FAQs_CV23-121_Youth_Service_Corps_Marketing.pdf

Office of Planning and Research / California Volunteers #CaliforniansForAll Youth Service Corps Request for Proposals #CV23-121

#CaliforniansForAll Youth Services Corps Marketing FAQs for Request for Proposal #CV23-121

Webinar Recording from March 6, 2024

• Original ques�on Similar ques�ons to the original o Response to the ques�on

Contractor Eligibility and Qualifications

• Can companies from outside the USA apply for this RFP?

o Yes, so long as they are registered with the California Secretary of State and in good standing. Proposer must have a U.S. address.

• Can we perform the tasks (related to the RFP) outside of the USA (like from Canada or India)?

Must employees/staff members/subcontractors performing the work be physically located in the U.S. to carry out their work? In other words, are agencies allowed to offshore any services?

o While many of the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work can be performed virtually, we recommend staff assigned to the contract be in the U.S. because of time zone differences. There is nothing in the solicitation that disqualifies a Prime from working with subcontractors outside the U.S., however a minimum of 25% SB and 3% DVBE must be subcontracted out. Subcontractors are also subject to administrative evaluations.

• Does the contractor need to come to California for mee�ngs?

o The Proposer should indicate in their response whether meetings with client and relevant stakeholders will be in-person or virtual, keeping in mind that all business should be conducted in Pacific Standard time zone.

• Is it preferred that agency be located in Sacramento?

o No.

• The requirement specifies "At least three (3) years of direct experience developing and implemen�ng a campaign with a budget of at least $2,000,000." Could you please confirm if this experience must be derived from a single campaign with a budget of $2,000,000, or if it is permissible to cumulate experience from mul�ple campaigns that together reach or exceed the $2,000,000 budget threshold?

https://youtu.be/4ghD6ummlaE https://www.timeanddate.com/time/zones/pst

In reference to the qualifica�on referenced in parentheses, are you looking for campaigns with a collec�ve spend of $2,000,000 for 3 years? (At least three (3) years of direct experience developing and implemen�ng a campaign with a budget of at least $2,000,000.)

o This campaign is intended to be a statewide effort; therefore we are seeking a contractor who has at least three (3) years of direct experience developing and implementing a single campaign with a budget of at least $2,000,000.

Subcontractors

• For tes�ng, will we need a research firm, and can they be contracted later or need to be iden�fied now? If now it will be hard to reach minimum qualifica�ons (Solicita�on - Pg. 71).

o Anyone you plan to subcontract with must be identified in the proposal.

• Subcontractors must meet all minimum qualifica�ons. Could you clarify if all minimum requirements are required for subcontractors to meet? For example: We may subcontract out transla�on services, but transla�on companies may not necessarily have experience running campaigns since that isn't part of their normal business ac�vity. Could you clarify which minimum qualifica�ons the subcontractors need to meet?

o There are no minimum qualifications (MQ) for subcontractors. If you, as a Prime, feel you are missing certain MQs, then a subcontractor can fill that MQ gap.

• Can subcontractors assist the prime contractor in mee�ng the minimum qualifica�ons or must the prime contractor solely meet the minimum qualifica�ons?

o Yes; subcontractors may fill in any of the Prime's gaps in meeting the minimum qualifications.

• What if your media buyer is a subcontractor and the media buy is 50%+ markup? Is that disallowed since the Prime needs to perform 51+% of the contract?

o Yes.

• Can KCRA/Hearst submit only for the paid por�on of the campaign distribu�on (Feb 2025-

June 2025), without doing any of the crea�ve por�on?

o No; you can be a media subcontractor to the Prime, however the subcontractor should be a SB/DVBE.

• Do we need to list all the recipients of the paid media investments since they are subs? I.e., Google, Facebook, etc.?

o A media vendor is only considered a subcontractor if part of the agreement is to subcontract out the work to them. You do not need to identify Google as a subcontracto, but a line item for cost should be included in the proposal that earmarks the dollar amount to be spent with media vendors for ad buys.

