C2026200_OCTMarketingContractor_RFP_Questions_and_Answers.pdf

775 Summer St. NE, Ste. 300 • Salem, OR 97301 • 503–986–0123 • fax 503 5815115 • biz.oregon.gov

Date: 15 May 2026

To: Potential Proposers

From: Nengi Diriyai, Procurement and Contract Specialist

Oregon Business Development Department Oregon

Addendum 01 to Request for Proposals:

Oregon Cultural Trust Strategic

Communications & Marketing Contractor

OBDD RFP no. C2026200 OregonBuys no. S-12300-00016768

The Oregon Business Development Department received questions prior to the RFP deadline for official questions. These questions and responses are incorporated into the RFP as appropriate by their nature.

Thank you to all who asked for clarifications, and for your continued interest.

1. Can the Oregon Cultural Trust clarify the anticipated role of the selected contractor related to fundraising efforts? Specifically, is the contractor expected to provide strategic communications and marketing support that promotes fundraising campaigns and donor engagement, or is the contractor also expected to perform direct fundraising activities and donor solicitation?

Response: The Cultural Trust anticipates that the contractor will collaborate on the fundraising strategy as well as the creation of and potentially the digital deployment of fundraising content. The scope does not require direct fundraising activities or donor solicitation.

2. Can the Oregon Cultural Trust provide additional guidance regarding the preferred pricing format for proposal submissions? Specifically, should proposers provide hourly fully burdened rates tied to a task-order/not-to-exceed model, fixed-fee campaign pricing, retainers, or a combination of pricing structures?

Response: Per Section 3.3.10, Proposers are expected to format pricing as deliverables-based and list hourly billing rates for the team members listed, and any other costs. The Narrative will be evaluated solely based on criteria listed in Section 4.9.2.3. It is up to Proposers to decide how detailed their narrative should be. Proposers have 2 pages for their narrative.

3. Does the $248,000 budget include all hard costs, such as:

a. Media placements

b. Event expenses (design/planning, location, catering, program coordination)

c. Printing and production (plus production management) of campaign materials (or just the concept and design)?

Response: The budget includes media placement costs. The costs for event expenses as well as printing and production are outside the budget. The only potential event-related aspects of this RFP are marketing of the event and creation of collateral deemed necessary for the event.

4. Are there existing campaigns or work in progress that will need to fold into this 25th anniversary celebration, or is this a completely new initiative?

Response: The Trust anticipates the year-end fundraising campaign and the 25th anniversary dovetail for strong brand and messaging connectivity. Aside from design work around the 25th anniversary mark in progress and communications work that can inform messaging and strategy, these are considered new initiatives.

5. Are there established goals for the fundraising campaign (e.g., total amount to raise, number of new donors to attract)?

Response: For calendar year 2025, the Oregon Cultural Trust raised over $5.2 million from more than 10,000 donors, much of it toward the end of the year. We have yet to set our targets for 2026, but we believe we can grow these figures.

6. For ongoing communications support into 2027 (copywriting, social media content, graphic design, press releases, eblasts), is there a preferred cadence for team check-ins, circulation of KPIs, etc.?

Response: For the communications support work, the Trust is open to options for how to collaborate and communicate in accordance with the ebb and flow of the work.

7. Can the Agency confirm whether the proposed $248,000 budget is intended to include all agency fees, creative development, media planning, paid media placements, printing, direct mail, event materials, giveaway items, influencer partnerships, travel, and any other reimbursable or pass-through expenses?

Response: The costs for printing, postage, giveaway production and web development will be shouldered outside the $248,000 budget. Potentially included in the budget are paid media, billboards, influencer fees, photography/videography production and travel.

8. Does the Agency have an anticipated allocation or priority split between the 25th anniversary campaign, the year-end fundraising campaign, and ongoing communications support into 2027?

Response: The Trust anticipates significant emphasis around the success of year-end fundraising and the 25th anniversary campaign. Continued communications support into 2027 is expected to require less engagement.

