Marketing and Creative Services

Agency:	University of Iowa
State:	Iowa
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541613 - Marketing Consulting Services 541810 - Advertising Agencies
Posted Date:	Mar 7, 2024
Due Date:	Apr 1, 2024
Solicitation No:	18229
Bid Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

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18229

Issue Date: 2/22/2024

Questions Deadline: 3/5/2024 03:00 PM (CT)

Response Deadline: 4/1/2024 03:00 PM (CT)

Contact Information

Contact: Andy Lane

Address: Purchasing

202 PCO

Iowa City 52242-2500

Phone: (319) 335-1207

Fax:

(319) 335-2443

Email: andy-lane@uiowa.edu

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Deadline: 4/1/2024 03:00 PM (CT)

18229

Event Information

Number:

18229

Title:

Marketing and Creative Services

Type:

Request for Qualifications - Sealed

Issue Date:

2/22/2024

Question Deadline: 3/5/2024 03:00 PM (CT)

Response Deadline: 4/1/2024 03:00 PM (CT)

Notes:

The University of Iowa (hereafter, The University / University) located in Iowa City,

Iowa, desires to obtain written proposals from qualified suppliers to provide

marketing and creative services.

Please be aware that this is an extensive bid. All suppliers are cautioned to

allow ample time for the submittal of RFQL responses well before the due

date time requirement. Bids must be submitted via the eBid system.

Billing Information

Contact: AP

Address: AP

PCO

202

202 PCO

Iowa City, IA 52242-2500

Phone: (319) 335-0115

Fax: (319) 335-2443

Bid Attachments

Professional_Services_Agreement_April_2021 (1).docx

Professional Services Agreement

Standard Terms and Conditions Updated (2023-05-15).pdf

University of Iowa Standard Terms and Conditions

Requested Attachments

Proposal

(Attachment required)

Supplier must provide a detailed proposal as described in Attribute #8.

Audited Financial Statements

(Attachment required)

Supplier must provide audited financial statements as requested in Attribute #17.

Download

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18229

Bid Attributes

1 Request for Qualifications

RFQL responses MUST be submitted electronically through the eBid system. RFQL responses submitted by any

other means will not be accepted.

Read & Acknowledged

(Required: Check if applicable)

2 General

The University of Iowa, located in Iowa City, Iowa (hereafter, "University") desires to obtain written proposals from

qualified suppliers to provide the Office of Strategic Communication and other University units with marketing and

creative services.

Although the University has listed general criteria that will be used in its final evaluation, the University does not

intend these criteria to limit the Supplier's creativity in preparing a proposal it believes will accomplish the

University's goals. The use of a specific Supplier will be based on the Supplier's performance.

The required documentation of expertise and qualifications outlined in this request is intended to serve primarily as

a general guide for each statement of qualifications, with the minimum requirements listed. Each Supplier is

expected to submit a fully detailed statement of qualifications, which adequately describes the advantages and

benefits the University would realize by selecting the Supplier.

Read and Acknowledged

(Required: Check if applicable)

3 Background

The University of Iowa

The University is a broad-based public university of international stature. As of 2022-2023 The University has

31,317 students and is recognized for its academic achievement; leadership in research; and its teaching hospital

The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. As of 2022 The University has an overall budget of $4.4 billion and

employs approximately 19,000 full-time faculty and staff. More information can be found at the Office of the

Registrar.

The University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics

The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics serves as the teaching hospital and comprehensive medical center for

the State of Iowa. As part of its mission, UI Hospitals and Clinics, in conjunction with UI Carver College of Medicine

and other health science colleges at The University of Iowa, provides world-class family-centered health care,

extensive medical research, and comprehensive teaching programs for many health care professions. The hospital

employs more than 924 physicians and dentists, and more than 2,445 professional nurses. More than 10,224

additional staff members support all aspects of patient care services. The hospital provides 811 inpatient beds and

more than 1 million patient visits take place in the clinics every year. UI Hospitals and Clinics is consistently ranked

by U.S. News & World Report magazine as one of the nation's best hospitals, with many of its clinical specialties

ranked among the top twenty-five in the country.

About the Office of Strategic Communication

The Office of Strategic Communication ("OSC") supports the University of Iowa mission by using communication to

build awareness and appreciation for the University’s people and programs. Our activities include social media,

university news, content strategy, media relations, administrative communications, marketing and creative services,

paid advertising, brand management and web strategy.

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4 Objective and Intent

The University of Iowa is a large and decentralized organization, presenting a broad spectrum of marketing and

communication needs. Having a network of reliable marketing and creative service Suppliers enables the university

to extend its capacity and leverage skills and expertise that may be unavailable in-house.

The purpose of this Request for Qualifications is to identify a select number of Suppliers with marketing and

creative expertise in specific categories, aiming to enhance brand consistency and streamline processes for

colleges and departments. Selected Suppliers could be engaged in a variety of projects, ranging from smaller-scale

creative requests that require specialized expertise (e.g., writing marketing copy for a program website, designing

an alumni magazine, or a digital marketing campaign for a specific program or offering) to larger strategic initiatives

that build on our existing brand strategy, such as audience research, messaging strategy, or campaign strategy and

development.

