Underage Drinking Prevention Media and Education Campaign

The State of Utah Department of Alcohol and Beverage Services is issuing a Request for Proposals to procure comprehensive advertising and media services for an Underage Drinking Prevention Media and Education Campaign with a five-year contract term and a posting date of March 26, 2026, and a proposal due date of April 23, 2026. The selected vendor must design, produce, and operate a multi-channel campaign targeting parents and guardians of children ages 9-16, with deliverables including the creation and placement of high-quality advertisements across television, radio, out-of-home, digital, print, website, and social media channels in English and selected materials in Spanish or other languages. The contractor must begin immediately on July 1, 2026, and launch the complete campaign by August 17, 2026, with an approved annual campaign plan due no later than August 17, 2026. Additional required deliverables include public relations services, earned media opportunities, collaboration with local substance abuse authorities, website management for the Parents Empowered platform, and comprehensive performance evaluation and measurement components, with all plans, products, creative elements, and expenditures subject to approval by the Department of Alcohol and Beverage Services. Vendors must demonstrate a minimum of five years of experience on campaigns of similar size and scope, submit a detailed cost proposal using a blended hourly rate format, confirm ability to begin by July 1, 2026, and launch by August 17, 2026, provide a point-by-point response to technical criteria limited to 75 pages, and supply names and contact information for three references. The evaluation criteria allocates 900 technical points across six categories—annual media plan with strategy and return on investment (300 points), collaboration approach with the Department and local authorities (150 points), campaign objectives and goals (75 points), integration with the existing Parents Empowered campaign (150 points), accountability and performance measurement plans (150 points), and examples of past work in various media formats (75 points)—and 100 cost points, for a total of 1,000 possible points, with a minimum threshold of 720 technical points (80 percent) required to advance to cost evaluation. The contract will be awarded to the single responsive and responsible vendor with the highest overall score, with pricing guaranteed for one year.

The RFP documents do not specify set-aside designations or restrictions targeting disadvantaged enterprises or particular organization types. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified in the procurement materials. The Department of Alcohol and Beverage Services has allocated $3,400,000.00 for the initial fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), with the State retaining the right to modify the budget during contract negotiations and throughout the budget year based on legislative appropriations and funding availability. The contractor must maintain commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate, register with the E-Verify Status Verification System if employing personnel in Utah, and certify non-debarment status. All work products, custom deliverables, and materials developed under the contract, including all advertising materials created, constitute work made for hire with exclusive ownership transferring to the Department of Alcohol and Beverage Services as intellectual property. The contract is subject to nonappropriation of funds and may be terminated for cause with ten days' notice to cure or without cause by the State with thirty days' notice, with up to four additional renewal years available at the State's discretion based on funding availability, contractor performance, and mutual agreement.