SB/DVBE

• Is the DVBE a requirement?

o Yes, a minimum of 3% must be subcontracted out to a DVBE - it is in statute as part of the DVBE program and this solicitation is not exempt from it. If the Prime is a DVBE, this does not apply.

• Does the DVBE Requirement need to be for a substan�ve part of the project? Like our insurance provider is a DVBE. Does that count?

o The DVBE must be providing services related to the Scope of Work

• When a DVBE partner is both a cer�fied DVBE and cer�fied Small Business, will they qualify for points awarded both for disabled veteran and small business par�cipa�on?

If the DVBE is also an SB can they be double counted?

o Yes, however, the Prime must have subcontracted out at least 25% to this Small Business and DVBE vendor in order to cover the minimum of subcontracting out 3% to a DVBE and 25% to a Small Business.

• Is it acceptable for a DVBE partner to be named a vendor rather than a subcontractor?

o Yes, but the Contractor will be required to adhere to proper naming convention on an agreement, for which they shall be called a DVBE subcontractor.

Administrative

• Who is the current contractor (if any, or is it an en�rely new project)?

Is there an incumbent for these services?

Is there an incumbent to this project?

Has there been a previous contract for these services?

o There is no incumbent agency. This is the first marketing solicitation related to #CaliforniansForAll Youth Service Corps.

• What are the incumbent or previous contract rates for these services?

o Not applicable, there is no incumbent agency.

• If there is an exis�ng or previous contract for these services, what (if any) challenges has OPR faced with the current or previous vendor(s)?

o Not applicable, there is no incumbent agency.

• Why is OPR currently seeking these services?

o The #CaliforniansForAll Youth Service Corps (currently referred to as the #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps) is a Governor’s initiative administered by California Volunteers in partnership with cities and counties across California. The purpose of this initiative is to increase youth employment, develop youth interest in and experience towards a career, and to strengthen municipal capacity to address key areas of climate, food insecurity, education, and public service. California Volunteers is seeking a Contractor that will provide marketing services to support strong program recruitment and member enrollment to ensure program success and sustainability.

• If we have ques�ons between now and pos�ng of Q&A will you s�ll answer them?

https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/californiansforall-youth-jobs-corps/ o It is at the discretion of California Volunteers to respond to questions received after the deadline.

Proposal Formatting

• Can we submit the proposal via email?

o Yes.

• If our proposal submission exceeds the email file size limit, can we use a file sharing site like

WeTransfer to submit? If not, may we submit the proposal in separate emails?

o If your package exceeds email size limits, please submit the proposal and all required attachments as separate emails. Everything still must be submitted before the deadline, or it will be considered an incomplete package.

• You mentioned that the required attachments, the compliance documents, need to be sent as separate attachments? Is it possible to add all attachments within the RFP response and submit everything as one file ultimately?

o Yes; you may package the entire proposal as one file as long as it does not exceed the Microsoft Outlook file size limit. All files must be received via email (not cloud storage links) no later than 05:00:00 PM PST on April 19, 2024.

• What does your team define as biosketches? (Solicita�on - Pg. 11) o Please provide resumes for staff who would be working directly on this contract.

• Could you please explain more for what you’re looking for here: The proposer should create a table that shows how the minimum qualifica�ons are met with assigned key personnel to each category of minimum qualifica�on. Are they looking for a chart with the 6 qualifica�ons (similar to page 9) and then the key personnel that have worked on projects in the past that apply to the qualifica�on? Can the same key personnel be listed for each qualifica�on? (Solicita�on - Pg. 7) o A chart similar to page 9 will suffice and yes, the same key personnel can be listed for each qualification.

File Types and Attachments

• We would like to clarify that you would like the submission as a Microsoft Word document and not as a PDF. Or is a PDF acceptable?

Would you like the entire RFP response submitted as a Word document? Or only the scope of work section?

Should all signed forms/attachments be submitted as part of the Microsoft Word document or separately as PDFs?

Should attachments remain in original form of PDF or will they need to be transferred into Microsoft Word?

