13521-20241118095058 ITAWAMBA.docx

ITAWAMBA COUNTY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Request For Proposals:

PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCY SERVICES

Tourism Industry Recovery

Proposals due on or before 5:00 p.m. CDT on NOVEMBER 30, 2024.

OBJECTIVE

This RFP has been issued to seek qualified firms who have a working knowledge of the tourism industry and can demonstrate the necessary experience to produce messaging and advertising plan to reach a broad range of travelers. As the DMO’s agency the selected firm will be responsible for assisting in the development and support of Itawamba County Development Council’s website to maximize communication increasing awareness of Itawamba County’s three municipalities, Fulton, Mantachie, and Tremont. The website design will include microsite(s) and landing pages. Advertising will also include creating various collateral pieces, both for use as print and digital; and integrated marketing activities including digital marketing, traditional print, broadcast media, billboards and other relevant components.

This RFP in no way commits Itawamba County Development Council to award a contract, to pay any costs in preparation of a proposal, or to contract for the goods and/or services offered. Although it is Itawamba County Development Council’s intent to contract with the person/company that best meets the qualifications to complete the scope of work, Itawamba County Development Council’s may terminate the negotiations if they are unsuccessful in reaching an agreement on all matters including the scope of work and the cost.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The selected agency’s responsibilities will include:

· Enhance the organization’s tourism status with a receptive, vivid, and easy to navigate website Website functionality requirements:

· Must be mobile responsive and designed to work across browsers and devices

· Must have pages featuring each of the municipalities

· Membership page including “How to Join” and a Membership Directory

· Auto-generated map

· Links to share content via email and social media on every page

· Link to pay fees for special events (vendors, runners, etc.)

· Overall the website should be engaging, bold, and inspiring

· Annual Support & Maintenance will include hosting, site testing, and maintenance

· Staff training should include recommendations for ongoing website maintenance

· Update print destination guides, brochures, rack cards, maps and other materials relevant Itawamba County and its municipalities

· Create and place billboard ads in key visitor markets

· Add in-market signage at high traffic attractions, the Itawamba Welcome Center, hotels, Tammy Wynette Legacy Center

INTRODUCTION

The Itawamba County Development Council is charged with attracting and serving visitors by communicating and facilitating the DISCOVER ITAWAMBA experience. The Council’s mission is a multi-faceted marketing approach that includes local, regional, and statewide campaigns. Itawamba County is nested halfway between Birmingham and Memphis off Interstate 22 and is home one of the state’s busiest welcome centers with over 20,000 visitors monthly.

ABOUT ITAWAMBA COUNTY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

Established in 1953, the Itawamba County Development Council’s annual budget of $225,000 is derived from contributions from Itawamba County, the City of Fulton, the Town of Mantachie, the Town of Tremont as well as business and private memberships.

DESTINATION WEBSITE: www.itawambams.com

DESTINATION BACKGROUND & STATE OF ECONOMY

Itawamba County is geographically located in northeast Mississippi, Hills. Fulton is located off I-22 at Exit 104, the halfway point between Birmingham and Memphis. It is the home of Itawamba Community College, Jamie Whitten Campground, and sits on the bank of the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway. Mississippi’s most visited Welcome Center is located in Tremont in Itawamba County. Over 20,000 guest stop at the Welcome Center monthly. Tremont is also the birthplace of Tammy Wynette and has a music venue in her honor, Tammy Wynette Legacy Center. Mantachie is the home to Itawamba Historical Society, the historic Bonds House, and Mantachie Park.

Each municipality has locally owned and operated restaurants and merchants. Regular festivals and activities are scheduled to highlight the growing areas.

AVAILABLE FUNDS

BUDGET: The Itawamba County Development Council will fund this contract at a minimum of $200,000. This budget is based on creative production, strategy execution, media planning and placement (both online and offline), media placement fees, account management fees, and out-of-pocket expenses during the 4th quarter of 2024 through December 31, 2026. The Itawamba County Development Council reserves the right to adjust both the budget and related services.

BILLING: Itawamba County Development Council limits invoicing to one invoice per quarter. Each invoice should be on letterhead from the selected agency and include the month(s) for which payment is due as well as detail of work completed at the mutually agreed upon rate(s) or amount in the executed contract.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO BID

The Notice of Intent to Bid is non-binding; however, it ensures the receipt of all addenda related to this RFP. Proposals will be accepted only from applicants who submitted a timely Notice of Intent to Bid. Notice of Intent to Bid must be emailed by the deadline below with the subject line “Intent to Bid: Public Relation Agency Services” to director@itawambams.com.

