Clarifying Questions 4- 2025-87 RFP Integrated Marketing Campaign.pdf

PH: 503-742-5400 WWW.CLACKAMAS.US

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS #2025-87

Integrated marketing campaign

RESPONSE TO CLARIFYING QUESTIONS

January 22, 2026

Note that these are questions submitted by interested firms to the above referenced solicitation. The below answers are for clarification purposes only and in no way alter or amend the RFP as published.

1. What is the current state of the Tourism asset library in terms of recency, formats, and usability?

Answer:

Tourism maintains an active and regularly updated digital asset library managed through CrowdRiff. The library is refreshed on an ongoing basis as new assets are acquired through Tourism-led photo and video shoots as well as partner submissions.

The library includes both photography and video assets and is organized to support practical use across marketing channels. Rights and usage information is documented for most assets, and final determinations regarding appropriate use are made by the Marketing Lead with support from the Marketing Team.

In addition to the CrowdRiff library, Tourism maintains an internal repository of b-roll footage that may be made available to the selected agency for campaign development, subject to rights, usage approvals and access protocols. Access to existing assets will be coordinated following contract award.

2. Does the existing library include vertical or short-form video assets suitable for TikTok and Reels, or should production prioritize adapting horizontal footage?

Answer:

Yes. Tourism’s existing asset library includes vertical and short-form video assets suitable for platforms such as Instagram Reels, in addition to horizontal video formats. While some assets may be technically compatible with TikTok-style formats, TikTok is not an allowable platform for this campaign due to County policy and should not be included in proposed media strategies.

While a range of formats is available, coverage may vary by location, season or theme. The selected agency should expect to assess existing assets as part of campaign planning and determine whether supplemental production, adaptation or new creative is needed to support campaign goals, channels and audiences.

Final decisions regarding the use of existing video assets, including rights and suitability for paid or organic placements, will be made in coordination with Tourism staff following contract award.

3. Are there specific seasons, regions, or communities where Tourism is most focused on driving incremental visitation, overnight stays, or visitor spending through this campaign?

Yes, please see Clarifying Questions 3, question #3 1 posted on January 20, 2026.

4. Does the all-inclusive budget include hard production costs such as printing, talent session fees, or other non-media expenses?

Answer:

Yes. As stated in the RFP, the all-inclusive budget is expected to cover all campaign-related costs, including creative development, production and any associated hard costs. No additional reimbursement will be provided beyond the stated budget.

5. Can the County provide a breakdown of the current “always-on” marketing efforts, including channels, markets, and flight dates, to ensure this campaign complements rather than duplicates existing activity?

Answer: As outlined in the RFP, Tourism will share information about existing marketing efforts with the selected agency following contract award to support coordination and avoid duplication.

Detailed information about channels, markets and flight dates is not provided during the pre-award phase.

Proposers should describe their approach to integrating a campaign with existing marketing activity and how they would collaborate with Tourism during onboarding and campaign planning.

6. Are there specific channels or platforms where the County is already heavily invested and would prefer this campaign to avoid or deprioritize?

Answer:

Tourism is not identifying specific channels or platforms that must be avoided or deprioritized at this stage.

However, due to County policy, TikTok is not an allowed platform for this campaign and should not be included in proposed media strategies.

Channel selection and prioritization will be determined collaboratively with the selected agency during campaign planning, informed by campaign objectives, audience behavior, timing and Tourism’s existing marketing activity.

Tourism intentionally does not have pre-designated channels so the selected agency can bring forward strategic recommendations based on data, performance considerations and overall campaign goals.

As part of onboarding, Tourism will share information about existing media investments to support coordination and avoid duplication. Proposers should describe their approach to evaluating channel mix and making informed recommendations in collaboration with Tourism rather than proposing specific channel exclusions in advance.

7. Should this campaign prioritize upper-funnel channels (e.g., CTV, social video) to fill gaps left by existing lower-funnel investments such as Search or SEM?

Answer:

Tourism expects the selected agency to develop a balanced, integrated media mix during campaign planning based on campaign objectives, audience behavior and likelihood of near-term travel.

Upper-funnel channels such as CTV or social video may be appropriate where they support consideration, reinforce messaging or help move audiences toward action. Any use of these channels should be intentionally connected to lower-funnel tactics and measurable outcomes.

Proposers should describe their approach to building an integrated media mix and how different channels and funnel stages would be evaluated and aligned to drive near-term visitation, overnight stays and visitor spending within the campaign timeframe. Proposers are not expected to propose specific media plans or campaign executions as part of their response.

8. Are there specific need periods or shoulder seasons (e.g., midweek or off-peak months) that this campaign should prioritize to support visitor flow and dispersion goals?

