County Executive’s Office

Media Outreach and Communications RFQ #OCA 1006

The County of San Mateo seeks qualified Contractor(s) to assist in the development and implementation of media outreach and communications support for the Office of Community Affairs and its programs and outreach campaigns. Providers must have proven experience with creating inclusive content for culturally and linguistically diverse communities. 

The selected Contractor(s) will work in close coordination with OCA staff to provide media communications and outreach services to OCA on matters that may arise in connection with any of its special projects. The selected Contractor(s) shall perform the following tasks and services: 

Public Outreach and Communications Support 

• Develop community messaging programs and creative ideas for ongoing communication in multiple languages. 
• Coordinate with OCA staff to amplify tactical messaging, engage with media influencers, and cross-promote earned coverage through social media channels. 
• Promote public awareness of OCA’s programs and services through a consistent and positive message. 
• Provide general media assistance as needed. 

Create Marketing Material and Graphic Development 

• Provide multilingual, culturally competent content and creative development of: 
  • Digital media campaigns, including online video, display ads, and other forms of web-based advertising  
  • Social media campaigns, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram 
  • Traditional media campaigns including print ads, posters, signs, and brochures 
  • Video and radio campaigns, including PSA’s, radio ads, and television 
  • Creation and printing of collateral, including postcards, flyers, infographics 
  • Out-of-home advertising, including billboard and bus shelter ads 
  • Other materials as recommended (table tents, posters, banners, etc.) 
  • Translation of materials into other languages as needed. 

Media Relations 

• Develop and maintain relationships with key media contacts, including ethnic media outlets (i.e., local, statewide, and national media; print journals/newspapers, online/blogs, radio, television, etc.). 
• Develop and maintain comprehensive targeted media lists to include but not limited to the following: local, statewide, select national media, print journals/newspapers, online/blogs and broadcast media. 
• Liase with media outlets to distribute information to media. 
• Liase and coordinate with media vendors.  

Account Management 

• Provide account management, including development of status reports and master planning calendar including relevant meetings, key dates, etc. 
• Develop measurable targets and goals for media outreach. 
• Perform ongoing (monthly) evaluation regarding media impressions, media engagement, and other key performance indicators. 
• Maintain data dashboard to track media impressions, ad clicks, ad click through rate, and other key performance indicators. 

Ad Hoc Communications / Outreach Projects 

• As requested by OCA, develop and implement communications and outreach campaigns for specific programmatic needs. 

Media Outreach and Communications RFQ #OCA1006 Documents

1. Media Outreach and Communications RFQ #OCA1006 (.pdf document)  
2. RFQ #OCA1006 - Attachment A: RFQ Application Template (Word .doc)
3. RFQ #OCA1006 - Attachment B: Cost Quotation/Budget Template (Word .doc) 

How to Submit

You must submit your proposal by Friday, May 13th, by 12:00 PM PST by emailing all documents to: OCA_Proposal@smcgov.org

Questions and Answers

1. Would the County be open to our proposing specific (non PR) elements outlined in the scope documents you provided?
   1. This proposal is only requesting items as outlined in the scope documents we provided, and only those items may be funded upon awarding future potential work. However your approach to providing those services may be presented however you see fit.  Applicants can submit any additional information for consideration. All required documents must be submitted as identified in the RFQ.
2. Or, is it mandatory that all services be part of any proposal? Your reply will guide our overall approach.
   1. It is not mandatory that all services be part of any proposal. There may be more than one applicant selected for future work, based upon their expertise and fee proposal. All required documents must be submitted as identified in the RFQ.
3. What is CSM trying to achieve through this partnership - generally, and with regards to specific goals?

   1. The County of San Mateo, Office of Community Affairs (OCA) intends for the services provided to increase the reach of OCA communications, announce important program and project milestones, share important information and resources, and showcase local successes. 

   2. Our programs and services have an intentional focus on reaching culturally and linguistically diverse communities so all services provided must be culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate. 

4. In your opinion, what are the primary characteristics that CSM's ideal partner should possess?
   1. The ideal partner would have prior experience working with government agencies, experience reaching culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and have clear, ongoing communication channels for frequent contact with the OCA team. We will evaluate specialized experience and technical competence of prospective Contractors, as well as the approach to project management, and quality of work samples provided. 
5. The RFQ mentions that this work will be for "special projects." Can CSM provide context or examples of what these special projects might be?
   1. Please refer back to the RFQ, page 2 for examples of projects or county initiatives. 
6. What is the expected regarding this contract’s term/duration?  
   1. Up to three (3) years
7. What is the staffing structure of the Office of Community Affairs? Who will the agency's point of contact be? Who are the decision-makers, and what is the approval process? 
   1. The County Executive’s Office of Community Affairs Manager and Management Analyst will be the point of the contact and decision-makers related to this agreement.  The approval process will adhere to our County Communications protocols, which could take up to 3-5 days for approval process. 
8. Is Social Media Community Management intended to be included in the "Public Outreach and Communications Support" section? 
   1. All social media channels are managed by the Office of Community Affairs staff, in partnership with the County Communications Team.  We would look to the selected vendor for best practices and recommendations on tactics and strategies to support our project goals. 
9. We saw an RFQ Cover Letter Template in the attachments. Is there a preferred format in which you'd like to receive the overall proposal? Are there any specific requirements we should be sure to include? 
   1. See page 4 of the RFQ for the stated response submission requirements. 
10. For scale and context, how many campaigns does CSM plan to run in any given year?  
    1. There are a variety of campaigns that may run simultaneously and require long or short-term approaches. Generally, there are approximately 5-7 campaigns per year.  For a list of examples of projects or county initiatives, please refer back to the RFQ, page 2. 
11. What is CSM's annual or monthly budget for services? For media spend? Are there separate budgets for buying media? 
    1. Monthly budget may vary depending on the county priorities and size of campaign.
    2. Examples:
       1. A short-run campaign that is educating the public about a new initiative may only last for 4-6 weeks, and include a billboard, postcard design, and digital media creation, with a budget of $10-$15k.
       2. A long-term project, like COVID-19 Outreach could last up to two years, with a budget of approximately $150k.
12. How will the "Ad Hoc and Outreach Projects" be accounted for in the budget--as separate scopes, or should a bucket of flexible hours per month be included in the proposal estimate? 
    1. As new projects come online, we would ask for a proposed budget and scope of work. An additional budget for flexible hours per month may be included.