Troy University (TROY or the University) is soliciting proposals for marketing, advertising, public relations and related services. These specialties may include management/planning, research, strategy, design, media planning and buying, production, communication services and website/digital development.
The selected proposer(s) will work with the Office of Marketing and Communication to achieve the University’s goals for growth and enhancing the brand. The proposer(s) must have a successful record of assisting organizations achieve their goals through innovative, leading edge marketing activities. TROY is looking for strategic partner(s)—sophisticated, highly integrated and engaged firm(s) with strong subject matter expertise, experience in the promotion of higher education, creative and media capabilities, and a proven, results-oriented background in branding as well as acquisition/lead-generation marketing both online and off.
TROY anticipates awarding to multiple marketing and advertising agencies although if one firm brings best-in-class capabilities in all areas and communicates its interest in being a full-service agency, that will be considered. TROY sees the areas of service to fall into multiple categories that address a range of target audiences. In addition, TROY will continue to utilize internal resources when deemed to be in the best interest of the University.
Background:
Founded in 1887 in Troy, Alabama as a normal school for teachers, today Troy University reaches students around the world through more than 160 quality programs offered in face‐to‐face, online and blended formats. TROY is a student‐focused, public institution serving 23,000+ traditional, nontraditional, international and military students with more than 160,000 alumni worldwide.
BRAND ATTRIBUTES
Troy University’s brand attributes are:
· International (global) – “Alabama’s International University”
· Accessible
· Large, far-reaching
· Multicultural
· Friendly, with a “culture of caring”
· Warm & Inviting
· Individual attention / students are known by name
Proven – “Value”
· 130+ years of traditions and excellence – Consistently ranked among the “Best” in the Nation
· 160,000+ alumni worldwide – “Trojan Warriors One & All”
· Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
· Quality academics – Sorrell College of Business achieved dual AACSB accreditation this year.
· Winning Division 1 athletic programs – “One TROY”
· 60+ years of service to military-affiliated students – TROYCOM and TROY for Troops
· Pioneer in online learning – “Alabama’s Online Leader”
· Preparing students for the World of Work and more
· Responsive to markets, communities and individuals
· Lifelong
· Supporting resources
· Affordable
• Value-centered – “The Trojan Way”
· Community / Service-oriented
· Respected
• Forward-thinking – “TROY for Life”
· Creative
· Innovative
· Entrepreneurial
· Agile
FOCUS AREAS AND AUDIENCES
TROY focuses marketing resources on several primary strategic areas, communicating to a range of audiences.
· Enrollment, branding and awareness
· Traditional Troy Campus prospects and current Troy Campus students
· High school students
· Transfers from two-year schools and other institutions
· High school dual-enrollment (Accelerate) students
· Parents
· Nontraditional prospects and current in-class or online adult students
· Online and Blended (online and in class)
· Adult prospects with some higher education experience transferring credits
· Adult prospects with no previous higher education credits
· Adult prospects who have completed their undergraduate education and now wish to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree
· Community and corporate partner members
· Alumni wishing to return to college to complete or advance their education
· International prospects
· Priority languages for translation are: Mandarin, Vietnamese and Spanish
· Top areas of focus include China, Asia and Latin America
· Student prospect categories:
· Prospects wishing to study in the United States as full-time undergraduate or graduate students
· Prospects wishing to study English as a Second Language (ESL)
· Prospects wishing to study abroad with a partner institution
· Parents making financial / travel decisions
Scope of Work:
Troy University is seeking proposals for services in the categories listed below. Each proposer must specify the categories of marketing and advertising services for which it is submitting a proposal and respond accordingly as specified in this solicitation document.
Use the Technical Proposal Form (Appendix B) for additional category details and to select all categories that apply to the services offered in your RFP response.
CATEGORIES
1. Full-service (all categories)
2. Research, strategy and positioning; Creative design and campaign development
3. Media planning, negotiation and buying
4. Production services for broadcast, video, photo and related needs
5. Traditional broadcast, print and outdoor marketing including planning and metrics
6. Online/digital marketing including planning and metrics
7. Digital/web design and development services including planning and metrics
8. Customer relationship management and communication services including planning and metrics
9. University relations including crisis management including planning and metrics
10. Development marketing and support for fundraising services including planning and metrics
11. Athletics marketing and support for ticket sales and fundraising services including planning and metrics
12. Expert services by subject matter (project-by-project contract)
Note: Print services including magazine, collateral, print-on-demand, direct mail and other printed marketing will only be awarded through the full-service category. We will not accept proposals for print services under this RFP as a stand-alone category.
TROY reserves the right to award to one proposer, multiple proposers, make a partial award, or no award as deemed in its best interest. Other services may be requested as needed under the resulting contract(s).
MEDIA PLAN OVERVIEW
Troy University operates under a centralized marketing and advertising model with one media plan for enrollment that supports four primary locations in Alabama, 17 additional Support Center locations in the U.S., various international sites, plus TROY Online. The plan is comprehensive in that it supports Troy University’s message at the international, national and local levels across a variety of target audiences through both direct response and traditional awareness-based platforms.
Troy University’s primary goal for paid media placement is to drive enrollment.
Marketing Expenditures: Marketing expenditures for this fiscal year are anticipated to be between $4 and $5 million dollars. This amount includes brand and acquisition activities across multi-medium platforms such as broadcast, print, digital, social, search, outdoor, direct mail, email and more. Additional information will be provided during the pre-proposal conference.
Troy University RFP 20-005 for Marketing and Creative Services Page 7
PHASES OF THE RFP
Phase I: In Phase I, all proposers will provide a Technical Proposal demonstrating the categories of offered services and a Price Proposal to cover offerings. See Appendix B for the Technical Proposal Transmittal Form and Appendix C for the sample Price Proposal.
Phase II: In Phase II, selected proposers will be asked to provide an Oral Presentation and Price Discussion. Additional details will be provided to those selected to participate including the topics, time periods, and requested personnel.
Contract Award: The successful proposer(s) shall submit a proposed agreement(s), the scope and terms of the contract shall consist of the RFP, any amendments thereto, and the vendor’s proposal in response to the RFP.
Due Date:
November 6, 2019
Address:
Troy University
Vanessa Maulden, Purchasing and Asset Management Specialist
100 University Park Troy, AL 36082
Attention: Marketing and Creative Services RFP 20-005
or to marketing@troy.edu
Relevant agencies include Finn Partners and Ruder Finn.