America250 Utah Communications Services

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing, in conjunction with the Department of Cultural and Community Engagement, is conducting a qualifications-based procurement under Utah Procurement Code 63G-6a Part 15 for Design Professional Service Providers and Consultants to provide America250 Utah Professional Communications Services. The contract period spans eight months, from May 2026 through December 2026. The vendor selected will develop and execute comprehensive communications and outreach services to support America250 Utah initiatives, including strategic messaging development, campaign planning and execution across owned, earned, and paid media channels, website and email newsletter management, social media coordination, press release and talking points development, advertising budget management in partnership with the agency Boncom, and collaboration with state agencies, municipalities, nonprofits, and sponsors. Evaluation of qualifications submissions will be based on four technical criteria: Strategic Communications Approach (175 points, 35% weight), Campaign Development and Multi-Channel Execution (150 points, 30% weight), Stakeholder Coordination and Program Support (75 points, 15% weight), and Content Development and Communications (100 points, 20% weight), with a maximum total score of 500 points and a minimum acceptable threshold of 375 points (75%). Vendors must demonstrate experience in developing strategic communications aligned with national positioning, managing advertising budgets and agency relationships, coordinating with diverse stakeholders, and producing quality written and digital content. Vendors are required to submit statements of qualifications through the Utah Procurement System (U3P) by the deadline of May 8, 2026, without including any pricing information; all questions must be submitted through U3P during the designated question and answer period. The highest-ranked vendor will be selected to negotiate a contract at fair and reasonable compensation to be determined through direct negotiation with the state; if negotiations fail with the top-ranked vendor, the state reserves the right to proceed with the next highest-ranked vendor.

The procurement documents do not specify set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or incumbent vendor information. Vendors must comply with all applicable federal and state employment laws, maintain workers' compensation and commercial general liability insurance with minimum coverage of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate, register with the Status Verification System (E-Verify) for Utah employees, and certify compliance with anti-boycott provisions, forced labor restrictions, and technology security requirements including FedRAMP or GovRAMP compliance for products processing or storing state data. All work product and custom deliverables created under the contract will be deemed work made for hire with ownership transferred to the state entity, though contractors retain rights to pre-existing intellectual property and residual knowledge. Contractors must maintain records for six years post-payment and comply with debarment certification requirements. The procurement documents do not specify the award value, budget range, or funding source for this engagement. Contracts are governed by Utah law with venue in Salt Lake County's Third Judicial District Court, and the state reserves the right to terminate for convenience with 30 days' written notice or without cause if federal or state legislation materially affects performance or available funding changes.