Colorado Water Plan Statewide Messaging Campaign

The Colorado Water Conservation Board, within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, is soliciting proposals under RFP PDAA 2027_0003 for a statewide messaging campaign that develops paid, earned, social, digital, and engagement strategies for the Colorado Water Plan, with proposals due November 23, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. MST. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses may claim a 5% price preference if registered and certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration's Center for Veteran Enterprise, with documentation submitted alongside the proposal. Colorado resident bidder preferences apply as defined by state statute.

The two-year scope covers research, strategy development, creative production, paid media placement, stakeholder engagement, and campaign evaluation. The campaign strategy must be finalized by June 30, 2027, with paid media launching in summer 2027. The State awards a single prime contractor. Subcontracting requires prior written State approval, and any markups on subcontracted services or media purchases must be disclosed. Paid media runs through the contractor's own accounts and bills at net cost with documentation. Work must be performed within Colorado unless advance written notice is provided. Out-of-state bidders are eligible but are evaluated on familiarity with Colorado markets and water issues. Required insurance includes workers' compensation, general liability, automobile, professional, crime, and protected information coverage, each with $1 million minimum limits, and the State must be named as additional insured.

The total budget is not to exceed $2 million, all-inclusive of agency fees, creative production, research, and media placement, funded through the CWCB Projects Bill (SB 24-1435 and HB 26-1338). The contract runs through January 31, 2029, with an anticipated project start of January 19, 2027. Payments are invoiced on percentage of task completion and issued only to the prime contractor. No incumbent currently provides similar services.

Proposals will be evaluated on qualifications, similar project experience with reference checks, project approach and schedule, and pricing representing best value to the State. Proposals are submitted through Colorado Vendor Self Service or Google Forms. The public opening is November 23, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. MST via Google Meet. The evaluation period runs November 24 through December 7, 2026, with interviews December 9–11, 2026, and an award notice expected by December 15, 2026. Amendment 02 contains the Q&A responses, and Amendment 03 is the current version.