ESBD_File_348624_RFP 24-14 Geofencing Ad Services.pdf

RFP 24-14 Geofencing Advertising Services 1

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) #24-14

Geofencing Advertising Services

PROPOSED SOLICITATION SCHEDULE

This schedule may be modified or changed at the sole discretion of SJCCD.

DATE ACTION

January 29, 2024

RFP issued.

February 6, 2024

Questions and/or Clarifications Deadline

Requests for questions and clarifications regarding RFP documents shall be submitted through the Questions tab in IonWave by 5:00 p.m. Central Time to be considered.

February 12, 2024 Issuance of final addendum, if necessary.

February 16, 2024

Proposal Submission Deadline

All proposal documents shall be submitted before 2:00 p.m. Central Time in IonWave.

The RFP opening will take place digitally through IonWave immediately following time due. A list of vendors who submitted will be made available upon written request to the Procurement Contact.

March/April 2024 Recommendation of award and approval to enter into contract.

Award will be announced after approval received.

E-Bidding Website: IonWave https://sanjac.ionwave.net

PROCUREMENT CONTACT

Buyer, Melissa Fuqua 281-998-6378

Melissa.fuqua@sjcd.edu https://sanjac.ionwave.net/ mailto:Melissa.fuqua@sjcd.edu

RFP 24-14 Geofencing Advertising Services 2

SCOPE OF WORK

1. General

San Jacinto Community College District (“SJCCD” or “College”) is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified firms to provide geofencing advertising services.

SJCCD reserves the right to select one or more companies based on the best value, as determined by SJCCD, overall response(s) submitted to the College, with consideration given to proposals that best meet the desired scope of work and specifications set forth in this request for proposals.

All work performed must be in compliance with existing federal, state and local codes, statutes and requirements.

SJCCD is a public community college district organized under Chapter 130 of the Texas Education Code and is tax exempt in the State of Texas.

2. Background

SJCCD has been serving the residents of East Harris County, Texas, since 1961. The College is fiscally sound and currently holds bond ratings of AA and Aa2 by Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s, respectively. SJCCD is one of the top ten community colleges in the nation, as recognized by the Aspen Institute.

Approximately 41,000 credit and non-credit (continuing education) students benefit each year from a support system that maps out a pathway for success. SJCCD offers eight areas of study and more than 200 degrees and certificates that prepare a diverse body of students to transfer to four-year colleges or universities or enter the workforce with the skills needed to support the growing industries in our region and throughout our state. It is the third largest community college in the Houston area, and the eighth largest community college in Texas.

Due to the diverse and ever-changing area it serves, SJCCD faces many challenges and opportunities. As the cost of higher education increases, more students and their families are looking to community colleges because of their lower costs (about 1/3 the cost of a Texas four-year college or university), proximity to home and work, and the ease of transferability between community colleges and four-year colleges and universities.

SJCCD’s service area is highly diverse, not only in ethnicity, but also in income and education levels. The service area is more than sixty percent (60%) Hispanic, which accurately reflects the College enrollment. African Americans are growing in the northern portions of our service area and the Asian and Indian populations are growing rapidly in the southern portions of our service area. SJCCD has five campuses and multiple extension centers located throughout the service area. You can view the College quick facts at: https://www.sanjac.edu/about/facts-figures/.

Funding for community colleges comes from three primary sources: state appropriations, student tuition, and property taxes. SJCCD has maintained one of the lowest community college tuition rates in Texas.

https://www.sanjac.edu/about/facts-figures/

RFP 24-14 Geofencing Advertising Services 3

3. Scope Details

The goal of the geofencing advertising services firm is to provide SJCCD with micro-targeted campaigns to reach specific audiences. These tactics will augment the college-wide advertising media plan provided by our full-service advertising agency of record.

a. The SJCCD budget for geofencing advertising is not to exceed $300,000 annually, inclusive of all fees and expenses.

b. The ideal agency will have a strong understanding of the community college mission, its target audiences, and the community college enrollment process and timelines.

