Sestercentennial Marketing and Advertising
USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: Department of Archives & History
South Carolina Revolutionary War Sestercentennial Commission
SUBMIT YOUR OFFER ON-LINE AT THE FOLLOWING URL: http://www.procurement.sc.gov
DEADLINE: SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 10/24/2022 at 11:00 AM EDT (See “Deadline For Submission Of Offer” provision)
QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 9/27/2022 at 03:00 PM EDT (See “Questions From Offerors” provision)
Introduction:
Offeror shall be a qualified full service marketing and advertising agency to work with the Commission in the development, implementation and evaluation of the Commission’s strategic, integrated marketing programs to promote the Commission and its efforts to identify and interpret sites of significant historical interest related to the Revolutionary War in South Carolina. The Commission seeks a partner that can help develop educational and other marketing materials related to those sites and deliver an integrated program that maximizes paid, earned, owned, and shared media strategies
MAXIMUM CONTRACT PERIOD – ESTIMATED (MODIFIED)
This is a two (2) year initial contract with three (3) one (1) year renewal options. The maximum contract life is five (5) years.
Start date: 2/02/2023 End date: 2/01/2028
SCOPE OF WORK/SPECIFICATIONS
The South Carolina Revolutionary War Sestercentennial Commission is seeking the professional services of a qualified full-service marketing and advertising agency to work with the Commission in the development, implementation and evaluation of the Commission’s strategic, integrated marketing programs to promote the Commission and its efforts to identify and interpret sites of significant historical interest related to the Revolutionary War in South Carolina. The Commission seeks a partner that can help develop educational and other marketing materials related to those sites and deliver an integrated program that maximizes paid, earned, owned, and shared media strategies.
INTRODUCTION
The mission of the Commission is to increase awareness of the upcoming Sestercentennial of the Revolutionary War with a focus on building out interpretive waysides at historical sites, providing pertinent educational materials to align with the South Carolina secondary school curriculum and community outreach to enhance overall knowledge of South Carolina’s importance as a part of the American Revolutionary War.
The specific annual value of the contract is directly tied to the state’s annual budget cycle and will fluctuate from year to year based on the budget allocated to the SCRWSC by the S.C. Legislature each year and based on the SCRWSC’s marketing priorities in any given year.
The Request for Proposal will consist of two phases.
Phase One (estimated to cover years 1-3) will be billed on a provided hourly rate based upon each project. Offeror will provide a cost estimate for each project to be approved before any work will begin.
Phase Two (estimated to cover years 4-5) will be billed as an all-inclusive monthly fee.
Phase One
I. Research
A. Brand and communications audit that delivers the following: The assessment will drive future recommendations and be the foundation for the overall marketing plan.
Please evaluate the following:
1. An assessment of current branding.
2. An assessment of current messaging.
3. An assessment of current marking collateral.
4. An assessment of current website.
5. An assessment of currents social media presence.
6. An Assessment of current overall digital ecosystem.
Additional areas of concentration are as follows:
• Overall visual brand representation including SC250 photo and video library, graphic identity, and messaging.
• Public relations activities and materials.
• Internal stakeholders and community outreach and engagement related to the internal and external activities to-date.
• Advertising including paid social media, print, radio, billboard, display ads and geotargeted messaging.
• Collateral materials that are currently utilized.
• Website message, audience call to action, menu bar arrangement, technical aspects and engagement and traffic currently utilized.
• Social media profiles to include Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tik Tok, Snap Chat, Twitter, Google My Business profile, and Bing profile. Focus on content, follower growth, messaging and presence.
• Social media content threads, voice and tone, engagements.
• Review current Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Not to exceed 80 hours of work.
B. Visitor analysis and development of target market profile(s) / persona(s) of the type of potential customer / traveler who would come to South Carolina and spend disposable income on heritage and cultural tourism, while providing both anecdotal and quantitative information or access to information related to the demographics, psychographics behaviors and narrative of the audience and income levels or access to data
Identify the following:
1. Motivation for engaging in heritage tourism/travel.
2. Demographics.
3. Socio-economic profile.
4. Income data.
5. Locations where they are traveling from and distance to South Carolina or current resident.
6. How often they vacation or day trip.
7. How they are planning their trips including who is planning and when.
8. How they consume social media information and the utilized platforms.
9. What other tools they use to plan trips or day trips.
10. Run a billboard test in Cherokee County for data and probability of success of media for other areas of the State. Funds will be provided by SC250. Design to be part of SOW for selected firm.
