October 15thThe Greater Monadnock Collaborative seeks proposals from qualified marketing agencies to develop a comprehensive campaign attracting college students and the Gen Z Workforce (aged 16-29) to Cheshire County, New Hampshire and the greater Monadnock Region. A successful campaign will drive targeted website traffic (www.MonadnockNH.com) and ultimately increase the talent pool within the county and enrollment in our higher education institutions. 

This effort to attract and retain young people is of critical importance for the economic wellbeing of Cheshire County and the greater Monadnock Region. There are more than 2000 full time jobs available in and around Cheshire County; many of them in the manufacturing, education, and healthcare sectors; and less than 1300 residents looking for work. The long-term outlook is equally challenging as approximately 35% of the area’s workforce is set to retire over the next 10 years, while K-12 enrollment continues to decline, as much as 25% in some towns, since 2010.

This marketing campaign is an effort to reverse these trends and to support the Greater Monadnock Collaborative’s work with local employers, municipalities, and organizations to develop outreach and communication plans, tourism marketing campaigns, and other initiatives that promote the professional and personal opportunities offered in Cheshire County, NH and the greater Monadnock Region.

Submissions and Timeline

1. RFP release date: Monday, September 30, 2024.
2. Questions in response to this RFP must be submitted in writing via email to the Director of Regional Marketing at julie@greatermonadnock.com no later than 9am on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Responses will be made available to all bidders by October 18, 2024.
3. Project proposals are due by 9am on Friday, November 8, 2024. Proposals must be sent via PDF attachment by email to julie@greatermonadnock.com.
4. The Greater Monadnock Collaborative may choose to conduct interviews (virtual or in-person) of bidders, and if this option is exercised, interviews will be scheduled between November 19, 2024, and November 22, 2024.
5. The estimated date for selection of contract awardee is December 2, 2024
6. The estimated start date for contract is January 2, 2025

Scope of Work and Technical Requirements

1. The awarded contractor shall:
   1. Develop several digital advertising campaigns promoting the education opportunities, professional opportunities, and high quality of life in Cheshire County that are available and beneficial for our specific target demographic.
      1. The target audience of the campaigns shall be, primarily, individuals that live in New England and New York and are between the ages of 16 and 29. Some campaigns may target parents and school counselors of individuals aged 18 and under in that same geographical area.
      2. Goals for marketing campaigns:
         1. Increase in student enrollment at our local higher education institutions in Cheshire County, NH.
         2. Increase the number of students remaining in Cheshire County, NH for work after graduating from one of our local higher education institutions.
         3. Increase the number of young adults visiting Cheshire County to experience our world class outdoor recreation and arts/culture/entertainment opportunities.
         4. Recruit new workers for businesses located in Cheshire County.
      3. Campaigns shall incorporate the newly developed regional brand and logos.
      4. The general message of the campaigns shall be to introduce Cheshire County as an ideal place to attend college and/or live and begin a career.
   2. Identify those easiest to reach low-hanging fruit in our target audiences. The Greater Monadnock Collaborative believes exploring digital re-targeting ads, other forms of digital advertising (YouTube, apps/games, podcasts), as well as appropriate and targeted sponsorships will prove most effective. However, the Greater Monadnock Collaborative is open to all suggested approaches.
   3. Identify and contract with social medial influencers/content creators to create and share video and photography assets.
   4. Develop relevant content for www.MonadnockNH.com as needed; including, but not limited to blog posts, photography shoots and video, and social media posts/calendar.
2. Provide detailed proposals inclusive of the above scope of work and identify the quantity and quality of the campaigns based on a fixed budget of $240,600.
3. Project proposals should include statements confirming the following:
   1. The contractor will supply all equipment, materials, supplies, labor, and any other items or services necessary to complete the scope of work.
   2. The contractor will complete and submit in a timely manner all documentation required by the Greater Monadnock Collaborative (for grant funding purposes).

