REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICES CITY OF BIDDEFORD, MAINE September 13, 2018 Contact: Brian Phinney, Chief Operating Officer, City of Biddeford Date of Issue: Thursday, September 13, 2018 at 10:00 AM Deadline: Friday, October 19, 2018 by 4:00 PM The purpose of this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is to select a qualified vendor to provide oncall consultation with the City on general public relations matters. The prospective vendor replying to this RFQ will be or represent a firm, company or corporation possessing relevant experience and expertise. Supporting documentation must thoroughly describe how the vendor has supplied expertise for similar contracts and work in Public Relations, and how vendor would approach the needs outlined in the Scope of Work. A proven experience in municipal marketing/public relations is recommended. The selected vendor will be retained for 6-12 months, dependent upon budget constraints. Background In January 2018, Biddeford s City Council adopted a 2018-2019 work plan, with a portion of the goals focused on building community connections through improved external communication efforts. More specific objectives were outlined in a Communications Plan drafted in summer 2018, including enhancing the City s social media strategy, developing improved relationships with local media, and presenting the City s identity in a clear and consistent manner. The key messages for constituents defined in the Communications Plan are: The role of the City Council is to create a vision for Biddeford s future that responds to change and the needs of the community. City government agencies, under the direction of the City Manager, work to achieve the City Council s vision by providing programs and day-to-day services that add value to the community and have an impact on quality of life. City of Biddeford employees are committed to a high quality of service to citizens.
City agencies make wise use of taxpayer funding to deliver the highest quality programs and services to the greatest number of residents, businesses and visitors in the most costeffective manner. The City conducts its business in a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory manner, with equal opportunity for all. Biddeford s recent growth and new opportunities make the city an exciting place to live and a smart place to do business. As outlined in the Communications plan, the City of Biddeford s overarching public relations goal is to communicate the value of the City of Biddeford s actions and its decision-making process. Target audiences include: Residents. Inform them and keep them engaged in the City as stakeholders that aspire to be kept in the loop on City decisions. Be sensitive to members of diverse communities within Biddeford and encourage involvement of people from all backgrounds. Highlight the positive aspects of living in the city to recruit new residents and help them become a productive and connected part of our community. Business owners. Support their decision to locate in Biddeford and provide them with easy access to local business news and updates, ordinance changes, etc. Ensure they are receiving accurate information to help their businesses thrive in the City. Highlight Biddeford s convenient location, applicable development incentives, and recent business growth and success stories. Visitors. Direct visitors to appealing City attractions, both built and natural, and encourage them to participate in local events. Ensure that their visit to Biddeford makes them want to return in the future. Residents and government officials in nearby cities and communities. Maintain a positive reputation for Biddeford, help build connections between communities for mutual benefit, and encourage intergovernmental partnerships. Scope of Work The Scope of Work of this contract includes: 1. On-call availability for consultation on general public relations matters. 2. Providing guidance and input to City of Biddeford officials on public relations questions. Proposal Requirements The proposal should focus on addressing the vendor s ability to provide the services outlined in the Scope of Work. Please provide the following:
1. Cover Letter: A letter signed by an officer of the firm, company or corporation, binding the firm/company/corporation to all comments made in the proposal. Include a primary contact person for the proposal. 2. Qualifications and Experience: Provide a description of the history, experience, and qualifications of your firm/company/corporation to perform the Scope of Work. Please include: a. Resumes and biographies of all principals assigned to the project. b. List of capabilities corresponding to the scope of work. c. Detailed description of three (3) similar/relevant projects your firm/company/corporation has undertaken, including results achieved. d. Any consultation services your firm/company/corporation and/or its staff has completed for municipal governments of a similar size to Biddeford. e. References from similar projects your firm/company/corporation has undertaken. 3. Approach to Scope of Work Provide a detailed description of your ability to respond to each Scope of Work element. 4. Service Timeframes a. Provide a detailed description of consultant availability, i.e. the estimated length of time between notification from City officials of the need for service and the consultant s availability to provide input. 5. Project Cost Instructions a. Provide detailed labor rates for the services to be performed by the vendor based on the Scope of Work. 1. Proposal Submission: Responses to this Request will be submitted in sealed packaging, clearly identified, mailed or delivered as follows: PROPOSAL, PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICES Brian Phinney, Chief Operating Officer City of Biddeford PO Box 586 (USPS) 205 Main Street (other methods) Biddeford, Maine 04005 Each proposer must submit one (1) original copy, two (2) physical copies, and one (1) electronic copy (in PDF format) of its proposal. Requests for clarification or additional information should be made in writing to:
Via mail: the name and address above Via email: brian.phinney@biddefordmaine.org Responses to such requests will be furnished to all potential proposers. Cutoff date to receive requests in writing will be October 19, 2018. Requests received after October 19 will not be answered. Prospective vendors who are mailing proposals should allow normal mail delivery time to ensure timely receipt of their proposals. The City of Biddeford is not responsible for any proposals that arrive beyond the deadline indicated. 2. Schedule: The following schedule will be adhered to: September 13, 2018: Distribution of Requests for Proposals October 19, 2018: Proposals must be in the possession of the Chief Operating Officer by 4:00 p.m. this date. October 29, 2018 to November 9, 2018: Interviews will be conducted as may be needed. November 13, 2018: Notification to all proposers of selected Public Relations firm. November 26, 2018: Implementation date for this public relations contract. 3. Evaluation Criteria: The following criteria, in no particular order, will be used to evaluate the responses and to select the winning public relations firm: a. Qualifications and range of experience of project staff and subcontractors. b. Knowledge of project requirements as demonstrated under Approach to Scope of Work. c. Ability to provide services in a timely manner. d. Written presentation, including readability, conveyance of technical aspects, and completeness of responses. e. Ability to meet current and projected service requirements over the term of this public relations agreement. f. Quality and success of previous public relations campaigns. g. Competitive rates. 4. Pre-Award Interviews. Upon review and rating of the proposals, an interview may be requested with the two or three top candidates. 5. Award Recommendation. When the City has reached a decision on which Public Relations firm to recommend for Contract Award, an additional conference may be scheduled to complete negotiations prior to presentation of the recommendation to the City Council for Award. 6. Contract. The successful vendor will be required to sign a contract with the City of Biddeford for the performance of services. A contract between the City of Biddeford and the selected vendor will be subject to and be in accordance with all Federal, State, and local laws as may be applicable. The period of time for the contract with the City of Biddeford will be not less than six (6) months and no greater than twelve (12) months. The contract may or may not be subject to renewal at the end of the twelve (12) month period as may be negotiated.
7. Provisions. The City of Biddeford assumes no responsibility and no liability for costs incurred relevant to the preparation and submission of the RFQ by prospective vendors, or any other costs prior to issuance of a contract. The City of Biddeford also retains the right to reject any and all of the proposals submitted, and to make any award deemed to be in the best interest of the City of Biddeford. 8. Right to cancel. Each party shall maintain the right to cancel the contract with thirty (30) days notice of the intention to cancel. The City of Biddeford is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minority and women-owned business enterprises are encouraged to submit proposals.