Public Relations Firm Search For Small Business Issues
Organization Overview
Next Street designs and develops solutions to connect entrepreneurs and small business owners
with the right resources at the right time, with a focus on small businesses facing disproportionate
barriers.
With a proven track record of nearly 20 years, an ongoing commitment to becoming an anti-racist
organization, and an extensive network of small business advocates, operators, and investors, Next
Street is accelerating the impact of institutions and advisors on small businesses and providing
millions of business owners with the experts, tools, and capital they need to thrive.
Project Scope
Next Street (NXST) is seeking a public relations partner to provide ongoing communications and
media relations support to elevate our credibility as experts in the small business space, increase our
presence in the media, and elevate our brand in target geographies and audiences. Expected
deliverables include:
> Create a public relations calendar
> Build Next Street’s brand
• Write detailed press releases on NXST’s brand statement, values, and notable milestones
• Showcase NXST produced research and publicize our behind-the-scenes work
• Build NXST’s relationships with reporters through continuous outreach
• Establish NXST’s national and local profile through placement in top-tier and niche
publications; Secure features in a mix of mediums (print interviews, radio/podcast, broadcast,
conferences/speaking engagements)
• Monitor media opportunities and conduct proactive and reactive media outreach
• Increase drumbeat of NXST in the news through rapid response / newsjacking
• Elevate NXST’s thought leadership through op-eds, interviews, panel participation
> Support clients’ go-to-market initiatives as part of the overall marketing strategy
> Conduct media training to prepare the NXST team for speaking engagements
> Elevate NXST’s brand with target audiences (e.g., corporates, governments)
> Work directly with NXST’s Director of Marketing to achieve specified firm outcomes related to
public relations
Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated by a team comprised of Next Street staff. Criteria will include, but not
be limited to:
• Experience in small business, economic development, or related fields
• Strong relationship-development skill set
• Commitment to anti-racism
• Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprise and/or diverse team preferred
• Established media relationships with local (New York City, Chicago required; Philadelphia,
Los Angeles, Ohio preferred) and national print and broadcast outlets
• Excellent verbal and written communications
• Cost effectiveness of proposal
Proposal Requirements
Firm Background: Name, title, and contact information of primary contact. A brief description
and history of your firm. Please also include details on the firm ownership structure and team
demographics.
Approach: Describe your approach, process, and services provided. If an outside firm will provide
any services, please provide a brief description.
Bios of Project Team: Provide bios of staff who will work on deliverables. Please include past
work, years of experience, and what role they would play on the project team. In doing so, please
understand that Next Street seeks to collaborate with a team that brings diverse perspectives and
experiences.
Experience: Proposals should include:
1. Relevant work samples
2. Links to other resources that have been built
Deliverables and schedule: Outline of approach to achieve deliverables and a proposed
scheduling of workstreams.
Cost: Include an overall estimate for work completed by the proposed project team and resource
plan.
Contact: Katie Beach, Senior Manager, Marketing + Business Development is the primary point of
contact for this procurement. All communication between the vendor and Next Street upon release of
this request for proposal shall be with Katie Beach.
Next Street is happy to provide additional information to inform your submission. All questions or
RFP inquiries must be submitted in writing by email to: Kbeach@nextstreet.com. Cc Joshua
Pearson at Jpearson@nextstreet.com when submitting questions.
Submission: Submit the final submission to: marketingandevents@nextstreet.com
Timeline
Written proposals: Must be received by July 5, 2022 (Only electronic submissions will be
accepted). Proposals must be submitted as a PDF attachment to
marketingandevents@nextstreet.com.
Legal
Most Favorable Terms:
Next Street reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the proposal
submitted. Therefore, the proposal should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms that
the vendor could propose. There will be no best and final offer procedure. Next Street does
reserve the right to contact a vendor for clarification of its proposal.
The vendor should be prepared to accept this request for proposal for incorporation into a
contract resulting from this request for proposal. Contract negotiations may incorporate some or
the vendor’s entire proposal. It is understood that the proposal will become a part of the official
procurement file on this matter without obligation to Next Street.
No Obligation to Contract: This request for proposal does not obligate Next Street to contract
for services specified herein.
Rejection of Proposals: Next Street reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any and all
proposals received without penalty and not to issue a contract as a result of this request for
proposal.
Non-Discrimination: The vendor will adopt and disseminate a policy that the vendor, in
employment, recruitment, selection, compensation, benefits, promotion, demotion, layoff,
termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment will not discriminate on the basis of
race, color, creed, age, sex, national origin, ethnic identity, physical or mental disability, veteran
status, marital status, economic status, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other
legally protected basis.
