UNSPSC 80171605: Press release and media kit service

Public relations consultation services relating to the production and distribution of press releases and media information kits and materials

UNSPSC 80171605 Press release and media kit service is a Commodity code under which state and local governments procure public communications, media relations, and strategic outreach support for agency initiatives, capital projects, elections, and public-facing campaigns. Recent solicitations show state departments, counties, cities, transit authorities, and special-purpose districts buying integrated marketing and public relations services that span media planning and buying, creative content development, community engagement coordination, press release preparation, social media management, stakeholder outreach, and crisis communications support. The work ranges from discrete advisory services (Illinois Board seeking press release preparation related to public safety) to comprehensive multi-year campaigns (California DIR's four-pillar awareness effort on heat illness, wildfire smoke, wage theft, and women in construction, budgeted at $7.35 million over 48 months), to project-specific communications for capital infrastructure (Orange County Transportation Authority contracting $801,000 over four years for public outreach on rail stabilization and station projects across seven corridor cities). Issuing bodies span state procurement offices (Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, California DIR, Washington State Office of Secretary of State), county governments (Pasco County, San Mateo County, Charlotte-Mecklenburg), cities (Charlotte, Tucson, Columbus Consolidated Government), transit authorities (Orange County Transportation Authority, Broward County Transportation Department), and courts (Los Angeles Superior Court). Repeat buyers include Orange County Transportation Authority (at least two recent RFPs for rail project communications) and regional tourism districts in Connecticut (Eastern Regional Tourism District issued multiple RFPs for integrated marketing and media services).

Geographic activity clusters in California (DIR, San Mateo County, Orange County Transportation Authority, Los Angeles Superior Court), Florida (Pasco County, Columbus Consolidated Government, Valencia College District), the Pacific Northwest (Washington State, Connecticut Department of Administrative Services), and the Southeast (Charlotte, Broward County). Representative recent solicitations include the Washington State Office of Secretary of State's RFP 26-03 for voter information multimedia production and distribution across five counties with a not-to-exceed value of $160,000 and proposals due June 1, 2026; Orange County Transportation Authority's RFP 250187 for public outreach consultant services supporting seven rail capital projects with a four-year budget of $801,000 and proposals due February 23, 2026 (noted as expired deadline but representing current scope); California DIR's RFP 25OEA002 for media consultant services managing paid advertising for four multilingual public awareness campaigns with a $7.35 million budget over 48 months and proposals due April 17, 2026; and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services' paired RFPs (FY27-RFP-01 and FY27-RFP-02) for media buying and creative services with combined anticipated budget of approximately $690,000 over five years and proposals due February 23, 2026. Set-asides and preferences appear sporadically: Washington State offers 5–10% evaluation preferences for small businesses and veteran-owned businesses; California encourages DVBE, SB/MB, and TACPA participation through optional incentives; Charlotte implements mandatory MWSBE utilization forms; Connecticut offers up to 15% price preference for veteran-owned micro-businesses. Many jurisdictions impose no formal set-asides, instead requiring diverse business inclusion plans or MWSBE declarations.