Expression of Interest Marketing/Communications Agency Review Issue Date: July 27, 2016 Submission Deadline: August 10, 2016, 5 PM MT rfp@calgaryzoo.com
Table of Contents 1. SITUATION...3 2. EXPRESSION OF INTEREST...4 2.1 Enquiries...4 2.2 Closing Date...4 2.3 Review and Selection...4 2.4 Acceptance of Responses...4 3. SERVICES...5 4. EVALUATION CRITERIA...5 5. PROJECT TIMELINES...6 6. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS...6 7. CONFLICT OF INTEREST...6 8. CONSIDERATION FOR BEING A REGISTERED CHARITY...6 Express ion o f Intere st Calgary Zoo Age ncy Se ar ch 2
1. Situation Calgary Zoo is well-known as a fun and relaxing place to spend time with family and friends. With 1.3 million annual visitors, it is Canada s most visited zoo and one of Alberta's most beloved brands. It is far less known for its conservation work, for which it has been recognized as one of the top conservation research zoos in the world. In 2012, the Calgary Zoo redefined its vision to reflect its aspirations to become a conservation-first organization. As CEO Clément Lanthier has said, We were no longer satisfied to be a zoo that does some conservation, rather we want to be a conservation organization that has a zoo. Our vision and mission are very clear: the Calgary Zoo exists for conservation. With this in mind, we want to significantly step up efforts to raise awareness among visitors and Calgarians about our conservation work in Canada and around the world. Awareness sets up the opportunity to inspire action, to motivate our audiences to participate in the effort to save species and ecosystems that are in rapid decline worldwide. Ultimately, we want people to do more than just visit or donate; we want to inspire people to take measurable conservation action themselves at home, in their neighbourhood, at work action that will sustain animals in the wild. In hosting 1.3 million annual visitors as well as reaching millions more online, the Calgary Zoo has a remarkable opportunity to inspire action. The Calgary Zoo is conducting this agency review to ensure we have the right long-term marketing/communications partner to help us achieve our vision of becoming Canada s leader in wildlife conservation. History The Calgary Zoo is Alberta s oldest registered charity. In fact, St. George s Island was Calgary s first park, used by the community for picnics, relaxing, and socializing. The first collection of animals appeared on the island in 1917. The Calgary Zoological Society was established in 1929. In recent decades, the zoo has evolved into a national and international leader in Community Conservation and the science of reintroducing endangered species. With 1.3 million annual visitors and 73,000 active members, the zoo is a popular destination for Calgarians and tourists. With an annual budget of approximately $45 million the Calgary Zoo operates year round (closed only on Christmas Day), primarily on a 160-acre site in the heart of Calgary. During the peak summer months, the Calgary Zoo employs up to 500 full-time, part-time and seasonal staff. Marketing Communications Imperatives 2017-2019 We are seeking a marketing/communications partner which will help the zoo over the next three years to: Develop an over-arching master brand that raises awareness of the zoo s conservation vision, mission, attracts new audiences, and invites participation in conservation; Build the zoo brand from the inside out by building a culture of conservation with internal audiences; Design and guide the integration of the master brand across all external facing communication channels. In addition, over the next three years the zoo has several major milestones including the opening of a new Land of Lemurs interactive exhibit in 2017, and in 2018 the zoo will host four Giant Pandas on five-year loan from China in a brand new exhibit that will be the one of largest projects ever Express ion o f Intere st Calgary Zoo Age ncy Se ar ch 3
completed by the zoo. The addition of the Giant Panda exhibit is expected to increase the zoo attendance to at least 1.6 million visitors. Additionally, the zoo will be implementing in 2017 a strategic technology solution which is expected to transform the customer experience in many ways over the next five years. This will include a more robust e-commerce solution and Customer Relationship Management, both of which will be key parts of an overall digital strategy. Expression of Interest This Expression of Interest (EOI) will be used to identify qualified candidates for a Request for Proposal (RFP). Respondents are encouraged to submit their interest based on one or more core areas of expertise. This EOI may result in the identification of one or more agencies that can fulfil the zoo s needs. Agencies may also wish to form or have already formed strategic alliances with complementary companies to strengthen their offering. Respondents should be able to demonstrate a strong ability to manage all of the zoo s marketing/communications strategies which must integrate seamlessly across all media, digital technology, visitor experiences and off-park engagement. The chosen agency(s) will need to provide strategic and creative services related to a cohesive brand story that all zoo-related marketing/communications campaigns would naturally fall under. The chosen agency should also have a high inclination toward data driven decision-making, using both research and analytics for measuring effectiveness of all programs. If you are interested in participating in this EOI, you are required to meet the submission requirements identified below. By issuing this EOI, the zoo reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel and not proceed with the work intended. 2. Expression of Interest 2.1 Enquiries All enquiries related to this EOI are to be directed, in writing, to rfp@calgaryzoo.com. Information obtained from any other source is not official and should not be relied upon. 2.2 Closing Date An electronic copy of each response must be received on or before 5pm MDT, August 10, 2016 at RFP@calgaryzoo.com. Responses must not be sent by facsimile. Responses should be clearly marked EOI Agency Search. 