North Miami Beach Issues Media Relations RFP

The City of North Miami Beach has issued an RFP for Marketing and Media Relations Service. The City of North Miami Beach, Florida and its Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) are soliciting proposals from highly qualified marketing and public relations firms with extensive experience in brand review/management, marketing, public relations, media relations, content creation and crisis communication. The chosen firm shall provide comprehensive and innovative services to powerfully position the organization with well-articulated message that will help create a unified image of the City and the CRA through brand awareness, business development and tourism promotion. In the overall marketing initiative, consideration should be given to the fact that special events and business development are driving economic growth for the City and are important to its vitality.

DESCRIPTION OF CITY OF NORTH MIAMI BEACH:

The City of North Miami Beach is a first-tier suburb in northeastern Miami-Dade County, which is located in the southeast part of Florida. Located midway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale with excellent regional highway access, it is primarily a residential and shopping community. Its central location and easy access has made North Miami Beach one of South Florida’s best known regional shopping areas and offers a wide variety of recreational, cultural, and dining experiences. The City of North Miami Beach celebrated its 90th Anniversary in 2016, and is “the City on the Rise” in South Florida.

SCOPE OF SERVICES:

The selected Proposer shall provide a full range of services including but not limited to a comprehensive marketing plan with crisis communications, media relations, social media, graphic design and marketing, video production, public affairs, and brand management. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

1. Proposer Campaign
   The Successful Proposer will perform a strategic assessment of the current brand, marketing, and design concepts; manage the ongoing communication projects; develop a marketing strategy moving forward; and, measure the media campaigns effectiveness throughout the contract period. The marketing campaign for the City and CRA should include:
   • Creative Campaign. To promote the overall City brand and its diversity of offerings: History, art, and culture, theater, parks and recreation, shopping, dining, entertainment, hotel & residences and events. The successful Proposer shall utilize and incorporate the existing creative concepts and promotional materials to continue the City marketing campaign, as well as create additional concepts that coordinate with the City creative brand identity. All creative ideas, artwork and projects shall be presented and approved by the City’s Manager and reviewed by the City Manager’s office throughout the term of contract.
   • Public Relations & Communication. Develop a pro-active public relations plan that deals with the media and promotes specific public relation driven events. Deliver a positive message for locals, visitors, businesses and residents that are based upon the positive realities and promising vision for the future.The Successful Proposer shall be responsible for the development and execution of the following:
     • Overall media relations plan and execution;
     • Cooperative marketing efforts;
     • Press kit development and maintenance;
     • Press release development and distribution;
     • Media liaison for all media related issues regarding City, including crisis management support on “as-needed” basis; and,
     • Strengthen community and business relations.
2. Objectives for the Website
   • Proposer shall agree to work in conjunction with the City’s vendor for website modernization. The Proposer shall agree to continuously provide informative and relevant content and engage the City’s target audience.
3. Social Media Strategy and Communications
   • Proposer shall collaborate and provide advisement for social media communications on the City’s Social Media accounts (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter)
   • Proposer shall actively post and respond to comments on behalf of the City
   • Proposer shall provide informative and relevant content for the City’s Information Channel 77
4. Comprehensive Marketing Plan (Brand Review/Management, Marketing and Media Relations)
   • Proposer shall perform a strategic assessment of the existing branding to realize how well it does or doesn’t align with the City’s image today to then direct a community brand/message refresh
   • Proposer shall create a long-range marketing / action plans to reach targeted markets
   • Proposer shall recommend a mix of advertising, media relations, promotions and collateral and provide creative advertising concepts and strategies
   • Proposer shall review existing communication vehicles (social media, website, quarterly newsletter, brochures) and recommend a streamlined solution
   • Proposer shall design and produce print, video, online and all collateral materials
   • Proposer shall provide detailed media relations, publicity, promotional plans to stimulate business recruitment/retention, tourism and event attendance through advertisement program
   • Proposer shall provide outline for tracking and reporting marketing strategies and monitoring the success of the campaign
   • Proposer shall direct City communications when the City faces a crisis situation.
5. Media Market. Firm must have strong media relationships within local communities that have delivered tangible results, including story placement results (Print & TV), access to critical databases and able to provide all-inclusive contact information to the City’s Manager. The firm will be expected to provide periodic evaluations and recaps of all public relations efforts as requested by the City Manager.
   • Strategic Media Plan. Work with the City Manager to develop and implement, within budgets, a strong marketing and advertising plan aimed at increasing attendance and businesses to the City. The firm will be expected to provide periodic evaluations and recaps of the media buys and strategic plan as requested by the City Manager.
     • Services include media budgeting and appropriate media mix recommendations, remarketing, Internet marketing, media negotiations, including mandatory added-value for all mediums, media buying, and media reconciliation (post buy analysis and payment for services).
     • Determine media types to be used and considered for campaign that take into consideration: cost efficiency, target ability, reach potential, tactics and creative consideration. Media mix recommendation should take into consideration, but not limited to: Cable television, website with content management, promotional projects (monthly calendar, newsletter, window posters, brochures, etc.), outreach programs (concierge marketing event, mobile marketing, and event sponsorships), billboard, radio, print etc. and special projects as requested by the City Manager. National media pitches for certain projects may be requested by the City Manager.
6. Implementation
   During the term of the contract, the Successful Proposer shall meet with the City Manager or designee to discuss project scope, as necessary. Meetings shall take place as deemed necessary to evaluate the campaign and to discuss progress and unique issues that may have surfaced.

