Media RFP Issued By UC San Diego
The purpose of this Request for Proposal (“RFP”) is to invite qualified bidders to prepare and submit proposals to furnish Media strategy and purchasing to the University of California, San Diego (“UC San Diego” or “University”), in accordance with the requirements set forth in this RFP. The overall objective of this RFP is to select a primary supplier to assist UC San Diego in establishing a cost effective and efficient program for strategic media buying. UC San Diego and UC San Diego Health (“UCSDH”) are interested in retaining the services of a strategic media buying partner. The awardee will utilize research findings and build on current messaging to implement multiple local and national multimedia campaigns to effectively inform and engage multiple target audiences for UC San Diego and UC San Diego Health across a number of media channels.
The successful execution of the UC San Diego media campaigns will enhance the reputation and awareness of multiple facets of the university among important external and internal target audiences, including prospective students, current students, parents and family of prospective and current students, guidance counselors, student influencers, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, industry partners, educators, researchers, elected officials, and community and opinion leaders. The successful execution of the UC San Diego Health media campaign will deliver strong reach of the UC San Diego Health message to raise awareness of our services and expertise as the only academic medical center in the region. Further, the media campaign will drive patient acquisition among internal and external audiences including health care consumers, UC San Diego employees, and payors.
Background:
University of California, San Diego
UC San Diego is an academic powerhouse and economic engine, recognized as one of the top public universities. Innovation is central to who we are and what we do. Here, students learn that knowledge isn’t just acquired in the classroom—life is their laboratory. UC San Diego is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through excellence in education and research at the undergraduate, graduate, professional school and postdoctoral levels. The campus is committed to community engagement, public service and industry partnerships in order to advance the health and well-being of our region, state, nation and the world. Our academic community of world-renowned faculty, bright students and dedicated staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation which spans the globe. To foster the best possible working and learning environment, our university strives to maintain a climate of fairness, cooperation, and professionalism, which is embodied in our campus Principles of Community. UC San Diego embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential ingredients of academic excellence in higher education. UC San Diego’s rich academic portfolio includes seven undergraduate colleges, five academic divisions and five graduate and professional schools. The university’s award-winning scholars are experts at the forefront of their fields with an impressive track record for achieving scientific, medical and technological breakthroughs.
UC San Diego Health
UC San Diego Health is one of five academic medical centers within the 10-campus University of California system. Collectively known as UC Health, these medical centers comprise the fourth largest health care delivery system in California and train nearly 50 percent of the state’s medical students and medical residents. As part of a public trust organization, UC Health serves as a safety net for individuals in need. Nearly 60 percent of UC patients are covered by Medicare, Medi-Cal or lack health insurance. To fulfill our mission, UC San Diego Health currently maintains a regional strategy, integrating research, teaching and clinical care at locations in Hillcrest and La Jolla. Each medical complex supports acute in-patient care and a spectrum of outpatient primary and specialty medical and surgical services, including emergency patient care. Ambulatory clinics located throughout the county further help us to deliver care to the entire region. Our three hospitals have a current combined capacity of 808 beds: UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest (390 beds), Jacobs Medical Center (364 beds) and Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center (54 beds). UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest serves as a core clinical teaching site for UC San Diego School of Medicine and the focal point for community service programs. It houses several specialty care centers that allow the urban campus to serve as a major tertiary and quaternary referral center for San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties. These include the area’s only Regional Burn Center, and one of only two adult Level I Trauma Centers in the county. The campus is also home to the Owen Clinic, among the nation’s top HIV care programs. The La Jolla campus is home to Jacobs Medical Center, which opened in 2016, and Moores Cancer Center, the primary site for outpatient oncology care and the region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Care Center. The La Jolla campus also includes Shiley Eye Institute, a multi-specialty vision center with the region’s only facility dedicated to children, as well as Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, the region’s first comprehensive cardiovascular center. In April 2018, the Koman Family Outpatient Pavilion opened to patient care, expanding our services in orthopedics, urology, breast health, advanced imaging, rehab and outpatient surgeries. UC San Diego Health offers primary, urgent and express care at clinics conveniently located throughout the region. Our physicians also provide care to patients at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego and Veteran Affairs San Diego Healthcare System These combined sites and partnerships enable UC San Diego Health offer highly specialized services and a continuum of care that can heal and comfort our patients.
Department Backgrounds
University Communications (UC) is the institution-wide strategic marketing and communications authority within UC San Diego. It is led by the UC San Diego CCMO, who has day-to-day responsibility for campus communications and strategic responsibility for UC San Diego Health communications. University Communications staff manage the brand and reputation of the campus through earned, owned and shared media channels. The department comprises a full range of marketing and communication professionals.
