1-Aa1. Addendum 1 RFP 269-2025-1842 Pro MarCom Services(A).docx

CATS Procurement

RFP # 269-2025-1842(A)

Please note the specification changes/modifications below for the RFP.

**Below are questions and responses related to the subject RFP:

1. Q: How does CATS define success for this contract over the next 12–18 months? Are there specific metrics or KPIs beyond ridership growth and brand awareness?

A: Please reference the key objectives on page 12 of the proposal, thank you.

2. Q: Are there any upcoming policy, infrastructure, or fare changes that the selected firm will need to anticipate and support communications around?

A: All of those are possibilities as we look to the future. Many of these initiatives are outlined on our website or have been shared with the Metropolitan Transit Commission, the CATS’ policy board and those materials are also on CATS web site.

3. Q: Are there specifics on how the newly approved Mecklenburg County transit plan works in conjunction with the overall scope of work? Limitations? Specific areas of focus with surrounding counties/towns?

A: This scope of work will support CATS’ services, current and future over the course of the contract term.

4. Q: Which of the target audiences (e.g., commuters, students, tourists, low-income families) have been most difficult to reach or engage meaningfully, and why?

A: Of the eight key audiences identified in the proposal, each are unique and each present different opportunities and challenges in reaching them.

5. Q: What do you see as the biggest misperceptions or brand challenges currently facing CATS among the public?

A: Reliability Safety Convenience State of Good repair/Cleanliness Fare Evasion

6. Q: How many concurrent campaigns or initiatives do you anticipate requiring support at any given time?

A: This will vary depending on projects and initiatives underway. We would estimate between 5-25 different efforts of varying complexity underway at a given time.

7. Q: How is CATS currently structured for real-time communications during crises or service disruptions?

A: CATS has a communication division currently responsible for communications, crisis and service communications being part of this division. There is not a dedicated FTE in this team supporting operational communications currently.

8. Q: What is the anticipated budget?

A: Anticipated budget is $2.5M -$5M over the course of the contract/possible contract.

9. Q: Who is the incumbent for this work?

A: CATS has worked with several firms over the last 5-years that have provided components of this type of work. We have not had a firm under contract that is full-service in the last decade.

10. Q: What community partners or stakeholder groups does CATS currently collaborate with, and how are they involved in outreach?

A: CATS partners regularly with a variety of stakeholders and community groups depending on the need. CATS also facilitates some of these relationships through our contact with other City of Charlotte Departments.

11. Q: Is there an existing community engagement plan or toolkit, or will the firm develop this from scratch?

A: CATS has used a variety of techniques for community engagement over the years. However, we are looking to create a more standardized approach which incorporate best practices based on the type of engagement activity.

12. Q: How does CATS define “community support”? Is it measured by ridership, social sentiment, participation in meetings, or other means?

A: All the above.

13. Q: What are the core messages or themes CATS wants to convey in its value proposition?

A: CATS’ Mission, Vision and Values, Strategic Priorities

14. Q: Are there any barriers to public trust or perception that storytelling should address (e.g., past service issues, equity concerns)?

A: See answer to question 5.

15. Q: What storytelling channels are most important—digital, traditional media, on- system, grassroots?

A: All are important, prioritization will vary based on audience.

16. Q: What specific ridership segments or routes are being targeted for growth?

A: Will depend on the service enhancements being implemented.

17. Q: Are there seasonal trends or service changes that campaigns should align with?

A: CATS implements service changes three times a year, with typically one that is extensive and needing a more robust marketing/comms campaign.

There are also efforts that align with different events occurring in the community.

18. Q: Will CATS provide ridership data and analytics to support targeting and evaluation?

A: Yes

19. Q: Has Market Research currently been performed? If so, will CATS share the results?

A: CATS does not have any current market research that has been completed in the past 3-years beyond our annual customer satisfaction and community survey which was conducted last year.

20. Q: What tools or platforms does CATS currently use for measuring brand sentiment and campaign analytics?

A: Sprout Social Meltwater

21. Q: What is the expectation for reporting frequency and format for campaign performance and public sentiment?

A: This varies per campaign, but a monthly report will be expected at minimum.

