Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Public Affairs Agency
Proposals are Due July 31, 2022, by 11:00 AM
B. Background
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) serves as the gateway to Central North Carolina and the Research Triangle region, including the largest research park in the United States.
RDU is governed by the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board (Board). The Board is made up of eight representatives with two appointments from each of the four owning bodies: City of Durham, Durham County, the City of Raleigh and Wake County.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacted legislation in 1939 enabling the cities of Raleigh and Durham and the counties of Wake and Durham to jointly establish, operate and maintain an airport and to appoint members to a board. The enabling act further authorized the Aeronautics Authority to “act in an administrative capacity and be vested with the authority to control, lease, maintain, improve, operate and regulate the airport.”
In 1945, the name changed to the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. The Board meets on the third Thursday of each month. During these meetings, the Board considers items on the agenda as well as any other matters deemed appropriate for discussion at that time.
The Board leads the Airport Authority in investing in tomorrow, elevating our region, delivering unparalleled service and providing a world-class experience, while planning for the future and connecting our passengers worldwide.
The Airport Authority owns and operates two passenger terminals, Terminals 1 and 2.
Terminal 1 is a nine-gate facility with approximately 160,000 square feet of total terminal area and accommodates Avelo Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines. Terminal 2 is a 36-gate facility accommodating Air Canada, Alaska, American, Bahamasair, Breeze, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Icelandair, Sun Country, United, and charter airlines, with approximately 1 million square foot of total terminal area.
Between the landside components of Terminals 1 and 2 is a multi-story parking garage containing approximately 9,913 spaces (Park Central), with an adjoining lot of approximately 1,359 spaces (Premier Parking).
Our Vision
To deliver a world-class airport experience…
SECTION III SCOPE OF WORK
The selected agency will work closely with the Authority’s Communications, Government and Community Affairs (CGCA) department in initiatives that include maintaining and strengthening the favorable reputation of the Authority and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), promoting the airport’s importance to the regional economy, executing paid advertising campaigns and 24/7 availability to assist with emergency events that require crisis communications expertise.
Experience working directly with RDU, other airports or the aviation industry is strongly preferred. The ideal contractor will also be skilled in crisis response and trained under the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
Services under this proposal will include, but not be limited to:
• Providing advice and counsel to executive leadership on issues related to public affairs, media relations, corporate social responsibility, community relations and overall corporate reputation,
• Providing training and feedback for leadership in preparing for media interviews and high-visibility events,
• Developing a multi-year strategy to guide the Authority’s efforts in areas including community relations, media relations, internal communications, and digital media,
• Identifying and pursuing strategies to reach target audiences including the media, elected officials, the business community, and the general public,
• Managing paid education campaigns, delivering metrics-driven reports, and being nimble and prepared to change strategies to achieve desired outcomes,
• Planning and development of communications strategies and initiatives, written materials, events and activities,
• Completing mandatory crisis communications training,
• Developing themes and messages that build and strengthen public awareness of the Authority’s mission, vision, core values, accomplishments, and quality of service.
• Growing and managing coalitions of business and community groups who recognize and promote RDU’s economic value to the Research Triangle region.
• Providing tactical assistance for CGCA’s day-to-day operations, including content development, social media support and logistical support for paid education and other campaigns.
• Advancing the Authority’s performance measurement capabilities through data-driven metrics,
• Managing third-party vendors to support creative development and outreach goals,
• Staying apprised of industry best standards and educating CGCA staff about new trends, technologies, and other developments,
• Crisis response, including strategic counsel and in-person support during a crisis or emergency.
The consultant may be asked to perform other strategic communications services to address emerging issues not mentioned in the sections above. The consultant is expected to have the flexibility to provide assistance with limited advanced notice, be able to adapt to changing or new requests and modify strategies based on learnings and market dynamics.
