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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTBID_2014-02-19 Agenda Packet Sp MtgSPECIAL MEETING ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE ATASCA DERO TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT' AGENDA Wednesday, February 19, 2014 3:30 P.M. Atascadero City Hall, Conference Room #106 6500 Palma Avenue Atascadero, California CALL TO ORDER: :Z6l11wd_149 Advisory Board Members: Chairperson Jiten Patel, Best Western Plus Colony Inn Vice -Chairperson Amar Sohi, Holiday Inn Express and Suites Deana Alexander, The Carlton Hotel Soham Bhakta, Super 8 Motel APPROVAL OF AGENDA: PUBLIC COMMENT: (This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wanting to address the Board on any matter not on this agenda and over which the Board has jurisdiction. Speakers are limited to three minutes. Please state your name for the record before making your presentation. The Board may take action to direct the staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda. A maximum of 30 minutes will be allowed for Public Comment, unless changed by the Board.) On April 23rd, 2013, the Atascadero City Council Adopted Ordinance No. 568, adding Chapter 16 to Title 3 of the Atascadero Municipal Code, Establishing the Atascadero Tourism Business Improvement District. A. CONSENT AGENDA: None B. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. Request for Proposals — Discussion of Timeline ■ Recommendation: Board give City staff direction on next steps regarding proposals for professional public relations and marketing services. C. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS: D. ADJOURNMENT: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in a Tourism Business Improvement District Meeting, please contact the City Clerk's Office at (805) 470- 3400. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting or time when services are needed will assist the City staff in assuring that reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibility to the meeting. ITEM NUMBER: TBID B-1 DATE: 02/19/14 Atascadero Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board Request for Proposal Discussion of Timeline RECOMMENDATION: Advisory Board give City staff direction on next steps regarding proposals for professional public relations and marketing services. DISCUSSION: The Advisory Board, at the December 18, 2013 meeting, directed City staff to send out the Request for Proposals (RFP) for professional public relations and marketing services. The RFP was released on January 2, 2014. The deadline for submission of proposals was January 31, 2014. Two proposals were received by the deadline. The Schedule within the RFP lists applicant interviews the week of February 26, 2014. Chairperson Patel stated that he expected a better response than two proposals and has asked that this issue be brought before the Board for discussion. ATTACHMENT: 1. Request for Proposal ITEM NUMBER: TBID B-1 DATE: 02/19/14 CITY OF ATASCADERO Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL Public Relations & Marketing Group The City of Atascadero's Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) Advisory Board is currently soliciting proposals for professional public relations and marketing services for a 12 -month period, from April 2014 through March of 2015 with the possibility of contract renewal. The City of Atascadero's TBID Advisory Board mission is to position, brand and promote the lodging community in Atascadero, as a choice destination to stay on California's Central Coast. The primary focus will be on visitors solely from outside the county, with a heavy emphasis on targeting visitors at times of low occupancy, whether weekday or offseason weekends. Proposal respondents should specifically address each and every program element described in the request for proposal; failure to do so without a clearly stated rationale for exception may provide grounds for rejection. If interested and qualified, please submit an electronic copy of your proposal in Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF formats by January 31St, 2014 to the attention of City Manager's Office via email to ajbanks@atascadero.org. Please direct all correspondence to this email address. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL 1. All proposals shall be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF formats to ajbanks@atascadero.org by January 31St, 2014. Late proposals may not be considered. 2. All correspondence should be directed to the attention the City Manager's office via email to ajbanks@atascadero.org. 3. Costs of preparation of proposals will be borne solely by the proposer. 4. Proposals shall not exceed 15 (fifteen) pages. 5. Selection of qualified proposals will be approved by accepted TBID Advisory Board members. 6. This request for proposal does not constitute an offer of employment or to contract for any services. 7. City of Atascadero's TBID Advisory Board reserves the option to reject any and all proposals, wholly or in part, received as a result of this request for proposal. ITEM NUMBER: TBID B-1 DATE: 02/19/14 8. City of Atascadero's TBID Advisory Board reserves the option to retain all proposals, whether selected or rejected. Once submitted, the proposals become the property of City of Atascadero. 9. All proposals shall remain firm for 90 days following closing date for receipt of proposals. 10. City of Atascadero's TBID Advisory Board reserves the right to award the contract recommendation to the individual or firm whose proposal best accomplishes in the judgment of the Advisory Board the desired results, and shall include, but not be limited to, a consideration of professional service fees. 11. The City of Atascadero's TBID Advisory Board will recommend the contract award to the Atascadero City Council for final approval. 12. Selection will be made on the basis of proposals as submitted. TBID Advisory Board retains the right to interview applicants as part of the selection process. 