Proposals states that the proposal must be submitted in Microsoft Word only. As the proposal includes forms with detailed legal information and, in some cases, security restrictions in addition to verified signatures, will OPR waive accessibility best practices for blind/low-vision reviewers who use screen readers due to limitations of alternative text descriptions of images in Microsoft Word?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/send-large-files-with-outlook-8c698842-b462-4a4c-8d53-5c5dd04f77ef o Either file format (Word or PDF) is acceptable for the proposal. You may submit the required attachments as a PDF.

• Should the cost sheet be submited as part of the Microso� Word document or separately as a Microso� Excel file?

o The cost sheet is required as part of the proposal but may be submitted as a separate attachment (Excel file or PDF).

• Atachment 10: If we apply for the 3rd choice, what is the cer�ficate required?

o If you’re referring to Attachment 10 – DARFUR, you should fill it out appropriately according to the instructions on the form.

• Atachment 3: Can we provide an exact version of this form replicated by our team to allow for the proper amount of informa�on to be entered as the first reference descrip�on box is smaller rela�ve to the other 2 boxes?

o A fillable version will be posted to calEprocure.

• Under item N. Budget Detail, point 5, proposers are instructed to iden�fy posi�on/classifica�on �tles funded and to NOT list names (page 12). However, Atachment B1 (the Contractor Cost Sheet) asks to list “Staff X (Name) Title.” Please specify how proposers should list staff in Atachment B1 using a fic��ous example for clarity.

o Positions should only be listed on the General Cost Proposal sheet; the Total Cost by Task sheet should list Name and Classifications in cells A8 & A9. Here is an example.

Font, Size, and Style

• Format specified is Size 12 font for body text. Are there line spacing requirements or page limits for any sec�ons?

o Spacing requirements and page limits were not specified in the solicitation; either single or double space is allowable. Proposers are encouraged to limit their response to the Scope of Work to 25 pages or less.

• Format specified is Size 12 font for body text. Are other font sizes for �tles, charts, graphics, etc. (both larger and/or smaller) acceptable?

o Yes.

• Are cover pages and break pages allowed?

o Yes.

• Can Atachment A1 be housed within an otherwise company-branded proposal response?

o We do not recommend altering the font or style of the required elements. Please ensure all portions of the scope of work are clearly addressed in your proposal.

Programmatic

• Is the program #CaliforniasForAllYouth the same as the #CaliforniasForAll and/or

#CaliforniasForAll Youth Job Corps programs?

o Yes; #CaliforniansForAll Youth Service Corps is an existing program, currently referred to as #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps.

https://californiavolunteers.box.com/s/tge9bnyt5fjt5z7q7nlrouw614iau49g

• You mention a goal is to raise awareness of the program among target populations. Have the targeted populations already been determined? If so, can you please share those with us?

o All participants must be between 16-30 years of age on their first day of service.

Priority should be given to youth who:

Have not participated in an AmeriCorps program May have difficulty finding employment Are low-income Are unemployed and/or out of school Are or were justice-involved Are in or transitioning from foster care Are engaged with the mental health or substance abuse system Are unhoused/housing insecure/at risk of becoming unhoused

Priority applicants (meeting two of above criteria) should make up no fewer than 75% of selected participants. Cities/counties may create their own priority criteria for approval by California Volunteers if the above criteria do not meet city/county goals pending approval from California Volunteers. California Volunteers intends to include youth who are authorized to work in the United States or who are AB 540 CA Dream Act students and immigrant youth who have work authorization including DACA beneficiaries. More information can be found by reviewing the 2023 CaliforniansForAll Youth Service Corps

RFA.

• Is the target audience for this campaign potential applicants? Have you identified any secondary target audiences?

o Potential applicants are the primary audience; trusted messengers likely to influence applicant behavior (e.g. encourage them to participate in a service program) are a secondary audience.

