ESBD_359957_1716233018169_RFP 2024-0058 Purchase of Marketing & Advertising Services_.pdf

PURCHASE OF

MARKETING AND ADVERTISING SERVICES

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

RFP-2024-0058

Release Date: May 17, 2024

Proposals must be submitted to:

Alamo Colleges District Purchasing and Contract Administration

See addresses in “Key Dates and Information.”

Proposal Deadline: June 11, 2024, 2:00 p.m. CT

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key Dates and Information

Minimum Qualifications

General Information

A. RFP Project Scope B. Organizational Description of Alamo Colleges District C. Definition of Terms

Section 1: Scope of Work

A. Scope of Work B. Statement of Work

Section 2: Terms and Conditions of the RFP & Submission of Proposal

A. Terms and Conditions of the RFP B. Preparation of Proposals C. Submission of Proposal

Section 3: Proposal Pricing Schedule

Section 4: Offeror’s Checklist

Section 5: Certification of Non-Collusion

Section 6: Proposal Certification

Section 7: Form CIQ – Conflict of Interest Questionnaire

Section 8: Terms and Conditions of the Contract

1. Defined Terms

2. Project Objective(s) and Scope

3. Project Deliverables

4. Supplemental Deliverables or Rate Changes

5. Access

6. Communication

7. Policies

8. Compliance with Applicable Laws

9. Insurance

10. Payment

11. Term and Termination

12. Licenses, Permits, Taxes and Fees

13. General Terms

13.1 Independent Contractors

13.2 Notices

13.3 Choice of Law

13.4 Successors and Assigns

13.5 Entire Agreement

13.6 Amendments

13.7 Force Majeure

13.8 Severability

13.9 Gender and Number

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13.10 Captions

13.11 Exhibits

13.12 Drafters

13.13 No Third-Party Beneficiaries

13.14 Dispute Resolution

Appendix A: Student Internship Program Parameters

Appendix B: Small, Minority, Women, and/or Veteran Business Enterprise (SMWVBE) Subcontracting Plan

Appendix C: Brand Standard Guide

Appendix D: Holidays & Closures

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KEY DATES AND INFORMATION

RFP NAME: Request for Proposal (RFP) for Purchase of Marketing and

Advertising Services

CLOSURE: The Alamo Colleges District will be closed for Memorial Day on May

27, 2024. During this time, we will not be responding to any emails or phone call messages. We will respond to messages received when we resume operating hours on May 28, 2024.

SUBMITTAL DEADLINE: June 11, 2024, prior to 2:00 pm CST.

DELIVERY LOCATION: Offeror may upload proposal to Alamo Colleges District e-Bidding portal;

or delivered to:

Alamo Colleges District Purchasing and Contract Administration Re: Purchase of Marketing and Advertising Services

RFP-2024-0058

Reception Desk 2222 N. Alamo St.

San Antonio, Texas 78215

CONTRACT TERM: Any contract awarded by the Board of Trustees as a result of the RFP will begin upon award and terminate May 31, 2027 and automatically renew for three, one-year periods.

NOTICE: All questions related to this RFP are to be directed to Sabina Swank, Senior Purchaser, via email to: sswank5@alamo.edu with a copy to dst-purchasing@alamo.edu https://bids.sciquest.com/apps/Router/PublicEvent?CustomerOrg=Alamo mailto:sswank5@alamo.edu mailto:dst-purchasing@alamo.edu

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MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The respondents to this RFP must have the following minimum qualifications. Failure to meet minimum qualifications may be grounds for rejection. Alamo Colleges District reserves the right to reject Proposals that fail to include this information with the Offerors Proposal submission.

1. Offeror must affirm in writing and include with supporting documentation with proposal submission: Indicating the firm has a minimum of 5 years of experience developing comprehensive marketing strategies for large organizations across all major platforms with a minimum 2 years of experience with educational institutions and/or institutions of higher education. YES___ NO___

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GENERAL INFORMATION

A. RFP Project Scope:

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals for the purchase of marketing and advertising campaign services with media buying services for the Alamo Colleges District, inclusive of all its individual locations.

B. Organizational Description (Who We Are)

1. Alamo Community College District (Alamo Colleges District or ACD) is a nationally recognized organization and the recipient of the 2018 Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest honor for performance excellence. The Aspen Institute named San Antonio College the winner of the 2021 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and received $600,000. Four of the five colleges in the Alamo Colleges District are named in the top 150 of the nation’s best community colleges, and Palo Alto College is among the top two in the country. The Alamo Colleges District includes Palo Alto College, Northwest Vista College, San Antonio College, St. Philip’s College, and Northeast Lakeview College, along with a number of off-campus locations throughout the San Antonio metropolitan area, serving an eight-county region, with a total enrollment of over 90,000 students.

From our origin as a community college district in 1945 through decades of change and expansion, we have worked to make higher education accessible and affordable. Today, our five colleges fulfill this mission with a vast array of certificates, courses, 2-year degrees and four-year degrees. Our credits transfer to four-year universities for those pursuing advanced degrees, and our workforce development and continuing education programs help individuals build new careers and meet the needs of businesses. Our moonshot is to partner to end poverty through education and training – whether that’s a certificate, an associate degree, or workforce-oriented baccalaureate degrees.