9. Is there an existing media budget or fundraising campaign budget that has been used in prior years, and if so, can the Agency share any historical context on paid media channels, direct mail, digital advertising, or campaign performance?

Response: For year-end fundraising, the Trust in years past has used both traditional and digital paid media channels, direct mail to a supporters list, email strategies, social media, and earned media strategies. The Trust has shifted more toward a digital strategy in recent years and has engaged in greater messaging segmentation within supporter email lists for communications.

10. Will the selected contractor be responsible for creating a new creative concept or campaign identity for the 25th anniversary, or is the Agency expecting the contractor to work within an existing anniversary theme, design direction, or brand platform?

Response: The development of a mark for the 25th of the Cultural Trust is underway. But complete branding and asset creation for the 25th is work we would like to dive into with the selected Proposer.

11. The RFP references a dynamic web presence and collaboration with the Trust website contractor. Should proposers assume responsibility for web strategy, landing page content, and creative direction only, or should website design/development costs also be included in the proposed budget?

Response: The Trust is seeking visioning and strategy for how the Cultural Trust website dynamically shares the 25th anniversary, as well as design and content development. The Cultural Trust has an existing website contractor who can then execute the development work on WordPress for the 25th anniversary and year-end fundraising.

12. Are there existing audience segments, donor profiles, or campaign performance metrics that should guide the strategy, or should audience assessment and segmentation be included as part of the selected contractor’s initial work?

Response: The Trust does have existing audience insights and past campaign performance metrics that can help inform the strategy. That said, the Trust and selected Proposer would revisit and refine that information together to ensure strategy is grounded in the best approach.

13. Does the Agency anticipate the selected contractor attending the late October 2026 anniversary event in person, and should related travel and on-site support costs be included in the pricing narrative?

Response: There is no expectation for the selected Proposer to attend the event in person or provide onsite support.

14. For the pricing narrative, does the Agency prefer a single not-to-exceed total supported by deliverable-based line items, or a task-based budget showing estimated fees, hourly rates, media/pass-through costs, and optional services separately?

Response: Per Section 3.3.10, Proposers are expected to format pricing as deliverables-based and list hourly billing rates for the team members listed, and any other costs. The Narrative will be evaluated solely based on criteria listed in Section 4.9.2.3. It is up to Proposers to decide how detailed their narrative should be. Proposers have 2 pages for their narrative.

15. Are there any known internal review or approval timelines that proposers should account for in the proposed project schedule, particularly for campaign creative, direct mail, media placements, event materials, and fundraising communications?

Response: Key Trust staff members will be included in the review of crucial elements This will not be true for every piece of collateral. The Trust is willing to commit to a turnaround time with the selected Proposer in order to keep projects on track.

16. The Scope of Work references "potential paid and earned media" as part of the 25th anniversary campaign. Please confirm: is paid media ad spend (i.e., actual media buy dollars) expected to be included within the $248,000 contract budget, or is the $248,000 intended to cover agency services only, with media buy budget provided separately by the Trust?

Response: The budget is to include media placement costs.

17. The RFP references an existing contractor for the Trust website. Can the Agency describe the general scope of that contractor's current engagement — specifically, which digital deliverables (e.g., web content updates, landing page builds, campaign microsites) fall within their scope versus what would be expected from the successful proposer under this RFP?

Response: The Trust is seeking visioning and strategy for how the Cultural Trust website dynamically shares the 25th anniversary, as well as design and content development. The

18. The Scope of Work also references collaboration with "other communications contractors." Are there currently other active communications or PR contractors engaged by the Trust whose work would overlap with this RFP's scope? If so, can the Agency describe the nature of those engagements?

Response: Trust contractors that may overlap, assist and collaborate include:

• An existing website contractor who can execute any vision created for the 25th anniversary and year-end fundraising.

• A videographer contracted to create an anthem video for the October event.

• A digital strategy/social media contractor.

• A partnership with Willamette Week for its annual Give!Guide.

19. The initial contract term is described as one year, but the scope explicitly extends "into 2027." Can the Agency confirm the anticipated contract start date and whether the amendment authority described in Section 1.1 is expected to be exercised to cover the 2027 continuing communications support period?

