Management of campus sponsorships, digital advertising and athletics multimedia rights

Tarleton State University Procurement Services is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to select a qualified contractor to manage campus sponsorships, digital advertising, and athletics multimedia rights under an integrated agreement. The procurement encompasses two primary service areas: management of advertising across non-athletics digital assets including campus digital signage, guest Wi-Fi and 5G networks, and exclusive management of sponsorship, advertising, and multimedia rights for Tarleton Athletics and Rodeo. Vendors may submit proposals for the entire scope or individual components, with the University reserving the right to make multiple awards by component as deemed advantageous. Proposals must be submitted by 2:00 PM Central Time on April 2, 2026, with an anticipated contract award date of April 9, 2026 and an expected contract start date of June 1, 2026. The contract term is five years with an option to renew for up to five additional years if mutually agreed upon. Required deliverables include detailed pricing proposals with Annual Average Value (AAV) guarantees per fiscal year separated by Athletics/Rodeo multimedia rights and campus-wide digital assets, cash or signing bonuses for the first three years, capital investment plans, financial stability documentation, implementation timelines, and references from comparable programs within the last five years. Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: program management experience (20%), revenue generation (20%), strategic initiatives including NIL integration (15%), implementation planning (10%), capital investment and assets (10%), financial stability (10%), and other factors including audit rights, performance flexibility, and references. The University retains significant carve-outs including control over conference-level media rights, institutional trademarks, university-level corporate relationships, and all student-athlete NIL agreements, with restricted advertising categories including sports wagering, cannabis, firearms, and political campaigns.

VETHUB subcontracting goals apply if subcontractors are used, and failure to submit a comprehensive VETHUB Subcontracting Plan will result in RFP rejection, indicating that minority-owned and veteran-owned businesses are prioritized in this procurement. Required insurance coverage includes workers' compensation, commercial general liability of $2,000,000 aggregate, and professional liability coverage. A comprehensive asset inventory audit must be completed and approved by the University prior to contract execution. No pre-proposal conference has been scheduled for this solicitation. The RFP does not identify any incumbent vendors, current contractors, or specific budget ranges; however, the emphasis on Annual Average Value guarantees and signing bonuses suggests the University expects significant financial commitments and revenue generation from the selected contractor. The integration requirements include existing campus digital signage, guest Wi-Fi and 5G networks, and institutional relationships that the contractor must coordinate with during implementation and throughout the contract term.