• Can we revisit key audiences, target regions, demos, etc.?

o Target regions are determined by which municipalities were funded during the RFA process. Primary audiences (potential program applicants) are determined by eligibility criteria specified in the program model laid out by the State and cannot be modified. However, program grantees may have specific target audiences who meet the criteria (e.g. former foster youth, or individuals who are justice impacted.

Secondary audiences (trusted messengers) will vary based on primary target audience.

• What is the RFA Number for the Youth project?

o RFA CV23-112 – CaliforniansForAll Youth Service Corps and RFA CV23-113 –

CaliforniansForAll Youth Service Corps Big 13 Application.

Scope of Work https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2023/12/2023-CaliforniansForAll-Youth-Service-Corps-RFA.pdf https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2023/12/2023-CaliforniansForAll-Youth-Service-Corps-RFA.pdf https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2023/12/2023-CaliforniansForAll-Youth-Service-Corps-RFA.pdf https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2023/12/2023-CaliforniansForAll-Youth-Service-Corps-Big-13-Application.pdf https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2023/12/2023-CaliforniansForAll-Youth-Service-Corps-Big-13-Application.pdf

• Team must demonstrate technical knowledge and experience - Developing and tes�ng direct recruitment and outreach strategies for applica�on-based programs. Does this refer to programs based around mobile apps/applica�ons, or programs that users must apply, i.e., fill out an applica�on to join?

o The Proposer must indicate experience in developing and testing recruitment and outreach strategies for programs that require an interested party to apply and be accepted (ex: employment, college, fellowship, service).

• Under 4. Work Schedule / Timeline, the last three deliverables are listed as Task 8. Please advise if these should be Task 7 instead.

o This was an oversight. Website analytics templates are associated with Task 6 (Website and User Experience) while Weekly / monthly reporting and Final report are associated with Task 7 (reporting).

• What is meant by: "The work plan shall indicate how the supervision and oversight will be conducted to ensure that the project will remain on schedule and that the distribu�on of the workload is appropriate." Do you require a statement or descrip�on of how we will supervise and provide oversight on the project to meet deadlines, or what informa�on should we add to the work plan to cover this requirement?

o A description of how you plan to supervise and provide oversight of the project to meet deadlines and reach target goals will suffice; review the scoring criteria for Work Plan, Schedule, and Budget Justification to ensure your proposal is responsive to all listed elements.

Brand Development

• The scope lists “Comprehensive branding guidelines for the program and the umbrella organiza�on.” Do any exis�ng guidelines exist for the umbrella organiza�on and/or for the program? If exis�ng guidelines exist for the umbrella organiza�on, do they just need to be updated to reflect the program brand?

o A visual identity guide was developed for California Volunteers, Office of the Governor in 2019, indicating logo font and color. Basic logo usage guidance was developed for #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps in 2022. The Contractor will need to consider existing visual identity when developing brand guidance.

• Would this contract involve upda�ng the brand guidelines for umbrella organiza�on or only upda�ng Youth Service Corps within those exis�ng umbrella guidelines?

o If the Proposer finds it strategic to develop comprehensive brand guidance for the umbrella organization in order to define and/or clarify the Youth Service Corps brand, they should indicate as such in their proposal.

• Who developed the current branding?

o The current branding was developed internally.

• Is brand defini�on the same thing as brand posi�oning? If not, can you please clarify what you mean by brand defini�on?

o Yes, for this contract, brand definition and brand positioning can be considered synonymous.

• Right now College Corps and Youth Jobs Corps logos share the same look and structure. Is part of this scope to update the College Corps logo to reflect and align with the new Youth Service Corps logo?

o No; the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps logo and branding was developed through a different marketing contract.

Social Media

• Engaging social media influencers: Do you need the development of an outreach plan only, or will execu�on of the plan and actual outreach to and coordina�on with influencers be necessary? And could you clarify what you mean by influencers? It this someone who has significant following on social media or other pla�orms, or are they members of communi�es that we'd engage with through social media to amplify the message?

o Development of an outreach plan and identification of campaign-relevant influencers will suffice for this contract. Relevance will be determined by influence among target populations, not size of a given influencer's following. Prominent members of the communities we plan to engage can be considered relevant influencers for the development of an outreach plan.

