UCB - Strategic Communications - RFP 003915-Feb2026

UC Berkeley Strategic Communications RFP
Narrative and Brand Work for the Strategic Communications Department
UCB - Strategic Communications - RFP 003915-Feb2026
RFP Timeline - Listed below are the key action dates/times for this RFx the amount of time listed
in the table are suggestions. The UC reserves the right to modify this timeline to best meet the
needs of the University.
RFP release date February 20,2026
Pre-bid conference with potential bidders (zoom) 1 hour (Department will introduce project February 25, 2026
and answer general questions regarding project's scope) (attendance highly recommended).
Please email Matthew Nelson, matthewnelson@berkeley.edu to receive the online meeting
invite to attend. 10AM -11AM PST
Bidder RFP questions due March 2, 2026
UC answers to questions due March 6, 2026
Bidder proposal due date March 16, 2026
UC evaluation of proposals due March 27, 2026
Bidder Interviews / Product Demo (We will invite maximum of five bidders to interview April 13-17, 2026
with department)
UC evaluation of Bidder interviews / Product Demo due By April 24, 2026
Apparent Awardee: Intent to award notice, best & final, acceptance & execute contract. By May 6, 2026
*All due dates are 11:59 PM PST for the corresponding date.
1. Introduction
Founded in 1868, University of California, Berkeley is the world's No. 1 public
university, with 63 Nobel laureates and 50 graduate programs ranked in the
nation's top 10. Berkeley researchers advance fundamental science while
addressing society's greatest challenges - from artificial intelligence to climate
change to human health. The university enrolls nearly 46,000 students, with 28%
of undergraduates receiving federal Pell Grants, reflecting its commitment to
access.

The Strategic Communications department (Strat Comms) seeks a brand and
marketing communications partner to help elevate our national and global position
in higher education by strengthening our brand positioning and helping to create
new and impactful brand assets.
2. Purpose
UC Berkeley Strat Comms is seeking proposals from agencies to help strengthen
and evolve the university's institutional brand. Key to this work is updating our
brand positioning and strategic narrative to more effectively communicate the
breadth, depth and impact of Berkeley's mission, research and public service. This
work will help ensure that our story is both firmly grounded in Berkeley's
distinctive strengths, traditions and aspirations. The resulting brand foundation -
well-researched, community-informed and clearly articulated - will provide the
entire campus with a unified framework for telling Berkeleys story, both in print
and visually, with greater clarity, cohesion and resonance across all audiences.
With Trademarks and Licensing as well as Brand Protection now reporting into
Strat Comms, our team plans to ensure both strong brand stewardship and
position our brand for increased revenue generation opportunities.
3. Minimum/mandatory requirements
A. Business experience: Bidder must have a minimum of five [5] years of
experience executing brand development, website development, and digital
marketing campaigns for organizations of similar size and complexity as UC
Berkeley.
B. Project capacity: Bidder must identify a dedicated project team of at least
three [3] staff members with the availability to meet the milestones and
deadlines specified in the project schedule.
C. Geographical location: Bidder must be a legal entity registered and
headquartered within the United States of America.

4. Evaluation criteria
Proposal details
Proposal submissions should include at minimum the following:
D. A description of the project as your company understands it, and how you
would be able to assist UC Berkeley in reaching our goals, which include:
a. Increased recognition as a/the top public university in the US
b. Illustrate the regional, national and global impact of our research
c. Showcase the breadth and deep of our academic excellence
d. Solidify UC Berkeley's reputation as an opportunity engine for
personal and social change
e. Bridging the Cal/UC Berkeley brand gap
f. Articulate why a UC Berkeley education will continue to hold
immense value in the age of AI
g. Increased recognition in specific areas TBD
E. Background information on your agency including your staffing model and
information on key players who would be assigned to this project
F. List of prior and/or relevant clients and referrals (see EXHIBIT 2)
G. A breakdown of your agency's process for projects, including your project
management approach
a. Including a general explanation for how your agency will meet all of
the brand, licensing, ADA, IT, and security requirements of University
of California, Berkeley. Please refer to the UC Terms and Conditions
of Purchase and Appendix - Data Security documents uploaded to
the UC bid site.
H. An estimated cost breakdown for the outlined scope of work (see EXHIBIT
1)
I. At least two case studies or examples from similar projects. You are
encouraged to include projects/examples from previous clients in the
education industry if you have them.
J. Ability to accept UC Terms and Conditions of Purchase and Appendix-Data
Security
Approximate project timeline
1. Request for proposal issue date: 2/20/26
2. Contract awarded (tentative): 5/6/2026

