RFP FOR ADVERTISING AGENCY SERVICES | MAY 2022
1. GENERAL
1.0. Background. The Center City District (“CCD”) is a private sector-sponsored municipal authority established to create a safer, cleaner, well-managed downtown Philadelphia. Programs funded by CCD assessments on properties within District boundaries are designed to supplement, but not replace those services provided by the City of Philadelphia (“City”). CCD programs include five broad categories of services: Sidewalk Cleaning Services, Streetscape and other Capital Improvements, Safety and Hospitality Services, Marketing and Membership Services and Management and Programming of four Center City parks. This RFP relates to the management of CCD’s marketing and promotional activities through a variety of advertising agency services, more fully described herein.
1.1. Center City District. The CCD was established in 1990 to create a safer, cleaner, well-managed downtown. It is governed by a board of 23 business leaders and property owners, as well as health care, hospitality, retail, civic and neighborhood representatives. CCD programs include, but are not limited to sidewalk cleaning, graffiti removal, streetscape improvements and maintenance, crime prevention and general pedestrian assistance, as well as marketing and promotional activities designed to enhance the image and “experience” of Center City. CCD also manages and programs four Center City parks, three through long-term leases with the City of Philadelphia and one owned through a subsidiary, the Center City District Foundation (“CCDF”). For an overview of all CCD services see www.centercityphila.org/ccd-services.
The CCD’s services are funded primarily through charges assessed to over 1,500 benefitted properties, which are billed and collected directly by the CCD, based on values determined by the Office of Property Assessment of the City of Philadelphia (OPA).
1.2. Purpose of Request for Proposals. The CCD seeks proposals for the creative development for various marketing and promotional programs, in cooperation with CCD’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications and other senior staff. The goal of the marketing program is to promote and position Center City Philadelphia as the place to do business, visit, live and enjoy in the Philadelphia region and to raise the visibility and success of CCD parks, and particularly in 2022, to communicate about and help prompt Center City’s economic recovery.
2. SCOPE OF SERVICES
2.0. Background. The CCD is seeking a full-service advertising agency to provide the services relating to creative development/execution, of collateral and ad material trafficking and production, media buying including digital media.
2.1. Specific Services Required. The CCD expects its selected agency to provide the following services:
Work with the marketing and other senior staff to develop, produce and execute a marketing campaign which includes a multi-faceted strategy and approach along with a series of promotions designed to support recovery from the pandemic and promotion of both Center City’s retail/restaurant community as well as its office sector, that may include, but not limited to:
• Creative development, production and execution of two (2) CCD Restaurant Week or restaurant promotional campaigns per year including collateral/ads, such as, but not limited to: brochures, bus shelter ads, check inserts, print ads, and digital media;
• Creative development, production and execution of one (1) CCD SIPS promotion per including, collateral/ads, such as, but not limited to: brochures, bus shelter ads, coasters, window clings, possible print ads, and digital media;
• Creative development, production and execution of an advertising campaign that supports the retail/restaurant recovery message.
• Production and execution of a campaign to attract businesses and residents to relocate from New York City to Philadelphia.
• Coordination and placement of various media buys, as well as recommended social media strategies for retail and parks promotion, as a return to office initiative.
3. THE PROPOSAL PROCESS
3.0. Price Proposal. The price proposal will be based on the management of the CCD Marketing Program, as described in Section 2. Scope of Services and Exhibit A. The price proposal form is attached as Exhibit B.
4. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
4.0. Statement of Qualifications. In order to evaluate proposals in a consistent manner, the following information is required from each organization (and where applicable, its proposed subcontractor(s)) submitting a proposal:
a) Several samples of current and previous work, analogous to the CCD assignment, indicative of the direction and creative talent available from your organization to CCD. Examples could include print ads, online and television spots, digital and other multi-media examples.
b) A statement of your understanding of the unique challenges that the CCD faces in promoting the recovery of restaurants and retail and the return to office work, not to exceed one page. For an overview of how the CCD has been documenting and approaching these challenges please see:
c) A short outline of your internal creative process:
• At the beginning of each project, who is the team assembled to meet with the client? • What is the client interaction with the creative team? • Who is the day-to-day client contact?