22. Q: What types of business partnerships is CATS looking to pursue (e.g., employers, developers, schools)?

A: Business Partnerships that grow CATS’ service usage while supporting the community in a seamless transit experience, moving people forward.

23. Q: Are there identified untapped markets or geographies CATS is prioritizing?

A: There is opportunity to grow all markets currently identified as part of the key audiences.

24. Q: Will the selected firm be expected to initiate, support, or fully manage partnership development efforts?

A: No, CATS has a business partnership team whose are responsible for partnership cultivation.

25. Q: Regarding the request for experience with a "major US or international consumer brand providing service similar to that required for the discipline," could you clarify how you define a "similar consumer brand"? Would this include brands focused on large-scale consumer services, logistics, or experience-driven industries outside of transportation?

A: CATS provides a service that is available for purchase by consumers. Relevant experience with public sector, transit or transportation marketing is required for demonstration in addition to the additional Agency Qualifications notes in the scope.

26. Q: Could you share which types of transferable skills or experience you see as most relevant from agencies who have previously supported transportation companies and/or large-scale consumer brands?

A: CATS provides a service for purchase – each of our riders are customers and each of our non-riders being potential new customers. We should market and promote our services in the same spirit as other major organizations providing services for sale.

27. Q: What does overall success for this campaign look like, and are there specific KPI targets tied to that vision?

A: This proposal is not specific to one campaign, please reference the scope for key objectives and what those specific objectives include.

28. Q: How do you plan to measure campaign performance and impact? Are there specific metrics you’ll prioritize?

A: Please reference the key objectives, KPIs will be tied back to these objectives.

29. Q: Regarding fixed-route ridership, are there defined goals or benchmarks you aim to achieve as part of this campaign?

A: This proposal is not specific to one campaign however increasing ridership is a goal that will be further defined as specific campaigns are developed.

30. Q: Is this the result of a current contract expiring, evolving organizational needs, or a desire to engage new partners with expanded capabilities? If so, could the City please share the name of the current provider?

A: This effort is responding to the need for access to an expanded scope of services and management of those CATS currently does not have a firm under contract that provides all of these services in a coordinated fashion. CATS has worked with a firm to provide some services who has a contract that is expiring.

31. Q: Are there particular service areas the City is seeking to improve upon with this new engagement?

A: Those noted in in the RFP are the areas of focus currently.

32. Q: Can the City provide a general budget range or anticipated annual budget allocation for this engagement? If separate, how will the media budget be managed?

A: $2.5M - $5M over the course of the contract; media budget would be included in that overall value.

33. Q: Does the City anticipate awarding this contract to a single firm or multiple firms by discipline (e.g., one for creative, one for public relations, etc.)?

A: CATS is not intending to award multiple contracts based on discipline. However, CATS could award more than one contract.

34. Q: Can the City provide any historical budget information or typical annual spend for similar services over the last 1–3 years?

A: There has not been one contract with all services identified historically, however over the last 3 years CATS has roughly spent between $300 k- $600k on the services covered under this RFP.

35. Q: Please confirm that there is not a page limit or formatting restrictions for the proposal submissions.

A: Proposals are limited to a maximum of 50 numbered, printed pages (25 pages printed double-sided, 50 pages printed single-sided, or a combination not exceeding 50 pages of print), excluding required forms, covers, sub-tabs, and dividers. Proposals should be presented on 8-1/2” x 11” paper; however, pages with organizational charts, matrices, or diagrams may be presented on larger sheets. Type size should be no smaller than 11 points for narrative sections, but may be reduced for captions, footnotes, etc., while maintaining legibility. Covers, dividers, and required forms do not count toward the page limit. Non-conforming submissions may be removed from consideration at the sole discretion of the City.

36. Q: Section 4.1.3 Proposal states: Include references for related work performed within the last five (5) years for each subcontractor member of the team.

Please provide clarification of “references”. Is the RFP requesting a point of contact/client reference or a description/examples of work completed over the past five years for each subcontractor?

