The City of Corona, California Department of Water and Power is seeking a PR firm with extensive experience in strategic communications planning and outreach within the public utilities sector. Firms should have a solid understanding of the issues faced by water agencies and the need for public transparency in today’s climate.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In 1964, the City of Corona purchased the assets of the Corona City Water Company, creating a municipally owned utility. The Department grew from a division of the Public Works Department to the City of Corona Water Utilities Department: a state-of-the-art department that maximizes the City and State’s natural resources.
Today, the mission is to protect public health by providing the highest quality water, reclaimed water and electric service, as well as efficient water reclamation.
SCOPE OF WORK
The overarching objective is to assist the City of Corona Department of Water and Power with customer outreach, project communications, media relations, special events, project tours, and advertising/marketing.
The City of Corona foresees that there will be four (4) general tasks associated with the implementation of these services:
TASK NO. 1 – COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES
- Develop a Public Communications Plan for overall near-term communications strategies
- Develop news releases, media advisories, articles, website content and fact sheets for Utility events, initiatives, projects and services
- Develop customer service and communication trainings and workshops
- Assist with special events and meetings, including community events, speaking engagements and public hearings
- Provide strategic counsel to Public Affairs office
- Provide crisis communication counsel as necessary
- Provide translation services for targeted communications pieces
TASK NO. 2 – WATER QUALITY
- Develop communication strategy
- Collect and distribute specific information for incidents as they occur
- Information may be coordinated with local and state agencies for coordinated messaging purposes
- News release and/or advisory – Develop news release with key information and messages about water quality.
TASK NO. 3 – DROUGHT RESPONSE
- Develop communication strategy
- Develop specific collateral for drought response, as needed, to meet state mandates and other regulatory requirements.
- Collateral can include preparation of copy and design for a variety of materials, including fact sheets, web ads, web copy, bill inserts, newsletter articles and electronic newsletter content
- News release and/or advisory – Develop news release with key information and messages about the drought.
TASK NO. 4 – CREATIVE SERVICES
- Coordinate the design and publication of printed resources including, but not limited to, brochures, newsletters, bill inserts, and other creative print materials as necessary
- Develop print and web ad layouts
- Identify opportunities to improve current print and web materials
Proposal due by November 22 to:
City of Corona, Purchasing Division Attn: Carlos Garcia
400 South Vicentia Ave, Ste. 320
Corona, CA 92882