Request for Qualifications Communications, Public Relations and Event Support for Pillars of Peace Hawai i and the Hawai i Community Foundation

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1 Background Pillars of Peace Hawai i (PoPH) Pillars of Peace Hawai i ( was initiated by the Hawai i Community Foundation (HCF) in partnership with Pierre and Pam Omidyar and funded through a lead grant from the Omidyar Ohana Fund of the Hawai i Community Foundation. The visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2012 marked the launch of this new initiative. A cornerstone of PoPH is an ongoing series of visits by prominent peace leaders. Each visit offers the remarkable opportunity to share lessons from Hawai i about practicing peace in our daily lives, while also absorbing the wisdom that they have to share from their own cultures and experiences. Ultimately, PoPH aims to be a catalyst for understanding more about the roles of compassion, diversity, and culture in the practice of peace, and to encourage our community to engage in acts of peace and aloha in our daily lives. The word pillars in the title of this program can be thought of in multiple ways. Pillars can refer to individuals keiki to kūpuna who take a strong stand for peace through hard work and advocacy. Pillars can be programs or organizations that value peace and compassion and seek to share them with others. Pillars also refers to elements of peace that can be translated into practice; these include compassion, nonviolence, interdependence, tolerance, and what we in Hawai i call the Spirit of Aloha. Key audiences In general, elements of the PoPH programming are targeted at different audience groups with different primary objectives as follows: General Public (broad outreach) to: Introduce themes of compassion and interdependence that can be applied day to day. Discuss ways to learn and share with each other, not just co exist. Explore and celebrate the many ways diversity can enrich culture and society. Celebrate Hawai i s unique attributes, welcoming culture, and Spirit of Aloha. Students (targeted outreach and events) to: Introduce themes that reinforce positive behaviors, encourage healthy futures, and help change the dynamic that exists today in Hawai i. Topics include: o Peaceful ways to deal with conflict and bullying o Sharing, showing kindness to others o Displaying compassion and courage o Importance of education o Instilling hope for the future; empowering youth to act o Encouraging school/learning and hard work Page 1 of 12

2 Reach parents, teachers, community leaders, role models, and other influencers with complementary messages about importance of education (to reinforce/support messages to students). Previous Speakers His Holiness the Dalai Lama The visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Hawai i was hosted by the Omidyars and supported by additional donors and partners including: Campbell Family Foundation Harold K.L. Castle Foundation East West Center Cindy Foster The Charles Engelhard Foundation Grossman Charitable Foundation Hawai i Department of Education The Learning Coalition Wayne Pitluck and Judy Pyle Roberts Hawai i Henk and Akemi Rogers Stupski Family Fund of the Hawai i Community Foundation University of Hawai i Hawai i Association of Independent Schools In addition, many of the partners, vendors, and entertainers provided in kind support through reduction or waiver of fees, or special accommodations. All of the entertainers AccessSurf Bishop Museum Cookie Corner Hawaiian Candies & Nuts Iolani Palace The Kāhala Hotel & Resort The Kamehameha Schools Kika Inc. Kualoa Ranch MC1 and team Polynesian Voyaging Society Team, Unlimited Honolulu Police Department Itinerary Friday, April 13, 2012 Official greeting at airport Aloha and welcome program at The Kāhala Hotel & Resort Saturday, April 14, 2012 Bishop Museum visit/program Iolani Palace visit/program Private Lunch Program at the East West Center Student (public) Talk Stan Sheriff Center Sunday, April 15, 2012 Media Interview with NPR Hawaiian Cultural Panel Program at East West Center Page 2 of 12

