Request for Proposals. For. Advertising Consulting Services. For the. Minnesota State Lottery. Answers to Potential Consultant Questions

Transcription

1 Request for Proposals For Advertising Consulting Services For the Minnesota State Lottery Answers to Potential Consultant Questions Date: August 28, 2015

2 The Lottery would like to thank the potential respondents for the thoughtful questions below. Please note that along with these answers, the Lottery is issuing a formal revision to the Request for Proposals for Advertising Consultant Services. This formal revision clarifies the pricing section, expands and clarifies the page limitation, and fixes typographical errors. It does not fundamentally change the scope of work. Please review the questions and Lottery answers below. The Lottery s responses appear in italics. Please note that your questions may have been modified for clarity. 1. Approximately how long was the last RFP for agency acquisition? How many people will be involved in the editing/approval process for the next one? The last RFP for Advertising and Related Services was issued on November 16, A winner was announced on or about March 5, Drafting of the next RFP will be a Lottery team effort led by the Director of Marketing and the General Counsel. 2. When was the last time a formal communication audit was conducted on the Lottery marketing communication efforts? The Lottery is constantly evaluating its vendors, including its advertising agency. The Lottery, however, has not conducted a formal communications audit. NA. NA. No. a. If done in the last 5 years, can you provide a table of contents b. If one has been done in the last 5 years, was the audit managed internally or by the agency of record? c. Is there an existing measurement dashboard against which communication efforts are assessed? If so, how often is the dashboard updated? 3. When was the last time an agency relationship audit was conducted (if ever)? The Lottery is constantly evaluating its vendors, including its advertising agency. The Lottery conducted an agency evaluation in October When was the last time an agency needs assessment was conducted? The Lottery is constantly evaluating its vendors, including its advertising agency. The Lottery, however, has not conducted a formal agency needs assessment in the last two years. 5. How many people (excluding accounting) have direct agency interaction on a regular basis? i.e. have specific deliverables for which direct engagement occurs daily/weekly/monthly. Approximately five. Page 2 of 9

3 a. What is the range of titles among this group? Director of Marketing and Sales, Marketing and Promotions Planner, Digital and Social Media Manager, Creative Services Manager, Research Director. 6. Is it a correct interpretation that you are requesting a specific, single price for this project rather than an estimated range? Yes. A single price must be provided for the initial term. The pricing section of the RFP has been clarified. Please see the Revised RFP for additional information. 7. Can you confirm that the list of Conflicts of Interest (page 7) is over and above the 10 page limit on Technical Proposal Content? Yes. The page limitation has been expanded and clarified. Please see the Revised RFP for additional information. 8. Regarding Worker Compensation Insurance (Page 10). As a sole practitioner, I have no employees. Must I still provide a statement indicating a qualifying exemption from Minnesota Workers Compensation requirements? Yes. 9. How many pages long is the Lottery s current contract with its agency? 34 pages. Additionally, several amendments have added approximately 10 additional pages. 10. When the Agencies selected to receive RFPs are finalized, and they turn in responses, how many staffers at the Lottery will be involved in reviewing the proposals and deciding which Agencies should be on the shortlist for Final Presentations? question. In the past, the Agency RFP committee has been comprised of six key Lottery staff members. 11. How many Agencies do you hope/expect to move into the Final Round of Presentations? (the answer could be expressed as a range) question. In the past, three to four agencies have been designated as finalists. 12. If the Contractor has no intent to hire any new employees, and has no employees currently, must they still file for E-Verify Certification? Yes. 13. Approximately what date has the Lottery targeted to complete Phase II of the RFP process (Final Presentations and evaluation)? Early March Is it acceptable for the Contractor to contact current/former Minnesota Lottery Agency AORs to discuss various details of past history with them? The Lottery chooses not to respond to this question, but refers potential Consultants to the conflict of interest provisions in the RFP. Page 3 of 9

