Ad_Agency_RFP_Final_Locked_for_Release.pdf

R_______ A_______ F______

Rev. 4/25

32ND DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION

Advertising & Media Buying Services

HIGH SCORE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP NUMBER: AM-06-26

OC Fair & Event Center

88 Fair Drive Costa Mesa, California 92626

Date Issued: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2026

Bids must be received no later than Tuesday, October 27, 11:00 a.m.

Clearly marked with the following:

Advertising & Media Buying Services

RFP Number AM-06-26

PROPOSALS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO RFP@OCFAIR.COM via

“WETRANSFER.COM”

Contact Person: Kelly Vu Email: RFP@ocfair.com

This person is the only authorized person designated by the District to receive communication concerning this RFP. Please do not attempt to contact any other person concerning this RFP. Oral communications of District officers and employees concerning the RFP shall not be binding on the District and shall in no way excuse the Bidder of the obligations set forth in the RFP. Bidders should include the RFP Number referenced above in the subject line of all emails sent to RFP@ocfair.com.

Prospective bidders to send email request to RFP@ocfair.com to receive notification/communication.

In conjunction with the information requested in Part VII – Mandatory Format and Content Requirements, all required documents and attachments listed in Section VIII

– Forms must be submitted as part of the bid proposal. Do not modify bid documents.

mailto:RFP@OCFAIR.COM Mobile User

MC

Mobile User

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

PAGE

PART I – DEFINITIONS

PART II – GENERAL INFORMATION

PART III – RULES GOVERNING COMPETITION & TECHNICAL EVALUATION

PART IV – HISTORY & GENERAL INFORMATION

PART V – STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) TO BE PERFORMED

PART VI – EVALUATION, SELECTION & SCORING PROCESS

PART VII – MANDATORY FORMAT AND CONTENT REQUIREMENTS

PART VIII – FORMS SECTION

SECTION A – TO BE COMPLETED BY BIDDER

SECTION A-1: COVER LETTER

SECTION A-2: TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

SECTION A-3: FINANCIAL PROPOSAL BID FORM

SECTION A-4: BIDDER/CONTRACTOR STATUS FORM

SECTION A-5: BIDDER DECLARATION

SECTION A-6: DARFUR CONTRACTING ACT ATTACHMENT

SECTION A-7: IRAN CONTRACTING ACT VERIFICATION FORM

SECTION B – TO BE COMPLETED BY DISTRICT………………………………… 48

SECTION C – SAMPLE OF DOCUMENTS TO BE AWARDED

Standard Agreement………………………………………………………………… 49 Exhibit A Scope of Work ……………………………………………………………...50 Exhibit B Budget Detail & Payment Provisions………………………………..……52

Exhibit C General Terms & Conditions………………………………………………53 Exhibit D Special Terms & Conditions……………………………………………….58

Exhibit E Insurance Requirements…………………………………………………...62 Exhibit F Megan’s Law………………………………………………………………...65 Exhibit G OCFEC Uniform & Identification Procedures……………………………68 Exhibit H Additional Contract Terms & Conditions…………………………………69

PART I

DEFINITIONS

BIDDER/PROPOSER: The individual, company, organization or business entity submitting the proposal in response to the Request for Proposal.

CFSA: Refers to California Fairs Services Authority, a not-for-profit joint power authority (JPA) established to manage and administer workers’ compensation, property and general liability self-insurance pools, related services and programs exclusively for California’s fairs.

CONTRACTOR: Refers to that Bidder selected by the District to provide the services set forth in this RFP. Terms can be used interchangeably.

DGS: Refers to the “Department of General Services,” State of California, located at:

707 Third Street, 7th Floor West Sacramento, California 95605 Attention: Office of Legal Services

DISTRICT: Refers to the 32nd District Agricultural Association, which is an agency of the State of California within the Division of Fairs & Expositions under the Department of Food & Agriculture. The Association is located at:

88 Fair Drive Costa Mesa, California 92626

F & E: Refers to the Division of Fairs & Expositions, Department of Food & Agriculture, which is a division of the agency of the State of California overseeing the activities of District Agricultural Associations and County and Citrus Fruit Fairs. F&E is located at:

1010 Hurley Way, Suite 200 Sacramento, California 95825

IMAGINOLOGY: Refers to the annual event held in April of each year.

QUALIFIED: The term “qualified” as it is used in this document refers to the Bidders who submit their proposals according to the guidelines contained in the RFP and meet all other requirements listed herein.

OC FAIR/FAIR TIME: Refers to the annual OC Fair held in July and August of each year. Terms can be used interchangeably.

RFP: Request for Proposal.

RESPONSIVE: Proposals that are timely, meet the proper format required for submittal of the proposals, and provide the required information pursuant to the criteria outlined in the RFP will be considered “responsive.”

YEAR-ROUND EVENT: Refers to any event held outside of the annual OC Fair and Imaginology.

