RFQ #26-03 ? Campaign Management Consultant

Request for Quotations
#26-03
For Campaign Management Consulting:
Contactless Fare Payment (Tap2Ride) Transition
For The Monterey-Salinas Transit District
RFQ #26-03 Schedule
Issue Date: Friday, April 10, 2026
Question Submission Deadline: Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 12:00 P.M.
Deadline to Submit Quotations: Friday, May 8, 2026 at 5:00 P.M.
Monterey-Salinas Transit
19 Upper Ragsdale Drive, Suite 200
Monterey, CA 93940

Request for Quotations for
Campaign Management Consulting:
Contactless Fare Payment (Tap2Ride) Transition
For The Monterey-Salinas Transit District
Notice Inviting Quotations
Monterey-Salinas Transit District (MST) is soliciting quotations from qualified marketing and
communications consultants to lead and manage a comprehensive public awareness and
behavior change campaign. The campaign will promote the use of contactless credit and debit
cards, as well as the reloadable transit/parking payment card to pay bus fares and support the
phased removal of cash and bus pass (GoPass) payment option. Quotes must be uploaded to
MST's Bonfire eProcurement Portal at
https://mst.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities by Friday, May 8, 2026 at 5:00
p.m. PST. Hard copy submissions of quotations will not be accepted.
The consultant selected will enter into a contract with MST effective upon contract
execution and receipt of a Notice to Proceed, and shall remain in effect through the
completion of all deliverables described in the Scope of Services.
It is the responsibility of the proposing firms to check MST's eProcurement Portal for any
addenda that may be issued relative to this solicitation. Proposers that accessed any of the
solicitation documents for this solicitation will be notified of the issuance of any addenda.
In order to allow for an adequate evaluation, MST requires an offer in response to this
solicitation to be valid and irrevocable for ninety (90) days after the quote due date and time. All
proposers will be notified of contract award, if award is made.
If you have any questions related to the procurement process, please contact:
Monterey-Salinas Transit
19 Upper Ragsdale Drive, Suite 200
Monterey, CA 93940
Attention: Steven Bruno, Purchasing Agent
Phone: 831-264-5884
Email: sbruno@mst.org
History and Overview of MST
Monterey-Salinas Transit District (MST) was created by state law AB644 and formed July 1,
2010. MST succeeds Monterey-Salinas Transit Joint Powers Agency formed in 1981 when

the City of Salinas joined the Monterey Peninsula Transit Joint Powers Agency which was
formed in 1972.
Current members of MST are the Cities of Carmel, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzales, Greenfield,
King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas, Sand City, Seaside, Soledad, and the
County of Monterey. A board of directors with a representative from each member
jurisdiction governs the agency and appoints the General Manager.
MST serves a 159 square-mile area of Monterey County, Northern San Luis Obispo County,
and Southern Santa Cruz County. MST's 36 routes serve an estimated 437,325 population
within the County of Monterey.
For more information about MST, log onto http://www.mst.org/.
SOLICITATION TIMELINE
All submissions must be received by MST NO LATER THAN 5:00 P.M. on Friday, May 8,
2026. MST will deem a submission as non-responsive and will not accept a submission past this
time. Bids must be submitted through Monterey-Salinas Transit's Bonfire eProcurement portal.
If you are not already registered, please do so at www.mst.org/procurement and select "Become
a Vendor."
If you have any questions regarding this solicitation, please submit them via MST's Bonfire Portal
no later than 12:00 P.M. on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. An addendum to this RFQ will be issued
answering any questions received by the deadline.
OBJECTIVES
* Increase public awareness of contactless payment options for bus fare.
* Encourage widespread adoption of contactless payment by riders.
* Provide education on how to use contactless cards, benefits of Tap2Ride (fare
capping, pay-as-you-go) and troubleshoot common concerns.
* Support the smooth transition away from cash and bus pass (GoPass) fare payment
methods.
* Mitigate potential negative feedback or confusion related to the fare system change.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
I. Strategy Development
a. Develop a communication strategy and implementation plan.
b. Conduct stakeholder analysis and audience segmentation.
c. Identify potential barriers to adoption and develop mitigation strategies.
II. Messaging and Creative Development

a. Craft clear, inclusive, and multilingual messaging tailored to various audiences
(e.g., seniors, industry-specific, transit-dependent and choice riders, non-English
speakers) and channels (e.g. website, social media, print, TV).
b. Oversee development of campaign branding, visuals, and taglines.
c. Design collateral including car cards, rack cards, bus boards, flyers, social media
graphics, videos, infographics, and FAQs.
III. Campaign Execution
a. Manage and implement the rollout of the marketing campaign across multiple
platforms, including, but not limited to:
i. Onboard buses;
ii. Local TV, radio, newspapers/print;
iii. Social media and web presence.
b. Community outreach and transit center pop-ups.
c. Coordinate with local community organizations to amplify messaging.
IV. Public Relations and Stakeholder Engagement
a. Develop a PR strategy including press releases and media briefings.
b. Plan and lead community meetings and rider education sessions.
c. Support internal stakeholder communications and training.
V. Monitoring and Evaluation
a. Develop and implement performance metrics and KPIs.
b. Track and analyze campaign performance.
c. Provide monthly progress reports and a final impact assessment report.
d. Recommend next steps for long-term rider support and compliance.
DELIVERABLES
I. Campaign Strategy and Implementation Plan
II. Messaging Toolkit (including multilingual content)
III. Creative Content Suite (digital and print-ready materials)
IV. Community Outreach Plan
V. Monthly Status Reports
VI. Final Campaign Report with impact metrics and recommendations
ANTICIPATED PROJECT TIMELINE
Please note that this timeline is subject to change.
I. Project Kickoff: July 2026 (est.)
II. Strategy and Messaging Complete: August 2026
III. Campaign Launch: September 2026
IV. Phase-out of Cash/Passes Begins: December 2026
V. Full Transition Complete: December 31, 2026
VI. Final Report Due: January 2027