13. Proceedings of the selection committee are confidential. Members of the selection committee are not to be contacted by firms responding to this request for proposal. PROPOSAL SELECTION City of Atascadero's TBID Advisory Board is interested in an applicant or firm's ability to both deliver a big picture, strategic perspective and to execute tactical detail needed to meet strategies and objectives in timely fashion and within budget. Winning proposal will include the following elements: goal; objective; strategy; tactics; plan implementation details; timeline; success measurements and detailed budget. PROPOSAL FORMAT 1. Title 2. Applicant or Firm Name, address, phone and email. 3. Applicant and Firm's Qualifications. • Limit to one page and provide two past projects with specific measurable results. • Please also provide five professional references, three of which are current clients. Include name, title, company, phone number and email address. • Please include if your company is currently working for any tourism related businesses or organizations within San Luis Obispo County. 4. Proposal. Proposal will not to exceed 15 pages. • Address all program elements outlined in Project Description. • Describe staffing and list any outside contractors (and qualifications) to be used to fulfill contract. • Provide timeline of tasks to be accomplished once contract is approved. • Outline budget (staff time plus out-of-pocket expenses) for each proposal element. The budget should describe Agency Fees and Implementation Costs as separate items. ITEM NUMBER: TBID B-1 DATE: 02/19/14 EVALUATION CRITERIA. The TBID Advisory Board, in its sole discretion, may assign rating weights to the following criteria, and may also consider any other factors that it considers relevant to making its recommendation. • Understanding of the nature of services by City of Atascadero's TBID Advisory Board • Strategic depth and overall creativity of proposal. • Responsiveness to all elements outlined in the request for proposal. • Outline of proposed fees for services and expenses within stated budget. • Experience and results in performing the services desired by City of Atascadero's TBID Advisory Board REQUEST FOR PROPSAL SCHEDULE • Release request for proposal January 2nd, 2014 • RFP proposal deadline January 31St, 2014 • Notify applicants February 17th, 2014 • Interview applicants February 26th, 2014 • City Council approve contract March, 2014 • Effective date of contract April 1St, 2014 SCOPE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL The Atascadero TBID Advisory Board is seeking an individual or firm to create and implement a strategic marketing plan to promote the lodging community in Atascadero. The plan should be unique to the Atascadero TBID community and designed to best utilize the funds available. The strategic plan will incorporate a heavy website presence and leverage events and activities that are already happening in Atascadero and on the Central Coast. It should complement current promotion efforts in Atascadero and neighboring communities, resulting in more beds filled in Atascadero lodging businesses. The primary goals of the Atascadero TBID Advisory Board are for the strategic plan to focus on public relations and increased web presence for the lodging community in Atascadero. It should build upon existing events, research, analysis and strategies put forth through the current marketing efforts in the City of Atascadero and surrounding communities. Primary geographic target markets are defined within a 3 to 5 hour driving time radius and include Southern California, San Joaquin Valley and Northern California. Additional focus being on times of low occupancy, weekdays, offseason weekends, etc. Public relations and marketing services anticipated throughout this 12 -month program, with the possibility of contract renewal, will include, but are not limited to, the following elements. Research Research has been built and collected with quantitative and qualitative research data to help understand the existing approach to visitors from outside the county. The TBID Strategic Plan should utilize the existing research to directly increase occupancy in Atascadero. ITEM NUMBER: TBID B-1 DATE: 02/19/14 Analysis Analysis of existing data and research will lead you to some key findings. A well-grounded interpretation of the key findings will help determine the strategy we will have to implement in order to execute a well -branded campaign that complements the existing campaign. Insight A thorough understanding of the research will help the TBID Advisory Board anticipate the insight and tactical approach to attract and retain visitors to Atascadero. Strategy Determine a strategy which includes a planned approach with a strong web based emphasis, for example: Create a web based program to leverage existing programs to directly increase stays in Atascadero lodging businesses. Target and communicate to effectively reach key audiences in Southern California, San Joaquin Valley and Northern California with a persuasive message that will convince them to stay in Atascadero. Create Create a strategic marketing plan based on Research, Insight and Strategy to effectively target out of county tourists to Atascadero. The marketing plan will encompass a variety of new and different creative elements. Execute Execute a plan that is consistent with current branding, marketing, promotions, paid media advertising, earned media and new media. Budget The estimated overall budget for the Atascadero TBID lodging business strategic marketing plan in this request for proposal is in a range of $50,000 to $75,000 for Agency Fees and Implementation Costs allocated to the first 12 months once contract is approved. Budget for following 12 months will be based on the City of Atascadero's TBID Advisory Board budget and recommendations from Advisory Board as to renewal possibilities. Proposal should outline budget fees, Agency Fees and Implementation Costs for each proposed program element. Administration Successful individual or firm will provide monthly reports and produce an annual report to City of Atascadero's TBID Advisory Board, City Manager's Office and City Council. Monthly reports will be produced the last day of the month. Invoices will be submitted on the last day of the month.