to the above platforms, helping adult learners:

Search and filter courses and credential opportunities across partner institutions

Save and track progress via learner dashboards

Receive personalized recommendations based on learning or career goals

Explore real-world job pathways and aligned credentials through the AgriProspects Marketplace

Access a clean, consistent user interface across both learning and workforce components

This project will not replace our current back-end systems (Moodle or the Marketplace), but rather wrap around them using secure integrations (APIs, SSO, etc.).

Scope of Work

• Vendors must propose a solution that includes the following:
• A clean, intuitive web interface that connects to both Campus (Moodle) and the AgriProspects Marketplace
• Mobile-friendly design that works across devices
• A searchable and filterable catalog of non-credit courses and credentials
• Course detail pages with the ability to compare offerings
• Personalized user dashboards to save courses and track progress
• User registration and single sign-on capabilities (SSO)
• Administrative dashboard for managing content and reviewing analytics
• Integrated payment processing to replace D2L Course Merchant for Moodle-based courses
• Support for individual and group purchases
• Discount/promo codes and institutional pricing options
• Seamless checkout and enrollment experience
• ADA and WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance
• SEO strategy for public discoverability
• Capacity to scale with increased traffic and institutional participation
• Demonstrate scalability to potentially connect to other systems in the future (e.g. Crowdstack for Calendar Events)

Technical Specifications

• Architecture: Modular, cloud-based front-end system (preferably hosted on AWS, Azure, or equivalent)
• Integrations:
• Moodle via REST API and/or LTI
• AgriProspects Marketplace (custom API integration; documentation available upon request)
• Authentication: SSO using SAML 2.0 or OAuth2; compatibility with Shibboleth or Auth0 preferred
• Search & Catalog:
• Full-text, filterable search across structured course metadata
• Optional integration with search indexing tools (e.g., Algolia, Elasticsearch)
• E-commerce: Integration with Stripe or Paypal; support for coupons, group enrollments

User Roles:

1. Public users (learners)
2. Institutional admins/content editors
3. Platform administrators (Extension Foundation staff)

Security: SSL/TLS encryption, GDPR and FERPA readiness, daily backups

Analytics: Integrated reporting dashboards for course performance, user engagement, traffic sources

Scalability: Ability to support 150,000+ users

Interoperability: Ability to push and pull information to platforms such as LinkedIn Learning, Indeed.com, University-based LMSs, etc.

Timeline

• Anticipated start date: Fall 2025
• Initial launch goal: Within 90 days of contract execution
• Support & maintenance: Ongoing support for at least 12 months post-launch

Proposal Requirements

Please include the following in your submission:

• Company profile and relevant experience (particularly with LMS and workforce platforms)
• Proposed approach and timeline
• Technical architecture overview and integration plan
• Sample screenshots or demo environments (including links if available)
• References from comparable projects
• Pricing model
• Description of ongoing support and training offerings
• Detailed budget.

Deadline to apply: September 1, 2025, 5pm EDT

Submit proposals to: https://registry.extension.org/252015669809060

Contacts

For more information on the Foundation’s Campus or Catalog LMS platforms, please contact Aaron Weibe (aaronweibe@extension.org)

For more information or to request technical documentation for the AgriProspects Marketplace, please contact: Jason Weigle (jasonweigle@extension.org)