The Alamo Colleges District is one of the largest community college systems in the United States and the fourth largest in Texas. Bexar County is the taxing district for ACD. We, however, serve a much larger region; our service area includes all of Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Kendall, Kerr and Wilson Counties, and most of Atascosa and Guadalupe Counties. San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the nation with an estimated 1.5 million people, of which 60% are Hispanic. Of all students enrolled in post-secondary education in the city, approximately 39% are enrolled in one of our colleges. A $450 million capital improvement program was approved by the voters of Bexar County in 2017 to renovate aging facilities, build new facilities, buy land for future expansion, and expand our technology infrastructure.

ACD serves the Bexar County community and its service area through its programs and services that help students succeed in acquiring the knowledge and skills needed in today's world.

Students are taught by highly qualified faculty with Master's and Doctorate degrees who are dedicated to creating a learning-centered environment. Student services include advising, computer labs, tutoring, financial aid services, services for the disabled, advocacy centers, developmental instruction, veteran's services, and job placement assistance.

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ACD, a Hispanic-Serving System which includes the nation’s only college that is both a Historically Black College and a Hispanic-Serving Institution, is the nation’s third largest producer of Hispanic nurses. ACD is also one of Texas’ largest providers of online post-secondary education. A diverse international program brings Central American and other teachers to San Antonio for advanced education while affording students and faculty the opportunity to gain the skills to work in a global economy.

2. The Five Colleges of the Alamo Colleges District The five colleges that comprise ACD include: St.

Philip's College (SPC), established in 1898; San Antonio College (SAC), established in 1925; Palo Alto College (PAC), established in 1985; Northwest Vista College (NVC), established in 1995; and Northeast Lakeview College (NLC), established in 2007. All of the colleges are within San Antonio city limits except Northeast Lakeview College, located in Universal City, just to the northeast of San Antonio.

Each College operates with significant autonomy in accordance with ACD’s unique Participatory Leadership model of collaborative leadership between the Colleges and DSO (District Support Operations). Based on that autonomy, each College is accredited independently by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees and certificates. Beginning Fall 2021, the Alamo Colleges was approved to offer Bachelor’s degrees.

The five college campuses encompass more than 5.4 million square feet of space on 779 acres across Bexar County. Each has typical college campus facilities such as academic and classroom buildings, administrative buildings, library facilities, gymnasiums, cafeterias, science classrooms and labs, and computer labs. In addition, there are a number of specialty facilities such as performing arts centers, natatoriums, allied health, emergency medical training areas, and aviation classrooms adjacent to the runway at the historic Stinson Field.

3. District Support Operations (DSO) District Support Operations (DSO), located in the ACCESS Building close to the urban contemporary Pearl District, provides administrative services and support to the five colleges under Collaborative Agreements. The ACCESS facility encompasses 160,950 square feet of space which houses the executive offices for the Chancellor and Vice Chancellors, as well as Human Resources, Legal Services, Ethics, Communications, Internal Audit, Strategic Planning and Performance Excellence, Institutional Research and Effectiveness, Information Technology, Finance and Fiscal Services, Facilities, Student Financial Aid, Center for Student Information, Police, workforce programs, and other service units. The ACCESS building has a large conference center for cross-college meetings, program collaboration, and community use. Some remaining DSO personnel are co-located with the colleges on their campuses, enabling them to be close to the students they support.

4. Off-Campus Sites The Alamo Colleges District also maintains several off-campus sites to better serve the residents of Bexar County and those located within the surrounding service area.

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• Brackenridge Education & Training Center

• Eastside Education and Training Center

• First Responders Academy (FRA), Von Ormy, TX

• Greater Kerrville - Alamo Colleges Center

• Harlandale Education and Training Center

• Northeast Lakeview College at New Braunfels

• Northwest Education & Training Center (under development)

• Northwest Vista College Southwest Research Institute Center

• Southside Education & Training Center

• St. Philip's College Military Base Locations

• St. Philip's College Southwest Campus

• Westside Education and Training Center

• Workforce Center of Excellence

Our colleges are open-door institutions whose students come to college with various goals and at various levels of preparedness. Consequently, we serve students and the community with transfer courses, academic and technical degrees, and workforce development and continuing education options, offering more than 325 degree and certificate programs. Our educational program and service offerings are designed to meet the educational goals and service needs of our students. We deliver these services through semester, flex, weekend, evening, and online courses.

5. Awards and Recognitions (reverse chronological order)

• The Alamo Colleges District (ACD) was honored with 2023 National Bellwether Award for program excellence.

• ACD Chancellor wins Baldrige Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence.

• ACD earns the Award of Excellence for Student Success from the American Association of

Community Colleges (AACC) .

• MacKenzie Scott donates a record sum of $15 million to San Antonio College (SAC).

• San Antonio College is the recipient of the $1 million 2021 Aspen Prize for Community

College Excellence.

• Northwest Vista College (NVC) and Palo Alto College (PAC) were named to the Aspen Top

150 community colleges.