Scope of Work:
Supplier agrees to perform the Services listed in the statement of work and any other documents referenced in the Incorporated Documents section herein. Unless otherwise provided in the Agreement, UC will not be obligated to purchase a minimum amount of Goods and/or Services from Supplier. The ideal media buying partner would satisfy the following criteria:
• Ability to maximize impact of a limited budget with competitive rate negotiation, creative packaging of buys, and/or added value as appropriate.
• Deep understanding of the local, regional, national and international media markets
• Comprehensive expertise in advertising media channels (print, digital, outdoor, broadcast, etc.) and tactics (paid social, display, paid search, native content, etc.)
• Comprehensive expertise in developing strategic omnichannel media campaigns
• Purchasing strategy that balances consistency of presence, with frequency and reach of target audience and measurable results
• Established relationship with media that allows adjustment to scope of buys and scheduling as needed as well as the opportunity to review new opportunities
• Highly flexible and responsive account personnel who will work as a team with University Communications, UC San Diego Health Marketing, and our advertising agency partners.
• Understanding of the California higher education landscape preferred
• Understanding of the San Diego health care landscape preferred
• Access to consumer and media research (ie: Nielson) and competitive spend reports to help inform recommendations
• Experience in recommending KPIs and implement tracking which determines post-campaign reporting
• Ability to report on an ongoing basis, utilize analytics to optimize campaigns and deliver post-campaign analytics to evaluate effectiveness of both placement and message
• Ability to create a persistent analytics dashboard for up-to-date on-demand review of campaign performance preferred
• Experience working with large and/or public research institutions of higher education and health systems
• Ability to investigate media opportunities both independently and at direction of the University
• Ongoing review and assessment of scheduled buy and new buy opportunities
• Direct client access to comprehensive planning, buying and strategy team
• Deep integration with client strategy, purchasing and creative team
1. The main objectives of the messaging initiatives are:
1. To positively influence target audiences’ awareness and perceptions of UC San Diego’s reputation and prestige
2. To build awareness of the unique strengths that support UC San Diego’s mission of education, research and public service
3. To positively influence target audiences’ perceptions of UC San Diego Health’s unique strengths to support the mission of teaching, research and clinical care.
4. To raise awareness of UCSDH and increase patient volumes
5. To build new levels of support and allegiance to UCSD among specialized target audiences locally, regionally and nationally (especially donors, potential donors, alumni, prospective students, parents and key thought and civic leaders);
6. To cultivate a sense of pride in, ownership of, and recognition of UCSD’s brand among members of the internal campus community (students, staff and faculty), with an emphasis on cultivating a strong identity and sense of place.
2. Deliverables The firm awarded a contract for these services will provide the following deliverables:
Consulting Services Identification of target audience(s), making budget recommendations, conducting preliminary market and media research, providing competitive data, compiling research data/findings, creating/collaborating on media plans, processing media credit applications and contracts, determining and communicating deadlines, creating insertion orders for media placement and other consulting services. Media Placement, Execution and Reconciliation Services Implementing Client approved media plans, creating insertion orders, submitting Client approved insertion orders to media vendors, trafficking copy instructions, revising insertion orders, ongoing communication/liaison with media vendors, monitoring media placed, invoice reconciliation, overseeing media make goods and credits, summarizing media schedules and/or other services deemed by the Company to be necessary. Reporting Ongoing and persistent reporting and assessment of media analytics through presentations and an electronic dashboard
6. Response Requirements Please provide responses that address and provide specifics on the following deliverables:
1. Corporate Background and Expertise Concisely describe your company, its products and services, history, ownership, location(s), financial information, client base and other information you deem relevant. Please provide brief biographical information on your company’s principals and personnel who would manage and service this account.
2. Client Experience Describe any projects you have been involved in that are similar in concept to this RFP. Provide purpose and outcome of the engagement; a strategic, creative management and operations approach; timelines and any relevant lessons learned. Please demonstrate your firm’s:
1. account management experience in strategic planning, marketing;
2. experience in implementing targeted multimedia campaigns (print, out-of-home, radio, digital, paid search, paid social, television;
3. media planning and buying capabilities. Including a breakdown of percentages of your annual media spend into the following categories: Local (San Diego) Regional, National, International (if applicable). Please also include a breakdown of the following categories: Broadcast, Print, Digital, Out of Home;
4. understanding and/or experience(s) working in the higher education and/or health care landscape.
3. Scope of Services Methodology
Describe how your firm will provide the deliverables in Section 5. Scope of Work, 2. Deliverables. For each deliverable, please explain your firm’s ability, resources and proposed approach to perform the services.
Due Date:
August 28th, 2020 4:00PM PT
Address:
University of California, San Diego, Contracts Dept.
10280 N Torrey Pines Rd., #456 9500 Gillman Drive, Mail Code 0916
La Jolla, CA 92093-0916
Agencies worth considering for this assignment include Ruder Finn and Finn Partners .