Response: This contract covers the Cultural Trust’s fiscal year, which is July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

20. Exhibit A, Section E of the Sample Contract reserves OBDD's right to withhold 10% retainage on each invoice prior to final payment. Can the Agency confirm whether retainage will be applied to this contract, and if so, what the expected timeline and process is for final acceptance and retainage release?

Response: Agency reserves the right to apply the 10% retainage. All retained payments will be released along with the final payment. The final payment will be processed after OCT has confirmed all tasks have been completed, reviewed and approved Contractor’s final invoice.

21. The RFP states that work samples do not count toward page limits. Can the Agency confirm whether work samples may be submitted as separate PDF attachments, and whether there is any limit on the number of pages per individual work sample?

Response: Agency will accept work samples as separate attachments. There are no page limits per individual work sample and scoring will not be based on the number of pages.

Proposers are encouraged to use their best judgement in determining the number of pages per work sample.

22. Is there a minimum or maximum number of Key Persons the Agency expects proposers to identify?

Response: No. Please specify only those that will be directly involved with the project.

23. Section 4.9.3.1 provides a 10% price adjustment preference for services performed entirely in Oregon. Can the Agency confirm whether this preference applies when the proposer is headquartered in Oregon and all work is performed by Oregon-based staff, even if some work is conducted remotely?

Response: This preference applies when Proposer is headquartered in Oregon and all work is performed by Oregon-based staff working in/from an Oregon-based location.

24. Can the Agency indicate whether it currently anticipates conducting a second competitive round (e.g., interviews or presentations), or whether award is expected from the initial written proposal round only?

Response: At this time, a second round is not anticipated however, as stated in Section4.12.1, Agency retains the right to proceed with a second round if additional rounds are deemed necessary.

25. Can you clarify whether costs associated with paid media buys, influencer/creator compensation, giveaway or swag item production, and similar third-party promotional expenses should be included within the proposed contract budget, or if the Agency/Trust will manage those costs separately?

Response: The costs for printing, postage, giveaway production and web development

26. Are paid media hard costs intended to be included within the total budget outlined in the RFP, or is that budget allocated specifically toward agency services/strategy?

Response: Paid media hard costs are intended to be within the budget.

27. If paid media spend is intended to be included, is there an anticipated or preferred allocation ratio between working media dollars and agency fees/management?

Response: No.

28. Additionally, could you share whether there will be any paid media support executed through owned/internal channels or teams, so we can better understand how responsibilities and investments may be divided across efforts?

Response: At this time, there is the potential for paid media support through the Trust’s owned channels, and we will coordinate closely with selected Proposer so roles and investments are clear across all efforts.

29. Does the $248,000 budget include pass-through costs? (Paid media, printing, postage, billboards, giveaway production, influencer fees, web development, photography/video production, travel)?

Response: The costs for printing, postage, giveaway production and web development

30. What level of web work is expected for the “dynamic web presence”? Is the selected contractor expected to build pages, provide design/content only, or collaborate with an existing Trust website contractor?

Response: The Trust is seeking visioning and strategy for how the Cultural Trust website dynamically shares the 25th anniversary, as well as design and content development. The

31. For social media, is the contractor expected to provide content strategy and assets only, or also publishing, community management, and performance reporting?

Response: For social media, the Trust will work together with the selected Proposer to determine the appropriate mix of content strategy, asset development, publishing, community management, and reporting, depending on what will best support the campaign.

32. How many impact stories does the Trust expect to develop, and will the Trust provide story leads, permissions, photography, and existing assets?

Response: The Trust will collaborate with the selected Proposer on impact story development. The Trust will offer story ideas for consideration and work to gather needed assets for the selected Proposer.

33. What are the known dates, location, and scale of the late October anniversary event?

Response: Responsibility for organization of the event itself is not considered part of this RFP. The vision at present is an evening, awards-style event on October 22 and a summit workshop-style day on October 23. The attendees for the two dates may have overlap but will not necessarily be identical. The anticipated location is Portland.