• PAC receives a transformative gift of $20 million dollars from philanthropist MacKenzie

Scott.

• ACD honored with San Antonio Business Journal Resiliency in Business Award.

• Alamo Colleges District was honored with Rising Star Award by Campus Labs.

• Four Alamo Colleges Top in Nation for Online Community Colleges (NVC, PAC, SPC, SAC)

• St. Philip’s College receives the Texas Award-Next for Performance Excellence (TAPE) award. Northeast Lakeview College receives the Progress Level Recognition from the Quality Texas Foundation (QTF).

• The Aspen Institute named San Antonio College the top college in the nation for Community College Excellence.

• Northeast Lakeview College has received Progress Level Recognition from the Quality Texas Foundation.

• 2020 Ellucian Impact Award recipient, which honors higher education institutions that best harness the power of technology to solve challenges, operate more efficiently and enhance the student experience.

• Honored as the only community college system in the nation to earn the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (2018).

• One of only four Texas community college institutions to be selected as a finalist for Excelencia in Education’s inaugural Seal of Excelencia (May 2019).

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• The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program named San Antonio College, Palo Alto College Northwest Vista College, and St. Philip’s Colleges, to the list of 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America's community colleges (November 2019).

• Palo Alto College was a finalist for the 2019 Aspen Prize and was recognized for its strong record of improvement with the Rising Star award, receiving $100,000.

• St. Philip’s College named #9 of the 2019 Best Online Community Colleges in Texas.

• Northeast Lakeview College ranked #12 of the 50 Best Community Colleges in the nation by Learn.org (March 2019).

• San Antonio College ranked one of the top community colleges for Hispanics, by Hispanic

Outlook magazine (September 2019) for the third consecutive year.

6. Workforce Profile of Alamo Colleges District Our workforce includes 5,600 faculty, administrators, staff, and work study (student employees).

The District’s diverse workforce continues to be representative of both our student population and the demographics of Bexar County. Teaching faculty are required to meet the certification requirements associated with accreditation set by the SACSCOC. Some positions in the administrative segment require professional or doctoral degrees, while others require bachelor’s or master’s degrees, and positions in the staff segment require at least a high school level of education. While no bargaining units exist, the Faculty Senate and Staff Senate at each of the Colleges are engaged in Participatory Leadership for local initiatives. These groups are also part of a larger, Unified ACD Faculty Senate and Staff Senate, which addresses alignment issues as needed in the District. This is another example of our Participatory Leadership approach. Special health and safety related requirements exist in the following areas: recognized hazardous work environments such as welding, electrical, chemical, and ergonomics; compliance with Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards for police officers; and driving safety for vehicle operators.

7. Organizational Structure/Organizational Governance of ACD

The Chancellor is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and reports to a 9-member Board of Trustees (Board); the members represent nine different districts in the San Antonio area and are elected by community members to serve for a term of six years. A non-voting Student Trustee selected by the Board serves a one-year term. The Board acts as a Committee of the Whole and is comprised of eight committees: Student Success; Building, Grounds, and Sites Selection; Policy and Long-Range Planning; Audit, Budget and Finance; Workforce; Legislative; Community Involvement; and Legal Affairs. Committees provide oversight of operations in their areas of responsibility and issue guidance and direction in the form of Board Policies. By state statute, the Board is the governing body that sets policy, appoints the Chancellor, levies property taxes, and approves the budget. The Board is the final authority on all matters of governance for the organization. College Presidents report to the Chancellor, serve as CEOs of their college; and sit on the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT), the senior decision-making body within the organization.

C. Definition of Terms:

1. “Alamo Colleges District,” “ A C D , ” “District,” or “ACCD” refers to the Alamo Community College District.

2. “Offeror,” “Proposers,” “Respondent,” or “Company” refers to a company which chooses to submit a Proposal to provide products and/or services for the District as specified in this RFP.

3. “Contractor” refers to the company awarded the contract to provide products and/or services for the Alamo Colleges District as specified in this RFP.

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4. “Proposal” refers to the offer, from Offeror to the Alamo Colleges District, to provide the products and/or services as specified in the Agreement.

5. “ACD Holidays” refers to when the Alamo College District offices are officially closed. The Alamo College District Holidays generally include: Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Winter Break, MLK Day, Spring Break, and Memorial Day, in addition to other designated holidays identified as “College Closed” in the Academic Calendar published online at https://www.alamo.edu/academics/academic-resources/academic-calendar/ for each academic year.

6. “Board of Trustees” refers to the governing body of the Alamo Colleges District.

https://www.alamo.edu/academics/academic-resources/academic-calendar/

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SECTION 1

SCOPE OF WORK

A. Scope of Work: The Alamo Colleges District is seeking proposals for marketing and advertising services to assist with the following: promotion and extension of the Alamo Colleges District brand, collaborative strategic marketing objectives and assistance with media selection, production, and message consistency. The awarded firm should demonstrate experience in demographic research and market analysis to assist the Alamo Colleges District with the implementation of the most effective communication and marketing strategies for reaching its target audience.

