Notice of Special Procurement - Amtrak Marketing Services Extension (DASOBO -00157514)

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), through the Department of Administrative Services Procurement Services (DAS PS), is pursuing a Special Procurement amendment for Amtrak Cascades Marketing Services with D2 Creative, LLC. The procurement involves extending an existing contract (Contract No. B37744) for comprehensive marketing services to optimize ridership for the Amtrak Cascades passenger rail service. Specific deliverables include developing and executing a marketing plan encompassing content creation, website maintenance, social media management, email campaigns, ridership growth strategies, and media placements. The contract extension will run from December 15, 2025, through June 15, 2027, providing continuity while ODOT completes a new competitive solicitation. A seven-calendar-day protest period is in effect, ending November 27, 2025, during which affected parties may submit written protests to the State Chief Procurement Officer. The single point of contact for questions is Tracy Raby, Procurement & Contract Specialist, reachable at 971-446-1331 or tracy.raby@odot.oregon.gov.

The special procurement is a sole-source extension with D2 Creative, LLC, the incumbent contractor, with no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational respondents mentioned. The total estimated cost for this amendment is $496,000, which will bring the cumulative contract value to $3,294,850. Cost breakdown includes $306,000 for administrative and marketing services (covering 2,750 estimated hours), $175,000 for media costs (including Rose Festival sponsorship, print advertising, pay-per-click campaigns, paid social media, programmatic advertising, and out-of-home advertising), and $15,000 for subscriptions and tools related to analytics and SEO. The procurement is justified under ORS 279B.085, with the rationale that extending the current contract will provide continued public benefit and maintain access to valuable marketing content for Amtrak Cascades riders during the transition to a new competitive procurement. The Department of Administrative Services approved the special procurement on November 18, 2025, with the condition that the seven-day public notice period on OregonBuys is completed and any potential protests are resolved before contract amendment execution.