Amendment# 02 - Q&A - RFP PDAA 2027_0003 - Colorado Water Plan Statewide Messaging Campaign.pdf

Amendment #02 - Questions & Answers (Q&A)

RFP PDAA 2027*0003

Colorado Water Plan Statewide Messaging Campaign

A. The following questions, and the answer to each, were received:

1. Is any firm currently providing communications, marketing, research, or engagement services to the CWCB or the Colorado Water Plan program, or did any firm assist in developing this RFP or the Exhibit A scope? If so, is that firm eligible to respond?

i. No firm is currently providing the listed services to CWCB or assisted in developing the RFP or Exhibit A scope.

2. The budget is not to exceed $2,000,000 over two years. Does the CWCB have an expected split between paid media placement and agency services (research, creative, management, evaluation), and does the

$2,000,000 include media placed on the CWCB's behalf?

i. The total budget does include media placed on CWCB’s behalf.

The offeror should provide a recommendation for a budget breakdown in terms of media placement and agency services.

3. Are firms located anywhere in Colorado given equal consideration, and is any in-person presence expected beyond CWCB Board presentations, stakeholder events, and the listening tour described in Exhibit A?

i. Firms located anywhere in Colorado will be given equal consideration. No other in-person presence is expected beyond what is detailed in the Exhibit A scope.

4. For the Phase I baseline analysis and index study and the Phase IV pre-and post-tracking study, does the CWCB expect a statewide quantitative survey (and if so, roughly what sample size), qualitative work, or both, and may this research be performed by a named subcontractor?

i. The offeror should recommend how to conduct the baseline analysis and index study, and the pre- and post-tracking study. This work may be performed by a contractor. Please see Section 3.3 and 3.5 for guidance on including subcontractors in proposals.

5. Will the CWCB share existing research, including the 2023 Water Plan public comment and outreach data, Water '22 campaign results, and any audience research from partners such as Water Education Colorado?

i. All relevant work and findings will be made available to the selected contractor. Water ‘22 was an effort headed and conducted by Water

Education Colorado, not CWCB.

6. Is the index study expected to be repeatable in later years as a standing measure of public water awareness, and should the proposal price a repeat wave?

i. The index study should be planned to be repeatable in later years as a measure of campaign success, contingent on future available funding. The proposal price should not include a repeat wave.

7. Does the CWCB have existing brand assets, messaging, or creative for the Colorado Water Plan that the campaign must use, or is a new campaign identity expected?

i. A new campaign identity is expected; however, CWCB, the

Department of Natural Resources, and the Colorado Water Plan have existing branding templates & guidelines that should be complementary to the new campaign. State accessibility standards must also be taken into consideration.

8. Will paid media be placed by the contractor through its own accounts and billed at net cost with documentation, or does the State have an existing media buying arrangement the contractor should use?

i. Paid media should be placed by the contractor through its own accounts and billed at net cost with documentation.

9. How many stakeholder engagement events does the CWCB anticipate the contractor leading or supporting per year, and will the CWCB fund venues and logistics outside the $2,000,000?

i. CWCB participates, coordinates and hosts a number of stakeholder events and meetings that vary throughout the year. The offeror may include new ideas for stakeholder engagement that strategically amplify the campaign strategy. Phase II will further define what is feasible within the budget to offer stakeholder engagement events.

10.Beyond Spanish, are materials expected in other languages, and what accessibility standard applies to campaign materials (for example WCAG

2.1 AA for digital assets)?

i. Materials are not expected to be translated in other languages beyond Spanish. Spanish translation should be considered where feasible. CWCB works towards being in line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.2, levels A and AA criteria.

11.Will the CWCB coordinate the community partnerships and trusted messengers identified in Phase II, or is the contractor expected to contract with and compensate partners?

i. This will be determined in Phase II, depending on the partnerships.

If costs are associated with new partners related to campaign execution, those costs should be planned for the overall project budget.

12.Exhibit A targets a finalized and launched messaging strategy by June

2027. Is that date fixed, and when does the CWCB expect the paid campaign to be in market?

i. The campaign strategy should be finalized at the latest by June

30th, 2027, but the campaign strategy finalization and launch can occur earlier if earlier timing is beneficial. CWCB is expecting the paid campaign to be in market in the summer of 2027.

13.Payment is by percentage of completed phases. Will media placement costs be invoiced as incurred within Phase III, or only at phase completion?

i. Media placement costs can be invoiced as occurred within Phase

III.

ii. CWCB has amended section 2.4 Measurement and Payment in the as part of this amendment #3 to reflect the following: “Invoices shall be submitted based on an agreed upon interval between CWCB and the awarded contractor. Invoices will include the percentage of completed tasks at the time of invoice submission to CWCB, and payment shall be made following approval by the Project Manager.

Media and advertising buying can be invoiced separately when incurred and advanced payments are allowable for those purchases under FR 3-3, 9.4.1. No payments will be issued by the

State to subcontractors or vendors the prime contractor hires to complete the work outlined in the contract. CWCB will only accept invoices and issue payment to the prime contractor.”

14.Which contract will govern if the project exceeds $350,000: the Model

Personal Services Contract attached, with the Colorado Special

Provisions, and are exceptions to it considered?

i. The terms and conditions within the Model Personal Services

Contract included in the folder linked in section 1.10 of the RFP document will apply to this project. The Colorado Special

Provisions are included in the Model Personal Services Contract. In the event of a conflict or inconsistency between the Contract and any Exhibit or attachment, such conflict or inconsistency shall be resolved by the order of precedence included on the cover page of the Model Personal Services Model Contract. It is not anticipated that federal funding will be used for this project, so the federal provisions will likely not apply, making the Colorado Special

Provisions first in order of precedence for this project.

ii. Yes, exceptions to the Contract and Provisions will be considered.

See section 5.11 of the RFP document for information on acceptance of terms and submitting exceptions to the Model

Personal Services Contract terms and conditions.

15.Are there page limits, font requirements, or formatting rules for the proposal, and may similar project examples include links to video and campaign samples?

i. See section 3.0 for submission guidelines. Yes, similar project examples may include links to video and campaign samples.

16.Will top-candidate interviews on December 9 to 11 be in person in Denver or virtual, how long will they be, and will the evaluation criteria weights be shared?

i. Interviews will be virtual, 1-2 hours long, and there are no evaluation criteria weights (see section 4.0 of the RFP document -

Evaluation and Award).

17.Can an Iowa-based agency submit a proposal and perform the majority of the work remotely?

i. An Iowa-based agency can submit a proposal; however, the agency will be evaluated on familiarity with Colorado advertising markets and Colorado water issues.

18. Are proposals submitted through Colorado's Vendor Self Service portal, or is there another required submission method?

i. See section 3.0 of the RFP document - Submittal

19. May we include our PowerPoint presentation as part of the formal proposal package?

i. Yes

20. Are there specific requirements regarding local Colorado partnerships or subcontractors?

i. The RFP document has subcontractor requirements listed in sections 2.1, 2.5, 2.6, 3.3, 3.5, 5.9, and 5.13

21.Could you confirm the submission format?

i. See section 3.0 of the RFP document - Submittal

22.Does CWCB have anticipated budget allocations or target percentages for paid media and other engagement activities separately under the current campaign? If those allocations have not been set, can CWCB provide, if available, the separate percentages allocated to paid media and other engagement activities for the 2015 Colorado Water Plan outreach effort?

i. There are no anticipated budget allocations or target percentages for paid media or other engagement strategies. The offeror should provide recommendations through their budget breakdown.

23.Section 3.6 requests a cost per phase and an overall project total, but does not specify a contract type. Will CWCB accept a time-and-materials contract with a $2 million not-to-exceed ceiling, with costs still organized by phase? If so, how should proposers present phase-level costs and price and invoice approved paid media and other third-party expenses?

i. Section 3.6 outlines the instructions for how to present pricing for this project in the proposal and does not address the contract type.

Section 2.4 of the RFP outlines how work will be measured and how invoicing and payment will occur, which is based on the percentage of completed phases, rather than time and materials.

For more information on contract terms for payment, please see section 5 of the Model Personal Services Contract.

24.In evaluating qualifications and similar project experience, will CWCB consider the experience, project examples, and references of named subcontractors, or must the prime independently demonstrate relevant water-sector or statewide campaign experience?

i. Yes, CWCB will consider the experience, project examples, and references of named subcontractors.

25.Section 2.1 requires prior written approval for subcontracts. Will subcontractors named in the proposal be reviewed for approval as part of the award, or must the selected prime obtain separate approval before executing each subcontract? Does this requirement also apply to media outlets or platforms, research providers, production vendors, and freelancers?

i. Yes, CWCB will consider the experience, project examples, and references of named subcontractors.

26.Does the form’s statement that 100% of the work will be completed in

Colorado apply only to the prime, or to work performed by both the prime and subcontractors? If any team member will perform work outside

Colorado under the notice provision, should the prime answer “No,” and would that affect responsiveness or eligibility? The form refers to Section

2.7, but the out-of-state work provision appears in Section 2.6. Please confirm the correct reference.

i. The statement applies to both prime and subcontractors. Please reference Section 2.6. rather than Section 2.7. Amendment #01 was posted to reflect the correct Section 2.6.

27.Are there regions or communities that CWCB considers higher or lower priorities for outreach, engagement, or paid media? If so, please identify them.

i. No. The offeror should make a recommendation based on the budget, and will be further determined as part of the Phase I

Messaging Strategy Development.

28.What existing audience research, baseline data, or campaign materials will CWCB make available to the selected team? Are there minimum research or tracking requirements that proposers should budget for?

i. Any relevant previous work will be made available to the selected contractor. There is no minimum research or tracking requirements

- the offeror should make recommendations for budget allocation based on budget.

29.Does CWCB assign point values or relative weights to the evaluation criteria in Sections 4.3–4.6? If so, please provide them. If not, how will proposals be rated and compared to determine best value, such as through numerical scores or descriptive ratings like excellent, good, or poor? The RFP states that references are evaluated on a pass/fail basis.

i. The evaluation criteria listed in section 4.0 will be scored either excellent, good, average, marginal or poor.

30.Do you have a desired way to allocate the $2,000,000 budget? Or can we develop comprehensive plans to meet the goals in fun and innovative ways?

i. The vendor should propose a breakdown and allocation of the total budget to meet the goals of the RFP.

31.Will the vendor handle all media placement?

i. Yes

32.Is there any desire for television and/or radio placement? Or do you wish to have it focused only on digital, social, print, OOH, or others?

i. The vendor should propose a media plan strategy that balances impact and budget.

33.Do you want the vendor to manage any of the CWCB social media, or provide advice and guidance only?

i. The vendor will not be managing CWCB social media accounts, but providing advice and guidance only.

34.What type of community partnerships and messengers do you want to engage? Would their involvement be limited to crea�ve efforts, or do you anticipate needing their support in other areas?

i. The offeror should make recommendations for partnerships and messengers, based on existing stakeholder groups, and/or identifying new ones. This will be further refined and determined through Phase II and III of the campaign development.

35. Are there existing community partnerships, stakeholder rela�onships, or collaborations you would like the selected contractor to maintain or leverage as part of the campaign?

i. Existing partnerships and stakeholder relationships will be shared with the selected contractor, and will be a part Phase II and III of the campaign developed.

36.What type of media relations/earned media support is an�cipated in this scope of work?

i. The offeror should recommend various media strategies in their proposal that balances impact and budget.

37.Do you have examples of monitoring and baseline reports that you would like to follow that the chosen vendor can see as an example?

i. No

38.Are there activities that have worked in the past that you wish to continue?

i. None at the scale of this outreach campaign.

39.Are there activities that have NOT worked in the past you wish to discontinue?

i. None at the scale of this outreach campaign.

40.Are the $2,000,000 funds guaranteed for 2 years? Or can the legislature remove these funds?

i. The approved funds are guaranteed.

41.Are there any existing creative assets that can be used or will all creative need to be new?

i. All creative assets will be new, but should complement existing

Colorado Water Plan and CWCB graphics, branding, and design.

42.Should the campaign follow existing CWCB brand guidelines, or is there flexibility to develop a distinct campaign identity?

i. All creative assets will be new and can be distinct, but should complement existing Colorado Water Plan and CWCB graphics, branding, and design.

43.Do you have a preferred Spanish-language translation provider, or should the contractor identify and budget for one?

i. CWCB has worked with a variety of language translation providers, but are willing to work with new ones identified by the vendor.

44.In Phase III the scope states that materials should consider Spanish translation where feasible. Which campaign materials does CWCB expect to be translated into Spanish?

i. That will be explored and decided in Phase III of the process.

45.Is there existing public opinion research, audience data, or message testing that will be available to the selected contractor?

i. Any previous relevant research or work will be shared with the selected contractor.

46.Does CWCB have a preference for qualitative versus quantitative market research, or is the contractor expected to recommend an approach based on project objectives and available budget?

i. The contractor is expected to recommend an approach based on project objectives, timeline and available budget.

47.Do you envision a comprehensive statewide research effort, or should proposers recommend an approach based on the available budget?

i. Proposers should recommend a feasible approach based on available budget.

48.Are there priority audiences, regions, or water-related topics CWCB wants emphasized?

i. There are no priority audiences, regions, or topics - these will be refined through Phase I of Messaging Strategy Development.

49.In Phase III the scope states, “Advise CWCB on elements for owned media to support the campaign.” Can CWCB clarify which owned media channels and materials this includes?

i. Owned media here refers to CWCB’s website(s), social media channels, email newsletters, etc.

50.Are the three required references expected to correspond directly to the examples of similar completed work, or can they represent other relevant projects and client relationships?

i. The references should be able to speak to examples of similar or relevant work and relationships.

51.Does the proposal need to identify all potential subcontractors at the time of submission, or is there flexibility to engage additional specialized subcontractors as project needs are further defined?

i. Section 3.3 asks that offerors provide the personnel and/or partner firms and/or subcontractors that will be completing the work for each phase of this project and to include a resume of each of the provided personnel and/or partner firms and/or subcontractors.

Section 3.5 asks that offerors identify partner firms and/or subcontractors, if applicable.

52.The Scope of Work states that a successful campaign will "amplify

CWCB's work and grant funding opportunities." Is the contractor expected to identify new grant opportunities?

i. No, the contractor is not expected to identify new grant opportunities.

53.The Scope of Work references the 2023 Colorado Water Plan outreach effort, which reached nearly 10,000 Coloradans through more than 100 events across all 64 counties. Should this serve as a benchmark for anticipated outreach and engagement under the new contract or the next

Water Plan update cycle?

i. No, that was a different outreach effort with different goals, timeline and budget.

54.Phase II of the Scope of Work references CWCB's regular stakeholder engagement events. Can CWCB clarify which events this includes and the anticipated level of contractor involvement?

i. CWCB will share any stakeholder engagement and partnerships with the selected contractor. Contractor involvement will depend on the chosen strategy for engaging partners, stakeholders, and messengers through Phase II.

55.What specifically must be finalized and launched by June 2027? Is the expectation the entire campaign launches in June 2027, or would CWCB consider a phased launch if primary research, stakeholder engagement, or campaign approvals require additional time?

i. The campaign strategy and assets should be finalized by June

2027, or earlier. The campaign is expected to launch in the summer of 2027, but proposals should include strategic timing launch recommendations.

56.Given the June 2027 campaign launch target, what does the review/approval workflow look like between the CWCB core team, the

CWCB Board, and DNR leadership? How will approval bottlenecks be mitigated to help ensure the June 2027 launch timeline can be met?

i. A meeting cadence will be established with the selected contractor and CWCB staff to ensure timely workflow. The proposer should plan for possible presentations at the March and/or May CWCB

Board meetings.

57.Is the desired audience truly statewide (all 64 counties), or does CWCB expect that particular regions, key communities, historically under-represented populations, and groups disproportionately impacted by climate change and water scarcity should receive greater emphasis? If so, can you speak to what those priority audience regions/segments are?

i. The desired audience is statewide as CWCB represents the entire state - there are no priority regions or communities. The applicant should provide recommendations for target audiences feasible within the budget. The campaign audience will be further refined in

Phase 1 Messaging Strategy Development.

58.Beyond brand health metrics like awareness, reach, and sentiment, what are specific behavioral shifts or measurable public actions (e.g., grant program applications, grassroots conservation actions, policy engagement) that CWCB will use to define ROI at the end of the two-year term?

i. Offerors should include recommendations for key metrics in their proposal.

59.Given the $2M all-inclusive budget to cover 2 full years, what are CWCB’s expectations for the duration of statewide paid media flights needed for the campaign in years 1 and 2?

i. Offerors should include recommendations for a media plan for years 1 and 2.

60.Phase III states the awarded agency is to “provide support for CWCB’s earned media”. Does CWCB have an internal community relations function? Is the earned media support referenced an ongoing expectation, or is it more specific to the launch/execution of the campaign?

i. CWCB has a communications director who coordinates all media.

Earned media support is specific to the launch & execution of the campaign.

61.What are CWCB’s expectations for the pre/post evaluation study? Should bidders plan for a separately commissioned study funded within the $2 million budget, or would CWCB consider media-provided campaign lift studies appropriate (if spend levels allow)?

i. The offeror should include a recommendation for the pre/post evaluation study strategy and execution, and should be planned within the overall $2 million budget.

62.Does CWCB currently work with an agency on this type of work?

i. CWCB does not currently work with an agency on this type of work.

63.What sparked this RFP for 2027?

i. This is an Agency Action in the Colorado Water Plan with appropriated funding.

64.Is there a rubric of how proposals will be scored by the evaluation committee?

i. See section 4.0 - Evaluation Process and Award for the evaluation criteria.

65.Roughly how many grant funding opportunities does CWCB offer per year?

i. Information about CWCB grant funding opportunities can be found on CWCB’s website, as well as on CWCB’s Water Funding

Explorer.

66.What messaging and/or marketing tactics has CWCB done in the past that it believes have been particularly effective?

i. CWCB has not previously worked with an outside marketing agency at this scale before.

67.Does CWCB have any specific measurable goals or objectives it will use to determine success of a Colorado Water Plan education and messaging campaign?

https://cwcb.colorado.gov/funding/grants https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/d187a0f4a9604dc7b4990983a0caab27 https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/d187a0f4a9604dc7b4990983a0caab27

i. The offeror should propose feasible metrics to measure success as part of the pre- and post-tracking surveys and campaign evaluation.

68.How is CWCB currently measuring awareness amongst Coloradans?

i. CWCB has conducted water awareness survey efforts in the past in conjunction with updating the Colorado Water Plans, but is not actively measuring awareness on an annual basis.

69.Are there certain parts of the state CWCB would like to prioritize messaging and outreach?

i. There are no priority regions of the state - the offeror should recommend regions that are feasible within the budget, which will be further refined through Phase I of Messaging Strategy

Development.

70.Does CWCB have a preferred market research partner or is it open to recommendations from the Contractor?

i. CWCB is open to recommendations from the offeror.

71.Should the Contractor plan to include specific/separate messages and creative assets to reach the state’s Spanish speaking audiences?

i. The campaign strategy should consider Spanish translation of materials & messages where feasible.

72.Are there any current/existing community partnerships that CWCB would like to continue in the future? If so, can you share who those partnerships are with?

i. Existing community partnerships will be shared with the selected contractor.

73.The RFP mentions, “Provide support for CWCB’s earned media.” Does

CWCB have an in-house communications team or separate vendor who is/will primarily be responsible for earned media?

i. CWCB does not have an in-house communications team or work with a separate vendor. CWCB has a communications director, who coordinates earned media, and various staff who work on communications-related work.

74.The RFP asks the Contractor to “advise” on organic social content and elements for owned media to support the campaign. Does CWCB have an in-house team or separate vendor executing this work or should the

Contractor plan to handle execution as well?

i. CWCB does not have an in-house communications team or work with a separate vendor. CWCB has a communications director, who coordinates our social media channels.

75.Does CWCB have a targeted timeframe of when it would like the paid media campaign to launch?

i. CWCB anticipates the campaign launch timeframe to be during the summer of 2027, but the offeror should recommend strategic timing in their proposal.

76.Does the $2,000,000 budget need to be split evenly over the two years?

i. The budget does not need to be split evenly between two years.

77.Is the $2,000,000 budget all-encompassing of Contractor fees, media hard costs and any other hard costs?

i. Yes

78.Does the State require advertising and media purchases to be billed at net cost, or may offerors propose gross media rates inclusive of agency compensation? Are there restrictions on media commissions, markups, negotiated discounts, or other forms of agency compensation? If gross billing is permissible, must the underlying net media costs and agency compensation be separately disclosed?

i. Advertising and media purchases are not required to be billed at cost. Offerors may propose gross media rates inclusive of the net media cost with the addition of the Offeror’s markup. The percentage markup the Offeror implements on top of the net cost of the advertising and media purchase shall be disclosed in order for the State to evaluate best value. See RFP section 5.13 “Proposal

Prices” where requirements regarding markups in pricing are outlined.

79.Under Section 3.2.1, how will the reciprocal resident-bidder preference be applied to this solicitation? Specifically, would a qualifying Colorado resident prime contractor remain eligible for the full preference if a disclosed out-of-state subcontractor performs the majority of the contract's services? Are there any minimum self-performance requirements for the prime contractor?

i. If bids are evaluated and result in a tie from a resident bidder and a nonresident bidder, the resident bidder shall be given preference over the nonresident bidder. If a nonresident bidder is from a state that provides a bidding preference to bidders from that state, then a comparable percentage disadvantage will be applied to the bid of that nonresident bidder. Follow this link to view the State

Preference Repository:

https://www.naspo.org/research-and-innovation/state-preference-re pository/ .

ii. Yes, a qualifying Colorado resident prime contractor would remain eligible for the full preference if a disclosed out-of-state subcontractor performs the majority of the contract's services. A resident bidder is authorized to transact business in the State of

Colorado, maintains a place of business in Colorado and pays unemployment compensation taxes.

iii. No, there are no minimum self-performance requirements for the prime contractor.

80.The Submission Form (page 24) asks offerors to affirm that 100% of the work will be completed within Colorado. However, Section 2.6 expressly contemplates services performed outside Colorado, subject to notification requirements. Please clarify whether performance of services outside https://www.naspo.org/research-and-innovation/state-preference-repository/ https://www.naspo.org/research-and-innovation/state-preference-repository/

Colorado is permitted and whether answering "No" to the Submission

Form question would render a proposal nonresponsive or otherwise affect its evaluation.

i. Performance of services outside Colorado is permitted and answering “no” on the submission form does not render a proposal nonresponsive.

81.Board memorandums from 2025 describe preliminary campaign visioning, stakeholder listening sessions, and research conducted by Sukle and

Strategic By Nature. Will the findings, reports, research, creative concepts, and other relevant deliverables from these activities be made available to all prospective offerors to inform proposal development?

i. All related previous reports and deliverables will be shared with the selected contractor.

82.Sections 4.3–4.6 identify qualifications, similar project experience, project approach and schedule, and price as evaluation criteria. Will the State provide the relative weighting or point allocation for these criteria?

Additionally, how will any applicable resident-bidder preference be incorporated into the overall best-value evaluation?

i. The evaluation criteria listed in section 4.0 will be scored either excellent, good, average, marginal or poor.

ii. If bids are evaluated and result in a tie from a resident bidder and a nonresident bidder, the resident bidder shall be given preference over the nonresident bidder.

83.Will CWCB share existing research with the selected contractor, such as public opinion or awareness surveys, audience segmentation, or message testing related to the Colorado Water Plan or water issues? If so, can

CWCB give proposers a brief summary of what exists?

i. Any related previous work will be shared with the selected contractor.

84.Are there existing brand guidelines, campaign names, or creative assets for CWCP and/or the Water Plan that the contractor is expected to use?

Or is CWCB open to new campaign branding?

i. CWCB is open to new campaign branding and creative assets, but they should complement CWCB’s and Colorado Water Plan branding and assets, and consider state accessibility standards.

85.What are CWCB's priority audiences and intended outcomes for this campaign (for example: awareness of the Water Plan, conservation behavior, participation in basin roundtables or grant programs, or broader public support)? Has CWCB set key performance indicators?

i. The offeror should recommend campaign audience and performance indicators based on budget and feasibility, which will further be refined in Phase I. Intended outcomes can be found in the Exhibit A scope.

86.Are Spanish-language or other non-English materials and media placements expected as part of the scope?

i. Spanish-language materials should be considered where feasible.

87.Does the $2,000,000 budget include paid media placement, production, research, and agency fees? Does CWCB have an expected or minimum share of the budget for paid media?

i. The budget includes all costs including media placement, production, research and agency fees. There is no expected share of the budget for paid media.

88.How should pass-through costs (paid media, production, printing, talent, research vendors) appear in the price proposal? Should paid media be shown at net cost with a stated commission or markup?

i. The offeror should provide a budget breakdown for tasks that include hard costs and paid media.

89.Section 2.3 cites both SB 24-1435 and HB 26-1338. Please confirm the funding source, and whether any portion of the $2,000,000 depends on future appropriation.

i. The $2 million budget is confirmed and allocated and does not depend on future appropriation.

90.Section 2.4 says payment is based on the percentage of completed phases. Paid media usually has to be paid for when it is placed. May media and other pass-through costs be invoiced monthly as they are incurred?

i. Advanced payment is allowable for Advertising services and related goods per Fiscal Rule 3.3, 9.4.1. Any services or goods not considered advertising or a related good must be paid as reimbursement after work is completed and approved by the project manager.

ii. CWCB has amended section 2.4 Measurement and Payment in the as part of this amendment #3 to reflect the following: “Invoices shall be submitted based on an agreed upon interval between CWCB and the awarded contractor. Invoices will include the percentage of completed tasks at the time of invoice submission to CWCB, and payment shall be made following approval by the Project Manager.

Media and advertising buying can be invoiced separately when incurred and advanced payments are allowable for those purchases under FR 3-3, 9.4.1. No payments will be issued by the

State to subcontractors or vendors the prime contractor hires to complete the work outlined in the contract. CWCB will only accept invoices and issue payment to the prime contractor.”

iii. See “Amendment #3 RFP PDAA 2027*0003 - Colorado Water Plan

Statewide Messaging Campaign” for the updated language.

91.The Submission Form asks offerors to agree that 100% of the work will be completed within Colorado. Does this requirement apply to subcontractors and their personnel? If some work is performed outside Colorado and reported as required by Section 2.6, would answering "No" make a proposal non-responsive or affect its score?

i. If a prime offeror or subcontractor performs services outside

Colorado the offeror should select “No”. Checking “No” does not impact proposal responsiveness if the proper notice under Section

2.6 is provided.

92.The Submission Form refers to "Section 2.7" for out-of-state reporting requirements, but the RFP has no Section 2.7. Please confirm that the intended reference is Section 2.6.

i. Correct, please reference Section 2.6. Amendment #01 was posted to reflect the correct Section 2.6.

93.For the Resident Bidder Preference (Section 3.2.1), is resident status determined only by the prime contractor?

i. See response to question 79.

94.Section 2.5 requires each subcontractor to carry the listed insurance. Must subcontractors carry every coverage type at the full limits (including Crime and Protected Information), or may coverage be scaled to the subcontractor's scope? May the prime contractor's policies cover a subcontractor?

i. Proof of subcontractor insurance coverage will be upon request by the State and is not required in order to receive final signature by the State Controller delegate. However, if the State requests proof of subcontractor insurance coverage, the same requirements apply to the subcontractor as the prime contractor. The prime contractor’s policies may not cover the subcontractor and upon State request, the subcontractor may be required to demonstrate proof of coverage in accordance with the requirements outlined in section

2.5. It is the prime contractor’s responsibility to ensure that all subcontractors are in accordance with contractual insurance requirements as subcontractors are subject to the terms and conditions of the contract agreement between the State and the prime contractor.

95.For Section 3.4, may project examples include work that proposed key personnel performed at previous firms (consistent with Section 5.9)? May examples include multi-year engagements that are substantially but not fully complete?

i. Project examples provided in response to section 3.4 shall be firm specific. Previously completed projects by specific key personnel shall be included in the resumes of the key personnel as part of the response to the criteria outlined in section 3.3. Section 5.9 is explaining that predecessor firms, key personnel and subcontractor experience can be evaluated as part of the firm’s overall past performance, but section 5.9 is not specific to any of the outlined submission or evaluation criteria and the specific submission instructions outlined in section 3.0 shall be strictly followed.

ii. Project examples may include engagements that are not fully complete.

96. Will the two-year budget start on the day the contract is executed and go for 2 years from that point? For example, a contract executed on January

19, 2027, would end on January 18, 2029?

i. The expected project start date is January 2029. All work must be completed by January 31, 2029.

97. Is there any additional information or context that can be shared regarding what is driving the two 2027 deadlines noted in the “Anticipated

Timeline” on page 4 of Exhibit A (June 2027: Messaging strategy finalized and launched; and Fall 2027: presentations to stakeholders and CWCB board members on progress & success metrics)?

i. The campaign strategy must be finalized by June 30, 2027 due to internal Department of Natural Resources & Governor goals. All other interim deadlines are subject to change through strategy development.

98.Is the $2 million contract amount expected to be distributed relatively evenly across the two years, or can agencies propose a budget that reflects different levels of investment during research, campaign launch, and ongoing implementation?

i. The total budget does not need to be distributed evenly across the two years and can reflect different levels of investment across different phases.

99.Does CWCB have an anticipated or preferred allocation of the $2 million budget across research, strategy, creative development, paid media, community engagement, and evaluation, or is the proposer expected to recommend the allocation?

i. The offeror should recommend a budget allocation for all services.

100. What is the anticipated level of paid media investment, and is there a minimum percentage of the budget expected to go toward media placement?

i. There is no anticipated or minimum percentage of the budget to go towards media placement. The offeror should provide a recommendation for budget allocation.

101. How is this messaging campaign intended to align with and support the next Colorado Water Plan update cycle (2026–2033)? Are there specific milestones or deliverables that should be coordinated with that process?

i. The goals of a successful campaign that are stated in the Exhibit A scope will support and complement the next Colorado Water Plan update cycle. Specific coordination with the update cycle will be determined in Phase II and III of the process.

102. What expectations does CWCB have for sustaining the campaign after the initial contract period, particularly if additional funding is not approved?

i. The campaign strategy should consider sustainability under different funding scenarios, which will further be refined in Phase IV of the campaign.

103. What existing research, audience insights, campaign materials, or other resources will be available to bidders or the selected firm, including findings from prior stakeholder engagement, surveys, and public comments informing the 2023 Water Plan?

i. Any previous relevant work will be made available to the selected contractor.

104. Are there specific audiences, geographic regions, or communities

CWCB considers highest priority, or should these be identified through the initial research?

i. There are no regions or communities CWCB considers highest priority. The offeror should provide a recommendation for the campaign audience that is feasible within the budget, which will further be region in the Phase 1 Messaging Strategy Development.

105. Of the goals outlined in the SOW, are there one or two that CWCB considers most important to achieving success?

i. There are no one or two goals that CWCB considers most important to achieving success.

106. To what extent does CWCB envision partnering with other local and regional entities such as water purveyors and conservation-focused organizations in developing this messaging strategy and campaign?

i. Existing and new partnerships will be a part of Phases I-III of the campaign strategy development.

107. What level of involvement is anticipated from CWCB staff, board members, and other stakeholders in developing, reviewing, and approving the campaign?

i. A core team of CWCB staff will be the main points of contact to develop, review and approve the campaign, however staff may choose to present draft deliverables to the CWCB Board and leadership for their approval or informational purposes.

108. What are the acceptance criteria and payment milestones for each phase? May the contractor invoice monthly for completed and accepted work within a phase, or only after the phase is complete?

i. The acceptance criteria is at the discretion of the Project Manager

(PM) to determine if the completed work is satisfactory and in line with the tasks and deliverables outlined in the contractual

Statement of Work. See section 5 of Model Personal Services

Contract included in the linked folder in Section 1.10 Additional

Attachments/Links for more information on payment procedures.

ii. See response to question 90 for information on invoicing.

109. For approved media placements and other authorized third-party costs, will CWCB pay vendors directly, provide advance funding, or reimburse the contractor after payment? How should proposers account for noncancelable commitments?

i. The selected contractor will be required to assume responsibility for all goods and services offered in its proposal, and DNR will consider the selected contractor to be the sole point of contact with regard to all contractual matters and responsibilities, including payment. No payments will be issued by the State to subcontractors or vendors the prime contractor hires to complete the work outlined in the contract. CWCB will only accept invoices and issue payment to the prime contractor. See question 78 for more information on markups.

ii. Advanced payment is allowable for Advertising services and related goods per Fiscal Rule 3.3, 9.4.1. Any services or goods not considered advertising or a related good must be paid as reimbursement after work is completed and approved by the project manager.

110. Should proposers plan for outreach and paid media across all of

Colorado, or may coverage focus on priority regions and communities identified through research? Are there minimum geographic coverage expectations?

i. The offeror should include recommendations for the campaign audience that is feasible within the budget. The audience, including regions and communities will be determined in the Phase I

Messaging Strategy Development.

111. Section 2.4 ties payment to the percentage of completed phases. Can paid media and other third-party costs be billed as pass-through costs when incurred or only on phase completion?

i. Paid media and other related 3rd party costs can be billed as pass-through costs when incurred. See question 109 for more information on advertising and media buying. The services provided in completing the phases outlined in Exhibit A, Scope of Work invoiced and paid in accordance with section 2.4 of the RFP.

112. Is there a current or previous contractor providing similar messaging or outreach services to CWCB?

i. There is no current contractor providing similar services to CWCB.

113. Will existing brand assets and/or research be available to the selected vendor?

i. Any previous related work will be made available to the selected contractor.

114. Section 4.0 lists the evaluation criteria but not their weights. What is the relative weighting of Qualifications, Similar Project Experience, Project

Approach and Schedule and Price?

i. The evaluation criteria listed in section 4.0 will be scored either excellent, good, average, marginal or poor.

115. Who will be the day-to-day CWCB project manager for the messaging campaign?

i. There will be a core team of CWCB staff working on this effort.

116. What is the expected review and approval turnaround for creative, and how many rounds of revisions does CWCB typically require?

i. The selected contractor will work closely with CWCB staff to establish a timeline, workflow, and meeting schedule that allows deadlines to be met. Typically CWCB seeks two rounds of review/revisions on work, but the overall goal is to produce the best work possible and in some cases there may be additional review.

117. The Submission Form asks offerors to agree that 100% of work will be completed in Colorado, but Section 2.6 allows out-of-state work with notice. Do subcontractors need to be Colorado-based?

i. No, subcontractors do not need to be Colorado-based. Out of state work is allowed by both contractors and subcontractors with notice.

118. Are out-of-state bidders with extensive water-related experience eligible to bid as the prime agency?

i. Yes.

119. Is this a new procurement, or is there an incumbent contractor that is currently supporting this work? If there is an incumbent, can you please provide information on who it is, and how long they’ve been under contract with DNR?

i. There is no incumbent contractor that is currently supporting this work.

120. If interviews are conducted, will they be held in-person or will there be a virtual option?

i. Interviews will be conducted virtually.

121. Is there a scoring system that will be used for evaluation? For the

“Price” evaluation, how will DNR determine the bid that provides the “best value to the State”?

i. The evaluation criteria outlined in section 4.0 will be scored either excellent, good, average, marginal or poor.

122. Will a specific scoring rubric be used to assess proposals, or will the evaluation be based solely on the narrative evaluation criteria outlined in the RFP?

i. The evaluation criteria outlined in section 4.0 will be scored either excellent, good, average, marginal or poor.

123. On Page 24 of the Submission Form, offerors are required to select

"Yes" or "No" to the statement: "I agree that 100% of the work resulting from this award will be completed by my firm within the state of Colorado

(please refer to Section 2.7 for reporting requirements for work performed out of CO/US)." If a prime offeror or subcontractor performs services outside Colorado (e.g., specialized digital hosting, out-of-state partner support or national media distribution), should the offeror check "No" and submit the notice/explanation alongside the proposal, or does checking

"No" impact proposal responsiveness if the proper notice under Section

2.6 is provided?

i. If a prime offeror or subcontractor performs services outside

Colorado the offeror should select “No”. Checking “No” does not impact proposal responsiveness if the proper notice under Section

2.6 is provided.

124. Page 24 of the Submission Form references "Section 2.7" for reporting requirements regarding work performed outside CO/US, whereas the clause titled Performance Outside the State of Colorado and/or the United

States appears under Section 2.6 (page 8). Can DNR confirm that Section

2.6 is the governing section for this requirement?

i. Correct, please reference Section 2.6. rather than Section 2.7.

Amendment #01 was posted to reflect the correct Section 2.6.

125. Section 2.3 and Exhibit A define a maximum budget of $2,000,000 over two (2) years. Does this total budget cap include all pass-through costs for paid advertising placements (digital, social, print, out-of-home media buys outlined in Phase III), or is the $2,000,000 limit allocated strictly for agency strategy, creative development and execution fees?

i. The total budget includes all services, including paid advertising placements.

126. Section 5.13 states that pricing must include all subcontractor markups upfront and that post-award markups are not permitted. If a prime offeror partners with a specialized subcontractor, may subcontractor fees be billed at cost under the phase totals, or must all partner rates be fully integrated into a single unified rate card per phase?

i. If Offerors are incorporating a markup for services being completed by subcontractors, they must disclose the percentage markup. It can be presented as a “blanket” markup for all subcontracted services across the project, or it can be presented as a markup for each individual subcontractor if the markups will vary from one subcontractor to another. The pricing shall be presented per phase and each phase shall include the subcontractor markups for that phase, unless the subcontractor markup is consistent across the entire project in which that percentage markup shall be disclosed in the pricing proposal as a uniform markup across the project.

127. Section 2.1 specifies that DNR will enter into a single contract via a

Prime Contractor/Subcontractor model. In evaluating corporate qualifications (Section 3.3) and past project experience (Section 3.4), will the Evaluation Committee weight the combined experience and references of both the Prime Contractor and key Subcontractors equally?

i. Yes.

128. Section 3.1.2 permits submission via Google Forms with a maximum upload size of 1 GB. May offerors submit a single consolidated PDF document containing the signed Submission Form, Corporate

Qualifications, Past Experience, Project Approach and Pricing?

i. Yes. Offerors may use Vendor Self Service (VSS) System or

Google Form to submit their response and a single consolidated

PDF is acceptable.

129. Section 3.2.1 states a resident bidder shall be allowed a preference against a nonresident bidder. Can you explain how that preference will be integrated into evaluation?

i. If bids are evaluated and result in a tie from a resident bidder and a nonresident bidder, the resident bidder shall be given preference over the nonresident bidder.

130. Do you have a specific desired allocation of the budget across consulting services and cost of advertising?

i. The offeror should provide a recommendation for a budget allocation for all services.

131. The "Listening Tour" referenced in Phase I scope of work - are you looking for a community meeting-type engagement or more research-oriented engagement, like focus groups?

i. Research-oriented, like…