B. Statement of Work:

1. Media Planning

a. Assist in local media pre-campaign and post-campaign research to determine message quality and effectiveness.

b. Conduct market research including surveys and focus groups at a minimum of every two years for the purpose of, but not limited to:

1) Determining need, desired outcome, brand perception and community awareness.

2) Identifying opportunities for improving the student experience, as it pertains to advertising response.

3) Methods can include face-to-face, phone, email and conferencing platforms.

c. Consider the following key performance indicators:

1) Fall student headcount

2) Fall contact hours

3) High-wage, high-demand program enrollment

d. Reference demographics and psychographics for media plan:

Refer to the Alamo Colleges District Performance Update Presentation at https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/679?meeting=578717

e. Develop creative concepts for broadcasting and narrowcasting in the following languages:

1) English

2) Spanish

f. Develop and execute marketing strategies and materials for the purpose of, but not limited to:

1) Enhancing the Alamo College District’s identity, mission, vision and values.

2) Increasing overall enrollment rate.

3) Increasing enrollment rate of economically disadvantaged students, academically disadvantaged students, and adult learners aged 25 and above.

4) Improving retention rate.

5) Increasing enrollment in high-demand, high-wage occupational programs including participation in the Ready to Work training, education and employment program.

6) Increasing participation in AlamoPROMISE, dual credit and other high school programs.

7) Increasing awareness and outreach to service area middle school students.

8) Expanding awareness of educational and community service offerings.

https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/679?meeting=578717

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g. Develop and execute marketing strategies to expand target market within and beyond the following Texas county service areas:

1) Atascosa

2) Bandera

3) Bexar

4) Comal

5) Guadalupe

6) Kendall

7) Kerr

8) Wilson

h. Develop and execute marketing strategies for the following target audiences, including but not limited to:

1) Adults (18-34 years old)

2) Continuing Education

3) High School Students

4) Middle School Students

5) Military and their families

6) Other populations as appropriate

i. Conduct yearly photography and b-roll video shoots across the Alamo Colleges to update marketing assets.

j. Develop advertisement materials to promote consistent branding across the Alamo Colleges through the following media, including but not limited to:

1) Billboard

2) Direct Mail

3) Digital/ Internet

4) Magazine

5) Newspaper

6) Radio

7) Social Media

8) Television

9) Guerilla Marketing

k. Develop one set of (2) English and (1) Spanish v i d e o ads per year for general enrollment. Also, develop additional spots for initiatives as needed.

l. Alamo Colleges District will maintain online toolkit. Offeror will assist with building this item.

m. Engage in weekly meeting (i.e. phone/video conference or face-to-face).

1) Possess the ability to maintain 24-hour response time for conference/consultation requests – Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00p.m. (C.S.T.), except for designated Alamo Colleges District holidays and closures, as stated in “Appendix D”.

2) Should be available for a monthly in-person meeting and presentations, as needed.

n. Master brand our system with full adherence to brand guidelines while promoting the unique character of each of the Alamo Colleges District campuses and extended locations: https://www.alamo.edu/about-us/our-district/maps/ .

1) Northeast Lakeview College https://www.alamo.edu/about-us/our-district/maps/

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2) Northwest Vista College

3) Palo Alto College

4) St. Philip’s College

5) San Antonio College

6) Alamo Colleges Center for Excellence in Student Success

7) Brackenridge Education & Training Center

8) Eastside Education and Training Center

9) First Responders Academy (FRA), Von Ormy, TX

10) Greater Kerrville - Alamo Colleges Center

11) Harlandale Education and Training Center

12) Northeast Lakeview College at New Braunfels

13) Northwest Education & Training Center (under development)

14) Northwest Vista College Southwest Research Institute Center

15) Southside Education & Training Center

16) St. Philip's College Military Base Locations

17) St. Philip's College Southwest Campus

18) Westside Education and Training Center

19) Workforce Center of Excellence

o. Assist with concepts, design and SEO for web design to provide for cohesive brand experience.

p. Research geographic, demographic, or other characteristics to identify new areas of opportunity for targeting prospective students and expanding target market.

q. Research and complete a competitive analysis report, identifying media approaches, designed to reach target audiences.

r. Develop positioning statement for the Alamo Colleges District.

2. Media Buying

a. Broadcast and narrowcast through various media, including but not limited to:

1) Billboard and Other Outdoor

2) Direct Mail

3) Digital / Internet

4) Magazine

5) Newspaper

6) Radio

7) Social Media

8) Television

9) Event Sponsorships

b. Develop a detailed media plan and provide estimate with scope of campaign to include but not limited to:

1) Dates and Times

2) Cost per Mille (CPM), Viewable Cost per Mille (vCPM) or Cost per Click

(CPC) for each medium (if applicable)

3) Deadline to submit final artwork to the Offeror for distribution

4) Estimated gross media impressions based on identified target audiences and desirable media approaches (if applicable)

5) Locations

6) Media outlets

7) Spotted map for outdoor media

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c. Distribute all media files to contracted media outlets.