d) What if any corporate or other relationships do you bring that would add value to the CCD?
e) A list of relevant clients. Please give examples of past and present clients who would be relevant to the projects outlined (i.e. retailers, restaurants, other business improvement districts). Please provide contact information for at least three.
f) By submitting a proposal pursuant to this RFP, the organization warrants that it has the financial capacity to carry out the duties and responsibilities pursuant to the proposed advertising program, including the ability to pay vendors and/or subcontractors. CCD may request certified documentation, such as Balance Sheets, Profit and Loss Statements, Audit reports and the like pursuant to this RFP”.
g) Resume of the specific individual(s) who would be assigned to manage the CCD advertising agency account and others with whom CCD will work.
If selected, the agency will need to show proof of the following prior to contract execution:
a) The organization and its proposed subcontractors (if any) must presently be in good standing with local, state and federal governments in terms of compliance with all applicable ordinances, statutes, acts and codes, including but not limited to those pertaining to minimum/prevailing wages, fair labor practices, equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, environmental protection, Federal, State and local safety and OSHA regulations, and must provide certification of this compliance.
b) If the organization or any of its proposed subcontractors owns property within the boundaries of the CCD, it must be current on all CCD Assessed Charges.
c) The organization and its proposed subcontractors (if any) must have a one or more Greater Philadelphia base(s) of operations. Preference will be afforded to firms with offices in Center City Philadelphia.
d) The organization and its proposed subcontractors (if any) must possess and present copies of the necessary licenses and other documents authorizing them to do business in the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
e) The organization will be expected to provide evidence of advertising liability insurance pursuant to mutually agreed upon limits and must be willing to name the Center City District, Central Philadelphia Development Corporation, its agents and subsidiaries as additional insureds.
f) Provide your proposal to increase Minority, Woman and/or Disadvantaged Business participation. The CCD’s minimum goal for Minority, Woman and/or Disadvantaged Business participation for this program is 25%. Please outline how you plan to achieve or exceed this goal or if the goal cannot be achieved, the reasons why.
g) A statement indicating the organization’s ability and consent to conform to all requirements as outlined in this RFP, including but not limited to the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement attached as Exhibit C and the scope of work as outlined in Section 2 and Exhibit A. A copy of the organization’s equal employment opportunity policy must be submitted with the proposal and the policy must be executed by an officer of the corporation.
h) Subcontracted Services. If the proposal includes a team approach to address the scope of services, CCD anticipates a team structure with a lead contractor and one or more subcontractors. Under this scenario, the lead Contractor will be responsible for controlling the activities of all sub contractors associated with the final services agreement and will be responsible for their actions and operations. Please provide a signed statement certifying that Contractors/Sub-Contractors will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including, but not limited to, equal employment opportunity laws and provide copies of a Philadelphia Business License.
4.1.Price Proposal. The proposal contemplated herein is a management contract as well as other services relating to the procurement of advertising and promotional materials and/or activities. Your proposal should include the following:
• The form of bid as provided in Exhibit B. We are requesting a price proposal that shows an all-inclusive monthly retainer for creative services/project management based upon the rough outline of possible projects. Pricing should account for a minimum of 3 revisions per ad/collateral.
• First year average hourly rate for staff and rates for principals and key staff who will be working on the advertising program on which additional service requests may be based; and,
• Fees and/or mark ups for procurement, production and media services.
5. TIMING
5.0. Proposal Due Date. All proposals are due at the offices of the Center City District at the address specified in Section 6.1 below not later than 4:00 pm (Eastern), Friday, June 17, 2022.
6. PROPOSAL DELIVERY
6.0. Method of Delivery. Proposals will be accepted via US mail, overnight delivery, or messenger through the proposal Due Date as noted above in Section 5.0. Facsimiles of proposals will not be accepted. Proposals received after the deadline date and time will be disqualified.
6.1. Proposal Copies and Packaging. Please provide five (5) copies of your proposal. Your proposal must have two (2) separate parts, five (5) copies of each in a separate envelope; one labeled Statement of Qualifications and one labeled Price Proposal. Proposals should be addressed as follows:
