RFP_26-374_-_Advertising_Firm_for_Multstate_Marketing_Campaign_-_Question___Answer.pdf

YC RFP#: 26-374 Advertising Firm for Multistate Marketing Campaign Page 1 of 7

ADVERTISING FIRM FOR MULTISTATE MARKETING CAMPAIGN

YAVAPAI COLLEGE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL YC#: 26-374

Question & Answer

1. Could Yavapai College specify which Designated Market Areas (DMAs) are considered the primary focus for this campaign?

Answer: Yavapai College’s primary DMA is Yavapai County. This multistate marketing campaign will target DMAs outside our primary DMA Yavapai County which are yet to be determined. YC anticipates that additional DMAs will be selected by YC’s Executive Leadership Team in early 2026, prior to the commencement of the contract.

2. Will the campaign encompass all of Yavapai College’s online bachelor’s degree programs, or only select offerings? If selective, which programs should be prioritized?

Answer: Yes, all available YC BS Degrees will be offered. YC might choose to prioritize specific programs based on competitive advantages realized in SWOT analyses for that specific DMA.

3. Are there existing key messaging points, differentiators, or student benefits (e.g., affordability, flexibility, transfer pathways, workforce alignment) that YC would like emphasized in the creative?

Answer: Yes. Information on available BS Degrees can be found on yc.edu and degrees.yc.edu.

4. Could you clarify when Yavapai College typically experiences peak enrollment periods for online classes (e.g., fall, spring, summer)?

Answer: Spring and Fall are usually peak enrollment seasons.

5. What is the current official tagline or brand slogan for Yavapai College, and should it be incorporated into campaign creative?

Answer: Current tagline is “All In”, but DMA specific taglines and slogans are encouraged if competitive advantages are realized in SWOT analyses for that specific DMA.

6. Are there particular institutions that Yavapai College views as primary competitors in the online education space?

Answer: YC has never promoted programs outside our primary DMA, Yavapai County, before. Out-of-state DMA specific competitive landscape will be realized in SWOT analyses for that specific DMA.

7. Could Yavapai College provide demographic information or a defined target audience profile for its bachelor’s degree students?

Answer: YC’s BS Degree programs are brand new, so the current student demographic is not representative of YC's opportunities out-of-state. Out-of-state DMA specific demographics will be realized in SWOT analyses for that specific DMA.

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8. Will Yavapai College provide performance benchmarks (e.g., cost-per-inquiry, cost-per-enrollment, or similar KPIs) to guide campaign goal-setting?

Answer: Yes.

9. Will baseline data such as brand perception or awareness levels be available to measure brand lift over the course of the campaign?

Answer: There is currently no data available for out-of-state DMAs as this is a brand new campaign for YC.

10. What marketing technology systems (e.g., CRM, CMS, analytics platforms) does Yavapai College currently utilize, and will the awarded agency have access for integration into planning and reporting?

Answer: Salesforce. Yes to campaign integration.

11. TikTok Strategy for Gen Z Engagement: Would YC be open to launching a branded TikTok account as part of the campaign? Gen Z’s media habits are rapidly evolving, and TikTok offers a unique opportunity to connect authentically and drive enrollment. We noticed in the 2022 RFP Q&A that YC welcomed platform-specific strategies—so we’d love to explore this with you.

Answer: Yes to incorporating new platforms when opportunities are realized in SWOT analyses for that specific

DMA.

12. Campus Location Clarification: The RFP mentions six YC locations, but the website currently lists seven. Could you please confirm which campuses or centers should be included in the scope of this campaign?

Answer: YC has seven locations and the Prescott Pines location was not specifically described within the RFP.

Prescott Pines is a residential facility providing student and employee housing but classes are not held there.

13. Value-Added Services Beyond Scope: Would YC be open to considering services beyond the original scope—such as website optimization, reputation management, or CRM integrations—to enhance campaign performance and long-term ROI? We saw in the 2022 RFP that YC welcomed additional recommendations, so we’d love to offer ideas that go beyond expectations.

Answer: Recommendations will be considered but should not be conditional for the development of the main advertising campaign.

14. Will you please provide Clarity regarding requirements specifically around "earned" media?

Answer: YC is looking for Social Media strategies that also create opportunities for unpaid social media shares, positive reviews, and organic word-of-mouth.

15. Which states are targeted in the multistate marketing campaign and why?

Answer: The states to be targeted have not been selected yet. YC anticipates that additional DMAs will be selected by YC’s Executive Leadership Team in early 2026, prior to the commencement of the contract.