The Alamo Colleges District will have final approval of all recordings and voiceovers.

d. Launch various media campaigns to target and expand audiences within and beyond the following areas:

1) Atascosa

2) Bandera

3) Bexar

4) Comal

5) Guadalupe

6) Kendall

7) Kerr

8) Wilson

e. Negotiate and procure media contracts, upon approval from the Alamo Colleges

District.

f. Recommend media advertisement campaigns for the purchase of paid advertisements to include:

1) Cost

2) Details

3) Desired outcomes.

g. Recommend and negotiate the following:

1) Airtime and competitive separation for radio and television advertisements

2) Publication space for print outlets

3) Location and space for outdoor advertisements Cost per Mille (CPM), Viewable

Cost per Mille (vCPM) or Cost per Click (CPC) for digital advertising

h. Track and confirm ad runs and media events are implemented in accordance with media contracts, negotiated and approved by the Alamo Colleges District.

i. Support integrated marketing initiatives leveraging the Marketing Cloud CRM

j. Resolve ad run and media event discrepancies by obtaining credits or make-good spots.

k. Receive, verify and pay valid invoices for media buys and invoice Alamo Colleges District.

l. Provide an after-action report within 60 days, following completion of ad run/ media event to include but not limited to:

1) Itemized expenses

2) Estimate of audience reached

3) National and local competitive data

4) Post-buy analysis

m. Provide a quarterly and annual post-buy media analysis.

Offeror should have the software to provide post-buy media report.

3. Additional Services

a. Provide creative services for the following, including but not limited to:

1) Copywriting

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2) Photography

3) Presentations

4) Video Production

b. All products and data developed in association with this contract will be deemed the property of the Alamo Colleges District.

c. Provide internship opportunities. (Refer to Appendix A for program parameters in meeting this requirement.)

d. Offerors are encouraged to work with subcontractors and suppliers, who are certified as Small, Minority Woman-Owned and/or Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SMWVBE). (Refer to Appendix B - Small, Minority, Women, and/or Veteran Business Enterprise (SMWVBE) Subcontracting Plan.)

e. In 2014, the Alamo Colleges District adopted a policy to include our mission, vision and values. In support of our policy, the purpose of this segment is to enhance Offerors’ recognition for our efforts. As a valued member in our procurement process, we ask that your firm demonstrate their commitment to serving students by becoming actively engaged in recognizing the Alamo Colleges’ mission, vision and values:

https://www.alamo.edu/about-us/strategic-planning/

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SECTION 2

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RFP AND SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL

A. Terms and Conditions of the RFP:

1. Award of Contract.

Award will be made to the Offeror which provides the best value to the Alamo Colleges District based on the published evaluation criteria, and not solely based on the purchase price. Alamo Colleges District reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all Proposals, and to waive any and/or all formalities and irregularities in the Proposals received and re-solicit, as deemed necessary.

The selection and award may be made based on the Proposals initially submitted, without discussion, clarification, or modification. Respondent(s) who submit a Proposal may be required to make an oral presentation(s) of their Proposal to Alamo Colleges District.

2. Evaluation Criteria.

Only those proposals meeting the minimum qualifications will be evaluated. Responses to the following items will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria in the Evaluation Table.

a. The proposal must contain the response to the requested information, which will serve as the basis for the evaluation. Please be complete and concise in all responses to all required items. Respond to each item separately, beginning each response with the question asked.

1) Alamo Colleges District will consider the following criteria in evaluation of the proposals:

EVALUATION CRITERIA AND PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

RFP

REFERENCE

MAXIMUM

WEIGHTED

SCORE

Purchase Price

Section 3

20 - Agency Service Fees

- Media Commission

Quality of Vendor’s Goods and Services

Section 2

a. Awards or Recognitions

b. Profile

c. Policies and Procedures

d. Maintaining Knowledge and Awareness

e. Litigation

f. Organizational Chart

g. References

Extent to Which the Goods or Services Meet the District’s Needs

a. Creative Concepts

b. Broadcast and Narrowcast

c. Samples and Templates

d. Hours of Operation

e. Response Time

f. Availability for Weekly Conferences

g. Number of Personnel Assigned to Alamo Colleges

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EVALUATION CRITERIA AND PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

RFP

REFERENCE

WEIGHTED

MAXIMUM

SCORE

h. Quality Assurance Processes / Key Performance

Indicators

i. Marketing Strategy and Campaign

j. Samples of Creative Concepts Developed for Other

Clients k. Pre-campaign Research Methods

l. Periodic Surveys

m. Student Internship Program

n. Alamo Colleges District Mission, Vision, Values

Other Relevant Factor Specifically Listed in the Proposal

Appendix A

8 a. Small, Minority, Women, and/or Veteran Business Enterprise (SMWVBE) Subcontracting Plan

TOTAL 100

2) Alamo Colleges District shall evaluate the information provided in the proposals received. Information and/or factors gathered during interviews, and any reference checks, will be utilized in the evaluation criteria, rankings, and award decision.

References may or may not be reviewed at the discretion of the Alamo Colleges District. Alamo Colleges District also reserves the right to contact references other than or in addition to those furnished by a respondent.