Selected Suppliers will be onboarded and receive brand training from the Office of Strategic Communication,

ensuring adherence to all brand standards during the delivery of services. Each Supplier will also be required to

submit quarterly summaries of completed projects, accompanied by links or samples of the finished work.

The intended coverage of this request and any resulting coverage resulting from this solicitation shall be for the use

of all units of the University of Iowa. Selected Supplier partners will be listed as qualified preferred Suppliers of the

University available to all units and departments, and may also be enlisted on an annual retainer basis by OSC

and/or campus units. Otherwise, projects will be delivered according to a clearly defined service and pricing model.

Each unit would be serviced as a separate account while still subject to the University brand policy and standards.

Throughout the length of any service agreement, the level of activity for such services, and the related billings for

same, will depend upon organizational need and may be altered at any time.

5 Scope of Services

The University is seeking qualified partners to provide specialized, project-based marketing and creative services.

Successful partners will collaborate with the Office of Strategic Communications (OSC) and various University units

to provide services across specific categories. Suppliers will be chosen based on their proficiency in delivering

services in each of the designated areas of expertise, independently of one another. There is no requirement for

Suppliers to offer services across all specified categories.

Multimedia Services (Expertise in one or more of the following)

ꞏ Photography: Event coverage, conceptual and brand photography, environmental portraiture

ꞏ Videography: Pre-production, production, post-production, lighting, sound, captioning, color correction, rendering

for broadcast, etc.

ꞏ Animation: Motion graphic templates, animated overlays, GIFs, etc.

ꞏ Audio: Radio, voiceover, soundbed for video, podcasting, etc.

Graphic Design

ꞏ Digital Design: Digital ads, emails, newsletters, animations, etc.

ꞏ Print Design: Direct mail campaigns, program fliers, viewbooks, posters, long-form publications such as alumni

magazines or annual reports, etc.

ꞏ Template Development: Customizable templates for various marketing and communication materials across

channels.

ꞏ Data Visualization: Design charts, graphs, and infographics to convey complex information

Illustration

ꞏ Leverage existing visual identity to create compelling illustrations and visual content that effectively conveys a

specific message or idea.

Storytelling and Content Creation

ꞏ Brand Storytelling: Craft authentic and compelling narratives reflecting our brand identity to engage key

audiences.

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18229

ꞏ Copywriting: Write persuasive marketing copy, including website content, email marketing, scripts, and brochures.

Integrate keywords for SEO/SEM alignment.

Content Strategy and Web Services

ꞏ Perform content audits, review analytics, conduct keyword research, and perform competitive analysis to refine

content strategy.

ꞏ Develop SEO-optimized written content across digital media.

ꞏ Populate and build webpages within the university’s Drupal-based CMS, utilizing the branded theme and existing

component library.

Environmental Design and Brand Experiences

ꞏ Create immersive and engaging branded spaces within building interiors, at on- and off-campus events, pop ups,

and celebrations.

Media Strategy, Buying, and Planning

ꞏ Develop comprehensive plans for digital media campaigns to achieve unit goals.

ꞏ Manage media buying for various tactics, including paid search, social media advertising, display advertising, pre-

roll video advertising, retargeting, geo-fencing, radio, connected TV, and more.

ꞏ Analyze KPIs, make data-driven adjustments for optimization, and provide regular performance updates.

Campaign Management and Optimization

ꞏ Develop strategies to attract and capture leads through various channels.

ꞏ Establish landing page and email campaigns optimized for conversions in compliance with university policy and

practices.

ꞏ Set up Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Google Tag Manager (GTM), and Looker Studio for precise tracking and

reporting on user interactions and conversions. Provide regular updates and actionable insights to inform success

of marketing tactics and identify opportunities to improve.

Brand Strategy and Messaging

NOTE: Brand strategy projects would not involve the creation of a new comprehensive institutional brand. Instead, it

concentrates on expanding the current brand through specialized institutional projects or college/unit initiatives.

ꞏ Conduct qualitative and quantitative research to understand the preferences, behaviors, and needs of the target

audience, understand market trends, and perform competitive analysis.

ꞏ Develop messaging frameworks that outline the key messages, tone, and communication approach to effectively

reach and resonate with the identified audience.

ꞏ Develop compelling, creative concepts to bring the brand to life in a visually impactful manner.

6 Scope of Services - Changes

The University reserves the right to change the scope of work as required. Notices of such changes will be made in

writing by the University to the Supplier.

Read and Acknowledged

(Required: Check if applicable)

7 Supplier Requirements

Suppliers must clearly demonstrate and provide documentation substantiating that they are compliant in each of the

following areas. The University reserves, solely, the right to reject any submittals if the evidence or references

submitted by such Supplier fails to satisfy the University that said Supplier is properly qualified in any of these

areas. It shall not be the responsibility of the University to request additional information to satisfy these

requirements, if such information is not provided with the submitted response. Failure to respond to any question or

follow the instructions herein may result in disqualification

Page 5 of 13 pages

Deadline: 4/1/2024 03:00 PM (CT)

18229

Marketing and Creative Services

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