Advertising Agency Services

Rockingham Community College (RCC) in North Carolina is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for advertising agency services specializing in higher education marketing. The selected agency will be responsible for identifying and communicating with prospective and current students to generate interest in the college, increase applications, and improve completion rates through comprehensive marketing campaigns utilizing multiple channels including direct mail, email, digital media, social media advertising, geo-fencing, radio, television, and streaming buys. Key deliverables include developing marketing strategies and advertising assets, executing paid advertising media placements, and providing real-time campaign reporting and analytics. Qualified vendors must be registered as North Carolina vendors in good standing, demonstrate financial stability through certification, possess expertise in digital advertising strategies, provide at least three customer references demonstrating similar service experience, and comply with all federal and state employment and fair hiring requirements including E-Verify verification. The evaluation criteria prioritize vendor technical approach, qualifications and experience, and pricing in descending order of importance, with awards made on a best-value basis. The RFP timeline requires written questions to be submitted by April 27, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET with responses provided by April 29, 2026, and proposals must be submitted electronically through the North Carolina Electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) by May 1, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET. The initial contract term is one year beginning May 1, 2026, with options for renewal for up to two additional one-year terms contingent upon written notice at least thirty days before the end of each term.

The RFP actively encourages participation from minority-owned and women-owned businesses, with a stated goal of ten percent utilization of diverse firms as first or second tier subcontractors. No specific funding amount or budget range is identified in the RFP materials, with award values to be determined through the evaluation process. The RFP does not identify any incumbent vendors or current contractors. The State reserves the right to negotiate with one or more vendors, require best and final offers, reject all proposals, or cancel the RFP entirely if deemed in the State's best interest. Vendors should note that pricing proposals must include separate line items for strategy and advertising asset development, paid advertising media placement, and other costs, with detailed invoicing breakdowns required to match contract prices.