RFP 2024-24-Clarifying Questions #2.pdf

PH: 503-742-5400 WWW.CLACKAMAS.US

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS #2024-24

SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT

RESPONSE TO CLARIFYING QUESTIONS #2

April 16, 2024

Note that these are questions submitted by interested firms to the above referenced solicitation. The below answers are for clarification purposes only and in no way alter or amend the RFP as published.

1. In the RFP, you state that the current social content is a mix of original and user-generated content. Can you give us an idea of what amount of existing content and user-generated content will be provided to the agency, versus how much the agency will need to produce?

Answer: CCT will provide photo and video assets to the agency—these are not something the agency will be expected to produce. The agency will handle design for any campaigns involving graphics, which is expected to be minimal.

2. In the clarifying questions doc, there was this answer: The anticipated annual ad spend is approximately

$100,000 plus additional funds for the strategic ad management portion of the project. To clarify, does that mean that the $100,000 includes the agency budget, or is the $100,000 the ad spend and agency fees are separate?

Answer: $100,000 is the ad spend and the agency fees are separate.

3. Do you have an overall not to exceed budget you’re looking to stay within? In addition, is there an annual media budget we can work off?

Answer: See question 2

4. In terms of media buying, are you looking for a media fee based approach or service hours?

Answer: Media fee based approach

5. In terms of conflict interest, are there any destinations in Oregon you would see as a conflict that would remove a vendor from consideration? Including other counties in the greater Portland area.

Answer: No

6. To you point about going beyond vanity metrics, do you have a data partner for tracking visitation and economic impact? Such as Adara, Datafy, Zartico etc?

Answer: Datafy

7. For creative development, give the scope of services is listed as needed are you open to a “billed on actuals” approach or are you looking for a fixed price bid?

Answer: Fixed price bid. Please note this contract will primarily be for ads management and optimization. CCT will provide photo and video assets to successful proposer. As far as content creation, the agency will handle copywriting based on messaging/direction from CCT staff. The agency will also handle design for any campaigns involving graphics, which is expected to be minimal.

8. Can CCT provide more detailed information on the specific goals and metrics they aim to achieve with social media advertising management? This includes desired increases in web traffic, specific conversion rates, or other performance indicators considered critical.

Answer: Conversion rate, click-through rate, return on ad spend, cost-per-click, cost-per-conversion and quality score. The conversions/metric we prioritize on site include lodging bookings, Travel Planner requests and downloads, Tap Trail pass sign-ups, Heritage Trail views, newsletter sign-ups, outbound link clicks to tourism partner sites and engagement time. CCT wishes to set specific goals in collaboration with the chosen vendor.

9. Can CCT provide visual examples of social campaigns you’ve created and run that you consider successful? As you listed in 3.2 Background, do you have the metrics for these that align with what you outlined as successful

(2800 post link clicks, a low cost-per-click, and users spending at least one minute on the landing page.)

Answer: See attached.

10. Could CCT specify the format and depth of the expected monthly insights reporting? For example, are particular data visualizations or analysis methods more useful?

Answer: The monthly insights reporting should include a narrative summary with KPIs and key takeaways; top-performing content; audience insights; YOY comparisons, summary of optimization steps and/or recommendations with actionable steps to improve performance. Reports may also include analyses related to creative, ad placement and trends. CCT is open to either data visualizations or analysis methods.

11. What roles or contacts within CCT will be directly involved in the project, and what level of involvement can we expect from each?

Answer: Amber Johnson, Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategist will be the primary contact who works with agency to set goals, provides assets and direction etc. Other marketing staff may participate as necessary.

12. Under content creation, the RFP lists “Design graphics, as needed.” What is the creative opportunity and CCT’s appetite for building new campaigns, themes, and creative design elements to advance the brand style guide?

Answer: CCT will not advance the brand style guide under this contract.

13. How much creative input will the successful proposer have regarding selecting photographers/videographers, style, shot lists, etc.?

Answer: None

14. Is in-person mandatory for the annual kick-off and monthly meetings, or are virtual meetings acceptable?

Answer: Virtual meetings are generally preferred.

15. What is the total budget allocated for social media advertising management, including content creation, ad spend, and any other related expenses?

Answer: The anticipated annual ad spend is approximately $100,000 plus additional funds for the strategic ad management portion of the project.

16. Is a direct billing arrangement expected with social media platforms, or should all expenses be routed through the respondent? Can we pre-bill approved media plans and reconcile them against social media platform receipts and invoices?

Answer: The selected vendor should have the capacity to pay for the ads and then bill CCT back for those costs, i.e. agency sends monthly invoice accounting for the total ad spend and management for the previous month

17. I wanted to confirm whether or not a separate work sample may be submitted with the RFP or are any work samples submitted included in the 20 page count?

Answer: Please keep everything, including work samples, in the 20-page count. Linked samples in the proposal will be accepted and reviewed.

18. Will links to samples within the proposal be allowed and reviewed?

Answer: Yes.

19. Will the pricing sheet will be a part of the 20-page count?

Answer: Yes, budget is part of the 20 pages and should be a link.

20. Are you interested in seeing a budget allotment for “boosting” posts (tactfully applying paid spend to organic posts)?

21. On page 6, you mention measuring success by what actions users take after landing on your website. Can you give us a few examples of what the most important metrics for success have been in the past? What metrics will be used to measure success under this contract?

Answer: Conversion rate, click-through rate, return on ad spend, cost-per-click, cost-per-conversion and quality score. The conversions/metric we prioritize on site include lodging bookings, Travel Planner requests and downloads, Tap Trail pass sign-ups, Heritage Trail views, newsletter sign-ups, outbound link clicks to tourism partner sites and engagement time.

22. Do your performance metrics or measured conversions ever include actions such as a “direct reservation made”, such as through the Book>Direct tool on your website? If yes, is there conversion tracking already set up to track such conversions?

23. What are the main KPIs that you’re looking for?

Answer: Main KPIs may include conversion rate, click-through rate, return on ad spend, cost-per-click, cost-per-conversion, quality score

24. Are you willing to consider the creation of custom landing pages, or microsites, for certain campaigns?

Answer: Yes, but these will be created by CCT staff.

25. Regarding the YouTube scope of the project, how much content creation do you expect will be needed for these video assets?

Answer: CCT will create and provide the video assets.

26. What is currently a favorable “cost per conversion” for each Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube? Please define conversion in each case.

Answer: Currently, a favorable CPC for Facebook and Instagram is between .50-.70. However, this depends on many factors and these are benchmarks CCT would like to set collaboratively with the successful proposer’s expertise, particularly when it comes to Youtube.

27. If awarded this contract, are you willing to provide access to historic campaign performance? This will help inform our strategy.

28. Between the target audience groups mentioned in the RFP—Washington, Vancouver, Canada, and Oregon—what is the breakdown or percentage of geo’s you typically target in a given campaign? Does one group/geo hold more opportunity than another?

Answer: Oregon and Washington tend to hold the most opportunity, followed by California.

29. Are there specific personas would you like us to consider as your target audience?

Answer: CCT cares most about interest-based targeting as a way to be as inclusive as possible, but those interests do include some values, such as sustainability, regenerative travel and DEI. Also, if ad interactions prove that certain demographics are not engaging, we're okay with refining targeting as an ad progresses. We see that as part of the day-to-day ad management.

30. Is your GA4 account already sufficiently tracking various conversions/goals from traffic generated across

YouTube, IG, and Facebook? Need we budget time to audit and improve this process?

Answer: CCT’s data analyst can ensure this information is tracking in GA4—selected vendor need not budget time to audit/improve.

End of Clarifying Questions #2