The Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) has issued four Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for contractors to assist the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Travel Michigan with business and travel marketing efforts regionally, national and internationally.
The following RFPs were issued:
Travel Marketing
MEDC and Travel Michigan are seeking an agency to develop and implement a comprehensive, fully-integrated leisure travel marketing and advertising campaign. The agency will be responsible for a paid media campaign that includes network television, cable television, radio, print, out-of-home and digital campaigns; leveraging corporate partnership opportunities; implementing the Marketing Partnership Program with industry partners and recommending, designing and implementing a paid search campaign – among other responsibilities.
Business Marketing
The MEDC is seeking an agency to develop and implement a comprehensive, fully-integrated business marketing and advertising campaign. The agency will be responsible for traditional paid media campaigns that may include print, broadcast, display and digital efforts; direct marketing initiatives to targeted groups; digital marketing including online advertising and banner ads, search engine optimization and paid search; and, engagement in industry trade events – among other responsibilities.
Public Relations & Social Media
MEDC and Travel Michigan are seeking an agency to develop and implement an integrated public relations and social media program across both business development and leisure travel initiatives. The agency will be responsible for developing and executing strategic communications and social media plans; pitching the state’s business and community development and leisure travel offerings; integrating public relations efforts within larger marketing efforts, identify and executing business and leisure travel media familiarization tours, creating and curating social media content and providing tracking and metrics of both public relations and social media initiatives – among other responsibilities.
Marketing and Public Relations & Social Media RFP Timelines:
March 23, 2016 – RFP Release
April 8, 2016 – Application questions due via email by 3:00 p.m. EDT
April 15, 2016 – Q&A posted to MEDC website
May 4, 2016 – Electronic proposal submissions due by 3:00 p.m. EDT
China Representation
MEDC and Travel Michigan are seeking a firm with a business presence in China and experience representing U.S. destinations in China. The firm will be responsible for developing a strategy to attract more Chinese visitors to Michigan, devising and executing consumer promotions to build awareness of Michigan as a destination, identifying Chinese travel journalists to participate in Michigan familiarization tours, creating Chinese-language brochures, e-newsletters, website content and social media postings and representing Michigan at key Chinese travel and tourism trade shows.
RFP Timeline:
March 23, 2016 – RFP Released
March 29, 2016 – Application questions due via email by 3:00 p.m. EDT
April 1, 2016 – Q&A posted to MEDC website
April 15, 2016 – Electronic proposal submissions due by 3:00 p.m. EDT
All of the complete RFPs can be viewed online at http://www.michiganbusiness.org/public-notices-rfps/. The RFPs are designed to provide potential bidders with sufficient information to submit a proposal that meets the MSF’s minimum requirements. These requirements are not intended to limit the proposal’s content or exclude information that is relevant or essential to the bidder’s idea.
Questions regarding all RFPs should be sent to: contractsandgrants@michigan.org.
Source: MEDC