REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND PROPOSALS – City of San Pablo: Economic Development Branding and Marketing Strategy
PROPOSALS DUE: September 30, 2024
The City of San Pablo (“City”) invites qualified firms, partnerships, corporations,
associations, persons or professional organizations (collectively, “Respondents”)
to respond to this Request for Qualifications and Proposal (“RFQ/RFP”) to develop
the City’s Economic Development brand identity, a marketing strategy and
placemaking plan, and provide marketing and branding services for the City.
Interested Respondents are invited to submit their proposals in response to this
RFQ/RFP as described below, with one (1) electronic copy on a USB drive, and
three (3) bound copies of requested materials addressed to:
City of San Pablo
Attention: City Clerk’s Office
1000 Gateway Avenue
San Pablo, CA 94806
All responses must be received by September 30, 2024 not later than 4:00 p.m.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION, OBJECTIVES AND BACKGROUND
Project Description: The City is seeking a qualified consultant (“Consultant”) to establish a brand and marketing strategy and placemaking plan and provide municipal marketing and branding functions.
As part of the City’s Economic Development Strategy, the City is interested in creating a brand and marketing strategy that establishes a clear identity that will resonate with the community. The consultant shall lead all aspects of the City community marketing and branding initiatives, including the following:
- Review and assess the City’s current marketing and branding efforts.
- Provide a summary of municipalities advantages in branding and marketing and recommendations to enhance the City’s competitive edge.
- Create branding for the City and for the Economic Development Department.
- Prepare a Communication Plan that includes preparation of press releases, social media posts, paid advertisements to market San Pablo in print and electronic media (local, state, national, and international audiences), and preparation of various newsletters, brochures, targeted
industry brochures, opportunity sites brochures, annual reports, summary flyers, among other requests.
a. Consultant shall design and disseminate content on the City’s behalf at the City’s direction.
b. Consultant shall provide data of effectiveness of marketing plan
c. Consultant shall provide design services as needed to ensure consistency with our marketing and branding efforts.
- Provide recommendations for promotional materials.
- Provide on-going marketing and advertising services.
TASKS AND DELIVERABLES
The City is seeking an effective, efficient and creative approach to providing the deliverables below and meeting the City’s goals for this project. Respondents to this RFQ/RFP shall provide a proposed detailed work plan and schedule, and then a final work plan and schedule will be negotiated with the selected consultant team.
DELIVERABLES:
Deliverables shall include:
- Kick-off meeting with City staff to confirm key responsibilities, scope of
work, schedule, and project goals.
- Monthly reports outlining significant meetings, discussions, actions, and results.
- Draft Brand and Marketing Strategy and Placemaking Plan and present to the Economic Development, Housing & Project Management Standing Committee and City Council.
- Brand and Marketing Strategy and Placemaking Plan to include the following:
o Brand execution plan
o Identification of core audiences
o Identification of needed marketing tools, public relations campaign strategies, and communication channels
o Placemaking/advertising strategy
o Advertising budget recommendation
- Branding Toolkit, including the following:
o Brand statement and messaging
o Brand tagline, communications, brand values, brand positioning, brand insights
o Brand color palette and font styles
o Implementation plan for brand identity application and brand identity maintenance plan
o Logo for City (if changed)
Style manual and guidelines for use and capability of use in the following: print and electronic advertising, media placement, public relations, events, templates,
implementation plan, etc.
o Sample Advertisement/flyer layouts
o Street and digital banner designs
o Brochure design templates to include a variety of guides, including visitor guides, recruitment packets, etc.
o Wayfinding signage
o Original content for social medial platforms to include content created for the specifications of each platform with multiple versions of the content made to the format, time length, and specification best suited for each channel.
o Photography to include both San Pablo-specific and stock imagery.
- Full design and dissemination of special projects to include various newsletters, brochures, targeted industry brochures, opportunity sites brochures, the City’s Annual Report, and one-page graphics/designs, among other printed and digital designs as requested.
- Final designs must also be provided as raw vectors and working files using Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop). The City reserves the right to request and/or require additional services determined necessary to carry out the project during the course of the contract.
BUDGET
Please submit a proposed cost for the tasks. Include billable hours and reimbursables, detailing a breakdown of the proposed budget by task, employee classification, billing rate and estimated hours per task. The Consultant will be supported by the City Manager’s Office Department staff.
The final budget and work plan will be negotiated with the selected consultant team.
