The City of Bozeman (“COB”) requests proposals from consultants qualified in the practice of public relations and strategic communications to assist the COB with public outreach, education, and communications efforts related to the Sourdough Creek Municipal Watershed Fuels Management Project. Said is aimed at reducing the risk and severity of wildfire in the Sourdough Creek municipal watershed through the implementation of vegetative management best practices that strategically reduce fuel loads, thereby increasing the overall resiliency of municipal water supply infrastructure to withstand a wildfire event. The COB desires to develop and execute an effective communications plan for the project.
Background:
The Custer Gallatin National Forest is readying itself towards implementation of the Bozeman Municipal Watershed (BMW) project, a vegetative management project purposed with reducing the risk and severity of wildfire within the lower reaches of the Sourdough Creek municipal watershed and Hyalite Creek municipal watershed. Due to litigation, the fate of the BMW is pending in federal district court with a decision expected in mid‐2019. The COB endeavors to implement vegetative management best practices on approximately 400 acres of city‐owned land at the mouth of Sourdough Canyon. These lands are nearly wholly surrounded by the BMW project area and are steep, heavily timbered, with challenging access constraints that limit vegetative removal techniques to aerial (helicopter) harvesting methods predominately. The implementation schedule for the COB project will be developed in conjunction ‐ and under close coordination ‐ with the Custer Gallatin BMW project to reduce overall public impacts.
Sourdough municipal watershed is heavily recreated and a favorite trail that is deeply endeared by the local community during all seasons of the year. Fuel reduction projects will be disruptive to the public during the period of time that work is actively occurring in the drainage. Effective communications call for cooperative and collaborative effort with the Custer Gallatin BMW project, so the communications plan must be developed and executed in collaboration with CGNF staff and other key stakeholder groups. Funding to complete the COB vegetative management project is provided by a subgrant award from the MT DNRC. These subgrant funds originate with the USDA through the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Program. A total funding amount of $270,000 is available for the project which will cover on‐the‐ground vegetative management activities, technical forestry services, and public relations services.
Scope of Work:
A preliminary scope of work for this project is outlined below. This scope is not intended to be all inclusive but instead generally demonstrative of services to be provided. Final scope as well as payment terms and provisions will be negotiated with the selected consultant during contract preparation. Responses to this RFP are free to expound upon or suggest modifications to the preliminary scope of work as described.
Task 1 – Prepare Strategic Communications Plan
- Coordinate and collaborate with the Custer Gallatin BMW project staff to the extent feasible and practicable to develop a strategic communications plan for the vegetative management projects occurring in the municipal watersheds. The communications plan will consist of an education and outreach phase, which will proceed well in advance of the beginning of fuels management work, and project status/update phase during the prosecution of fuels work. The plan should identify key stakeholder groups to help with project messaging, and layout a schedule of communication actions/events to guide execution of the communications plan through both phases.
Task 2 – Generate Creative Materials
- Generate creative materials necessary to execute the strategic communications plan. Creative will likely take various forms, including: web, print, television, radio, and large format.
Task 3 – Execute Strategic Communications Plan
- Execute the strategic communications plan. Assist COB with media buys, arranging media appointments with local print and TV outlets, preparation of media releases, and coordination with CGNF and other communications stakeholders.
Due Date:
January 24th, 2019
Address:
City Clerk, City of Bozeman
121 N. Rouse Ave., Suite 200
Bozeman, MT 59715
Agencies with relevant experience includes MWWPR and Zeno Group.