Additional Services:

The City reserves the right to utilize the Successful Proposer, when deemed necessary, to provide continuing assistance/services in marketing and media relations as needed in the future under this contract.
Proposer shall state the length of time the company has been in business providing the services requested in this
RFP.

1. Proposer shall have prior experience with providing the following services;
   • Crisis Communications
     • Public Records Request
2. As an advisor on traditional and social media outreach in a crisis communications situation for a municipality in Miami-Dade County and South Florida
3. Knowledge of State of Florida Division of Emergency Management and Federal Emergency Management
4. Working with municipalities on crisis communications response to both man-made disasters and severe weather events
5. Working with municipalities on crisis communications for Police involved incidents/issues and other sensitive law enforcement investigations

Media Relations:

1. As a municipal contractor assisting with media relations or public affairs in South Florida to include a familiarity with or knowledge of North Miami Beach
2. As journalist in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale media market or top 20 media market
3. Covering local government issues as a journalist
4. As journalist or news manager involving coverage of the Caribbean and Latin America
5. In local or network television, radio and print in South Florida media markets
6. Running training seminars involving media relations and/or social media for municipalities

Social Media:

1. Working with Miami-Dade and/or South Florida municipalities on social media issues as an advisor.
2. Assisting in the creation of social media content including video for a municipality
3. With editorial calendars and content scheduling for social media and websites

Graphic Design & Marketing:

1. Member/Members of team can provide graphic design services for the creation of brochures, newsletters, magazines, resident communications (digital and print), power point/key note presentations, public notices, CRA meeting information packets, certificates, agendas, minutes, and resolutions, etc.

Video Production:

1. Creating, shooting, editing, or producing video content for a municipality in South Florida
2. As a videographer, photographer, or content creator with a traditional or new media organization in the South Florida media market or network/national level
3. Public Affairs
4. Planning or participating in large scale, scheduled public events
5. Telephone and electronic town hall meetings
6. Coach city staff and/or elected officials for public speaking engagements
7. Speech writing
8. Talking points creation
9. Litigation support

Proposal due by May 4th, 2017 to:

PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT DIVISION ATT: Meghan Cianelli Bennett
17011 NORTH EAST 19th AVENUE, ROOM 315
NORTH MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33162

Miami PR firms include Zimmerman PR.