Invitation to Negotiate (ITN)

Transcription

1 Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) Advertising, Digital Marketing, and Public Relations Services for the Florida Prepaid College Board and Stanley G. Tate Florida Prepaid College Foundation Florida Prepaid College Board The components of this ITN are: (1) Advertising and Creative Services; (2) Digital Marketing and Social Media Services; and (3) Public Relations, Partnerships and Events. Respondents may choose to address one or more of these components in response. The Board intends to award up to one contract per component, for a maximum of three contracts from this ITN. Issue Date: January 13, 2014 Confirmation of Participation: (Optional and non-binding) Questions Deadline: January 21, 2014 January 24, 2014, 12:00PM EST Responses to Questions Posted: January 31, 2014 ITN Response Deadline: February 14, 2014, 12:00PM EST ITN Commodity Codes:

2 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION Background... 5 Stanley G. Tate Florida Prepaid College Program... 5 Florida 529 Savings Plan... 6 Stanley G. Tate Florida Prepaid College Foundation Purpose Context Objectives Mandatory Qualifications for Respondents Small, Minority, and Florida Certified Veterans Business Participation DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES Advertising and Creative Services Digital Marketing and Social Media Services Public Relations, Partnerships and Events ITN PROCESS Official Notices ITN Revisions Public Records Legal Requirements Protests and Disputes Limitations on Contacting Board Personnel and Others Cost of Developing and Submitting Responses SCHEDULE RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS Requests for Clarification

3 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN Submission of Responses Response Format and Content Tab 1 General Requirements Tab 2 Organization Overview Tab 3 Experience Tab 4 Advertising and Creative Services Tab 5 Digital Marketing and Social Media Services Tab 6 Public Relations, Partnerships and Events Tab 7 Consideration EVALUATION AND NEGOTIATION Evaluation Step 1: Evaluation of mandatory requirements Step 2a: Evaluation of responses Step 2b: Evaluation of Consideration responses Step 3: Ranking and shortlisting of Respondents Negotiation Supplemental Response Client References Contract Negotiation Board Rights During Negotiations Negotiation Meetings Not Open to Public GENERAL INFORMATION Glossary of Terms Responsibility for Services Contract Order of Precedence

4 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN Confidentiality of Account Information Property of Board Response Tenure News Releases APPENDICES

5 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND Since 1988, the Florida Prepaid College Board ( Board ) has provided families with a means to prepay the college tuition, required fees and dormitory housing for future use at any state university or state college in Florida through the Stanley G. Tate Florida Prepaid College Program ( Prepaid Plan ). In addition to the Prepaid Plan, the Board offers the Florida College Savings Program, which is marketed as the Florida 529 Savings Plan ( 529 Savings Plan ). Both plans are qualified tuition plans governed by Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. They are sponsored by the State of Florida and managed by the Board. The Board is an agency of the State of Florida created by Section of the Florida Statutes. The Board has seven members who establish policy and monitor performance for the Prepaid Plan and the 529 Savings Plan. Three members of the Board are appointed by the Governor and are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate. Four members of the Board are designated in Section (2), Florida Statutes. These members are the Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, Chancellor of the State University System and Chancellor of the Florida College System, or their respective designees. The agency is assigned to and administratively housed within the State Board of Administration ( SBA ) but the Board exercises its powers independent of the SBA. Please visit to review the Statement of Organization and Operations. The Board employs an administrative staff of 13 full-time employees (FTE) including the following senior level positions: Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, Director of Operations, Director of Finance, Accounting and Risk Management and Director of Marketing. The remaining FTE positions are in operations (4), finance and accounting (2) and administrative services (2). A full list of current vendors under contract for services to the Board has been provided in Appendix A. For more information about the Florida Prepaid College Board, please visit STANLEY G. TATE FLORIDA PREPAID COLLEGE PROGRAM The Prepaid Plan provides a mechanism whereby costs associated with postsecondary education may be paid in advance of attendance. Purchasers designate a qualified beneficiary to receive the benefits of a contract at the time of postsecondary enrollment. The Prepaid Plan has sold more than 1.6 million plans since 1988, and it is the largest, longest continuously running and most successful prepaid program in the 5