c. Firm shall deliver strategy, media planning, buying, trafficking, tracking, and reporting that includes the results of conversion zones.

d. Firm shall appoint an Account Executive to become familiar with the goals and objectives of the College and the target audiences. They will identify strategies and tactics to meet objectives within the designated advertising budget.

e. Firm shall identify annual campaign key performance indicators for tracking success and conversion rates.

f. Firm shall purchase and distribute advertising according to the agreed upon geofencing advertising plan. Contracts with media outlets shall be between the media outlet and the firm. If there is a need for the media outlet to have a direct contract with SJCCD, all such contracts must go through the purchasing procedures and contracts must be signed according to SJCCD policy and the laws of the State of Texas.

g. Firm shall provide accountability for all media placed on behalf of SJCCD and provide comprehensive reporting on campaign and advertising performance.

4. Reporting

Firm shall provide monthly campaign and advertising performance reports to SJCCD. A reporting dashboard is preferred. Monthly reports shall be due on an agreed upon date after the start of the contract term, showing media placements realized, upcoming media placements, costs, and performance for the previous month.

5. Contract Term

The contract term, if any, for contract(s) awarded from this solicitation will be one (1) year with renewal options of four (4) one-year time periods subject to the termination provisions as further described in the sample contract terms and conditions on the Attachments tab section of this solicitation.

RFP 24-14 Geofencing Advertising Services 4

EVALUATION CRITERIA

An Evaluation Committee will review all proposals according to the criteria stated herein. The committee’s evaluations will be based on all available information provided by the firm, in addition to reference checks.

Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria:

*The price proposal for each firm will be evaluated in comparison with the other firms’ price proposals; however, the number of points possible may be evaluated in proportion to each respondent’s evaluation score received for Section 2: Scope Understanding, Approach, and Management.

Factor Points

Section 1: Qualifications and Experience of Firm 15

Section 2: Scope Understanding, Approach, and Management 25

Section 3: Sample Media Plan 15

Section 4: References 10

Section 5: Exceptions to Terms and Conditions 5

Section 6: Price Proposal* 30

Total 100

RFP 24-14 Geofencing Advertising Services 5

PROPOSAL RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

All proposal response requirements must be submitted through IonWave. The system does not allow a proposal submission unless all requirements have been met, including Attributes and Response Attachments. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the following:

Written Proposal:

Written Proposal shall be submitted as a Response Attachment in IonWave and shall include responses to Section 1 – 3. Written Proposals shall be a single PDF document with a maximum of ten (10) pages (numbered 1-10). Sections must be in order and clearly labeled as outlined below.

Include a coversheet that includes your firm’s name, representative, and contact information.

Coversheet does not count towards the 10-page limit.

1. Qualifications and Experience of Firm

a. Include a description of the firm including the firm’s history and size. Provide information regarding how long the proposer has provided the services requested in this RFP.

b. Describe any previous experience with SJCCD or other public entities and/or colleges.

Include how many public entities and/or college accounts are in your current client base.

Did your company perform satisfactorily to the terms and conditions of the last award given to your company? Were there any discrepancies, issues or complaints reported concerning your organization’s performance?

c. What sets your company apart and why do you think you are the best company for this proposal? How do you perceive that your service philosophy differs from others.

d. Include a project-staffing plan for all proposed key staff members who will be assigned to this project. Identify their respective responsibilities for this project. If personnel substitutions are contemplated on a contingency basis, they should also be identified. If any contractors are used for any of the services required in this RFP, please provide information on their key staff members and roles related to the services requested in this

RFP.

e. Provide summarized resumes for key staff members outlining the qualifications and experience directly related to this RFP.

