RFP - Newport City Center Branding Study - 08-2025~1.pdf

CITY OF NEWPORT, OREGON

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

for

CITY CENTER BRANDING STUDY

Proposal Due Date: September 18, 2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. BACKGROUND ……………………………………………………………….1

a. Proposer Entity

b. Overview

c. Anticipated Budget

II. RFP SPECIFICATIONS………………………………………………………1

a. Project Objective

b. Scope

III. CONDITIONS GOVERNING PROPOSAL………………………………

a. Eligible Proposers

b. Anticipated Timeline to Completion

c. Preliminary Schedule

d. Deadline for Submission

e. Proposal Requirements

f. Proposal Evaluation and Selection Process

g. Contract Award Process

IV. GENERAL RFP AND CONTRACT AWARD INFORMATION…………6

a. Term

b. Budget

c. Laws and Policies

d. Costs Incurred by Proposers

e. General City Reservations

f. Termination

g. Contact Information

Request for Proposal

Destination Strategic Plan

I. BACKGROUND

A. Proposer Entity

The City of Newport (“City”) is seeking a well-qualified profit or non-profit organization to submit a proposal to develop a City Center Branding Study for the City.

B. Overview

The City of Newport, now home to around 11,000 residents, is the population center of the central Oregon coast and, as such, a prime tourist destination.

Newport hosts 2.5 million visitors annually who come to experience endless outdoor recreational activities, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, and numerous fine shops, restaurants, galleries, and lodging establishments. Nearby Yaquina

Head Lighthouse is one of only eight active lighthouses in the state, and at 93 feet, is the tallest tower on Oregon’s coast.

The City of Newport seeks proposals for a branding study focused on

Newport’s City Center as the City Center lacks a cohesive branding identity.

The map below indicates the “City Center” area as outlined in black.

C. Anticipated Budget

The City’s budget for this service is anticipated to be approximately $25,000.

II. RFP SPECIFICATIONS

A. Project Objective

A successful Branding Study will help instill a sense of pride and cohesion for the City Center area, as well as create an achievable implementation plan for the City to follow. Proposer should be able to develop a comprehensive branding and engagement campaign, for which the goal is to clarify and standardize the image of the City Center as a visually appealing and consistent brand, reflective of the community it serves. The branding project shall provide a new, proposed brand that results in a successful written and visual identity that distinguishes the City Center as a unique and vibrant district to be enjoyed by community members and visitors.

B. Scope

All services shall be provided under the direction of the City Manager. The anticipated project scope shall include, but not be limited to, the following steps:

• Regularly engage with community members with a focus on businesses and residents within the City Center area, particularly along the 101 corridor. Engagements should include open houses, focus groups, surveys, and individual discussions.

• Strategically assess the City Center’s current branding including, but not limited to, district name, logo, design aesthetics, colors and typography used in the district, signage and banners

• Create a new, clear branding identity for the City Center which incorporates community engagement and community partner feedback.

Deliverable shall include, but not be limited to, a brand style guide, visual identity package, and implementation plan

• Report on progress and activities throughout the term of the project, at least once per week

III. CONDITIONS GOVERNING PROPOSAL

A. Eligible Proposers

Proposals will be accepted only from organizations (profit or non-profit), or other collaborative arrangements that:

1. Are qualified to conduct business in the State of Oregon and the City of

Newport.

2. If a corporation or limited liability company, is in good standing with the

Secretary of State.

B. Anticipated Timeline to Completion

The City anticipates the project to take approximately 3-6 months.

C. Preliminary Schedule

Event Date

Release of Request for Proposals August 21, 2025

Written Questions Due September 4, 2025

Proposals Due September 18, 2025

Anticipated Contract Award Date October 1, 2025

Contractor Begins Work October 13, 2025

The city reserves the right to amend the preliminary schedule.

D. Deadline for Submission

The original proposal must be received by 2:00 P.M. (PDT), on September 18, 2025. This is as verified by timestamp. Proposals shall be emailed to Nina

Vetter at n.vetter@newportoregon.gov.

The submission of proposals is the sole responsibility of the proposer. The City reserves the right to determine the timeliness of all submissions. Late proposals will not be accepted. All proposals received after the deadline will be returned unopened.

E. Proposal Requirements

The following outlines the proposal requirements. Submission of a proposal pursuant to this RFP constitutes acknowledgement and acceptance of the terms and conditions set forth herein, and those required under City’s Public

Contracting Rules (located on City’s webpage, under Administration, City

Recorder). The Public Contracting Rules may also be viewed by clicking here.

The RFP will be incorporated into any resulting contract with the successful mailto:n.vetter@newportoregon.gov https://www.newportoregon.gov/dept/adm/documents/Public%20Contracting%20Rules.pdf proposer, along with any terms of the accepted proposal which are not in conflict therewith, as well as provisions which are permissible matters for negotiation, as set forth herein. The contents of the proposal submitted by the successful proposer may become contractual obligations if a contract is awarded.

Failure of the successful proposer to accept these obligations may result in cancellation of the award. The City reserves the right to withdraw this RFP at any time without prior notice. All proposals submitted in response to the RFP become the property of the City and will be a public record after the selection process is completed. Each proposal must contain the following:

1. Cover Letter for the Proposal

A cover letter must be submitted with the proposal. The cover letter should be limited to one page and must include the company name, company address, and the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of the person(s) authorized to represent the firm on all matters relating to the RFP and any contract awarded pursuant to this RFP. The cover letter must be signed by an authorized signor of the proposer.

2. Providing Services to Meet the Scope of Services

Each proposer shall furnish a narrative of how the organization will provide services to fulfill each step in the City’s scope of services.

3. Proposer Experience

Each proposer shall furnish a narrative supported by relevant data regarding past experience with similar projects, including names of organizations and persons with whom proposer has entered into contracts and employment for similar services. Proposer shall also identify the individuals who will be assigned to work on this project and their roles. The results of those contacts will be considered by City in its evaluation of proposer’s proposal, and provided herein.

4. Projected Costs and Proposed Services

Each proposer shall provide an itemized list of the annual projected costs of each component in the “Scope of Services” described above, including personnel time and costs. If applicable, identify other sources of revenue that can be matched or leveraged to provide a greater promotion of Newport.

F. Proposal Evaluation and Selection Process

The City will conduct a preliminary evaluation of all proposals to determine compliance with proposal requirements and mandatory document submissions. The City reserves the right to request additional information to clarify the content of a proposal.

All proposals shall be reviewed to determine that the minimum eligibility requirements have been met. Ineligible proposers will be informed in writing.

All submittals in response to this RFP are public records and available for inspection and copying upon request.

Proposals will be evaluated based upon the following categories, including references and information from entities or persons with whom Proposer has entered into contract(s) within the last five years. Proposals will be scored and ranked. No single category is determinative, or entitled to greater weight in the evaluation process than any other. The successful proposal will be determined by the highest point total, based on the categories below. The successful proposal may be subject to negotiation.

Proposer qualifications, experience, and demonstrated ability, including references and contacts with previous contracting parties.

40 points

Quality and responsiveness of proposal to the Goals and Objectives and Scope of Service detailed in this RFP.

35 points

Cost reasonableness, appropriateness, and necessity as compared to all other proposals to provide the services proposed within the City’s annual budget and other leveraged monies.

20 points

Geographic preference, in this order: Lincoln County in Oregon, State of Oregon, the NW Coastal area (including Oregon, Washington and Northern California). The proposer resides or has businesses in these areas.

5 points

G. Contract Award Process

The City Council may accept or reject the recommendation of the staff as to the successful proposer, cancellation of the procurement, or related matters.

The successful proposer that is selected to perform the services outlined in this

RFP shall enter into a contract, approved by the City Attorney, directly with the

City of Newport, within thirty (30) days of the Notice of Intent to Award Contract, or such later date as determined by the City.

The City reserves the right to verify the information received in the proposal. If the proposer knowingly and willfully submits false information or data, the City reserves the right to reject that proposal. If it is determined that a contract was awarded or entered into because of false statements, or other incorrect data submitted in response to this RFP, the City reserves the right to terminate the contract, without penalty therefor, and with all rights reserved.

IV. GENERAL RFP AND CITY CONTRACT INFORMATION

The following terms and conditions apply to the agreement entered into between the successful proposer and the City of Newport:

A. Term

The term of this contract shall be two years, with the option to extend for one additional two-year term, at the sole discretion of the City. The proposer shall state whether it is willing to grant the City the option to extend any contract awarded under the same prices, terms, and conditions. Any contract awarded pursuant to this RFP may be terminated by the City, with or without cause, upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to the successful proposer.

B. Budget

Total expenditures under the first year of this contract shall not exceed the amount budgeted by City for that year. In any event, the City provides no assurance that the total amount budgeted by City will be agreed to by City in its award of contract. However, in the event City requires additional services beyond those agreed to by the parties in the contract, such services will be reduced to writing as an amendment to the contract, and will be required, at

City’s discretion, to the extent City’s advertising budget has been increased.

C. Laws and Policies

In the performance of the advertising services agreement, the selected successful proposer shall abide by and conform to all applicable laws and rules of the United States, State of Oregon, and the City of Newport.

D. Costs Incurred by Proposers

All costs of proposal preparation shall be the responsibility of the proposer.

The City shall not, in any event, be liable for any pre-contractual expenses incurred by proposers in the preparation and/or submission of the proposals.

Proposals shall not include any such expenses as part of the proposed budget.

E. General City Reservations

City reserves the right to extend the submission deadline should this be in the best interest of the City. Proposers have the right to revise their proposals in the event that the deadline is extended.

The City reserves the right to withdraw this RFP at any time, and will notify proposers that the solicitation has been canceled. The City makes no representation that any contract will be awarded to any proposer responding to the RFP. The City reserves the right to reject any or all submissions.

If in City’s judgment, an inadequate number of proposals are received or the proposals received are deemed non-responsive, not qualified, or not cost effective, the City may, at its sole discretion, reissue the RFP, or execute a contract with the next highest ranked proposer, or to cancel this solicitation, all subject to compliance with City’s public contracting rules (found here).

City reserves the right, subject to the City’s public contracting rules and applicable statutes, to reject any and all proposals and to waive any minor informality when to do so would be advantageous to the City.

F. Termination

Any contract awarded pursuant to this RFP may be terminated by the City, with or without cause, upon notification by the City to the successful proposer.

G. Contact Information

Proposers may contact Nina Vetter with any questions regarding the scope of services of this RFP at:

Nina Vetter, City Manager

City of Newport

169 SW Coast Highway

Newport, OR 97365

N.Vetter@NewportOregon.gov

541-574-0601 https://www.newportoregon.gov/dept/fin/documents/2023_Public_Contracting_Rules.pdf mailto:N.Vetter@NewportOregon.gov