Q&A - MET-MiABLE Advertising RFP.pdf

Michigan.gov/MiProcurement

STATE OF MICHIGAN

Department of Treasury 7285 Parsons Drive., Dimondale, Michigan 48821

Bidder Questions & Answers RFP No. 2600000001532

Michigan Education Trust (MET) and Michigan Achieving a Better Life Experience (MiABLE) Accounts Marketing and Advertising Services

Q

Document and Section

Page Number

Bidder Question State’s Response

Proposal Instructions

Is the current Department of Treasury marketing & advertising services partner participating in this RFP?

The State does not know who will submit a proposal for any RFP.

Proposal Instructions

Beyond ensuring your future marketing & advertising services partner meets or exceeds the service requirements outlined in this RFP, what additional criteria will you evaluate in your decision process (cost, case studies, relevant client experience, experience across the State of Michigan, etc.)?

How would you prioritize the evaluation criteria (most important to least important)?

Refer to Proposal Instructions, 6.

Evaluation Process for the technical evaluation criteria.

The evaluation criteria weights are listed here as well.

Proposal Instructions

How will the Department of Treasury balance cost versus value in the final selection, particularly if proposals differ meaningfully in approach or outcomes?

The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder who offers the best value to the State. Best value will be determined by the bidder meeting the minimum point threshold and offering the best combination of the factors stated in the Evaluation Process section of the RFP, and price, as demonstrated by the proposal.

Proposal Instructions

In previous procurements, what has caused the Department of Treasury to

The response to this question is not relevant for a vendor to submit a proposal for this RFP.

select a new partner over an incumbent?

Proposal Instructions

For the oral presentation phase, what would distinguish a presentation that ‘meets expectations’ from one that clearly demonstrates best value for the State?

The State may, but is not required to, hold an oral presentation of the bidder's proposal. If oral presentations are needed, more information will be provided to the bidders who pass the technical evaluation process.

Proposal Instructions

Can the Department of Treasury share examples of how ‘best value’ has been determined in prior advertising services procurements where price was not the deciding factor?

Best value will be determined by the bidder meeting the minimum point threshold and offering the best combination of the factors stated in the Evaluation Process section of the RFP, and price, as demonstrated by the proposal.

Schedule A – Statement of Work

Why is the Department of Treasury seeking a new marketing & advertising services partner?

State of Michigan contracts must be competitively bid out.

Schedule A – Statement of Work

Are there marketing challenges the Department of Treasury is looking to address with a new partner? If so, what does the Department of Treasury believe is the cause of those marketing challenges?

MET: Marketing to audiences and getting them to take action within a limited budget.

MiABLE: Marketing to individuals with disabilities and their caregivers has historically been challenging. There is very little market research, the product is relatively new, and there is some hesitance to adopt and utilize MiABLE.

Schedule A – Statement of Work

Looking ahead 12 months, what does success look like for the Department of Treasury as it relates to marketing & advertising? What specific goals need to be accomplished?

To be determined with the contractor upon award of the contract.

Schedule A – Statement of Work

What marketing & advertising metrics are the Department of Treasury tracking and measuring today?

Measures its success by new accounts/contracts opened and monthly dollars deposited. Significant increases in both those metrics will determine success. Additionally, the State tracks Impressions, Clicks, Ad performance, along with other industry standard metrics.

Schedule A – Statement of Work

What has changed internally and externally since the last contract was awarded?

The response to this question is not relevant for a vendor to submit a proposal for this RFP.

Schedule A – Statement of Work

What risks are the Department of Treasury most concerned about introducing with a new partner, and how will those risks be evaluated?

Maintaining current level of service-transition planning and keeping the momentum.

Schedule A – Statement of Work

When was the last time the Department of Treasury selected a new marketing & advertising services partner?

The current contract’s initial effective date was April 8, 2021.

Schedule A – Statement of Work

What would a new partner need to demonstrate to overcome the advantages of an incumbent relationship?

The contract will be awarded to the bidder that offers the best value to the State. This will be determined by the bidder meeting the minimum point threshold and offering the best combination of the factors stated in the Evaluation Process section of the RFP, and price, as demonstrated by the proposal.

Schedule A – Statement of Work

How does the Department of Treasury want to work differently with its next partner compared to today?

The response to this question is not relevant for a vendor to submit a proposal for this RFP.

Schedule A – Statement of Work

Are there any past learnings that you would like us to consider in our approach?

The State is seeking the bidders’ expertise on how they will perform/fulfill the requirements in this RFP.

Schedule A - Statement of Work

Within the Department of Treasury and the broader State, who ultimately owns success or failure of this partnership, and how aligned are stakeholders on the definition of success today?

The State expects to have a mutual relationship with contractors.

Schedule A - Statement of Work

Given that the advertising budgets are subject to legislative appropriation and annual adjustment, how frequently have material budget changes occurred in recent years, and how has that affected agency performance expectations?

The contractor must perform all contract activities/requirements that are in the contract.

Schedule A - Statement of Work

What internal operational constraints (approval cycles, internal/external staffing limitations, governance processes) most commonly slow down marketing execution today?

There are no operational constraints that are slowing down marketing execution today.

Schedule A - Statement of Work

What is the cost to the Department of Treasury if marketing performance remains flat over the next 2–3 years?

How is that cost understood or quantified internally today?

The responses to these questions are not relevant for a vendor to submit a proposal for this RFP.

Schedule A - Statement of Work

Where does the Department of Treasury believe marketing investments have the highest marginal impact today, and where does additional spend no longer deliver proportional value?

The State is expecting bidders to provide their marketing and advertising expertise in their responses to this RFP.

