1-RFP MK-26022 MMFR Branding Services .pdf

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Request for Proposals Milwaukee Metro Fire Rescue (MMFR) Branding Services

RFP #MK-26022

Due Date: Friday, May 15, 2026 @ 4PM CT

Scope Description:

MILWAUKEE METRO FIRE RESCUE (MMFR) BRANDING

Solicitation Issued by the Cities of Wauwatosa and West Allis, WI

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Cities of Wauwatosa and West Allis, WI are facilitating a Request for Proposal (RFP)on behalf of Milwaukee Metro Fire Rescue (MMFR), a newly consolidated fire and rescue department formed through the historic merger of two established municipal fire services, the Wauwatosa Fire Department and the West Allis Fire Department. This consolidation represents one of the largest fire service unifications in Wisconsin history, bringing together personnel, apparatus, facilities, and traditions from two distinct departments into a single, unified organization serving a combined population of more than 110,000 residents across approximately 24 square miles.

The purpose of this solicitation is to engage a qualified creative agency to develop a comprehensive brand identity for MMFR. This identity must honor the proud histories of both founding departments while establishing a bold, cohesive, and authoritative visual system that positions MMFR as a modern, community-trusted public safety institution. The selected agency will serve as a genuine creative partner throughout the discovery, development, and rollout phases, working closely with communications professionals, fire department leadership, elected officials, and community stakeholders to produce a brand that resonates from the inside out.

This is not a cosmetic rebranding exercise. The new MMFR identity must carry the weight of both institutional legacy and forward-looking public trust. The selected agency must demonstrate the capacity to navigate the cultural complexity of a departmental merger, produce technically rigorous design deliverables, and deliver priority assets on a schedule aligned with a January 1, 2027, operational transition.

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SCOPE OF WORK

The scope encompasses four primary phases: Discovery and Listening, Brand Development, Asset Production, and Public Launch Support. Each phase is described in detail below.

PHASE 1 - DISCOVERY AND LISTENING

The Cities of Wauwatosa and West Allis, WI recognizes that a credible brand identity for MMFR must be grounded in genuine understanding of both departments' cultures, values, and visual traditions. The agency must invest meaningfully in the discovery phase before any design work begins.

Station Audit

The agency shall conduct in-person site visits to a minimum of four and up to six active fire stations across the service area. These visits are not cursory walkthroughs. The purpose is to observe and document how institutional identity is currently expressed in the lived environment of each station, including:

- Apparatus markings, decaling styles, and color treatments on active vehicles

- Exterior and interior signage, including station identification, unit designations, and commemorative elements

- Day-room traditions such as framed photographs, memorial boards, challenge coins, historical patches, and informal symbols of unit pride

- Uniform and gear markings, including shoulder patches, helmet decals, and rank insignia

The agency shall produce a written and visual Station Audit Report summarizing findings from all the locations visited. This report must identify legacy design elements, color associations, iconographic patterns, and cultural touchpoints that carry significance to current personnel. The report will serve as a foundational discovery document informing all subsequent concept development.

Focus Groups

The agency shall facilitate three distinct, in-person focus group sessions, each approximately one hour in duration. These sessions must be structured to elicit substantive, actionable feedback rather than general impressions. The agency is responsible for developing session agendas and discovery question frameworks in advance of each session.

Internal Staff Session

This session shall include a representative cross-section of fire department personnel and administrative staff from both legacy departments. The objective is to surface shared values, identify which legacy symbols or traditions carry the deepest meaning to working crews, and establish the emotional tone the new brand should convey. Questions should probe the character of each department's identity, and what they are most hopeful the new organization will represent.

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Elected Officials Session

This session shall include council representatives and governing board members. The objective is to capture the civic and strategic vision for MMFR, including expectations around regional identity, public accountability, and long-term institutional positioning. The agency should use this session to understand how elected leadership envisions MMFR being perceived by the broader public and by peer agencies.

Community Group Session

This session shall include a curated group of residents and business owners drawn from across the service area. The objective is to assess community familiarity with the legacy departments, gauge public expectations for the new organization, and test initial assumptions about visual direction.

