State of New Jersey Issues Public Relations RFP

This Bid Solicitation is issued by the Procurement Bureau, Division of Purchase and Property (Division), Department of the Treasury on behalf of all State Agencies. The purpose of this Bid Solicitation is to solicit Quotes for advertising, marketing, public relations, community outreach, and related services for the State of New Jersey (State). New Jersey PR firms include Coyne PR and MWW PR.

Background:

New Jersey is a northeastern U.S. state with some 130 miles of Atlantic coast. Jersey City, across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan, is the site of Liberty State Park, where ferries embark for nearby Ellis Island, with its historic Immigration Museum, and the iconic Statue of Liberty. The Jersey Shore includes notable resort towns like historic Asbury Park and Cape May, with its preserved Victorian buildings.

Scope of Work:

The Vendor {Contractor} shall provide and/or assist with strategic planning, designing, executing and administering advertising and public relations programs. The Vendor {Contractor} shall accomplish this by providing creative expertise, media placement, and account personnel, as stated in this Bid Solicitation.

ADVERTISING

The Vendor {Contractor} shall provide the following advertising plan in accordance with a Campaign, as required by the Using Agency SCM or designee:

1. Recommend and develop creative, research-based advertising objectives and strategies targeted to designated markets and/or the general public;
2. Submit a media plan for advertising, explaining how the target audience is reached and matched to the proposed media. The media plan shall offer details of the media mix, specific media vehicles, media schedule, and media budget. The media plan shall include, at a minimum, the following:
3. Identification of the target audience;
4. Specific media to be used;
5. Timing, frequency, penetration, and length of placement;
6. Allocation of placement dollars within the selected media;
7. Justification for each element of the media plan detailing maximum impact, cost effectiveness, and return on investment; and
8. A complete itemization of media cost;
9. Provide the creative, account, and production personnel required to plan, design, execute, and administer approved advertising programs based on strategic marketing plans and the targeted consumer base;
10. Design and produce creative concepts that are based on relevancy, market research, cost effectiveness, target market reach and frequency, and program development. The Using Agency SCM or designee may request up to three (3) edits to the creative concepts to be presented for approval before the selection and execution of the final advertising plan;
11. Include Spanish and or other language translations of advertising materials as requested;
12. Provide creative services based on target audience and potential target audience profile research and studies, where applicable. Evaluate all available media and provide recommendations for media mix in terms of cost, reach, program development index, and fit;
13. Execute all contracts with the media and other third parties, including the negotiation of the best possible rates for any contracts, when required. All such contracts shall be entered into as an independent contractor and not as an agent of the State. All cost benefits must be passed to the State. Vendor’s {Contractor’s} markup shall only apply to the net cost for media placement. The State shall retain the right to audit the Vendor {Contractor} books to verify that the State is   receiving all net prices, discounts and rebates;
14. Coordinate existing research data to provide pre- and post-analyses and topics for primary marketing research such as focus groups and surveys, including web based surveys, if applicable and included in the Mini-Bid request;
15. Produce strategic advertising schedules for outdoor and electronic media. Create for Using Agency SCM or designee approval, a copy for all creative concepts for television and outdoor advertisements, and place such, if required and approved, according to estimates and schedules;
16. Supply photographic services as needed and approved by the Using Agency SCM or designee;
17. Create, produce, and distribute the following, if selected as part of the media mix:
18. Outdoor advertisements;
19. Radio spots;
20. Print advertisements;
21. Television commercials;
22. Internet advertisements;
23. Transit advertisements;
24. Collateral and other advertising;
25. Social media property content and management;
26. Special events coordination; and
27. Web page designs;
28. Develop, manage, and execute all required marketing research programs. These services may include, but are not limited to, economic impact studies, web based surveys and analytics, media research, demographic studies, advertising concept testing, and/or consumer segmentation studies. All such programs and services shall be approved in advance by the Using Agency SCM or designee;
29. Provide data analyzing the impact of its Campaign to the Using Agency SCM or designee;
30. Provide the Using Agency SCM or designee with final documents outlining the background, strategy, objectives, target audience(s), scope of work, budget, deliverables, timeline and measurement criteria for outcomes to be achieved in the course of each specific Campaign in accordance with its Engagement Response and subsequent Using Agency’s SCM or designee approved revisions;
31. Coordinate the production, use, dissemination, and distribution of various forms of communication, literature, publications and advertising materials called for in the advertising plan, upon approval of the required detailed advertising plan by the Using Agency SCM or designee. All materials must be submitted in advance of production deadlines for approval by the Using Agency SCM or designee;
32. Provide the Using Agency SCM or designee with reports concerning the rationale and recommended media buys for each project including budget, media flight dates, reach and frequency data, and location and outlet information;
33. Provide the Using Agency SCM or designee with copies and Tear Sheets of all print insertion orders and broadcast orders that are placed by the Vendor {Contractor}. The Vendor {Contractor} shall also provide electronic and print or recorded copies of all final advertising and promotional materials;
34. Participate in conference calls and meetings with the Using Agency SCM or designee as needed during an engagement to review the status of the current project and address programmatic details and issues to ensure timely delivery and successful outcomes of the Campaign. ; and
35. Examine or audit the advertising and media placements released through the various media to verify that quality, timing, position, and distribution are consistent with the media plan and schedule, following submission of advertising material to the media or other third parties.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

The Vendor {Contractor} shall provide the following in accordance with a Using Agency Campaign, if requested by the Using Agency SCM or designee:

1. Prepare and execute a public relations plan, that should further develop the plan that was proposed in the Engagement Response, that parallels and complements the objectives of the Campaign, with the approval of the Using Agency SCM or designee;
2. Identify and pursue news and feature placement opportunities and pitch stories to all forms of media;
3. Produce and place press releases and matte releases in daily and weekly newspapers, including the minority press, periodicals, newsletters, trade press and national and international publications, if applicable;
4. Recommend, as appropriate, events to launch, roll out, and conclude Campaigns and, after approval from the Using Agency SCM or designee, plan and execute these events;
5. Provide the Using Agency SCM or designee with copies of all public relations materials that are placed and distributed by the Vendor {Contractor};
6. Coordinate the production, use, dissemination, and distribution of various forms of communication, literature, publications, and public relations materials called for in the plan, upon approval of the required detailed public relations plan by the Using Agency SCM or designee. All materials must be submitted in advance of production deadlines for approval by the Using Agency SCM or designee;
7. Execute all contracts with the media and other third parties, including the negotiation of the best possible rates for any contracts, when required. All such contracts shall be entered into as an independent contractor and not as an agent of the State. All cost benefits must be passed to the State. Vendor’s {Contractor’s} markup shall only apply to the net cost for media placement. The State shall retain the right to audit the Vendor’s {Contractor’s} books to verify that the State is receiving all net prices, discounts and rebates;
8. Provide written project status reports to the Using Agency SCM or designee as requested;
9. Participate in conference calls and meetings with the Using Agency SCM or designee as needed during an engagement to review the status of the current project and address programmatic details and issues to ensure timely delivery and successful outcomes of the Campaign.; and
10. Examine or audit the placements released through the various media to verify that quality, timing, position and distribution are consistent with the media plan and schedule, following submission of public relations material to the media or other third parties.

Due Date:

November 14th

Address:

PROPOSAL RECEIVING ROOM – 9TH FLOOR

DIVISION OF PURCHASE AND PROPERTY

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

33 WEST STATE STREET, P.O. BOX 230

TRENTON, NJ 08625-0230