A Career Ecosystem
Built for the Future
A formal proposal to the University of Oregon for an AI-powered, SaaS-native Career Preparation Ecosystem — built on GoHighLevel at a fixed cost of $48,000.
01 — Executive Summary
More Than a Website.
A Student Engagement Engine.
The University of Oregon seeks to unify its career services into a single, world-class digital ecosystem. While the RFQ allows for a traditional website build, we propose a more visionary path: the adoption of a comprehensive, AI-powered SaaS platform that leapfrogs the capabilities of any custom-built, open-source solution.
"The University of Oregon is not just buying a website — it is investing in a student engagement engine. A static CMS like Drupal is the past. An integrated, AI-powered CRM platform like GoHighLevel is the future."
Unified Student Hub
A beautifully designed, UO-branded website with dedicated Career Community portals, built on GHL's intuitive drag-and-drop builder.
AI-Powered Automation
Native AI tools handle appointment booking, answer student questions 24/7 via chatbot, and automate follow-up sequences.
Powerful CRM Backbone
Every student interaction is captured in a unified contact record, enabling unprecedented personalization and data-driven engagement.
Enterprise-Grade Security
GoHighLevel manages all infrastructure security at an enterprise level — automatic patches, encryption at rest and in transit.
Predictable $48,000 Cost
The entire platform is designed, built, and launched for a fixed, not-to-exceed price. No surprise invoices. No scope creep.
24/7 Expert Support
Post-launch support managed by HLProTools — the leading dedicated GoHighLevel agency — with round-the-clock technical assistance.
02 — Platform Recommendation
The SaaS Imperative
Proposing a Drupal build, while technically compliant with the RFQ, would be a strategic error. The future of higher education technology is SaaS — and GoHighLevel is the most capable platform available.
Why Drupal Falls Short in 2026
High Total Cost of Ownership
The initial build is only the beginning. Drupal requires constant, specialized developer intervention for security patches, module updates, and feature enhancements.
No Integrated CRM
Drupal is a Content Management System, not a CRM. All student data would be siloed, requiring expensive and fragile third-party integrations.
No Native AI or Automation
Building AI chatbots, automated SMS/email workflows, or a unified student inbox in Drupal requires custom coding and multiple disparate systems.
High Staff Burden
Career Center staff would be entirely dependent on developers for even minor content changes, stifling agility and innovation.
GoHighLevel Platform — Student CRM, Automation Workflows, Calendar Booking & AI Assistant
Head-to-Head Comparison
✓Integrated CRM, Website Builder, Email/SMS, AI Chatbot, Calendars, Workflows
✗Content Management System (CMS) only
✓Predictable, low monthly subscription. $48k fixed build cost.
✗High, unpredictable costs for development, hosting, security, and ongoing maintenance.
✓Native, built-in AI Employee for conversational AI, automated workflows, and content generation.
✗Requires complex, expensive custom development and third-party integrations.
✓Intuitive drag-and-drop interface empowers non-technical staff to manage all content.
✗Complex backend requires specialized developer knowledge for updates and changes.
✓Rapid development cycle; platform is pre-built. Launch by June 30, 2026 is guaranteed.
✗Long, custom development cycle with significant risk of delays.
✓Handled by the vendor. Enterprise-grade security and automatic updates included.
✗Burden falls entirely on UO's IT staff. Requires constant monitoring and patching.
✓24/7 expert support from HLProTools, a dedicated GHL specialist agency.
✗Relies on generalist UO IT staff or expensive, project-based Drupal developers.
Sources: Ellucian Higher Ed SaaS Report · Modern Campus CMS Analysis · GoHighLevel Platform Documentation
03 — Career Communities
Eight Distinct
Career Portals
Each Career Community is built as a secure, self-contained portal within GoHighLevel's native Membership feature — where students access curated video content, downloadable resources, and community discussion boards.
RFQ §2.5 Compliance: This approach is superior to a simple webpage — it creates a true sense of belonging and provides measurable data on student engagement within each community.
Business & Finance
Consulting, banking, accounting, and corporate management pathways.
Technology & Engineering
Software, data science, electrical engineering, and product management.
Health & Sciences
Pre-med, nursing, public health, and biomedical research tracks.
Arts & Media
Film, journalism, graphic design, and creative industry careers.
Education & Nonprofit
Teaching, social work, NGO leadership, and community impact.
Law & Government
Pre-law, public policy, government service, and advocacy.
Environment & Sustainability
Environmental science, urban planning, and green energy sectors.
Entrepreneurship
Startup founding, venture capital, product development, and innovation.
Video Content Libraries
Curated career videos, employer spotlights, and alumni interviews per community.
Downloadable Resources
Resume templates, cover letter guides, and industry-specific career maps.
Community Discussion Boards
Peer-to-peer networking, Q&A forums, and staff-moderated discussions.
04 — Budget Breakdown
$48,000
All-Inclusive. Fixed. Guaranteed.
The total cost for the design, build, and launch of the entire Career Preparation Ecosystem on the GoHighLevel platform is a fixed, not-to-exceed price. No surprise invoices. No scope creep.
Total Project Cost
$48,000
Not-to-Exceed
Strategy & Design
$12,000Stakeholder workshops, UX/UI design for the main site and Career Community templates, brand guideline implementation, technical and data architecture planning.
25.0% of total budget
GHL Platform Build
$15,000Configuration of the GHL sub-account, website and funnel build, custom values setup, domain configuration (career.uoregon.edu).
31.3% of total budget
CRM & Automation Build
$10,000Pipeline setup, design of all automated workflows for student nurturing, appointment booking, and follow-up. Configuration of the AI chatbot.
20.8% of total budget
Content & Integrations
$8,000Building the eight Career Community portals within GHL Memberships, content migration, and configuration of native integrations.
16.7% of total budget
Training & Launch
$3,000Comprehensive training for Career Center staff on using the GHL platform, go-live support, and documentation delivery.
6.3% of total budget
Total One-Time Project Cost
Covers all five phases from strategy through launch
$48,000
Not-to-Exceed Fixed Price
Recurring Post-Launch Costs
GoHighLevel SaaS Subscription
$297/month
Agency Unlimited Plan — provides the full platform for the entire university's career services.
HLProTools 24/7 Support Retainer
$500–$1,500/month
Dedicated GHL expert support — quoted directly by HLProTools based on desired SLA.
05 — RFQ Compliance Matrix
Every Requirement.
Met or Exceeded.
This section maps each RFQ submission requirement directly to the corresponding GoHighLevel feature, demonstrating full compliance with the University's stated needs.
Eight secure, self-contained community portals with video libraries, downloadable resources, and discussion boards.
Fully responsive, UO-branded website with intuitive navigation. Non-technical staff can manage all content without developer help.
Fully automated, community-specific email and SMS campaigns triggered by student behavior and enrollment status.
Multi-step career assessment forms with conditional branching that routes students to their matched Career Community automatically.
Tracks the full student journey — from website visit to appointment booked to email opened — far beyond Google Analytics alone.
Two-way calendar sync with Google/Outlook. Handshake job feeds via RSS embed. LinkedIn Learning and PeopleGrove via API/Zapier.
Round-the-clock expert technical support from HLProTools — the leading dedicated GHL support agency with 5,000+ clients.
Vendor-managed security, automatic patches, encryption at rest and in transit, HECVAT documentation available.
Proper heading structure, alt text, keyboard navigation, color contrast, and ARIA labels enforced during build. VPAT provided.
9/9
Requirements Met
4/9
Requirements Exceeded
0
Gaps or Exceptions
06 — 24/7 Support Partner
Powered by HLProTools
Instead of relying on internal UO staff or expensive, slow-to-respond developers, we partner with HLProTools — the premier white-label support provider for GoHighLevel. This model completely removes day-to-day technical management from UO's IT and Career Center staff.
24/7/365 Expert Support
Round-the-clock technical support via live chat and a dedicated ticket system, staffed exclusively by GoHighLevel platform specialists.
Proactive Maintenance
HLProTools handles all backend maintenance, workflow troubleshooting, and platform fixes before they become issues.
Staff Training & Onboarding
Comprehensive onboarding for UO Career Center staff, with video documentation and live training sessions.
Platform Optimization
Ongoing review of automation performance, A/B testing of student engagement workflows, and platform health monitoring.
HLProTools Credentials
5,000+
GHL Businesses Supported
600+
Five-Star Reviews
5×
HighLevel Award Winner
24/7
Live Support Coverage
Why This Matters for UO
- ✓UO IT staff are freed from platform maintenance entirely.
- ✓Career Center staff get answers in minutes, not days.
- ✓Platform issues are resolved proactively, before students notice.
- ✓No dependency on expensive, project-based Drupal developers.
07 — The Winning Argument
A Strategic Choice
Not Just a Technical One
The University of Oregon can choose the perceived safety of a legacy system like Drupal — and accept a future of high costs, slow innovation, and a disconnected student experience. Or it can embrace the future of higher education technology.
Technologically Superior
GoHighLevel delivers native AI, CRM, automation, and community features that Drupal cannot replicate without years of custom development.
Faster Path to Launch
The platform is pre-built. We configure, brand, and deploy. The June 30, 2026 deadline is not a challenge — it is a guarantee.
Lower Total Cost of Ownership
A $48,000 fixed build plus a predictable $297/month subscription is a fraction of the long-term cost of maintaining a custom Drupal installation.
Empowers UO Staff
Non-technical Career Center staff can manage content, launch campaigns, and analyze student engagement without ever filing an IT ticket.
Sets a National Standard
By choosing GoHighLevel, the University of Oregon will establish itself as a national leader in technology-driven career preparation.
Zero Maintenance Burden
Security patches, platform updates, and infrastructure management are all handled by GoHighLevel and HLProTools — not UO's IT team.
About the Proposing Firm
Optimize Media Marketing LLC
A Eugene-based, woman-owned, minority-owned digital marketing and web development firm — serving Oregon institutions since 2014.
Jocelyn Correa Bett
Jocelyn founded Optimize Media Marketing LLC in 2014 with a mission to bring enterprise-level digital strategy to Pacific Northwest businesses and institutions. Her leadership drives the firm's commitment to equity, innovation, and community impact.
Randy Bett
Randy oversees project delivery, vendor relationships, and operational excellence across all Optimize Media engagements. With deep experience in digital platform deployment, he ensures every project is delivered on time and on budget.
Merrel Santos
Merrel is a UO fourth-year student bringing an insider student perspective to every design decision. As a Duck herself, she understands exactly what UO students need from a career platform — and designs accordingly.
Supplier Diversity Commitment
Proudly Serving the University of Oregon Community
As a woman-owned, Filipino-American, Eugene-based small business, Optimize Media Marketing LLC aligns directly with UO's supplier diversity and community investment goals.