Michigan State Lottery Advertising Services RFP Summary

The State of Michigan, through the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget on behalf of the Michigan State Lottery (MSL), is procuring comprehensive advertising and marketing services through Request for Proposal No. 260000000882. This procurement covers Grand Traverse County and multiple Lansing City jurisdictions and seeks a single contractor to provide integrated marketing strategy development, creative concept development and production, media planning and buying, traffic coordination, promotional agreement administration, and market research services designed to maximize net proceeds from lottery ticket sales while maintaining public trust. Deliverables encompass digital assets (HTML5 banners, display ads, digital outdoor ads), print materials, videoboard signage, video production for broadcast and social media, point-of-sale materials, and out-of-home advertising executions, with FY25 budget allocations of approximately $39.8 million distributed across television ($15.1 million), radio ($7.7 million), digital ($7.4 million), out-of-home ($2.3 million), and other channels. The contractor must establish a dedicated team including account management, creative services, production, media planning and buying, and research personnel meeting specified minimum experience levels and full-time equivalent commitments, while supporting approximately 30 campaigns annually including new game launches, seasonal promotions, iLottery product marketing, and sports sponsorships. The evaluation process consists of two steps: Step 1 technical evaluation with a minimum passing score of 224 points addressing the Vendor Questions Worksheet, experience demonstrations across seven service categories, and proposed contract terms, followed by Step 2 oral presentations requiring a minimum score of 48 points and addressing a comprehensive campaign strategy for launching a new $50 Fast Cash instant-win lottery game with a $5 million budget over one year. Critical deadlines include April 15, 2026 for bidder questions, April 24, 2026 for State answers, and May 6, 2026 at 11:50 a.m. Eastern for proposal submissions through the SIGMA VSS system with individual documents not exceeding 30 megabytes in modifiable native formats. The contract base term spans three years with four optional one-year renewal periods, with an implementation and transition period from October 3, 2026 through December 31, 2026, and full service commencement on January 1, 2027.

The State has not identified specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises in the primary contract award; however, if subcontractors perform more than 20 percent of deliverables, at least 20 percent of subcontracted work must be awarded to Michigan-based Geographically Disadvantaged Business Enterprises. The procurement may give consideration to qualified disabled veteran or service-disabled veteran-owned business status under Michigan law during evaluation. A current contractor exists for these services, though the State remains neutral regarding continuation versus transition to a new provider, and bidders should not assume any incumbent advantage or disadvantage in the selection process. The estimated contract value is $135,000,000 for the three-year base period and $45,000,000 per year for each optional renewal year, with pricing structured as percentage commissions for media planning and placement services, pass-through billing for Lottery-managed projects, and flat-rate or modified fees for in-house production work. Contractors must maintain firm pricing throughout the contract term with adjustments permitted only through documented cost changes negotiated within a 30-day review period, and must pass all cost reductions including volume and early payment discounts to the Lottery in the fiscal year incurred. All pixels, tags, audiences, and platform accounts must be owned by and transferable to the Lottery upon contract termination, and the contractor may propose preferred platforms for secure asset management and digital ad serving solutions. Contracts valued at $250,000 or greater require State Administrative Board approval, and proposals must be irrevocable and binding for 180 calendar days from submission.