16. Are these aligned with existing recruitment pipelines or new markets?

Answer: Yes, they will be aligned with recruitment goals and opportunities for new markets.

17. What CRM does Yavapai College utilize?

Answer: Salesforce.

18. If a bid does not include market research, PR, or traditional media, will it not be considered?

Answer: The agency’s capability for Market Research and SWOT analysis must be available in order to be considered.

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19. Who is the current (or previous) agency of record, if any?

Answer: This is a new campaign for the college – there is no current/ previous agency of record.

20. Has Yavapai run similar campaigns in the past? If so, what were the results and lessons learned?

Answer: No, this is a new campaign for the college.

21. What higher educational institutions do you consider to be a part of your competitive set?

Answer: Any accredited higher education organization offering online BS Degrees in that DMA should be considered a competitor. Out-of-state DMA specific competitive landscape will be realized in SWOT analyses for

22. What, if any, datasets will the awarded Offeror have access to? (i.e. student demographics? Program enrollment size? Etc.)

Answer: DMA specific program enrollment numbers and competitive landscape datasets will be available.

Demographics and competitive strategic information will have to be researched by the agency.

23. What are your Target DMAs?

Answer: The states to be targeted have not been selected yet. YC anticipates that additional DMAs will be

24. Please define “as needed basis” under section 1.5 Budget - The estimated annual budget for the advertising campaign is set at $300,000, including agency retainer fees, media purchases, and associated commissions. This amount is not a guarantee, however, and the Selected Offeror’s services will be used on an as-needed basis.

Answer: A budget including agency retainer fees, media purchases, and associated commissions will be defined and approved up to $300,000 per DMA/campaign/year. If required, adjustments may be made to this budget based on adjustments made to the campaign timeframe and scope of work, agency services, media purchases, etc.

25. Will the new online bachelor’s degree programs also be offered in-person?

Answer: Potentially, but these campaigns will be exclusively featuring YC’s BS Degrees 100% online format.

26. Do you have existing creative for this campaign? Or will you be creating new creative from Scratch? Do you have a team in house who will be designing the creative or are you looking for the chosen vendor to create assets for this project built into the total budget?

Answer: Yes, YC has some existing creative to be used as reference or brand guidelines. The Awarded Offeror will be required to develop all additional creative in-house.

27. Does the New Online Bachelor's Degree programs already have web pages? or are you looking for this to be developed by the chosen vendor?

Answer: Yes - degrees.yc.edu. Updates and further web development of these pages will be required.

28. You are looking into reaching broader markets. Do you have a list of these targeted (DMA's) that you can send over?

Answer: The states to be targeted have not been selected yet. YC anticipates that additional DMAs will be

29. From a PR perspective, Are you looking to run on local News Sites and Stations? Can you elaborate on what you would like from a PR perspective?

Answer: Yes. YC is looking for brand awareness and earned media strategies to promote YC and YC's BS Degrees.

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30. From a Community aspect, are you looking to partnerships with for example local sports teams?

Answer: Potentially if the opportunity is presented in the strategic planning process for specific DMAs.

31. How much of the $300K budget do you want to go towards the media/advertising spend?

Answer: To be determined and suggested by the Awarded Offeror during the strategic planning process for specific DMAs.

32. For the creative portion are you looking for banners, videos, and TV commercials?

Answer: To be determined and suggested by the Awarded Offeror during the strategic planning process for specific DMAs.

33. Section 4.2.5 notes that Offerors must not have “active engagements with clients in higher education offering Bachelor’s degrees in direct competition with YC.” Could you clarify how YC defines “direct competition”? For example, would engagements with community colleges or universities outside Arizona, or outside YC’s target DMAs, be considered a conflict?

Answer: Awarded Offeror must not have any active engagements with clients in higher education (schools, colleges, universities, etc.) offering online or in-person Bachelor’s degrees programs that could potentially pose as a conflict of interest against YC.

34. Section 1.5 states the estimated annual budget is $300,000 including agency retainer, media, and commissions.

Is this figure firm, or may Offerors propose alternate levels of investment? If firm, should proposals scale recommendations strictly within this amount?

Answer: A budget including agency retainer fees, media purchases, and associated commissions will be defined and approved up to $300,000 per DMA/campaign/year. If required, adjustments can be made to this budget based on adjustments made to the campaign timeframe and scope of work, agency services, media purchases, etc.

35. Section 1.3 references “target DMAs” but does not specify which markets. Can YC identify the DMAs intended for this campaign, and should Offerors also propose additional or alternative markets based on research?

Answer: The states to be targeted have not been selected yet. YC anticipates that additional DMAs will be

36. Section 5.0 requires proposals to be submitted as a single PDF via email to bidresponse@yc.edu. Should the pricing information (Section 3.5) be included within that single PDF, or does YC expect a separate cost/fee document in addition to the technical proposal?

Answer: Pricing should be included within the single pdf document.

37. Section 4.3 requires top scoring Offerors to prepare a complete advertising campaign plan (including SWOT, market plan, budget, execution, Share of Mind, and lead targets) for a hypothetical market. Can YC clarify the expected level of depth and deliverables for this exercise (for example, a high-level strategic framework versus fully developed creative and media plans)?

Answer: YC expects to see Offeror’s strategic thinking and articulation of SWOT, plan, strategy in detail, as well as a wide sample of developed creative and media plans in order to compare Offeror’s capabilities with other agencies. Additional details will be provided to top scoring Offerors after YC’s initial evaluation of proposals.

38. The Schedule of Events lists “Anticipated Award Date: December 2025” and “Anticipated Project Start Date:

January 2025.” Should the intended start date be January 2026?

Answer: Yes, the intended start date should be January 2026. Amendment #1 to the RFP has been issued to correct this.

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39. Can YC provide point allocations or relative weighting for the six evaluation criteria (Approach, Personnel, Capacity, Experience, Familiarity, Fee Proposal)?

Answer: All pertinent information regarding the scoring system for the RFP is included within the RFP document.

40. What is the anticipated initial contract term, and are renewals possible?

Answer: YC anticipates that the contract term will be one (1) year with four (4) additional one (1) year renewal options dependent on satisfactory performance.

41. Will YC retain full ownership of campaign creative assets, research, and data produced under the contract?

Answer: Yes.

42. How many references are required in Appendix B, and are higher-education references preferred?

Answer: A minimum of 3 references are required and higher-education references are preferred, as described within Appendix B.

43. May Appendices A–I be submitted with digital signatures, or are original/wet signatures required?

Answer: Digital signatures are acceptable.

44. If in-person meetings are required, will YC reimburse travel expenses, or should Offerors assume all travel costs?

Answer: YC will reimburse pre-approved travel expenses for in-person meetings for the Awarded Offeror.

45. Appendix J outlines coverage requirements (e.g., $2M liability, $2M network security). Will YC accept a certificate of insurability/intent to obtain coverage upon award, or must proof of coverage be submitted with the proposal?

Answer: Intent to obtain coverage upon award is acceptable, though the Awarded Offeror must provide proof of coverage before the final contract can be executed. YC will provide a notice of intent to award and give the Offeror an opportunity to obtain coverage in the event this happens.

46. When are Step Three demonstrations expected to occur, and will they be conducted virtually or in person?

Answer: YC anticipates Step Three demonstrations will likely occur in early December and will be conducted virtually.

47. Are there specific reporting formats or templates YC prefers beyond standard KPI dashboards and analytics?

Answer: No specific reporting formats or templates required. Standard KPI dashboards and analytics are acceptable.

48. Section 2.5 includes “community engagement and partnerships” alongside media and PR. Should Offerors budget for community events, sponsorships, or on-the-ground engagement costs, or is YC expecting the campaign to remain primarily advertising and PR?

Answer: If Offeror’s marketing strategy and tactical plan calls for community events, sponsorships, or on-the-ground engagement, these tactics will be considered but not required.

49. Section 3.4 requires “samples of past creative work.” Does YC prefer these embedded in the single PDF submission, or may they be provided as a separate attachment/appendix (still emailed)?

Answer: YC prefers these to be embedded in the single pdf (links to external sites ok).

50. Appendix G requires Offerors to designate confidential materials. Will YC accept partial redactions if necessary, or must entire sections be marked as confidential to ensure protection under Arizona’s public records law?

Answer: YC will accept confidential material designations that follow A.A.C. R2-7-101(51) and include a statement supporting the confidential assertion.

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51. Section 3.5 gives a template for hourly rates, staff, and estimated hours. Should Offerors fill this out as a not-to-exceed ceiling or as an illustrative staffing model (since actual scope may flex year to year)?

Answer: Section 3.5 should be filled out as an illustrative staffing model since actual scope may flex year to year.

52. Step Three demonstrations require a full hypothetical campaign. Will YC provide an honorarium or stipend for finalist agencies that prepare the full demonstration campaign?

Answer: As described within Section 5.5 of the RFP Cost of Preparing Proposals, any and all costs associated with the preparation of responses to this RFP, including site visits, oral presentations and any other costs shall be entirely the responsibility of the Offeror and shall not be reimbursable in any manner by the College.

53. Appendix J requires some high insurance levels (e.g., $2M network security). If an agency does not currently carry certain coverages, will YC allow a short grace period after award to secure them?

Answer: Intent to obtain coverage upon award is acceptable, though the Awarded Offeror must provide proof of coverage before the final contract can be executed. YC will provide a notice of intent to award and give the Offeror an opportunity to obtain coverage in the event this happens.

54. Section 2.7 mentions tracking/reporting with KPIs but does not specify which matter most. Can YC share which KPIs are most important for evaluation of campaign success (for example, inquiries, enrollments, impressions, awareness lift)?

Answer: Standard KPI dashboards with reach, engagement, brand recognition, contact, enrollment, and other relevant campaign analytics are acceptable.

55. Which 2-year and 4-year institutions does Yavapai consider to be in your competitive/‘peer' set? " Answer: Any accredited higher education organization offering online BS Degrees in that DMA should be considered a competitor. Out-of-state DMA specific competitive landscape will be realized in SWOT analyses for

56. Are you wanting to compete against 2-year institutions? Or 2-year and 4-year institutions?

Answer: Online BS Degrees institutions in general. YC's online 3-year BS degree offering is a competitive advantage.

57. Launching online bachelor degree programs into broader markets" - Can you define broader in terms of geography? Online degrees would typically appeal to anyone in the country, but do you want to focus on certain markets?

Answer: The states to be targeted have not been selected yet. YC anticipates that additional DMAs will be

58. Can multiple agencies submit a proposal together? For example, a creative agency and a digital marketing agency with an established partnership?

Answer: As long as one agency will serve as the primary agency managing the relationship and acting as the point of contact for YC, subcontracting parts of the work to other agencies as necessary is acceptable.

59. Can you define your expectations of "a complete, comprehensive advertising campaign that includes all facets of an advertising campaign strategy and implementation" mentioned in 4.3.2 for top 3 offerors? How does this differ from the paid work to be delivered if awarded the contract? Will YC provide a sample market or student profile for that exercise, or should agencies define their own?

Answer: Through this sample exercise, YC will expect to see Offeror’s strategic thinking and articulation of SWOT, plan, strategy in detail, as well as a wide sample of developed creative and media plans to compare Offeror’s capabilities with other agencies. Additional details will be provided to top scoring Offerors after YC’s initial evaluation of proposals.

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60. Who will be our main point of contact? Is there an internal marketing team we'll be working with?

Answer: The awarded offeror will work with YC’s internal marketing team.

61. What historical info can you provide on the success of past campaigns / agency engagements?

Answer: No historical data. This is YC’s first time marketing out-of-state.

62. Are there specific risks or sensitivities we should account for (legal, reputational, financial)?

Answer: No relevant or specific risks or sensitivities at this time. As a community college, YC is a government entity (a political subdivision of the state of Arizona) which Offerors should be aware of.

63. Does the budget include production costs for creative assets (video, photography, etc.), or should these be itemized separately?

Answer: Yes. Budget includes agency service fees, media buy, commissions, and creative production costs.

64. Are there key milestones already envisioned (e.g., campaign launch aligned with spring/summer enrollment periods)?

Answer: Potential launch in early 2026 for Spring enrollment campaign.

65. In 4.2.2 "Professional credentials and experience (include resumes) of all personnel who will be involved with the project. (see documents)", can you please clarify what document we should be referencing?

Answer: This is an error and has been corrected via Amendment #1. There are no additional documents to be referenced – all relevant information is included within the RFP document.

66. What do you anticipate as the budget split between creative, research, and media?

Answer: YC expects Awarded Offeror to suggest an appropriate split during the strategic marketing planning phase.

67. Can you please define your target DMAs?

Answer: The states to be targeted have not been selected yet. YC anticipates that additional DMAs will be

68. Can you define the difference in response between fee proposal (4.2.6) and budget proposal (3.5.1) Answer: This is an error and has been corrected via Amendment #1. The fee proposal and budget proposal are the same.