Following the completion of all three focus group sessions and the station audits, the agency shall produce a consolidated Discovery Report. This report must synthesize findings across all input sources, identify areas of alignment and tension between the two legacy departments, and articulate clear brand values, design principles, and visual direction recommendations that will guide concept development.

Budget Plan for Implementation

Design a budget package with scalable options for 2027 by August 1, 2026. This might include a plan for vehicle wraps, uniforms, physical items in the stations, etc. We can help identify which items are a priority and which could be ordered after the joint fire department launches.

PHASE 2 - BRAND DEVELOPMENT

Concept Development

Based on the Discovery Report, the agency shall develop three distinct creative directions for the MMFR visual identity. Each direction must include a proposed logo, working color palette, and brief rationale connecting the design to the discovery findings. These concepts shall be presented to the evaluation committee.

Following internal review, the agency shall narrow the three concepts to two finalists. These two concepts shall be presented to a small group of firefighters and the community focus group participants for a stakeholder stress test. The purpose of this presentation is not to conduct a public vote but to validate that the design directions feel genuine to the crews and the communities they serve. Feedback from this session shall be incorporated before final concept selection.

Final Concept Selection

The final identity concept shall be selected by the Cities of Wauwatosa and West Allis, WI evaluation team. Following selection, the agency shall proceed directly into full asset production.

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PHASE 3 - ASSET PRODUCTION

The agency shall produce a comprehensive branding kit that enables MMFR to apply the new identity consistently and correctly across every surface and medium it encounters. All deliverables must comply with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards, including color contrast ratios and typographic legibility. The branding kit shall include, at minimum, the following components:

Departmental Seal

A formal seal or ceremonial version of the logo suitable for use on official documents, awards, written correspondence, and Class A dress uniforms. The seal must convey institutional authority and reflect the heritage embedded in the Discovery Report findings.

Primary Logo System

High-resolution vector files in the following formats and variations:

- Full color, greyscale, and single-color (black and white) versions of each variation

- Horizontal layout for standard digital and print use

- Vertical or stacked layout for applications with limited horizontal space

- Icon-only version featuring the primary shield or insignia mark for use on patches, pins, and compact digital applications such as app icons and social media profile images

All logo files shall be delivered in formats suitable for both print production and digital deployment, including scalable vector formats and high-resolution raster exports at a minimum of 300 DPI.

Typography Suite

The agency shall select and specify a typography system appropriate for a public safety institution. The suite shall include a primary typeface for headings and formal documents, a secondary typeface for body copy and informational applications, and guidance on acceptable typeface pairings. All specified fonts must be commercially licensed or open source with appropriate usage rights confirmed for municipal use.

Color Palette

The agency shall define a primary and secondary color palette with precise specifications in Pantone, CMYK, RGB, and hexadecimal values. The palette must be tested and documented for compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA contrast standards across all primary use cases, including text on background, logo on apparatus, and digital interface applications.

Brand Standards and Application Guidelines

The agency shall produce a comprehensive brand standards document that provides clear, illustrated instructions for applying the MMFR identity across a full range of surfaces and contexts, including but not limited to:

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- Apparatus decaling on vehicles ranging from rescue units to aerial ladder trucks up to 30 feet in length

- Embroidered patches at standard sizes used for shoulder insignia and Class B uniforms

- Uniform pins at approximately one inch in diameter

- Station signage and architectural applications

- Official letterhead and document templates

- Digital applications including website headers, social media graphics, and presentation templates

- High-visibility gear and safety equipment with specific guidance on contrast and legibility requirements

The guidelines must specify minimum clear space requirements, prohibited modifications, color usage rules by application type, and surface-specific production notes to assist vendors in correctly reproducing the identity without direct agency involvement.

PHASE 4 - PUBLIC LAUNCH SUPPORT

Priority Asset Handoff

By November 1, 2026, the agency shall deliver completed production-ready files for apparatus decaling and uniform patches. These assets require priority delivery to accommodate vendor lead times of eight to twelve weeks associated with physical fabrication. Files delivered at this milestone must be accompanied by technical specification sheets suitable for direct submission to decaling and embroidery vendors.

