Integrated Communication Plan

The City of Wichita, Kansas, Transportation Department is soliciting proposals through a Request for Proposal (RFP 260069) for an Integrated Communication Plan for Wichita Transit. The procurement encompasses three primary service areas: strategic messaging and branding to develop unified narratives explaining service changes, route modifications, and a new app launch with associated graphic design and media coordination; public information and rider education including materials for facility relocation, route changes, app adoption campaigns, and community engagement; and crisis and change management with frequently asked questions, launch day response plans, and messaging templates for customer service staff. Respondents must demonstrate a minimum of five years' experience in similar services, with municipal government experience preferred, and must be registered with the Kansas Secretary of State before contract execution. The evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: ability to meet proposal terms and conditions (10%), project understanding and presentation (35%), technical qualifications and resources (35%), cost (10%), and Small & Emerging Business Enterprise program participation (10%). The proposal submission deadline is 10:00 a.m. on April 17, 2026, with questions due by 5:00 p.m. on March 31, 2026 and answers provided by April 3, 2026. Evaluation is scheduled for the week of May 4, 2026, with City Council approval anticipated in June 2026. The contract term is one year with one optional one-year renewal period under mutual agreement, subject to thirty-day cancellation notice by either party.

The City of Wichita actively encourages participation from Small & Emerging Business Enterprises, as this criterion represents ten percent of the evaluation weighting. Proposers must submit a not-to-exceed fee for professional services along with proposed hourly billing rates and expected hours needed over the contract period; however, no specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the solicitation documents. Required insurance includes Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 each occurrence / $2,000,000 annual aggregate), Comprehensive Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 each occurrence), Workers' Compensation meeting statutory requirements, and Employers Liability ($1,000,000 each accident). Contractors must be currently licensed by the City or State of Kansas where applicable and comply with all federal, state, and local laws, including the Kansas Open Records Act and Americans with Disabilities Act provisions. The contract is subject to FTA Required Clauses Master Agreement 34, which imposes mandatory federal compliance requirements including civil rights compliance, record retention for three years following contract completion, domestic procurement preferences, and prohibitions on covered telecommunications equipment from specified Chinese and foreign entities. All proposals become public record upon City Council approval, and the City of Wichita will not be subject to arbitration.