Virginia Issues Branding & Marketing RFP

The Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (DSBSD) has issued an RFP seeking a branding and marketing agency. The Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity is a newly formed agency, established by Virginia Code § 2.2-1603.

They seek an agency to create a marketing and branding plan to assist DSBSD in the design, creation and implementation of complete Branding and Marketing Strategies, Tactics and Executions initiative. The agency desires to market its new vision within the marketplace by strategically marketing its services through messaging, media placement, community involvement and strategic marketing channels both on and offline.

Scope includes:

Phase 1

1. Branding and Brand Architecture – As a newly formed agency, the Department does not have a high degree of brand awareness among its current registered businesses or business prospects.Proposed Deliverables:
   • Logos and taglines as well as brand architecture Style Guide for selected logos and branding materials.
2. Key Messaging Development – Develop key messages, segment-specific message hierarchy, appropriate marketing channels for each segment and recommendations on number and frequency of marketing touch points. Recommendations must be informed by additional research as necessary to ensure a high level of receptivity among the target segments.Proposed Deliverables:
   • Key messaging points
   • Research findings that support the message

Phase 2

1. Data Analysis, Segmentation and Primary Research
   The Department maintains a database of registered businesses containing approximately 16,000 records. The Contractor shall analyze the data contained in the database, clean up as necessary and determine a strategy for segmenting the records for maximum marketing Return on Investment.
   
   Proposed Deliverables:
   • Segmented database of registered businesses
   • Research report outlining Key benefits
   • Research report outlining partnership and outreach opportunities with other agencies.

Phase 3

1. Marketing Plan: Deliver a comprehensive marketing plan for fiscal year 2017 that will accomplish the following proposed metrics:
   • 10% increase in awareness of the Department and its function
   • 10% increase in “engaged businesses”
   • 5% improvement in attrition rate
   • 10% increase in revenues flowing to registered businesses.

The marketing plan shall be informed by the deliverables from the first 3 phases and shall include:

1. • Segment-specific marketing efforts
   • Hypothesis-based testing plans
   • Sample creative executions
   • A comprehensive calendar
   • Data tracking and analysis plan
   • Estimated budget, including media and production costs.

Proposal due by September  24  to:

1111 East Broad Street

P.O. Box 1199 Richmond, Virginia 23218-1199

(804) 786-3897

FAX (804) 786-5712

Padilla-CRT and Edelman PR are major Virginia PR firms.