On-Call Comprehensive Communication Services

TACOMA PUBLIC UTILITIES
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE & EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
ON-CALL COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATION SERVICES
SPECIFICATION NO. PR26-0063F

City of Tacoma
Tacoma Public Utilities
Customer Experience & External Affairs
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS PR26-0063F
ON-CALL COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATION SERVICES
Submittal Deadline: 11:00 a.m., Pacific Time, Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Submittals must be received by the City's Procurement and Payables Division by 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
For electronic submittals, the City of Tacoma will designate the time of receipt recorded by our email server, as
the official time of receipt. This clock will be used as the official time of receipt of all parts of electronic bid
submittals. Include the specification number in the subject line of your email. Your submittal must be sent as
an attachment, links to your electronic submittal will not be accepted.
For in person submittals, the City of Tacoma will designate the time of receipt recorded by the timestamp
located at the lobby security desk, as the official time of receipt. Include the specification number on the
outside of the sealed envelope. Late submittals will be returned unopened and rejected as non-responsive.
Submittal Delivery: Sealed submittals will be received as follows:
By Email: In Person:
sendbid@tacoma.gov Tacoma Public Utilities Administration Building North,
Maximum email size including attachments: 35 MB. Main Floor, Lobby Security Desk
Multiple emails may be sent for each submittal. 3628 South 35th Street
Tacoma, WA 98409
Note: Email may pass through multiple servers before arriving Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
at its destination. Please allow sufficient time for email delivery
of submittals. Timely electronic delivery is at the risk of the
supplier.
Bid Opening: Submittals must be received by the City's Procurement and Payables Division prior to 11:00
a.m. Pacific Time. Sealed submittals in response to a RFB will be opened Tuesday's at 11:15 a.m. by a
purchasing representative and read aloud during a public bid opening held at the Tacoma Public Utilities
Administrative Building North, 3628 S. 35th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409, conference room M-1, located on the
main floor. They will also be held virtually Tuesday's at 11:15 a.m. Attend a Zoom meeting via this link or call 1
(253) 215 8782, using meeting ID # 884 0268 0573, passcode # 070737.
Submittals in response to an RFP, RFQ or RFI will be recorded as received, but not read at bid opening. As
soon as possible, after 1:00 PM, on the day of submittal deadline, preliminary results will be posted to
www.TacomaPurchasing.org.
If you believe your submittal was sent timely and was not read at bid opening, please contact
sendbid@tacoma.gov immediately.
Solicitation Documents: An electronic copy of the complete solicitation documents may be viewed and
obtained by accessing the City of Tacoma Purchasing website at www.TacomaPurchasing.org.
* Register for the Bid Holders List to receive notices of addenda, questions and answers and related updates.
* Click here to see a list of vendors registered for this solicitation.
Pre-Proposal Meeting: A pre-proposal meeting will not be held.
Project Scope: Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU), Communications Office seeks proposals from qualified firms or
teams of firms to provide a comprehensive range of communications, marketing, public relations, and
community engagement support services. The selected firm(s) will function as an extension of the
Communications Office, delivering integrated, high-quality services using staff from their firm and/or authorized
subconsultants.
Form No. SPEC-040C Revised: 06/03/2024

Estimate: $50,000 over two years.
Paid Sick Leave: The City of Tacoma requires all employers to provide paid sick leave in accordance with
State of Washington law.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA Information: The City of Tacoma, in accordance with Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), commits to
nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, in all of its programs and activities. Specification materials can be
made available in an alternate format by emailing the contact listed below in the Additional Information section.
Title VI Information:
"The City of Tacoma" in accordance with provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, (78 Stat. 252, 42
U.S.C. sections 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively
ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises
will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated
against on the grounds of race, color, national origin in consideration of award.
Additional Information: Requests for information regarding the specifications may be obtained by contacting
Brandon Snow by email to bsnow@tacoma.gov.
Protest Policy: City of Tacoma protest policy, located at www.tacomapurchasing.org, specifies procedures for
protests submitted prior to and after submittal deadline.
Meeting sites are accessible to persons with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations for persons with
disabilities can be arranged with 48 hours advance notice by calling 253-502-8468.
Form No. SPEC-040C Revised: 06/03/2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUBMITTAL CHECK LIST ......................................................................................................... 4
1. BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................. 5
2. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS .............................................................................................. 5
3. SCOPE OF SERVICES AND DELIVERABLES................................................................... 6
4. CONTRACT TERM ............................................................................................................. 9
5. CALENDAR OF EVENTS ................................................................................................... 9
6. INQUIRIES ......................................................................................................................... 9
7. PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING..............................................................................................10
8. DISCLAIMER .....................................................................................................................10
9. EVALUATION CRITERIA ...................................................................................................10
10. CONTENT TO BE SUBMITTED - This section represents 100% of scoring criteria. ..........11
11. RESPONSIVENESS ..........................................................................................................14
12. ACCEPTANCE / REJECTION OF SUBMITTALS ...............................................................14
13. CONTRACT OBLIGATION .................................................................................................14
14. STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS / GENERAL PROVISIONS ................................14
15. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS .........................................................................................15
16. PARTNERSHIPS ...............................................................................................................15
17. COMMITMENT OF FIRM KEY PERSONNEL ....................................................................15
18. AWARD .............................................................................................................................15
19. ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PROCUREMENT ..................................................15
20. PROPRIETARY OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION ......................................................16
21. ADDENDUMS ...................................................................................................................16
22. LEAP REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................................16
23. EQUITY IN CONTRACTING .............................................................................................16
APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................................17
APPENDIX B ............................................................................................................................18
APPENDIX C ............................................................................................................................19
Request for Proposal Specification No. PR26-0063F_RFP
Template Revised: 08/01/2025