Final Branding Kit Delivery

The complete branding kit, including all logo variations, typography suite, color palette documentation, brand standards guide, and all associated source files, shall be delivered no later than December 15. All files shall be organized in a clearly labeled, structured file package and transferred to the Cities of Wauwatosa and West Allis, WI in a format suitable for long-term archival and future internal use without dependency on the agency's proprietary systems.

Community Launch Materials

The agency shall produce a launch support package to assist MMFR in communicating the new brand to the public at the time of the January 1, 2027, transition. This package shall include, at minimum:

- A one-page brand story or fact sheet written for a public audience that explains the community input process, the values embedded in the new identity, and what the MMFR name and visual system represent

- Guidance on the sequencing and tone of public-facing launch communications

- Any supplemental materials identified during the audit or discovery phases that would meaningfully support the public introduction of the new brand

TIMELINE

The following milestone schedule governs the project. Proposed agencies must demonstrate the ability to meet all dates as stated.

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April 17 - RFP publication and distribution

April 29 - Optional pre-proposal virtual meeting (45 minutes) for clarifying questions

May 15 - Proposal submission deadline at 4pm CT.

June – Evaluations completed and marketing firm selected.

On or before July 6 - Project kickoff meeting with agency, communications leads, and fire chiefs

July through August - Station audits and all listening sessions conducted

By September 1 - Three initial creative concepts developed and submitted for internal review

By September 30 - Two finalist concepts presented for stakeholder stress test

November 1 - Priority asset handoff for apparatus decaling and uniform patches

November through December - Final branding kit completion and community launch strategy development

January 1, 2027 - Public brand transition

DELIVERABLES SUMMARY

The following represents the complete set of required deliverables under this scope of work:

1. Station Audit Report documenting findings from a minimum of four and up to six site visits

2. Focus group facilitation for three distinct sessions (internal staff, elected officials, community group)

3. Consolidated Discovery Report synthesizing all listening phase findings

4. Three initial logos and visual identity concepts with rationale

5. Two finalist concept presentations for stakeholder stress test

6. Final approved logo system including departmental seal, primary logo variations, and icon mark in all required formats and color treatments

7. Typography suite with licensing documentation

8. Color palette with full technical specifications and WCAG 2.1 AA compliance documentation

9. Brand standards and application guidelines covering all identified surfaces and mediums

10. Priority asset production files for apparatus decaling and uniform patches (delivered November 1)

11. Complete final branding kit with all source files (delivered December 15)

12. Community launch package including brand story or fact sheet and launch communication guidance

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Section 1 - Discovery and Listening Plan (Maximum 5 pages)

Describe the agency's specific approach to conducting station audits at four to six facilities. Explain how the team will observe, document, and interpret the cultural and visual environment of each station.

Provide a sample agenda or representative discovery questions for each of the three focus group formats.

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Explain the methodology for synthesizing divergent perspectives from both legacy departments into a single unified Discovery Report.

Section 2 - Portfolio of Relevant Work

Provide a minimum of three case studies drawn from public sector, municipal, or public safety branding engagements. Case studies must include specific examples of logo systems applied to complex physical surfaces such as vehicle decaling, embroidered patches, or architectural signage. At least one case study must include a sample or excerpt of a brand style guide demonstrating the agency's approach to WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, including documentation of color contrast ratios and typographic specifications.

Section 3 - Project Management and Timeline Commitment

Provide brief professional biographies for core team members who will lead the discovery phase and the primary design work. Explicitly confirm the agency's ability to meet the November 1 priority asset handoff deadline and the December 15 final delivery milestone. Describe the project management platform or methodology the agency will use and explain how the Cities of Wauwatosa and West Allis, WI team will maintain visibility into project status throughout the August and September design phases.

Section 4 - Cost Proposal

Provide a single, total not-to-exceed fee for the complete scope of work as described. All travel costs associated with station audits and in-person focus group sessions must be included within the flat fee.

The cost proposal must include a line-item breakdown by phase or deliverable category to allow the Cities of Wauwatosa and West Allis, WI to assess cost allocation and transparency.

Instructions for Submissions All proposals shall be downloaded and submitted through our online bidding platform, Bonfire. There is no cost to you to submit a proposal through this site. (https://westalliswi.bonfirehub.com/).

