OC Streetcar Ridership Marketing and Customer Communications Program

The Orange County Transportation Authority is requesting proposals for a ridership marketing and customer communications program for the OC Streetcar under RFP 250036, with proposals due December 22, 2025 at 2 p.m., and interviews scheduled for January 13, 2026.

This procurement is administered on a DBE-neutral basis; the U.S. Department of Transportation's Interim Final Rule on the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program, effective October 3, 2025, suspended DBE goals and paused DBE crediting pending reevaluation by the California Unified Certification Program. Although no specific DBE participation goal is established, offerors must document good faith efforts to include DBE participation where feasible and submit a DBE Participation Commitment Form with their proposals, along with valid DBE Certification IDs from the California Unified Certification Program and a DBE Letter of Acknowledgement from each proposed DBE firm by 4 p.m. on the second business day after the proposal due date.

The scope encompasses developing and executing a comprehensive marketing and customer engagement program for a new 4.15-mile modern streetcar line (expected to begin revenue service in 2026) connecting the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center to Downtown Santa Ana and a transit hub in Garden Grove. The consultant will conduct market research, develop brand identity and collateral, execute targeted advertising campaigns, manage social media presence, coordinate community outreach and launch events, and provide translation services in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Farsi. The program targets diverse audiences including residents, commuters, students, employers, community organizations, and visitors, with emphasis on reaching disadvantaged and hard-to-reach communities. Key deliverables include quarterly marketing reports with metrics, monthly invoices with budget summaries, annual program evaluations with return-on-investment analysis, and a project archive documenting marketing activities via cloud-based platforms. The consultant must maintain a dedicated project manager and creative director throughout the contract term; the project manager may not be removed without OCTA's written consent.

The estimated contract value is $200,000 for an initial two-year term, with an optional two-year renewal term valued at $250,000, bringing the potential full contract value to $450,000. The contract is structured as time-and-expense with fully-burdened hourly rates covering all direct and indirect costs, taxes, and profit. Funding is provided through local Measure M sources. The initial term runs through January 31, 2027; the option term extends through January 31, 2029.

Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: qualifications of the firm (30%), work plan (25%), cost (25%), and staffing and project organization (20%). Questions are due December 2, 2025, with responses provided by December 9. Proposals must not exceed 50 pages (excluding appendices, cover letters, resumes, and forms) and must be submitted electronically only. Proposals must remain firm for 120 days from submission. The selected consultant must procure commercial general liability ($1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate), automobile liability ($1 million combined single limit), workers' compensation, employers' liability ($1 million per accident and per disease), and professional liability insurance ($1 million), with OCTA named as additional insured; proof of insurance is due within ten calendar days of contract execution and prior to work commencement. Contract execution is anticipated by January 27, 2026.