SFSP-MC_RFP_AMENDMENT 02.pdf

Revised December 2022

Summer Food Service Program Media Campaign RFP Amendment Number Two

APPENDIX F

Acknowledgment of Amendments Request for Proposals

Summer Food Service Program Media Campaign Amendment Number Two

December 24, 2025

Questions and Answers

The Office of Procurement, through this Amendment Number Two, modifies the Request for Proposals for Summer Food Service Program Media Campaign, issued December 8, 2025, to include the questions and answers below.

Question # Section # Page # Question (as submitted) MDE Response

1 5 7

Is there a preference for a local vendor? No, the vendor shall provide all services directly related to this contract from an office(s) located within the United States.

Please indicate all locations in or outside the State of Mississippi in which you propose to provide the services described in this solicitation.

Is there an incumbent on this effort or similar efforts?

No.

2.4 and

Appendix L and

I see that the budget for advertising costs is $48,000. Would you be able to clarify what the total budget is?

The total budget for the advertisement costs and staff services shall not exceed $48,000.00 per year.

1.1 and 2.3 and

Who are the key targets for this initiative? Please share demographic information and any insights into psychographics.

Publicized throughout the state to increase parents’ awareness of summer feeding sites.

Targeting areas of the state with a high percentage of children eligible for free lunch during the school year and low participation in SFSP and the 2024 National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the 2025 SFSP Data Sheet to review target areas (Appendix J and K), no later than May 15, 2026.

How many years has this SFSP initiative been available in Mississippi?

8 years

6 1.1 4

How has the SFSP program been promoted in the past?

a. What tactics were most effective?

b. What tactics were least effective?

c. Can you share your current marketing plan?

The campaign has been promoted through Facebook Ads, Spotify, radio, billboards, and YouTube.

a. Billboards, Radio, and Facebook

b. YouTube

c. To solicit offers from qualified, experienced, responsible and financially sound Offerors to provide media strategy planning and execution of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) for Mississippi which will be publicized throughout the state to increase parents’ awareness of summer feeding sites.

7 5 7

Have you worked with another marketing agency in the past to promote this or other OPH programs?

a. If so, are you satisfied with your current agency and current marketing efforts?

b. Who is your current agency?

c. Is your current agency eligible to respond to this

RFP?

d. Would you hire your current agency again? Why?

e. Why are you searching for a new agency?

f. Do you prefer an in-state agency for this contract?

Yes.

a. Not applicable.

b. There is no current agency under contract to promote this campaign.

c. Not applicable.

d. Not applicable.

e. To provide media strategy planning and execution of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) for Mississippi which will be publicized throughout the state to increase parents’ awareness of summer feeding sites.

f. No, the vendor shall provide all services directly related to this contract from an office(s) located within the United States. Please indicate all locations in or outside the State of Mississippi in which you propose to provide the services described in this solicitation.

Who is currently handling your social media? There is no vendor handling the

Mississippi Department of Education Office of Child Nutrition social media.

Who is currently handling your website? The Mississippi Department of Education Office of Technology and Strategic Services handles the website.

How has utilization of this program been in past years? It has been used to show where summer feeding sites are located.

How familiar are the key targets with this program already This Summer Food Service Program has been offered in Mississippi for 33 years.

What are the perceptions of this program among the key audiences?

I am not able to provide feedback on perceptions of the program.

What are the barriers to utilization among the key audiences?—Why might they NOT utilize these services?

Transportation could be a possible barrier.

Have there been any complaints or incidents surrounding past SFSP programs?

Yes. Complaints related to meals are not uncommon in Child Nutrition programs, including SFSP, and are addressed through routine monitoring and corrective action processes.

Are there any other programs offering similar services that might compete with the SFSP program?

a. What promotional tactics of theirs might you be aware of?

It is unknown.

16 2.1 5

Do you want to use the existing creative materials available in the USDA SFSP Toolkit (https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/toolkit) for your media promotions? Or is the preference to create something new, tailored for MS Dept of Education?

Utilize the free United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) SFSP marketing resources when practicable.

Creating something new will need to be provided in the preliminary plan and strategy for the media coverage proposal to the MDE, to include a minimum of two types of coverage (e.g., radio/television spots, mobile advertising, social media, and digital billboards).

The USDA toolkit refers to two SFSP options: SUN Meals or Sun Meals to Go. Are you offering (and therefore promoting) both options or just one of them?

a. If just one, please confirm whether that is SUN Meals.

SUN Meals is USDA’s branding for all Summer Nutrition Meals. Some of these programs are not offered in Mississippi.

Therefore, the focus will be on congregate and noncongregate meals (SUN Meals and Sun Meals to Go (Summer Food Service Program).

The USDA toolkit refers to the program as SUN. This RFP refers to the program as “SFSP.” Is the preference to brand the program as SFSP in Mississippi or can/should the program leverage the assets from the USDA toolkit under the SUN name

SUN Meals (Summer Food Service Program) is the name to use. When referencing non-congregate meals, SUN Meals to Go should be utilized.

The creative assets in the USDA toolkit are not specific to Mississippi or the MS Department of Education/Office of Public Health. Is the preference to customize the assets to include your specific branding?

a. And if so, does this need to be branded with both the Office of Public Health and MS Department of Education logos?

b. Are there any other entities that would need to be included in the creative assets that run in Mississippi?

The USDA toolkit is for nationwide branding. Yes, the customization should be the Mississippi Department of Education Office of Child Nutrition.

a. No, only the Mississippi Department of Education Office of Child Nutrition.

b. No.

20 1.1 4

What is the call-to-action that you would like to be communicated?—What would you like the audience to do as a result of seeing your ads?

a. Is there a specific URL you would to send them to?

b. And/or is there a specific phone number you would like them to call

Increase parents’ awareness of summer feeding sites.

a. USDA Summer Meals for Kids Site Finder SUN Meals | Food and Nutrition Service.

b. Summer Meals Text Service Number: 914-342-7744 https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/toolkit https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sunmeals https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sunmeals

A note on the USDA website excludes Mississippi among the states that have data for finding summer meal sites. Will this data be searchable on the USDA site before this campaign kicks off?

a. Or will there be a separate locator tool for the state of Mississippi?

Yes.

The state submits data weekly to USDA for site advertisement purposes during the summer.

What does success look like to you for this campaign? The public is informed about the summer feeding sites available in their area to maximize participation.

23 2.3 5

What are the Key Performance Indicators you would like to measure?

The Request for Proposal deliverables list the following, but are not limited to:

The media coverage locations and saturation for the anticipated date range of May 25 through June 30.

24 2.3 5

What utilization metrics are you able to measure (to demonstrate usage of the services, particularly those attributable to the media campaign)

Performance measures (e.g., impression clicks, geofences, ads)

Can the destination landing page(s) accept tracking pixels so we can monitor the conversions on the page(s)?

It will depend on who manages the landing page.

Are there specific social media pages dedicated to these initiatives?

a. Who manages these social media pages?

b. Have you run paid social advertising from these social pages before?

Yes, there is a Facebook page.

a. The selected vendor manages the page.

b. Yes

2.3 Appendix J

and Appendix K

5, and

What are the priority markets, ranked in order, for this campaign to promote the 750+ feeding sites?

a. Are there any mandatory markets?

Review program information and data targeting areas of the state with a high percentage of children eligible for free lunch during the school year and low participation in SFSP and the 2024 National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the 2025 SFSP Data Sheet to review target areas (Appendix J and K).

a. The same answer as above.

28 2.3 4

The RFP references media coverage and cites examples like broadcast, digital media, social media, billboards. Would Earned Media be among the consideration set for this work, or would that fall under a separate scope?

a. If so, are there planned media worthy events, announcements or partnerships at this time?

b. What spokespeople might you have in mind for this campaign

Provide a preliminary plan and strategy for the media coverage proposal to the MDE to include a minimum of two types of coverage (e.g., radio/television spots, mobile advertising, social media, and digital billboards). Earned Media would not be among the considerations for this set of work.

2.3 and 2.4 and

How do you foresee the budget breakdown by percentage among the scope components outlined?

Details for the ratio of staff services expense versus media buy expense.

The Offeror will explain exactly what the State shall receive for this amount of funds and shall allow evaluators to determine the best proposals based upon the plan of action and the description of what the State shall receive in exchange for this amount.

30 2.4 5

Are hard costs (meals, hotel, transportation, events) covered in this budget?

The Offeror will explain exactly what the State shall receive for this amount of funds and shall allow evaluators to determine the best proposals based upon the plan of action and the description of what the State shall receive in exchange for this amount.

31 2.3 5

Who will the agency report to?

a. Can you describe the approval process for projects?

The agency makes a report to the USDA Food and Nutrition Services.

a. The selected vendor for this project will submit their preliminary plan and strategy for media coverage to the Mississippi Department of Education Office of Child Nutrition no later than May 15 for review and feedback.

32 7.4 11

How must the proposals be submitted?—Either printed/mailed or digital/MAGIC, or both

They can be submitted electronically via the Mississippi Accountability Governmental Information Collaboration System (MAGIC) no later than Friday, January 9, 2026, by 2:00 PM Central Standard Time (CST).

Or

Ship To :

MONIQUE CORLEY

Office of Procurement The Mississippi Department of Education (Summer Food Service Program Media Campaign) RFx # 3120003260 359 North West Street Jackson, Mississippi 39201

Amendment Number Two

NOTE: This amendment two is hereby made a part of the Mississippi Department of Education’s Request for Proposals.

The Vendor acknowledges receipt of said amendment and is made aware of the changes contained therein. By signing this form, the Offeror accepts the changes as part of the contract requirement.

Authorized Signature Date

Printed Name

Amendment Number Two