Proposals must be received by the West Allis Bonfire bid portal no later than 4:00 pm CT, Friday, May 15, 2026. Proposals received after the due date will not be considered.

The Notice of Award and Notice to Proceed are expected to be sent to the awarded vendor mid-June 2026.

Examination of the Request for Proposal It is the responsibility of all prospective proposers to carefully read this entire Request for Proposals which contains provisions applicable to successful completion and submission of a proposal and consists of all documents listed in this document. If any ambiguity, inconsistency, error or omission is discovered in the RFP, the Senior Buyer, Purchasing Division, must be notified through the West Allis https://westalliswi.bonfirehub.com/

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Bonfire bid portal. Only interpretations or corrections of the RFP made in writing are binding. Any interpretation or corrections given by any other method should not be relied upon.

The Cities are not liable for any costs incurred to prepare or submit a proposal for this project.

The Cities reserve the right to reject any or all proposals. The Cities reserves the right to negotiate the terms of the contract, including the award amount, with the selected proposer prior to entering a contract. If contract negotiations cannot be concluded successfully with the preferred proposer, the Cities may negotiate a contract with the next preferred proposer.

The combined Cities of Wauwatosa and West Allis, at its sole discretion, may terminate contract services upon ten (10) days’ notice when the Project is terminated or by written notification with or without cause upon 30-day notice.

Other Non-Discrimination Statement The Cities of Wauwatosa and West Allis do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, marital or veterans' status, sex, national origin, disability, or any other legally protected status in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs or activities.

Americans With Disabilities Act Notice Upon reasonable notice, the Cities will furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services when necessary to afford individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in and to enjoy the benefits of a service, program or activity provided by the City.

Limited English Proficiency Statement

It is the policy of the Cities of Wauwatosa and West Allis to provide language access services to populations of persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) who are eligible to be served or likely to be directly affected by our programs. Such services will be focused on providing meaningful access to our programs, services and/or benefits.

INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR SELECTED CONSULTANT

A. INSURANCE REQUIRED

Consultants shall purchase and maintain for the duration of the contract as required by the Cities or by Law, insurance indemnifying against claims, suits, personal injury, bodily injury to persons, or damage to property which arises from, or in connection with the performance of the work hereunder by the Consultant. Some contracts may require Completed Operations, Professional Liability or other insurance beyond the contract term.

Any deductibles or self-insured retentions shall be identified to the Cities; those which exceed $10,000 must be declared to and approved by the Cities. The Cities may require a review of the latest audited financial statements of the Consultant. At the option of the Cities, the insurer shall

9 | P a g e reduce or eliminate such deductibles or self-insured retentions as respects the Cities, its officers, employees, agents and volunteers; or the Consultant shall procure a bond guaranteeing payment of losses and related investigations, claim administration and defenses expenses.

All required insurance under this Contract is to be placed with insurers with a Best's rating of no less than A-VII. Said carriers to be admitted status with the State of Wisconsin, unless otherwise approved in advance by the Cities. The Cities reserves the right to approve non-admitted carriers with a Best's rating of no less than AX.

Work shall not be commenced under the Contract until all insurance required under this paragraph has been obtained and evidence thereof in the form of certificates, with original endorsements effecting coverage, are filed with and approved by the Cities. The Cities reserves the right to require complete, certified copies of all required insurance policies upon the filing of a claim or lawsuit where the insurer denies coverage.

The certificates and endorsements for each insurance policy are to be signed by a person authorized by that insurer to bind coverage on its behalf. The certificates and endorsements are to be on forms approved by the Cities. For Workers' Compensation-related risks, only forms approved by the Insurance Commissioner are to be used.

Consultants shall include all subcontractors as insureds under their policies or shall furnish separate certificates and endorsements for each subcontractor. All coverage shall be subject to all of the insurance requirements that are applicable to the Consultant. No subcontractor shall be permitted to commence work until all required coverage has been obtained, and certificates and endorsements thereof are filed with the Cities.

If any part of a loss is not covered because of the application of a deductible or retention, said loss shall be borne by the general Consultant and not the Cities. Failure to maintain the required insurance may result in termination of this Contract at the option of the Cities.