A: The bullet in the RFP being referenced is requesting a point of contact/client reference. However, it is under the heading “Discuss the role and relevant experience and capability of the firms on the Prime Contractor's Team”.

37. Q: What is the annual budget for marketing and communications services?

A: Anticipated budget is $2.5M - $5M over the course of the contract.

38. Q: How much of that budget is earmarked for paid advertising/paid media?

A: Would be determined on an annual basis depending on type of campaigns being planned and paid advertising/paid media needs.

39. Q: Can the government confirm this is a time and materials contract?

A: The contract is task order based. Each task order will have a cost proposal.

40. Q: Can you provide clarification on how CATS wants to see the total cost pricing given the open-ended scope? What is CATS looking to see – unit pricing on each service specified in the contract? Could you please clarify.

A: Unit pricing per identified service and any additional service in which you feel would be necessary to meet the objectives identified in the scope.

41. Q: Could you let us know if you have a local preference or are you open to a Canadian agency that has done similar work with clients across the United States, with some currently being the States of California, Colorado and Wyoming?

A: We are open to working with organizations that can help us in meeting the key objectives as defined in the scope. Please note agency qualifications also defined in the scope and listed below:

· Relevant experience with public sector, transit, or transportation marketing.

· Familiarity with financially constrained public agency environments.

· Proficiency in executing integrated marketing and communication strategies.

· A proven record of driving public engagement and increasing ridership.

· Knowledge of Mecklenburg County and the municipalities in the service area, demographics, media and governance.

42. Q: For the cost proposal, could you please confirm if we need to use NCDOT loaded rates?

A: The rates provided in the cost proposal should include a fully burdened rate inclusive of overhead and profit. Overhead and profit rates percentages should also be outlined.

43. Q: When you say the budget is 2.5-5M, is that for this specific contract, or the overall advertising budget (to include your internal staff)?

A: $2.5M - $5M over the course of the contract; media budget would be included in that overall value.

44. Q: Please confirm section 4.1.4 - Qualifications of the Team and Proposed Personnel is part of the 50-page limit as there could be 20+ team members included in the proposal which could be nearly 1/2 of the 50 pages.

A: Key team members should be included in the proposal. Supplemental team member information and resumes can be included in the appendix which doesn’t count towards the 50-pages.

45. Q: Is the proposer able to submit a web page showcasing creative samples of work?

A: Yes, however, should consider including supplemental materials in appendix to ensure it is easily accessible.

46. Q: Does budget include media costs?

A: $2.5M - $5M over the course of the contract; media budget would be included in that overall value.

47. Q: Can you provide clarification on how CATS wants to see the total cost pricing given the open-ended scope? What is CATS looking to see – unit pricing on each service specified in the contract? Could you please clarify.

A: Unit pricing per identified service and any additional service in which you feel would be necessary to meet the objectives identified in the scope.

48. Q: Please clarify what all can be included as appendix such as resumes, creative portfolio, etc.

A: Resumes, creative portfolios are accepted. Information that showcases your capabilities to perform the identified scope is permissible.

49. Q: Would you consider extending the deadline for submittal by two weeks?

A: We are unfortunately not able to extend.

50. Q: Given the contract will span multiple years, how should annual rate escalation be handled in the proposal?

A: The anticipated annual rate of escalation should be included for years 2, 3, 4 and 5.

51. Q: Does CATS anticipate that the Consultant will provide embedded staff to augment your staff?

A: We anticipate teams to work closely together, this consultant team being an extension and/or embedded with our FTEs. Working on and off site together is anticipated.

52. Q: How many firms are you anticipating selecting?

A: Ideally, we select one firm, however we are open to selecting more than one.

53. Q: Can you clarify the demographics of the target audience you intend to reach?

A: CATS regularly conducts a Customer Satisfaction Survey for our bus and rail services that includes demographic data which can be provided to the selected firm.

54. Q: What is the current ridership for CATS? Could you also share the zip codes that use the service most frequently, as well as any known route challenges?

A: Roughly 15M.