Yes, please see Clarifying Questions 3, question #3 1 posted on January 20, 2026.

9. Are there identified high-potential drive or short-haul fly markets that are currently underserved or oversaturated?

Answer:

Tourism has not identified or designated specific drive or short-haul fly markets as required, underserved or oversaturated for this campaign at this stage.

Identifying and prioritizing target markets is a core responsibility of the selected agency and an essential part of the campaign strategy and planning process. Tourism intentionally has not pre-selected markets so agencies can bring forward data-driven recommendations based on travel behavior, proximity, seasonality, media efficiency and likelihood of near-term visitation.

Proposers should describe their approach to evaluating potential short-haul markets and determining where this campaign can have the greatest impact, including how they assess opportunity versus saturation and how market recommendations would be refined during onboarding and early campaign development.

10. Does the County currently use a standard attribution window within Datafy (e.g., 30-day or 90-day lookback), and should campaign reporting align to that benchmark?

Answer:

Tourism does not require a single fixed attribution window for all campaigns. Datafy supports multiple lookback windows and attribution approaches depending on channel and placement.

For planning and reporting purposes, a 90-day lookback window should be assumed as a standard benchmark for this campaign unless otherwise agreed during campaign development. This timeframe aligns with Tourism’s expectations for evaluating near-term visitation, overnight stays and visitor spending and supports timely reporting and decision-making.

Tourism recognizes that not all media channels or campaign elements support Datafy pixel tracking. As a result, campaign performance and ROI should not rely solely on pixel-based attribution. Proposers should describe how attribution windows, KPIs and reporting methodologies would be applied across a mixed media environment, including channels where third-party tracking is not available.

Campaign reporting should be structured to allow for meaningful interim and final results to be shared within a reasonable timeframe following campaign completion. Proposers should not assume that reporting or recap materials would be delayed for six months post-campaign. Final reporting is expected to be available within approximately three months of campaign conclusion, with any longer-term impacts addressed through modeled analysis or supplemental insights as appropriate.

Proposers should describe how attribution and reporting approaches would balance rigor, practicality and Tourism’s need for timely performance insights.

11. Will the selected contractor receive direct access to the Datafy dashboard for real-time optimization, or will performance data be shared periodically by County staff?

Answer:

Access to Datafy reporting and dashboards will be coordinated following contract award and will depend on Datafy’s access policies and the needs of the campaign.

Tourism’s intent is to enable the selected agency to work efficiently with performance data, whether through direct dashboard access, shared reporting or scheduled data reviews facilitated by Tourism staff. In many cases, Tourism can facilitate introductions to Datafy and support training or onboarding discussions so the selected agency can understand available reporting tools, metrics and optimization capabilities.

Regardless of access method, the selected agency should expect to collaborate with Tourism and Datafy to review performance data, assess results and inform optimization decisions throughout the campaign. Proposers should describe how they typically work within shared or client-managed attribution platforms and how they would support timely optimization under different access scenarios.

12. Will the County or Datafy representative assist with pixel generation, or will the contractor be responsible for generating and managing tracking tags?

Answer:

Datafy generates tracking pixels based on requests and campaign details provided by Tourism or the selected agency. The selected agency will be responsible for initiating those requests as needed for the campaign and for coordinating directly with Datafy to ensure pixels are created correctly.

The selected agency will also be responsible for working with media vendors to confirm pixel compatibility, provide required technical information and coordinate implementation and testing to ensure tracking is functioning as intended.

Tourism’s role will be limited to facilitating an introduction to Datafy, as needed, and supporting high-level coordination. Ongoing pixel management, media vendor coordination and verification of tracking performance will be the responsibility of the selected agency.

13. Beyond the Datafy pixel, are there additional required tracking integrations (e.g., GA4, UTMs) with the County’s website or blog?

Answer:

Beyond the Datafy pixel, Tourism uses standard digital tracking tools such as GA4, UTM parameters and trackable short links (e.g., Bitly) to monitor performance across campaigns.

The selected agency will be expected to use appropriate, modern tracking methods to support KPI and ROI measurement, including consistent use of UTMs and trackable links where applicable. Tourism can coordinate with the selected agency to align on tracking conventions and reporting needs for campaign-related traffic to Tourism-owned pages, blogs or partner links.

Tourism is not prescribing specific tools beyond these general practices. Proposers should describe how they typically approach tracking, attribution and performance measurement to ensure results can be clearly evaluated across channels.

14. Is accessibility-focused storytelling (e.g., Wheel the World, accessible travel assets) a required component of this campaign or a separate messaging pillar?