3 Dignitary and Partner Lunch Program at East West Center Public Community Talk Program Stan Sheriff Center Monday, April 16, 2012 Kailua High School Program Kualoa Ranch Private Luncheon Hōkūle a Blessing Program Kualoa Regional Park Media Question and Answer Program Kualoa Regional Park Tuesday, April 17, 2012 Aloha Program and Hawai i Departure Outcomes 18,000 Attendance at public talks 391 Media stories 313M Media impressions 7 Videos produced 200,000 Website views 200,000+ Social media Impressions Aung San Suu Kyi The visit of Aung San Suu Kyi to Hawai i was hosted by the Omidyars and supported by additional donors and partners including: Rotary International PBS Hawai i Myanmar Association of Hawai i Hawai i Department of Education East West Center In addition, many of the partners, vendors, and entertainers provided in kind support through reduction in or waiving fees or providing special accommodations. Bishop Museum The Kāhala Hotel & Resort City & County of Honolulu All of the entertainers MC1 and team Honolulu Police Department Kika Inc. Itinerary Friday, January 25, 2013 Bishop Museum visit/program Saturday, January 26, 2013 PBS Hawai i Interview Rotary International Magazine Interview Student Talk Pīkake Room, Blaisdell Center Page 3 of 12

4 Outcomes 334 Attendance at public talks 53 Media stories 1 Videos produced 4,635 Website views Upcoming Speakers It is currently estimated that two members of The Elders ( plus Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu (an Honorary Elder/Founding Member) will be visiting Hawai i in late August Purpose The purpose of the communications, public relations and events are to raise awareness of PoPH and to educate the target audiences about the key themes. The objectives to be achieved by the consultants in this project are as follows: Increase visibility of PoPH events and programs within the community Elevate awareness of PoPH as a forward thinking, knowledge based organization and a community leader Increase attendance at public events (if held) Increase sponsorship of events Increase traffic to website and social media Generate leads for sponsorships Establish potential collaborative efforts with other organizations and corporations Enhance community understanding of the role of peace and compassion in their daily lives Maintain frequency and quality of interaction with local media Scope of Work The scope of work will be fully determined during the proposal process. Following is an approximation of the scope to be used by firms to determine if they have the necessary qualifications. Consultants selected through the qualifications process will be invited to submit fee proposals for the baseline scope of work below. Additional tasks may be suggested by the consultant in their proposal as add ons or by HCF during the contract negotiation process Communications Assist in identifying, developing and implementing proactive, ongoing communications activities to educate and inform key constituents about PoPH and its programs Assist in identifying, developing and implementing specific outreach activities targeted to key constituents to communicate PoPH programs and peace related messages and positions Develop relevant and universal messaging Page 4 of 12

5 Help build the PoPH brand Ensure information on speakers and sponsors is integrated into all relevant communications pieces and channels Public Relations Coordinate media strategies o Work with the team on messaging, news hooks and in depth profile media opportunities o Send information to blogs and all forms of traditional media outlets including print, TV and radio, locally, regionally, statewide and nationally o Develop an extensive media list o Secure placement of stories o Monitor and manage all media inquiries o Arrange interviews with speakers and other VIPs o Provide story ideas o Conduct fact checks o Research statistics o Write press releases, articles, advertorials and op ed pieces o Organize media tours o Maintain calendar listings in key media Develop ticket contests/campaigns/sweepstakes if there is a public event Mentor student media participants Compile and maintain library of PR materials and clippings Develop and execute, if necessary, crisis communications strategy Generate opportunities for speaking engagements Develop and implement proactive social media strategy and activities, including content and posting on Facebook and Twitter Evaluate and recommend enhancements to the PoPH website and ways to promote the site Event Support Develop a sponsorship/partnership development plan o Research potential new sources of sponsorship or partners o Maintain a list of prospects and implement on going cultivation through building resources, partnerships and potential business relationships o Research sponsorship or partnership opportunities and secure commitments o Communicate with partners and sponsors on their requirements, deadlines and deliverables o Match prospects with appropriate sponsorship or partnership opportunities o Identify, initiate, structure, negotiate and close sponsorship or partnership agreements o Draft acknowledgment letters and other correspondence o Maintain sponsorship/partnership database and status reports Page 5 of 12

