REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) SAN JUAN WATER DISTRICT COMMUNICATIONS/MARKETING SUPPORT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES

Proposals Due (3:00 p.m.) June 8, 2023

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

San Juan Water District (SJWD or District) is seeking proposals from qualified firms for Communications/Marketing Support and Graphic Design Services on a time and materials basis. This will be a competitive negotiation process. Qualified individuals, firms, contractors, consultants or entities (hereinafter “Contractors”) that meet the requirements set forth in this Request for Proposals and are capable of providing the services requested are encouraged to participate.

The Communications/Marketing Support and Graphic Design Services would be provided for the entire District. The District provides wholesale treated water supplies to Fair Oaks and Citrus Heights Water Districts, Orange Vale Water Company, the City of Folsom north of the American River (the Ashland area), and the San Juan Water District retail service area. The District also treats and conveys surface water to Sacramento Suburban Water District (SSWD) when surface water supplies from Folsom Reservoir are available to SSWD. San Juan Water District – Retail provides service to 10,800 accounts with an estimated population of just under 30,000. San Juan Water District – Wholesale provides water to just over 151,000 people without SSWD customers and just under 325,000 with.

Recent drought conditions, increased rates, increased regulatory and legislative actions, and growing distrust of governmental agencies has influenced the district’s relationship with its ratepayers.

Working with the Contractor, the District would like to accomplish the following goals:  Improve visibility and transparency with its customers:

• Increase program engagement
• Demonstrate the value of water
• Share upcoming regulatory/legislative issues
• Promote trust
• Gain public support and acceptance for future spending efforts
• Increase customer satisfaction

The District currently has used the following tools in the past with some success and would rely on the Contractor to determine if continued use is encouraged: bi-monthly newsletter to retail customers, annual report to wholesale customer agencies and their customers, monthly e-blasts using robust list of email addresses, weekly social media posts, bi-monthly bill messages, bill inserts, semi-annual toolkits distributed to wholesale contacts, seasonal workshops, a demonstration garden, and an informational website. All published information is available on the District’s website at sjwd.org.

DELIVERABLES

Flexibility shall be given to the Contractor but the District would like the following deliverables:

• Development and implementation of a marketing and communications plan/strategy that meets the District’s stated goals. Plan shall include:

• Method to measure success
• Recommended tools for increased communication/outreach
• Identify objectives to meet stated goals
• Creative development
• Graphic design services
• Providing other related services on an as needed basis

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND CONTENTS

Proposals submitted for this project are to follow the outline described below and must address all requested information. Any additional information that the Contractor wishes to include that is not specifically requested may be included in an appendix to the proposal. Contractors are encouraged to keep the proposals brief and to the point, but sufficiently detailed to allow evaluation of the project approach.

Section 1: Project Overview

Provide a narrative description of your Agency’s approach for providing communications/marketing support and graphic design services to the District based on the goals and deliverables presented in the RFP. District staff will assess the Contractor’s understanding of the project based on the overview.

Section 2: Statement of Qualifications/Responsiveness

Describe your Agency’s experience with accounts of similar size, scope, structure and need. Include a detailed description of your Agency. Include an outline of any experience your Agency has had in meeting the needs of other water districts or governmental agencies. Provide a list of 3 references with points of contact.

Section 3: Creativity

Describe your Agency’s creative process and provide examples of creative work provided to past clients that demonstrates the Contractors’ ability to build and maintain exceptional public marketing campaigns and public relations strategies.

Section 3: Project Team

The project team, including subconsultants, shall be identified with key tasks and the associated responsible personnel for each task identified. The geographic location of the Contractor and key personnel shall also be identified.

Section 4: Brand Management

Explain how your Agency has successfully created, implemented, and managed a client’s brand. Please provide actual examples of work performed in this area.

Section 5: Social Media and Media Relations

Describe your Agency’s ability to successfully and creatively employ social media to communicate your client’s messages. Please provide examples. Also, describe your Agency’s abilities with media relations and examples of past successes on your client’s behalf.

Section 6: Graphic Design

Please describe your Agency’s ability to provide graphic design services and your capacity to handle multiple projects on tight deadlines. Please provide work examples. Note that work provided can be from firms that you have directed as subcontractors or partners.

Section 7: Communication

Describe the systems your Agency uses to communicate with your clients. Also, describe the systems you use to assign, track and evaluate work performed by your staff.

Section 8: Billing and Invoicing

Describe your Agency’s billing and accounting system as it relates to this contract.

Explain your Agency’s capacity to handle subcontractors and vendors. Explain how those costs are expensed and what, if any, markup of those subcontracted services would occur.

Section 9: Pricing

Please provide per hour pricing list by service rendered as indicated in the RFP. Please include the same for all subcontractors or partners. Include any proposed mark-up for sub-consultant fees. Provide cost information in a separate, well-marked, sealed envelope.

Section 10: Conflicts of Interest

Contractors submitting a proposal in response to this RFP must disclose any actual, apparent, direct or indirect, or potential conflicts of interest that may exist with respect to the firm, management, or employees of the firm or other persons relative to the services to be provided under the agreement for services to be awarded pursuant to this RFP. If a firm has no conflicts of interests, a statement to that effect shall be included in the proposal.

Section 11: Proprietary Information

Firms submitting a proposal in response to this RFP must provide a statement that nothing contained in the submitted proposal is considered proprietary. All proposals shall become the property of the District once submitted.

Section 12: District Standard Contract

The District uses the standard contract provided in Attachment 1. Please review and

identify any changes that will be required by the consultant if selected. If no changes are

required, make a statement that no changes will be required.