Questions received:
Can the City of Walnut Creek Arts + Recreation Department accept foreign vendors for this project?
The selected vendor, whether domestic or international, must be able to sign the City of Walnut Creek's Consultant Services Agreement and meet the business license and insurance requirements. The scope of services will be attached to the contract of the winning bid.
What is the budget range for this project?
The City of Walnut Creek estimates this project to align with a $20,000-$40,000 budget range. A firm or consultant will be selected that best meets our needs while staying under the budget threshold for this project. This provided budget range is for the entire project. Please note that the revised timeline includes starting the work together at the end of October 2023 and lasting through August 2024 (unless core outcomes are met earlier).
Is there a separate budget estimate for graphic design, or is that built into the $20-40k estimate?
There will be a separate budget available for graphic design. The budget for design services will be developed between the selected firm/consultant and the City of Walnut Creek.
Are there (in-house) Walnut Creek social media specialists that will be posting content developed by the chosen PR firm?
Yes, there are several Walnut Creek employees within the Arts + Recreation department with access to scheduling, posting, and monitoring social media content.
Is there an in-house photographer that can be directed for specific shots?
Under the supervision of staff from the City of Walnut Creek, an in-house photographer will be available for specific photoshoots. Additionally, the selected firm or consultant will be granted access to current images and select video footage belonging to the City of Walnut Creek.
Do you foresee any ad buys (digital, traditional media)?
The City of Walnut Creek provides many communications and outreach options that the Arts + Recreation department primarily utilizes. In addition to these channels and resources, the department is open to media purchasing if outlined by the selected firm or consultant.
What core outcomes do you seek from this campaign? What would success look like?
Please review the Key Objectives section of the RFP. In addition to the included performance indicators, the Arts + Rec department is interested in developing a strategy for measuring success with the firm/contractor. Please include potential tools or analytics you might develop for tracking the efficacy of these marketing efforts.
Who are the target audiences? What do we know about them?
While Walnut Creek’s Arts + Recreation programs and events serve the great Bay Area region, we recommend reviewing the latest Census data for Walnut Creek as a benchmark.
What are the most significant communications challenges facing Arts and Recreation? What do you believe are the reasons that more residents don’t participate in or utilize your services and programs?
The City of Walnut Creek occasionally conducts community surveys, gauging citizen satisfaction with City services and seeking input on community priorities. The last survey was completed in 2019, and the results can be viewed online.
The proposal says the work would start Summer 2023 and end June 2024. Since the proposal is due September 5, what are the proposed start and end dates?
The revised timeline includes starting the work together at the end of October 2023 and lasting through August 2024 (unless core outcomes are met earlier).
How many firms/consultants do you expect to respond?
The RFP has been published on three targeted online forums/listservs. While we do not know how many proposals will be submitted, we expect to schedule interviews with multiple qualified candidates after the submission window closes.