6 o Provide public relations/public awareness to improve the awareness of and expanding the sponsorship program Work with the event producer/manager (selected by HCF and paid for separately under separate contracts) Collect registration contact information for ticketed events Manage ticket registration (i.e. Eventbrite) Manage phone hotline Track registrations for space limited or attendance dependent activities Develop and implement a system to check in pre registrants and register walk in registrants Develop, distribute and produce nametags, event tickets and other pertinent materials Help manage professional photographers and videographers during the event (selected by HCF and paid for separately under separate contracts) Receive and manage all media registrations, ensuring proper credentialing Maintain a list of all attending media Distribute media credentials to contacts as they check in Manage onsite media room (if necessary) and media relations Support for step and repeat photo booth Assist HCF staff on site General Work with a wide range of staff from HCF, Omidyar Network and other consultants Arrange meetings spaces and/or conference calls as needed Attend meetings and functions as needed Collaborate using BaseCamp Provide status updates detailing ongoing efforts Complete and submit a final written report within one month of the event with copies of all media clips and a summary of media coverage, social media outreach, partnership/sponsorship program, media outreach/attendance and objectives met Request for Qualifications Organization s Qualifications Provide descriptions of the approaches, initiatives, policies and other efforts that your firm would take with respect to the project. In responding, consultants are expected to provide information particular to this project, avoiding significant "boilerplate" information. Key areas that you may want to cover: o Ways your organization has worked with teams of multi disciplinary experts and coordinated their input to plan a successful program. o Strengths and approach to media relations (local and national), social media strategies and event production. o Media and online influencer relationships you have within Hawai i s market. Page 6 of 12

7 o How you have previously measured the success of a campaign and measurement strategies you would suggest for this project. o Experience in developing and managing a partnership and sponsorship solicitation campaign including cultivation, creation of benefits tailored to each sponsorship/partnership, and long term relationship building. List some clients with whom you have had long term relationships, and describe why the relationships have been successful. Describe any additional experience, skills and past accomplishments that reflect your organization s qualifications for this job. The name, title, telephone number and address of the person to be contacted regarding the content of the application. The name, title, telephone number and address of the person authorized to commit the applicant in a contractual agreement, if different from contact indicated above. List any clients that might post a conflict to managing our account. Personnel Qualifications For each of the key personnel identified in your application, identify their role and responsibilities for this engagement. Provide a summary of their recent and relevant experience in performing work similar to the tasks identified in the Scope of Work section. Explain why the consultant feels that the selected team members are ideally suited for this project. Full resumes of key staff proposed to work on this project must be attached as an appendix. Organization s Experience From an organizational perspective, describe your team s current (within the past five years) and relevant experience in meeting the goals and objectives of PoPH, including experience in performing assignments similar to the ones identified in the Scope of Work above. At least one relevant experience example must be from a non profit assignment. For each of the projects, the consultant shall provide the following information: Project title, location and duration Client name Scope and complexity of the project Results or measurable successes of the project Description of role and responsibilities of the consultant and of the specific team members suggested for the PoPH project Description of similarities (type, technical difficulty, logistical challenges, etc.) to the PoPH project Page 7 of 12

8 References Provide four references including names, organization, addresses, phone numbers and a brief description of the work conducted for each. Ensure that each reference is capable of explaining and confirming your organization s capability to successfully complete the scope of work outlined herein. At least two of the references need to be for projects listed in your Experience section. Disclosure of Litigation The respondent shall describe any pending, contemplated or ongoing administrative or judicial proceedings material to the consultant s business or finances. This includes, but is not limited to, any litigation against to the consultant or to any subcontractor the consultant plans to use for the services described in this RFQ. Certification of Independence and No Conflict of Interest The consultant shall certify that it developed the application independently. The consultant shall also certify that no relationship exists or will exist during the contract period between the consultant and HCF that interferes with fair competition or is a conflict of interest. HCF reserves the right to reject an application or cancel the contract if, in their discretion, any relationship exists that could interfere with fair competition or conflicts with the interests of HCF. Qualifications Schedule and Process Schedule The estimated schedule for selection of a contractor is as follows: February 11, 2014 February 25, 2014 March 3, 2014 March 14, 2014 March 24, 2014 March 24 April 4, 2014 April 14, 2014 April 18, 2014 RFQ issued, distributed to potential consultants and posted to HCF website Deadline for submitting written questions Responses to written questions posted on HCF website RFQ responses due by 5:00 P.M. HAST Deadline for initial evaluation of applications Interviews of finalists (if necessary) Final fee proposal of services due from finalists Notification of chosen consultant. Begin contract discussion Depending on the number and quality of the responses to this RFQ, this timeline may be shortened or steps removed. Page Limit Applications, including responses to the section above, should not exceed 15 pages. If more than 15 pages are submitted, only the first 15 pages will be reviewed. Resumes, letters of reference and relevant work samples may be submitted as appendices and will not count towards the 15 page limit. Page 8 of 12