SUBMITTAL CHECK LIST
This checklist identifies items to be included with your submittal. Any submittal received without
these required items may be deemed non-responsive and not be considered for award.
Submittals must be received by the City of Tacoma Purchasing Division by the date and time
specified in the Request for Proposal page.
The following items make up your submittal package:
One electronic copy of your complete submittal package
Signature Page (Appendix A)
Price Proposal Form (Vendor Formatted)
Information Requested in Section 10 (Vendor Proposal)
After award, the following documents will be executed:
Services Contract (See Sample in Appendix B)
Certificate of Insurance and Endorsements (See Sample in Appendix C)
Request for Proposal Specification No. PR26-0063F_RFP
Template Revised: 08/01/2025

1. BACKGROUND
Tacoma Public Utilities is a department within the City of Tacoma and consists of three
operating divisions, Tacoma Power, Tacoma Water, and Tacoma Rail. Tacoma Public Utilities is
one of the oldest and largest municipally owned utilities in the country.
To learn more about Tacoma Public Utilities, visit www.mytpu.org
To learn more about the City of Tacoma, visit www.tacoma.gov
Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU), Communications Office seeks proposals from qualified firms or
teams of firms to provide a comprehensive range of communications, marketing, public
relations, and community engagement support services. The selected firm(s) will function as an
extension of the Communications Office, delivering integrated, high-quality services using staff
from their firm and/or authorized subconsultants.
The City anticipates awarding a 2-year, not-to-exceed $100,00 on-call Services contract with the
option to renew the contract for three additional one-year terms.
Services will be provided on an as-needed basis through individually negotiated work
assignments or task orders. Each task order will define specific objectives, scope, schedule,
deliverables, staffing, and cost.
The firm(s) will be evaluated in part on demonstrated experience and success in
communications strategy development, marketing, implementation, and public engagement for
public-sector and/or private-sector clients.
2. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
The vendor is expected to provide timely, accurate, and professional services and to
communicate proactively regarding schedules, availability, and potential issues. TPU may
provide notice of performance concerns and an opportunity to correct deficiencies.
The vendor shall have:
* Demonstrated experience providing a range of communications, marketing, public
relations, and community engagement support services, preferably for public sector or
similarly regulated organizations
* Proficiency in industry-standard software
* Experience writing accessible and print-ready materials
* Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadline
* Experience with media relations and crisis communications
Request for Proposal Specification No. PR26-0063F_RFP
Template Revised: 08/01/2025

3. SCOPE OF SERVICES AND DELIVERABLES
Integrated Communications Support
Provide integrated communications services for both anticipated/scheduled projects and short-
duration, on-call assignments. Services may support individual divisions or cross-departmental
initiatives within the Communications Office.
Project Management & Coordination
* Designated account/project manager
* Work plans and schedules
* Status updates and coordination meetings
Public Relations & Media Services
Serve as an advertising and public relations agent on TPU's behalf, including planning,
development, placement, and evaluation of communications and outreach materials.
Includes, but is not limited to:
* Marketing and advertising campaign development and execution
* Media kit and press materials development
* Ongoing message-specific or issue-based campaigns
* Targeted outreach to local and regional audiences and priority districts
* Distribution of press releases and media advisories
* Facilitation and coordination of media opportunities and interviews
* Media monitoring, tracking, clipping, and analysis
* Media relations and spokesperson training
Crisis & Issues Communications
* Rapid-response communications support
* Message development and coordination
* Scenario planning and tabletop exercises
Equity-Centered Communications
* Culturally responsive messaging
* Inclusive visual and language standard
* Community co-creation approaches
Request for Proposal Specification No. PR26-0063F_RFP
Template Revised: 08/01/2025

