Police Recruiting Marketing RFP Issued
The Redmond (WA) Police Department (RPD) is soliciting proposals to partner with the most capable marketing firm to enhance the department’s recruiting efforts. The Department is looking to create a digital marketing campaign, strong web presence, and recruiting video production that truly embodies the values and rich history that make the Redmond Police Department unique from any other. The firm should have experience in marketing research, message/positioning development, including the development of a brand values statement; and graphic standards; recommendations for brand rollout and implementation to include interactive and social media marketing as well as traditional marketing, media and promotions; and recommendations for results tracking/measurement.
Background
The Redmond Police Department, like many other law enforcement agencies around the nation, has struggled in recent years to attract an abundance of qualified applicants. One of the most challenging internal issues facing agencies is recruiting, selecting, and retaining both sworn and professional staff. Given the current climate of the law enforcement profession, recruiting the next generation of police officers has proven to be more difficult than ever. Area law enforcement agencies are competing for the same diminishing pool of applicants. The City’s current hiring process consists of posting job announcements on the City of Redmond website and other local media outlets. Career and job fairs have been the cornerstone of police recruiting efforts. The Department has continued to use these and other outreach strategies to attract candidates, such as advertising in magazines, professional social networking, traditional job fairs, and proactive community partnerships. The fact remains that the Redmond Police Department continues to be challenged with retaining police officers, losing them to other career opportunities and retirement. Recruiting and retaining quality officers and professional staff is an important issue and we desire to expand our recruitment efforts to hire qualified personnel who are diverse and reflective of our community.
Scope of Work
1. Summary
The City of Redmond is issuing this RFI to solicit information on available contractors to assist the Police Department in creating and implementing a brand strategy and communication tools in support of enhanced police recruitment.
2. City or Redmond website
The current system (Redmond.gov) is maintained by the City of Redmond Technology and Information Services Department and communications division, using the Civic Plus platform. https://www.civicplus.com/. All recommended web pages should be designed to be implemented into the city’s website.
3. Product Objectives
The scope of services is a general guide to the work the Department expects to be performed and is not a complete listing of all services that may be required or desired. The selected firm will work closely with the Redmond Police Department’s Chief and Recruitment and Retention Team.
The following work tasks are assumed necessary to provide the advertising and marketing services. Proposing firms may suggest a modified scope as part of their proposal.
1. Create an marketing outreach strategy and collaborate with the RPD Chief and Recruitment and Retention Team to develop the concepts for a recruitment advertising campaign;
2. Research current trends and analysis of our employee attrition rate and provide a metric to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign. Have the capacity to identify gaps in the existing strategy and assist the RPD with new and measurable alternative strategies to achieve the hiring goals;
3. Develop creative marketing elements that include things such as, design concepts, messaging, and other products that uniquely represent the RPD and the goals of this campaign;
4. Provide all required creative artwork design and native files for print and digital communications, such as storyboards, posters, banners, table covers, advertising, video, and special event promotions, to be used as recruitment tools. Creation of art, copy, printing, etc., shall be performed promptly to provide for completion in accord with anticipated deadlines. The firm shall understand and agree that all artwork, copy, etc., created as part of performance under this proposed contract, shall become the property of the City of Redmond (City) and may be used by the RPD and the City for any purpose without approval or payment to the firm. The firm shall make available all proofs for review and approval by the RPD Recruitment and Retention Team;
5. Develop an advertising plan to include, but not limited to, web, video, and social media. The RPD will make officers and equipment available for the photo/video shoot at a mutually agreed upon time. Any video production shall be suitable for multiple social media platforms such as, but not limited to, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram;
6. Conduct focus groups and market research to determine the most effective messaging and advertising platforms and placements. Further, assist the RPD by placing advertisements in print, on the internet, and other media sources.
7. Create an outline, template and any graphic needs for webpages specifically geared towards recruitment. City staff will finalize the webpages within the city’s exiting Civic Plus Platform, using the design elements provided by vendor
RFI Content: Lucas Cometto
Sr. Purchasing Agent
Email: lcometto@redmond.gov
Tel: 425-556-2184
Responses Due: June 29, 2021 at 2:00 PM (PST)
Agencies to consider for this assignment include Berlin Rosen and MWW PR.
