Draft SOW for Market Research (693JJ923RQ000208).pdf

September 29, 2022 Page 1

Draft SOW

NAICS Code: 541810 PSC Code: R701, Support- Management: Advertising Title: National Communications, Marketing, and Media Support

I. BACKGROUND

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an operating administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). NHTSA’s mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce traffic-related deaths and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. Pursuant to its authority under 23 U.S.C. 401, et. Seq., the agency develops, promotes, and implements educational, engineering and enforcement programs with the goal of ending preventable tragedies and reducing economic costs associated with motor vehicle use and highway travel.

Motor vehicle travel is the primary means of transportation in the United States. Yet for all its advantages, motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for people living in the United States. In response to this issue, NHTSA promotes programs that encourage drivers and passengers to drive and ride safely.

The success of these safety programs requires working with various partners and State agencies to help encourage safer behaviors of drivers, motorcyclists, vehicle occupants, cyclists, and pedestrians. Since traffic safety problems affect people in all communities, the effort to implement programs to improve safety involves people at all levels of the Government, within businesses and organizations, and both organizational and individual volunteers. It also requires successful communications programs.

NHTSA has developed its communications programs in a process that is first grounded in sound Agency policy and program, and then relies on the development and implementation of national traffic safety campaigns to encourage targeted road users to adopt positive traffic safety behaviors.

Objective:

The purpose of this contract is to provide NHTSA with a timely and effective mechanism to obtain technical services supporting a full range of communication activities. Such activities include but are not limited to planning, developing, producing, and delivering messaging, strategies, and materials for multiple multiplatform consumer advertising campaigns targeting both national and niche audiences. The Contractor shall provide comprehensive communication services to include developing and executing consumer-targeted advertising campaigns and that includes financing and placing national and local media buys. The Contractor shall also develop and distribute innovative campaign materials and execute other communication activities to support NHTSA’s behavioral campaigns and traffic safety issues.

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Contract Requirements:

Contract Kickoff Meeting

Although specific requirements shall be identified in each individual Task Orders, the Contractor shall participate in a Base Contract Kickoff Meeting within (14) days after Contract Award. Key members of the Contractor’s staff shall meet with key NHTSA personnel to discuss the performance and administration of this Contract and awarded Task Orders. More specifically, the terms and conditions of the Contract, the review of Task Orders and award process, and the invoice submission and approval process will be discussed.

General Requirements

As discussed, specific project requirements will be assigned to the Contractor through execution of Contract Task Orders. In general terms, Task Order requirements could include the following:

• Develop and implement communication strategies and marketing plans. The Contractor shall develop marketing plans with measurable objectives, audience information, message and materials testing plans, strategy development, tactics, evaluation plans, timetables, and work plans. Detailed marketing plans shall be based on exploratory and/or consumer market research and reflect the latest trends in communication, audience segmentation, dissemination, and outreach and provide innovative and comprehensive strategies. Plans shall include strategies and tactics that are feasible for NHTSA as a regulatory, research-based Government organization and the plans shall be actionable and measurable.

• Develop national, large-scale, and fully integrated paid media advertising campaigns that raise awareness about traffic safety issues and change behavior.

• Develop and execute an annual communication plan, creative strategy plan, and targeted creative strategies that include creative briefs and ensure unique characteristics, behaviors, and beliefs of the targeted audiences, and relevant historical, environmental, and social forces are taken into consideration in the development and execution of a targeted creative strategy.

• Develop creative materials for diverse audiences. Campaign materials may include but are not limited to television, radio, print, outdoor, digital, social graphics, mobile ads, and video content. All content must be in compliance with Federal standards for plain language, usability, and Section 508. The Contractor shall analyze and build upon the promising themes identified through prior and future research and apply key findings to develop new creative concepts.

• Conduct exploratory, communication checks and/or additional consumer market research (qualitative and quantitative) at various stages of the campaigns to enable NHTSA and its partners to reach target audiences effectively and efficiently.

