DNR Advertising, Public Relations and Marketing

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is requesting proposals for full-service advertising, public relations, and marketing services to research, create, and implement statewide campaigns focused on water safety, recreational safety, boating and ice safety, off-highway motor vehicle safety, snowmobile safety, firearm safety, DNR career recruitment, and environmental awareness, with proposals due September 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM Central Time through the SWIFT Supplier Portal.

Minnesota-based small businesses, minority-owned enterprises, women-owned businesses, businesses owned by individuals with substantial physical disabilities, veteran-owned businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, or businesses located in or owned by residents of economically disadvantaged counties may be eligible for the state's Small Business Procurement Program; interested vendors should contact the Office of Equity in Procurement for certification information.

The scope encompasses strategic research-based marketing insights, campaign design and development, creative design services, data analytics, market research, digital media and website applications, and paid media buys across television, radio, online, social media, print, and out-of-home platforms. All deliverables must be accessible in compliance with Section 508 standards and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 levels A and AA. Responders must demonstrate a minimum of five years of industry experience, provide three client references including at least one from a government agency with statewide media campaign billing of at least $200,000 annually, submit key staff resumes with two work samples per person, and include case studies demonstrating campaign strategy and results. All storage and processing of information must be performed within U.S. borders; foreign outsourcing is prohibited. The State retains exclusive ownership of all final deliverables, data, assets, and products.

The estimated budget is $200,000 per state fiscal year. The contract term runs October 2026 through October 2028, with options to extend up to an additional three years. Contractors must allocate the annual budget across six service categories: Account Services, Market Research and Planning, Creative Design Services, Paid Media Planning and Buying, Media Expenditure, and Photography/Videography. All media charges must be billed to the State at the contractor's net cost with no markup allowed, and all commissions must be passed to the State.

Proposals are evaluated on a 1,000-point scale plus up to 120 additional preference points, weighted across demonstrated experience and ability (400 points), effective work plan and deliverables (300 points), and cost detail (300 points). Selection is anticipated by September 22, 2026. Contracts exceeding $100,000 require a Workforce Certificate from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights; contracts exceeding $500,000 also require an Equal Pay Certificate. Insurance requirements include Commercial General Liability, Commercial Automobile Liability, Workers' Compensation, and Privacy Liability Insurance at $2,000,000 per occurrence.