Below are the top five routes/services:

· Blue Line

· Central/Albemarle

· Beatties Ford/Statesville Avenue

· South Tryon

· North Tryon

· Monroe Road

· Wilkinson

55. Q: Are there specific digital platforms or channels you prioritize for communication and outreach?

A: We currently utilize traditional digital platforms for communications:

Website Public Input (Rider’s Alerts) Social App

56. Q: How should the marketing plan integrate with existing campaigns or initiatives?

A: Campaigns should share alignment as appropriate.

57. Q: Who will be the primary stakeholders involved in this project from your side, and how often will we engage with them?

A: Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Marketing and Communications, Marketing Manager and Communications Manager. Cadence of engagement will vary however consistent communication is expected.

58. Q: Could you detail scenarios in which crisis communication services have been used in the past and what was expected?

Crisis communication services have been used to support the following in years past:

1. Crisis Planning and Preparedness

· Crisis Communications Plan Development

· Scenario Planning

· Media Training

2. Real-Time Crisis Response

· Message Development: Crafting statements, press releases, FAQs, and internal memos with clear, concise, and empathetic messaging.

· Media Relations: Handling media inquiries, arranging interviews, and monitoring press coverage.

· Stakeholder Communications: Notifying and reassuring customers, employees, investors, regulators, and partners with tailored communications.

· Spokesperson Support: Providing real-time coaching and talking points for interviews or press conferences.

3. Monitoring and Intelligence

· Media Monitoring: Tracking news coverage to gauge public sentiment and misinformation.

· Social Media Monitoring: Watching online platforms for emerging issues, negative sentiment, or viral content.

· Reputation Auditing: Assessing damage to brand perception during and after the crisis.

59. Q: What does the approval process look like for campaign materials or strategies?

A: This process varies per campaign, both CAO and Director are involved.

60. Q: What types of creative assets do you anticipate needing most often?

A: Below are a few examples, not limited and to be further determined:

- Rider Information & Wayfinding Materials

- Safety & Public Awareness Materials

- Digital/Print/Radio/Videos/Posters/OOH/Graphics/Social Media/Presentations

- Presentation Material Support

- Multilingual Materials Bottom of Form

61. Q: Are there any sustainability policies or environmental considerations that must align with the marketing strategies?

A: Public transit is a climate mitigation tool in itself; therefore, the promotion of public transit and mode shift is an environmental consideration that the firm chosen will be supporting throughout their work.

62. Q: Will there be regular performance reviews, and if so, how frequently?

A: There will be performance reviews on a bi-annual basis.

63. Q: Are there any specific contract terms or conditions that have been challenging in the past that we should address upfront?

A: None currently.

64. Q: How does CATS currently gather and incorporate feedback from the community, and how do you envision this process evolving with our partnership?

A: CATS currently conducts customer and community surveys each year. We envision additional feedback will need to be collected. CATS looks forward to learning from firms what they will need to do their best work and how best to get that information.

65. Q: How open are you to integrating cutting-edge technologies such as AI and data analytics to tailor marketing strategies and improve customer engagement?

A: This is noted as part of the scope.

66. Q: What challenges have you faced in maintaining consistent brand messaging across different marketing channels and touchpoints?

A: Diverse communications channels, multiple stakeholders and vendors, localized needs versus central messaging, frequent service alerts (little lead time typically), outdated branding, public perception.

67. Q: Are there any specific sustainability goals related to CATS's marketing and communication strategies that we should be aware of and support?

A: Public transit is a climate mitigation tool in itself therefore the promotion of public transit and mode shift specifically is an environmental consideration that the firm chosen will be supporting throughout their work.

68. Q: Should the budget reflect printing costs for brochures and station signage mentioned in section 4.1.3?

A: Yes

69. Q: The agency shared that you are open to selecting multiple contractors for this scope of work. Would you select one or two areas of services from an agency that proposes to offer the full scope of services?

A: CATS is not intending to award multiple contracts based on discipline. However, CATS could award more than one contract.