6 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN nation. As of September 30, 2013, the Prepaid Plan had a market value of approximately $9.86 billion. Additional Statistics have been provided in Appendix B. For more information about the Prepaid Plan, please visit FLORIDA 529 SAVINGS PLAN The 529 Savings Plan offers families a flexible way to save for postsecondary education expenses. Families can save at a pace that meets their budget, allowing them to decide how much money to put into their savings plan. The 529 Savings Plan has nearly 36,000 active accounts. As of September 30, 2013, the 529 Savings Plan had a market value of approximately $325.3 million. Additional Statistics have been provided in Appendix B. For more information about the 529 Savings Plan, please visit STANLEY G. TATE FLORIDA PREPAID COLLEGE FOUNDATION Created in 1990 as the charitable arm of the Florida Prepaid College Board, the Stanley G. Tate Florida Prepaid College Foundation ( Foundation ) provides college scholarships to low-income children and other children in need. Many of these children are the first in their family to have the opportunity to go to college. Since inception, the Foundation has awarded nearly 34,800 college scholarships statewide. For more information about the Foundation, please visit PURPOSE This Invitation to Negotiate ( ITN ) is being issued by the Board to obtain responses from qualified firms (hereinafter referred to as Respondents ) to provide advertising, marketing and public relations services for the Prepaid Plan, for the 529 Savings Plan, and for the Foundation. The Board s current contract for advertising, marketing and public relations services expires on June 30, There are multiple components of this ITN to continue and expand upon the services in the current contract as described in Section 2.0. The components of this ITN include: (1) Advertising and Creative Services, (2) Digital Marketing and Social Media Services, and (3) Public Relations, Partnerships and Events. The components are referred to collectively in this document as Communication Services. Respondents may choose to address one or more of these components as specifically directed in Section 5.3. The Board intends to enter into contract with no less than one (1) Respondent and up to a maximum of three (3) Respondents for the Communication Services described herein. The Board does not intend to offer more 6

7 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN than one (1) contract for each component of this ITN. Any contract(s) between the Board and the selected Respondent(s) will include the ITN and its specifications, written questions and answers by the Board, and the response to this ITN provided by the Respondent(s) selected, including the Supplemental Response (see Section 6.2). Accordingly, the Respondent(s) selected will be contractually bound by its response. The resulting contract(s) is anticipated to start in April 2014 and continue through June 2017, which includes up to a three month start-up transition period, subject to the terms and conditions detailed in Appendix C. The Board reserves the absolute right, in its sole discretion, to extend the contract(s) for up to three (3) additional years under the terms and conditions set forth in the contract upon delivery of a notice of renewal at least ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the contract. The extension may be divided into increments or may be for a complete term. The Board may also review and revise the necessary services to be performed at the end of three (3) years provided, however, that any renewal or extension which modifies any of the terms of the contract(s) will be in writing and executed by both parties to the contract. The Board reserves the right to terminate the contract(s) in whole or in part at its convenience at any time for any reason and such termination will be effective at such time as is determined by the Board. 1.3 CONTEXT The Florida Prepaid College Board helps families to plan for postsecondary education expenses. Over the past 25 years, the Prepaid Plan has grown into the largest, longest running and most successful prepaid college program in the nation. Since 1988, more than 1.6 million Prepaid Plans have been purchased and more than 350,000 students have used Prepaid Plan benefits to attend colleges and universities. Since 1988, the Board has offered three plans: 2-Year Florida College Plan, Florida Plan and the most well-known and popular plan, the 4-Year Florida University Plan. Recognizing the need for an alternative to Prepaid Plans, the Board added the Florida 529 Savings Plan in 2002 allowing families across the nation to save at their own pace, as much or as little as they choose. The most recent addition to the Board s Prepaid Plans was the 4-Year Florida College Plan in 2010 recognizing the expanded bachelor s degrees offered by Florida Colleges. For more information please visit: A long history of success has been challenged in recent years by dramatic increases in tuition and fees coupled with a severe economic recession. Because of these factors, plan prices have increased and plan sales have decreased in each of the last four years. Research has shown that awareness is strong and that 7

8 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN parents understand the need to prepare for the future expenses of their child(ren) but cost, misperception and uncertainty about Prepaid Plans keep them from making a purchase. The Board is currently working on several changes in 2014 to address the challenges of recent years focusing on affordability and flexibility. These changes may include: a reduction in Prepaid Plan prices, a reduction in Florida 529 Savings Plan fees and a new incremental Prepaid Plan. 1.4 OBJECTIVES Pursuant to its mission, the Board must continue data driven, personalized communications and innovative approaches to help an increasing number of Floridians plan for postsecondary education expenses. For the successful Respondent(s) to this ITN, the Board has established the following objectives: 1. Implement a year-round communications program with a cohesive Master Marketing Plan, Strategy and Objectives. 2. Increase sales of Prepaid Plans. 3. Increase the number of accounts and account contributions for the 529 Savings Plan. 4. Successfully launch new product offerings developed by the Board. 5. Identify and address misperceptions about Prepaid Plans and the 529 Savings Plan. 6. Educate current plan holders on the impact of potential price and/or fee reductions and new product(s). 7. Increase statewide awareness of the Board, Prepaid Plans, 529 Savings Plans, and the Foundation. 8. Increase private company involvement with the Foundation. 1.5 MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONS FOR RESPONDENTS Respondents must be able to affirmatively respond to each of the following statements in order to be considered for this award. The Respondent has the following minimum years of experience providing the applicable Communication Services. o Advertising and Creative Services: 5 years o Digital and Social Media Services: 3 years o Public Relations, Partnerships and Events: 5 years The Respondent has the following minimum annual billings providing the applicable Communication Services. 8