3. Phase 1 begins (tentative): 5/18/26
4. Phase 2 begins (tentative): TBD in coordination with selected agency
5. Phase 3 begins (tentative): TBD in coordination with selected agency
Grading rubric
Proposals that meet all Minimum / Mandatory Requirements will be evaluated and
scored using the criteria below. Scores will be used to identify the highest-ranking
bidders to advance to oral presentations (Tier 3) and potential award.
A. Proposal content and clarity
Approach and narrative: Clarity and completeness of the supplier's
understanding of the unique challenges facing a top-tier public university,
including the balance between elite reputation and public access.
Proposal organization: Provides a well-organized, easy-to-read proposal
with complete information.
Project timeline: Includes a realistic project timeline, milestones and
deliverables that accounts for the academic calendar, including faculty
availability and semester breaks.
Risk assessment: Identifies potential project risks, such as stakeholder
misalignment or logistical delays, with specific and actionable mitigation
strategies.
B. Strategic qualifications, design expertise and solution fit
Research methodology: Demonstrates a robust, data-backed methodology
for brand discovery that utilizes both quantitative methods for baseline
metrics and qualitative methods for nuanced sentiment and understanding.
Brand architecture solution: Delivers a clear preliminary approach for
solving the brand architecture relationship between the academic primary
brand (UC Berkeley) and the athletic brand (Cal).
Creative scalability: Demonstrates the ability to create a living brand
system that includes scalable assets and toolkits usable by non-designers.
This is not a simple logo update; the proposed brand system will need to be
flexible and effective across decentralized departments.
Digital asset readiness: Provides a clear strategy for delivering a digital
utility suite that integrates with standard campus software, including Google
Workspace, Canva, and Microsoft Office

Stakeholder consensus: Demonstrates specific techniques or workshops
designed to build consensus among highly decentralized stakeholder
groups, including faculty, staff, students and alumni.
Accessibility standards: Ensures all visual and digital assets, including
color palettes and typography, meet WCAG 2.1 AA or newer standards.
Compliance: Ability to comply with UC terms and conditions as well as UC
Berkeley confidentiality requirements.
C. Project management and execution plan
Governance structure: Defines the project governance structure, roles and
communication plan, clearly identifying the strategy lead and day-to-day
project manager.
Team qualifications: Provides a qualified project manager and team with
documented experience managing complex higher education, public sector
or similar clients.
Schedule controls: Describes methodology and schedule controls,
specifically regarding how the agency manages feedback loops to prevent
scope creep.
Implementation support:
i. Internal brand rollout strategy for campus communicators.
ii. Comprehensive training plan for internal teams on using new
guidelines and templates.
iii. Availability for post-launch consultation during the immediate
adoption phase.
Quality assurance: Outlines the process for asset proofing, testing digital
templates across various platforms, and ensuring print feasibility.
Change management: Describes the approach to fostering internal
adoption and ensuring long-term narrative resonance with institutional
stakeholders.
D. Financials
Cost and value: Aligns the proposed financial structure with project value
and deliverables, providing a transparent fee structure with clear caps on
travel and research expenses. Estimated budget total $300-375k. This is a
competitive bidding process and the university expects bidders to provide
proposals that give the most advantageous balance of price, quality,
service, performance, and other elements as defined through this RFP.

E.Evaluation of quality, creativity and fit of similar projects
Portfolio relevance: Demonstrated success on at least two comparable
projects for R1 research universities or complex public entities completed
within the last five years.
Design quality: Evidence of delivering bespoke, visually distinctive and
user-centric designs that balance institutional tradition with modern
aspirations.
References: Quality of references from previous clients regarding the
agency's responsiveness, collaborative spirit and ability to handle critical
feedback.
i. UC reserves the right to check references other than those
provided by the bidder.
Lessons learned: Evidence of learning from past complex rebranding
projects and the ability to apply those insights to the UC Berkeley context.
F. Value-added services
Innovation and thought leadership: Creative solutions that go beyond the
stated scope to enhance the stakeholder experience or operational
efficiency.
Knowledge transfer: Commitment to documentation and staff training to
ensure long-term maintainability and institutional independence.
Advanced accessibility: Adherence to Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines 2.2 or newer at level AA success criteria or above for all digital
deliverables.
5. Evaluation process
A. Tier 1 - Minimum / mandatory requirements: Bidders shall be eliminated
from further consideration if above Minimum / mandatory requirements
are not met.
B. Tier 2 - Proposal evaluation: Evaluation criteria will be based on responses
to the RFP requirements.
C. Tier 3 - Virtual demos and interviews: Top bidders from Tier 2, up to a
maximum of five firms, will be invited to present their firm's qualifications
and RFP responses. The Project Manager must attend the interview and, if
possible, the project team. Clarifying information from the oral
presentation/demonstration may be considered when evaluating the

proposals. UC Berkeley reserves the right to eliminate the oral
presentation/demonstration if it determines the written bids sufficiently
address the evaluation criteria.
D. Contacting Phase - Notice may be given to the top ranked Bidder. UC
Berkeley will notify the Apparent Awardee via an Intent to Award notice,
request best & final offers and move to acceptance and contract execution
activities.