In Seek of Alaska PR Firms

The State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Trust Land Office (TLO), is soliciting proposals for professional services in the areas of public relations, media assistance and marketing strategies. 

The successful contractor will assist the TLO in the following:

• Communicating how the TLO is working towards its mission and fulfilling its responsibilities.
• Maintaining and building confidence among Alaskans that the TLO and the Trust are managing assets appropriately and effectively.
• Increasing awareness and understanding of projects the TLO undertakes.
• Increasing awareness of TLO revenues and their relationship to Trust programs; how income and principal revenues help fund Trust programs.

The Alaska Mental Health Trust (Trust) was created by Congress before statehood as a land trust from which income would be used to fund mental health services. The state breached its trust duty by mismanaging the land. The settlement of the resulting Mental Health Lands Trust lawsuit in 1994 created a Trust Authority consisting of seven trustees. The Trust was reconstituted with $200 million and nearly 1,000,000 acres of land. The Trust contracts with the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation to manage its cash assets and the Trust Land Office (TLO) in the Department of Natural Resources to manage the land and other non-cash assets. The Trust’s beneficiaries include Alaskans who are:

• People with mental illness
• People with developmental disabilities
• People with chronic alcoholism and other substance related disorders
• People with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, including people who have experienced a traumatic brain injury resulting in a permanent disabling condition.

The TLO is specifically responsible for managing the one million acres of land and other natural resources owned by the Trust. The TLO generates revenue by leasing and sales of land; real estate investment and development; commercial timber sales; mineral exploration and production; coal, oil and gas exploration and development; and sand, gravel and rock sales.

In addition to revenue generation, the TLO is charged with managing Trust lands prudently, efficiently and with accountability to the Trust and its beneficiaries.

The TLO carries out its stewardship role by managing and protecting the inherent value of the Trust’s real property portfolio for today’s development opportunities and into perpetuity. This is done by timber sales, selling land through competitive programs, and leasing land and buildings to generate revenues. Preservation responsibilities include evaluating and monitoring a long-term asset management strategy, restoration or reclamation projects, conservation easements and trespass/access controls.

It is important that all Proposers understand the Trust’s role in the public eye, and that all activities of the Trust and TLO are subject to heightened scrutiny because of the millions of dollars spent by the trustees every year and the highly visible non-cash asset portfolio.

The Trust fund management, earnings and the Trust operations receive special non-beneficiary public interest scrutiny because of the comprehensive integrated mental health programs supported by the Trust fund and the impacts of Trust Land Management. Trustees recognize that public accountability is an important obligation of our services.

SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of this overall contract is to provide comprehensive media, marketing and public relations assistance for the Trust Land Office and when needed, the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority.  Actual services will vary over time and will depend upon projects currently underway as well as those projects on the horizon.

TASKS

1. Community outreach and speaking engagements as appropriate.
2. Individual leader meetings
3. Public meetings
4. Town Hall
5. Rotary, Chambers, etc.
6. Assembly Meetings
7. Interest Groups, including non-profits and native organizations
8. Develop and coordinate lists of opinion leaders, tribal members, native corporations, and key community members. Schedule and prepare for meetings as appropriate.
9. Schedule meetings in locations for best results
10. Write and distribute various materials.
11. Letters
12. Public notices
13. Event announcements
14. White papers
15. FAQ sheets
16. Media Releases
17. Facilitate and coordinate press conferences, editorial briefings, media interviews or other interactions with media, as necessary.
18. Incorporate knowledge of Alaska Statutes and Alaska Regulations pertinent to:
19. Open Meetings Act, Public Notice Act
20. Trust Land Office Regulations
21. Review mission statements for the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and the Trust Land Office and be familiar with each.
22. Incorporate knowledge of any Alaskan issues which focus on natural resource management with any implication or connection to the TLO or Trust; especially Southeast Alaska.
23. Develop and utilize photo and/or website opportunities.
24. Monitor social media.
25. Write, manage, and conduct public opinion polls; provide interpretation of results.
26. Develop and use other media – public relations items similar to what is stated above.

Proposal due by January 24^th, 2017 to:

LEANN MCGINNIS
PROCUREMENT OFFICER
LEANN.MCGINNIS@ALASKA.GOV