2023-057 RFP Natural Yard Care - Social Marketing Campaign Support, 2024

Agency:	Kitsap County
State:	Washington
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541613 - Marketing Consulting Services 541810 - Advertising Agencies
Posted Date:	Dec 20, 2023
Due Date:	Jan 11, 2024
Solicitation No:	2023-057
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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KITSAP COUNTY

PUBLIC WORKS STORMWATER DIVISION

2023-057

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Natural Yard Care - Social Marketing Campaign Support, 2024

Response Deadline: January 11th, 2023 @ 2:00 pm (PST)

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The County is a member of the West Sound Stormwater Outreach Group (WSSOG), a multi-jurisdictional

partnership between Kitsap County, the Cities of Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, Gig Harbor, Poulsbo,

Port Angeles, and Port Orchard. These agencies share an interest in improving water quality by reducing

pollutants in stormwater runoff, which are a major source of pollution to local waterways and Puget

Sound.

The Western Washington Phase II Municipal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit

(Permit) outlines stormwater program activities and implementation milestones that all WSSOG

jurisdictions must follow to comply with the federal Clean Water Act. The Permit requires permittees to

reduce or eliminate behaviors that cause adverse stormwater impacts. In 2020, the WSSOG evaluated

their existing behavior change campaign per the requirements of the Permit. Based on trends identified

in that campaign, the WSSOG elected to develop a new behavior change focused on a new audience and

best management practice (BMP). The group selected nutrient reduction as the goal and switching from

a “weed and feed” product to organic or natural fertilizer use as the new BMP. The group then

narrowed the audience to focus on homeowners with kids and/or pets who do their own yard

maintenance. This new campaign focuses on reducing the cost and information barriers related to

switching from weed and feed to natural or organic fertilizer by offering discount coupons on the

purchase of these environmentally friendly products. The campaign also offers natural lawn care

educational webinars, hosted by Kitsap Master Gardeners. Key promotional elements include a direct

mail postcard to select neighborhoods in WSSOG jurisdictions advertises the webinars and includes the

coupon, Facebook advertising for both webinars and the coupon, and promotion of the webinars

through existing contact lists maintained by WSSOG jurisdictions and Master Gardeners.

WSSOG contracted with C+C from 2018-2023 to conduct social marketing sessions, do audience

research, develop creative concepts, implement a pilot campaign and expand that pilot throughout the

WSSOG jurisdictions. In 2024, we plan to stay with a similar strategy used in 2022 and 2023 but would

like to include collateral for retailers to post in their stores.

REGIONAL INFLUENCE

Collective modifications to individual behaviors, particularly when applied utilizing social marketing

techniques, have been proven to positively affect the levels of pollutants in stormwater. These

behaviors change modifications, while they can be moderately effective in the small scale, can be

significantly effective when employed at a regional scale. This project is intended to create consistent

messaging and brand awareness at a local level, while remaining scalable to other jurisdictions or

consortiums and potentially applicable region wide. While the campaign will focus on specific local

communities, it is also important that it be designed to be easily modified and scaled to other

communities (or jurisdictional consortiums similar to the WSSOG) in the Puget Sound region or beyond.

SCOPE OF WORK

The WSSOG is looking to improve water quality by reducing pollutants in stormwater runoff, which are a

major source of pollution to local waterways and the Puget Sound. The Contractor will work with the

WSSOG to build on lessons learned from the 2021 pilot and 2022 and 2023 full implementation.

This work will take place from January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024.

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Task 1: Project Management and Strategic Guidance

The Contractor will maintain steady communications with the County, including, as-needed: providing

project strategy recommendations, joining planned project meetings to report on scoped items, and

providing steady communications about the aspects of the project included in this scope.

Task 1 Deliverables:

- Meeting attendance, provide project strategy recommendations, and communicate all

updates in a timely manner, up to hours specified in budget.

Assumptions:

- Kitsap County will take the lead on overall project management, including leading the

overall project timeline, setting and leading project meetings and agendas, coordinating

other aspects of the campaign outside of this scope (webinars, direct mail, etc.) and putting

together the final project report.

Task 2: Retail Relations

WSSOG jurisdictions are spread across a wide geography. To meet the needs of residents across these

jurisdictions, this campaign will develop partnerships with multiple retailers located throughout the

campaign area.

For peak spring lawn care season (spring 2024), the Contractor will coordinate partnerships with up to

five retailers within the WSSOG jurisdictions. The Contractor will work with retailers to define the exact

partnership parameters; the goal is for Kitsap County to provide coupons for natural or organic lawn

fertilizer that are redeemable at these participating retailers during the campaign period.

The consultant will work with nurseries to determine if they would be willing to host Master Gardener

volunteers for a tabling event and will coordinate the logistics with the nursery such as date, time,

locating within the facility, etc. and act as liaison between Kitsap County and the retailers.

