(RFP-25-02-MDB)
Sponsorship and Product Promotion Program
Request for Proposals
Posted December 23, 2024
Deadline for Submissions
12:00 Noon (HST), Friday, January 31, 2025
Notice of Award (estimated)
March 24, 2025
Funding Available (estimated)
May 1 , 2025
Applicants must submit their proposals electronically in Adobe PDF format with all attachments via email to hdoa.MDBRFP@hawaii.gov.
The contact person for this Request for Proposal (RFP) is Brendan Akamu. Email: brendan.r.akamu@hawaii.gov for more information.
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA), Market Development Branch (MDB), is seeking proposals in response to Request for Proposals RFP-25-02-MDB.
Description
Act 164, SLH2023, as amended by Act 230, SLH2024 appropriated funds for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025 and included funds for the promotion of Hawaii agricultural products through marketing activities. The Sponsorship and Product Promotion RFP (SPP25) requests proposals from Hawaii-registered non-profit agricultural associations and non-profit commodity organizations for sponsorships and product promotion activities that will be conducted within the State. SPP25 will consider marketing activities conducted out-of-state that enhance the competitiveness of Hawaii agricultural products and provide extraordinary benefit to the members of the non-profit association or non-profit commodity organization.
To achieve this goal, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) announces the availability of program funds for projects to enhance the competitiveness of local agricultural products and their industries including, but not limited to, agritourism, apiary/beekeeping, aquaponics, dairy, eggs, fish (marine or freshwater), floriculture, livestock (cattle, goats, sheep, swine, poultry), organic, specialty crops, and value-added products (manufactured, processed).
A review of the proposals will include consideration of the offerors past performance on marketing and promotion projects. It is recommended that proposals include this information. Letters of support are encouraged.
SPP25 will consider proposals that request funds for marketing activities including, but not limited to, sponsorships for conferences, festivals, seminars, trade shows, or workshops for Hawaii agricultural products; and for product promotion projects for Hawaii agricultural products including, but not limited to, ad campaigns, development of banners, brochures, or posters, collaterals (bags, buttons, clips, pens, pencils, packaging, boxes), in-store demonstrations, sampling events, or website improvement.
SPP25 proposals shall be for sponsorship and promotion of statewide campaigns to increase local production of Hawaii agricultural commodities and/or support for the“Buy Local, It Matters” call-to-action campaign to increase demand for locally grown and processed agricultural products.
The HDOA will administer a competitive process to award funds with a minimum of $10,000 and maximum of $20,000 per proposal.
The primary goal of SPP25 will be to support Hawaii-registered non-profit associations’ and non-profit commodity organizations’ projects to implement marketing and product promotion activities.Project proposals must include at least one measurable, quantifiable outcome.
Consideration of Projects:
Project proposals and goals of offerors applying for sponsorship and product promotion funds should focus on the following categories:
* Introduces a product, method, technology, or process that achieves the goal of increasing local production of Hawaii agricultural commodities.
* Demonstrates the need for the project or promotional activity to attain full potential of an industry or agricultural product.
* Contributes a greater ratio of matching funds (cash or in-kind).
* Promotes a fledgling industry, with a lesser ability to pay for a product promotion program but with potential for expansion.
* Benefits a great number of the producers whose production accounts for a substantial portion of the value of the industry.
* Results in greater value to the State, including labor and material utilized, or value added within the State.
* Supports or promotes the Hawaii agricultural or ranching industry statewide.
SPP25 funds will be awarded for projects that will be completed within twelve (12) months after contract execution. Project funds will likely be available April to May 2025.
