Event | 

Request for Proposals

Communications and Marketing Services 

Date

July 31, 2024

Event time

EOD

Location

Virtual

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Background

Salt Lake City Arts Council received a $1 million grant through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge to create a temporary, free public art projects that addresses a local civic issue. Salt Lake City’s winning project, Wake the Great Salt Lake, will support artists’ works that address many topics related to the decline of the Great Salt Lake through mediums such as installation, photography, dance, theater, arts education, and more.

As part of the Public Art Challenge, Bloomberg Philanthropies will provide dedicated communications counsel from an agency team at FINN Partners. The awardee of this RFP will work closely with the project team at the Salt Lake City Arts Council to design, drive, and execute communications strategy, with guidance and support from the FINN Partners team. Salt Lake City Arts Council will also receive branding and marketing support from CURE. For your planning purposes, a full list of the services being provided by FINN and CURE is available here.

Objective

The goal of communications and marketing activities is to encourage the public to attend project activities designed to spur understanding about the decline of Great Salt Lake.

Salt Lake City Arts Council is seeking a strategic public relations (PR) partner to provide ongoing services to actively promote Wake the Great Salt Lake locally, regionally, and nationally. The term of this work is expected to begin immediately and run through February 2026.

The selected partner will collaborate closely with communications and marketing teams from the city, project partners, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the agency support teams provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Scope of Work • Communications

The work under this contract includes, but is not limited to, the following tasks:

  • Support the development and maintenance of a master communications plan to guide communications activities throughout the project’s lifecycle.
  • Develop and execute a local earned media strategy to establish public awareness and stimulate interest and community engagement during the activation dates.
  • Develop and execute a regional and national earned media strategy, in consultation with Bloomberg Philanthropies and other agency teams.
  • Develop strategic project messaging for local and national audiences.
  • Develop and distribute a regular cadence of press materials including press releases, media alerts, and pitches.
  • Coordinate media interviews for project spokespeople, including the creation of briefing documents and targeted talking points.
  • Coordinate media logistics at events, including on-the-ground support as needed.
  • Develop written content including website content, social media copy, project descriptions, and copy for blog posts, newsletters, email blasts, or op-eds as needed.
  • Provide ongoing tracking and reporting of all communications activities, interviews, and media placements.
  • Coordinate photography and video recording during key activities throughout the lifetime of the program.
  • Collaborate regularly with communications and marketing teams from Salt Lake City Arts Council, Wake the Great Salt Lake, project partners, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and other agencies, to ensure alignment.
  • Other tasks as assigned.

Scope of Work • Marketing

  • Develop and execute a marketing plan in conjunction with Salt Lake City Arts Council and relevant organizational staff.
  • Collaborate on extending the existing Wake the Great Salt Lake branding and visual identity (digital graphics, swag, signage, and other deliverables).
  • Build on to the core project website.
  • Grow social media channels through regular posting and maintenance.
  • Develop and execute on a grassroots marketing strategy that identifies and leverages local partnerships.
  • Conceive, plan, and execute ad buys in with local media, online, direct marketing, and social media marketing.
  • Leverage city-wide owned channels (existing Salt Lake City and partner websites, social channels, newsletters, podcasts, etc.)
  • Identify and maximize signage opportunities (billboards, bus shelters, honor boxes, screens in public spaces managed by the city, etc.)

Budget

  • Wake the Great Salt Lake has budgeted $24,000 for the full course of the 18-month contract.

Quote Instructions and Required Submitted Items

To be considered, the following items and answers must be submitted by the date, time, and manner indicated in this Request for Proposals:

  1. Overview of your company and how it aligns with the objectives of this project.
  2. Describe your approach to creating a communications plan and providing ongoing support to this project over the next 18 months.
  3. Proposed staffing structure including team bios that include relevant experience and qualifications.
  4. Three (3) relevant case studies for marketing and communications services rendered to city agencies and/or cultural projects within the last five (5) years that showcase your work and highlight results. At a minimum, please provide the following:
    1. One example of public relations services provided
    2. One example of marketing services provided
    3. Key performance indicators related to the services provided
  5. Pricing with any proposed expenses beyond the budget range listed in this Request for Proposals line-itemed.
  6. Three (3) references from current or prior clients along with contact information.

Submission Instructions

  • Email submission as a PDF to andrew.shaw3@slcgov.com no later than July 31, 2024. Early submission highly encouraged. Submissions will be reviewed as they are received and selection may be made before July 31, 2024.
  • Submissions must not exceed 20 pages.
  • Any questions about this Request for Proposal can be directed to Andrew Shaw, Wake the Great Salt Lake Lead, at andrew.shaw3@slcgov.com.

Evaluation and Method of Award

Salt Lake City Arts Council will evaluate proposal submissions that meet the above stated requirements using the following criteria:
50 points • Approach and Plan
25 points • Demonstrated experience providing services for similar organizations and/or projects within the last 5 years
25 points • Pricing
100 points • Total

Salt Lake City Arts Council will make the award to the Offeror who receives the highest evaluation based upon the requirements specified.

Note: Salt Lake City Arts Council will review and evaluate all written proposals based on the criteria identified in this solicitation. Subsequent evaluation, such as to select firms for negotiation, may include, but are not limited to, review of more detailed quotes and/or oral presentations. Any subsequent evaluations will be based on the same criteria. The Salt Lake City Arts Council also reserves the right to negotiate to obtain an acceptable price. The final negotiated contract shall be subject to final approval of the Salt Lake City Arts Council, in its sole discretion.