70. Q: What is the CMS platform of your current website? Are you planning to host landing pages from your existing domain or will you rely upon the selected agency to host landing pages?

A: Granicus is the current platform. Pages will exist from current domain. CATS does anticipate a website project in the future and when the time comes, would be open to exploring other options.

71. Q: Can you provide an annual spend breakout for each of the last 3 years for media: TV, radio, OOH, print, SEM, SEO, social networking?

A: We do not have project budget information readily available broken out in this way. However, over the last three years CATS has roughly spent between $300k- $600k on the services covered under this RFP.

72. Q: Can you share your ridership and rider fare revenue goals for the next 2-3 years?

A: CATS has not defined specific goals outside of wanting to see ridership and revenue grow overall.

73. Q: Where are you seeing the growth in the ridership since the pandemic?

A: CATS has seen consistent ridership growth year over year since the pandemic. However, in the last year this rate of growth has slowed down.

74. Q: How likely is it that the assignment could be awarded by segment: creative, media, digital support operations (marketing campaigns, communications, PR, etc.)? Or are you seeking a full-service, all in one agency?

A: We would prefer to have a full-service agency.

75. Q: How have previous marketing efforts impacted ridership? Have you seen an increase/decrease of in recent years? Is there a target goal for 2025 and beyond?

A: CATS has not done any recent marketing efforts focused on ridership. However, we have launched the new CATS Micro service which went very well, and ridership continues to increase.

76. Q: What are the biggest communications challenges facing CATS?

A: Misinformation and lack of confidence in the system.

77. Q: Can you share any existing partnerships?

A: CATS has existing partnerships for the CATS all access pass fare program with UNC Charlotte and a couple of small non-profits.

78. Q: What is the current agency relationship structure and areas for improvement?

A: CATS has several agency relationships with varying scopes of service – full service would support CATS.

79. Q: Who will be the key day-to-day contacts at CATS? And what is the makeup of your current internal Marketing Communications team?

A: The key day-to-day contacts will be the Marketing and Communications Director and the Marketing Manager.

80. Q: How happy are you with your current creative? Are you seeking a rebrand or refresh? Or are you seeking a continuation of the existing look and feel with new ideas incorporated into them?

A: We are considering a rebrand or refresh.

81. Q: Are there any unique needs, or creative challenges that you’re specifically seeking help from an agency?

A: Public Transit experience is preferred.

82. Q: Is there a strong preference for one media versus others?

A: Social has shown tremendous growth; according to customer surveys web is most popular amongst riders.

83. Q: Which digital channels are you currently advertising on?

A: Web, social, radio, OOH, transit ads, direct mail

84. Q: Are you seeking strategy/direction on any additional channels?

A: Would be interested in an audit of our existing channels and subsequent direction on channel prioritization

85. Q: What types of social media driving marketing initiatives is your team currently running? Are you doing both organic and paid advertising?

A: Organic and paid

86. Q: Which analytics tools does your team rely upon?

A: Sprout Social, Meltwater, Google Analytics – this is an area of opportunity for us.

87. Q: Will the selected agency have access to those tools and be able to track users across various platforms/channels? Or are you seeking an agency to set and define your tracking tools/KPIs?

A: The selected agency will work with CATS Marketing and Communications team to help redefine tracking tools and KPIs.

88. Q: What metrics and KPIs are currently used to measure campaign success? Can you share recent results?

A: Social: Reach/Impressions, Engagement, Views, Mentions/Tags, Sentiment Email: OR, CTR, CR, Unsubs, Bounces, List Growth, Forwards/Shares Digital/Web: Sessions/Users, BR, Avg Session Duration PR/Media: Mentions, Media Impressions, Sentiment, Pick-up rate, EMV Events/Experiential: Registration vs Attendance, Attendees, Conversions, QR scans, live polling participation, etc.

89. Q: What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) or success metrics that CATS will use to evaluate the effectiveness of the marketing initiatives?

