Marq is a web-based design and branding platform that provides tools for UNM health sciences staff and clinicians to produce on-brand marketing collateral, including flyers, brochures, presentations, digital creative, newsletters and publications. These I

The University of New Mexico (UNM) Health Sciences department is pursuing a sole source procurement for Marq, a web-based design and branding platform that provides software licensing and design tools for staff and clinicians. The procurement involves acquiring software to enable the creation of marketing collateral such as flyers, brochures, presentations, digital creative, newsletters, and publications. The contract will run from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, with a total value of approximately $57,000. UNM seeks to expand its existing licensing to meet increasing demand for design and marketing tools, with a specific focus on maintaining branding consistency and operational efficiency for the Health Sciences marketing team. The platform has been in use since 2020, during which time nearly 20,000 projects have been created, and hundreds of personnel have been trained on its tools. UNM conducted research on alternative platforms like Canva and Adobe Express but determined that recreating their current workflow and knowledge base would be prohibitively expensive and complex.

The procurement appears to be unrestricted, with no specific set-aside designations or limitations on responding organizations mentioned in the documentation. Marq is the sole source vendor for this contract, justified by the platform's unique capabilities and UNM's significant existing investment in the system, including extensive template and asset development. The contract does not indicate any requirements for disadvantaged enterprises or specific vendor restrictions. The existing technology infrastructure involves a web-based design platform with comprehensive branding and design tools, which UNM has already integrated into its workflow. The budget for this procurement is clearly defined at approximately $57,000 for the one-year contract period, covering software licensing and platform access for UNM Health Sciences staff and clinicians. The procurement is scheduled to be initiated on July 1, 2024, with a submission deadline of July 26, 2025, for the proposed sole source purchase.