SunLine Transit Agency (SunLine) is seeking a qualified public relations/marketing firm to provide professional assistance in the areas of public relations strategic planning, media relations, advertising program, community relations, stakeholder outreach in an effort to improve the overall awareness and image of SunLine Transit Agency.
Background:
SunLine Transit Agency is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) created in 1977 to provide public transit services to its member entities: Riverside County and the cities of Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella. Services are provided over an area of 1,120 square miles within Riverside County and cover the desert resort communities of the Coachella Valley, 120 miles east of the Los Angeles Basin and 60 miles east of the Riverside/San Bernardino Inland Empire – between the San Gorgonio Pass on the west and the Salton Sea on the Southeast. Sunline Transit Agency operates from two facilities: Division 1 located at 32-505 Harry Oliver Trail, Thousand Palms, CA 92276 and Division 2 located at 83-255 Hwy 111, Indio, CA 92201.
Scope of Work:
SunLine has a small internal marketing staff. SunLine staff will have heavy involvement in development of strategy and overall planning of all marketing programs. The firm selected should possess strong skills in working with the internal team to maximize budget, customer reach and marketing effectiveness. The general descriptions of the type of marketing services included under this Scope of Work listing is meant to be indicative and not all inclusive.
A. Contractor shall assist SunLine in:
1) Creating a strategic plan for public relations.
2) Identifying and reaching target audiences.
3) Developing and presenting key messages to achieve goals.
4) Analyzing and selecting appropriate methods of disseminating key messages.
5) Improving relations with board members, elected officials, community leaders, media and the general public.
6) Utilizing SunLine resources efficiently and effectively to achieve public relations goals.
7) Track, quantify, and evaluate results and effectiveness of public relations efforts.
8) Implementation of advertising, graphic design, branding, and various creative campaigns for SunLine.
B. Contractor Shall:
a) Provide a situation analysis of current conditions.
b) Develop a strategic public relations plan to achieve desired objectives;
c) Assist and advise SunLine Transit Agency in the implementation of the marketing plan;
d) Provide ongoing support related to media relations, stakeholder relations and community relations.
e) Develop communications materials to support the public relations/marketing plan.
f) All must be accomplished in the time required.
Development Of An Overall Strategy For Consumer Advertising And Promotion In The Coachella Valley Market — The Contractor should be able to provide imaginative ideas and suggestions to assist in reaching SunLine’s target markets. Experience in traditional and non-traditional media advertising, word of mouth advertising, social media, research, public relations are all helpful. Contractor should have the ability to implement and follow through with all concepts recommended through the planning process.
Production Of Or Collaboration With Staff On All Creative Copy-Writing And Media Placement — Contractor must have extensive graphic design/creative capabilities. They must work in software platform compatible to the current structure of SunLine and be willing and able to provide all graphics to SunLine in unlocked files.
Planning And Placement Of Advertising And Related Promotions — Such projects will be limited to those media buys not done in-house. Contractor must be able to research best media buys for SunLine target market and provide post buy reports and analysis.
SunLine may conduct research to determine key messaging, effective strategies and new target audiences. The Contractor must have the ability to assist with these efforts, utilize collected data and launch marketing campaigns based on gathered information to promote SunLine’s image and build ridership.
Due Date:
November 17
Address:
SunLine Transit Agency
Attn: Contracts Administrator
32-505 Harry Oliver Trail
Thousand Palms, CA 92276