34. Are translation, transcreation, captioning, accessibility, or multilingual deliverables expected? If so, which languages should be assumed for pricing?

Response: Multilingual services are not expected as deliverables. Captioning could be requested within video or social media elements.

35. What prior campaign performance data will be made available to the selected contractor?

Response: The Trust will provide past year-end fundraising performance data that includes geographic breakdown, donation payment method and information on strategies that have performed well.

36. Should the pricing include a recommended budget allocation between agency services and hard costs?

Response: Proposers may include a recommended budget allocation between Agency services and hard costs. Per Section 3.3.10, Proposers are expected to format pricing as deliverables-based and list hourly billing rates for the team members listed, and any other costs. The Narrative will be evaluated based on criteria listed in Section 4.9.2.3. It is up to Proposers to decide how detailed their narrative should be. Proposers have 2 pages for their narrative.

37. Is there existing audience research, donor segmentation, CRM data, or prior campaign learnings available to inform targeting strategy?

Response: The Trust will provide past year-end fundraising performance data that includes geographic breakdown, donation payment method and information on strategies that have performed well.

38. What are the primary key performance indicators (KPIs) for success across the 25th anniversary and fundraising campaigns (engagement, donations, license plate sales, etc.)?

Response: Our primary KPIs for the 25th anniversary and the annual fundraising campaigns will focus on strengthening visibility, engagement, and donor participation.

For fundraising for year-end 2026, we will look to build on 2025’s results of raising over $5.2 million from more than 10,000 donors. For the 25th anniversary campaign, success metrics will center on increased awareness of and engagement with the Trust.

39. Does the hard costs of printing, media buys, influencer compensation, etc., fall within the RFP budget?

Response: The costs for printing, postage, giveaway production and web development

40. Does the RFP scope include paid media planning, activation, and ongoing campaign management?

Response: The Trust anticipates a shared approach, partnering with the selected Proposer to manage responsibilities in order to execute cohesive and efficient campaigns.

41. Do the hard costs of the event fall within the RFP budget (venue, catering, decor, etc.)?

Response: The hard costs of the event, as well as the planning of the event, are outside the scope of this RFP.

42. Is event planning a part of the scope of this RFP?

Response: No event planning is required as part of this RFP. Marketing and communications elements that may be needed for the October event, such as swag, a PowerPoint template or marketing of the event itself, could be considered part of the

RFP.

43. Which email platform(s) do you currently use for your campaigns?

Response: The Oregon Cultural Trust uses Constant Contact.

44. Which platform and content management systems do you currently use for your website(s)?

Response: The Oregon Cultural Trust’s website is WordPress.

45. Will the selected contractor be responsible for developing all campaign creative assets, or will some be provided by existing partners/internal teams?

Response: The development of a mark for the 25th of the Cultural Trust is underway. But work remains on complete branding and asset creation.

46. Have the 25th anniversary messaging and design guidelines been finalized?

Response: The development of a mark for the 25th of the Cultural Trust is underway. But complete design guidelines have not been finalized, nor has messaging.

47. Does the Agency consider PDF files compatible with Microsoft Office applications?

Response: Yes, PDF files are considered compatible with Microsoft Office applications

48. Will you consider an extension given that there is only a three day turn around between when Q&A are released and the due date?

Response: At this time, the Agency does not anticipate extending the solicitation due date.

However, if circumstances change or an extension becomes necessary, a formal addendum will be published as Bid Amendment in OregonBuys.

49. Can you please provide more details about the expected period of performance?

After the event and report are complete in late October 2026, the RFP describes "continuing communications support" indicated "into 2027." Beyond support for the year-end fundraising campaign, how many months after December do you expect this continued support? What is the specific end date you anticipate?

Response: This contract covers the Cultural Trust’s fiscal year, which is July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

50. The scope of work mentions possible billboards, event banners, direct mailing in addition to "potential paid media." We assume the paid media and other costs associated with the listed materials are not part of the anticipated budget. Can you confirm?

Response: The costs for printing, postage, giveaway production and web development