3) Alamo Colleges District may use various price analysis techniques and procedures to evaluate prices. Normally, reasonableness of price is established through adequate price competition, but may also be separately assessed through the price analysis techniques. The award will be made on a best value basis. Alamo Colleges reserves the right to make multiple awards because of this solicitation.

b. In response to this RFP, please provide information regarding the following matters:

1) Purchase Price: In reference to Section 4 of the RFP, the Offeror must provide a detailed explanation of how the proposed price(s) were derived for the items listed.

a. $1,400,000 Media Campaign Services − Agency Services Fees − Media Commission

2) Quality of Vendor’s Goods and Services:

a. List any awards or recognition your firm has received within the past five years, which demonstrate firm’s ability to maximize reach with the most effective media mix for target audiences. These may be professional, technical, or charitable in nature.

b. Provide a brief profile outlining your firm’s history and philosophy, as it applies to media campaign research, consultation and execution.

c. List policies and procedures your firm implements to maintain service excellence with media campaign research, consultation and execution.

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d. Provide efforts the firm makes to maintain knowledge and awareness of the latest marketing strategies and trends.

e. List any litigation against your firm which has been adjudicated within the past five years, as it applies to the Section 1 - Scope of Work on pages 11-14 of this RFP. Provide a brief description of the cause of action and the final outcome.

f. Provide an organizational chart, which includes key personnel and indicate the level of professional and service staff assigned to deliver services to the Alamo Colleges.

g. Offeror must provide a list of names, address, contact person and phone numbers of at a minimum of three (3) but not more than five (5) client reference for which equipment and services of comparable nature, scope and complexity have been provided by your firm. References must be for services performed in the name of the company submitting the proposal. Work performed by employees, subcontractors or representatives while engaged by another company will not qualify as an acceptable reference. Projects for client references should have occurred within the last five (5) years. References (including school districts, higher education institutions, or other political subdivisions) shall be of comparable size to the Alamo Colleges District.

3) Extent to Which the Goods or Services Meet the District’s Needs:

a. Describe your firm’s experience with the development and implementation of creative concepts for broadcasting and narrowcasting in English and Spanish.

b. Describe your firm’s experience and ability to broadcast and narrowcast through the following media: billboard, direct mail, digital/ internet, magazine, newspaper, radio, social media, television?

c. Provide samples of your advertisement templates (i.e. brochures, flyers, posters, etc.).

d. Provide your firm’s hours of operation and any known holidays or scheduled closures.

e. Provide your firm’s response time for conference/consultation requests?

f. Describe your firm’s availability to engage in weekly meetings (i.e.

phone/video conference or face-to-face) included within the proposed fees for Section 3 – Proposal Pricing Schedule.

g. How many personnel will be assigned to assist the Alamo Colleges District, for each of the following categories: media: billboard, direct mail, digital/ internet, magazine, newspaper, radio, social media, television.

h. What quality assurance processes and key performance indicators does your firm utilize to determine the effectiveness of marketing strategies and campaigns?

i. Propose a marketing strategy and campaign for the Alamo Colleges District in

English and Spanish to enhance the Alamo College District’s identity, increase

RFP-2024-0058 Page | 19 enrollment rate, improve retention rate, lend support to its mission, vision and values, and expand awareness of educational and community service offerings.

i. What media does your firm propose for this campaign?

ii. What methods will your firm implement to ensure the target audience and target market is reached?

iii. Who is the target audience for this campaign?

iv. Provide timeline to include: pre-campaign research, development and submission of creative concepts, review meetings included within the proposed fees for Section 3 – Proposal Pricing Schedule

v. Design advertising materials, which can be adapted at the individual college level.

vi. Provide a media plan and estimate to include: date/time, Cost per Mille (CPM), Viewable Cost per Mille (vCPM) or Cost per Click (CPC) for each medium (if applicable), deadline to submit final artwork to the Offeror for distribution, estimated gross media impressions based on identified target audiences and desirable media approaches (if applicable), locations, media outlets, spotted map for outdoor media.

j. Provide samples of creative concepts your firm has provided to other customers in the following media (Media with audio and/or video should be compatible with Windows Media Player) :

i. Billboard/Outdoor

ii. Direct Mail

iii. Digital/ Internet

iv. Magazine

v. Newspaper

vi. Radio

vii. Social Media

viii. Television

k. Describe the pre-campaign research methods utilized by your firm.

l. Provide details in reference to your firm’s proposed method for conducting periodic surveys and focus groups. How will your firm determine the target audience’s need, desired outcome and brand perception?

m. Provide details in reference to your firm’s internship program and opportunities offered. (Refer to Section 2, #22 and Appendix A for program parameters in meeting this requirement.)

n. Describe how your firm will demonstrate its commitment to the Alamo

Colleges’ mission, vision and values: https://www.alamo.edu/about-us/strategic-planning/.

4) Other Relevant Factors:

a. Refer to Appendix B - Small, Minority, Women, and/or Veteran Business

Enterprise (SMWVBE) Subcontracting Plan - for maximum consideration in using Small Minority Woman-Owned Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SMWVBE) firms for proposed projects.