OFFICIAL CONTACT

Itawamba County Development Council requests the proposer designate one person to receive all communications for clarification and verification of information related to this proposal. Please identify this point of contact on the Notice of Intent to Bid Form.

TIMELINE

This tentative timeline may be altered at any time at the discretion of Itawamba County Development Council and will be funded through federal ARPA dollars for Mississippi Tourism Recovery.

SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS & DELIVERABLES

Your response to this RFP must be submitted in the following format and labeled accordingly:

A. Statement of Qualifications – Provide a written statement of your firm’s qualifications for providing the work as described in the Scope of Work.

B. Tourism Experience – Provide a written statement of your involvement in the tourism industry, specifically with DMO clients, industry memberships and resources.

C. Organization, Ownership and Management

1. Name, address and telephone of the entity that will be contracted with and all trade names to be used.

2. Name, address and telephone numbers of the organization’s principal officers and other owners.

D. Organization’s Structure and Experience

1. Organizational chart of company, including any subcontractors who will work with the Itawamba County Development Council.

2. Total number of employees including full time, part time and contract workers.

3. Short history of the company, especially as it relates to work in the tourism sector.

4. Summary of employees who will work on the account including their name, title, a short summary of their qualifications and their main role in working with Itawamba County Development Council.

5. Hours of operation that staff will be available and any satellite offices.

6. Experience as it relates to messaging, ad design, and placement strategy. No more than three relevant case studies should be provided, including project goals with measurable KPIs and results. Creative work should be included for each case study.

E. Client Information

1. Current clients in declining order of size.

2. Name your two most recent past clients and reason for termination.

3. Name any travel/tourism clients and their current status.

F. Account Gain and Loss

1. Indicate if the agency has had a contract terminated for non-performance over the last five years with either litigation determining the agency at fault or no litigation due to inaction on part of the organization.

2. List of accounts gained over the last two years and why your organization was awarded the work.

3. Three references that are current accounts with contact names, email and phone numbers.

G. Conflict(s) of Interest - The proposer must declare and provide details of any actual, potential or perceived conflict(s) of interest.

H. Certification Form – Certification Form (attachment 2) must be signed and accompany all RFP Response submissions.

I. Budget - Please provide a proposed budget based on a full year of activities, strategy execution, account management, out-of-pocket expenses, and estimated costs related to hosting media that correspond to those detailed in your proposal. Note: Although the Itawamba County Development Council’s fiscal year begins Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30; please base your proposed budget on the 12-month period.

CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

1. Submittals in response to this request and respondents' participation in the process shall be at no cost or obligation to the Itawamba County Development Council. The Itawamba County Development Council reserves the right to, at any time, abandon or terminate its efforts to contract for any or all of said services without any obligation to any respondent.

2. Responses to this request and other materials submitted shall become the property of the Itawamba County Development Council and will not be returned.

3. Respondent shall not contact any Itawamba County Development Council personnel or staff after this request has been advertised, except to ask questions as specified below under "Respondent Questions." Such contact will be considered cause for disqualification.

4. The Itawamba County Development Council may waive any informalities or minor defects or reject any and all submittals.

5. The Itawamba County Development Council reserves the right to reject any submittal if the evidence submitted by, or investigation of, such respondent demonstrates that such respondent or its subcontractors, in Itawamba County Development Council’s opinion, is not properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the Contract or to complete the Work contemplated therein.

6. All applicable laws, ordinances, and the rules and regulations of all governmental authorities having jurisdiction shall apply to the Contract throughout.

7. This Contract is being funded through a grant provided to the Itawamba County Development Council by the State of Mississippi as part its ARPA State and Local Fiscal Relief Fund (SLFRF) allocation received from the U.S. Treasury Department. The SLFRF program places numerous obligations on recipients and subrecipients, which flow down to successful respondent. Each respondent is cautioned to carefully review the Supplemental Terms and Conditions which are a part of the sample contract and to ensure that all responsibilities and obligations are properly addressed.

8. By executing a signature on the submittal, respondent certifies that:

a. Neither the respondent, nor any of its team members, is currently debarred from submitting proposals or entering into contracts issued by any political subdivision or agency of the State of Mississippi or the Federal Government.

b. No Federally appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the respondent, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal contract, the making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.

c. If any funds other than Federally appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, respondent shall complete and submit Standard Form LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions.