• Under C. Scope of Work, 5. “Social Media Engagement” of the Scope of Work lists social media toolkits as a deliverable. Will the contractor be responsible for the distribu�on and u�liza�on of these toolkits, or is distribu�on outside of this contract's scope?

o California Volunteers will be responsible for posting any organic content to state owned social channels and disseminating materials (creative assets and messaging) to partners and relevant community leaders/influencers.

• Are there any digital or social media pla�orms that cannot be used for organic or paid ac�vi�es in this campaign?

Are there restric�ons to TikTok (specifically) or other social media channels?

o Not currently.

• Does California Volunteers have a team dedicated to crea�ng and managing social media and doing community management? If so, do you have an exis�ng social media management tool to manage content?

o California Volunteers has dedicated social media staff working within our Communications and External Affairs team; they currently use Hootsuite to manage social content.

• For social media ads would we be using established accounts across all social profiles or be expected to create new accounts for example in meta business?

o The Contractor will be using established social accounts.

• Could we know where you currently promote and all accounts so we can consider that in our proposal?

o We encourage you to visit our website where we promote our social media accounts.

Creative Assets https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/

• "Customizable collateral for use by partners and trusted messengers": Will you require any community outreach/engagement to iden�fy partners, or to coordinate with partners? Or will we be handing over the crea�ve assets to California Volunteers, who will then disseminate the materials to other partners?

o California Volunteers will identify and disseminate materials to partners and trusted messengers.

• Crea�ve assets and promo�onal/adver�sing content (digital ads, social ads, radio spots, search ads, and print ads): Could you let us know how many assets per category will be required roughly?

o The quantity of creative assets related to advertising (digital, print, search and social) should be determined by the Proposer in their suggested media plan.

• Do you want the final files delivered or the na�ve files that you can manipulate/edit in the future?

o California Volunteers would like the design/native file for all creative assets.

• When it states that crea�ve assets will be owned by OPR in perpetuity, do we need to consider buy-outs for talents and similar?

o If talent and/or content creators are included in your Proposal, you may indicate time-bound buyout terms for State consideration.

• The RFP does not solicit a strategy for dissemina�on of the items produced in Task 3. Does

OPR have a separate distribu�on strategy, or should proposers include this in their response?

o Any creative assets developed by the Contractor that are designated for physical production will be disseminated by California Volunteers.

• Technical Evalua�on: B. Approach to Scope of Work – Proposals will be evaluated for how well they address the scope of work, providing crea�ve and innova�ve ideas that can successfully clarify brand iden�ty and generate brand awareness to support program recruitment and member enrollment.” Are you looking for crea�ve examples in this proposal? If not selected will the ideas/work remain propriety to us? (RFP - Pg. 9)

Are you expec�ng spec crea�ve to be submited with the proposal?

Where would you like to see our case studies? How would you like to see previous work, could we link out to case studies?

Can we include links in a PDF to audio-video files for samples of work?

o Speculative work is not required for this proposal, but we encourage you to include relevant creative from past work as a sample or case study to demonstrate creative breadth. You can link to samples or case studies in your proposal.

• Sec�on 3.3 says “Develop crea�ve assets for adver�sing campaigns that can be adapted into mul�ple languages.” Do you an�cipate this including languages beyond English and Spanish.

If so, could you provide more detail on which or how many languages?

o No; we are only anticipating Spanish translation.

• Can we do transcrea�ons?

o Yes, as long as you clearly indicate in your proposal how you will approach material translation to meet the needs of the campaign.

• How many stakeholders need to be consulted in the development of content/crea�ve assets? Will California Volunteers or the contractor manage this review process?

o There is no specific number of stakeholders who must review content or creative assets as long as the materials are culturally competent and resonate with the target audience. The Proposer may include message or creative testing as part of their proposal or indicate that California Volunteers should identify specific stakeholders from whom to solicit feedback and a develop a mechanism for collecting input.