A: Social: Reach/Impressions, Engagement, Views, Mentions/Tags, Sentiment Email: OR, CTR, CR, Unsubs, Bounces, List Growth, Forwards/Shares Digital/Web: Sessions/Users, BR, Avg Session Duration PR/Media: Mentions, Media Impressions, Sentiment, Pick-up rate, EMV Events/Experiential: Registration vs Attendance, Attendees, Conversions, QR scans, live polling participation, etc.

90. Q: Can you provide details on the target audience, including demographic profiles?

A: Target audiences will depend on the specific campaigns.

91. Q: How does CATS currently engage diverse communities, and are there any particular DEI goals that should be integrated into the campaign?

A: Goals will vary depending upon specific campaigns or initiatives.

92. Q: Should we include costs for video production, graphic design, or other creative asset development in our proposal?

A: Yes. The cost proposal should include all (rates and/or unit) pricing for services outlined in the RFP or would be needed to facilitate the work.

93. Q: What would you consider your key geography footprint to be (in terms of counties, neighborhoods, or another metric)?

A: The primary CATS service area is Mecklenburg County with a few express services extending into larger communities in adjacent counties.

94. Q: In terms of research, analysis, and reporting, are there any strong preferences toward quantitative, qualitative, or mixed approaches in particular? Or simply whatever methodology best suits the research questions and practical considerations?

A: A mixed approach is preferred.

95. Q: Will the vendor have access to CATS's customer contact database for survey outreach? If so, how many verified customers are currently available in the database, in terms of those with a valid email address or mobile number for outreach.

A: Yes, access can be provided to CATS customer contact information. Most contacts have email addresses associated with them.

96. Q: Does CATS expect a statistically representative sample of all riders, or a quota-based approach (e.g., by route, service type, frequency)?

A: It will depend upon the work being requested as part of the task order.

97. Q: Are participation incentives currently offered for panel surveys (such as the annual customer satisfaction and community survey)? If so, what type and who manages distribution?

A: Yes. Passes, managed by Customer Service

98. Q: Could you clarify whether CATS has an established NPS benchmark or satisfaction target that you aim to achieve or maintain?

A: Yes, CATS has a customer satisfaction target.

99. Q: Can we review past customer satisfaction surveys or reports to support continuity and methodology refinement?

A: That information can be provided to the selected firm.

100. Q: Does the potential vendor need to be pre-registered to do business in Carolina? If so, does that need to be processed before submission?

A: Potential vendors need to be registered to do business in North Carolina and with the City of Charlotte. Vendors must be registered for a contract to be executed.

101. Q: Is representativeness of your ridership within the customer satisfaction survey sample a priority?

A: Yes

102. Q: Does CATS ever require on-the-ground interceptors to field surveys among riders?

A: CATS has not outsourced those services in the past but would be open to exploring for initiatives.

103. Q: Could you please clarify your preferences regarding the pricing submission? Are you seeking only standard billing rates, or would you like us to provide estimated costs for specific activities as well?

A: Please include both, thank you.

104. Q: Of the listed objectives (e.g., ridership growth, brand visibility, stakeholder engagement), which are considered highest priority for the first 12 months of the contract?

A: Increase ridership, awareness, usage of new technology, awareness of the benefits of public transit and providing public relations support and guidance.

105. Q: What internal marketing or communications resources currently exist at CATS, and how will the selected firm be expected to complement or collaborate with those teams?

A: CATS has an internal Marketing (Manager, Specialists, Graphic Design, Website) and Communications (Manager, PIO’s) team that will help support efforts related to this contract.

106. Q: Does CATS currently have a community engagement framework or existing stakeholder partnerships that the selected firm will be expected to work within or build upon?

A: Yes. CATS has used a variety of techniques for community engagement over the years. However, we are looking to create a more standardized approach which incorporate best practices based on the type of engagement activity.

107. Q: What key performance indicators (KPIs) does CATS use to evaluate the success of its marketing and communication efforts?

A: Campaign Performance: Reach, Engagement, CTR, Conversion, CPA, ROMI, Audience Growth, Social: Reach/Impressions, Engagement, Views, Mentions/Tags, Sentiment Email: OR, CTR, CR, Unsubs, Bounces, List Growth, Forwards/Shares Digital/Web: Sessions/Users, BR, Avg Session Duration PR/Media: Mentions, Media Impressions, Sentiment, Pick-up rate, EMV Events/Experiential: Registration vs Attendance, Attendees, Conversions, QR scans, live polling participation, etc.

