Development & Implementation - Intergrated Destination Marketing Research Studies

The Pinellas County Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit St. Pete-Clearwater) is seeking a contractor to develop and implement integrated destination marketing research studies to promote tourism in Pinellas County, Florida. The contract is for a 72-month period with an option for a 12-month extension, with proposals due by August 14, 2025, at 3:00 pm. The required research studies include comprehensive visitor profile studies, economic impact analyses, ad effectiveness studies, brand awareness studies, and various topical tourism research such as fiscal and calendar year summaries, resident perception studies, and international visitor studies. Evaluation of proposals will be based on a 1,000-point system, with the highest weight (325 points or 32.5%) placed on background, qualifications, and approach to research studies, while pricing will account for 15% of the total evaluation score. The contractor will be responsible for maintaining critical datasets from providers like Smith Travel Research and Key Data, with an estimated $145,000 budget for data subscriptions in Fiscal Year 2026.

The procurement appears to have several compliance requirements, including mandatory affidavits related to common carrier attestation, human trafficking, foreign countries of concern, and other state-specific regulations. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned in the documentation. The evaluation committee comprises five members from organizations including Adara, PIE (Partnerships in Excellence), a local aquarium, and Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, suggesting a multi-stakeholder approach to vendor selection. The county will not reimburse the consultant for travel, overhead, operational, or other related costs, and pricing should be inclusive of all required services. Contractors must complete several standard forms, including ePayables, W-9, Addendum Acknowledgement, and Certificates of Insurance, with proposals required to be organized into five distinct tabs: Qualifications/Experience/Background, Approach, Statement of Work, Compensation, and Exceptions. While a specific total contract value was not disclosed, the annual data subscription budget of $145,000 provides some insight into the potential scale of the project.