OC Streetcar Ridership Marketing and Customer Communications Program

The Orange County Transportation Authority is soliciting proposals from qualified consultants for the OC Streetcar Ridership Marketing and Customer Communications Program, with questions due November 4, 2026 and proposals due November 18, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. No formal small business set-aside applies, though the Authority encourages subcontracting with small businesses to the maximum extent possible.

The consultant will develop and implement a multiphased ridership marketing and customer engagement program for the OC Streetcar, a 4.15-mile modern streetcar connecting the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center to Downtown Santa Ana and a new transportation hub in Garden Grove. Services include market research, focus groups, brand development, social media, digital and print collateral, targeted advertising, public relations, influencer campaigns, community outreach to diverse and disadvantaged audiences, and planning for a rail-opening event. Multilingual content in Spanish and Vietnamese is required at minimum. The program runs in pre-launch, opening, and post-launch phases beginning one year before the expected 2027 revenue service date. Consultants must demonstrate expertise in launching new transportation services, conducting market research, and managing large-scale events. The team must include a project manager as primary point of contact, an account coordinator, a creative director, a senior producer, a designer, and supporting copywriting, social media, media planning, research, and translation staff. The Authority may require removal of any team member for cause, and unauthorized removal of the project manager is grounds for termination. Deliverables include monthly progress reports, monthly invoices with budget tracking, annual cost-benefit reports, and a cloud-based project archive documenting progress through photography and video.

The budget is $450,000 for an eighteen-month term, awarded on a time-and-expense basis at fully burdened hourly rates, with pricing effective through June 30, 2028. Other direct costs are reimbursed at cost or the applicable current rate, whichever is less, with documentation. Invoice preparation and review hours, local meals, and travel time are not reimbursed unless pre-approved. Proposals must remain firm for 120 days. Funding comes from Orange County's Measure M sales tax and a $149 million Federal Transit Administration Full Funding Grant Agreement awarded in November 2018. Required insurance includes $1,000,000 each in commercial general liability, automobile liability, and professional liability, plus California workers' compensation.

Proposals are scored on qualifications of the firm (30 points), staffing and project organization (20 points), work plan (25 points), and cost and price (25 points). An evaluation committee will develop a competitive range, and firms within it may be invited to submit a Best and Final Offer. Interviews are scheduled for December 10, 2026, on a non-negotiable date. Submissions must be made electronically through the Authority's OpenGov portal, and award notification will occur within three business days of contract award. The Authority reserves the right to negotiate terms, award to one or multiple offerors, or cancel the RFP.