EVALUATION & SELECTION

The Itawamba County Development Council will establish a committee to evaluate and rate all proposals based on the criteria prescribed.

SELECTION PROCESS – STEP 1

Proposals meeting all requirements of the RFP will be evaluated by a review committee and ranked based on the following selection criteria. Top agencies will be chosen for video conference.

SELECTION PROCESS – STEP 2

A contract will be awarded to the organization whose proposal is determined to be the most advantageous to the Itawamba County Development Council, taking into consideration the criteria set forth in this RFP. Upon completing the selection process under this RFP, the Itawamba County Development Council will notify the winning proposer and all other proposers who were not selected. The Itawamba County Development Council’s evaluations of proposals are confidential and as such, the Itawamba County Development Council is unable to respond to any questions and/or requests for information as to why a company was not selected.

After awarding the contract, the schedule will include a period of collaboration between the Itawamba County Development Council and the selected agency to better define, elaborate upon, and update the agency’s final Scope of Work RFP: Public Relations Agency Services - and general Terms and Conditions. For the selected agency, an employee will be designated as your contact and will coordinate any materials needed or questions answered with all other Itawamba County Development Council employees.

STANDARD CONTRACT

Following is a copy of the Itawamba County Development Council’s standard contract template to be referenced for this proposal. By responding to this request, the respondent is asserting its intent to accept the terms and conditions contained therein unless exceptions to the contract are provided as part of the respondent's submittal.

Please submit your responses in hard copy and electronic format. All proposals should include a clear, concise narrative. Proposal format is open to presentation style but must include the aforementioned items. It is advised, but not required, to submit five printed proposals (5).

Printed submissions must be marked "RFP: Public Relations Agency Services" and delivered to:

The Itawamba County Development Council c/o Teresa Blake 107 W Wiygul Street Fulton, MS 38843

Electronic submissions should be provided in PDF format and sent to director@itawambams.com with the subject line: "RFP: Public Relations Agency Services.” Proposals may not be faxed.

Submittals received in any manner not specifically set forth above shall not be accepted or considered. Submittals received after the deadline will not be considered. It is the responsibility of the respondent to ensure that the submittal is received by the specified deadline. The delivery date and time will be recorded upon receipt. The Itawamba County Development Council will not be responsible for late or incomplete responses due to mistakes or delays of the respondent or carrier used by the respondent or weather delays. A postmark will not be considered proof of timely submission.

QUESTIONS

Note that all answers regarding questions and request for clarification for this RFP will be responded to publicly consistent with the schedule above to ensure that all respondents have the same information.

Email Teresa Blake, Executive Director, with any questions by December 2, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. CT at director@itawambams.com. No calls, please.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Certification Statement

By submission of this proposal and authorized signature below, the proposer certifies that the undersigned corporate officer has the authority to bind the proposer to the terms of this proposal and hereby certifies on behalf of the proposer that:

· He/She has read and understands all commitments and terms of this proposal.

· The information contained in this proposal is accurate.

· The proposer’s quote is valid for at least 120 days from the date of submission or the deadline for submission, whichever comes last.

· The proposer understands that if selected as the successful proposer, he/she will have ten business days in which to complete the contract negotiations, if any, and execute the final contract document. The date of execution can be extended by mutual agreement of the agency/ the Itawamba County Development Council.

PROPOSER/COMPANY: ____________________________________________________________________________

TYPED/PRINTED NAME: ____________________________________________________________________________

TITLE: ____________________________________________________________________________

SIGNED: ____________________________________________________________________________

DATE: ____________________________________________________________________________

NOTICE OF INTENT TO BID

Request for Proposal Tourism Industry Recovery

The Notice of Intent to Bid is non-binding; however, it ensures the receipt of all addenda related to the RFP. Proposals will be accepted only from applicants who submitted a timely Notice of Intent to Bid.

Notice of Intent to Bid must be emailed with the subject line “Intent to Bid: _____” director@itawambams.com.

DUE: November 29, 2024

PROPOSER/COMPANY: ____________________________________________________________________________

CONTACT PERSON: ____________________________________________________________________________

MAILING ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________________________________

EMAIL ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________________________________

TELEPHONE: ____________________________________________________________________________

WEBSITE: ____________________________________________________________________________

SIGNED: ____________________________________________________________________________

RFP: Public Relations Agency Services image1.jpeg