ADCRC Public Relations Services

The State of Illinois Central Management Services (CMS) is seeking public relations services for the African Descendant Citizens Reparations Commission (ADCRC) through a Request for Proposal (RFP) numbered 24-416CMS-BOSS4-B-43531. The contractor will provide strategic communications support to drive engagement with African Descent-Citizens across Illinois, with key objectives including generating attendance at public hearings, increasing website traffic, producing social media impressions, and collecting survey responses. Specific required services encompass community organization outreach, social media campaigns, public event coordination, radio and television campaigns, and email distributions. The RFP requires the contractor to facilitate 9 public forums across Illinois, targeting attendance of 200-500 people per event and collecting 5,000-10,000 email addresses for survey distribution. Evaluation criteria will include a Commitment to Diversity (C2D) factor accounting for 20% of the technical score, with six scoring categories covering BEP goal compliance, subcontracting, DEI spend, DEI time, DEI policies, and diversity in staffing. Key dates include a pre-submission conference on December 4, 2024, questions due by December 16, 2024, and proposals due on January 7, 2025.

The procurement includes an 8% Business Enterprise Program (BEP) goal for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. The state has provided a detailed BEP directory of 54 certified vendors in advertising, communications, marketing, and media production services, with most certifications being Women Business Enterprise (WBE) or Minority Business Enterprise (MBE). The contract will have an initial term of 24 months with one optional 12-month renewal, not to exceed 10 years total. The total estimated budget is $325,000 over three years, with $125,000 allocated for year one, $100,000 for year two, and $100,000 for the optional third year renewal. Vendors must submit pricing through the BidBuy system and are restricted from exceeding the contracted amounts. No specific incumbent vendors are mentioned, and vendors must complete extensive documentation including Standard Illinois Certifications, vendor disclosures, and Commitment to Diversity documentation to be considered responsive. Successful vendors will need to demonstrate significant experience in public relations, community engagement, and diversity and inclusion practices.