Arlington County Government Sealed Solicitation

Title: 23-AED-RFP-441 Destination Marketing and Communication Services for the Arlington Convention and Visitors Service

Deadline: 1/11/2023 4:00 PM   (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Status: Awarded

Solicitation Number: 23-AED-RFP-441

Description: The intent of this solicitation and resulting agreement is for a qualified contractor to provide an array of destination marketing and communications services for the Arlington Convention and Visitors Service, with the goal of driving overnight hotel stays and local visitor spending for the Arlington hospitality industry’s COVID-19 economic recovery through June 2024 and beyond. 

Pre-Bid Meeting Date: 12/16/2022 10:00 AM

Pre-Bid Meeting Details: Please sign up if you plan to attend the pre-bid meeting.A virtual preproposal conference will be held at 10:00 a.m., December 16, 2022, on Microsoft Teams to allow potential Offerors an opportunity to obtain clarification of the specifications and requirements of the solicitation. To join the meeting, please click the link in the solicitation or join by dialing +1 347-973-6905 and enter Conference ID 878 929 723#. ATTENDANCE AT THE PREPROPOSAL CONFERENCE IS OPTIONAL. Minutes of the preproposal conference will be recorded by the County and may be incorporated into the solicitation documents through an Addendum. Interested Offerors are, however, urged to attend.

Documents:

Documents as of 12/6/2022
23-AED-RFP-441 Destination Marketing and Communication Services.pdf
Addition 1

Posted: 12/20/2022

Type of Addition: Addendum 1

Overview: The purpose of this Addendum 1 is to amend the solicitation to add the Mandatory Requirements and to respond to all questions received by the question deadline. 

Solicitation #: 23-AED-RFP-441

Documents:

Addition 2

Posted: 1/11/2023

Type of Addition: In Review

Addition 3

Posted: 4/20/2023

Type of Addition: Award Information

Documents:

Question 1

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: Is there a budget for this initiative?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 2

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: Will firms from outside Virginia or the metro DC area be considered for this initiative?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 3

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: Is there an incumbent agency for this initiative?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 4

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: Are you willing to consider a joint proposal from more than one agency?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 5

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: Does company selected have to have a physical office in Virginia or the metro DC area?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 6

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: When will this project commence?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 7

Posted: 12/12/2022

Question: Are you looking for ONE business to work with to provide all of the services or are you interested in working with multiple businesses to provide services?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 8

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Page 7, 14. Is a city business license required for this RFP?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 9

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: The RFP states the goal is to drive overnight hotel stays and associated visitor spending. What are the specific goals for overnight stays (Increase to what by when)? How is this measured? By whom? And how often? Will we be given access to these reports and data for tracking and measurement?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 10

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Visitor spending - is this tracked through sales tax revenue? Please define how this will be measured?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 11

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Audience - Do you have deeper data on your target audiences (outside of categories)? If not, do you need more data? Is this part of the scope of work?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 12

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Reporting - What type of reporting is expected? Do you have preferred tools you wish to use? How often is reporting expected?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 13

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Campaign - Is this selected partner responsible for campaign development? It sounds like you have a selected partner already (section A). If you have a creative partner, which comes first, a creative strategy or a media strategy? How do you see both partners working together? Is the budget allocation inclusive of the creative partner fees? Or do they have a different budget? Who is the creative partner?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 14

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Is this RFP for creative services/campaign development as well?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 15

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Content development: Do you have a content strategy in place or is this part of the scope? Trying to understand if you are looking for execution or strategy or both?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 16

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Can you define your current team that will work on this project. Outsourced partners, in-house capabilities, etc.

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 17

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Market Research - What existing research do you have? Where are the gaps that need to be filled?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 18

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: On a scale of 1-5 (5 being most aggressive), rate your desire to find a partner that will push you strategically.

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 19

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: On a scale of 1-5 (5 being most aggressive), rate your desire to find a partner that will push you creatively?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 20

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: The RFP states proposals must be signed but also submitted electronically. Confirming electronic signatures are acceptable.

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 21

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Pricing - Confirming you are only looking for hourly rates at this time.