9 Submission Due: March 14, 2014 by 5:00pm HAST. Applications should be sent as a single PDF file to the address listed below. Beth Kuch, Senior Communications Officer Omidyar Initiative Hawai i Community Foundation bkuch@hcf hawaii.org Any qualifications received after this deadline will be rejected. It is the consultant s responsibility to ensure that the application is received prior to the deadline. The responsibility for submitting a response to this RFQ on or before the stated time and date will be solely and strictly that of the consultant. HCF will in no way be responsible for delays caused by the provided or caused by any other entity or by any occurrence. Consultants must furnish all information necessary for HCF to evaluate their qualifications. Submittals that fail to meet the mandatory requirements of the RFQ will be disqualified. Verbal information provided by the consultant shall not be considered as part of the submittal. Questions Consultants may submit written questions and requests for clarification regarding the RFQ. The questions or requests for clarification must be submitted via e mail to Beth Kuch at bkuch@hcf hawaii.org and received by 5:00 p.m. HAST on February 25, Oral inquiries will not be permitted. If a question or request for clarification pertains to a specific section of the RFQ, the page and section number must be referenced. All questions and requests for clarification received and HCF s responses will be posted on the HCF website at: communications by March 3, Contact Interested parties are to contact only the HCF point of contact concerning this RFQ and should not rely on representations, statements, or explanations other than those made in this RFQ or in any written addendum to this RFQ. The HCF point of contact for this RFQ is: Beth Kuch, Senior Communication Officer Omidyar Initiatives Hawai i Community Foundation 827 Fort Street Mall Honolulu, HI Telephone: bkuch@hcf hawaii.org Amendments HCF reserves the right to amend the RFQ at any time. Any amendment will be posted to the HCF website at communications. Page 9 of 12

10 Evaluation Criteria Applicants will be judged upon the completeness of their application and responses to the required items. Quality of Submittal 15 Organization Qualifications 20 Personnel Qualifications 25 Organization Experience 20 References/Client Satisfaction 15 Local Preference 5 TOTAL POINTS 100 Limitations Submittal of a response to this RFQ indicates acceptance by the applicant of the conditions contained within the RFQ document. The RFQ and the selected applicant s response to the RFQ may, by reference, become a part of the final contract between the selected applicant and HCF resulting from this solicitation process. HCF reserves the right to consider as acceptable, responsible and responsive only those applications submitted in accordance with all requirements set forth in this RFQ and that demonstrate an understanding of the services to be provided and challenges associated therewith. HCF reserves the unqualified right to waive defects in any application or proposal, to choose or accept or reject any or all applications submitted in response to this RFQ for any reason whatsoever without explanation or justification, to select any firm as the party with whom it would be willing to enter into an agreement regardless of whether such party shall have submitted an application pursuant to this RFQ at any time including the addition, deletion, modification or other changes hereto, and to make any decision in any manner as HCF may choose in its sole discretion in the determination of its own interests and irrespective of the position of any interested party that in the HCF s determination is unreasonable, unfair, arbitrary, discriminatory or capricious. HCF makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees that the information contained herein is accurate, complete or timely. The furnishing of such information by HCF shall not create, nor be deemed to create any obligation or liability upon it for any reason whatsoever, and each organization by expressing its interest and submitting its application expressly agrees that it has not relied upon foregoing information and that it shall not hold HCF liable or responsible therefore in any manner whatsoever. References HCF may consult references familiar with the consultant to verify information and discuss the consultant s qualifications regarding prior projects, financial resources, reputation or otherwise. Submission of an application in response to this RFQ shall constitute permission for HCF to make such inquiries and authorization to third parties to respond thereto. Page 10 of 12