108. Q: Are there any audience segments listed in the RFP that CATS feels are currently underserved or especially critical to growth (e.g., college students, low-income riders)?

A: All are important, prioritization will vary based on audience and what we need to achieve.

109. Q: Can CATS provide examples of the types of crisis communication scenarios the selected firm should be prepared to support?

A: Personal safety incident, vehicle or traffic incident requiring medical attention, political or governmental organizational crisis, mechanical/operational issues

110. Q: Will the selected firm be responsible for managing media buying and ad placement budgets directly, or will CATS handle those transactions?

A: Yes, as referenced in the scope, the selected firm would be responsible for full media creative and production services, planning and placement of media buys

111. Q: Does CATS have existing brand guidelines, tone of voice documentation, or prior campaign materials that will be made available to the selected firm?

A: Yes, there are existing guidelines, but as part of this work, CATS anticipates revisiting those.

112. Q: What is the expected cadence and format for reporting to CATS leadership, board members, and external stakeholders (e.g., monthly, quarterly, dashboard-style reports)?

A: This varies per campaign, but a monthly report will be expected at minimum.

113. Q: If a firm is in progress of obtaining the City M/W/SBE credentials - does that suffice to meet the SB subcontracting goals?

A: No, the purpose of certification is to impartially determine if a firm meets a specific program’s criteria. Here the federal DBE program with NCDOT as the certifier for North Carolina based projects. This project, which is anticipated to include USDOT/FTA funds, will only accept the NCDOT DBE certification which is no way related the City’s CBI small business nor the state of North Carolina small business certifications.

The result is that any firm that has not fully completed federal DBE certification process is assumed not to have met the program requirements. i.e., only firms that have completed the NCDOT DBE certification can be considered for commitments to meet the goal(s).

Also note: the City’s local CBI MBE, WBE, SBE certifications (authority from Charlotte City Council) are completely different from the NCDOT federal DBE certification (authority from the US department of Transportation) and are in no way interchangeable.

114. Q: Could we request a waiver on the e-verify requirement as we are located in Canada?

A: If the vendor transacts business in North Carolina and has employees in North Carolina, then we cannot waive this provision as it is statutorily mandated.

However, if the vendor does NOT have employees in North Carolina, we can use the following provision: State E-Verify. Company will comply with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the North Carolina General Statutes and shall require each of its subcontractors to do so as well to the extent each such company qualifies as an “employer” under the NC E-Verify statute (N.C.G.S. § 64-25 & -26).

115. Q: Could you please clarify if there is a not-to-exceed amount or recommended budget range that proposals should align with?

A: Please see other questions on the budget. $2.5M - $5M

116. Q: If this project creates any conflicts of interest with future work with the project, whether across communications or engineering? Our team works on the planning side as well and they just wanted to confirm that this contract on the marketing side wouldn't create a conflict of interest in technical pursuits on the planning side.

A: No, this will not create a conflict.

117. Q: Is this specific contract or the overall advertising budget to include your internal staff? So when you say the budget is 2.5 to 5 million, is that for this specific contract or the overall advertising budget?

A: That is for this specific contract.

118. Q: Section 4.1.3 discussed the ability to produce large numbers of creative materials and assets in multiple languages. What are the Title 6 languages, or other just general customer languages?

A: Here is the list of Charlotte’s Safe Harbor Languages for translating documents. These are determined by a language group that constitutes at least 1,000 persons or 5% of the service area population, whichever is less. These are also the languages necessary to ensure accessibility.

Safe Harbor Languages:

· Spanish

· Vietnamese

· French

· Chinese

· Russian

· Arabic

· Korean

· Hindi

· Gujarati

· Khmer

· Portuguese

· Tamil

· Telegu

119. Q: Who is responsible for day-to-day management of CATS social media accounts? Do you want community management as part of this proposal or is that something you anticipate CATS continuing in house?