Answer:

Accessibility is an important and ongoing messaging lens for Tourism but it is not required to be the primary focus of this campaign.

Elements of accessibility-focused storytelling may be incorporated where relevant and where they meaningfully support trip planning, audience decision-making or broader campaign objectives. Because accessibility information can be helpful to a wide range of travelers, such elements may naturally be included within campaign content when appropriate.

15. Should this campaign strictly adhere to existing “Snow to River” brand guidelines, or is there openness to evolving visual elements such as typography or color usage?

Answer:

The campaign is expected to remain consistent with Tourism’s established brand identity while allowing thoughtful creative flexibility where it meaningfully supports campaign performance and audience engagement.

Tourism is open to evolving or extending certain visual elements such as typography, color usage or design treatments, provided they remain cohesive with the overall brand and do not distract from the campaign’s primary purpose: showcasing the destination and driving near-term visitation, overnight stays and visitor spending.

Creative concepts, visual approaches and any proposed brand extensions would be developed after contract award as part of the campaign development process, in collaboration with Tourism. Proposers are not expected to pitch or design campaign creative as part of their proposal responses.

16. Who are the final decision-makers for creative and media approvals, and at which stages are approvals required?

Final approvals for creative and media will be managed at the staff level. Tourism’s Marketing Lead will serve as the primary point of contact and will be responsible for consolidating internal feedback and providing formal approvals to the selected agency.

During campaign development, relevant Tourism staff may be invited to review materials and provide input at agreed milestones. The selected agency should plan for structured review periods that allow for internal collaboration, with final direction and approvals communicated through the Marketing Lead.

Proposers should describe how their workflow accommodates internal review, feedback incorporation, and timely approvals to support efficient campaign development and execution.

17. Does the Tourism Development Council (TDC) require formal presentations or sign-off at key milestones?

The Tourism Development Council (TDC) does not require formal approval or sign-off at key campaign milestones. Campaign planning, creative development, media strategy, and execution will be managed by Tourism staff.

Given the scale of this investment, Tourism anticipates that the selected agency may be asked to support a single informational presentation to the TDC once the creative concept and media plan are developed. This presentation would be intended to provide transparency into the campaign approach and use of funds, rather than to serve as a decision-making or approval step.

In addition, the selected agency will be expected to support end-of-campaign reporting and recap to the TDC, summarizing performance, outcomes, and learnings. Any TDC presentations will be coordinated by Tourism staff and structured to avoid disruption to campaign timelines.

18. What does the ideal approval workflow look like from concept through launch?

Tourism expects the selected agency to propose an approval workflow that supports collaboration, clear decision-making and timely campaign execution from concept through launch.

The agency should anticipate working closely with Tourism staff throughout campaign development and identify key review and approval points. Tourism’s Marketing Lead will serve as the primary point of contact and will be responsible for consolidating internal feedback and providing formal approvals.

Proposed workflows should allow for internal staff input where appropriate, clearly define how feedback is incorporated and support efficient progression from concept development through production and launch.

Proposers should describe their recommended approval workflow and explain how it supports collaboration, efficiency and successful campaign delivery.

19. Given that media relations are excluded from scope, what level of coordination is expected with the County’s PR Agency of Record?

Answer:

Media relations are outside the scope of this contract and will continue to be managed by Tourism’s public relations Agency of Record.

Limited coordination is expected to support awareness and alignment. Tourism staff will facilitate communication between the selected agency and Tourism’s PR Agency of Record by sharing high-level campaign information such as timing, target markets, themes and key milestones, as appropriate. This coordination is intended to support general awareness and optional brainstorming, not to require the selected agency to plan or execute media relations activities.

If helpful, and at Tourism’s discretion, the selected agency may be invited to participate in a portion of an existing PR coordination meeting for situational awareness. Participation would be limited, optional and informational in nature and would not include responsibility for media relations strategy or execution.

The selected agency may be asked to provide brief campaign summaries or selected creative assets to support this coordination but should not assume responsibility for earned media strategy, pitching or press outreach.

20. Do staff resumes and full-page case studies count toward the 20-page proposal limit, or may they be included as appendices outside the page count?

Answer: Yes, please see Addendum 1 posted on January 6, 2026.

21. Do you have an incumbent and would they be participating in this RFP?

We do not have an incumbent.

22. Could you let us know if you have a local preference or are you open to a Canadian agency that has done similar work with clients across the United States, with some currently being the States of California, Colorado and Wyoming? Is the Oregon business registry number in the form is a mandatory requirement?

Anyone can propose but you will need an Oregon Business registration number to hold a contract.

End of Clarifying Questions #4