PART II

GENERAL INFORMATION

A. FOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

The Board of Directors of the 32nd District Agricultural Association is releasing this RFP with the intent to award a contract for the purpose of obtaining Advertising & Media Buying Services in accordance with the Scope of work listed in this RFP and as directed by the District, from January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2028, with three (3) 1-year options to renew. The agreement options are to be exercised independently and at the sole discretion of the District. Certification of satisfactory contract performance is required.

Extensions may involve renegotiation of certain areas.

B. BIDDER RESPONSIBILITY

Bidders are urged to read all documents thoroughly as the District shall not be responsible for errors or omissions on the part of the Bidder. Careful review of final submittal is highly recommended as reviewers will not make interpretations or correct detected errors in calculations.

C. DELIVERY OF PROPOSALS

Proposals must be electronically submitted prior to the closing time and by email* to RFP@ocfair.com via wetransfer.com.

Failure to meet these requirements will result in an unaccepted proposal.

D. CONTRACT AWARD

Each Bidder’s financial proposal is evaluated and scored by the Committee who utilizes the score sheet.

Small Business preference will be given where applicable. The lowest potential cost is awarded the maximum points, thirty (30). Other proposals are awarded cost points based on the following calculation:

Lowest Proposer’s Cost divided by other proposal (factor) X maximum cost points = cost points for other proposer

(Example: Lowest cost proposal of $75,000 divided by other proposal of $100,000 = ¾ (factor) x 30 = 22.5 points award to other proposal)

If the contract is awarded, it shall be granted to the qualified responsible Bidder who receives the highest overall score. Prior to the Board of Directors of the 32nd District Agricultural Association awarding a contract, the District shall post a “Notice of Proposed Award” on the OC Fair & Event Center website for five (5) working days. In addition, an email containing a link to the notice will be emailed to each Bidder.

A contract award is not final until:

• The time for posting notice of award has expired;

• Protests filed, if any, have been withdrawn or rejected by the Department of General Services.

• It is approved by the District Board of Directors during a public meeting. The District Board of

Directors, in its sole and absolute discretion, may decide not to approve any contract following the RFP process and the District shall have no obligation to reimburse any Bidder for any costs of fees incurred as a result of this RFP.

The District reserves the right to reject all proposals, to select without any discussion or interviews, to request additional information, and to negotiate any minor details, terms or conditions.

mailto:RFP@ocfair.com

E. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

RFP Released

**Questions Due via Email

Answers Sent to All Bidders via Email

Proposal Deadline:11:00 a.m.

Proposal Review & Scoring

**Presentations

Notice of Proposed Award

Protest Deadline

Board Approval of RFP Award

Proposed Contract Commences

Friday, October 2, 2026

Monday, October 12, 2026

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

Thursday, November 12, 2026

Thursday, November 19, 2026

Friday, January 1, 2027

The District reserves the right to change any dates of the above schedule. Bidders will be notified.

** All questions are to be submitted in writing and email to RFP@ocfair.com by the date and time specified above. All Bidders will be sent email notification when questions and answers are posted on the District’s web site. No RFP related questions will be answered following 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 12, 2026.

F. BIDDER/CONTRACTOR STATUS FORM

All Bidders must complete, sign and submit the Bidder/Contractor Status Form in response to the RFP.

Failure to comply will deem the Bidder non-responsive. The District reserves the right to verify the information on the Bidder/Contractor Status Form at the time of the bid. If the Bidder is a corporation, the form must include the title of the person signing, i.e., corporate officer status, and a copy of the corporate resolution authorizing the signing of the form must be attached. If a partnership, the signing partner must indicate whether a limited or general partner.

G. DVBE REQUIREMENTS – BIDS TOTALING OVER $10,000.00

The District elects to include the DVBE incentive for this RFP.

1. The incentive amount will be based upon the percentage of DVBE participation as follows:

Confirmed DVBE Participation of: DVBE Incentive:

5% or Over 5% 4% to 4.99% Inclusive 4% 3% to 3.99% Inclusive 3% 2% to 2.99% Inclusive 2% 1% to 1.99% Inclusive 1%

2. ALL Bidders must complete and submit the Bidder and Subcontractor Performance Declaration, GSPD-05-

105 (Attachment 3) found at:

https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd05-105.pdf

3. IF Bidder answered “yes” to any question on the GSPD-05-105, Bidder must submit Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Declarations, DGS PD 843 found at https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/pd_843.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd05-105.pdf

H. SMALL BUSINESS PREFERENCE

Section 14835, et seq., of the California Government Code requires that a five percent (5%) preference be given to Bidders who qualify as a small business. The rules and regulations of this law, including the definition of a small business for the delivery of service, are contained in Title 2, California Code of Regulations, Section 1896, et seq. A copy of the regulations is available upon request.

To claim the small business preference, which may not exceed $50,000 for any proposal, Bidder’s company must have its principal place of business located in California and have a complete application (including proof of annual receipts) on file with the State Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (OSDS). Questions regarding the preference approval process should be directed to the OSDS, 707 Third Street, 1st Floor, Room 400, West Sacramento, California 95605, (916) 375-4940.

