Public Awareness, Education, and Communication Services and Marketing Research and Evaluation Services

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and Department of State Health Services (DSHS) are seeking a contractor pool for public awareness, education, communication services, and marketing research and evaluation services through a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP). The solicitation requires commercial marketing research, communication, or advertising firms with at least five years of recent business experience, authorized to do business in Texas. Respondents must demonstrate comprehensive multicultural and multilingual capabilities, with a specific emphasis on Spanish language services. The RFP requires contractors to develop and execute communication campaigns, provide detailed marketing research, and deliver comprehensive reporting and evaluation capabilities. Evaluation criteria will include qualifications and experience (25%), work plan (55%), and cost (20%), with contractors selected through a best value determination process. The pre-proposal conference is scheduled for March 14, 2025, at 10:30 AM, with proposal responses due by April 7, 2025, at 10:30 AM Central Time. The initial contract term will be five years, with HHSC or DSHS planning to issue approximately twelve work orders each state fiscal year and an anticipated contract start date of November 2025.

The procurement does not explicitly specify set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though multicultural capabilities are strongly emphasized. Contractors will be subject to a standard management fee not exceeding 15%, with subsequent work orders identifying specific not-to-exceed amounts. The total compensation for all cumulative work orders under the contract shall not exceed $45 million, with historical compensation for similar contracts ranging from $24,000 to $31 million per state fiscal year. The solicitation indicates that the contract will establish a pool of contractors from which HHSC and DSHS can issue specific work orders, suggesting a potentially competitive and dynamic contracting environment. Interested firms must demonstrate robust capabilities in campaign development, marketing research, communication strategies, and comprehensive evaluation methodologies. While no specific incumbent vendors are mentioned, the procurement suggests a comprehensive approach to communication and marketing services across public health and human services domains. The contract structure allows for flexibility in service delivery and supports the agencies' need for adaptable, multicultural communication strategies.