Proposal Requirements

1. Approach: Describe how your firm will approach this project and accomplish the scope of work in terms of preparation, research, work organization or delegation, procedures and process, communication with The Greater Monadnock Collaborative, and assurances that the work will result in a high quality product or service and meet the specifications listed under Scope of Work and Technical Requirements.
2. Schedule/billing timeline: Indicate how long the project will take to complete and confirm that you are able to meet the project deadline of June 1, 2026. Provide a schedule with anticipated milestones and billing timeline from the execution of a contract through final completion of the project.
3. Organizational description: Provide a description of your business’s history, staffing (education and relevant work experience), and lines of work (projects or service programs) related to the scope of work in this RFP. Indicate whether the organization is a qualified disadvantaged business (DBE), women-owned, or minority-owned. Lack of relevant experience on the part of the bidder may be grounds for disqualification.
4. Greater Monadnock Collaborative responsibilities: Indicate what your expectations are for the Collaborative in order for your firm to ensure a successful project.
5. Price Proposal: Shall be $240,600. fixed firm inclusive of the entire Scope of Work and Technical Requirements as described above.
6. References: Provide a description and references for three (3) comparable projects that your firm has undertaken over the past three (3) years. Reference information shall include names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, dates, and brief description of the work performed.
7. Example work/portfolio: Provide one or more examples of work similar to the scope of work in this RFP. Example work may be provided in the form of an attachment to the proposal or as a web link to the source. Projects targeting a very similar age demographic to those of this project (16–29-year-olds) are preferred.
8. Disclose subcontractors: Confirm that the firm understands that if selected they will be required to obtain pre-approval from the Greater Monadnock Collaborative for any subcontractors they intend to use on this project.
9. Provide UEI and EIN numbers registered to the applicant business.
10. Submit 1 electronic file of the proposal in a single PDF file;

Eligibility Requirements and Selection Criteria

Before making its award or issuing a contract, the Greater Monadnock Collaborative shall consider the project proposal, work, and/or services or products delivered that best serve the needs and financial interests of the Greater Monadnock Collaborative. The Greater Monadnock Collaborative reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to award any proposal, to waive as informality any irregularities on proposals received, and to omit any item or items as it may deem to be in the best interest of the Greater Monadnock Collaborative. The decision of the Greater Monadnock Collaborative shall be final and not subject to review or appeal. Contractors whose offer meets the criteria specified below will be evaluated.

Criteria

1. Firm has at least three years of experience relevant to the scope of work.
2. Proposal addresses and/or acknowledges all aspects of the scope of work and technical requirements.
3. Firm and employees to work on the project have excellent character, reputation, and judgment.
4. Approach to the project is logical, reasonable, appropriate, and thorough.

Eligibility

1. Firm has a verifiable UEI number and an unexpired registration date.
2. Firm is able to meet deadline or delivery date.
3. Proposal contains all content required.

Privacy, Confidentiality, and Publicity

Information provided through the application process is the responsibility of each applicant. Applicants agree not to hold the Greater Monadnock Collaborative, their affiliates, members, partners, and staff liable for any losses, damages, costs, or expenses of any kind relating to the use or the adequacy, accuracy, or completeness of any information appearing in an application.

If awarded, be advised that the business/applicant’s application information, name, statements, and other information provided during the award process may be used for promotional purposes in all forms and media and the business/applicant may be contacted by the Greater Monadnock Collaborative for such purposes. Until notified, applicants must agree not to share any status as a finalist publicly, including but not limited to all social media platforms, news media, or local publications.

Conflict of Interest

Any employee, officer, or agent of the Greater Monadnock Collaborative participating in the selection and/or award of this RFP must disclose to the Greater Monadnock Collaborative in writing if they have a real or apparent conflict of interest regarding their entity or any applying entities. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of their immediate family, their partner(s), or organization(s) which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from an entity considered for this contract. The officers, employees, and agents of the Greater Monadnock Collaborative participating in the selection and/or award of this RFP may neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from award or contract recipients. The Greater Monadnock Collaborative employees, officers, or agents with a conflict of interest must disclose the conflict in writing to the Director of Regional Marketing at julie@greatermonadnock.com and must recuse themselves of any vote pertaining to the contract and dismiss themselves from any conversation(s) relating to a contract or its terms or conditions.

Proposal Evaluation and Selection

Evaluation of the submitted proposals will be accomplished as follows:

Evaluation Process – General Information

1. An evaluation team, composed of qualified reviewers, will judge the merits of the proposals received in accordance with the criteria defined in the RFP.
2. Officials responsible for making decisions on the award selection will ensure that the selection process accords equal opportunity and appropriate consideration to all who are capable of meeting the specifications. The goals of the evaluation process are to ensure fairness and objectivity in review of the proposals and to ensure that the contract is awarded to the Bidder whose proposal provides the best value to the Greater Monadnock Collaborative.
3. The Greater Monadnock Collaborative reserves the right to communicate and/or schedule interviews/presentations (virtual or in-person) with Bidders, if needed, to obtain clarification of information contained in the proposals received. The Greater Monadnock Collaborative may revise the scores assigned in the initial evaluation to reflect those communications and/or interviews/presentations. Changes to proposals, including updating or adding information, will not be permitted during any interview/presentation process and, therefore, Bidders must submit proposals that present their rates and other requested information as clearly and completely as possible.

Evaluation Criteria

1. Response to Scope of Work/Technical Specifications
2. Creative approach to the project
3. Efficient and impactful use of the fixed budget
4. References from other companies/institutions for which your Firm has provided similar programs targeting the same demographic
5. Innovativeness of response
6. Approach will generate measurable results