If Bidder is claiming the 5% small business preference, a copy of Bidder’s OSDS Small Business Certification should be submitted with the proposal (This certificate can be obtained here:

https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/sbdvbe-index.aspx

Non-small business Bidders may be granted a five percent (5%) non-small business subcontractor preference on a bid evaluation when a responsible non-small business Bidder includes notification that it commits to subcontract at least twenty five percent (25%) of its net bid price with one or more small businesses. Bidder must submit a list of the small businesses it commits to subcontract with for a commercially useful function in the performance of the contract. The list of sub-contractors shall include the subcontractor’s name, address, phone number, description of work to be performed and dollar amount of percentage for each subcontractor.

Small business preference qualification information must be included in all bid documents. This must include procedures for claiming small business preference, microbusiness preference, and non-small business contractor/small business subcontractor preference processes. Note: A non-small business, which qualifies for this preference, may not take an award away from a certified small business.

I. INSURANCE

The Bidder awarded the contract shall provide a signed, original Certificate of Insurance in the minimum amounts of commercial general liability coverage and automobile liability insurance per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage liability combined, as outlined in Section C, Exhibit E – Insurance Requirements.

The Certificate of Insurance shall be furnished to the District fifteen (15) days prior to contract start date.

The certificate must include the following, unless the Bidder is on the Division’s or CFSA’s Master Insurance Certificate List:

• Evidence of authorized insurance for the term of the contract, which includes setup and teardown;

• A 30-day cancellation notice;

• The District’s name and address shown as the certificate holder; and

• The additional insured paragraph exactly as stated below:

"That the State of California, the California Fair Services Authority, the District Agricultural Association, County Fair, the County in which the County Fair is located, Lessor/ Sub lessor if fair site is leased/subleased, Citrus Fruit Fair, California Exposition and State Fair, or Entities (public or non-profit) operating California designated agricultural fairs, their directors, officers, agents, servants, and employees are made additional insured, but only insofar as the operations under this contract are concerned."

Also, proof of Workers’ Compensation Insurance is required by the Bidder awarded the contract.

J. PRE-CONTRACTUAL EXPENSES

Pre-contractual expenses are defined as expenses incurred by Bidder in: 1) Preparing the proposal in response to this request; 2) Submission of said proposal to the District; 3) Negotiating any matter related to https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/sbdvbe-index.aspx this proposal; 4) Any travel expenses in conjunction with this proposal, and 5) Any other expenses incurred by Bidder prior to contract commencement date.

The District shall not, in any event, be liable for any pre-contractual expenses incurred by the Bidder. Bidder shall not include any such expenses as part of the price as proposed in response to this RFP.

K. SIGNATURE

The Proposal Forms, Certifications, Letters, and all Documents must be signed with the firm’s name as indicated. A proposal by a corporation must be signed by a duly authorized officer, employee or agent.

L. PRE-AWARD AUDIT

Prior to contract award, the selected Bidder may be required to undergo an audit of their proposed costs and prices. The District will conduct the audit for the purpose of determining whether the Bidder’s prices are fair and reasonable.

M. SINGLE PROPOSAL RESPONSE

If only one responsive proposal is received in response to this RFP and it is found by the District to be acceptable, additional detailed costs or financial data may be requested of the single Bidder. A cost or financial analysis, possibly including an audit, may be performed by or for the District in order to determine if the proposal is fair and reasonable. The Bidder has agreed to such analysis by submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.

A cost analysis is a more detailed evaluation of the cost elements in the Bidder’s Financial Proposal Bid Forms. It is conducted to form an opinion as to the degree to which the proposed costs represent what the Bidder’s performance should cost. A cost analysis is generally conducted to determine whether the Bidder is applying sound management in proposing the application of resources to the operation effort, and whether costs are allowable, allocable and reasonable. Any such analyses and the result there from shall not obligate the District to accept such a single proposal and the District may reject such proposal at its sole and exclusive discretion.

N. NON-ASSIGNMENT

Any attempt by Contractor to assign, subcontract or transfer all or part of this agreement shall be void and unenforceable without the District’s prior written consent; which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

Any such consent shall not relieve Contractor from full and direct responsibility for all services performed prior to the date of assigning, subcontracting or transferring this agreement.

O. LOSS LEADER

It is unlawful for any person engaged in business within this state to sell or use any article or product as a “loss leader” as defined in Section 17030 of the Business and Professions Code.

P. UNANTICIPATED TASKS, TIME OR DELIVERABLES

In the event unanticipated deliverables, additional time or additional work must be performed that is not identified in this RFP, but in the District’s opinion is necessary to successfully accomplish the statement of work or technical specifications, the District may initiate a contract amendment to add time, deliverables or tasks. Unless otherwise indicated, all stipulated terms and conditions appearing in the resulting contract including fixed costs, unit pricing, expenses or rate will apply to any additional work.

Q. POST AWARD DISPUTES

• If a post award dispute between the District and a Contractor arises, the District shall deal in good faith and attempt of resolve potential disputes informally.

• Contractor should state the dispute in writing, including all facts of the dispute, and submit it to the District Supervisor or designee.

