EMPOWER COLLEGE ISSUES MARKETING RFP
The Empower College and Career Center is a Georgia College and Career Academy established to serve students all across the greater Jackson County community. It is an educational partnership with businesses in Jackson County and the surrounding area, the Jackson County Board of Education, Lanier Technical College, and the University of North Georgia. The purpose of a college and career academy is to provide personalized learning experiences through a shared-time academic program. It is designed to serve students in grades 9-12 through specialized Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education and dual enrollment programs by providing a variety of high-tech and academic opportunities to better prepare them for college and career success.
Background:
The Empower College and Career Center (EC3), as a program within the Jackson County School System (JCSS), is seeking proposals from qualified sources to provide and implement a comprehensive marketing and capital fundraising campaign specifically for the Empower College and Career Center that includes developing a marketing program that will 1) promote the Career Center to parents, students, and business and industry throughout our community and 2) develop a comprehensive fundraising plan/tools to generate capital for the program.
Scope of Work:
The mission of EC3 is “Empowering learners for success in an ever-changing world.” Achieving this mission will require regional partnerships to help learners personalize their learning experience to better navigate their educational and career paths to achieve their overall career goals and aspirations. Empower seeks to improve student achievement, meet local/regional workforce development needs, and to have a positive impact on the overall economy of the region.
The primary goals of this project are to:
1. To inform parents and students of the educational opportunities that EC3 will offer and to recruit future students to the program;
2. To promote the dual enrollment program for secondary students and the traditional post-secondary experience for adult learners;
3. To recruit business and industry partners that will be engaged in the educational program through advisory committees, guest lecturers, work-based learning sites, industry tours, etc.; promote EC3 as an off-site location for continuing education and professional development; and serve as a work-force development engine for future employment needs of the community; and
4. To raise capital funds necessary for equipment, resources, potential building additions and renovations, and other financial needs for the day to day operation of the Empower College and Career Center.
The project will include the development of a comprehensive marketing plan and capital fundraising campaign. Audiences that the plan will need to reach include parents and students, individuals seeking new skill sets or career changes (traditional adult learners), educational agencies within the county, city and state school systems as well as post-secondary institutions involved in dual enrollment and post-secondary education (Lanier Technical College and the University of North Georgia), business and industry partners, and future investors.
More specifically, the outcomes of this project should include:
1. Analyzing and updating the overall goals of the EC3 marketing and capital fundraising campaign;
2. Creating strategic and research based recommendations to accomplish the goals of the marketing and capital fundraising campaigns;
3. Establishing a budget that maximizes traditional, digital, and other innovative media needed to accomplish goals and reach the targeted audiences;
4. Design work that will include but not be limited to Ads, Flyers, Posters, Signs, Social Media Posts, Press Releases, website recommendations, etc.;
5. Develop measureable outcomes to gauge the overall effectiveness of the marketing and capital fundraising campaign;
6. Any additional goals or outcomes that are necessary for the success of the plan but have not been included in this request.
Proposal Information and Requirements
The Jackson County School System and Empower College and Career Center will incorporate local stakeholder input throughout this process on the project. JCSS and the EC3 intends to contract with the selected marketing firm to provide a full and comprehensive marketing and capital fundraising campaign for the Empower College and Career Center. The firm will provide, but not be limited to, the previously stated goals. All final design products shall be provided to JCSS and EC3 in electronic format.
Basis of Evaluation
1. Ability to perform the required services as indicated by the technical training, education and general experience of the firm and of the particular experience of the personnel assigned to the project (weighted at 25%).
2. Experience of the firm and its staff members with comparable projects (weighted at 25%).
3. Ability in terms of workload and availability of fully qualified personnel and other resources to perform the required services (weighted at 10%).
4. Past performance references (weighted at 15%).
5. Demonstration of the following (weighted at 10%):
● Number of similar projects completed
● Community engagement process
● Needs analysis
● Project implementation cost estimating services
● Single point responsibility to plan, coordinate and manage the project, to include weekly update meetings, project oversight, quality of work assurance, etc.
● History of meeting project deadlines and required milestones
● Working relationships with other project professionals involved on the project 6. Fee structure; cost of services (weighted at 15%).
Submitting firms shall provide the following information and any other documentation to assist in the owner’s evaluation:
1. Include a brief history and philosophy of the firm and specific and/or unique characteristics that contribute to the success of the firm.
2. Resumes for key personnel who will be responsible for fulfilling the contract. Resumes should describe the experience, education, background, specific or technical accomplishments and any special qualifications applicable to contract performance
3. Provide three (3) references of current customers. For each reference, provide: organization name, contact person, summary of services provided and length of relationship.
4. Proof of Professional Liability Insurance and excess liability insurance umbrella coverage or such other insurance as is satisfactory and may be approved by the Plan Sponsor.
5. Any other special experience and/or qualifications relative to this project
Due Date:
no later than 2:00 PM legally prevailing time on Thursday, September 10, 2020
Address:
EMPOWER COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER 1668 WINDER HIGHWAY, JEFFERSON, GA 30549
Agencies to consider for this assignment include Devries Global and Finn Partners.
