North Carolina Department of Transportation Issues PR RFP

PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is seeking proposals from a PR agency to provide full-service marketing support to the department’s various marketing, outreach and education programs.
These programs include:

• Governor’s Highway Safety Program, which seeks to increase safety and reduce fatalities on our state’s roadways;
• Public Transportation Division, which fosters the development of intercity, urban and community public transportation in North Carolina; and
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Division, which integrates bicycle and pedestrian safety, mobility and accessibility into the overall transportation program.
  In addition, the Vendor shall support NCDOT’s efforts to promote several revenue-generating programs. These include but are not limited to:
• Rail Division, which provides passenger train service;
• Division of Motor Vehicles;
• North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA), which studies, plans, develops, constructs, operates and maintains several existing and upcoming toll facility projects; and
• Ferry Division, which operates 21 ferries to transport passengers and vehicles to several islands along the Outer Banks.

SCOPE OF WORK

The goal of this RFP is to select a qualified Vendor with proven experience in the marketing, advertising, and public relations fields to serve as NCDOT’s agency of record to develop and execute as needed a variety of integrated, multi- faceted marketing campaigns promoting NCDOT’s programs, services and objectives.

GENERAL

The mission of this marketing program is to effectively deliver various transportation-related messages to targeted audiences by obtaining the highest quality of marketing and advertising services at competitive prices.

The successful Vendor shall research, develop, and implement various marketing campaigns to increase public awareness and knowledge of various NCDOT’s programs and initiatives, including:

• Passenger Rail
• Multi-modal programs
• Highway Safety
• Governor’s Highway Safety Program
• Division of Motor Vehicles

OBJECTIVES

• Promote multi-modal transportation programs, projects and objectives;
• Promote transportation safety messages to increase awareness and change behaviors;
• Increase passenger rail ridership on the Piedmont or Carolinian;
• Increase NC Quick Pass transponder sales and ridership on existing and future toll roads;
• Ensure the most effective use of limited resources, particularly in regard to paid media;
• Track and report on success/impact of campaigns using industry standard evaluation metrics; and
• Promote various transportation programs and initiatives.

TASKS

Marketing and Advertising Plans including Marketing Research

• Provide market research, marketing and public relations concepts, collateral testing, current and future user demographic information, and user language preference data to help prepare a plan.
• Develop and implement fully integrated marketing plans, with tactics including but not limited to printed materials, videos, TV and/or radio PSAs, social media content, customer correspondence concepts, website copy and graphics, public education materials, annual reports, point of sale materials and presentations.
• Provide input and recommendations for planning, coordinating and executing specific portions of NCDOT’s various annual marketing and advertising plans.
• Work and interact with NCDOT staff and its Vendors to provide full integration of advertising plans.

Advertising

• Promote a variety of communication and marketing products for various mediums, including print, video, direct mail, internet, transit, outdoor, display, television and radio. Work also includes media buying.

Proposal due by April 20, 2017 to:
Communications Office
1503 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1503

French-West –Vaughan and M Booth Associates have offices in North Carolina.