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Request for Proposals for Transforming Greater Gainesville Branding Project
Purpose
To facilitate marketing and outreach associated with its Transforming Greater Gainesville plan for economic development,
the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce (hereafter referred to as “GACC”) issues this Request for Proposals with the
purpose of eliciting responses from full-service economic development marketing and public relations firms with
demonstrated success in research, marketing, branding and strategic communications expertise to facilitate enhanced
global communication of our regional business, education, quality-of-life and other strengths.
The branding of the Greater Gainesville region is intended to promote a collaborative, unified, aligned and unique
community that embraces “Innovation” as its key attribute. The successful regional brand will leverage the region’s assets
and personality to position Greater Gainesville as an innovative, education-rich community that consistently is recognized
for excellence in career-development and quality of life. The brand will accomplish this by capitalizing on regional
strengths-- including a young, highly educated population, central location, business incubation success, super-region
potential and quality of life-- to position Greater Gainesville as a premier business, talent and lifestyle destination.
The brand also will articulate to the Chamber’s vision (Greater Gainesville as the global hub of talent, innovation and
opportunity) and mission (through leadership and collaboration, facilitating economic prosperity, business growth and
community progress).
To achieve this goal, a multi-phase brand process is envisioned. The initiative may include, but not be limited to:
Phase I:
Research and Assessment: The development of the Transforming Greater Gainesville Economic Development plan
involved significant research that will inform this phase. However, a deep dive will be needed to identify what image, if
any, the Greater Gainesville region has on local, state, national and global levels.
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What are current perceptions of the region?
How can the region be best positioned for growth based on the unmet needs of the target market?
What functional and emotional attributes does the region currently "own" versus its competition, and how should
we identify and preserve those attributes that will increase our region’s cross-generation appeal?
What is the most appropriate brand and positioning strategy?
What messaging and positioning resonates with which audience groups and what provides the greatest and most
unique point of value?
Engagement: Development and execution of an inclusive process for soliciting, receiving and synthesizing both
qualitative and quantitative feedback in person and online from local, national and global stakeholders including, but not
limited to media; site selectors; business executives; human resources professionals; local, state and national citizens and
strategic partners; and industry representatives from key regional industries: Advanced Logistics, Advanced Materials,
Agricultural Life Sciences, Human Life Sciences, Software/IT and, as an industry of emphasis across of them, Advanced
Manufacturing.
This phase should include exploration of the implications of these stakeholders’ values, goals and needs on Greater
Gainesville’s efforts to establish a global brand identity as well as a blueprint for developing the brand.
Phase II:
Brand Development: Development and testing, including the name, strategy and visual identify for a regional brand. This
would include, but not be limited to, the brand story and creative such as logos, brandlines, signage and other templates
as well as print and digital collaterals for major audiences that can be customized by CEO and Chamber staff, and any
other recommended applications, along with brand implementation and use standards.
Implementation and Outreach Planning: Creation of a branding plan with rollout recommendations to include tasks,
timetables, budget and an integrated communications outreach strategy incorporating messaging for internal and external
audiences, training, tools for implementation, measurement and next steps. This plan should be implementable by CEO &
Chamber staff and local partners without ongoing assistance from the consultant.
Outlined phases reflect an option for organizing activities that typically fall within the scope of a branding project. GACC is
flexible in terms of where the activities in each phase above fall in the timeline of the project as reflected in the firm’s
proposal.
Background [see Transforming Greater Gainesville Plan]
Contractor Qualifications
1. Professional Services Firm. GACC is seeking an economic development marketing and public relations firm(s)
specializing in research, place/destination brand development and branding and communications. Given the scope of this
project, GACC must select a firm(s) that is (are) located in the United States.
2. Experience. GACC is interested in contracting with a professional services firm(s)that has five to 10 or more years of
experience in brand research and development, branding and strategic communications. Experience designing and
managing projects involving multiple agencies and stakeholder groups is desirable.
3. Capacity. GACC is interested in contracting with a firm(s) that has (have) significant in-house capacity and is (are)
able, as much as possible, to create, launch and manage global place marketing projects within its (their) own capacity.
That capacity will be demonstrated by listing the education and work experience of the organization’s staff who will be
associated with this project and describing in-house creative capabilities.
4. Organization’s Approach. An outline of your organization’s proposed approach to this branding project would assist
GACC in evaluating the organization’s project management and work flow expertise.
Submission of Responses
This RFP represents GACC’s best efforts to document requirements for this project. Responses should include:
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One proposal demonstrating firm’s qualifications as outlined above.
Three work samples. Case studies along with samples are appreciated, however GACC also is open to receiving
them after the initial deadline if necessary.
Answers to the following question either within the entire proposal or in direct response to the questions below:
1. Please describe the firm’s experience in both overall destination marketing experience and specifically
business destination marketing experience.
2. Does the firm follow a service model that is customer-experience driven and have the bandwidth to needed to
be in regular contact with GACC?
3. How would the firm approach community relations in research and rollout phases?
4. Explain the process for platform development phase research (gathering, analysis, synthesis, etc.).
5. How would the firm approach the need for ongoing community engagement throughout the development,
launch and post-launch phases of the project?
6. How would the firm develop the media relations strategy for the project?
7. If selected for interview, would the firm be available June 2 for a web-based or webinar-facilitated interview?
Please respond by close of business Tuesday, May 19, to this RFP via email at [email protected], or by
mail or delivery service at the following address:
Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce
300 E. University Ave., Ste. 100
Gainesville, FL 32601
ATTN: Alyssa Brown, Communications Director
RE: Transforming Greater Gainesville Branding Project
Please note responses sent by mail must be received by the Chamber by Tuesday, May 26.
Selection
When GACC has made its decision regarding which firm(s) it deems to be the most suitable and qualified for this project,
it will notify all respondents. Firm interviews will be held June 2, 2015. GACC will provide a selection date during June 2
interviews.
Contract
Any contract resulting from this RFP will be a two-party contract(s) between GACC and the firm(s) that is (are) selected.
Any subcontractors the firm may use from time to time during the course of the contract will not be a party to the firm’s
contract with GACC. The contract(s) will establish pricing to be utilized for various aspects of the service. It is anticipated
that the resulting contract(s) will be for a minimum of one year but the actual length of the contract(s) and any possible
renewal options will be terms to be negotiated by the parties.
Contact
Firms should direct inquiries regarding this RFP to Alyssa Brown, using the following contact information:
Alyssa Brown, Communications Director
Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce
352.275.1356
[email protected]