VT25-004 Vendor questions and addendum.pdf

Valley Transit Request for Proposals Public relations & Marketing Services, RFP VT25‐004

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TO: ALL PROPOSERS

FROM: CITY OF APPLETON – VALLEY TRANSIT

DATE: SEPTEMBER 23, 2025

SUBJECT: ADDENDUM #1

Attached is Addendum #1.

If you intend to submit a proposal for the City of Appleton, Public Relations & Marketing Services RFP (RFP VT25-004) dated September 10, 2025, please acknowledge receipt of this Addendum by completing the information below and include this completed signature page within the submittal proposal.

Vendor Name: _________________________________________

Name & Title of Vendor’s Authorized Official:_________________________________________

Signature:_________________________________________

Date:_________________________________________

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1. Are you looking for the firm to complete all goals/tasks for $50,000/year?

Answer: Yes. As the RFP indicates, there may be other work related to campaigns or special events where addition expense is authorized by Valley Transit.

2. If we could do portions of it within that budget, would you be open to receiving that response?

Answer: No.

3. Is there an incumbent agency currently working with Valley Transit on PR and marketing efforts, or one that has done so in the past?

Answer: Yes.

4. Success Metrics: What key performance indicators will define success for this marketing contract? For example, does Valley Transit have specific targets for ridership increase or public awareness improvement (e.g. percentage growth in ridership, higher customer satisfaction scores, social media engagement metrics, etc.), or will the agency be expected to help define those? (The RFP states broad goals of increasing ridership and improving perception but does not list quantifiable targets.) Understanding how success will be measured will help us focus our strategy.

Answer: Valley Transit has operational KPI and ridership is a focus. Regarding marketing initiatives, we review data from areas like social media engagement with help from the contracted firm. Recent campaigns have focused more on driver recruitment, where new applications received is one key indicator. Driver recruitment is a current point of emphasis for Valley Transit.

5. Priority Audiences: Among the “existing riders, potential riders, and general public” mentioned as key audiences, are there particular segments or demographics that Valley Transit wants to prioritize? For instance, is Valley Transit especially interested in reaching certain groups (e.g. commuters, students, seniors, specific neighborhoods or communities) that have high potential for ridership growth? Any insight into target sub-audiences or market research on who the likely new riders are would help in tailoring our response.

Answer: Valley Transit has limited resources for market research data. This RFP prioritizes public relations and social media management. Marketing and advertising are desired capabilities from the awarded firm, but secondary needs for Valley Transit.

6. Baseline Data & Trends: Will Valley Transit provide current data or research regarding ridership trends and public perception? For example, do you have recent survey results or rider feedback on why people do or don’t use the bus, or any studies of public awareness of Valley Transit services? Access to such background information (or baseline metrics like current annual ridership numbers, website traffic, social media following, etc.) would help us formulate a more informed marketing plan. If no recent research exists, should the proposal include conducting market research as a first step?

Answer: Valley Transit will provide any available data to the awarded firm. Valley Transit has previously conducted rider surveys that contain some basic demographics.

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7. Upcoming Initiatives or Changes: Are there any major service changes or strategic initiatives planned in the next few years that the marketing strategy should align with? For instance, is Valley Transit considering route expansions, fare changes, a new transit center, fleet upgrades (electric buses), or a rebranding effort that the marketing campaigns should incorporate?

Answer: Yes. We will discuss future initiatives in detail with the awarded vendor.

8. Stakeholder Involvement: Beyond Valley Transit staff, are there other key stakeholders who will influence or need to be kept in mind for the marketing strategy? For example, the Fox Cities Transit Commission or City of Appleton officials – will they set any strategic directions or approvals for campaigns? Also, are there community partners or major employers in the region that Valley Transit collaborates with (for instance, colleges/universities, business associations) as part of ridership promotion? Knowing this could help us propose relevant partnership strategies.

Answer: Valley Transit staff will provide strategic direction during meetings with the awarded vendor.

9. Incumbent Performance: Can you share any lessons learned from the incumbent marketing/PR firm’s efforts for Valley Transit. And what precipitated the need for an RFP – was it legislation of the 5-year contractor or some other motivation? Understanding what has or hasn’t worked in current efforts (e.g., particular campaigns or tactics that were successful or areas Valley Transit wants to improve upon) would be extremely valuable in crafting our approach.

Answer: The current contract for this service will expire, so Valley Transit is looking to review proposals and establish a new contract.

