Seeking Strategic Communications Services

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the regional planning agency serving 101 municipalities in the Metro Boston area, is seeking strategic communications services through a Request for Proposal issued on April 6, 2026. The procurement encompasses media relations, social media management, website maintenance, marketing and brand enhancement, and additional communications support services designed to enhance MAPC's communications team capacity and establish the agency as a thought leader in the Greater Boston region during a period of leadership transition and reorganization. Deliverables include ongoing communications support across multiple channels, with payment based on milestones and deliverables outlined in the selected vendor's proposal. Evaluation criteria consist of understanding of the project (20 points), relevant experience of key personnel (20 points), services and price offering best value (20 points), quality of past work examples (10 points), references (10 points), Supplier Diversity Program certification status (10 points), and interview performance if applicable (10 points), for a maximum potential score of 100 points. Key deadlines include a bidders' conference scheduled for April 14, 2026 via Zoom, bidder questions due by 5:00 PM ET on April 16, 2026, and RFP responses due by 5:00 PM ET on April 30, 2026 to alinehan@mapc.org. Interviews with qualified bidders are anticipated during the week of May 4, 2026, with vendor selection expected between May 4-11, 2026 and contract commencement scheduled for the week of May 11, 2026.

Only vendors currently certified on the Massachusetts Statewide Contract PRF86, Category 5 are eligible to submit proposals for this opportunity. While no specific incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents, MAPC reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal, contract with some or all responding vendors, negotiate with bidders, or cancel the RFP in part or entirely. The selected vendor must execute MAPC's standard Professional Services Agreement without material alteration and comply with all applicable Massachusetts ethics laws and federal compliance requirements if federal funds are involved. The estimated procurement value does not exceed $120,000 and must cover all project costs including expenses. The contract term is not to exceed 12 months, with the anticipated start date in the week of May 11, 2026. Supplier Diversity Program certification status is evaluated as part of the selection criteria, demonstrating MAPC's commitment to inclusive procurement practices.