4 15. I am considering collaborating with another person in preparation of the Consultant RFP. Both of us have individual, one-person firms. Should we submit a joint proposal listing both firms and include two sets of affidavits or can one firm or individual be a sub-contractor in a single proposal? Either method is acceptable. 16. In the optional extension, are cost estimates required or is just a list of activities to be performed adequate? The pricing section of the RFP has been expanded and clarified. Please see the Revised RFP for additional information. 17. According to the Schedule, the Winning Proposal Designation occurs on or before 9/18 and the Contract Execution is on or before 9/25. However, on page two of your RFP, the Initial Term runs from 8/25 to 12/ Is August a typo and should it read September to coincide with the Contract Execution date? Yes. This typo has been fixed. 18. In the Initial Term, which ends December 15, 2015, will the Consultant or Procurement team perform the following tasks: a. Contacting the short list of agencies to confirm participation in the Agency RFP No. During the initial term, the Consultant will assist with all aspects of planning for and preparing the Agency RFP. b. Obtaining non-disclosure agreements from the agencies No. During the initial term, the Consultant will assist with all aspects of planning for and preparing the Agency RFP. 19. In reading your RFP, it seems that in keeping with most government agencies, Procurement will drive the project and engage the agencies identified as potential candidates by the Consultant, and the Consultant will be a behind-the-scenes advisor to Procurement and the Lottery s internal constituents is this a correct interpretation? Generally, the Consultant will be a behind-the-scenes advisor to the Lottery. Please note, however, that the Lottery is required by law to accept proposals from all qualified bidders. Unlike other agency searches, identifying candidate agencies is not the focus of this project. 20. Please provide insights as to what degree of involvement you would prefer from the Advertising Consultant versus your Procurement team regarding the following tasks: a. Managing the participating agencies who would be point of contact for the Agencies regarding process questions, requests for additional data if there is a pitch assignment, scheduling pitches, collecting staffing and compensation plans, and the like. During the initial term, the Consultant will assist with all aspects of planning for and preparing the Agency RFP. The activity described in this question could be proposed during the extension term. Please refer to the final paragraph in the Project Scope section of the RFP for more information regarding the extension term. Page 4 of 9

5 b. Assessment of Agency Staffing Plan Proposal Please see the Lottery s response to Question 20(a). c. Benchmarking of Agency Compensation Proposals Please see the Lottery s response to Question 20(a). d. Negotiating the Agency Contract, Staffing Plan and Compensation Proposals Please see the Lottery s response to Question 20(a). e. Does the Lottery currently have a tool or form for the agencies to provide all proposed staffing and compensation data, or would you like the Consultant to provide? This activity appears to be one that could be helpful during the Initial Term. Please refer to the Project Scope section of the RFP. 21. On the page limitation for the Technical Proposal: a. Is the cover page included in the 10 page limitation or in addition to the 10 page limitation? A cover page will not be counted in the page limitation. The page limitation has been expanded and clarified. Please see the Revised RFP for additional information. b. Can the team bios be provided in an Appendix and if so, can this be in addition to the 10 page limitation? No. The page limitation, however, has been expanded and clarified. Please see the Revised RFP for additional information. c. Can we provide examples / case studies in an Appendix and can this be in addition to the 10 page limitation? No. The page limitation, however, has been expanded and clarified. Please see the Revised RFP for additional information. 22. All completed forms and acceptance or exceptions to the contract, should those be attached to the Technical Proposal, Pricing Proposal or in a third envelope marked as such? These documents can be attached to the Technical Proposal. Please see the Revised RFP for additional information. 23. What is the composition of the Agency Selection Committee at the Lottery, e.g., disciplines and total number? question. The initial plan is for the committee to include the persons listed in the Lottery s response to Question 5(a). The committee will make a recommendation to the Lottery s Executive Director. The Executive Director will select the Agency. 24. What is the status of your current client-agency relationship? Are your happy about the work, its results...the service you receive? Key problem areas, if any? The Lottery is generally happy with its current agency s work on our account. Page 5 of 9

6 25. Will your incumbent agency be included/defend in your upcoming review? The Lottery is required by law to accept proposals from all qualified bidders. We anticipate our current agency will bid. 26. We ve noticed that you change agencies every six years. While we recognize that you have a State mandate to review agency resources periodically, each of your last reviews has resulted in a different agency. Is this fact due to State mandate, dissatisfaction with work/service or some other reason? Winners of previous agency RFP s have been the best value for the Lottery based on the requirements found in prior RFP s. 27. Your past three agencies have been in-state headquartered...is this mandatory? question. We will be seeking an agency with a robust presence in Minnesota, but being headquartered in Minnesota will likely not be mandatory. 28. You indicate that you are seeking a full-service agency (AOR) that can provide traditional, digital, social and other services including media planning/buying...this leads to a couple of questions: a. Would you consider multiple specialty agencies on your roster to work with an AOR? question. The Lottery will consider using multiple specialty creative agencies and/or a separate media buying agency. b. If yes, do you envision you (the Client ) or the Agency as the integrator of MSL marketing services? The Lottery has not determined who will be the integrator. 29. In your past reviews, have you utilized an outside Consultant? If yes, what were the pros and cons of their involvement? No. 30. In your past reviews did you execute the following steps (and, if yes, with or without a Consultant s involvement): Yes. a. Due diligence/audit phase b. Long agency list/rfi development and RFI mailing No. Under Minnesota procurement law, there is a difference between an RFI and an RFP. In the past, the Lottery has not issued an RFI prior to an RFP. If your question is referring to an RFP, the Lottery has done this task prior to issuing the RFP. c. Screen RFI/ submissions & credentials Yes, after receiving proposals in response to an RFP. d. Chemistry meetings (per agenda) with semi-finalists Yes, after receiving proposals in response to an RFP. Page 6 of 9