• The District Supervisor or designee shall review the matter and render a final decision in a timely manner.

• If the Contractor is not satisfied with the final decision, the matter may be referred to the DGS/PD’s Protest and Dispute Resolution unit for final resolution.

R. EXPATRIATE CORPORATION:

Contractor hereby declares that it is not an expatriate corporation or subsidiary of an expatriate corporation within the meaning of Public Contract Code Section 10286 and 10286.1, and is eligible to contract with the State of California.

S. CORPORATE QUALIFICATIONS TO DO BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA:

• When agreements are to be performed in the state by corporations, the contracting agencies will be verifying that the contractor is currently qualified to do business in California in order to ensure that all obligations due to the state are fulfilled.

• "Doing business" is defined in R&TC Section 23101 as actively engaging in any transaction for the purpose of financial or pecuniary gain or profit. Although there are some statutory exceptions to taxation, rarely will a corporate contractor performing within the state not be subject to the franchise tax.

• Both domestic and foreign corporations (those incorporated outside of California) must be in good standing in order to be qualified to do business in California. Agencies will determine whether a corporation is in good standing by calling the Office of the Secretary of State.

PART III

RULES GOVERNING COMPETITION & TECHNICAL EVALUATION

A. RFP REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS

1. Resulting Contract

The resulting contract between the District and the successful Bidder(s) shall incorporate the following documents and the execution of this Agreement will be required after an award is made (see Part VIII – Forms):

a. The attached sample Standard Agreement; the RFP General Provisions including Additional Contract Terms and Conditions; Payee Data Record; Contractor Certification Clauses; General Contract Terms and Conditions, and Insurance Requirements.

b. The Statement of Work to be Performed and/or work requirements set forth in this RFP.

c. Addenda subsequent to the initial release of the RFP.

d. The District’s response to written questions and clarification to the RFP.

e. Megan’s Law Screening and Certification.

f. OCFEC Uniform and Identification Procedures

2. Errors and Requests for Additional Information

In the opinion of the District, this RFP is complete and without need of explanation:

If a Bidder discovers any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission or other error in this RFP, he/she shall immediately notify the District of such error in writing addressed to the contact person listed on the cover page and request modification or clarification of this document.

Bidders that may have questions, or need any clarifying information or additional information, should submit in writing via email to the contact person listed on the cover sheet of this RFP. Bidders must submit questions by the date and time specified in the Tentative Schedule (see Part II – General Information). Modifications will be made in writing by way of an addendum issued pursuant to paragraph 3 (Addenda) below.

3. Addenda (Changes to the RFP)

Prior to award of a contract, the General Provisions, Statement of Work to be Performed, Addenda and all forms and documents of this RFP constitute the potential contract. Any requests to change any of these documents must be submitted according to the instructions “Errors and Requests for Additional Information” above. All changes to this RFP will be made by written addendum. Clarifications will be provided by written notice to all parties to whom the District had sent notice of the RFP and to persons or entities who have requested to be provided notice of any modifications or notices. There will be no oral changes. Oral communications are not binding.

The effect of all addenda to the contract documents shall be considered in Bidder’s proposal and the addenda shall be made a part of the contract documents. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to review their final submittal and ensure it has addressed all components in the original RFP and any addenda.

Important: It is the Bidder’s responsibility to confirm in writing receipt of all addenda issued to this RFP before submitting a proposal. Failure to confirm in writing receipt of all addenda in any proposal will render the proposal non-responsive and result in its rejection.

Acknowledgment of all addenda must be noted by the Bidder on each Financial Proposal Form in the space provided. The District reserves the right to change or cancel the RFP opening date for its own convenience and at its sole and absolute discretion.

4. Definitions

The use of “shall,” “must” or “will” indicates a mandatory requirement or condition in this RFP. Failure to include such mandatory requirements or conditions will result in the disqualification of a proposal. In the Scope of Work, all mandatory requirements are indicated by an asterisk (*), see Part V.

The words “should” or “may,” indicate a desirable attribute or condition, but are permissive in nature and may affect the score the proposal receives.

5. Grounds for Rejection of the Proposal

A proposal shall be rejected if:

• It is received at any time after the exact time and date set for receipt of proposals as stated in Part

II – General Information, Sections C and E.

• It is not prepared in accordance with the required format or information is not submitted in the format required by this RFP as listed in Part VII – Mandatory Format and Content Requirements.

• The firm has submitted multiple bids in response to this RFP without formally withdrawing other bids.

• The bidder is not eligible to do business in California.

• It is incomplete and/or unsigned.

A proposal may be rejected if:

• It contains false or misleading statements or references, which do not support attributes or conditions, contended by the Bidder. (The proposal shall be rejected if the District determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that the information was intended to mislead the District in its evaluation of the proposal and the attribute, condition or capability of this RFP.)

• Not using provided required forms and attachments.

6. Right to Reject Any or All Proposals

It is the policy of the District not to solicit proposals unless there is a bona fide intention to award a contract. However, the District may, at its sole and absolute discretion, reject any or all proposals; re-advertise this RFP; postpone or cancel, at any time, this RFP process, or waive any irregularities in this RFP. The decision as to who shall receive a contract award, or whether or not an award shall ever be made as a result of this RFP, shall be at the sole and absolute discretion of the District.

