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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-05-2001-8dr j ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 5, 2001 Action Agen Item No. ~~ SUBJECT: RFP Award: Marketing, Advertising and Design Services for the Chapel Hill/Oran a Count Visitors Bureau DEPARTMENT: Purchasing and Central PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Services, Visitors Bureau ATTACHME_NT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam Jones, (919) 245-2652 Copy of Request for Proposals (RFP) Joe Blake, 919 968-2050 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider awarding an RFP for providing Marketing, Advertising and Design Services for the. Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau. BACKGROUND: Approximately 30% of the Visitors Bureau's annual budget is spent on marketing, advertising, and the production of collateral materials that help to promote Chapel Hill/Orange County as a destination for leisure and business travelers. This is an integral part of the Bureaus annual workplan. Since April of 1997, a single point of service has been utilized to serve this need. A single point of service approach has provided consistency of the end, product. Sheer Associates of Chapel Hill has been that single point of service for the last four years. The recommendation to again select Sheer Associates of Chapel Hill was based on a Request fo_ r Proposal solicited jointly by the Visitor's Bureau and Purchasing staffs. Copies of the RFP were sent to ten firms, and it was also advertised on the County's Internet site. Sheer Associates was the only firm that responded. Overall, the Visitor's Bureau is pleased with the work of Sheer Associates. The proposed term of the contract for these services would be from July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2003. The agreement may be extended annually for two additional years if mutually agreed by both parties. If the Board chooses to award this RFP, a contract will be prepared which reflects the terms of the Request for Proposal attached to this abstract. Following the appropriate attorney and staff reviews, it is requested that the Chair be authorized to execute the contract without further Board action. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Total anticipated cost of this action, if approved by the Board, would be $180,000 for FY 2001-2002: $189,000 for FY 2002-2003. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board award of the proposal to Sheer Associates of Chapel Hill, and authorize the Chair to sign on behalf of the Board, contingent upon Attorney and staff review. L Request For Proposal RFP # 5073 Marketing, Advertising and Design Services for the Chapel HilUOrange County Visitors Bureau c/o Orange County Purchasing Department P.O. Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Issue Date: FEBRUARY 16, 2001 Sealed proposals must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. Mazch 13.2001 in the Orange County Purchasing Office, 132 East King Street, Hillsborough. Please indicate the firm name, RFP number (5073), and the word "Proposal" on the front of the sealed proposal envelope or package. 2 I. About the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau and this Account A. Scope The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau invites your firm to submit its best proposal to provide mazketing, advertising and design services to the Bureau. The type of services needed may include any or all of the following: design and production of brochures, guides and other collateral pieces; other creative services including illustrations, photographs and copy writing; mazketing reseazch; web site design; design and production of advertisements; media research, placement and coordination; and other related services. It does not include the actual printing ofbrochures, which will be bid out separately according to Orange County purchasing procedures. B. Anticipated Major Projects to be completed in the Neat Two Years i. Updating and reprinting the Gil-page visitors guide. ii. Updating and reprinting the 10-panel promotional brochure. iii. Updating and reprinting the 24-page meeting and event~plarlning guide. iv. Updating and reprinting the visitors map. v. Creating a promotional campaign to generate visitations. during the summer months (which may include a fulfillment brochure, advertising and special web site section). vi. Updating the annual winter promotion that tazgets increased visitations during the slower winter months. Previous campaigns included a specialty brochure, advertising and web site section. vii. Updating the Bureau's destination video. viii. Frequent updates of the Bureau's web site. ix. Reviewing and updating the Bureau's logo and branding message. _ x. Design and production of various advertisements to reach leisure travel and group meeting mazket segments. xi. Placements ofabove-mentioned advertisements. xii. Several market reseazch studies to provide useful data about our current and potential visitors. xiii. Designing and producing postcazds to promote attendance at trade shows. xiv. Redesigning the Bureau's trade show booth display. xv. Creation and implementation of new marketing programs as needed based upon changing conditions in the visitor industry. C. Mission and Purpose The mission of the Chapel HilUOrange County Visitors Bureau is to develop and coordinate visitor services in Orange County and to implement mazketing programs that will enhance the economic activity and quality of life in the community. The purposes for which the Bureau is organized are: 1) To position Orange County as a desirable meeting or vacation destination to selected visitor mazkets, with careful consideration of the needs and assets of the communities that comprise Orange County. 2) To work in cooperation with community organizations to achieve an effective, coordinated and comprehensive marketing program with high quality collateral materials, program, and services. 3) To serve as a countywide leader in developing strategies for consistently providing quality services to the travelers who visit Orange County. 4) To encourage longer stays, increased spending and repeat visits of travelers to Orange County. 5) To examine the range of visitor services available, to identify unmet needs and to encourage private businesses to meet those needs, as appropriate. 6) To operate in a manner that contributes to the economic development and quality of life in the communities that comprise Orange County. The Bureau has six full-time staffmembers including an Executive Director, Director of Sales, Communications Manager, Publications Coordinator, Sales Coordinator and Administrative Assistant with an annual operating budget of $586,000 (current 2000-2001 fiscal year). II. Instructions to Bidders A. Proposal Format Proposals will be received from each bidder in a sealed package (one original and four copies). The original shall be signed and dated by an official authorized to legally bind the agency. S. Questions Address all questions concerning this RFP to: David Cannell, Purchasing Agent 919-245-2651 dcannell~co~range.nc.u~ C. Delivery of Proposals All proposals shall be mailed or hand-delivered by March 13, 2001 at 4:00 pm directly to: Praposal # 5073 Attention David Cannell, Purchasing Agent Orange County Government 132 East King Street P.O. Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 245-2651 D. Oral Presentation The Visitors Bureau will review all proposals and reserves the right to invite a few qualified bidders to make an oral presentation. Qualified bidders will personally be notified of this date and time. It is estimated that a time frame of no more than 60 minutes will be set aside for each presentation. III. Terms and Conditions For Proposal Submission A. .Award or Rejection All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and an award will be made to the firm whose offer is deemed to be in the best interest of the Visitors Bureau. The Bureau reserves the unqualified right to reject any or all offers if any are determined not to be in its best interest. f B. Decline to Offer Any firm that receives a copy of the RFP but which declines to make an offer is requested to send a formal "Decline to Offer" to the issuing agency. Failure to respond as requested may subject the firm to removal from consideration in future requests for proposals. C. .Cost for Proposal Preparation Any costs incurred by bidders in preparing or submitting proposals aze the bidder's sale responsibility. The Visitors Bureau cannot reimburse any firm for any costs incurred prior to the award. D. Elaborate Proposals Elaborate proposals in the form of brochures or other presentations beyond what is necessary to present a complete and effective proposal are not desired. E. Reference to Other Data Only information that is received in response to the RFP will be evaluated; reference to information previously submitted will not suffice. F. Time for Acceptance Each proposal must state that it is a firm offer that maybe accepted within a period of 90 days. Although the expectation is to award the contract prior to that time, the 90-day period is requested in order to allow for unforeseen delays. G. Right to Submitted Material All responses, inquiries or correspondence relating to or in reference to this 1tFP, and all other reports, charts, displays, schedules, exhibits and other documentation submitted by the bidders will become the property of the Visitors Bureau when received. The Bureau will not beaz any costs for returning said items. H. Changes to Proposals Any change to a proposal which is received after the closing date on the cover sheet of this RFP and which is not specifically solicited by the Visitors Bureau will be rejected. I. Authority to Sind the Agency's Firm Bidders shall submit the name, address and telephone number of the person(s) with the authority to bind the firm and answer questions or provide clarification concerning the firm's proposal. J. Ownership Rights All materials created by the agency on the Bureau's behalf become the sole property of the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau. Likewise, if an agency utilizes the services of an outside vendor, the freelancer used must agree to perform `work for hire." The Bureau reserves all rights and privileges for future promotional (non-commercial uses) of its materials and will not pay commissions on secondary uses. IV. Evaluation of Proposals and Award of Contract The Executive Director of the Visitors Bureau and appropriate staff members will evaluate the proposals received and consider the following factors in selecting an agency: A. Experience and qualifications of the bidder's proposed personnel in advertising and design 6 services as listed in this 1ZFP. B. The overall quality of the proposal relative to that offered by other firms. C. The proposal content, as outlined in section V of this RFP. D. The agency's ability to provide a quick turnazound on smaller projects (i.e., advertising designs for trade show programs) that frequently present themselves vVithin 90 days of their due date. E. The agency's ability to provide consistency with and maintain the overall quality of our current collateral materials, as demonstrated in the oral presentation. The awazd of a contract to one bidder does not mean that the other proposals lacked merit, but with all factors considered, that proposal was deemed to provide the best value to the Bureau and the County. V. Proposal Content The proposal shall contain the following information: A. Name of agency. B. Address of agency. C. If branch office or affiliate agency, list name and address of home office. D. Name, mailing address, and telephone number of the firm's authorized agent. E. Date founded. F. List of branch ofFxces. G. List of agency principals and the dates they joined the agency H. List of active accounts -and the year they were acquired. I. List of accounts lost during the past three years and the reasons. J. List of any accounts similar to the Visitors Bureau. K. List of key personnel of the agency who would be assigned to the Visitors Bureau's account, their previous pertinent experience, and total number of years experience. L. List of the number of professionals on staff, their assignments or areas of specialization and responsibility. M. Description of your agency's procedure for "feedback" or reporting to the client. Attach any sample forms. P N. List of all in-house services that your company provides, such as public relations, market research, photography, etc. . O. List of the services that could not be done in-house and would have to be subcontracted to other professionals or free-lancers. P. Reasons you feel your agency is particulazly well qualified to handle the marketing, design and advertising needs of the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau. Q. Whether or not you would be amenable to have some of your major accounts as enumerated in your response to part H contacted as references. R. A statement agreeirig to give the Chapel HilUOrange County Visitors Bureau sole rights of ownership of all materials created. S. A statement outlining your agency's azeas of concentration or specialty, the agency's media buying strengths and the agency's market research strengths. T. Please state your most realistic response time to requests for this account. U. List of any national, regional and local awazds and recognition of work. V. Please provide at least one sample each of a publication and advertisement that your agency has produced, as well as links to web sites that were designed andlor created for customers. W. List of your hourly rates for the following services: (Required; please respond not applicable, if you do not offer a specific service.) 1. Account supervision 2. Account coordination 3. Public relations supervision 4. Public relations coordination 5. Concept development 6. Copy writing 7. Copy editing 8. Proofreading 9. Market reseazch 10. Art direction 11. Mechanical or computer-generated art 12. Photo supervision 13. Print production supervision 14. Print production coordination 15. Broadcast/video production 16. Illustration 17. Media reseazch 18. Media planning 19. Media buying 20. Media coordination 21. Word processing 8 22. Web site design 23. Web site administration 23. Out of pocket expenses VI. Resulting Contract Terms and Conditions A. This contract shall be effective for a period of two years beginning on or about July 1, 2001 and ending on or about June 30, 2003 and shall be renewable for up to two additional one- yearperiods at the option of the Visitors Bureau. B. The contract maybe canceled without cause by the Visitors Bureau upon thirty days written notice.