• Will any forma�ve/desk research be needed? Or any crea�ve asset tes�ng with stakeholders?

o You may include formative research and creative asset testing in your proposal if they are part of the broader content development strategy.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Does OPR have an exis�ng network of stakeholders and trusted messengers that can be relied upon to champion the brand outside of this contract?

o Yes; however, identification of campaign-relevant influencers may be included in the social media engagement plan listed in Task 5.

• Does California Volunteers have a trusted messenger/community partner network that supports recruitment?

o While California Volunteers and program partners have cultivated a network of stakeholders who support program recruitment efforts, there are certainly opportunities to expand our reach within target communities.

Paid Media

• Is there any paid media associated with this submission?

o Task 4 asks for a paid media strategy to be included as part of the Scope of Work.

• Under C. Scope of Work, 4. Paid Media, “earned” is listed as a tac�c. Typically, earned media efforts are dis�nct from those in the paid media plan. Please advise.

o Earned media was included solely as an example of value-add opportunity that may be considered as part of the proposed paid media strategy. Earned media is not part of campaign evaluation.

• The RFP asks for a sample media buy showing recommended spend for one month. Should the proposer provide a paid media plan for the full campaign or just a one-month snapshot?

o A one-month snapshot will suffice, as long as the paid media allocation for the full campaign is included in the proposed budget.

• Do we need a full proposed adver�sing buy schedule along with sample ads or just a media plan for the ad buys?

o A paid media plan will suffice.

• Should we use current par�cipa�ng ci�es to dra� the required sample media buy and what is your preference for level of detail in the sample media buy?

o The paid media plan should include at a minimum the proposed type (digital, Print, TV, etc.), timeline, and budget allocation per type. You may base your proposal on currently participating cities, however the Notice of Intent to Award for future grantees will be posted to our Grants and Funding Opportunities page in the near future.

• Is there a reason for the truncated paid media period?

o The contract period is only a year and recruitment season is typically March-June.

• How long do you an�cipate we need to run media?

o Depending on the proposed strategy, we anticipate a paid media run of about three months (March - Jun).

• Is there a type of media that the agency is looking to priori�ze or want to expand into?

o California Volunteers is interested in the most cost-effective media efforts to support member recruitment and enrollment.

• Does the agency have medium preferences? Digital versus linear (TV/Print) o The proposer should indicate that recommended mediums are effective in reaching the target audiences.

Website

• What analy�cs tools are in place and what access will the proposer have to track and gauge effec�veness? Will the contractor have access to Google Analy�cs for website for repor�ng purposes?

• What are your tracking capabili�es on the backend of the website?

o California Volunteers uses Google Analytics to track and evaluate web traffic; the

Contractor may be granted access as appropriate. The Contractor will work with the California Volunteers Communications team to determine proposed social media analytics evaluation and access.

• Will the website audit and recommenda�ons be for just the Youth Service Corps page and subpages, or for the full California Volunteers site?

o The website audit and recommendations should focus on the Youth Service Corps page and California Volunteers site but does not need to include "participating locations" (the city or county hyperlinks listed on the Youth Jobs Corps page).

• What pla�orm does your website currently use?

o WP Engine.

• Who is the current webmaster? A person at Cal Volunteers or an agency?

o A California Volunteers staff member currently manages the website.

Timeline and Milestones

• Is there a specific recruitment/applica�on window?

o Application deadlines for Youth Service Corps programs are wholly dependent on the program design of awarded grantees; however, service program recruitment typically takes place in Spring (March - June).

• Are there any deadlines or other key milestones that should be considered in the planning?

https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/grants/ o The planned launch of grantee programs are milestones to consider, however exact dates have yet to be determined.

• The �meline iden�fies January 2025 as the deliverable date for the paid media strategy.

What are the an�cipated dates for paid adver�sing to be live?

o Typically, service program recruitment begins in early Spring. Pending approval of the paid media strategy, the Contractor should be ready to go live in early to mid-March 2025.

• We assume the $2M includes paid media. Do you have an idea around the campaign dura�on or when it will be scheduled?

o Paid media will likely be tied to the typical recruitment season, March - June.