7. Protests

A Bidder may file a protest against the awarding of the contract. The protest must be filed with both the District and the Department of General Services (DGS) at:

• Department of General Services

Office of Legal Services Attention: Protest Coordinator 707 Third Street, 7th Floor, Suite 7-330 West Sacramento, California 95605

FAX: (916) 376-5088

• 32nd District Agricultural Association dba OC Fair & Event Center

Business Services Department Attention: Business Services Supervisor 88 Fair Drive

Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Email: RFP@ocfair.com

Protests may be sent by regular mail, email, courier or personal delivery. Protestors should include their fax numbers when possible.

The protest must be received prior to the expiration of five (5) working days from notice of the proposed award being posted and, in no event, later than 5:00 p.m. on the fifth (5th) working day after notice of proposed award was posted in a public place at the District’s Administration Office.

IN ADDITION, within five (5) days after filing the protest, the protesting Bidder shall file with the District and the Department of General Services, Legal Office, a fully detailed and complete written statement specifying the grounds for the protest.

PLEASE NOTE, failure to file notice of protest by the conclusion of the fifth (5th) working day after notice of intention to award a contract has been posted and a complete detailed written statement within five

(5) calendar days of filing the protest stating grounds for protest will result in the protest being deemed untimely and grounds for protest waived. Protests shall be limited to the grounds contained in Public Contract Code, Section 10345.

B. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Dispositions of Proposals

All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the District. All proposals, evaluation and scoring sheets shall be available for public inspection at the conclusion of the Committee scoring process and announcement of intent to award. If an individual requests copies of these documents, the District will assess a fee to cover duplicating costs. Documents may be returned only at the District's option and at the Bidder's expense. Two (2) copies of the proposal shall be retained for official District files.

2. Confidentiality of Proposals

The District will hold the contents of all proposals in confidence until issuance of the Notice of the Proposed Award; once issued and posted, no proposal will be treated as confidential. However, if a Bidder maintains that certain information is proprietary, all proprietary or other legally protected material must be identified at the time of submitting the proposal to retain the claim of confidentiality. Bidder acknowledges that all materials submitted in response to this RFP, including proprietary materials, are subject to the California Public Records Act.

The materials may be used by the District to justify the awarding or not awarding of a contract if a protest is filed. The District will not be liable for inadvertently releasing confidential materials although the District will use the best efforts to prevent the release of said materials.

3. Modification or Withdrawal of Proposals

Any proposal which is received by the District before the time and date set for receipt of proposals may be withdrawn or modified by written request of the Bidder. However, in order to be considered, the modified proposals must be received by the time and date set for receipt of proposals in Part II – General Information.

A Bidder cannot withdraw or modify a proposal after the due date and time for receipt of proposals and, further, a bid cannot be "timed" to expire on a specific date. For example, a statement similar to "This proposal and the cost estimate are valid for 60 days," is non-responsive to the RFP.

PART IV

HISTORY & GENERAL INFORMATION

The OC Fair & Event Center (OCFEC) is a 150-acre multi-use property owned and operated by the 32nd District Agricultural Association (the “District”), a California state institution. The District is subject to the oversight of various state agencies, including the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Division of Fairs & Expositions. The OC Fair & Event Center is used throughout the year for both public and private events, and educational and community activities. The OC Fair & Event Center hosts more than 150 events throughout the year and self-produces the annual OC Fair and Imaginology events, in addition to managing the Pacific Amphitheatre, an 8,200-seat outdoor amphitheater.

The OC Fair & Event Center features 157,000 square feet of unique event space including 17 exhibit buildings, meeting rooms and outdoor spaces – all available for rent throughout the year.

The property includes Centennial Farm, a three-acre working farm which educates the public, including more than 100,000 school children through field trips, on the importance of agriculture in our daily lives. Centennial Farm features farm animals, California specialty crops and the Table of Dignity memorial honoring the work of Orange County agricultural workers.

The Ranch Community Center is a seven-acre public equestrian and educational learning center. Through school field trips and specialty 9 week learning sessions The Ranch team is dedicated to teaching animal care, as well as gardening and farming techniques, The Ranch has welcomed thousands of children since its inaugural Discovery Day in 2025. It’s also home to several community businesses including equine assisted psychotherapy and several horse training operators offering riding lessons and camps.

Heroes Hall, located at the OC Fair & Event Center, is a permanent museum and education center honoring the legacy of veterans through rotating exhibitions, performances and educational programs. It features a restored two-story World War II era barracks building and an impressive Medal of Honor Courtyard honoring those who serve our nation. In addition, an A-4M Skyhawk aircraft complements the Heroes Hall footprint.

The OC Fair & Event Center is home to the annual OC Fair, one of the most anticipated community events in Orange County. Historically, the OC Fair is a 23-day event held over a period of 31 days during July and August, and is open Wednesday through Sunday. The OC Fair dates are in July through August. The very first Orange County Fair was held in 1890.

The Pacific Amphitheatre is used throughout the year for live performances and events, and is historically home to a 23-day concert series during the annual OC Fair featuring headline musical acts and comedian performances. In recent years, the 23-day concert schedule has also included additional concerts before and after the annual OC Fair, running May through September.

Imaginology takes place annually over a two or three-day weekend (subject to change). The popular event features S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) workshops, demonstrations, competitions and hands-on activities, providing students with the resources needed to freely explore their imaginations. Professionals from various fields such as electronics, robotics, agriculture and creative arts are available to give participants a glimpse of future career paths.

PART V

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) TO BE PERFORMED

The District is soliciting Bids for the Advertising & Media Buying Services The Agreement term for these services shall be for January 1, 2027 - December 31, 2028 with three (3) one (1)-year options.

This part describes the work to be performed by the Bidder who is awarded the contract and contains terms and conditions which will be deemed incorporated and become a part of any contract awarded pursuant to this RFP.

All terms and conditions are fixed and non-negotiable.

Executive Order N-6-22 – Russia Sanctions

On March 4, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-6-22 (the EO) regarding Economic Sanctions against Russia and Russian entities and individuals. “Economic Sanctions” refers to sanctions imposed by the U.S. government in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as well as any sanctions imposed under state law. The EO directs state agencies to terminate contracts with, and to refrain from entering any new contracts with, individuals or entities that are determined to be a target of Economic Sanctions.

Accordingly, should the State determine Contractor is a target of Economic Sanctions or is conducting prohibited transactions with sanctioned individuals or entities, that shall be grounds for termination of this agreement. The State shall provide Contractor advance written notice of such termination, allowing Contractor at least 30 calendar days to provide a written response. Termination shall be at the sole discretion of the State.

Covid 19 Infection Mitigation Protocol & Procedure Guidelines

Contractor agrees to abide by COVID related health directives, if any, in place during the contract period.

GenAI Technology Use & Reporting

During the term of the contract, Contractor must notify the State in writing if their services or any work under this contract includes, or makes available, any previously unreported GenAI technology, including GenAI from third parties or subcontractors. Contractor shall immediately complete the GenAI Reporting and Factsheet (STD 1000) to notify the State of any new or previously unreported GenAI technology. At the direction of the State, Contractor shall discontinue the use of any new or previously undisclosed GenAI technology that materially impacts functionality, risk or contract performance, until use of such GenAI technology has been approved by the State.

Failure to disclose GenAI use to the State and submit the GenAI Reporting and Factsheet (STD 1000) may be considered a breach of the contract by the State at its sole discretion and the State may consider such failure to disclose GenAI and/or failure to submit the GenAI Reporting and Factsheet (STD 1000) as grounds for the immediate termination of the contract. The State is entitled to seek any and all relief it may be entitled to as a result of such non-disclosure.

The State reserves the right to amend the contract, without additional cost, to incorporate GenAI Special Provisions into the contract at its sole discretion and/or terminate any contract that presents an unacceptable level of risk to the State.

A. PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES AND TERM

The 32nd District Agricultural Association, also known as OC Fair & Event Center (District), seeks a qualified full-service agency or integrated agency team to provide strategic advertising, creative, media, digital performance marketing, research, analytics and related services. The selected Contractor shall serve as a proactive business partner capable of supporting a high-volume annual fair, live entertainment, year-round events, venue rentals, educational and community programs, and other District priorities.

The anticipated Agreement term is January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2028, with three (3) optional one-year extensions exercisable at the District's sole discretion. The District does not guarantee any minimum volume of work, media expenditure or production expenditure.

The Contractor's work shall advance the following objectives:

1. Increase ticket sales, earned revenue and attendance while supporting attendance business model, dates, daypart and operational objectives.

2. Acquire new customers; retain, reactivate and increase engagement among prior customers;

and expand geographic and audience penetration.

3. Strengthen and protect the distinct brands of the OC Fair, Pacific Amphitheatre, OC Fair & Event Center and other District programs.

4. Reach Orange County's diverse communities through culturally informed, inclusive and accessible communications.

5. Improve marketing effectiveness through transparent media practices, first-party data, disciplined testing and measurement tied to actual business outcomes.

6. Provide responsive, event-capable service and rapid adaptation to sales pacing, weather, artist or schedule changes, misinformation, public-safety matters and other changing conditions.

B. GENERAL PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS – This section is not intended for the format requirements and will not result in automatic disqualification.

Unless expressly identified as optional, the requirements in this Part V represent the services and capabilities the District expects the Contractor to address in its proposal. The Contractor should describe its approach to providing the requested services, including all labor, supervision, expertise, project management and ordinary tools necessary to perform the services.

1. Maintain sufficient staffing and resources to attend required onsite meetings and provide in-market support in Costa Mesa, including event-critical coverage during the annual OC Fair and major Pacific Amphitheatre on-sales and performances.

2. Operate as an extension of District staff while observing District approval processes, public-agency requirements, brand standards, budget controls and records-retention obligations.

3. Use appropriately qualified personnel for strategy, creative, media, analytics, multicultural marketing, accessibility, privacy, production and account management.

4. Identify all subcontractors and affiliated entities proposed for the account. No material subcontractor or key-personnel substitution may occur without prior written District approval.

5. Provide recommendations grounded in evidence and clearly distinguish facts, estimates, platform-reported results, assumptions and professional judgment.

6. Maintain written work plans, schedules, estimates, approvals, decision logs, campaign records and performance documentation sufficient for audit and transition.

C. DISTRICT PROPERTIES AND PROGRAMS

Services may be requested for any District asset or initiative, including:

1. The annual OC Fair and related admission, carnival, food, entertainment, exhibit, promotion and guest-experience programs.

2. Pacific Amphitheatre and other ticketed entertainment, including event-specific on-sales and sales-response campaigns.

3. Imaginology and other educational, agricultural, community and public-benefit programs.

4. OC Fair & Event Center venue rentals, property events and year-round business development.

5. District-wide brand, reputation, research, visitor-information and special-project needs.

D. CORE SERVICES

1. Integrated Marketing Strategy and Annual Planning The Contractor shall develop an integrated, audience-centered and measurable approach for each assigned property or campaign. Services shall include:

1. Conducting an initial discovery and asset review, including prior campaigns, media performance, creative, customer research, ticketing and web analytics, promotions, owned channels and relevant operational constraints.

2. Preparing an annual integrated marketing plan and campaign-specific plans that identify objectives, priority audiences, customer journey, positioning, message strategy, channel roles, timing, budget allocation, key performance indicators, dependencies and risks.

3. Developing budget scenarios at District-specified funding levels, including recommended allocation by objective, property, audience, market, channel and sales phase.

4. Establishing measurable objectives tied, as applicable, to ticket units, ticket revenue, cost per acquisition, return on ad spend, attendance pacing, date/daypart mix, new-customer acquisition, geographic penetration, engagement and awareness.

5. Developing strategies for acquisition, retention, reactivation, frequency, cross-promotion and conversion rather than treating first-time visitation as a stand-alone initiative.

6. Maintaining contingency playbooks for low or high sales pacing, sellouts, weather, schedule or artist changes, operational limitations, reputation issues and urgent communications.

7. Providing competitive and comparative analysis of fairs, festivals, attractions, cultural destinations, live-entertainment venues and other leisure choices.

2. Research, Insights and Audience Development The Contractor shall translate research and District data into actionable decisions. Services shall include:

1. Conducting or coordinating market, audience, brand, creative, media-consumption and customer-experience research approved by the District.

2. Developing and refreshing audience segments using available demographic, geographic, psychographic, behavioral and transactional information.

3. Addressing first-time, repeat and lapsed visitors; families; concertgoers; multicultural and multilingual audiences; and emerging or underserved audience segments.

4. Providing market and industry updates at least semiannually and timely alerts when material changes affect active campaigns.

5. Designing surveys, focus groups, interviews, social listening or other approved research;

documenting methodology, sample limitations and findings.

6. Maintaining an annual learning agenda identifying the most important questions to test or research.

3. Brand Strategy, Campaign Concepts and Creative Development

The Contractor shall develop original, strategically grounded creative that can operate cohesively across paid, owned and partner channels. Services shall include:

1. Evaluating existing brands, campaigns, messages and collateral and recommending prioritized improvements.

2. Developing annual or multi-year OC Fair theme platforms when directed, including naming, visual direction, key messages, audience relevance, extensibility and practical application across the guest experience.

3. Executing and evolving District-approved campaign platforms already in market during the

Agreement term.

4. Preparing creative briefs, concept presentations, copy, art direction, storyboards, scripts, design systems and production specifications.

5. Creating campaign architecture that distinguishes District properties while enabling efficient cross-promotion and shared asset use where appropriate.

6. Producing audience-, language-, offer-, date- and channel-specific versions without weakening brand consistency.

7. Supporting rapid-turn creative needs and dynamic sales messages during live campaign periods.

2. Content Production and Asset Versioning

Upon District authorization and an approved estimate, the Contractor shall produce or manage production of campaign assets. Deliverables may include:

1. Broadcast, connected-television and online-video spots; short-form vertical and horizontal video; pre-roll; motion graphics; cutdowns; and platform-native variations.

2. Broadcast, streaming and podcast audio; English- and Spanish-language versions; tags, Cutdowns and event-specific adaptations.

3. Paid-social, search, display, native, rich-media, digital-out-of-home, print, outdoor, point-of-purchase, collateral and promotional materials.

4. Landing-page recommendations, wireframes, ad copy, responsive asset groups, campaign toolkits and partner-ready materials.

5. Closed captions, transcripts, alternative text, accessible files and other required accessibility components.

6. Delivery of editable native/source files, packaged files, raw footage, masters, final files and a rights-and-usage record under District-approved naming and archive conventions.

For third-party production, the Contractor shall obtain competitive pricing consistent with District procurement direction, disclose all markups and financial interests, present the basis for its recommendation, and obtain written District approval before commitment. The District reserves the right to select, contract with or pay a production vendor directly. Production budgets are separate from agency labor unless the Financial Proposal expressly states otherwise.

3. Media Planning, Buying and Stewardship

The Contractor shall provide integrated general-market and multicultural media services for assigned campaigns. Channels may include television, cable, connected and addressable television, online video, radio, streaming audio, podcasts, paid search, paid social, programmatic display/video/audio, print, out-of-home, digital out-of-home, native, contextual, affiliate, creator amplification and emerging platforms approved by the District. Services shall include:

1. Developing objective-based media plans with audience, geography, timing, channel role, reach, frequency, investment, fee and performance rationale.

2. Providing media plans at District-requested budget levels and revising them as sales pacing, inventory, creative, operations or funding changes.

3. Negotiating rates, placement, added value, data rights, cancellation terms, make-goods and other favorable conditions.

4. Disclosing whether purchases are made as the District's agent or as principal and identifying all agency, affiliate, platform, technology, data and inventory margins or fees.

5. Providing placement-level transparency, including publisher, platform, exchange, supply path, inventory type, targeting, geography, cost and delivery where available.

6. Trafficking approved assets; maintaining naming, UTM and rotation standards; confirming launch; monitoring proof of performance; and resolving discrepancies.

7. Applying frequency, viewability, brand-suitability, invalid-traffic and geographic controls appropriate to each campaign.

8. Securing credits, refunds or make-goods for nonperformance, invalid delivery or material deviations and passing all benefits attributable to District spending to the District.

9. Reconciling media delivery and invoices against approved authorizations and providing final buy documentation and post-campaign analysis.

4. Digital Performance Marketing and Continuous Optimization

Digital activation shall be managed as an ongoing performance function, not solely as media placement. The Contractor shall:

1. Complete a documented prelaunch readiness review covering campaign settings, budget, geography, audiences, exclusions, creative, links, landing pages, tags, consent behavior, conversion events and reporting.

2. Monitor pacing and performance throughout each campaign and optimize budget, bids, objectives, audiences, placements, creative, geography, frequency and timing within District-approved authority limits.

3. Monitor active OC Fair and major concert campaigns at least each business day, with more frequent review during on-sales, final sales periods and event operations as circumstances require.

4. Immediately notify the District of tracking failures, significant overspend or underspend, disapproved ads, abnormal traffic, brand-safety incidents or material underperformance.

5. Plan and document controlled tests of creative, messages, offers, audiences, landing pages and media variables; identify the hypothesis, decision rule, outcome and action taken.

6. Coordinate paid-search and organic-discovery recommendations, including evolving AI-assisted search and referral behavior, without guaranteeing platform rankings.

7. Use purchaser suppression, retargeting and sequential messaging when authorized, lawful and technically appropriate.

5. Measurement, Attribution and Reporting

The Contractor shall establish a measurement framework before campaign launch and connect media performance to District business outcomes to the extent technically and legally available.

Requirements include:

1. A District-accessible live or near-real-time dashboard showing budget, pacing, delivery, traffic, conversions and revenue by property, campaign, channel, audience and geography as appropriate.

2. Weekly written performance and action reports during principal OC Fair and major entertainment campaign periods; monthly consolidated reports year-round; and quarterly executive business reviews.

3. Measurement of impressions, reach, frequency, viewability, video completion, engagement, traffic, cost efficiency, conversion, cost per acquisition, ticket revenue and return on ad spend, as relevant to the campaign objective.

4. Reconciliation of platform-reported conversions with available website, ticketing, CRM and actual transaction data; clear labeling of click-through, view-through, assisted, modeled and deduplicated results.

5. Written disclosure of attribution windows, methodology, limitations, data gaps and changes in measurement methods.

6. Analysis of new versus returning purchasers, event date, day of week, sales window, geography, audience and campaign where data is available and use is authorized.

7. Incrementality, lift or holdout testing when practical and approved by the District.

8. Year-over-year, plan-versus-actual and relevant benchmark comparisons, plus a concise explanation of what happened, why it happened, what was changed and what should happen next.

9. A final campaign recap, annual learning report and detailed post-Fair debrief with recommendations for the next planning cycle.

10. Export of underlying campaign and performance data in a common, nonproprietary format upon request.

6. Multicultural, Multilingual, Inclusive and Accessible Communications

The Contractor shall treat multicultural marketing as strategy and cultural relevance, not merely translation. The Contractor shall:

1. Use audience-specific insight and media-consumption information to recommend priority audiences, languages, channels, messages and partnerships.

2. Provide translation and qualified human review appropriate to the audience and deliverable;

identify when specialist or certified language services are required.

3. Review imagery, casting, tone, offers and calls to action for cultural relevance, representation and unintended meaning.

4. Design communications to include diverse audiences across age, race, ethnicity, language, disability, family composition, income and geography as relevant to the campaign.

5. Ensure applicable digital deliverables conform to WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA and District standards, including captions, transcripts, alternative text, color…