Advertising RFP Issued
SWACO is now accepting sealed Proposals from qualified vendors for the Save More Than Food Campaign Development, Advertising, and Reporting Services. Do Business With Us and register to download the RFP documents by visiting www.swaco.org/Bids.aspx.
A. Project Objective. To help Franklin County residents, businesses, schools and other stakeholders reduce their reliance on the landfill through an increased diversion of food waste, SWACO created the Save More Than Food public education campaign which was launched in September 2020. The campaign seeks to create an increased awareness of food waste as an issue in Central Ohio and direct people to available resources, solutions and tools. B. Project Description. The Save More Than Food education campaign is an important component, outlined in the Central Ohio Food Waste Action Plan, to helping the Region reach a 50% food waste reduction goal in the next nine years. To that end, SWACO wishes to grow the campaign over the next two (2) years and is inviting Proposals to help with the strategy, design, implementation and monitoring of a multi-year advertising campaign for Save More Than Food that will increase stakeholder access to a variety of food waste reduction resources, bring awareness to food waste reduction and prevention activities, and increase web traffic and social engagements.
Background:
SWACO. The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (“SWACO”) is a regional solid waste authority established in accordance with Ohio Revised Code Section 343.011. SWACO was created in 1989 in response to Substitute House Bill 592 (“HB 592”) to develop and implement a comprehensive solid waste management plan for the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District, which is comprised principally of Franklin County but includes parts of five (5) adjacent counties (collectively the “District”). As a political subdivision of the State of Ohio, SWACO operates a Subtitle D sanitary landfill with an allowable maximum daily capacity of eight thousand (8,000) tons and two (2) waste transfer stations with a combined capacity of approximately one thousand three hundred (1,300) tons per day. SWACO owns and/or leases multiple facilities and operates on an estimated fifty-one million dollars ($51,000,000) of annual revenue and twenty-five million ($25,000,000) of SWACO’s EPA Trust Fund. It employs one hundred twelve to one hundred twenty-three (110 – 123) full-time staff who work under three (3) major organizational functions: Administration, Operations, and Innovation & Programs. SWACO also provides programs aimed at reducing the generation and disposal of solid waste within SWACO’s District. These programs include public education and awareness, yard waste composting, and other waste-reduction activities. SWACO is also responsible for maintenance activities at a closed landfill. Total solid waste generation within SWACO’s District exceeds one million tons (1,000,000) per year. B. Board of Trustees. A nine (9)-member Board of Trustees (“Board”) governs SWACO. Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 343.011 and SWACO’s bylaws, the Mayor of the City of Columbus and the Franklin County Board of Commissioners each appoint two (2) members to the Board. Other members include one (1) designee of the Franklin County Health Commissioner, one (1) designee of Franklin County’s Township Trustees, and three (3) members appointed by the Board representing the public, general interest of the citizens, and the industrial, commercial, or institutional generators of solid wastes within the District. The Board appoints SWACO’s Executive Director, who serves to direct the daily operations and functions of SWACO as SWACO’s Chief Executive Officer.
Scope of Work:
The Project, as defined in the RFP Documents, is for a two-year contract. This scope of
services may be further developed and further refined during the evaluation process or contract
negotiations.
Proposals should include recommended activities under each of the following categories
as well as a timeline of those activities between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. Please
also include a recommended budget for each of the following categories:
I. New Creative
As part of the growing campaign, SWACO wishes to determine new creative and
messaging opportunities to increase food waste reduction activities taking placing across
Franklin County. These assets would be directly related to the activities outlined in the
Media Plan and may include assets for broadcast, digital, print, outdoor advertising, a social
media campaign, paid search, an email blast campaign, and development of toolkit items
like posters, social posts or table kiosks for partners to utilize. *Other assets may also be
determined during the creative and media planning process.
II. Influencers Program
Save More Than Food is a shared education program which includes a dozen of unpaid
non-profit, school, and community partners who are already utilizing campaign toolkit
assets. SWACO wishes to create a formal paid Influencers program forming partnerships
with several local foodie and sustainability bloggers and IG content creators with large online followings to share individualized and curated content which advances Save More
Than Food messaging and resources to reach an even greater number of Central Ohio
residents with important waste reduction messages. Influencers would commit to posting
an agreed upon number of times during the campaign partnership and would be responsible
for tracking and reporting analytics and engagements metrics for each post. This program
would be managed by the Successful Proposer.
III. Media Plan and Buying
In order to create a media plan that builds upon the existing campaign and is aligned with
future program objectives, SWACO will meet with the Successful Proposer to provide a
history of the campaign and lay out the program goals. The Successful Proposer will be asked
to prepare a Media Plan recommendation which details tactics, budgets and an estimation of
results (i.e., impressions, engagement rates, etc.) and present it to SWACO staff for
consideration and input. Once a Plan is agreed upon, Successful Proposer staff may be asked
to join SWACO for a presentation of the Plan to the SWACO Board of Trustees.
The Successful Proposer would negotiate competitive rates and placement of the media
activities agreed to and approved by the SWACO Board. Successful Proposer shall hold
individual contracts with media partners on SWACO’s behalf and shall be reimbursed by
SWACO for the purchase of the agreed upon media after invoices and supporting details
about the media purchase are submitted to SWACO.
Request for Proposals for the Save More Than Food Campaign
Development, Advertising, and Reporting Services
Proposals Due: October 13, 2021 14 | Page
IV. Media Monitoring, Optimization and Results Reporting
The Successful Proposer will be responsible for monitoring the performance of the
advertising campaign and recommending actions in order to optimize the campaign’s
reach, engagement and impact on an as needed basis.
The Successful Proposer will be asked to produce and present a monthly report on the
campaign’s performance by tactic. The report shall include a listing of each tactic and any
pertinent metrics which are available (i.e., CTR/Open Rates, impressions, engagements,
and more) as well as a summary of insights and learnings about the performance of each
tactic.
V. On-Going Campaign, Earned Media and Staff Support
In addition to the activities above, the Successful Proposer will be asked to participate in
regular (weekly or bi-weekly) campaign meetings with SWACO staff and may be asked to
attend other SWACO meetings to present campaign recommendations or results.
Furthermore, SWACO may wish to have the Successful Proposer help with select earned
media opportunities over the course of the 12-month campaign, including but not limited
to outreaching to local, state, national and industry publications. Please provide an hourly
rate of these services.
Due Date: 1:30 p.m., October 13, 2021
Address:
Submittal Information. All Proposals must be uploaded electronically in PDF format to the link provided below. 1. Proposals must be labeled, “ SMTF Services – Proposer Nam e ”. 2. Proposal submittals must include Proposer’s name with the file name, as noted above, and uploaded to the following link: https:/ / swa co.sha refile.com / r-rd4a08a4ab4954ef19aada739beefbc73
Relevant agencies include Ketchum PR and Hunter PR.
