Advertising Consulting Services

Monterey-Salinas Transit District (MST), a public transportation agency serving 159 square miles across Monterey County and portions of San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara Counties in California, is soliciting proposals for advertising consulting services through RFP #26-06. The procurement seeks qualified firms or individuals to increase advertising revenue through existing channels (Advertising on the Go/Shelters) and develop new revenue streams, with key responsibilities including actively seeking new business accounts, promoting existing accounts, exploring non-traditional revenue opportunities such as bus wraps and transit station advertising, proposing innovative advertising technologies, and providing monthly reports on activities and revenues. The contract will be effective November 1, 2026, for an initial three-year term with two optional one-year renewal periods. Proposals must be submitted by Monday, June 1, 2026, at 2:00 PM Pacific Time via MST's Bonfire eProcurement portal, with questions due by Monday, May 4, 2026, at 12:00 PM. Proposers must submit technical proposals not to exceed 20 pages (excluding resumes and required forms) along with a separate cost proposal utilizing the provided Cost Proposal Form. The evaluation committee will assess proposals based on firm qualifications (20 points), staffing and project organization (20 points), understanding of project requirements and approach (25 points), familiarity with MST's service area (10 points), and cost and price competitiveness (25 points). Proposals must remain valid and irrevocable for 120 days following the proposal due date.

The RFP documents do not specify set-asides or restrictions on organization types, nor do they identify incumbent contractors or designated disadvantaged enterprise programs. Proposers must submit pricing on a commission percentage basis that covers all materials, equipment, delivery, warranties, insurance, services, and other costs for the contract duration including option years. The selected consultant must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, including workers' compensation, commercial automobile liability, commercial general liability, and professional liability insurance with specific minimum limits ranging from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000, all naming MST as an additional insured with 30-day cancellation notice provisions and waiver of subrogation clauses. All work product, documents, designs, and files created during the contract term become the sole property of MST. MST reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, cancel the solicitation, conduct oral interviews, negotiate with proposers, and award the contract to the firm whose proposal is most responsive and offers the best advantage to MST, subject to Board of Directors approval. No specific pricing, budget ranges, or incumbent contractor information is detailed in the RFP documents.