• Prepare documents necessary to obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and DOT/NHTSA management. The Contractor shall provide all the applicable information necessary for the OMB packages, including testing surveys or

September 29, 2022 Page 3 moderator guides, stimuli, information about informed consent, incentives, and recruitment methods. OMB approval for specific activities shall be sought through NHTSA’s existing generic clearances whenever possible. Other information collection needs, and the appropriate mechanism for obtaining OMB approval, shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The Contractor shall also be prepared to execute all aspects of the research including study recruitment, data collection, records management, data analysis, and reporting.

• Develop and execute strategic national multi-million-dollar-value paid media strategies.

Detailed paid media strategies and tactical paid media plans for each campaign shall include opportunities for paid media buys, purchased by the Contractor on behalf of the Government, to ensure appropriate exposure of intended audiences to campaign messages and content. Paid media buy plans shall include the specific media properties and markets proposed, schedules, costs, and other relevant details to extend paid media reach and frequency. In developing plans, the Contractor shall take into consideration the multifaceted and ever-changing media landscape and consider established and emerging tactics and added value opportunities. The Contractor shall also demonstrate an understanding of the existing campaign strategies and provide a clear rationale for new recommendations and changes in campaign strategic direction.

• Revise paid media plans as requirements change, including having the staffing capability to shift paid media allocations rapidly, and deploy new or revised ads on any channel with a minimum of delay from direction to implementation.

• Develop and execute digital strategies and tools, including but not limited to social media.

• Develop, cultivate, and support new and existing strategic partnerships.

• Negotiate usage rights for television, radio, print, and digital materials, as necessary, and procure the proper ad usage rights for placement, to include that all talent, images, and other materials procured are negotiated to include buy-out rights as available. The Contractor may be asked to ensure that all TV and digital advertisements are available to be localized by groups qualified such as state highway safety offices and shall allow for the insertion of the qualified organization’s name and contact information in the advertisement.

• Monitor and measure the performance and effectiveness of all campaign materials and submit analytic reports that include placement, reach, value, value add and other important information.

• Suggest new strategies and approaches to improve campaign performance with the goal of behavior change.

• Provide public relations, media outreach, and event support.

• Conduct and participate in meetings, conferences, and conference calls in support of campaign activities and provide notes in a timely manner.

• Produce and submit reports that provide well-organized and detailed analyses of campaign activities.

• Utilize highly skilled production teams to develop creative concepts and execute creative content. Prior to testing and production, the Contractor shall draft scripts and storyboards and advise on other components.

• Conduct photo, TV, and video shoots.

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• Oversee custom content developed by media vendors and manage value-added assets and opportunities.

• Ensure that all materials—traditional, digital, and non-traditional—are prepared in a format consistent with NHTSA requirements and have all necessary approvals from NHTSA. Master files shall be provided in a format acceptable for future media placement

• Provide technical assistance to NHTSA in all areas of communication. Technical assistance includes but is not limited to retagging materials for states, providing technical guidance and strategic communications counsel, and reviewing and providing feedback on how to improve state media plans.

• Execute events that include but are not limited to press events and conferences.

• Provide weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports on all aspects of campaign implementation including performance of paid media, website, social media, etc., along with recommendations for campaign refinements or changes based on analysis of the data provided or shifts in audience behavior and consumption habits.

• Notify COR of any changes to the staffing plan monthly, particularly changes to key personnel and new hires, shifts in staff responsibilities, or departing staff within three to five business days. Upon task order award, the Contractor shall also provide a full staff directory including contact information, hierarchy, and list of core areas of responsibility for all staff working on this task order.

• Schedule and participate in weekly calls with NHTSA and provide to the COR and Campaign Manager on a weekly basis, a written status report outlining current and upcoming activities related to the contract such as pending decisions, action items, and accomplishments.

• Provide monthly status, expenditure, and progress reports per campaign to the COR, and the Contracting Officer (CO), including a written status report detailing expenses incurred to date; correlate money spent to work completed; expected expenditures over the 30 days following each monthly report to media buys; and other pertinent information to be specified by the COR as the program evolves. The expenditure report shall include estimates for all costs including labor, creative development, research, media buy, other direct costs, etc. Information shall also include, but not be limited to:

o Project milestones o Problems encountered and anticipated, recommended solutions o Deliverables due o Deliverables submitted and dates completed o Key staff responsibilities

• Deliver comprehensive project completion report with recommendations for next steps, including “lessons learned” and recommendations for future public education efforts.