ATTACHMENTS
The following attachments are hereby made part of this Invitation for Bids:
Appendix A - Sample Contract
Appendix B - Required Forms
Appendix B.01 - Certification of Responsibility Matters
Appendix B.02 - Federal Tax Delinquency and Conviction Certification
Appendix B.03 - Non-Collusion Affidavit
Appendix B.04 - Proposer's Statement Regarding Insurance Coverage
Appendix B.05 - RFQ Compliance or Exception
Appendix B.06 - Cost Proposal
SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS AND CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS
Interested firms shall include the following items in their proposal:
1. Cover letter of interest and transmittal not to exceed two pages in length.
2. Legal name of the consultant firm, address, phone, fax, and email address, year the
firm was established, and type of business.
3. A clear articulation of the firm's approach to be used in this project including a
proposed schedule, deliverables, and description of the proposed methods of public
involvement.
4. A summary of qualifications, related experience, and references. Interested firms should
have:
a. Proven experience in transportation, behavioral change, or public sector
campaigns;
b. Expertise in marketing strategy, creative direction, and project management;
c. Strong understanding of equity and accessibility in communications; and
d. Experience with multilingual campaigns and community engagement.
5. Proposed scope of work and, project approach and plan to accomplish the work.
Describe in detail your firm's project approach and methodology in managing and
implementing a project of this size and scope and experience of developing and
supporting the implementation of a comprehensive strategic plan. Key elements include:
a. Project Understanding
b. Project Methodology and Deliverables
c. Roles and Responsibilities including team bios/resumes
d. Project Management

6. A minimum of three (3) examples of relevant written work, with no less than one
example prepared on behalf of a local government organization or comparable entity.
Experience with other public transit agencies is highly desirable.
7. Fee schedule with a detailed explanation of costs and hours. Please include the total and
final cost. This cost will be listed in the contract as the amount not to be exceeded.
EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURES
A contract may be awarded to the company that can complete the work in a manner that
is of best value to MST, taking into account both quality and cost. As this procurement is
being conducted as a Request for Quotations, it is anticipated that the contract shall be
award to the lowest responsible proposer responsive to the RFQ. Proposers must meet the
minimum requirements outlined in this Request for Quotations.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROPOSAL PREPARATION
Except as otherwise specifically agreed to in writing by MST, each consulting individual or
team submitting proposals shall provide and pay for all materials, labor, transportation,
charges, levies, taxes, fees or expenses incurred, including all costs to prepare a response to
this RFQ, travel and presentation costs, and all other services and facilities of every nature
whatsoever necessary for the preparation of the RFQ.
It is neither MST's responsibility nor practice to acknowledge receipt of any proposal as a result
of the RFQ process. It is the proposer's responsibility to assure that a proposal is delivered and
received in a timely manner.
RIGHTS OF MST
This RFQ does not commit MST to enter into a Contract, nor does it obligate MST to pay for
any costs incurred in preparation and submission of proposals or in anticipation of a contract.
MST may investigate the qualifications of any Proposer under consideration, require confirmation
of information furnished by the Proposer, and require additional evidence or qualifications to
perform the Services described in this RFQ.
MST reserves the right to:
1. Accept or reject any or all proposals at its sole discretion.
2. Cancel this solicitation at any time, for any reason, at its sole discretion.
3. Issue subsequent Request for Quotations.
4. Postpone opening for its own convenience.
5. Remedy technical errors in the Request for Quotations process.
6. Approve or disapprove the use of particular sub contractors.
7. Negotiate with any, all, or none of the proposers.

8. Solicit best and final offers from all or some of the proposers.
9. Waive informalities and irregularities in bids to the extent permissible under
applicable law.
The proposals received become the exclusive property of MONTEREY-SALINAS TRANSIT
DISTRICT. At such time as a contract award is made by MST, all proposals submitted in
response to this RFQ shall become a matter of public record and shall be regarded as public
records, with the exception of those elements of each proposal which are trade secrets as the term
is defined in California Government Code 6254.7 and which are so marked as "TRADE
SECRET," "CONFIDENTIAL," OR "PROPRIETARY." MONTEREY-SALINAS TRANSIT
DISTRICT shall not in any way be liable or responsible for the disclosure of any such records or
portions thereof, including, without limitation, those so marked if disclosure is deemed required
by law or by an order of a court. Proposals that indiscriminately identify all or most of the
proposal as exempt from disclosure without justification may be found technically unacceptable.