Not to exceed 80 hours of work.
II. Marketing Plan
A. Develop a marketing plan that executes the communications, social media, and advertising strategies needed for success. The plan should be broken down for year one as the most specific which ramps up and is in full motion by 2025 for the splash in 2026. The years following 2026 through 2028 should be loose with longevity as the key.
1. Marketing and communication strategy to include:
a. Project goals and objectives.
b. Messaging points/creative campaign strategy.
c. Key audience overview understanding we are reaching educators, tourists, historians, military historians, genealogists, researchers and most importantly the public.
d. Marketing tactics that include recommendations on the overall approach to reach brand goals in marketing and communication services. Include public relations, organic and planned media, social media, paid media, blogging, email campaigns, community engagements, internal stakeholder communications and overall advertising with examples.
e. Overall branding package to include templates for print collateral, social media content, billboards, flyers, social media banners, print advertising, radio advertising, Over-The-Top (OTT) advertising with tangible examples.
2. Create and present a 12-month content calendar that provides a monthly / quarterly campaign strategy for the first year.
3. Identify print media outlets that could be used to distribute messaging.
4. Make recommendations on development and/or improvements to foundational tools that include photo, video, collateral, and website elements overall with examples.
5. Marketing tactics that include recommendations on the overall approach to reach brand goals in marketing and communication services. Include public relations, organic and planned media, social, blogging, email campaigns, community engagements, internal stakeholder communications and overall advertising.
6. Website design and/or redevelopment with examples.
7. Advertising plan recommendations.
8. Key performance indicators.
9. Overall timeline.
10. Overall budget breakdown for year 1 and loose budget for years 2023-2028.
11. Any sub-contractors that will be used.
12. Signage and interpretation creative and production for site developments. Example: Historic pull-offs.
III. Administrative Services related to Scope of Work
1. Accounting and billing.
2. Account services.
3. Dedicated account person.
4. Advertising tracking and reporting.
5. Managing sub-contractor contracts.
6. Provide hourly rates as they may apply or a blanket hourly rate that will be utilized for ancillary items or projects which might arise.
A full marketing plan will be delivered within 120 days after start of contract in both digital and hard copies.
Phase Two
I. Implementation of Marketing Plan based on project goals and key messaging.
This includes the creative campaign strategy broken out over the 1-3 years. Deliverables will be and could include:
A. Overall branding package to include templates for print collateral, social media content, billboards, flyers, social media banners, print advertising, radio advertising, Over-The-Top (OTT) advertising.
B. Creation of items needed to fulfill the priorities of years 1-3 as identified in Phase 1. This would include distribution points and target audiences. Possibilities include but not limited to the following which round out the overall branding campaign:
a. Photographs/ videos
b. Website
c. Brochures
d. Billboards
e. Social media
f. Other items as identified in Phase 1.
C. Development and implementation of metrics with reports quarterly to all parties
a. Key audience overview understanding we are reaching educators, tourists, historians, military historians, genealogists, researchers and most importantly the public.
D. Implement 12-month content calendar and provide monthly/quarterly campaigns for year 1.
II. Administrative Services related to Scope of Work
a. Accounting and billing.
b. Account services.
c. Dedicated account person.
d. Advertising tracking and reporting.
e. Managing sub-contractor contracts.
f. Provide hourly rates as they may apply or a blanket hourly rate that will be utilized for ancillary items or projects which might arise.