Schedule A - Statement of Work

Which aspects of the current agency relationship consume the greatest amount of the Department of Treasury management time, and what would an ideal partnership free up for internal teams?

The response to this question is not relevant for a vendor to submit a proposal for this RFP.

Schedule A - Statement of Work

How does the Department of Treasury evaluate attribution, incrementality, and ROI across channels today, and where does it believe current reporting falls short of decision needs?

The State is limited to inferred ROI on account creation and funding.

Schedule A - Statement of Work

Are there any specific business, enrollment, or awareness outcomes are not being achieved today that prompted this RFP, and what risk does Treasury see if those gaps persist over the next 2–3 years?

No, there are not any specific business, enrollment, or awareness outcomes that are not being achieved today that prompted this RFP. Also, see response to Question 7.

Schedule A – Statement of Work

Where has the current approach and partner delivered strong value, and where has it fallen short of expectations?

The response to this question is not relevant for a vendor to submit a proposal for this RFP.

Schedule A – Scope of Work

35-39

If this partnership is highly successful three years from now, what will be fundamentally different about how campaigns are built, optimized, and deployed?

The State of Michigan cannot provide a response to a hypothetical situation.

Schedule B - Pricing

Can The Department of Treasury share the previous contract award?

Contact the Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request at:

DTMB - FOIA

Current contract (Master Agreement (MA)) number: 210000000195.

https://www.michigan.gov/dtmb/footer/foia

Schedule B - Pricing

Given annual appropriations and potential budget variability, how should a partner plan for reprioritization during the contract term without impacting performance expectations?

The State’s Program Manager will advise if this situation were to occur.

Schedule B - Pricing

Can the Department of Treasury share the expected budget for these services?

The bidder must provide their pricing for all items as noted in Schedule B – Pricing.

Does the State maintain existing research, data sets, or historical insights that should be leveraged before conducting new research?

The State currently has no specific research, but there is program history that should be utilized before research begins and this will be shared with the contractor.

Under what circumstances does the State determine that market or audience research is “applicable” for a given campaign? Is research expected for every campaign, or is it a decision driven by the expertise of the vendor and Program Manager?

Research is not expected before every campaign as vendor expertise is relied upon. Periodically market/audience research may be requested and will be determined at a later date with the contractor.

Schedule B - Pricing

Regarding the Media Placement Agency Fee (Commission Percentage), can the agency provide a range of commission percentages for each budget tier? The reasoning is that certain media types, such as print, may require less effort than others, such as television or programmatic digital, which could allow the agency to propose a different commission rate for specific media types.

Yes, all commissions must match Schedule B – Pricing within the contract.

Can the State provide guidance on how many state entities, along with their corresponding websites and social channels, are typically involved in a given year? Understanding the number of unique entities will help us assess the effort and cost required to scale across multiple scopes of work (SOWs).

All organic and day-to-day management is handled internally.

The contractor will only be responsible for paid promotions/posts. The contractor may be asked to provide additional guidance as needed.

7.1. Invoice

Requirements

Will the chosen agency partner have the ability to pre-bill the media each month before it runs in market?

Refer to Section 7.1. Invoice Requirements, which states:

Invoices must only include completed work. The Contractor must not pre-bill for any services including media placements.

Schedule B - Pricing

Regarding Schedule B – Pricing and payment terms: Will the State consider a pre-billing (advanced payment) cycle on either a monthly or quarterly basis for recurring agency retainers and/or media pass-through costs to ensure continuous service delivery?

See response to Question 34.

Proposal Instructions and Standard Contract Terms

The anticipated transition period begins Oct 3, 2026, but the contract begins Jan 1, 2027. Will the State provide a separate "Transition Budget" to cover agency labor and resource onboarding during those three months prior to the official start date?

As stated on the Cover Page and in the Standard Contract Terms, the anticipated contract start date is October 1, 2026. Any contract activity started before this date is the responsibility of the contractor.

Standard Contract Terms, Section

6. Insurance Requirements,

v. Proof of Insurance, (1)

Are the insurance limits specified in Schedule C required upon submission of the bid, or is a "Letter of Intent" from our carrier sufficient, with full coverage required only upon the Award Recommendation?

There is not a Schedule C in this RFP.

Refer to Standard Contract Terms, Section 6.v.(1): Insurance certificates showing evidence of coverage as required herein must be submitted to the Contract Administrator within 10 days of the contract execution date.

38 5.1. Price Term 54

Does the State allow for annual price adjustments or escalations based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the multi-year duration of the contract, beginning January 1, 2027?

Refer to Section 5.1. Price Term:

Pricing is firm for the entire length of the Contract.

See response to Question 36 on contract start date.

Schedule B - Pricing

Schedule B – Pricing / Payment Terms: Could the State clarify the specific approval and reconciliation process for monthly invoicing?

Specifically:

For agency hours/labor: What documentation is required to validate hours consumed (e.g., detailed timesheets, progress reports, or milestone completion)? For media investments and pass-through costs:

Does the State require 'net-pay' verification (proof of payment to third-party vendors) before reimbursing the agency, and what is the standard timeline for invoice approval once all

Yes, the State requires proof of purchase/invoice from third-party vendor prior to reimbursement from the State. Detailed monthly invoices must include, but not limited to, monthly expenditures and time designated to campaign/client work broken down by staff member/position working on behalf of the client. Program area invoice approval is typically within five business days.

supporting documentation is submitted?

40 General Will the State consider extending the proposal due date with the late posting of the QA document?

Yes, the new proposal due date will be May 12, 2026, by 3:00 p.m. EST.