9 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN o Advertising and Creative Services: $5,000,000 o Digital and Social Media Services: $1,500,000 o Public Relations, Partnerships and Events: $750,000 The Respondent maintains a permanent and active place of business in the State of Florida. The Respondent agrees (with written affirmation in Appendix D) to provide the services as applicable and as detailed in Section 2.0 and agrees to all other requirements as stated in the ITN. The Respondent expressly and affirmatively agrees (with written affirmation in Appendix D) to the terms and conditions included as Appendix C. Further, to be considered, each response must meet the standards and requirements set forth in Section 5.0, Response Requirements. Failure to comply with these requirements may be sufficient cause to reject the response without further consideration. Any Respondent that does not satisfy all of the criteria in this section shall be rejected. 1.6 SMALL, MINORITY, AND FLORIDA CERTIFIED VETERANS BUSINESS PARTICIPATION Small Businesses, Certified Minority and Florida Certified Veteran Business Enterprises are encouraged to participate in this solicitation. All Respondents shall be accorded fair and equal treatment. 9

10 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES Respondents will perform the services of one or more of the component areas below. When bidding on a component, a Respondent is bidding on all services listed within that component. As outlined in Section 1.0, services are to be provided for the Board, Prepaid Plan, 529 Savings Plan and Foundation unless indicated otherwise. Services will be mutually agreed upon by the Board and Respondent(s) pursuant to this negotiation process and formally documented in Exhibit A of the resulting contract(s) attached herein as Appendix C. Services marked (*) are to be included in the retainer figure(s) requested in Tab 7 Consideration. These retainer services are minimum expected performance requirements which are not affected by changes to or within the Communication Services budget pursuant to the Board s Master Marketing Plan. 2.1 ADVERTISING AND CREATIVE SERVICES Develop and implement an annual comprehensive strategic Advertising and Creative Services Plan.* o Plan must be consistent with the Board s Master Marketing Plan, Strategy and Objectives to support all aspects of Board Communication Services. o Plan must include goals, objectives, strategy and proposed budget. o Plan must present at least three creative campaign options. Account management and coordination.* Collaboration and support of any and all Communication Services vendors and any other vendors contracted by and/or associated with the Board.* Manage, monitor and measure results using analytics and performance metrics that reflect conversion rates, cost per conversion and return on investment through real-time, short-term and long-term time periods for each strategy and tool.* Hispanic communications, including but not limited to, providing language translation services for any assets produced.* Create, update and maintain a brand guidelines manual.* Conduct market research to assess the image, perception and knowledge of the Board and Board products as necessary and to assess the effectiveness of strategies. Analyze and interpret existing market research, monitor industry trends and offer innovative strategies.* 10

11 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN Coordinate, research, recommend and execute all advertising and marketing efforts (except digital media).* Develop and produce creative executions for all media advertising, including all creative advertising concepts, script/copy writing and graphic design.* Media strategy, planning, placement and reporting of all television, radio, print, out-of-home and other traditional channels.* o Obtain value-added opportunities for the Board associated with the placement of such advertising. Produce all media advertisements, including television, radio, print, out-of-home. Create and produce (not including print costs) all collateral and other advertising, marketing and customer support materials including, but not limited to, Master Contract, Program Description and Participation Agreement, Florida Prepaid College Plan Guide, Florida 529 Savings Plan Guide, brochures, the Board s annual report, the Prepaid Foundation s annual report, legislative districtspecific pocket guides, flyers, posters, CD s, DVDs, direct mail, and other similar materials.* 2.2 DIGITAL MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA SERVICES Develop and implement an annual comprehensive strategic Digital Marketing and Social Media Plan.* o Plan must be consistent with the Board s Master Marketing Plan, Strategy and Objectives to support all aspects of Board Communication Services. o Plan must include goals, objectives, strategy and proposed budget. Account management and coordination.* Collaboration and support of any and all Communication Services vendors and any other vendors contracted by and/or associated with the Board.* Manage, monitor and measure results using analytics and performance metrics that reflect conversion rates, cost per conversion and return on investment through real-time, short-term and long-term time periods for each strategy and tool.* Hispanic communications, including but not limited to, providing language translation services for any assets produced.* Conduct market research to assess the image, perception and knowledge of the Board and Board products as necessary and to assess the effectiveness of strategies. 11

