Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Seeks Media Firm

Background:

The men and women of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) are dedicated to the fire protection and stewardship of over 31 million acres of California’s privately-owned wildlands. In addition, the Department provides varied emergency services in 36 of the State’s 58 counties via contracts with local governments. The Department’s firefighters, fire engines, and aircraft respond to an average of more than 5,600 wildland fires each year. Those fires burn more than 172,000 acres annually. While Californians are learning more and more about the good as well as the bad of fire, the prevention of large, damaging fires remains a priority for CAL FIRE. From Smokey Bear, to the thousands of CAL FIRE Volunteers in Prevention (VIPs), to new alliances with communities, private industry, and government agencies, aggressive action in fire prevention and fire safety is occurring throughout the State.

Scope of Work:

Strategic Planning:

1. The Contractor including principal and senior level staff will meet with CAL FIRE staff to be briefed on the campaign’s goals and other background information and begin defining the campaign’s strategic marketing objectives. The work plan will include concrete strategies in the form of Media Plan, Creative strategy, Production and Distribution. Bi-weekly meetings with CALFIRE will be held to ensure that the project is on track and that CALFIRE is kept apprised of developments at every step of the way. The contractor’s senior level staff will work together to manage budgets and timelines, and ensure successful completion of all tasks, subtasks and deliverables. They will develop bi-weekly status reports that will be a written record of all projects, progress, deadlines and deliverables. Together senior level and account management team will ensure successful, on time completion of all advertising and outreach deliverables.

Media Plan:

The Contractor including principal and senior level staff will recommend the most efficient combination of media and geographical reach that maximizes the campaign’s exposure and impact. The contractor will use combination of Radio, Cable TV, billboards in general market media, and non-English languages, as described below:

1. Radio/Internet Streaming Service: Is recommended for its geographic target ability, broad reach, efficient cost and ability to leverage for added value. The stations that effectively provide the lowest cost-per-thousand will be recommended for inclusion in the media plan.
2. Cable and Satellite TV: The Contractor will analyze the priority markets and recommend the cable providers and programming that reaches the target audience at the most efficient cost.

iii. Billboards: Typically are posted for two-month periods, the contractor will provide the billboard advertisement for further advertising.

1. Internet/Social Media: The contractor will utilize websites and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, You Tube, etc.) to reach geographic target ability, broad reach, efficient cost and ability. This will also include
2. Other Potential Media: The Contractor will include other potential medias such as online news paper ads, door hangers, and direct mail will be effective option for rural or remote communities.
3. The Contractor will enhance the strategic plan in new and creative ways to increase the public’s awareness of their role and responsibilities in reducing risk of wildfire, and what they can do to better prepare their homes and property. The following themes will be utilized, but not limited to:
4. Ready for Wildfire – Ready, Set, GO
5. One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire

iii. Ember Aware

1. Forest Health
2. Prescribed Fire
3. Fuel Treatment and Management

vii. Tree Mortality

viii. Cal Firecat (Mascot)

This plan should include concepts for production, printing, distribution, marketing and internet fire prevention production as well as discussion of the benefits of each media format which includes:

1) English Language Media: As described above.

2) Non-English Language Media: The most effective way to reach the households with non-English language dominant residents is non-English language. The contractor will reach the households with non-English language-only and non-English language dominant residents by using the non-English language media.

3) Leveraging Paid Media for added Value and Effectiveness: In order to stretch the media budget, the contractor will require that all the media outlets provide added value exposure.

Creative Material Planning, Production and Distribution:

The essential first steps in developing creative materials are to determine the campaign’s objectives and essential core messages. The contractor including senior level and journey level staff will review existing campaign materials to determine whether the current materials meet the objectives, or whether alterations are needed or an entirely new campaign needs to be created. The contractor including senior level and journey level will develop a creative strategy that identifies the communication objectives, target audiences essential core messages, call to action etc.

The contractor will follow the same process in developing non-English language materials. It is essential that a separate creative strategy be developed for non-English language. The cultural influence that effect attitudes and motivation may be very different for non-English language speaking families and new immigrants than among the general market.

Senior level staff will develop any concepts needed for new materials and write copy for the general market. Senior level staff will direct journey level staff in developing messages and materials in non-English language.

3. The Contractor will pursue, and may act as agent for CAL FIRE, in researching and obtaining corporate sponsorship programs and private sector funding for development, production and distribution of fire prevention and fire safety educational materials. The Contractor will tailor programs to use more localized sponsors as needed in regional areas of the state.
4. The Contractor including journey level and administrative level staff will assist CAL FIRE in development of non-English language materials as necessary, and should indicate whether multi-lingual media services can be provided (i.e. bi-lingual television, radio, internet, print interview services, and other electronic formats). The Contractor will produce, print and distribute said materials.
5. The Contractor including administrative level staff will create, maintain, and provide to CAL FIRE a tracking document to show all contacts made on behalf of CAL FIRE, and projects completed for CAL FIRE, over the life of the contract as a historical record of all multi media fire prevention programs.
6. The Contractor will use a media monitoring service to track analytics to help CAL FIRE and the Contractor in the development of targeted campaigns to best utilize messaging to reach target audiences in the most efficient method.
7. The Contractor will maintain, via third party contract if necessary, the CAL FIRE Ready for Wildfire app. This will include, but not limited to updates, improvements and fixes, and monitoring feedback.

Due Date:

May 17th

Address:

navneet.kaushal@fire.ca.gov

 

Shift Communications and Zeno Group are strong California PR firms.