III. General Requirements and Duties of Contractor
a. Provide design, programming, and tracking / reporting support for the Commission’s family of websites as necessary to support the Commission’s marketing goals and objections. The Commission’s primary sites include:
ii. Other sites TBD
b. Research trademark and URL issues as necessary prior to the introduction of new concepts and collaborate with Commission team members to secure trademarks as needed
c. On a yearly basis and in coordination with fiscal year end, the Contractor must provide the Commission with the backup/transition of ALL original creative assets, and all program files created or edited within the past twelve (12) months. The Commission will provide the Contractor appropriately sized hard drives for the task. The Contractor shall provide hard copies when appropriate.
d. Contractor will be liable for any misuse of any Commission assets that are provided by the agency of record to third parties. Liability for any assets that a Commission employee provides to a third party will rest with the Commission.
e. All media requests for photography and video must be approved by the Commission’s Public Director and will be filled immediately upon request.
f. Contractor will defer ALL news media queries to the Commission’s Director without exception.
g. Contractor must obtain quotes for goods and services to be procured on behalf of the Commission as necessary to implement the marketing program. Goods and services included but are not limited to photography, video assets and services, printing, and promotional items.
h. Contractor must not markup goods and services purchased on behalf of the Commission. The agency of record must fully disclose and credit to the Commission all discounts, rebates, refunds, and special offers allowed by suppliers of goods and services purchased on behalf of the Commission.
i. Contractor must provide a thorough written budget review, including account time review to the Commission’s Director monthly.
j. Contractor must agree that all rights, title, and interest whatsoever in the items in the Scope of Service, provided by the agency of record or any of its subcontractors, will lie exclusively with the Commission, except as may otherwise be approved by written agreement of the parties to this contract.
k. As appropriate, and as directed by the Commission, the Contractor must coordinate activities with other contracted firms, as well as other State agencies, and other State, regional, national or international tourism promotion or development organizations. This may include participation in routine meetings and planning sessions and attendance or participation in selected state, national or international travel-related conferences.
l. Contractor must provide program performance reporting on a monthly, quarterly, and/or annual basis as requested by the Commission.
m. Travel expenses associated with travel to and from routine meetings by all representatives of the agency of record will be the responsibility of the Contractor. Travel time on the part of the agency of record is considered part of the cost of doing business. The Commission will not pay for travel time for any member of the Contractor account team, including subcontracted vendors, performing duties within the scope of daily business. Travel directly associated with creative/production expenses will be reimbursable.
n. Contractor must respond promptly to the Commission when needed. The contractor must have the ability to provide a high level of quality account service no matter what timelines or deadlines are imposed. Contractor shall be required to respond to all phone or email contacts within twenty-four (24) hours of issuance for normal requests and respond to all phone or email contacts within two (2) hours of issuance for emergency or special requests. Contractor must provide the Agency with a working, direct cell phone contact number for the designated contact person and alternate contact person. Contractor must inform the Commission of planned absences of its designated contact person and provide alternate contact person.
o. Maintain adequate financial resources to carry out assignments before reimbursements are paid monthly. Contractor should be prepared to carry expenditures ranging as high as $2500 for up to thirty (30) days before reimbursement.
p. Contractor shall adhere to the following process for assigned work by SCRWC:
i. Draft Scope of Work issued by SCRWC
ii. Virtual or in-person meeting, as determined by SCRWC staff, between Contractor and SCRWC personnel.
iii. Revisions/additions to Draft Scope of Work recommended by Contractor
iv. Final Scope of Work is issued by SCRWC
v. Contractor presents, virtually or in person, draft deliverables to SCRWC staff for approval or further revisions
vi. No work can be charged or performed until a final Scope of Work and Purchase Order are issued.
q. Invoices must contain detailed, completed job tasks as they relate to the approved scope of work and include a breakdown of hourly costs and other material information. Back-up documentation must validate reimbursement requests. As an example, buy sheets for paid media must be provided. If the final product does not meet all aspects of the written approval process, full payment will not be made. SCRWC may pay partial payments on purchase orders issued for the work on a project that has been completed only; however, the final invoice must be submitted within thirty (30) days of project completion. Contractor must have support documents to show all work that was performed and when it was performed. Contractor will not be reimbursed for a project until all invoices and final reports have been submitted, received, and approved by SCRWC. Can be updated per Phase.