12 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN Analyze and interpret existing market research, monitor industry trends and offer innovative strategies.* Design, develop and execute all web-based and digital marketing resources, including, but not limited to, web applications, mobile applications, marketing, digital media planning/placement; search engine optimization; search engine marketing; and digital banner ads.* Production of all web-based and digital advertising including, but not limited to, web applications, mobile applications, digital media planning, and digital media placement; search engine optimization; search engine marketing; digital banner ads. Create, produce and coordinate content for the Board s website, Prepaid Foundation s website and marketing.* Design, develop and execute all aspects of social media, including but not limited to social media strategy, content development, implementation, monitoring and engagement.* Leverage digital assets and technologies to maximize reach and frequency across all digital platforms.* 2.3 PUBLIC RELATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS AND EVENTS Develop and implement an annual comprehensive strategic Media/Public Relations, Partnerships and Events Plan.* o Plan must be consistent with the Board s Master Marketing Plan, Strategy and Objectives to support all aspects of Board Communication Services. o Plan must include goals, objectives, strategy and proposed budget. Account management and coordination.* Collaboration and support of any and all Communication Services vendors and any other vendors contracted by and/or associated with the Board.* Manage, monitor and measure results using analytics and performance metrics that reflect conversion rates, cost per conversion and return on investment through real-time, short-term and long-term time periods for each strategy and tool.* Hispanic communications, including but not limited to, providing language translation services for any assets produced.* Conduct market research to assess the image, perception and knowledge of the Board and Board products as necessary and to assess the effectiveness of strategies. 12

13 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN Analyze and interpret existing market research, monitor industry trends and offer innovative strategies.* Monitor and report all media coverage, including, but not limited to, providing the Board with a daily report and a monthly analysis of all media coverage related to the Board, other states 529 plans and related industry news.* Provide media training and produce talking points, press releases, media advisories, FAQs and other media services.* Develop and participate in promotions, special events, community events and marketing alliances to support all Communication Services and audiences.* Identify and coordinate new strategic alliances and co-branding opportunities with public and private entities to add value to the Board.* 13

14 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN ITN PROCESS The ITN process is divided into two (2) phases, the Evaluation Phase and the Negotiation Phase. The Evaluation Phase involves the Board s initial evaluation of replies. During the Evaluation Phase, all responsive replies will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria set forth in this ITN. The Board will then select up to three (3) of the highest-ranked Respondents ( shortlist ) within a competitive range for each component and commence negotiations. The Board intends to initially negotiate concurrently with the Respondents on the shortlist. However, the Board reserves the right, after posting notice thereof, to expand the shortlist to include additional responsive Respondents for negotiation or change the method of negotiation (e.g., concurrent versus by order of ranking), if it determines that to do either would be in the best interest of the Board. A Respondent will be deemed responsive unless determined to be nonresponsive as defined in this document. The Negotiation Phase involves oral presentations with each of the selected Respondent(s). During the Negotiation Phase, the Board may request supplemental and/or revised replies and/or best and final offers based on the negotiations. Following negotiations, the Board will post a notice of intended contract award, identifying the Respondent(s) that provides the best value to the Board. 3.1 OFFICIAL NOTICES All notices, decisions, intended decisions, addenda and other matters relating to this ITN will be electronically posted on the Department of Management Services (DMS) Vendor Bid System (VBS) website located at: Please utilize the following search criteria to view this information on the aforementioned website: Agency: State Board of Administration; Title: ITN It is the responsibility of prospective Respondents to check the VBS for addenda, notices of decisions, and other information or clarifications to this ITN. 3.2 ITN REVISIONS If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this ITN, an amendment will be posted on the VBS website at Please utilize the following search criteria to view this information on the aforementioned website: Agency: State Board of Administration; Title: ITN It is the responsibility of prospective Respondents to check the VBS for addenda, notices of decisions and other information or clarifications to this ITN. 14