2.3 Review and Selection This EOI is being used for pre-qualification purposes only. The qualifications review committee will evaluate responses against the mandatory criteria; responses not meeting all mandatory criteria will not be given further consideration. A shortlist of qualified respondents will be contacted and provided with a copy of the RFP on August 22, 2016. The RFP process timelines are shared below. This process will be complete by the beginning of October 2016, and our work together will start as soon as the review is complete. 2.4 Acceptance of Responses The EOI is not a binding agreement to purchase goods or services. Responses to an EOI are assessed in light of the qualification review criteria and, if chosen for the shortlist, will be contacted for the RFP. Express ion o f Intere st Calgary Zoo Age ncy Se ar ch 4
Issuance of this EOI for information in no way constitutes a commitment of the Calgary Zoo to award contracts to any respondent or otherwise in connection with this request. Submissions and attached information will become the property of the Calgary Zoo and will not be returned. The opening of the EOI responses will be closed to the public. Selection of the successful responders will be made solely at the discretion of the Calgary Zoo and the Calgary Zoo reserves the right to reject any or all responses. 3. Services Qualified candidates will be expected to provide expertise in strategic and creative services in areas that include, but are not limited to, the following: o Master brand development and strategy o Community engagement o Retail marketing o Digital/interactive strategy and execution o Customer Relationship Management o Media production/trafficking o Event/experiential marketing o Cause-related/non-profit marketing o Public Relations o Tourism marketing This EOI should not be considered a request for or an authorization to perform any work or supply any goods or services. Any development work undertaken by you, and any costs of replying to this EOI will be at your own expense. In the event you have any questions regarding this EOI, please send your questions to the designated email on the cover page. There are no agency meetings or briefings planned at this stage of the selection process. (No phone calls or emails to other email addresses will be accepted.) 4. Evaluation Criteria In a document of no more than four (4) pages, tell us about your firm. Here s how we ll evaluate your submission: A. Company profile including background, ownership, size and leadership B. Agency core competencies C. Location (must have an established Calgary office) D. Your operating philosophy (corporate vision and values) E. Alignment with the zoo s conservation vision and mission F. Description of understanding of and previous experience with the services listed above G. Active clients (including short descriptions of type for work for each client and contact information) H. Past clients (with whom you ve parted ways in the last two years, including contact information) I. Details of relationships with other vendors that would be considered as part of the full offering for this zoo partnership J. Overview on what makes you different from the other firms which might respond to this EOI K. The zoo s annual marketing budget for 2017 will be about $1M. Given this, where would the Calgary Zoo land on your current client roster top tier, middle or bottom? L. Details any significant personnel changes in the last six months; and ratio of junior to senior staff M. Three Client References N. Details on any potentially conflicting accounts on your current roster In addition to the four-page document, please supply two relevant case studies, two pages each. These must show work done since January 1, 2014. Supply client references. Express ion o f Intere st Calgary Zoo Age ncy Se ar ch 5
5. Project Timelines All responses to this EOI must be received by 5 pm, MT August 10, 2016 at rfp@calgaryzoo.com. The following timeframe will be followed, to the best ability of the zoo, for the RFP process: STAGE Timeline EOI Release July 27, 2016 EOI Deadline August 10, 2016, by 5 pm, MT Shortlisted Agencies Receive RFP August 22, 2016 RFP Briefing on Questions September 1, 2016 RFP Submission Deadline September 16, 2016 Agency Presentations September 26-28, 2016 Agency Decision Announced Week of October 3, 2016 Zoo reserves the right to amend the project timelines if required. 6. Submission Requirements Please submit your Expression of Interest electronically to rfp@calgaryzoo.com. No phone calls or emails to other email addresses will be accepted. Deadline: August 10, 2016, 5pm, MT The submission should include the following: Statement of Interest Responses to the evaluation criteria Three client references Conflicts of interest Two Case Studies 7. Conflict of Interest A conflict of interest exists wherever an individual could benefit directly or indirectly from access to information or from a decision over which they may have influence and also includes a perceived conflict where someone might reasonably perceive there to be such benefit and influence. A conflict of interest occurs when a staff member or consultant attempts to promote a private or personal interest that results in an interference with the objective exercise of their job responsibilities, or gains any advantage by virtue of his/her position. Conflicts of interest may be real, potential or perceived. The respondent must disclose conflicts of interest in their response to the review committee who will consider the nature of the respondent s responsibilities and the degree of potential or apparent conflict in deciding the course of action that the respondent needs to take to remedy the conflict of interest. 8. Consideration for Being a Registered Charity The Zoo is looking for partners to provide creative pricing options to help reduce costs or provide reduced rates for services as the zoo is a registered charity. Express ion o f Intere st Calgary Zoo Age ncy Se ar ch 6