10. Budget Breakdown: Can you provide an average percentage breakdown of the past few years’ marketing activities performed by the incumbent? For example, how much time was dedicated to social media versus media buying or emergency response?

Answer: Most time was dedicated to public relations and social media management.

11. Creative Asset Production: What level of in-house resources does Valley Transit have for things like photography, videography, and graphic design, or will the agency need to provide all creative production? The RFP indicates the firm must have extensive graphic design capabilities and produce all creative materials. We want to confirm if, for instance, professional photography/videography for campaigns should be included in our scope (and budget).

Answer: This RFP prioritizes public relations and social media management. Valley Transit has limited in-house resources for creative production. When creative is needed, Valley Transit relies on assistance from the awarded vendor. This would include the vendor’s in-house capabilities or 3rd party support.

12. Media Buying and Placement: Should we assume placing ads (digital, print, radio, etc.) is part of the agency’s role, and the agency is expected to pay for ad placements and be

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Answer: Ad placement would be completed by the awarded vendor. Invoicing for ads are provided directly to Valley Transit for payment. Valley Transit has no preferred media channels. Valley Transit does not buy a significant amount of media.

13. Campaign Approvals: What will the approval process be for marketing materials and campaigns? For instance, will all campaign plans and content need to be approved by the General Manager or a committee before execution? Knowing the review process (and how quick turnaround can be for approvals) will help us schedule projects.

Answer: Approvals are made internally and are typically provided by the General Manager or his designee.

14. Contract Start and Onboarding: Should we assume the anticipated contract start date for services to begin January 1st? Additionally, will there be an opportunity for a transition period with the outgoing contractor or Valley Transit staff before full start (especially if an incumbent exists)?

Answer: The contract is expected to begin on 1/1/2026. There will be no transition period.

15. Key Milestones: Are there any key events or seasonal campaigns we should be aware of in the first year’s marketing calendar? For example, does Valley Transit participate in any annual community events, rider appreciation days, back-to-school promotions, etc., that the marketing plan should include? If the contract starts around the New Year, are there winter or spring campaigns anticipated (perhaps a “try transit in the new year” push, or something aligned with a service change schedule)? Early knowledge of these would help in proposal planning.

Answer: Beyond our social media calendar, promotional campaigns or events are determined each year based on available resources.

16. Reporting Cadence: Are there specific reporting requirements (monthly progress reports, quarterly performance presentations, etc.) that the agency should budget time for? Defining the cadence of reporting deliverables will help us allocate account management time in our proposal.

Answer: Valley Transit has no specific reporting requirements. We currently receive monthly reporting on activities. There will be continual communications with the awarded vendor to determine the cadence of future reporting to assess campaigns or other activities.

17. Interdepartmental or Partnership Coordination: Will the marketing firm be expected to coordinate with other entities, such as the City of Appleton’s communications/public information office or the DOT? For example, if there’s a city-wide initiative or emergency communication protocol, would we need to interface with the City’s comms team to ensure consistency. Knowing this helps ensure our plan accounts for any approval layers or collaboration.

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Answer: Valley Transit is a department of the City of Appleton. Valley Transit’s service area includes 9 municipalities and 3 counties. Communications will be coordinated with relevant partnering agencies at the direction of Valley Transit.

18. Emergency/Crisis Communications Plan: Is there an existing crisis/communications plan that the selected firm will update and follow, or if developing a robust plan from scratch should be part of the scope? Also, can you give examples of the types of incidents in recent years that required public communication, and how they were handled and how frequently did they occur? We also want to clarify if the 30-minute response expectation covers 24/7 availability; should our team plan to be on-call at all times for such incidents?

Answer: Valley Transit has an existing Crisis Communications Plan. This plan will be reviewed with the awarded vendor and revised where appropriate.

Valley Transit is staffed from 5am to 6pm Monday-Friday and 7am-2pm on Saturday.

Emergency incidents requiring the awarded firm’s support are very infrequent.

However, there needs to be an emergency call tree, at a minimum, when support is needed.

19. What hours are social media posts expected to be managed?

Valley Transit is staffed from 5am to 6pm Monday-Friday and 7am-2pm on Saturday. At a minimum, posts occurring during these hours should be responded with timely and accurate information. During special events, service detours, weather related events and emergencies, the awarded firm is expected to post information on social media to allow for the most timely and accurate information for our customers and the public.

Media mentions should be monitored 24/7 electronically.