15 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN PUBLIC RECORDS All responses to this ITN shall result in a Respondent s waiver of any and all rights relating to confidentiality, or claims thereof, upon delivery to the Board. All electronic and written communications pertaining to this ITN, whether sent from or received by the Board, and all responses to this ITN including, without limitation, administrative information, proposed services/commodities and cost information will be subject to disclosure after contract award as required under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes (Florida Public Records Law). 3.4 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS Applicable provisions of all federal, state, county, and local laws, will govern development, submittal, and evaluation of all responses received in response hereto and will govern any and all claims and disputes which may arise between persons submitting a response hereto and the Board. Lack of knowledge by any Respondent will not constitute a cognizable defense against the legal effect thereof. 3.5 PROTESTS AND DISPUTES Any protest concerning this solicitation shall be made in accordance with Sections (3) and (2) of the Florida Statutes, and Chapter of the Florida Administrative Code. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in Section (3) of the Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120 of the Florida Statutes. 3.6 LIMITATIONS ON CONTACTING BOARD PERSONNEL AND OTHERS Respondents to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-hour period following the agency posting the notice of intended award, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays, any employee or officer of the executive or legislative branch concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing to the ITN Administrator or as provided in the solicitation documents. Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a response. 3.7 COST OF DEVELOPING AND SUBMITTING RESPONSES Neither the Board nor the State of Florida is liable for any of the costs incurred by the Respondent in preparing and/or submitting a response. 15

16 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN SCHEDULE The following time schedule is set forth for informational and planning purposes. The Board reserves the right to change any of the dates or times. ACTION DATE & TIME ADDRESS Notice of issuance of ITN is published in January 6, 2014 Florida Administrative Register ITN Issued January 13, 2014 Confirmation of Participation due to the Board (see Appendix E) January 21, 2014, 12:00PM EST 1801 Hermitage Boulevard Tallahassee, FL Optional and non-binding Written requests for clarification from Respondents about the ITN are due to January 24, 2014, 12:00PM EST the Board Board responds to written requests for January 31, 2014 clarification about the ITN on the Vendor Bid System (VBS) Deadline for written responses to the ITN February 14, 2014, 12:00PM EST 1801 Hermitage Boulevard Tallahassee, FL *All responses publicly opened at Board headquarters February 14, 2014, 12:00PM EST 1801 Hermitage Boulevard Tallahassee, FL *Meeting for Validation of Evaluator Scoring at Board headquarters February 28, 2014, 9:00AM EST 1801 Hermitage Boulevard Tallahassee, FL *The Board members meet to consider the shortlist and authorize negotiations March 13, 2014 Time TBD 1801 Hermitage Boulevard Tallahassee, FL Supplemental response presentations by Respondents authorized by the Board March 17-21, Hermitage Boulevard Tallahassee, FL members Notice of intent to award April 14-18, 2014 Anticipated contract date April 2014 *All Respondents are hereby notified that the events noted with an asterisk above (*) are public meetings open to the public and may be electronically recorded by any member of the audience. Although the public is invited, no comments or questions will be taken from vendors or other members of the public. 16

17 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS 5.1 REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION Any questions concerning the conditions and/or specifications of this ITN must be addressed with written questions submitted by Respondents pursuant to the schedule in Section 4.0 and using the form provided in Appendix F. Written questions must be legible, to the point, and identify the Respondent submitting the question. Written questions must be submitted to: Brandon Goeke ITN Administrator Florida Prepaid College Board Written requests for clarification, along with corresponding responses, will be posted to the VBS at pursuant to the schedule in Section 4.0. Such responses shall be considered an addendum to and, as such, an integral part of this ITN. Please utilize the following search criteria to view this information on the aforementioned website: Agency: State Board of Administration; Title: ITN Respondents unable to download responses should notify the Board at the address provided above. No interpretations other than those responded to as described in this section will be considered binding. The Board does not guarantee the validity or reliability of information obtained from other sources. 5.2 SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES A Respondent, including any Related Entities of the Respondent, may respond to multiple components but may submit only one response to this ITN. A Subcontractor or any Related Entities may only be included in one response to this ITN. Submission of more than one response by a Respondent (Subcontractor) or by the Respondent (Subcontractor) and any Related Entities of the Respondent (Subcontractor) shall cause the rejection of all responses submitted by the Respondent (Subcontractor) and any Related Entities of the Respondent (Subcontractor). See the definition of Related Entity in Section 7.1 of this ITN. All responses must be executed and submitted in a sealed package. The face of the package must contain the number of the ITN to which the response applies and the date and time of the response opening (see 17

