Bi-State Development, an economic development organization, is searching for a full-service communications firm that will assist in the development of communications strategies for the organization and its emerging enterprises, support the implementation of public relations activities and community/customer engagement, and provide crisis communications counsel on an on-call, as needed basis.
Enterprises included in the scope of work include Metro transit, St. Louis Downtown Airport, the St. Louis Regional Freightways and the Bi-State Development Research Institute. The Bi-State Development Agency (d/b/a Bi-State Development) is a public transportation agency providing multi-modal transportation services to the greater St. Louis Missouri Bi- State metropolitan area.
Bi-State Development (BSD), the parent organization, was established in 1949 through an interstate compact between Missouri and Illinois. It was given broad powers that enable it to cross local, county and state boundaries to enhance the development of the region on both sides of the Mississippi River.
Through its enterprises, BSD is able to achieve its goal of driving economic growth and development throughout the region.
- Metro provides public transit service for the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County in Missouri, and in St. Clair County in Illinois, and records 46 million boarding’s annually.
Service is provided on three modes of transportation:
- MetroLink – a 46-mile light rail system serving 37 stations on two lines from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and Shrewsbury, Missouri to Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.
- MetroBus – an approximately 400 vehicle bus fleet that operates on 77 routes in Missouri and Illinois, covering more than 500 square miles
- Metro Call-A-Ride – a fleet of more than 120 lift-equipped vans that provide paratransit service to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) eligible passengers
St. Louis Downtown Airport is the third busiest airport in Illinois, and one with the closest proximity to downtown St. Louis – located approximately three miles away. Professional sports teams, political and business leaders, entertainers, and hundreds of general aviation pilots fly in and out of the airport, generating as many as 8,500 takeoffs and landings a month, with planes ranging in size from Boeing 737 charter flights to personal ultralight airplanes. St. Louis Downtown Airport is home to 26 businesses, including Jet Aviation, an international aircraft maintenance and services company that operates on 60 acres of airport property. The airport generates more than 3,700 jobs for the region and provides a regional economic impact of $584 million.
Scope of Work
- Provide assistance with standard external communications, internal communications and public relations tasks
- Support event planning and execution
- Help enhance the BSD annual communications plan
- Research partnership opportunities with other organizations and initiatives that would help advance BSD’s reputation and mission
- Research and identify opportunities for positive media engagement and exposure in both local and national media outlets
- Bring for consideration creative, innovative, impactful, non-traditional ideas for events and programs to engage customers, media, partners and the general public
- Develop strategy and tactics that leverage existing social media channels (or build a social presence for non-participating enterprises) to engage stakeholders and enhance the organization’s reputation and/or increase exposure
- Produce digital content for BSD/enterprise websites and social media channels
Proposal due by August 9, 2016 to:
Manager of the Office of Supplier Diversity Bi-State Development
211 North Broadway, Ste. 700,
Mail Stop 132
St. Louis, Missouri 63102
Major Mid-West PR firms include PadillaCRT, Fahlgren-Mortine and Fleishman-Hillard.