Washington Department of Health Issues RFP For Youth Marijuana Prevention Marketing

Purpose:

The objective of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to identify qualified private or non-profit businesses or organizations to develop and implement culturally and linguistically appropriate communication strategies to prevent and/or reduce marijuana use among youth (ages 12-20) and parents/influential adults within one or more of the following prioritized populations:

• Black/African American
• American Indian/Alaska Native
• Asian/Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian
• Latino/Hispanic
• Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Questioning/Queer

Background:

The Department of Health’s Marijuana Prevention and Education Program (MPEP) seeks to allocate funding toward culturally sensitive communication strategies.

In 2012, Washington State voters approved Initiative 502, which legalized recreational sale and use of marijuana. Initiative 502 instructed the legislature to create a Dedicated Marijuana Account (RCW 69.50.530), tax the sale of recreational marijuana, and place the revenue in the Dedicated Marijuana Account. The initiative also mandated that the Washington State Department of Health (DOH*) use funds from this account to develop and implement the following:

1. A marijuana use public health hotline that provides referrals to substance abuse treatment providers, utilizes evidence-based or researched-based public health approaches to minimizing the harms associated with marijuana use, and does not solely advocate an abstinence-only approach.
2. A grants program for local health departments or other local community agencies that supports development and implementation* of coordinated intervention strategies for the prevention and reduction of marijuana use by youth.
3. Media-based education campaigns across television, internet, radio, print, and out-of-home advertising, separately reaching youth and adults, that provide medically and scientifically accurate information about the health and safety risks posed by marijuana use.

The goal of the DOH’s Marijuana Prevention and Education Program is to reduce initiation and use of marijuana by youth (ages 12-20), especially among populations most adversely affected by marijuana use throughout Washington State.

The long-term objectives of the program are to:

• Decrease percentage of all 10th grade students (statewide) who have used marijuana on at least one day in the past 30 days.
• Decrease percentage of 10th grade students who have used marijuana on at least one day in the past 30 days in Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic, Asian American/Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, and LGBTQ populations.
• Decrease the percentage of 10th grade students who first used marijuana before they were 14 years old.

Project objectives:

The objectives are as follows:

• Identify key messages, messengers, channels and products for youth marijuana prevention in community.
• Increase community capacity for communicating about marijuana prevention.
• Implement tailored campaign messages. Track lessons learned, barriers encountered, and project successes.
• Provide and receive feedback and guidance with DOH project manager, GMMB, and other tailored media contractors.  Successfully work with (Priority Population contractor) and any other relevant partners to implement this work plan.
• Establish evaluation measurements and conduct an evaluation by the end of the contract cycle.

Fiscal Year 2018-2019 work plan:

Task 1: Finalize work plan, budget allocations and timeline.

Activity 1:

• Work with DOH contract manager and (Priority Population contractor) to approve the proposed work plan.
• Work plan may change after youth focus groups with prior approval from DOH contract manager.

Activity 2:

• Develop an itemized budget based on the final work plan.
• Budget should include a supplemental memo detailing all task descriptions.

Activity 3:

• Submit a timeline that details project deliverables by month.
• Timeline changes are expected over the course of the project. Keep DOH contract manager informed about any changes related to the project timeline.

Deliverables:

• Final work plan.  Itemized budget.  Detailed timeline for August 15, 2018-June 30, 2019 that includes task, person responsible and projected completion date.

 Task 2: Account management and strategic counsel

Activity 1:

• In collaboration with the program, providing regular status reports to internal and external stakeholders, including developing backgrounders and presenting at meetings and conferences.
• In collaboration with the program, consulting with relevant experts, partners and target audiences (e.g. youth advisory panel) to inform communications goals and outreach strategies.
• Addressing ad hoc requests for information from the program.
• Hosting and facilitating meetings in person, by teleconference or webinar.
• Monitoring contract deliverables, tracking budget and subcontracts and related expenditures.
• Preparing and submitting monthly reports detailing the work performed.

Deliverables:    

1. a) Prepare and submit planning documents as requested
2. b) Meet with DOH and stakeholders as needed via phone and in person
3. c) Prepare and submit monthly reports of all work and invoices

Due Date:

Monthly reports are due on the 10th day of the month (August, 2018– July 2019)

Payment:

Invoices are due by the 25th day of the month August, 2018– July 2019.

 Task 3: Tailored media campaign for youth

Activity 1:

Conduct formative research to inform messages, messengers, channels and products. Activities may include:

• Focus groups with priority audience(s).
• Interviews with key stakeholders and partners.
• Literature review of existing data.

Activity 2:

Develop and implement the marijuana public awareness and prevention campaign tailored to (population) youth aged 12-17.

Specific project deliverables are subject to change based on information received from the audience and key stakeholders during the formative research phase. Activities may include and are not limited to one or more of the following:

• Creating media campaign recommendations and collaborating with DOH to develop a communications plan.
• Developing, designing, testing and producing youth focused creative.
• Planning, negotiating, placing, and optimizing advertising and educational promotional materials needed to implement the campaign.
• Advertising may include digital, social media, radio, television, or out-of-home placements. This includes costs for media vendors.
• Recruiting youth participants to inform, create promote, and critique the campaign.
• In collaboration with DOH, stakeholders and other MPEP contractors, identifying and developing collateral support materials for local use to expand the reach of the campaign.
• Developing and maintaining web-based resources in compliance with DOH communications protocols and standards.
• Developing, maintaining and monitoring social media messaging, in compliance with DOH communications protocols and standards.
• Supporting marijuana education efforts taking place at schools and community organizations.
• Meeting with relevant stakeholders to report on and inform the campaign.

Activity 3:

Track, monitor and evaluate the campaign.

• Establish an evaluation process with DOH contract manager based on the objectives listed in this Statement of Work and any additional objectives related to this project.
• Develop reports for the campaign, detailing key metrics, lessons learned and recommendations for future work.
• Submit frequent reports to DOH that measure campaign metrics, public perception, partner feedback, etc.
• At the close of the contract, submit a final campaign recap report detailing key metrics, lessons learned and future recommendations.

Deliverables:

• A full report outlining recommendations from the youth and adult focus groups.
• Tailored media campaign.
• Monthly reports detailing campaign progress, key metrics, and recommendations for change (if any).
• Final campaign recap report.

Additional project requirements:

• Establish a communication plan between DOH and (alt. pp contractor) by August 31, 2018.
• Acquire approval or exemption from the Washington State Internal Review Board (IRB) prior to conducting focus groups. DOH owns all data (this org) collects about the audience using project funds. DOH can use that data to inform other campaigns.
• Attend in-person kick off meeting in Washington August 2018.
• All communication products must circulate through the appropriate DOH approval process.

Budget:

This contract cannot exceed $100,000. If the contractor will not spend the full amount by June 30th, 2019, they must notify the DOH Contract Manager by May 1, 2019 to amend the budget amount. Contractor may reallocate funds between tasks with prior approval of DOH Contract Manager.

Due Date:

June 29th

Address:

Mitchell.Paris@doh.wa.gov

5WPR is one of a handful of agencies with specific experience in marijuana focused PR campaigns.