California Brand Campaign

This Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued by the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) on February 24, 2026, seeking a single prime contractor to execute a comprehensive, data-driven California Brand Campaign. The solicitation encompasses website design and development, digital content creation, video production, and integrated earned and paid media strategies designed to highlight California's economic dominance, dispel misinformation about the state, reinforce its position as a premier tourism destination ahead of the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics, and position the state as a world-class location for business investment and relocation. The campaign targets multiple audiences including corporate decision-makers, investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, regional communities, media, and the general public, with earned media efforts permitted to extend internationally while paid media budgets are reserved for domestic placements only. The proposal submission deadline was March 13, 2026, at 5:00 PM PST, with questions required by March 4, 2026, and interviews scheduled for the weeks of March 16 and 23, 2026. A Notice of Intent to Award was expected between March 30 and April 3, 2026, with contract commencement anticipated for April 6, 2026, and the overall contract term concluding by December 31, 2026, with flexibility for final reporting and invoicing extending into early 2027. Evaluation criteria include Agency Experience and Expertise (10 points), Understanding of California Economy (15 points), Strategic Vision, Brand Strategy & Narrative Development (15 points), Creative and Media Strategies and Production (15 points), Data and Measurement (10 points), Budget, Cost Effectiveness, and Value (30 points), and Overall Proposal Quality & Project Speed (5 points), for a total of 100 possible points.

The procurement includes a mandatory 25 percent small business subcontracting requirement applied to the non-media budget portion, excluding the $14 million paid media allocation, with firms required to be certified by California's Department of General Services. Additionally, GO-Biz offers a five percent preference to California-certified small businesses or non-small businesses that subcontract at least 25 percent of their net bid price to small businesses or microbusinesses, and an additional five percent preference for prime contractors subcontracting at least five percent of their net bid price to Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises (DVBEs). There is no incumbent agency, as this represents a brand-new initiative with no existing contractor or infrastructure requiring integration. The total contract value is $19 million USD, inclusive of all agency fees, travel, and production costs, with up to $14 million USD designated specifically for paid media placements and the remaining $5 million available for agency fees, production, research, and other non-media costs. Proposers have flexibility to recommend strategic reallocation between media, research, and production costs if justified. All contractors must comply with California state certifications and requirements, including submission of required forms such as the STD. 204 Payee Data Record, Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC), Drug-Free Workplace Certification (STD. 21), and Bidder Declaration forms. Note that this procurement event is now closed with a Notice of Intent to Award issued, indicating the bidding period has concluded and award decisions have been finalized or are being completed.