• The �meline iden�fies January 2025 as the deliverable date for the Influencer strategy and training package. What are the an�cipated dates for influencer campaign to be live?

o If an influencer campaign is recommended as part of the social media strategy, it must be implemented before the #CaliforniansForAll Youth Service Corps program end date, currently slated for December 2025.

• The �meline lists the paid media and social influencer strategies as due in January 2025.

What are the an�cipated dates for the adver�sing and influencer campaign to be live?

o Timelines are fluid based on contracting period and program start date for participating municipalities, however recruitment season typically begins in Spring so may be a good target for any advertising and/or influencer campaigns.

KPIs and Campaign Evaluation

• Can you please expand on call to ac�on and clarify the KPIs?

Are there key KPIs that the agency is looking for in helping the local ci�es awarded?

o The goals of this project are to rebrand the current program, as eligibility has expanded, including the development of a comprehensive brand identity, and generate public awareness in support of member recruitment and enrollment.

Enrollment targets will be set by participating municipalities who will be selected through the most recent RFA process.

• Is the media plan goal driving poten�al applicants to the website or crea�ng broader awareness?

o The media goal is broad awareness, which may be measured in part through traffic to the California Volunteers website.

• Are you able to track clicks to the applica�on? What about submissions?

o Interested individuals apply directly through the program grantee (participating cities/counties). California Volunteers hyperlinks to all program websites but will only be able to track clicks on the external link, not applications.

Budget

• Are we allowed to add addi�onal labor to the cost/price proposal?

o All labor and material cost/price must be included in your proposal.

• Do we need to submit a blended hourly rate or can each labor category have their own hourly rate?

o Each labor category may have its own hourly rate.

Paid Media

• Is this budget intended to include the cost of paid media in addi�on to the plan?

o Yes.

• What is the envisioned budget and/or value of the media buy for this contract? Is the budget for media buys included in the $2,000,000 es�mated contract value?

o The budget for media buys is to be included in the $2,000,000 estimated contract value; the Proposer may determine allocation, dependent on campaign strategy.

• Are commission fees for media feasible vs. an hourly rate?

o Yes. Commission fees for media buys may be included in your proposed media budget allocation as a lump sum, but please indicate the commission fee as a percentage in the budget breakdown. (Ex: Total Amount -$500,000, Spend - $437,500, Management Fee - @12.5% = $62,500.)

• Is there a cap on commissions on paid?

o There is no explicit cap for paid media commission listed in the solicitation.

• Is there a target percentage of the budget that should be allocated toward working media vs. produc�on and other fees?

o No; however no more than 49% of the work may be subcontracted out, so if you are planning to use an external media buyer, this will impact how much of the budget may be allocated to paid media.

• If we wanted to spend more than 45% on paid media is that allowed?

o Yes, however no more than 49% of the work may be subcontracted out, so if you are planning to use an external media buyer, this will impact how much of the budget may be allocated to paid media.

• If we are guess�ma�ng the paid media budget - is the contractor commited to that budget or can that be changed later.

o Line items within a budget category for shifting funds of 10% or $10k, whichever is less, will not require a formal amendment. Changes above that threshold will require a formal contract amendment.

• Can we list the media buy as an ODC on our cost proposal?

o Yes, media should be considered a direct cost.

Printing and Material Production

• Does OPR have a separate budget for prin�ng items (flyers, brochures, posters, banners, postcards, clothing, pins, s�cker, etc.) designed by the contractor, or does this cost need to be budgeted as part of the $2M campaign budget?

Will any physical prin�ng or shipping be needed for the print crea�ve assets (flyers, brochures etc.), and should that cost be included in our budget?

Does the produc�on of materials (prin�ng) and management and cost of fulfillment need to be covered in the budget?

o Printing and shipping costs should be included in your budget. We do not anticipate needing print materials in quantities over 500 and drop-shipping to myriad locations will not be required. All materials can be sent to California Volunteers headquarters in Sacramento.