Digital RFP Issued By University of Houston-Clear Lake

The University is seeking a digital agency to provide a full range of digital marketing/advertising services including creative and media buying.

The successful vendor will have a strong track record of managing digital marketing campaigns to support lead generation and enrollment marketing for 4-year universities.

Background:

Nestled on a 524-acre wildlife and nature preserve, University of Houston-Clear Lake (“University” or “UHCL”) has become a cornerstone of higher education along the upper Gulf Coast of Texas. Located midway between Houston and Galveston, Texas, adjacent to NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the Armand Bayou Nature Center, the University serves a diverse student population from the state, the nation and abroad.

In 2007, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved creation of UHCL Pearland Campus. The new campus was developed as a partnership between UHCL and City of Pearland. Classes began at Pearland Campus in fall 2010. In fall 2014, UHCL welcomed its first freshmen and sophomores. Since opening its doors in 1974, the University of Houston-Clear Lake (“University” or “UHCL”) has awarded more than 53,000 degrees. More than 2,000 students graduate each academic year. The University is an upper-level and graduate university that serves approximately 8,500 students. The University offers students over 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in four colleges including Business, Education, Human Sciences & Humanities, and Science & Engineering. Academic programs are offered on campus, at remote sites and via distance education technology.

Scope of Work:

UHCL is seeking a digital agency to provide a full range of digital marketing/advertising services including creative and media buying. The successful vendor will have a strong track record of managing digital marketing campaigns to support lead generation and enrollment marketing for 4-year universities.

The awarded vendor will assist UHCL in supporting its current digital marketing and advertising efforts through targeting, placement, overall campaign strategy and best practices for all digital campaigns, analytics and reports, market research, as well as keep UHCL up-to-date on current and emerging digital trends.

The awarded vendor will provide market research support and competitive advertising analysis with budget recommendations including information on future changes and current performance. The awarded vendor must at a minimum, attend monthly calls which include status updates, performance reports and to address questions.

Open and informative communication between the awarded vendor and the UHCL Marketing and Communications leadership is extremely important. The awarded vendor will provide recommendations and consultation to UHCL Marketing and Communications for the most effective and cost-efficient approach to meet the program goals which include increasing qualified lead generation, applicants, and enrollments.

The awarded vendor must have access to and use of the most current media research throughout the contract period. The awarded vendor must provide a dashboard, media tracking platform or reports which allows the UHCL Marketing and Communications team to monitor campaigns in real time. Dashboard and reports should include at minimum the following data: lead generating media, productive media, number of inquiries, number of applicates, and number of enrollments. The ideal partner will also have experience utilizing CRM data and integrating with Radius and SLATE. The awarded vendor will be evaluated on growth in number of click-throughs, inquiries, leads, started applications, submitted applications and enrollments directly and indirectly from the digital marketing/advertising campaigns and other implemented strategies.

Digital Advertising Media Buying Services: As needed, the awarded vendor shall provide digital advertising media buying services both in local markets and possibly regionally.

The digital advertising media buying services may include, any of the following:

• Paid Search: Regular campaign management and optimization via bid management tools; campaign, ad group, and keyword creation; ad copy development; ongoing testing and optimization; set-up and maintenance of audience lists; landing page recommendations; 

• Display (Prospecting, Retargeting, Native and Online Video/Audio): Media planning and buying, leveraging appropriate advertising networks and/or sites; ongoing optimization of campaigns, site exclusions, frequency caps, etc.; sequential messaging recommendations and implementation; regular management directly with vendors and/or through a demand side platform (DSP); pixel mapping;

• Mobile: Identifying standout media opportunities, and maximizing conversions through best practices, identifying trends;

• Paid Social: Leveraging social media sites for acquisition purposes; actively managing and optimizing campaigns; ongoing testing; creation of messaging and recommended imagery;

• Advanced/Digital TV/Over-the-Top;

Due Date: November 19, 2021 @ 12:00 P.M. CDT

Address:

University of Houston-Clear Lake Procurement Department, Attn: Catina Chapman 2700 Bay Area Blvd. – North Office Annex II (NOA II) Houston, Texas 77058

Edelman PR and Zeno Group are agencies worth considering.