Tourism Advertising and Marketing Services OT-27-01

The County of Louisa, Virginia is soliciting sealed proposals under RFP OT-27-01 to establish one or more contracts for tourism advertising and full-service marketing services, with proposals due November 4, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. local time. The solicitation identifies no set-aside or preference program.

Offerors may propose any combination of print advertising in local and feeder markets, digital advertising (video, banner, social media, search engine marketing, and influencer collaboration), regional broadcast spots, direct mail and collateral distribution, out-of-home advertising in feeder markets, creative services, website services, organic social media management, and analytics reporting on subscriber counts, distribution, and circulation. Work is issued on a task-order basis. The county anticipates multiple awards based on vendor expertise, does not guarantee a minimum amount of work, and reserves the right to place advertisements directly with media outlets.

Eligibility requires at least five years in business, registration to conduct business in Virginia, and at least three client references with contact information. Required insurance includes workers' compensation, commercial general liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, and comprehensive automobile liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, with a certificate naming the County as additional insured. Addendum 1, posted October 27, 2026, allows additional-insured endorsements to be finalized upon award if not ready at submission. Offerors must accept standard terms and conditions without modification.

The initial term is one year, with two optional one-year renewals. The current annual tourism advertising budget is $130,000, which may be divided among awardees as campaigns are approved. Pricing should reflect net costs to the county and may take the form of hourly rates, percentage of media spend, fixed fees, or other clear formats. Billing is monthly on contracted rates, with payment within 30 days of correct invoice receipt. Proposals remain valid for 60 days.

Evaluation totals 100 points: firm experience specific to Louisa County (50), project team qualifications (10), quality assurance and quality control processes (10), client references (10), quality of previous work (10), and comparison of proposed rates (10). The county may hold presentations with top-ranked offerors, in person or virtually.

The county is not currently under contract with an agency and has no formalized advertising strategy document, though a Tourism Strategic Plan and Tourism Program Guide are available. Northern Virginia is the top feeder market, with audiences typically aged 35 and above. Proposals may be submitted by hard copy with an electronic version or through eVA.