2. Scope Understanding, Approach, and Management

a. Describe how your services meet the scope and specifications listed in this RFP. Address any variances between your proposal and the scope of work.

b. Include your approach to managing digital campaigns through various phases from identifying markets, to developing digital campaigns, to monitoring performance, to evaluating success, and finally reporting results.

c. Describe how your company would rectify a situation where a media partner did not

RFP 24-14 Geofencing Advertising Services 6 properly place advertising for SJCCD, or the media/advertising did not run or was not published as scheduled.

d. Describe your ability to provide addressable geofencing and establishment of conversion zones to measure visits to the campus as a result of ad delivery.

e. Please explain whether you are using any artificial intelligence (AI) in campaign development, and if so, what are the ways you are using it and the benefits to the College.

f. Do you use personas in campaign development to ensure delivery to the target audience.

If so, how?

g. Explain how your firm works with clients to reduce bounce rates to ensure optimal ad performance. How do you adjust the plan or digital platforms to address high bounce rates?

h. Do you have a minimum campaign period, and if so, what is the minimum length of a campaign?

3. Sample Media Plan

a. Submit two examples of successful campaigns (redacted if necessary), an explanation of your process and an example of your reporting for the campaigns.

b. If you used personas or AI in development of the campaigns, please explain how those were used.

4. References

Include references in the Attributes tab in IonWave for the following:

a. The proposer shall provide at least five (5) references on recent projects for which the proposer's company is currently providing or has provided the same type and level of service required in this RFP within the past three years. Include the name, telephone number, and valid email address of a reference person who may be contacted for further information. It is highly preferable that these references are other colleges or public sector accounts comparable in size or larger.

b. All references will be contacted by email. Evaluations will be based on responses received from references. It is advisable to notify your references ahead of time that a reference will be requested by email.

RFP 24-14 Geofencing Advertising Services 7

5. Exceptions to Terms and Conditions

An exception includes any addition, deletion, or other modification. Submit exceptions to terms and conditions as an attachment in the Response Attachment tab in IonWave as follows:

a. If you select Yes to “EXCEPTIONS TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS” under the Attributes tab, you must submit a written summary of each exception to this RFP, including the scope, specifications, and/or sample contract, as applicable. The summary shall include supporting justification that clearly identifies the specific reference, page, section, and sub-section of the change, relevance of the change, the vendor’s rationale for the change, and benefit to the College for accepting the change for the submitted exceptions to be considered in the evaluation.

b. The College’s evaluation of submitted exceptions will address the quantity of exceptions, type of exceptions, and justification(s) for exceptions. Fewer exceptions and/or exceptions with a lower risk to the College, if accepted, will equate to a higher score.

c. Any exceptions not explicitly stated may not be considered during contract negotiations, if any. The submittal of exceptions to terms and conditions does not guarantee the College’s acceptance of exceptions. The College reserves the right to accept or reject any exceptions as necessary to negotiate a mutually beneficial contract.

6. Price Proposal

Include pricing on the Line Item tab in IonWave for each item listed below:

Line Item 1: Geofencing – display ads – cost per thousand impressions.

Line Item 2: Geofencing – video ads - cost per thousand impressions.

Line Item 3: Reporting fees per campaign. If you do not charge, enter $0.00.

Line Item 4: Management fees per year. If you do not charge, enter $0.00.

Required: Upload the Firm’s Rate Sheet as a Response Attachment. Rate sheet shall include all internal agency costs needed to provide the services as outlined in this RFP.

Optional: Upload a Response Attachment document, if needed, to provide details of any additional costs not listed in the Line Items section or Rate Sheet attachment.

Price Proposal responses shall include full disclosure of any and all services and/or fees or commissions that will be charged to SJCCD as a result of media buying and placement services.

Any costs not explicitly stated in a Price Proposal response shall not be charged to the College.

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List of Response Attachments:

Include the following documents in the Response Attachments tab in IonWave.

All forms are available to download under the Attachments tab in IonWave. Except when listed as Optional, all Response Attachment documents are required and failure to provide a required document may deem the proposer non-responsive and disqualify the response from consideration for award.

1. Written Proposal

2. Firm’s Rate Sheet

3. Conflict of Interest form

4. Proof of Insurance Requirements

5. Exceptions to Terms and Conditions (optional)

6. Additional Costs Not Included in Pricing (optional)