Maryland Technology Development Seeking Marketing Agency

The Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) is requesting proposals from website development and marketing firms with the necessary qualifications to develop and launch TEDCO’s new website. Nationally recognized as one of the most active seed/early-stage investors in the nation, TEDCO has a portfolio of more than 400 seed investments since 1998 through eight funding and six mentoring and education programs. TEDCO’s $22 million awarded to start-ups led to more than $1 billion in follow-on funding; 4,358 jobs created at an average salary of $74,700; and $35.8 million in state and local government revenues attributed to TEDCO activities through fiscal year 2015.

TEDCO is also the administrator of the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF). The purpose of MSCRF is to promote State-funded stem cell research and cures through grants to public and private entities in the State. (www.mscrf.org<http://www.mscrf.org>)

Scope of Work:

New Website Objectives

• Top priority: To showcase TEDCO as Maryland’s leading source of seed/early-stage funding for technology transfer and development programs and entrepreneurial business assistance.
• Create an exciting “look” for the website.
• Provide information about all existing and potential new TEDCO programs.
• Educate startups about TEDCO’s various funding and mentoring resources.
• Incorporate the MSCRF.org website content into the new TEDCO website
• Educate follow-on funders about TEDCO’s portfolio companies
  • Highlight diverse portfolio companies (including geographic, demographic, and industry)
• Inform targeted audiences, media, and general public about newsworthy events and milestones, such as:
  • ICE Awards
  • Entrepreneurship Expo
  • Company investments
  • Annual Maryland Stem Cell Research Symposium
• Educate TEDCO supporters about our economic impact on Marylanders and beyond
• Promote TEDCO subject-matter experts
  • TEDCO’s ‘secret sauce’ – its staff
• Promote business incubators and other economic development entities’ milestones that are tied to TEDCO
• Display news and monthly newsletter in a dynamic, interesting way that is easy for existing TEDCO staff to post

New Website Functionality and Design Requirements

• Functionality that is essential to the new website includes the following:
  • Visual boxes on homepage
  • Mobile friendly
• Current site is not mobile friendly
  • Easy to use content management system for multiple content manager access to specific webpages
  • Manageable ‘Calendar of Events’ spotlight and/or webpage
  • Manageable, visually appealing Newsletter webpage, to include a newsletter template
• Existing website uses content that is generated from Constant Contact (example: http://myemail.constantcontact.com/TEDCO-March-2017- Newsletter.html?soid=1110968675774&aid=tf1IztaUMss)
• Noticeable and easy way to sign-up for the TEDCO newsletter
  • Manageable web-form similar to http://submissions.mscrf.org/MSCRFupload
  • Link to social media sites (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
  • Video, photography, and podcast library
    o Advanced functionality for Maryland Entrepreneurs Resource List (“MERL”) program
  • Online list of MERL volunteers more searchable (i.e. search by skills such as marketing, intellectual property, finance) – https://merl.tedco.md/
• Include photos of MERL volunteers
  • Website design/content accessible to desktop and mobile users

Due Date:
Proposal is due on June 23rd, 2017.

Maryland Technology Development Corporation
7021 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 200
Columbia, MD 21046

Strong technology PR firms include Shift Communications and 5WPR.