Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority Issues Marketing & Public Relations RFP
Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority, known locally as GWTA, is a growing, vibrant, technologically advanced public transit system seeking proposals from qualified marketing/public relations firms to manage and expand the public outreach and marketing strategy for the GWTA public transportation system. Experience in traditional and nontraditional media advertising, word of mouth advertising, social media, research, & public relations are all helpful. We are seeking an ongoing campaign that incorporates a wide range of marketing strategies that will effectively promote, increase awareness and ridership, and implement branding of GWTA services to key audiences.
Background:
Wayne County and Goldsboro have had a history with public transportation from their very beginning. Waynesborough was the early settlement situated on the Neuse River. It was on the river to facilitate trade and goods were easily moved by river. As railroads came on the scene, Goldsboro was located on the Wilmington to Weldon Railroad. At the time this was the longest railroad in the world. The railroad carried passengers and goods to and from our county. These were the very roots of public transportation. Goldsboro has seemed to have a yearning for public transportation for many years. In the early 20th century, downtown Goldsboro had trolley cars. The tracks are still visible in some places. In the late 1960s and early 1970s there was a move to start a public bus system but as a private enterprise. This failed but Goldsboro had several Cab Companies that thrived for many years until Gateway came on the scene.
Wayne Interagency Transportation (WAIT) was started around 1976. It was started by the Wayne County Commissioners to provide transportation for the human service agencies. At this time social workers were transporting clients in their private vehicles to medical appointments and other places they needed to go. WAGES, Wayne County Sheltered Workshop, Wayne Services on Aging and Wayne County Mental Health had their own vans they were transporting people to programs and places they needed to go. In the 1980s, the North Carolina Department of Transportation asked each county to put in a coordinated system of transportation for rural areas. Every agency turned in vans to start this coordinated system. In Wayne County, Wayne County Services on Aging became the lead agency. The County Commissioners appointed a local oversight board of both agency staff and private citizens.
Scope of Work:
This contract shall begin July 1st, 2019 and end June 30th, 2022 and will contain an option to extend for up to two (2) one-year periods. The selected firm may be requested to develop, maintain and/or create the following items:
• Public outreach materials and promotional items, media kits, corporate information packets, advertising media (print & electronic) and other associated items for internal & external use (regular service & special events)
• Customer satisfaction surveys
• Ridership counts
• GWTA website
• All signage and graphics for bus shelters, transit equipment, bus stop signs, etc.
• Attendance at GWTA Board of Directors and staff meetings
• Advertising/marketing strategies for ridership development and growth
• System & route map development & updates; associated comprehensive and individual schedule brochures & stop level schedule displays;
• Multi-Ride Pass media design & development
• Research & development of revenue generating advertising program options
• Graphics and materials associated with the marketing program and strategies as needed
• Development of high quality, economical production options
Due Date:
June 21st, 2019.
Address:
Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority
Attn: Don C. Willis
PO Box 227
Goldsboro, NC 27533
Agencies with Relevant experience includes Finn Partners and Ruder Finn.
