Response to Offeror Questions document.docx

Q&A for RFP USD09162024 Public Relations

1. The RFP document references this as a two year contract- can you verify the date the contract would begin?

A: We would like to have the contract in place shortly after selection of a vendor. By the end of October 2024 would be ideal.

2. The RFP document references development of a regional plan- can you provide more clarity on your expectations surrounding the geography for this plan?

A: While our primary area of focus is South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota, the SD Advantage program has made us a viable option for many states in the upper mid-west and those could be considered for a broader PR focus.

3. What does the university currently have built in terms of an announcement/news item outlook for the year as part of a comprehensive content calendar?

A: We have a high-level content calendar outlined for the year, but a lot of our current PR activities happen in more condensed planning cycles (e.g. monthly/quarterly).

4. The budget for the PR services is $100,000 annually. Can you provide guidance on how USD envisions allocating this budget across the outlined tasks (e.g., media monitoring, media relations, paid tactics, etc.)?

A: We are looking for guidance and recommendations in the RFP response. Ideally media monitoring would not be more than 20% of the budget.

5. The RFP mentions that creative development and production are out-of-scope, but that USD may outsource these services. Will the selected agency have input or collaboration opportunities on creative projects?

A: Yes, we are looking for a collaborative partner and value the input and experience of an agency partner. USD has a strong in-house creative team that will work closely with the agency on creative development as needed. We also can outsource on a project by project basis depending on capacity and needs.

6. Could you clarify how the evaluation criteria are weighted (e.g., technical competence, familiarity with the project locale, cost proposal)?

A: All the evaluation criteria in Section 6 of the RFP will be weighted the same.

7. Are there any preferred or existing media monitoring tools that USD uses, or is the agency expected to provide recommendations and software for these services?

A: We have previously used Trendkite. In addition, we have been actively exploring Cision, but paused that exploration for this RFP. Aside from traditional media monitoring tools, we also use Sprout Social for our social scheduling and monitoring.

8. Can you clarify the expected reporting structure for media results? For example, is USD looking for monthly or quarterly summaries, or should the agency expect to provide real-time updates?

A: Monthly summaries would be ideal in the beginning months of the contract, with a transition to quarterly if needed for budgetary reasons.

9. Should the PR efforts focus strictly on regional outlets, or is there an interest in expanding to national or international media coverage?

A: For priority stories and messaging, we would be open to national coverage opportunities. We likely would not expand to international media coverage with our current priorities.

10. Does USD have specific KPIs or performance metrics from prior PR engagements that the selected agency should aim to meet or exceed?

A: Not currently.

11. Can you share some recent reports of coverage earned?

A: Not currently.

12. Is there an existing media list that can be shared, or will the list need to be developed from scratch?

A: There is an existing regional media list that our team keeps updated.

13. How does an offeror get access to the state’s e-procurement system to see all responses to the RFP questions and any updates to the RFP process?

A: The State’s Bid Exchange is accessible to anyone. The RFP, any addendum, and the Q&A will be posted at the following link. https://sourcing.esmsolutions.com/postingboard/entities/3444a404-3818-494f-84c5-2a850acd7779

14. Do you have a current marketing plan that you can share?

A: This will be shared with the selected agency. At a high level, we would like to strengthen USD’s thought leadership position with a particular focus in health care and data sciences as well as important topics in our state.

15. Does social media activity and management fall under this PR scope?

A: No, we manage social media internally. We would be open to recommendations on social media activity relevant to specific PR priorities.

16. In your opinion, what sets your university apart from others?

A: The University of South Dakota has been named the most affordable flagship institution in the country. As the designated liberal arts institution in the state, we are focused on providing students with a well-rounded, interdisciplinary foundation that sets them up to thrive.

We have additional brand work and research that will be shared with the selected agency.

17. Can you list any academic programs or research that is unique to the University of South Dakota?

A: In the state of South Dakota, we have the only medical school and law school, as well as a number of other prominent programs like PT, OT, Dental Hygiene and more. We are the leader in graduate education, with the most graduate programs in the state. Our research spans a large variety of areas, but currently there is a particular focus on AI research as well as other sustainable initiatives. We are also always focused on ways to improve the lives of residents of South Dakota, from rural focused health care to customized workforce development programs. Some recent research news can be found here: https://www.usd.edu/The-South-Dakotan/News-Listing#sort=%40newsz32xdetailsz32xpublicationz32xdate%20descending&f:@newstopicnames=[Research]