A: CATS does have dedicated staff that oversees our social media accounts. Collaboration and partnership are welcomed, but from a day-to-day - actually details posting, scheduling, etc. - CATS envisions at this time that would remain in house.

120. Q: Can you provide more detailed information on the specific objectives you want to achieve through this RFP?

A: Please reference the scope for key objectives and what those specific objectives include

121. Q: Regarding REQUIRED FORM 5 – COMPANY’S BACKGROUND RESPONSE: The version provided does not contain any fields to complete or signature areas. Could you please confirm whether this is the intended format, and if not, where we should incorporate the requested background information?

A: Please follow the instructions on the form and respond to the numbered questions or statements.

122. Q: Does the evaluation criteria include a weighted rubric to complement each major category? If so, can you share what percent you will attribute to each category?

A: Each category will be evaluated separately and considered towards the company’s overall proposal. Weighted rubric information will not be shared with potential proposers.

123. Q: Are a bidder’s questions and responses available to all bidders, or just to the bidder who submits them?

A: All questions and answers are available to all bidders on the Procurement Portal posted as an addendum to the RFP.

124. Q: What is the anticipated timeline for agency selection and onboarding?

A: Please refer to Section 2.1 (Schedule and Process) of the RFP

125. Q: How many agencies are being invited to participate?

A: This procurement has been posted to the public.

126. Q: Is there a preferred format for the proposal submission (PDF, PowerPoint, or other)?

A: The “preferred” format for proposal submission is a PDF file.

127. Q: What is the preferred MWSBE participation goal?

A: There will be a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal on the project rather than an MWSBE goal

128. Q: Is MWSBE participation a requirement?

A: No, there will be a DBE goal requirement for this contract

129. Q: Are there specific MWSBE (Minority/Women/Small Business Enterprise) goals or organizations you’ve worked with effectively that should be included in planning?

A: Yes, you should provide DBE firms from which you have worked previously, as well as any DBE firms in which you intend to work with on the project.

130. Q: If a firm is in progress of obtaining the City M/W/SBE credentials - does that suffice to meet the subcontracting goals?

A: No, the purpose of certification is to impartially determine if a firm meets a specific program’s criteria. Here the federal DBE program with NCDOT as the certifier for North Carolina based projects. This project, which is anticipated to include USDOT/FTA funds, will only accept the NCDOT DBE certification which is no way related the City’s CBI small business nor the state of North Carolina small business certifications.

The result is that any firm that has not fully completed federal DBE certification process is assumed not to have met the program requirements. i.e., only firms that have completed the NCDOT DBE certification can be considered for commitments to meet the goal(s).

City of Charlotte | CATS Procurement |

131. Q: All companies must be DBE certified through NCDOT at the time proposals are submitted. Would the City of Charlotte please confirm that this statement only applies specifically to subcontractors that are to be utilized in order to reach the aspirational DBE goal?

A: This statement has been removed per Item 2 above. Companies should be DBE certified through NCDOT at the time proposals are submitted to be considered towards 10 % DBE goal percentage. This applies to the prime company and/or their subcontractors but does not have to be both to comply.

132. Q: Would the City of Charlotte also confirm that companies submitting proposals in response to the subject requirement do not have to be DBE certified themselves in order to submit a proposal?

A: Correct, companies submitting proposals do NOT have to be DBE certified. The established DBE goal percentage can be met by the prime company and/or their subcontractors.

133. Q: Does our SPSF status and existing NCDOT reporting number qualify us as a minority contractor for this project, or would we need to hold separate DBE certification?

A: The firm would need to have the DBE certification. SPSF status and existing NCDOT reporting number will NOT constitute as a DBE certification.

In the event additional changes or clarifications to this RFP are warranted, all Companies are responsible for monitoring the City’s Procurement Portal at the following link Professional Marketing and Communication-Services.

We appreciate your interest in doing business with the City and look forward to receiving a submittal from your company.

Sincerely, Andre Branch Transit Procurement Officer

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