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B. GENERAL ENDORSEMENTS

The protection afforded by the required insurance policies under this Contract shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

1. Occurrence Based Policies. All required Liability insurance under this Contract shall be written on an "occurrence" form, except separately approved Professional Liability Policies.

2. Representation of Coverage Adequacy. By requiring insurance for this Contract, the Cities do not represent or warrant that coverage, and limits will be adequate to protect the Consultant, subcontractor, their agents or any project engineer.

3. Cross-Liability Coverage. If the Consultant's liability policies do not contain the standard ISO separation of insureds provision, or a substantially similar clause, they shall be endorsed to provide cross-liability coverage.

4. Cancellation. The policy shall not be suspended, voided, canceled, reduced in coverage or in limits except after at least thirty (30) days prior written notice has been given to the Cities.

5. Additional Insureds. The Cities, its officers (elected and appointed), employees, agents and volunteers must be named as additional insureds as their interests may appear on the Consultant's liability insurance policies, which insure the Cities up to the required limits.

Additional insured status shall be endorsed onto the respective insurance policy by the appropriate ISO Endorsement Form approved by the Cities and executed by duly authorized agents of said carrier.

6. Primary Insurance. Consultant's insurance shall provide primary insurance to the Cities, to the exclusion of any other insurance or self-insurance programs the Cities may carry. Any insurance or self-insurance maintained by the Cities shall be excess of the Consultant's insurance and shall not contribute to it.

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7. Waiver of Subrogation. Consultant waives all rights against the Cities, its officers, employees, agents and volunteers for recovery of damages to the extent these damages are covered by the insurance the Consultant is required to carry pursuant to this Contract.

8. Reporting. Failure to comply with any insurance policy reporting provisions shall not affect coverage provided to the Cities.

9. Cross Liability. The required insurance coverages shall apply separately to each insured against whom claim is made or brought in a suit, except with respect to the limits of the insurer's liability.

10. Indemnification. The policies shall contain an acknowledgement by the underwriters that the Consultant shall indemnify and save harmless the Cities against any and all claims resulting from the wrongful or negligent acts or omissions of the Consultant or other parties acting on its behalf under the Contract to which the insurance applies; and that the hold harmless assumption on the part of the Consultant shall include all reasonable costs necessary to defend a lawsuit including actual reasonable attorney fees.

C. MINIMUM LIMITS AND OTHER PROVISIONS

1. WORKER'S COMPENSATION INSURANCE.

Wisconsin statutory limits for all employees of the bidder to whom the award is made.

All subcontractors and material men shall furnish to the Consultant and the City certificates of similar insurance for all their respective employees, unless such employees are covered by the protection afforded by the Consultant.

2. GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE.

Contractor shall maintain, and a Certificate of Insurance shall be furnished for Worker’s Compensation, Comprehensive General Liability, including Contractual Liability, and

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Automobile Liability insurance for any claims that may arise from operations under this contract in the following amounts:

Bodily Injury $1,000,000 each occurrence

1,000,000 aggregate

Property Damage 500,000 each occurrence

500,000 aggregate

Automobile Liability 1,000,000 each accident

Worker's compensation per State Statute

Certificates of insurance, in a form satisfactory to the City Attorney, shall be filed with the City and shall provide 30 days’ notice of cancellation.

3. BUSINESS AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY INSURANCE.

a. Coverage. Coverage must be as broad as CA 00 01 Ed. 1992) - Occurrence Form Code No. 1, "any auto".

Comprehensive Coverage for all Owned, Non-Owned or Hired Motor Vehicles driven by the employees of the Consultant or Subcontractors, including vehicles and equipment owned by the Cities if used exclusively for the project.

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorists Liability Coverage at full policy limits.

b. Minimum Limits of Liability:

Minimum Limits are the same as specifications for General Liability Insurance.

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4. PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY/ERRORS AND OMISSIONS COVERAGE

a. Coverage. Standard form: coverage provided on a claims-made basis with at least one-year extended reporting period; to include all liability assumed by the Consultant for the Project.

b. Minimum Limits of Liability:

Minimum $1 Million (project specific).

Scope Description: