BIA_Marketing_RFP_2025.pdf

Request for Proposals (“RFP”) For

Marketing/PR/Advertising Services

This RFP is Being Issued by:

BIA Charter Academy 186 Hunter Street

Norcross, GA 30071

Tel. (770) 538-1550

Date of RFP Issue: March 24, 2025

Deadline to Submit Proposals: April 15, 2025 by 5p.m.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. KEY DATES 3

II. GENERAL INFORMATION 4

Introduction 4

Past Services 4

Purpose of RFP 4

Award of Contract 4

Term of Contract 4

Written Contract 4

Disclaimer & Acknowledgement 5

Project Budget 5

III. PROPOSAL INFORMATION 6

IV. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS 7

Cover Letter 7

Specifications 7

Proposal Deadline & Delivery Instructions 7

Interactive Content 8

Submission of Protected Information 8

Submission of Proposals with Protected Business Confidential Information 8

V. PROPOSAL SPECIFICATIONS 9

Content of Proposals 9

Selection and Scoring 11

VI. EVALUATION CRITERIA 12

Evaluation Criteria Unrelated to Cost 12

Evaluation Criteria Related to Cost 12

I – KEY DATES

A. Date of RFP Issue: March 24, 2025.

B. Deadline to Submit Proposals: April 15, 2025 by 5p.m. EST

C. Opening of Proposals: April 16, 2025

D. Finalist contacted for Interviews: April 18, 2025 for the week of April 21, 2025

E. Finalist interview: April 21 – 25, 2025

F. Anticipated Contract Award Date: April 30, 2025

G. Anticipated Contract Term: Up to two years.

H. Commencement of Services: Beginning approximately May 15, 2025.

II – GENERAL INFORMATION

Introduction. BIA Charter is a K-8 public charter school in Norcross, Georgia serving approximately 550 students. BIA has been in operation since 2017 and received its most recent 5-year charter renewal in July 2022. BIA is authorized by the State Charter School Commission of

Georgia and have a statewide attendance zone.

BIA’s mission is to provide students with an education that maximizes the realization of their individual talents and prepares them for success in a technology and information driven 21st Century Economy.

In addition to the focus on technology BIA offers Project Based Learning. Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge.

A. Past Services. BIA has contracted by project with several marketing firms but it looking for a full-service provider for a longer-term opportunity.

B. Purpose of RFP. The purpose of this RFP is to solicit marketing/PR/advertising services from reputable, experienced, and skilled agencies. Specifically, BIA is seeking proposals from marketing/PR/advertising agencies to create a sound marketing plan that combines knowledge of charter schools and student recruitment strategies to promote BIA, increase BIA’s student enrollment, and to raise the general awareness of BIA across the state. Strategies to accomplish this goal could include but are not limited to search engine optimization, thought leader appearances for BIA administrators and staff, social media campaigns, and well-branded collateral pieces.

C. Award of Contract. The contract will be awarded to the offeror whose proposal is determined to provide the best value to BIA, taking into consideration all substantive evaluation criteria outlined in this RFP as well as cost. No other criteria will be used in the evaluation. Please note that the Georgia Procurement Code requires that most cost information be evaluated independently from the substantive evaluation criteria. The final determination shall be determined at the sole discretion of BIA’s Board of Directors. The contract file will contain the basis on which the award is made. However, to the extent permitted by law, BIA may reject any and all proposals and may waive any informality or technicality in any proposal received if BIA’s Board of Directors determines it would serve the best interests of the school.

D. Term of Contract. In the interest of maintaining continued services, reducing administrative burdens in procuring, negotiating, or administering contracts, and potentially obtaining a volume or term discount, BIA intends to award a contract for marking/PR/advertising services for a period up to, but not to exceed, two (2) years (the remainder of the school’s current contract term) with an option to renew at the end of the term. However, the contract must contain termination and/or renewal provisions acceptable to BIA as well as include the provisions in Georgia

Code § 50-5-50 applicable to the contract.

E. Written Contract. If selected by the BIA’s Board of Directors, the successful offeror must be prepared to enter into a written contract consistent with the acceptable services, terms, and conditions outlined in the successful proposal and the requirements set forth in this RFP. In addition, the written contract must incorporate the below-described “Disclaimer & Acknowledgment” and contain financial terms that require regular payments from BIA on a monthly basis.

F. Disclaimer & Acknowledgement. Authorization to continue operating BIA as a Georgia public charter school is expressly contingent on BIA’s charter not being terminated by the State

Charter School Commission of Georgia. BIA reserves the right to cancel any and all marketing/PR/advertising contracts executed pursuant to this RFP in the event the school’s charter is terminated for any reason. All offerors must agree to cancellation of said contracts and to hold

BIA, its directors, officers, employees, and agents harmless for any loss of potential profits and costs/expenses incurred in the event the school’s charter is terminated for any reason. Submission of a proposal in response to this RFP shall be deemed an acknowledgment and consent by the offeror to the cancellation provisions contained in this paragraph.

G. Project Budget. The total annual costs for BIA’s regular marketing/PR/advertising services and individual projects is to be negotiated based upon services agreed too.

III – PROPOSAL INFORMATION

A. Proposals must be submitted in compliance with Section IV of this RFP. Proposals not submitted in compliance with Section IV of this RFP may not be considered.

B. The content of a proposal must address the specifications described in Section V below.

Only one proposal from each offeror may be submitted and considered. Offerors may include in their proposals any special or unique services they plan to provide.

C. Submission of a proposal will be construed to mean that the offeror understands the requirements contained herein and that the offeror anticipates being able to supply the described services for the pricing proposal contained in their submitted proposal.

D. As stated above, proposals will be opened April 16, 2025. A register of proposals will be prepared and shall be open for public inspection after the contract for this project is awarded. BIA will cooperate with all potential offerors, to the extent reasonably possible, in their attempt to obtain information.

E. BIA’s Board of Directors may, for the purpose of assuring full understanding of and responsiveness to the RFP’s requirements, enter into discussions or conduct interviews with, or attend presentations by, offerors who submit proposals. Offerors may be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement in connection with such activities.

F. It is understood that BIA’s issuance of this RFP does not obligate BIA to accept any of the proposals submitted in response to this RFP, nor does it guarantee that BIA will in fact accept any of the said proposals. To the extent permitted by law, BIA’s Board of Directors reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and/or to waive any or all formalities in any proposal or in the proposal process deemed to be in the best interest of BIA. No agreement exists on the part of BIA and any offeror until a written contract is approved and executed by BIA’s Board of Directors and the offeror.

G. This RFP does not obligate BIA to pay for any costs of any kind whatsoever that may be incurred by an offeror/respondent or any third parties in connection with a proposal. All submitted proposals, responses, and supporting documentation shall become property of

BIA. Further, BIA shall not be liable to any offeror, person, or entity for any losses, expenses, costs, claims or damages of any kind arising out of, by reason of, or attributable to, the offeror responding to the RFP.

H. At any time during the evaluation process, BIA’s Board of Directors may, with appropriate approval, request best and final offers, from responsible offerors who submit responsive proposals that meet any minimum qualifications, evaluation criteria, or score thresholds identified in this

RFP.

IV – PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Potential offerors are hereby invited to submit a proposal for marketing/PR/advertising services for BIA.

A. Cover Letter. It is mandatory that each proposal contain a cover letter which includes the following:

1. The legal company name of the offeror;

2. The complete company address;

3. The company contact person’s name, phone number, and email address;

4. The company’s website address;

5. The signature of the company’s authorized representative, including position/title; and

6. The date of submission.

B. Specifications. Proposals must address the Proposal Specifications set forth below in

Section V.

C. Proposals must be delivered by April 15, 2025 at 5p.m. Proposals may be mailed or hand- delivered to BIA Charter, Attn: Gregg Stevens, 186 Hunter Street, Norcross, GA.

30071, OR delivered by email to Gregg Stevens at gstevens@biaschool.org.

1. Instructions for Mailed or Hand-Delivered Proposals. Proposals provided by mail or hand-delivery must be in writing and separated by cost and non-cost related information.

All non-cost related information of a proposal (the information provided by an offeror in response to Section V(A)(1)-(4)) must be contained in a sealed envelope that includes the phrase “Non-Cost Related Information for Marketing/PR/Advertising Proposal.” All cost-related information of a proposal (the information provided by an offeror in response to

Section V(A)(5)(a)) must be contained in a different sealed envelope that includes the phrase “Cost-Related Information for Marketing/PR/Advertising Proposal.” No cost information may be submitted in the sealed envelope identified as “Non-Cost Related

Information for Marketing/PR/Advertising Proposal.” Envelops may be delivered together in a single envelop.

2. Instructions for Emailed Proposals. Proposals provided by email must be in PDF format and separated by cost and non-cost related information. All non-cost related information of a proposal (the information provided by an offeror in response to Section V(A)(1)-(4)) must be contained in a PDF file(s) and clearly identified as “Non-Cost Related Information for Marketing/PR/Advertising Proposal.” All cost-related information of a proposal (the information provided by an offeror in response to Section V(A)(5)(a)) must be contained in a different PDF file(s) and clearly identified as “Cost-Related Information for

Marketing/PR/Advertising Proposal.” No cost information may be submitted in the same

PDF file identified as the “Non-Cost Related Information for Marketing/PR/Advertising

Proposal.” The subject line of the email should indicate that the email contains a proposal for marketing/PR/advertising services to BIA.

D. Interactive Content. Proposals may include interactive content. Such content may, for example, be saved on an external storage device or set up on a password protected web-based platform. External storage devices containing such interactive content must be hand-delivered or mailed with a proposal in accordance with Subsection (C)(1) above.

V – PROPOSAL SPECIFICATIONS

A. Content of Proposals. Offerors must address the following in their proposals:

1. Description and Past Experience of Agency.

a. Provide description of the nature of your agency’s services and activities. Note your agency’s history within the education arena, specifically regarding charter schools and student recruitment, if any.

b. List all schools, districts, and education-related clients (if allowed) for whom your agency has performed work during the past 12 months, and certify that there is no conflict of interest between any existing contract or client relationship and the ability of your agency to fully and vigorously represent the marketing and advertising needs of BIA. Client relationships that could potentially be a conflict of interest must be listed together with a discussion of how your agency will resolve the potential conflict of interest.

c. Disclose whether your agency or its clients have received any warning, sanction, criticism, fine, or similar reprimand from any regulatory agency (i.e. FTC, FDA, etc.)

for the work performed by your agency. Also disclose whether any of your agency’s owners, officers, employees, or agents have ever been subject to the same type of reprimand or scrutiny. If not, provide a clear statement to that effect.

d. List out which services your agency does in-house and which ones it out-sources to other agencies. If your agency works with other agencies to provide some services, please include them in your personnel and management overview described below, as well as their experience in the relevant categories.

2. Personnel/Management.

a. Identify all individuals on your agency’s account team who will manage the contract work.

b. Describe each individual’s overall experience and skill in education related accounts, including internet/interactive experience, experience related to new networking, viral campaigns, grassroots online marketing campaigns, and driving user generated content submissions. Provide each individual’s current resume/biography.

c. Provide each individual’s education, experience, and expertise with pertinent information demonstrating qualifications for successfully carrying out a proposal submitted in response to this RFP.

3. Evaluation, Proposed Marketing Plan, and Case Studies/Examples

a. Evaluate BIA Charter Academy’s current web assets. Discuss your findings.

b. Provide a comprehensive overview showing how your agency measures success for all online activities.

c. Provide a proposed annual marketing plan that demonstrates how your agency would, using its knowledge of and experience with charter schools and student recruitment strategies, promote BIA, increase BIA’s student enrollment and retention, increase BIA’s brand recognition, and raise the general awareness of BIA across the state of

Georgia. The proposed annual marketing plan should address and explain in detail a variety of plans and strategies, such as:

1. Communication planning;

2. Public relations;

3. Marketing communications;

4. Media planning and buying;

5. Search engine optimization;

6. Social media campaigns;

7. Video ad campaigns;

8. Online campaigns;

9. Branding;

10. Print advertising and marketing;

11. Digital advertising and marketing;

12. Email marketing;

13. Weekly newsletter management

14. Broadcasting (radio and television); and

15. Though leader appearances for BIA administrators and staff;

d. Case Studies/Examples: In addition to receiving a proposed annual marketing plan for

BIA, BIA is also interested in hearing what your agency has done for other schools and education-related clients in the past. Include examples of past campaigns that you have run for any education-related or comparable clients, as well as any other clients that may have a partnership opportunity for BIA as it relates to the skill set above.

Examples should showcase new interactive technology and savvy use of multi- prong marketing approach (radio, print media, direct mail, SEO, etc.) to meet clients’ objectives. This can be done in the form of case studies, or you can show specific examples for each of the skills. Each example should be supported with how success was measured.

4. Financial Stability.

a. Provide evidence of your agency’s financial stability.

5. Pricing.

a. Provide the total anticipated annual price to be charged by your agency to execute its proposed annual marketing plan for BIA. Break out and identify all costs of the proposed annual marketing plan, including individual project costs and your annual account management fee.

b. BIA understands that because it has not agreed to any specific annual marketing plan, all pricing proposals submitted by offerors in response to this RFP will only be reasonable estimates and anticipated fees and costs. Final pricing to be charged by the winning offeror will be agreed upon after further negotiations and planning and will be included in the written contract entered into by BIA’s Board of Directors and the winning offeror.

B. Selection and Scoring. Selection of a marketing/PR/advertising agency will be based on offerors’ responses to these proposal specifications and successful interview in relation to the

Evaluation Criteria set forth in Section VI. The successful proposal will address each of the required specifications and clearly demonstrate how the offeror will meet or exceed BIA’s marketing/PR/advertising needs. The Evaluation Criteria set forth in Section VI contains a numerical score for each of the proposal specifications and proposals will be ranked based on their score. The Board of Directors will first subjectively score the non-cost portion of each proposal

(the Evaluation Criteria Unrelated to Cost) based on offerors’ responses to the specifications contained in Section V(A)(1)-(4). The Board of Directors will then objectively score the cost portion of each proposal (the Evaluation Criteria Related to Cost) by using the following formula:

Total Cost Points Possible x (Lowest Proposed Price ÷ Proposal Price Being Evaluated). The offeror with the lowest proposed price (which proposed price is provided by offerors in response to the specification in Section V(A)(5)(a)) meeting the requirements of the RFP will receive 100% of the cost points (25) and all other offerors will receive a portion of the cost points based on the formula above. Note: Proposals that are not compliant with Section V may not be considered.

VI – EVALUTION CRITERIA

Evaluation Criteria Unrelated to Cost

A. Offeror’s Evaluation of BIA, Proposed Marketing Plan, and Case Studies/Examples

(25 points possible). This criterion is based on the information provided in response to the specifications contained in Section V(A)(3).

B. Offeror’s Description and Past Experience (20 points possible). This criterion is based on the information provided in response to the specifications contained in Section V(A)(1).

C. Offeror’s Interview (15 points possible). The ability of a finalist to answer questions and address concerns regarding the proposal.

D. Offeror’s Financial Stability (10 points possible). This criterion is based on the information provided in response to the specifications contained in Section V(A)(4).

E. Offeror’s Personnel and Management (5 points possible). This criterion is based on the information provided in response to the specifications contained in Section V(A)(2).

F.

Evaluation Criteria Related to Cost

G. Pricing (25 points): This criterion is based on the pricing proposal provided in response to the specifications in Section V(A)(5)(a).

Total points possible based on Evaluation Criteria: 100 points