ROANOKE, VIRGINIA ISSUES MARKETING RFP
The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is the procurement of a qualified Offeror to assist with development of a Clean Water Legacy strategy designed to engage citizens, change behavior, and result in implementation of private property stormwater best management practices toward the shared goal of “delisting” streams from the United States’ Environmental Protection’s (US EPA) 303(d) compilation of “impaired” waters. This strategy shall include development of a comprehensive, umbrella program including a brand hero and storyline in which the City’s Stormwater Utility partners with citizens to transform local waterways into community assets, focal points, and sources of pride for those that live, work and play in the Roanoke River Watershed.
Background:
The Roanoke River and 11 of the 13 tributaries are currently impaired.
These 12 streams (1+11) are on the 303(d) list for exceeding safe level of bacteria (E.coli), sediment, temperature and PCBs. All surface waters that do not meet water quality standards are placed on a 303(d) impaired water list as mandated under the Clean Water Act. All impaired waters must have a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or “pollution diet” that establishes the limit of pollutants that a surface water body can receive daily and still meet water quality standards. The primary pollutant for most of the tributaries is bacteria (E. coli) that comes from pet waste, sewer failure, non-functioning septic systems, agriculture, and natural sources, like wildlife.
Scope of Work:
The following are the services and/or items that the Successful Offeror shall be required to provide and such services are to be included in the proposals.
The services, work, and/or items that the Contractor shall provide in a timely and proper manner in accordance with the Contract include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
A. Using the Diffusion of Innovative Theory, the Successful Offeror shall develop multiple strategies to reach citizens beyond the Innovators and Early Adopters and a substantial portion of the Early Majority to achieve communitywide acceptance, commitment, and behavior change toward creating a Clean Water Legacy.
1. The strategies shall be based substantially upon current social convention research and scientific data related to how various demographic groups feel, think, and interact with the environment.
2. The strategies shall define what demographics comprise the Innovators, Early Adopters, and the Early Majority groups within City neighborhoods as well as what strategies would successfully reach each of these groups.
3. The strategies shall define an implementation timeline to successfully inspire Innovators, Early Adopters, and Early Majority to take individual action, create mutually beneficial change, and set the example for the Late Majority and Laggards to follow. Goal is to engage 49% of the City’s population.
B. Preferably using the concepts from Winning the Story Wars by Jonah Sachs or similar, the Successful Offeror shall develop strategies that could include elements of the Brand Hero, Brand Mentor, Moral of the Story, etc. The strategy shall provide a timeline of messaging consistency and momentum over time to develop trust and empower each identified demographic group.
C. The Successful Offeror shall create an umbrella and multi-channel program that includes a recognition and/or rewards program to incentivize best management practice project implementations on private property (ex: green infrastructure BMPs and behavior change like pet waste management). Program structure shall include ability for in-house staff to use social marketing strategies to develop partnerships with local non-profits, churches, and civic groups as well as citizens, neighborhoods, businesses, schools, and other City departments.
1. Using the concepts of NYU psychologist Jonathan Haidt, program shall include strategies to reduce barriers for different demographic groups to engage, provide a path for action, and also answer: “What’s in it for Me?” or the emotional why – generating relevancy to individual lives and thus creating the Clean Water Legacy.
2. Umbrella program could involve rebranding the stormwater fee to be descriptive like a Watershed Protection and Restoration Fee which is more supportive of the fee’s intent.
3. Umbrella program could also include creation of a Watershed Stewards Academy to provide for citizen education, grant money for citizen projects, and forum for teacher/citizen engagement and learning.
4. The Umbrella program shall include development of all associated branding materials including any needed logos, letterhead, potentially vehicle wraps in lieu of existing, etc.
Due Date:
May 10th, 2019.
Address:
City of Roanoke
Purchasing Division
Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building
215 Church Ave., SW, Room 202
Roanoke, VA 24011-1517
Agencies worth considering include M Booth PR and MWW PR.