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3. Acknowledgment of Addenda. Any clarifications or interpretations will be issued in written addendum form, and such addenda will be included as part of the Proposal Documents. Offeror shall acknowledge receipt of addenda in the spaces provided in Section 4, Offeror’s Check List, item “Q.” Only written interpretations or corrections officially issued by an addendum shall be binding.

4. Release of Information. The Alamo Colleges District is a governmental entity in the State of

Texas. Documents submitted pursuant to this procurement solicitation become a government record. Access by the public to government records is governed by the Texas Public Information Act ("PIA"). Proprietary information, such as trade secrets and confidential commercial and financial information submitted in response to this procurement solicitation which Bidder (or any Offeror responding to this procurement solicitation) believes should be exempted from disclosure shall be specifically identified and marked as such. Blanket-type identification by designating a whole document or pages or sections as containing proprietary information, trade secrets or confidential commercial and financial information will not ensure confidentiality, especially if information is contained in the designated areas that clearly is not of a confidential nature. In the event a request is made for information designated as proprietary, Alamo Colleges District may determine in its sole discretion whether sufficient legal justification exists for withholding the information and whether an opinion should be requested from the Texas Attorney General. If an opinion is requested from the Texas Attorney General, Alamo Colleges District will notify Offeror (or the Offeror affected) and Offeror has the responsibility, in accordance with PIA, to assert any arguments it may have in opposition to release of the information. In the event Offeror requests judicial intervention, the party so requesting shall indemnify Alamo Colleges District for its costs (including attorney's fees) associated with the judicial action. Under no circumstances will Alamo Colleges District be liable for any costs, damages, or claims of any nature, related to the release or disclosure of any information contained in documents submitted pursuant to this procurement solicitation.

5. Insurance. The insurance requirement is enumerated in Section 8.

6. Errors/omissions made in the proposal responses will be interpreted in favor of the Alamo

Colleges District. In the event of mathematical error(s), the unit cost shall prevail, and the Offeror(s) total offer may be corrected accordingly.

7. Written questions must be received at least seven (7) calendar days prior to the deadline for proposals. Alamo Colleges District is not responsible for misdirected or undelivered submissions.

8. Offerors certify as a condition of award that they have not engaged in collusion with any firm or person in relation to the preparation, submittal, or award of this proposal. Additionally, it is understood that a firm's or individual's giving practices will be of no advantage in consideration of the award of this proposal.

9. The Offeror affirms that he/she has not given, offered to give, and does not intend to give at any time hereafter any economic opportunity, contribution, future employment, gift, loan, gratuity, special discount, trip, favor, free meal or service to a public servant or elected official in connection with this proposal.

10. Proposals must be valid for one hundred twenty (120) days after the closing date for evaluation purposes.

11. Offeror must state on the proposal form whether they owe State of Texas margin taxes (formerly franchise tax).

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12. The Alamo Colleges District qualifies for exemption of the Texas Limited Sales, Excise and Use Tax; sales tax will not be charged on these purchases. A tax-exemption certificate will be provided to the awarded firm.

13. Alamo Colleges District will not reimburse Offerors responding to this RFP for any expenses incurred in preparing or presenting proposals. Alamo Colleges District reserves the right to retain all proposals and to use any ideas submitted in a proposal regardless of whether the proposal is selected.

14. Offerors shall indicate any exceptions to any paragraph; otherwise, acceptance of all conditions contained in the RFP is assumed. Exceptions stated by the Offeror to any of the paragraphs herein may be cause for rejection of the proposal, other than variances deemed minor by Alamo Colleges District. The Offeror must certify whether all specifications have been met and state any exceptions on a separate sheet.

15. Notification of Criminal History of Contractor. A person or business entity that enters a contract with Alamo Colleges District must give advance notice to the Alamo Colleges District if the person or an owner or operator of the business entity has been convicted of a felony. The notice must include a general description of the conduct resulting in the conviction of a felony.

Alamo Colleges District may terminate a contract with a person or business entity if the Alamo Colleges District determines that the person or business entity failed to give notice as required by the previous paragraph or misrepresented the conduct resulting in the conviction. The Alamo Colleges District must compensate the person or business entity for services performed before the termination of the contract. The criminal history notification requirement does not apply to a publicly held corporation.

16. Family Code. Under Section 231.006, Family Code, the vendor or applicant certifies that the individual or business entity named in the contract, proposal or application is not ineligible to receive the specified grant, loan, or payment and acknowledges that the contract may be terminated, and payment may be withheld if this certification is inaccurate.

17. Texas Resident Information. Under Chapter 2252, Subchapter A, of the Texas Government code establishes certain requirements applicable to proposers who are not Texas residents. Under the statute, a “resident” Offeror is one whose principal place of business is in Texas, including one whose ultimate parent company or majority owner has its principal place of business in Texas. Section 44.031 (b) of the Texas Education Code establishes certain criteria that a community college in the State of Texas must consider when determining to whom to award an Agreement. Among the criteria for certain Agreements is whether the vendor or the vendor’s ultimate parent or majority owner (i) has its principal place of business in Texas; or (ii) employs at least 500 people in Texas.