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 22

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: How did you hear about OBP Agency? Why did you invite us to participate? How did this RFP come to fruition? Are formal RFPs mandated before work can be awarded? We know that you currently have limited paid media in market however, historically, have you ever had a relationship with a paid media agency? How satisfied are you with the current relationship you have with Fuse Ideas? Do you think Fuse Ideas is capable of handling the scope that is outlined in this RFP? If not, why? When does Fuse Ideas’ contract end? Will there be a mandatory RFP for the creative business when that happens?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 23

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: How did this RFP come to fruition? Are formal RFPs mandated before work can be awarded?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 24

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: We know that you currently have limited paid media in market however, historically, have you ever had a relationship with a paid media agency?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 25

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: How satisfied are you with the current relationship you have with Fuse Ideas? Do you think Fuse Ideas is capable of handling the scope that is outlined in this RFP? If not, why?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 26

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: When does Fuse Ideas’ contract end? Will there be a mandatory RFP for the creative business when that happens?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Question 27

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: Noting the County's preferred Net-45 terms, is the expectation that the selected vendor would be able to bill for media costs as soon as the plan was approved allowing us 45 days to receive media costs before signing final insertion orders or is the expectation that the selected vendor would bill after proof of placement thus floating the media costs for several months on the County's behalf?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/20/2022

Type of Addition: Addendum 1

Overview: The purpose of this Addendum 1 is to amend the solicitation to add the Mandatory Requirements and to respond to all questions received by the question deadline. 

Solicitation #: 23-AED-RFP-441

Documents:

Posted: 1/11/2023

Type of Addition: In Review

Posted: 4/20/2023

Type of Addition: Award Information

Documents:

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: Is there a budget for this initiative?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: Will firms from outside Virginia or the metro DC area be considered for this initiative?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: Is there an incumbent agency for this initiative?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: Are you willing to consider a joint proposal from more than one agency?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: Does company selected have to have a physical office in Virginia or the metro DC area?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/7/2022

Question: When will this project commence?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/12/2022

Question: Are you looking for ONE business to work with to provide all of the services or are you interested in working with multiple businesses to provide services?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Page 7, 14. Is a city business license required for this RFP?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: The RFP states the goal is to drive overnight hotel stays and associated visitor spending. What are the specific goals for overnight stays (Increase to what by when)? How is this measured? By whom? And how often? Will we be given access to these reports and data for tracking and measurement?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Visitor spending - is this tracked through sales tax revenue? Please define how this will be measured?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Audience - Do you have deeper data on your target audiences (outside of categories)? If not, do you need more data? Is this part of the scope of work?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Reporting - What type of reporting is expected? Do you have preferred tools you wish to use? How often is reporting expected?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Campaign - Is this selected partner responsible for campaign development? It sounds like you have a selected partner already (section A). If you have a creative partner, which comes first, a creative strategy or a media strategy? How do you see both partners working together? Is the budget allocation inclusive of the creative partner fees? Or do they have a different budget? Who is the creative partner?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Is this RFP for creative services/campaign development as well?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Content development: Do you have a content strategy in place or is this part of the scope? Trying to understand if you are looking for execution or strategy or both?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Can you define your current team that will work on this project. Outsourced partners, in-house capabilities, etc.

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Market Research - What existing research do you have? Where are the gaps that need to be filled?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: On a scale of 1-5 (5 being most aggressive), rate your desire to find a partner that will push you strategically.

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: On a scale of 1-5 (5 being most aggressive), rate your desire to find a partner that will push you creatively?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: The RFP states proposals must be signed but also submitted electronically. Confirming electronic signatures are acceptable.

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/13/2022

Question: Pricing - Confirming you are only looking for hourly rates at this time.

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: How did you hear about OBP Agency? Why did you invite us to participate? How did this RFP come to fruition? Are formal RFPs mandated before work can be awarded? We know that you currently have limited paid media in market however, historically, have you ever had a relationship with a paid media agency? How satisfied are you with the current relationship you have with Fuse Ideas? Do you think Fuse Ideas is capable of handling the scope that is outlined in this RFP? If not, why? When does Fuse Ideas’ contract end? Will there be a mandatory RFP for the creative business when that happens?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: How did this RFP come to fruition? Are formal RFPs mandated before work can be awarded?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: We know that you currently have limited paid media in market however, historically, have you ever had a relationship with a paid media agency?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: How satisfied are you with the current relationship you have with Fuse Ideas? Do you think Fuse Ideas is capable of handling the scope that is outlined in this RFP? If not, why?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: When does Fuse Ideas’ contract end? Will there be a mandatory RFP for the creative business when that happens?

Response: Please see Addendum 1

Posted: 12/19/2022

Question: Noting the County's preferred Net-45 terms, is the expectation that the selected vendor would be able to bill for media costs as soon as the plan was approved allowing us 45 days to receive media costs before signing final insertion orders or is the expectation that the selected vendor would bill after proof of placement thus floating the media costs for several months on the County's behalf?

Response: Please see Addendum 1