7 e. Final presentations (addressing limited assignment & agenda) and proposed fees Yes, after receiving proposals in response to an RFP f. Compensation structuring/negotiation...contract finalization Yes, after receiving proposals in response to an RFP. 31. Who will be on the task force selecting/working with the winning agency(ies)? Titles? Primary function area/role? Advertising experience? Please see the Lottery s response to question Who at the Client will develop a Client briefing document from which the Agency can develop a Creative brief/recommended strategic/creative direction for your brand? Would you seek Consultant input on this document? This activity appears to be one that could be helpful during the initial term. Please refer to the Project Scope section of the RFP. 33. Do you expect the winning AOR to continue your award winning Chance Is A Beautiful Thing campaign? We envision continuing the campaign. Part of the Agency RFP may be asking for how long whether it need to be refreshed. 34. How was the aforementioned campaign measured in terms of effectiveness...how did it benchmark against prior campaigns...lottery ticket sales, awareness, word of mouth/social buzz, other? We conduct a weekly tracking survey that measures the effectiveness of the campaign tin regards to awareness, brand perception, and lottery purchases. We also monitor campaign effectives through social media metrics. 35. Please confirm that our proposal should separate pricing. Yes. Please see the revised RFP for additional information. 36. Are you open to recommendations for a phased process of selection? One where potential candidates are vetted first for their skills by an advanced rating system before pricing, ultimately saving time? question. Please note, however, that the Agency RFP must comply with Minnesota law regarding competitive bidding for state procurement. Not all alternative selection processes will be possible. 37. Would the Lottery team consider alternative models of agency relationships or has it been mandated that one integrated partner is needed? question. We would consider alternative models. 38. What is the geographic scope of the search and/or other mandatories e.g. State? Regional? National? Please see the Lottery s response to Question 27. Page 7 of 9

8 39. Does the Lottery anticipate any change in the budget in 2016 or 2017? Approximately how much of the $7M is spent on paid media? Can you break out spend by channel/service? In FY15, the Lottery spent approximately $1 million on radio media, $1.5 million on television media, $1.4 on outdoor media, $74,000 on social media, and $90,000 on miscellaneous media. As stated in the RFP, the Lottery is considering greatly expanding its non-traditional marketing efforts, including digital, social media, and event marketing. 40. How important will candidate consultant s location be in your decision criteria? Is it critical that your consultant be located in-state? It is not critical that the Consultant be located in Minnesota. Please see the Technical Proposal section of the revised RFP for additional information. 41. Considering the political nature of the appointment of an agency, will the impact of using a consultant firm that receives revenues from agencies (a pay to play model) be a considered a conflict of interest? Likely. 42. Can you share the titles of those Lottery employees who will be reviewing and selecting the Consultant RFP? Will the same people be involved in the selection of the agency? If not, please provide titles for the anticipated Agency selection team. The Consultant RFP will be reviewed and scored by the General Counsel and Director of Marketing and Sales. They will make a recommendation to the Lottery s Executive Director. The Executive Director will select the Consultant. Please also see the Lottery s response to Question Is there dissatisfaction with the current agency s performance or is this a mandated review? Will the incumbent agency be asked to respond to the RFP? The Lottery is generally happy with its current agency s work on our account. The Lottery is required to seek best value through competitive procurement for its major vendors, including its advertising agency. We anticipate our current agency will bid. 44. Do you currently formally assess your agency relationships on a regular basis (relationship review or performance audit)? Do you regularly do 180 degree assessments or 360 degree evaluations for performance improvement? The Lottery formally assesses its agency relationship on a yearly basis through a face-to-face meeting and written document. 45. What services are covered under the SOW with your current agency? Our current contract is divided into in scope and out of scope activities. The contract states, In Scope Activities include performing all services performed by a full-service advertising agency, including but not limited to strategic planning, research, advertising development, media planning and buying, interactive support, and public relations and promotional support. During the life of the contract, determining whether certain desired activities are in scope has caused issues. The Lottery expects the Consultant to review the Lottery s current contract and make recommendations during the initial term. Page 8 of 9

9 46. Who will be part of your internal pitch team (for the agency pitch) and who will make the final decision? Will it be one decision maker or a group of people? Please see the Lottery s response to question Do you know already if you ll limit your agency search to MN based agencies or will you also be looking at advertising agencies outside of MN? Please see the Lottery s response to question Are you open to look at agencies who will combine their efforts to pitch the business (e.g., a partner media agency) or are you looking for one agency that already provides all the services in-house? Please see the Lottery s response to question How long will the initial contract term be with the winning agency? It is anticipated the initial term will be three years. 50. In your last RFP agency process, how many agencies responded to the RFP and how many did you meet with? Six agencies bid, four continued the process as finalists. 51. Will you choose an agency based on credentials or chemistry check only or will you ask them to demonstrate their thinking and working style by tackling and solving a marketing or communication challenge? question. The Lottery plans to ask potential agencies to demonstrate their work style and thinking by solving a marketing challenge. Page 9 of 9