18 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN Section 4.0). All responses are subject to the conditions specified in this ITN; responses which do not comply with these conditions are subject to rejection. Respondents shall deliver three complete electronic copies of their response on three (3) USB hard drives one copy per drive. All assets submitted must be included on the drive and may not direct to any webbased locations. All electronic files must be in one of the following formats. Alternate file types, including web-based assets, will not be considered. 1. Documents PDF or any Microsoft Office Suite files are the required file types for all documents. 2. Images JPG or PNG are the required file types for images. 3. Video MP4 or MOV are the required file types for videos. 4. Audio MP3 is the required file type for audio. In addition, Respondents shall deliver one (1) unbound hardcopy and three (3) bound copies of their responses to the Board no later than the date and time stated in Section 4.0 of this ITN. Additional copies may be required if the Respondent is chosen for the shortlist. A copy of this ITN in PDF format may be downloaded from the Board s website at: The Respondent is responsible for the timely and proper delivery of its response to the Board. Responses which, for any reason, are not delivered and received in the Board s offices by the deadline established in Section 4.0 of this ITN will not be considered. Late responses will be retained in the Board offices. The Board will provide written notice to any Respondent that submits a late response that the late response will not be considered. Responses or offers by facsimile, telephone or are not acceptable. A response may not be altered after it is delivered to the Board. At its discretion, the Board may request supplemental responses from the Respondents; all other supplemental responses are prohibited. 5.3 RESPONSE FORMAT AND CONTENT The Board has established certain mandatory requirements which must be included in a response to this ITN. The use of shall, must, or will (except to indicate simple futurity) in this ITN indicates a mandatory requirement or condition. The words "should" or "may" in this ITN indicate desirable attributes 18

19 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN or conditions, but are permissive in nature. Deviation from, or omission of, such a desirable attribute will not by itself cause rejection of a proposal. Only those Respondents who have met the mandatory requirements of this ITN will be considered; any Respondent who has not done so will be rejected. The right is reserved to reject any or all bids. Failure to meet any contractual obligations may result in cancellation of any award. Each response shall be prepared simply and economically providing a straightforward, concise delineation of the Respondent s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this ITN. Fancy bindings and promotional material are not desired. A response must be complete as to all terms and conditions, including the appendices, on the date it is delivered to the Board. Additional information submitted after the response document or separate from the response document will not be considered unless specifically requested by the Board and then only to the extent requested. Incomplete responses may be eliminated from further consideration. To make clear, a complete response will include all tabs delineated herein, even if a particular tab relates to a component of the ITN that the Respondent will not address. In such instances where the information requested does not apply to the component(s) of this ITN that a Respondent is addressing, the Respondent shall simply respond to the request with a notation indicating that the Respondent is not addressing the component. In its response, a Respondent shall expressly indicate its willingness to comply with, provide satisfactory evidence of its ability to meet and expressly respond to each requirement and information request contained in the following mandatory provisions of this ITN. Each response shall provide the information that follows using the tab numbers and order indicated. Failure to comply with these directions for organizing a response and failure to comply the mandatory provisions of this ITN shall be sufficient cause to reject the response without further evaluation or consideration. TAB 1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS The following documents are mandatory and shall be completed and signed by an authorized representative of the Respondent. 1. Invitation to Negotiate Acknowledgement The Invitation to Negotiate Acknowledgment included as Appendix G must be completed and signed by an officer or agent of the Respondent who is empowered to bind it in a contract. If an 19

20 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN agent signs, written authorization empowering the agent to bind the Respondent must accompany the documents signed by the agent. 2. Qualifications Questionnaire All Respondents shall certify that the organization satisfies all applicable Mandatory Qualifications (see Section 1.5) of this ITN by completing the Qualifications Questionnaire attached hereto as Appendix D. 3. Tie Breaking Certifications Various provisions of Chapters 287 and 295 of the Florida Statutes, provide qualifying Respondents the advantage of "tie breakers" whenever two or more bids, proposals, or replies received are equal with respect to price, quality and service. To take advantage of the "tie breakers," a Respondent who meets the statutory qualifications for one or more of these "tie breakers" must certify that it qualifies for the cited preference. Respondents shall complete the Tie Breaking Certifications form attached as Appendix H. 4. Response Checklist To assist Respondents ensure that all required materials have been included in a response the Board has created the checklist attached hereto as Appendix I. This checklist shall be completed and signed by a representative of the Respondent. TAB 2 ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW The Respondent shall provide the following general overview information: 1. Structure and History a. Business name b. Year founded c. Office locations and contact information d. Description of organization structure, including the parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, etc. e. Brief history of the organization. f. Description of core offerings and service capabilities. g. Description of Respondent s leadership team qualifications and credentials. 20

