NEWS CMS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Publisher requirements template
Prepared by SaraBiT Media — November 3, 2026

Replace bracketed fields, remove irrelevant sections, and attach representative
public examples. This is a procurement brief, not a service agreement.

1. PUBLICATION PROFILE
Publication / organisation: [name]
Website and editions: [URLs and edition names]
Project contact: [name, role, preferred contact]
Languages and scripts: [list]
Current CMS and associated systems: [description]
Approximate articles / media files / PDF editions: [counts or unknown]
Reporters, editors, publishers and administrators: [counts and responsibilities]
Typical daily publishing volume and peak periods: [description]
Audience and traffic assumptions: [measurement period, source, peak conditions]
Commercial model: [advertising, reader revenue, ePaper, sponsorships, other]

2. PROJECT OBJECTIVES
Current problems and their effect on the newsroom: [describe]
Required outcomes: [describe outcomes that can be evaluated]
Required launch scope: [must-have items]
Later phases: [optional items]
Budget parameters, if available: [currency, range, inclusions]
Target launch period and constraints: [dates and dependencies]

3. EDITORIAL SCENARIOS TO DEMONSTRATE
For each scenario, state the roles, input, actions and expected result.
- Reporter submits a draft with a photo, caption and credit.
- Editor requests changes and reviews the revised story.
- Authorised publisher approves and publishes the article.
- Editor corrects a live story and reviews the public result.
- Team prepares a regional-language edition where required.
- Team creates an ePaper edition where required.
- Editor creates a branded headline image and news reel where required.
- Team handles an urgent update during a busy publishing shift.
Additional publication-specific scenarios: [describe]

4. REQUIREMENTS RESPONSE FORMAT
Use one row or numbered entry per requirement:
Requirement ID:
Requirement and expected outcome:
Priority: [required / preferred / later phase]
Vendor response: [included now / configuration / integration / custom work /
unavailable]
Evidence: [demo scenario, documentation, screenshot or sample output]
Dependencies and publisher responsibilities:
One-time cost and recurring cost:
Delivery assumptions and exclusions:
Acceptance method:

5. CONTENT AND MIGRATION
Content types and available exports: [describe]
Media, captions, credits and original-file requirements: [describe]
Authors, dates, categories, tags and relationships to retain: [describe]
Important URLs and existing redirect rules: [attach inventory if available]
Required legacy archive depth: [years or edition range]
Content to consolidate or exclude: [describe and name decision owner]
Reader data or access records in scope: [describe without attaching private data]
Late stories and updates during implementation: [required handling]
Sample import and review requirements: [describe]
Known missing data or unsupported content: [list]
Vendor to explain exception handling and scope-change approval.

6. SEARCH AND READER EXPERIENCE
Article, section, author and archive URL requirements: [describe]
Metadata, canonicals, structured data and sitemap requirements: [describe]
Redirect mapping and verification: [describe]
Mobile reading, language rendering and accessibility requirements: [describe]
Site search and archive navigation: [describe]
ePaper reading and edition archive requirements: [describe]
Performance expectations and how they will be measured: [describe]

7. INTEGRATIONS AND VISUAL PUBLISHING
Advertising, analytics, feeds, forms, newsletters and apps: [list systems]
Reader registration, payments and access requirements: [describe]
Inbound channels and available APIs or exports: [describe]
Headline images, AI illustrations and reels: [required outputs and review rules]
Brand assets, language fonts and usage permissions: [describe]
Vendor to identify supported connections, separate accounts, licenses,
custom work, usage limits and responsibility when an integration fails.

8. SECURITY, OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT
Account permissions and privileged access: [requirements]
Hosting and infrastructure responsibility: [requirements]
Update, backup, monitoring and incident-response responsibility: [requirements]
Backup retention and restoration process: [requirements]
Support hours, escalation and response commitments: [requirements]
Storage, bandwidth and other usage limits: [requirements]
Data ownership, export formats and exit assistance: [requirements]
Vendor to explain service exclusions and publisher responsibilities.

9. IMPLEMENTATION AND LAUNCH
Discovery and scope approval:
Sample migration and template review:
Editorial training and rehearsal:
Final content synchronization or controlled handover:
Launch checks and approval owner:
Breaking-news arrangements during launch:
Rollback criteria, decision owner and recovery responsibilities:
Post-launch support period and issue ownership:

10. PRICING RESPONSE
Quote separately, using a stated currency and applicable tax treatment:
- Discovery and requirements work
- CMS implementation and design/configuration
- Article and media migration
- Integration work
- Training and launch support
- Recurring hosting, software and support
- Optional modules and later phases
- Usage-dependent charges and thresholds
- Exit/export assistance where applicable
State validity, payment schedule, assumptions, exclusions and change procedure.

11. ACCEPTANCE AND EVALUATION
Required scenarios successfully demonstrated: [list]
Sample content and URL outcomes accepted: [criteria]
Editorial and reader journeys reviewed: [criteria]
Required integrations reviewed: [criteria]
Operations and support responsibilities agreed: [criteria]
Outstanding issues and agreed resolution: [record]
Evaluation participants and decision method: [describe]

12. RESPONSE PROCESS
Questions due: [date and contact]
Proposal due: [date and delivery method]
Demonstration period: [dates]
Expected decision date: [date]
Clarification log: [shared record location]

DISCUSS A SARABIT MEDIA PROPOSAL
https://media.sarabit.com/contact-us.html#engage
Email: info@arashinfo.com
Phone: +91 98147 90299
Product overview: https://media.sarabit.com/cms-platform-for-news-sites.html