Management of campus sponsorships, digital advertising and athletics multimedia rights

Tarleton State University, a member of The Texas A&M University System, has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking a qualified contractor to provide comprehensive management of campus digital advertising and intercollegiate athletics multimedia rights (MMR). The scope of services encompasses managing sponsorships, advertising, and multimedia rights for Tarleton Athletics and Rodeo across television, radio, digital signage, hospitality, special events, fan engagement, social media, in-venue promotions, publications, and game day programs, as well as overseeing campus-wide digital advertising across non-athletics digital assets including digital signage, guest Wi-Fi, and 5G networks. Respondents must provide an Annual Average Value (AAV) guarantee separated by Athletics and Rodeo MMR and campus-wide digital assets, along with cash or signing bonuses for the first three years and capital investment projections. Key qualifications required include comprehensive financial statements demonstrating stability, three client references with comparable experience in both athletics and campus-wide multimedia programs, evidence of ability to sustain operations during market fluctuations, and completion of a mandatory asset inventory audit before contract execution. The evaluation criteria emphasize program management experience (20%), revenue generation (20%), strategic initiatives including NIL integration (15%), implementation plan (10%), capital investment (10%), financial stability (10%), and audit and approval rights (5%). Proposals are due February 26, 2026, at 2:00 PM Central Time, with answers to submitted questions to be posted by February 9, 2026. The anticipated award date is April 1, 2026, with an expected contract start date of June 1, 2026, and the contract term is five years with an option to renew for an additional five years if mutually agreed upon by both parties.

Respondents are required to submit a VETHUB Subcontracting Plan if subcontractors will be used, with specific VETHub goals for various categories, indicating set-aside considerations for veteran-owned and disadvantaged enterprises. Insurance requirements include Commercial General Liability coverage of $2,000,000 aggregate, Workers' Compensation, and Automobile Liability coverage. The University retains significant carve-outs and reserved rights, including control over conference-level media rights, institutional trademarks, university-level corporate relationships, and approval authority over all sponsorship agreements, restricted advertising categories, and NIL-related activities. No incumbent vendor or current contractor information is specified in the solicitation materials. The specific award value or budget range is not disclosed in the RFP; however, respondents are required to provide AAV guarantees that will form the basis for financial evaluation and award determination. The solicitation requires respondents to demonstrate financial stability and the capacity to generate revenue throughout the contract term while managing both athletics and campus-wide digital assets.