21 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN h. Is the organization a certified Minority Owned Business? i. Provide the most recent Independent Auditors Report, Independent Accountants' Review Report, or Accountant s Compilation Report from the Respondent s financial statements. j. Provide names, titles and contact information for three (3) current or previous clients who can serve as client references and attest to the Respondent s ability to deliver on the services outlined in Section Staffing a. Provide an organizational chart and, if not specified in the chart, list the total number of employees with a breakdown by department (e.g. account service, creative, production, media, digital, public relations, etc.) b. Briefly describe the key personnel, technical staff and support managers/staff that would be assigned to the Board account; the response must include: i. Name - Team member name and title. ii. Role - Role description and responsibilities. iii. Experience - Evidence of previous experience in this role. iv. Tenure - How long with the organization. c. Describe the anticipated working relationship with Respondent and Board, including time investment, communication style, etc. d. Is the Respondent dependent upon third parties to deliver any of the services offered? If so, name the third parties and explain the services that these parties would deliver. e. If the Respondent does not have an office in Tallahassee, FL, explain how the Respondent works with out-of-town clients to ensure timely and accurate communications. 3. Billing For the Respondent s most recently completed fiscal year, provide the number of clients by annual billing level, within the ranges listed below for the previous three (3) years. Respondents must use the chart template provided, minor formatting (spacing, sizing, etc.) is permitted. a. Less than $1 million, b. $1 million and less than $3 million, c. $3 million and less than $5 million, d. $5 million or above 21

22 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN ITN Component <1 1<>3 3<>5 >5 <1 1<>3 3<>5 >5 <1 1<>3 3<>5 >5 Advertising and Creative Digital Marketing and Social Media Public Relations, Partnerships and Events Multiple Services Table 1: Annual billings chart; note that single digit figures in the table header represent dollars in millions. TAB 3 EXPERIENCE Respondent shall describe the Respondent s (including Subcontractors, if any) experience relevant to the Communication Services in this ITN, with detailed evidence where relevant, for the following: 1. Describe how the Respondent is differentiated from other service providers. 2. Describe the Respondent s experience in the financial industry. 3. Describe the Respondent s experience in the area of new product launches. 4. Describe the Respondent s experience with the use of market research to create effective communications programs. 5. Describe the Respondent s notable experience in any non-traditional, new or up-and-coming Communication Services strategies, such as, grassroots, experiential, guerilla marketing, etc. TAB 4 ADVERTISING AND CREATIVE SERVICES 1. Work Examples The Respondent shall provide examples of the Respondent s Advertising and Creative Services, as outlined below. All work examples must be recent (no projects, campaigns, etc. completed prior to January 1, 2010). Each example presented should provide insight into the Respondent s work experience related to this ITN and the Board, particularly Section 1.3 and Section 1.4 of this ITN. The Respondent may provide a summary detailing the relevance of the work example to this ITN. If the Respondent is not responding to the Advertising and Creative component of this ITN, provide notation in this section indicating that the Respondent is not addressing this component. 22

23 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN Provide two (2) examples of fully integrated marketing campaigns previously created, produced, and executed while serving as agency of record for the client. Each campaign must have been produced by the Respondent alone and not as a subcontractor or joint production assignment. Each example shall include the following: a. Situational analysis b. Objective(s) and/or goal(s) c. Creative strategy and execution d. Media strategy and execution e. Performance metrics (results and effectiveness relative to the objectives/goals) Provide three (3) individual examples for each category below. At least one (1) example provided for each must be from one of the two (2) integrated campaign examples above. a. Television/Video b. Radio/Audio c. Print d. Out-of-Home e. Collateral 2. Situational Prompt The following situation is hypothetical. All dollar figures, plan details and dates are subject to change. The Respondent shall provide a strategic approach, including messaging and target audience(s), timeline and proposed budget for Advertising and Creative Services to support the launch of a new 1 Year University Plan that the Board intends to add to the Prepaid Plan product line this year. When preparing the response the Respondent shall use the following information about the 1 Year University Plan : Cost is estimated at approximately $10,000 per one-year increment (the lowest entry price of any Prepaid Plan having university credit hours). Like other Prepaid Plans, it is guaranteed to cover Tuition, local fees and the Tuition Differential Fees. Each increment can be used for up to 30 credit hours at a State University in Florida. 23

24 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN Purchasers will have the flexibility to start a 1 Year University Plan and add increments in later years. Multiple, stackable, increments can be purchased for the same beneficiary. Unlike all other Prepaid Plans, increments may be purchased by more than one purchaser (e.g., Mom, Dad or Grandma) for the same beneficiary. Key date considerations: April 2014 Anticipated Start of Marketing Contract September 2014 Launch of 1 Year University Plan (also start of Open Enrollment) Budget considerations: The Respondent shall offer a total budget, exclusive of agency compensation, for successful execution of the strategic approach proposed by the Respondent. Respondents can assume an additional budget is available outside of the Board s $3.8 million Communication Services budget (see Tab 7). Other considerations: Respondents may make assumptions about market research findings, but the assumptions shall be identified in the response. If the proposed approach includes material changes to the Board s existing marketing assets, the Respondent must provide a specific detailed explanation and justification of any such changes. Supporting materials, such as creative samples, are encouraged but are not required in the response. However, supporting materials will be required for any Respondent chosen to submit the Supplemental Response. For additional background and context, please visit: TAB 5 DIGITAL MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA SERVICES 1. Work Examples The Respondent shall provide examples of the Respondent s Digital Marketing and Social Media Services experience, as outlined below. All work examples must be recent (no projects, campaigns, 24