11 Costs of Preparing the Application Each applicant is solely responsible for all expenses incurred for the preparation of their application and its participation in any pre award presentation or discussions and other activities related to the evaluation process and/or the development and submission of any applications provided by an applicant in response to this RFQ, including without limitation, any travel related or presentation expenses incurred to present or discuss the applicant's submission. An applicant may not bill HCF for any costs or expenses associated with its response to this RFQ. Rejection of Applications HCF reserves the right to reject any or all applications, in whole and in part, received in response to this RFQ. Issuance of this RFQ in no way constitutes a commitment by HCF to award a contract. An application may be automatically rejected for any one or more of the following reasons: 1. Failure to cooperate or deal in good faith 2. Inadequate accounting system or internal controls 3. Late applications or proposals 4. Failure to submit in accordance with the RFQ or otherwise inadequate response to the RFQ 5. Lack of demonstrated experience or expertise 6. Failure to maintain standards of responsibility 7. Falsified information Information from Other Sources HCF reserves the right to obtain and consider information from other sources concerning a consultant, such as the consultant s capability and performance under other contracts. Contacting an Applicant HCF reserves the right to contact a consultant after the submission of applications for the purpose of clarifying the application to ensure mutual understanding. Disposition of Applications All applications become the property of HCF and shall not be returned to the consultant. HCF reserves the right to retain all submittals and to retain any ideas in a submittal regardless of whether an applicant is selected. Copyrights By submitting an application, the consultant agrees that HCF may copy the application for purposes of facilitating the evaluation of the application. The applicant consents to such copying by submitting an application and warrants that such copying will not violate the rights of any third party. HCF shall have the right to use ideas or adaptations of ideas that are presented in the applications. Page 11 of 12

12 Release of Claims By submitting an application, the consultant agrees that it will not bring any claim or cause of action against HCF based on any misunderstanding concerning the information provided herein or concerning HCF s failure, negligent or otherwise, to provide the consultant with pertinent information as intended by this RFQ. No Minimum Guaranteed HCF anticipates that the selected consultant will provide services as requested by HCF. HCF will not guarantee any minimum compensation will be paid to the consultant or any minimum usage of the consultant s services. Modifications, Additional Materials and Documentation After the receipt of application, if HCF deems it desirable and in its best interest, HCF may, in its sole discretion, request that the applicant provide additional information to clarify or supplement, but not basically change, any response as submitted. Applicants may submit revised responses only if requested by HCF. Written responses must be provided as requested. Failure by any applicant to provide the additional requested information or to participate in a requested meeting may be a cause for disqualification as being nonresponsive to this RFQ. Cancellation of Request for Qualifications HCF may cancel the RFQ and any or all applications may be rejected in whole or in part, when it is determined to be in the best interests of HCF. Each applicant is solely responsible for all expenses incurred for the preparation of the application and its participation in any pre award presentation or discussions and other activities related to the evaluation process even if the process does not result in award of a contract to any party. Electronic Transmissions HCF may transmit letters or provide responses to questions to applicants via (in lieu of letters by mail) for all matters regarding this RFQ solicitation after receipt of applications. HCF will use the address provided by the applicant in the application. If HCF sends letters via , successful transmission of the letter, as evidenced by the "sent" date shown on the HCF s , will constitute official notification to and receipt by the applicant. The date and time recorded on the "sent" will be the official date and time of receipt by the applicant. Local Preference Local preference regarding this RFQ will be considered during the evaluation process for the provision of a specific service(s). Withdrawals of Responses Responses may be withdrawn by written notice or received by HCF at any time before the selection is made. Page 12 of 12