Advertising RFP Issued By State of Illinois

Northern Illinois University (NIU) wishes to evaluate proposals from recruitment and professional advertising consulting firms who have experience working with higher education in the Chicago area to coordinate employee recruitment research and strategic advertising of potential employment vacancies for NIU on as “as needed basis”.

Background:

Northern Illinois University (NIU) wishes to evaluate proposals from recruitment and professional advertising consulting firms who have experience working with higher education in the Chicago area to coordinate employee recruitment research and strategic advertising of potential employment vacancies for NIU on as “as needed basis”. Typical positions advertised under this contract may include administrative Executives, Directors, Civil Service positions and Faculty titles. NIU is committed to employing a well-qualified and diverse workforce and supports extra effort to assure diversity in its applicant pools. Successful vendor(s) will be expected to be completely familiar with how the latest techniques in recruitment advertising can be applied to higher education and that it also understands the unique characteristics of NIU and its employment needs and practices. This RFP may result in multiple awards based on the needs of the University. The intent of issued contract(s) isto begin University execution of contract for a period of one (1) year, with an option to renew for three (3) additional one-year periods. Renewal options are at the discretion of the University. NIU is a public research university located in DeKalb, IL. NIU employs nearly 4,000 full-time employees who consist of faculty and staff. Majority of faculty and sizeable portion of staff work within seven (7) of our degree-granting colleges, which also consist of a total 39 academic departments. NIU also has several academic center locations which NIU houses employees outside of the main campus, in surrounding Chicagoland areas including Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Naperville and Rockford. NIU has 14 Divisions within the University

Scope of Work:

NIU requires a vendor that has solid, deep, profound experience and expertise with working with higher education institutions, particularly with large and major public universities. Vendor needs to understand that public universities like NIU employ various types of positions that call for advertising in wide-ranging media sources and outlets and are able to identify and even suggest the appropriate sources in which to advertise such positions to cast the widest and deepest pool of candidates. NIU employs faculty, administrative staff, crafts and trades personnel, managerial staff, education and student services staff, research staff, service operations staff, and technical staff; thus, the vendor should be able to understand the needs for advertising and recruitment of candidates in those areas. Potential volume of recruitment and advertising that occurs during a typical year for a public university, ranges between 100-200 positions per year, or more given the job market needs for each year. Vendor may be called upon 100-200 times per year to advertise positions on behalf of the University. Additionally, months between May-through December are usually the busiest hiring times for public universities, like NIU. Search committees hiring process looks to advertise for majority of faculty and many senior administrative staff positions for the following fiscal/academic year, between July and August. Familiarity with the ability to accurately convert State University Civil Service System employment class specifications into job advertisements that will appeal to and attract a diverse applicant pool preferred.

Vendor needs to provide qualified personnel to perform search consultation and related advertising services for employment recruitment, including but not limited to:

a. Provide demonstrated experience/expertise in the vendor’s ability to research, analysis, recommendation, creative services, advertising preparation, and proofing.

b. Provide demonstrated experience in providing professional services in the design and placement of employment ads in local, regional, Statewide, and national websites, print ads, newspapers, trade magazines, trade journals and other discipline-specific and various publications, including websites associated with these newspapers and publications as designated by publication source. Take a complete position description/advertisement announcement provided by University, assist with design and revision of appropriate advertising when necessary, assist with developing a diverse ad placement plan appropriate to the individual position, and then placing ads as approved by the University in proper required format for publication. Submit examples of digital and paper copies of Vendor’s previously placed ads for review.

c. Vendor is to provide detailed information demonstrating knowledge and understanding of recruiting and hiring faculty and staff in a large higher education institution.

d. Provide process of reviewing advertising copy upon publication to determine accuracy and compliance with publication instructions.

e. Provide proof of financial resources sufficient for Vendor to contract with and be responsible for payment for ad publications to media subcontractors for all advertising buys. Payment for advertisings must be made promptly to all vendors and subcontractors. Invoice the University for the Ads in a format acceptable to the University, including but not limited to, information such as date, position, department, publication, and cost. Submit sample cop(ies) of vendor’s invoice which contains all previously listed information subjects, advertisement copies as they are displayed on media sources (i.e. tear sheets), comprehensive overview of all expenditures for end of the year analysis.

f. Provide proof of negotiated discount-advertising rates with various publications. Outline ability to reserve advertising space in publications prior to providing the actual advertising copy, to allow for later deadlines.

Due Date:

March 17, 2021 2:00 PM (CST)

Address:

Procurement Services & Contract Management 590 College Ave, Lowden Hall Room 107 DeKalb, Illinois 60115

Relevant agencies to consider include Kekst CNC and Zeno Group.