25 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN etc. completed prior to January 1, 2010). Each example presented should provide insight into the Respondent s work experience related to this ITN and the Board, particularly Section 1.3 and Section 1.4 of this ITN. The Respondent may provide a summary detailing the relevance of the work example to this ITN. If the Respondent is not responding to the Digital Marketing and Social Media Services component of this ITN, provide notation in this section indicating that the Respondent is not addressing this component. Provide examples of three to five (3-5) web development projects previously created, produced, and launched while serving as digital agency of record for the client. Each example shall include the following: a. Situational analysis b. Objective(s) and/or goals(s) c. Strategy and execution (including development platform and technologies used) d. Performance metrics (results and effectiveness relative to the objectives/goals) Provide examples of three to five (3-5) case studies on social media projects previously implemented while serving as agency of record for the client. Each example shall include the following: a. Situational analysis b. Objective(s) and/or goals(s) c. Strategy and execution (including social media platforms utilized) d. Performance metrics (results and effectiveness relative to the objectives/goals) 2. Situational Prompt The following situation is hypothetical. All dollar figures, plan details and dates are subject to change. The Respondent shall provide a strategic approach, including messaging and target audience(s), timeline and proposed budget for Digital Marketing and Social Media Services to support the launch of a new 1 Year University Plan that the Board intends to add to the Prepaid Plan product line this year. When preparing the response the Respondent shall use the following information about the 1 Year University Plan : 25

26 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN Cost is estimated at approximately $10,000 per one-year increment (the lowest entry price of any Prepaid Plan having university credit hours). Like other Prepaid Plans, it is guaranteed to cover Tuition, local fees and the Tuition Differential Fees. Each increment can be used for up to 30 credit hours at a State University in Florida. Purchasers will have the flexibility to start a 1 Year University Plan and add increments in later years. Multiple, stackable, increments can be purchased for the same beneficiary. Unlike all other Prepaid Plans, increments may be purchased by more than one purchaser (e.g., Mom, Dad or Grandma) for the same beneficiary. Key dates for reference when preparing a timeline: April 2014 Anticipated Start of Marketing Contract September 2014 Launch of 1 Year University Plan (also start of Open Enrollment) Budget considerations: The Respondent shall offer a total budget, exclusive of agency compensation, for successful execution of the strategic approach proposed by the Respondent. Respondents can assume an additional budget is available outside of the Board s $3.8 million Communication Services budget (see Tab 7). Other considerations for the response: Respondents may make assumptions about market research findings, but the assumptions should be identified in the response. If the proposed approach includes material changes to the Board s existing marketing assets, the Respondent must provide a specific detailed explanation and justification of any such changes. Supporting materials, such as creative samples, are encouraged but are not required in the response. However, supporting materials will be required for any Respondent chosen to submit the Supplemental Response. For additional background and context, please visit: 26

27 Florida Prepaid College Board ITN TAB 6 PUBLIC RELATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS AND EVENTS 1. Work Examples The Respondent shall provide examples of the Respondent s Public Relations, Partnerships and Events experience, as outlined below. All work examples must be recent (no projects, campaigns, etc. completed prior to January 1, 2010). Each example presented should provide insight into the Respondent s work experience related to this ITN and the Board, particularly Section 1.3 and Section 1.4 of this ITN. The Respondent may provide a summary detailing the relevance of the work example to this ITN. If the Respondent is not responding to the Public Relations, Partnerships and Events component of this ITN, provide notation in this section indicating that the Respondent is not addressing this component. Provide examples of three (3) Public Relations projects previously implemented while serving as agency of record for the client. One or more of the three examples, must include crisis communications. In addition, one or more of the three examples must include government relations (not necessarily work for a government entity). Each example shall include the following: a. Situational analysis b. Objective(s) and/or goals(s) c. Strategy and execution d. Performance metrics (results and effectiveness relative to the objectives/goals) Provide examples of two (2) successful strategic partnerships implemented while serving as the agency of record for the client. Each example shall include the following: a. Situational analysis b. Objective(s) and/or goals(s) c. Strategy and execution d. Performance metrics (results and effectiveness relative to the objectives/goals) Provide examples of three to five (3-5) events (community, media, conference, etc.) implemented while serving as the agency of record for the client. Each example shall include the following: a. Situational analysis b. Objective(s) and/or goals(s) c. Strategy and execution d. Performance metrics (results and effectiveness relative to the objectives/goals) 27