Task 2 Deliverables:

- Coordination of retailer partnerships, meetings with interested retailers to define

partnership parameters, obtain partnership agreements, coordinating final coupon details

(products, redemption details, wording, etc.), provide a flyer (created by Kitap) to retailers

interested in using it to advertise for the coupon in their store, report on coupon

redemption, and payment to retailers for redeemed coupons

- Coordination of any needed contingency plan in case there is a shortage of discounted

product (all communications will say “while supplies last”).

- At least one tabling event at an interested nursery.

Assumptions:

- Up to $1,700 is set aside in the Contractor budget to cover the cost of fertilizer discount (for

instance, this budget would cover 150 redemptions at $11.25 each). Additional coupon

funding may be added outside of this contract by the WSSOG at their discretion.

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- Exact discount amount to be determined between Kitsap County and the Contractor

- Retail partnership parameters will depend on final details developed in tandem with

retailers

- An effort will be made to find willing retailers in north, central and south Kitsap and/or Gig

Harbor and Port Angeles, however, actual distribution of participating retailers will be

dependent, at least in part, on interest

- If a retailer request for proposal (RFP) is needed, Kitsap County to lead RFP development,

issuance, and evaluation

- Kitsap County to design the coupons for use on campaign communications materials (such

as the campaign mailer, ads, and/or landing page); Contractor to provide language for

coupons that is provided by retail partners.

- Kitsap County will provide design for in-store flyers for those retailers that want them.

Task 3: Incorporation of Evaluation Results

Kitsap County and its WSSOG partners must report on the effectiveness of this campaign by spring 2024.

To facilitate this, Kitsap County is working with an evaluation consultant to conduct a thorough

evaluation of this campaign. The evaluation will be complete by March 1, 2024. Consultant will review

recommendations to determine if any suggested changes can be incorporated into the 2024 campaign,

and if so, make the recommended changes.

Task 3 Deliverables:

- Attendance at one meeting to review evaluation results with WSSOG members.

- Incorporation of any evaluation related changes into relevant outreach if feasible.

Assumptions:

- Kitsap County recognizes that because of the timeline for launching a spring campaign, and

the timing of the completion of the evaluation summary, there may not be sufficient time to

make changes to the campaign. In this scenario, the WSSOG may choose to choose to

allocate the funding for this task to another task at their discretion.

Task 4: Facebook Advertising

Facebook ads will also be used to reach the priority audience across Kitsap County and encourage them

to use safer lawn care products and promote the coupon. Ads should also promote attendance at

Master Gardener Workshops.

Consultant will work with WSSOG to determine whether a refresh of campaign collateral, including

postcard and digital ads, is warranted. Considerations will include performance of past ad campaigns

and time needed to develop new materials.

Task 4 Deliverables:

- Develop Facebook strategy including recommendations for the ad creative, copy, and timing

of ad purchase

- Development of creative for ads with digital creative to reflect postcard

- 1 round of review on layouts – Kitsap to consolidate feedback into one document

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- Coordination and implementation of advertising media purchase

- Reporting and analysis of performance metrics

Assumptions:

- Cost of Facebook ad buy is included in the Contractor budget

- Copy may be modified based on the strategy that is developed.

- Kitsap County will create campaign landing page, Contractor to provide feedback on planned

pages for optimal user experience

- Kitsap County will provide summaries of 2023 ad performance and ad creative and copy for

consultant to review in order to make recommendations about 2024 collateral refresh.

- Kitsap County will update postcard if deemed advisable. Kitsap needs a minimum of 6 weeks

prior to the date that the address list and final design must be delivered to mailing house for

mass mailing.

Task 5: Final Report and Recommendations

To assist in reporting, the Contractor will develop a brief written summary of activities completed.

Task 5 Deliverables

- Written summary that includes, number of coupons redeemed, where coupons were

redeemed, Facebook engagement metrics, and any lessons learned from effectiveness of

the coupons, the development of retailer relations, and/or the Facebook ad campaign.

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PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals should not exceed 25 pages and should be prepared in such a way as to provide a

straightforward, concise description of capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. Expensive

bindings, colored displays, promotional materials, etc. are not necessary or desired. Digital submissions

in a readily accessible format such as pdf are welcome.

Submitted proposal must include the following information:

• Letter of Interest

• Exhibit A (Bidders Certification): Returned with response.

• Detailed Statement of Qualifications showing the Proposer’s experience providing similar

services (see following section “Specific Requirements and Expertise Desired”)

• Identification of all key personnel to be assigned to this project, including each staff member’s

qualifications and their proposed roles in the project.

• If sub-consultants will be used, identification of the proposed firm(s) and information on their

experience, qualification, responsible personnel, and anticipated responsibilities.

• Itemized Project Budget

• Proposed timeline for project

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2023-057 RFP Natural Yard Care - Social Marketing Campaign Support, 2024

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