The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) issues this Request for Proposals for the purpose of providing digital marketing consulting for KCTCS.
Recommend, develop and execute digital marketing campaigns for both systemwide and college efforts by providing the following:
o Search Engine Marketing
o Programmatic Display & Video Advertising including Retargeting
o IP/Geoframing/Geofencing/List Video and Display Advertising
o Social Advertising including Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat/Twitter/LinkedIn
o Pixel Support and Setup
o Conversion Rate Optimization
o CRM Integration and Tracking Customizations
o Audience and Persona Build-Out and Targeting
o Analytics Setup and Customization
o Landing Page Development and Management
· Partner with KCTCS colleges to assist with accomplishing enrollment goals and lowering student acquisition costs through digital marketing efforts.
· Provide transparent, comprehensive reporting and real-time dashboards for all digital efforts that include campaign performance (clicks, impressions, conversion) and including enrollment numbers
· Utilize predictive modeling to determine digital marketing budget and maximum impact.
· Create, analyze and report on a multi-touch attribution system to inform other digital platforms.
· Provide in-house creative and asset integration services.
· Develop a direct college communication and project request workflow.
Background:
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System, the largest institution of higher education in the Commonwealth, is comprised of 16 comprehensive two-year colleges with more than 70 campuses throughout the state that serve more than 100,000 students and nearly 5,000 businesses each year in credit programs leading to certificate, diploma, and associate degrees, pre-baccalaureate education for transfer to four-year institutions, and non-credit programs, customized business and industry training, professional continuing education, and personal enrichment opportunities. The 16 comprehensive two-year colleges include the rural and non-rural Kentucky areas of Ashland, Bowling Green, Lexington, Elizabethtown, Hazard, Louisville, Hopkinsville, Henderson, Madisonville, Prestonsburg, Florence, Owensboro, Maysville, Somerset, Paducah, and Cumberland. The over 70 campuses also include multiple surrounding towns and counties respective to each of our 16 colleges. For more information on each specific college and physical location, consult our website at https://kctcs.edu/our-colleges/index.aspx. Key areas of emphasis include increased access to postsecondary education and educational attainment, community and economic development, workforce education and training, adult education and literacy, agriculture and rural development, nursing and allied health professions, emerging technologies and high-growth, high-wage occupations, online education, global partnerships and international education, firefighter and emergency medical professionals, and homeland security education and training. For more information consult our website at www.systemoffice.kctcs.edu
Scope of Work:
After a review of the written proposals, the Offerors with the best proposals will be asked to attend oral interviews. Due to Covid-19 pandemic, if an oral interview session is scheduled, it will be held via video conferencing (teams). All costs associated with the Offeror’s required oral presentation will be solely the responsibility of the respective Offeror. Promises and commitments made by Offerors during oral presentations and demonstrations will be considered a part of the Offeror’s proposal. Work will begin after award of contract and approval of the Legislative Research Commission Government: Contract Review Committee and will continue as mutually agreed by both parties. The decision to award a contract rests with KCTCS who reserves the right to cancel or to reissue the RFP in whole or in part, prior to the execution of a contract. KCTCS reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, or any part thereof, or to accept any proposals or any part thereof, or to waive any informalities or defects in any proposal, as deemed to be in the best interest of KCTCS. KCTCS reserves the right to re-issue or change the RFP, and to obtain the services by any other measures.
Offerors desiring to respond to this Request for Proposal should submit:
· Electronically: One (1) signed copy via email to: Bekka.korosec@kctcs.edu, no later than August 20, 2020 @ 4:00 pm. No exceptions will be made for file issues or technology delays in the electronic submission deadline.
A complete proposal will consist of the following. Number the sections of the response to relate to these criteria.
A. Executive Summary
B. Organizational Overview, Philosophy, and Values – Provide a general overview of the Offeror’s organization and operating structure. Include a narrative history of the organization; organizational mission, values, strategies and targeted customers; and organizational points of differentiation. Provide detailed information on your firm including:
· History
· Ownership and principal officers
· Financial status
· Experience pertinent to this request
· Office & locations that would provide direct services and a full description of other resources that will be utilized to complete this project.
· Major claims or lawsuits, if any, pending against the firm or its principals that may impact the ability to deliver. Evidence of Errors and Omissions insurance of at least $1 million in liability limit, provided by a carrier acceptable to KCTCS.
C. Description of Services Proposed & Implementation Plan – Include a detailed timeline of services with a projected plan illustrating deliverables and methodology. Provide a description of resources needed for implementation.
D. Experience & Competence – Please provide a portfolio of current client digital campaigns along with creative work. Highlight work in higher education, specifically with community colleges or state colleges. Provide inhouse digital marketing capabilities and certifications.
E. Staffing – Provide a list of company employees and contract employees/organization that will be available to work on the account. Include pertinent background information. Additionally, briefly discuss how the staff will be organized to effectively manage the KCTCS business. How do you manage turnover on accounts? How do new staff members become oriented with the account?
F. Project management – Describe the typical flow of communication with clients. How do new projects begin and end? What project management tools are incorporated? How do you approach conflict resolution?
G. Fees – Provide framework of how services will be charged listing hourly rates, fees for specific services or other methods of fee assessment including an a la carte fee structure, which may be used for invoicing KCTCS. A schedule of the delivery of the services should be included with the appropriate alignment of payments due.
H. References – Include no less than three (3) client references and their contact information which may be contacted by KCTCS. For each reference, include the company’s name, mailing address, telephone number, contact name, and number of years as a customer. KCTCS may contact referenced clients during the evaluation process.
Please include higher education institutions similar to KCTCS in your listing of references, if possible. Financial statements of current balance sheets, statements of income and statement of changes in financial positions may be requested by KCTCS. Offeror should be prepared to provide documents upon request. NOTE: Do not embed links to documents inside of electronically submitted proposals. All documents must be included in full with proposal submitted.
Due Date:
August 20, 2020 @ 4:00 pm.
Address:
Bekka.korosec@kctcs.edu MWWPR and Ketchum PR are agencies worth considering.