18. Disclosure of Interest. All Offerors must disclose the name(s) of any of its employees, officers, directors, subcontractors, or agents who may also be a member of the Board of Trustees, or an employee or agent of the District. Further, all Offerors must disclose the name of any District employee, or Board of Trustees member, who has directly or indirectly, any financial interests in Offerors firm or any of its branches, submit this information on an attachment to the proposal which is to be titled “Disclosure of Interest” and included the person’s name, position, and the extent of financial or other interest the person(s) has in Offeror’s business affairs.

19. District policy C.1.5.1 states that from the date the project is approved for publication until a contract is executed, no College District Board member or employee other than authorized Purchasing and Contract Administration Department personnel shall communicate with potential contractors, consultants, or other vendors (referred to collectively as potential proposers) who

RFP-2024-0058 Page | 22 are interested in, or in the view of a reasonable person situated similarly to the potential proposer, might reasonably become interest in, any competitive procurement opportunity, other than for a legitimate purpose unrelated to the pending procurement. If, from the date the project is approved for publication until a contract is executed, a potential proposer contacts any Board member or College District employee other than authorized Purchasing and Contract Administration Department personnel, the Board member or College District employee shall inform the potential proposer that such communication is prohibited by policy, direct them to Purchasing and Contract Administration, and immediately report the contact to the designated representative in Purchasing and Contract Administration.

Offerors who violate this policy may be subject to a range of sanctions including disqualification from competition for the procurement opportunity and/or other future procurement opportunities after Board of Trustees review. Employees who violate this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, including termination after review by the Chancellor.

20. The Alamo Colleges District makes environmental considerations with performance, availability, and costs of buying environmentally preferable goods and services. All products and services must meet or exceed the standards set by independent accredited organizations in order to be deemed environmentally preferable.

21. When the scope of work on project is estimated to be greater than or equal to $1,000,000 in value:

Student Internship Program - The Alamo Colleges District are engaged in a three-way partnership between employers, the community, and educators to implement the Alamo Compact for Economic Performance (A-CEP). Each offeror shall provide a discussion in their proposal response which demonstrates their ability and commitment to develop and provide paid student internship opportunities in related fields of study, if any. Provide at least three (3) examples of past successful participation in programs of this type. Additional information and requirements concerning the A-CEP Internship Program is shown in Attachment “C” to the specifications.

When the scope of work on project is estimated to be less than $1,000,000 in value:

Student Internship Program - The Alamo Colleges District is engaged in a three-way partnership between employers, the community, and educators to implement the Alamo Compact for Economic Performance A-CEP). Bidders/Offerors are encouraged to participate in this program, which offers real life learning experiences for students in a workplace setting.

22. Continuous Improvements. Offeror is to propose a plan for improving service delivery during the contract period.

The Services provided under this Agreement shall enhance the quality of life on the campus. The contractor shall perform in such a way as to contribute to the prestige of the Alamo Colleges District by providing a solid business operation. Service delivery must gradually evolve (and not remain static) to continue to be successful. As a result, receptivity to new ideas should be demonstrated by the contractor’s staff and proposed to Alamo Colleges District. Contractors shall be alerted to changing service trends, new market forms, and changing patterns that evolve throughout the service industry. With input from the Alamo Colleges District, methods of service delivery in all operations should be continually reviewed to increase usage, improve service, and maximize value to the Alamo Colleges District.

The Contractor will be required to propose suggestions for improving service delivery. Proposed suggestions should include brief illustrations, descriptions, a breakdown of estimated cost, and a suggested schedule of when work should be started and completed.

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24. In accordance with HB 1295, Texas Government code 2252.908, the awarded contractor will be required to submit an electronic Disclosure of Interested Parties to Alamo Colleges District for any contract over $1,000,000 or any contract that requires a vote by the Alamo Colleges District Board of Trustee, at the time of contract execution. The 1295 Certificate of Interested Parties Electronic Filing application website is https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/filinginfo/1295/

25. Mission, Vision, and Values: We believe that economically, it makes good business sense and contributes to student success to be engaged in partnership between contractors, employees, educators, and the community to implement the Alamo Colleges District Mission, Vision, and Values. The Alamo Colleges District promotes collaboration by achieving consensus on the measures of student success and by stressing that student success is everyone’s business. In 2014, the Alamo Colleges District adopted policy that includes our Vision, Mission, and Values:

Alamo Way

In support of our policy, the purpose of this segment is to enhance recognition by contractors for our efforts. As a valued member in our procurement process, we ask that your company demonstrate their commitment to serving students by becoming actively engaged in recognizing the Alamo Colleges District Mission, Vision, and Values.

26. Business to Business (B2B) Integration: Offerors’ order placement process should allow for

Business to Business integration with the Alamo Colleges District eProcurement system.

Participation in the Alamo Colleges District eProcurement system is at no cost to participants and will enable Alamo Colleges District end-users to easily source and purchase goods and services, electronically, through our online marketplace. Participating vendors will receive orders (via fax or email), invoice and track payment status, electronically, through an online portal. Further details regarding participating in the Alamo Colleges District eProcurement system will be provided, upon award of contract.

27. Civil Rights Act: Alamo Colleges District, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil

Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby…