SOW-Communications (final 04.22.2025).pdf

April 22, 2025

Election Assistance Commission (EAC)

Statement of Work (SOW) Purpose Title: Communications

Background:

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is an independent, bipartisan commission whose mission is to help election officials improve the administration of elections and help Americans participate in the voting process.

In effort to assist election administrators around the country, the EAC requires a robust communications strategy and media expertise to enhance the profile of the agency, disseminate its work product, and provide information to election officials and the public. The contractor will collaborate with EAC staff to develop and implement a suite of communications services, including strategic planning, crisis communications, messaging, creative design, and graphics development.

Scope of Work The Contractor shall provide the following services:

Strategic Media Support:

• Develop a formal, comprehensive media strategy to raise the EAC’s profile and consistently communicate its leadership and expertise.

Media Calendar: Develop and maintain a strategic earned media calendar of news opportunities and public activities, such as those outlined in this document.

Media Guidance: Provide ongoing counsel to the EAC regarding media relations and strategy and advise on earned media placement.

Message Development: Develop messaging that will inform all communications throughout the engagement.

• Media Content Development: Develop all content required to underpin media relations strategy, including but not limited to media fact sheets, editorial board memos, op-eds, media backgrounders, and press releases.

• Media Relations: Hands-on pitching and placing of stories, responding to inquiries, including:

Developing press releases, op-eds, and other content on behalf of the EAC as needed.

Developing opportunities with outlets across the political spectrum

Fielding incoming media inquiries, developing responses, and issuing statements in real time.

Pitching regular stories about the EAC.

Coordinating interview opportunities with key reporters.

Arranging media briefings.

• Rapid Response and Crisis Communications: Monitor traditional, digital, and social media to identify emerging themes and develop and deploy appropriate responses as necessary.

• Media List: Develop and maintain a list of media contacts and reporters for targeted outreach on behalf of the EAC.

This should include media outlets across the political spectrum

Foundational Collateral and Content:

• Develop and refresh foundational documents to support outreach activity. This may include:

Fact sheets

Stakeholder toolkits

Thought leadership framework

Backgrounders

Tough Q&A

• Written Content (Up to 30 hours/month): Develop written content for Commissioners and the Executive Director of EAC as needed including speeches, presentations, talking points and memos.

Social Media

• Contribute to the EAC’s internal social media capacity, including:

Social Media Copy: Develop copy to drive ongoing calendar of social media activity. Includes up to three shareable graphics and one infographic per month.

Content Optimization: Optimize all content for platform-specific engagement and device compatibility, including thought-leadership pieces, videos, infographics, and other materials.

Social Media Graphics: Develop graphics that match EAC branding and enhance the material being promoted on the various platforms the EAC uses. -

Annual report:

• Design an approximately 130-page annual report for the EAC with at least three rounds of creative revisions, to be delivered in January 2026.

• Creative (Up to 25 Hours Per Month): Ongoing support to design materials adhering to the EAC’s style guide, including, but not limited to:

EAC Branded Resources and Toolkits

EAC Reports

EAC Commissioner Presentations

Special Event Materials

Evergreen and Milestone-Specific Social Media Graphics

Fact Sheets and One-Pagers

EAC Board Materials

Performance Requirements/ Tasks

The contractor shall establish a complete internal Quality Control Plan (QCP) that includes methods for monitoring, identifying, and correcting deficiencies for each performance category. The QCP shall be maintained by the contractor to ensure the requirements of this statement of work are met as specified in the Quality Assurance

Surveillance Plan (QASP). The Contractor shall report any performance issues that they find immediately to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

The Government will evaluate performance in accordance with this Quality Assurance

Surveillance Plan (QASP). The purpose of the QASP is to ensure reliable and uninterrupted services are provided in accordance with the SOW. This plan shall also ensure acceptable performance and assist in avoiding unnecessary mistakes and/or delays.

Oversight/Surveillance

Random Evaluation. Spot checks of deliverables and services will be conducted, and the frequency of the checks will be adjusted based on quality trends. The Government retains the right to inspect all requirements of this statement of work.

Performance Categories and Standards

The COR will summarize and document the contractor’s service and delivery utilizing the following categories and standards:

a) Quality of Service: Tasks and Deliverables were 100% completed within the expectation of the Government by the contractor.

b) Schedule/Timeliness: Tasks and Deliverables were 99% completed within the agreed upon schedule and specified deadlines.

c) Cost Control: Costs were 99% managed within budget. Overruns are properly justified and are promptly reported.

d) Business Relations: Customer service and interactions were 99% responsive and professional.

e) Management of Key Personnel and/or Subcontractors: Contractor management of key personnel and subcontractors was 99% effective in successfully performing the tasks of the order.

Deliverables and Schedule

Deliverables are defined in the scope.

Period of Performance

The contract period of performance is from September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2026.

Place of Performance

The contractor will plan and perform work in its own space, using its own equipment.

Key Personnel

Vendor must provide qualified personnel to perform the required services. Relevant experience and expertise must be demonstrated, especially in media relations, communications strategy, and public affairs. (e.g., experience with federal agencies or electoral processes is preferred.)

Additional Requirements

The contractor shall ensure all communication materials, media outreach, and digital content comply with applicable federal laws and regulations, including the Privacy Act, Section 508 (Accessibility), and FISMA where applicable. No personally identifiable information (PII) shall be collected or shared without written authorization from the

EAC.

The contractor shall conduct a mock communications drill in collaboration with EAC staff within the first 90 days of the contract start date. The objective is to test rapid response capabilities, messaging coordination, and media handling during a simulated election-related incident.

All media, communications products, data, and other work products (including but not limited to graphics, copy, reports, presentations, toolkits, and social media content) developed under this contract shall be considered “works for hire” and shall become the sole property of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC).

The contractor shall ensure that all deliverables are free from digital rights management

(DRM) or any other technical restrictions that may limit the Government’s use, reproduction, or distribution of the material.

The contractor shall not assert, and shall ensure that no third-party asserts, any copyright, licensing claim, or other intellectual property rights over deliverables created under this contract. The Government shall have unlimited rights in accordance with FAR 52.227-14 –

Rights in Data – General and any applicable alternatives. Any use of licensed third-party content (e.g., stock images, fonts, or templates) must be pre-approved by the Contracting

Officer’s Representative (COR) and accompanied by proof of license that grants the

Government perpetual, royalty-free, and unrestricted use.