68-PBSNCDIRECTMAIL0724 Addendum.pdf

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SYSTEM OFFICE

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UNC Bid Number: #: RFQ #68PBSNCDIRECTMAIL0724

Prospective Bidder:

Bid Opening Date/Time: September 3, 2024 Addendum Number: 01 Addendum Date: August 20, 2024

This addendum is issued subject to Request for Proposal RFQ #68PBSNCDIRECTMAIL0724 to provide answers to properly submitted vendor questions. The properly submitted vendor questions and answers are:

You mention your current vendor is developing ad content for you. Would you want the vendor who wins this work to take over that work?

• Our current vendor is developing basic organic social media graphics based on our direct mail. We would like the chosen vendor to taken on this work in addition to designing paid advertising graphics and executing paid campaigns on our behalf.

Do you have an anticipated budget for this work?

• It really depends on the scope of services offered by the chosen vendor.

What is your anticipated media spend in 2025?

• $140K for paid digital (includes any digital retainers). In addition, we would want the vendor to use our google ad grant funds.

What’s your biggest challenge right now?

• Building cohesive multi-channel campaigns where direct mail ties in with email, social, digital ads, and on-air fundraising.

How is your internal team structured? What size team do you have doing this work?

• We have a two-person Membership (Annual Giving) team and a nine-person Marketing team. This vendor primarily supports the Membership team but will work with select members of the Marketing team on Marketing digital ads.

Who is involved in the decision-making process?

• Primarily the Director of Membership, occasionally the Director of Marketing

If you're able to share, what's working with your current agency partnership? What would you want to adjust in a new partnership?

• We currently work with our agency on direct mail but would like to expand the scope to include paid advertising.

Do you have a firm date for when you want to start with a new partner?

• Late September

Do you have a preference / requirement for consultants based in NC?

• No

How many unique Sustainers/Monthly Donors does PBS North Carolina have?

• 45,000

How does PBS North Carolina define mid-level and major donors?

• Major is $1000+, we are currently in the process of evaluating the parameters for a mid-level program.

What strategies does PBS North Carolina use for their current telemarketing program?

• We don’t really use telemarketing other than using a vendor to make thank you calls to first-time donors. We do have both an in-house and after hours call center, but both are for inbound calls.

What is the number of annual renewal efforts?

• We have a 6 hit renewal series that goes our monthly.

Would you like email banner design or full email creative with copy or a package of direct mail graphics to craft emails and banners to use as you need?

• We require an email banner (600 X 250) and social graphics (1080 X 1080 and 1080 X1920) for each campaign. We handle email copy and layout internally.

Can we provide one total cost per piece? Our print vendors don’t typically split out some of the requested costs, but we can ask them to do so if needed.

• Yes, a cost per piece is fine.

Re: Attachment A: The pricing structure is a little unclear, particularly under merge/purge/mail services. These services are usually done at once, so what does this specifically entail? Can we combine this in our quote?

• Yes, you can include these services in your overall quotes as long as you note that they are included.

The RFQ mentions a #10 Business Size 4-piece package. Can you clarify what the four pieces are within this package (finished sizes, paper type, ink colors) Is the 4-piece package composed of a #10 envelope, letter, response device, and response envelope? Or does it include an insert instead?

• We typically send a two-sided standard letter with a reply-device tear off added to the bottom, a reply envelope and outer envelope. Colors depend on the mailer and the graphics that are chosen. We are flexible on paper type.

There are references to flat inserts, addressing, personalization, and a personalized gift ask string. Could you explain what the "personalized gift ask string" specifically refers to?

• It is the suggested gift amounts printed on each letter/reply device that is customized by the vendor for each donor/potential donor based on their giving history and/or demographic/wealth screen insights.

The RFQ references standard direct mail, custom direct mail, and test direct mail.

Can you provide more details on what each of these entails? Re: Attachment H:

Scope of Work for Requirements Page 23: Are you expecting the vendor to create the direct mail package from scratch, or is there an existing package that you would like us to replicate or modify?

• Standard direct mail: Vendors that work with public media clients tend to have direct mail packages that they have used in the past that can be reworked for other public media clients.

• Custom direct mail: This would be created from scratch for PBS North Carolina.

• Test direct mail: This is using A/B testing for direct mail.

• Attachment A asks for quotes for both standard and custom packages. We are interested in seeing pricing for both options if applicable.

Re: Section 1: Purpose and Background: Is the primary objective of direct mail to encourage recipients to sign up for the support package?

• The primary objective for direct mail depends on the segment.

• Acquisition mail: to acquire new donors.

• Lapsed mail / Renewals: to retain donors.

• Add gift mail: To increase the support of existing donors.

What was the range in printing costs this past year?

• Our printing costs have varied over the last two years due to changes in fundraising strategy and an increased focus on digital fundraising. We anticipate that our past costs are not reflective of future costs as we evolve our strategy.

Would you like an estimate for paid search, management of PBS NC’s Google ad grant, paid social, and other emerging platforms?

• Yes, please see Attachment A.

Will you provide access to previous campaign data, including response rates and revenue metrics, to better inform our strategies?

• After a vendor is selected and an agreement is signed, absolutely.

Are there established brand guidelines or creative standards we need to follow?

• Samples that you provide do not need to be reworked to reflect PBS North Carolina.

Please feel free to share samples created for other clients, preferably in public media. If you would like to create customized packages reflecting PBS North Carolina, our brand guidelines are attached.

How much customization is expected in creative packages for different donor segments, and how should these packages be differentiated?

• Each donor segment should have unique copy, and sometimes graphical elements, that reflect each audience. These segments can be labeled.

What are the critical dates for campaign execution?

• PBS North Carolina sends renewals monthly. We also have direct response campaigns that drop for Calendar Year End (Nov/Dec), January, March, Fiscal Year End (May/June), and August. Dates are dependent on the PBS on-air fundraising calendar for each year.

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