* Outreach and relationship building with community groups, advocates, stakeholders,
businesses, and educational institutions
* Engagement with underserved and historically underrepresented communities,
including:
Research and audience analysis
o
Strategic recommendations
o
Reporting and evaluation
o
* Coordination of regular and special events, promotions, and outreach activities
* Translation, Transcreation, and multilingual communications support
* Dissemination of information and opportunities through email, advertising, and in-person
outreach
* Ongoing collaboration, meetings, and brainstorming with TPU Communications staff and
partners
* Identification and facilitation of new community, business, and agency partnerships
Accessibility & Compliance
* Compliance with accessibility standards (e.g., ADA, WCAG)
* Plain-language best practices
Social Media Support
* Support implementation of TPU's social media communications strategy
* Content development, scheduling, and posting
* Identification and evaluation of new and emerging platforms
* Integration with relevant industry blogs and information sources
* Social media strategic assistance
Employee/Internal Communications Support
* Strategy development and implementation support
* Toolkits, templates, and internal communications materials
* Web and graphic support
* Internal event planning and management, including logistics and promotion, day of
coordination, vendor management, employee coordination
Request for Proposal Specification No. PR26-0063F_RFP
Template Revised: 08/01/2025

Brand Management & Key Message Development
* Ongoing brand stewardship
* Development and refinement of key messages and talking points
* Alignment of messaging across channels
Customer Focused Communications Strategies
* Develop and recommend customer-centered communications strategies that align with
organizational goals and prioritize clarity, accessibility, and ease of understanding
across all channels.
* Conduct audience research and segmentation to identify customer needs, preferences,
behaviors, and barriers, and tailor messaging and outreach accordingly.
* Create and refine messaging frameworks, value propositions, and customer journeys
that improve awareness, comprehension, and engagement with programs and services.
* Advise on channel selection, timing, and content optimization to ensure customers
receive relevant, timely, and actionable information through their preferred platforms.
Advertising Planning & Management
* Review existing advertising commitments
* Research and recommend new advertising opportunities
* Coordinate delivery of artwork and materials to outlets
* Manage advertising schedules and placements
* Conduct post-buy analysis and performance evaluation
Copywriting & Editorial Services
* Creative direction and copywriting for newsletters, campaigns, and materials
* On-call copyediting and proofreading services
Website Support
* Content creation (writing, graphics, and limited code as needed)
* Content updates and optimization
* Strategic assistance related to MyTPU.org and related digital properties
Request for Proposal Specification No. PR26-0063F_RFP
Template Revised: 08/01/2025

Communications Training
* Development and delivery of training on communications strategy, best practices, media
relations, and related topics
Reporting & Measurement
* Creation and delivery of communications and outreach summary reports
* Performance measurement and insights
Strategic Communications Consulting
* On-call strategic counsel and advisory services
4. CONTRACT TERM
The contract will be for a two-year period with the option to renew the contract three additional
one-year terms. The City reserves the right to cancel the contract for any reason, by written
notice, as stipulated in the contract.
5. CALENDAR OF EVENTS
This is a tentative schedule only and may be altered at the sole discretion of the City.
The anticipated schedule of events concerning this RFP is as follows:
Publish and issue RFP: 6/25/2026
Pre-Submittal Questions: 7/9/2026
Response to Questions: 7/10/2026
Submittal Due Date: 7/21/2026
Submittal Evaluated (on or about): 8/1/2026
Award Recommendation (on or about): 8/1/2026
Public Utility Board/City Council Approval, on or about N/A
6. INQUIRIES
6.1 Questions should be submitted to Brandon Snow via email to bsnow@tacoma.gov.
Subject line to read:
PR26-0063F On-Call Comprehensive Communication Services - VENDOR NAME
6.1 Questions are due by 3 pm on the date included in the Calendar of Events section.
6.2 Questions marked confidential will not be answered or included.
6.3 The City reserves the discretion to group similar questions to provide a single answer or
not to respond when the requested information is confidential.
Request for Proposal Specification No. PR26-0063F_RFP
Template Revised: 08/01/2025