Request for Qualifications: Contract for Media Outreach and Communications Support for the National Coastal Resilience Fund

PROPOSAL DEADLINE: May 27, 2022

OVERVIEW

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) seeks qualified Contractor(s) to assist in the development and implementation of media relations and communications support for three upcoming events for the National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF).   

BACKGROUND

NFWF administers competitive grant programs, including NCRF, to support on-the-ground conservation projects that are implemented by local and regional nonprofits, local governments, state governments, academic institutions and others. The winning Contractor(s) will implement effective media outreach strategies and logistical support for three upcoming events;

  • An August press event in the Great Lakes region announcing initial 2022 NCRF grants.
  • A November press event on the West Coast announcing the majority of the 2022 NCRF grants.
  • Several events to be held on Capitol Hill in the spring of 2023, including:
    • A press event announcing the release of the 2023 RFP and celebrating the first five years of the NCRF;
    • An educational event for Congressional staffers to learn about the NCRF; and 
    • An evening reception for Congressional Members, Program Partners and other stakeholders to celebrate the fifth anniversary. 
  • A November 2023 press event on the East Coast announcing the 2023 NCRF grants.

NFWF intends the services provided to increase the reach of the grants announcements and to educate elected officials and staff about the value of the program. 

SCOPE OF WORK

The selected Contractor(s) will perform the following activities for NCRF, in close coordination with NFWF programmatic, communications and government relations staff. 

  • Support press conferences/media events to announce grants, project groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings and other grant-related project milestones. (Events may be virtual.)
    • Draft and post media advisories
    • Draft press releases, including securing quotes and coordinating approvals from multiple partners
    • Assist with securing participation of speakers
    • Conduct media outreach aimed at securing earned media from events, including digital, television, radio and print media 
    • Coordinate on-site logistics working with event host
    • Coordinate and manage run of show
    • Manage media the day of event
    • Conduct media follow-up

Deliverables: final media advisories, press releases, media participant list, successful press events and Capitol Hill events, compilation of media coverage

This list above outlines the general scope of work to be addressed under this RFQ; however, it is subject to change in response to additional similar task orders as needed.

The period of performance will be one year from the date of the award to the selected Contractor.

REQUIRED EXPERTISE AND PROPOSED STAFF 

To support these three events, this RFQ is seeking a team of communication professionals with the following qualifications:

  • Experience with a wide array of media outreach, from micro-targeting local media outlets to working with national placements
  • Experience with planning and executing successful press events (examples beneficial)
  • Experience with planning and executing successful Hill events, including press events and educational events for staff 
  • Flexibility and enthusiasm while dealing with feedback and potential re-working of media content and partnership management

CRITERIA FOR COMPETITIVE APPLICATIONS 

Proposals will be evaluated and scored on the following criteria. Offerors should organize their Proposal Narrative based on these sections:

1. Understanding of the Scope of Work. The Scope of Work must demonstrate an understanding of the goals of the activities involved. This section should include a description of how you will communicate with NFWF and program stakeholders and report on progress, results, and deliverables. Weight: 20%
        
2. Technical Approach. The proposed technical approach for conducting the tasks should clearly describe the proposed methods necessary to conduct the project. The section must demonstrate that those methods are robust and appropriate for conducting the project and address any areas of complexity or uncertainty associated with conducting the project. Weight: 10%

3. Qualifications of Proposed Personnel. This section should clearly describe which tasks each member of the team will conduct and how their training and experience provide the requisite experience to do so successfully. Weight: 20%

4. Contractor’s Past Performance. The proposal should include information on the primary investigator(s)’s past performance experience in communications and media outreach. List recent (last 2-5 years) accomplishments and previous services related to the technical expertise offered. If subcontractors are to be used, information should be provided that demonstrates their past performance as well. Describe how that past performance is applicable to this evaluation. 
Weight: 20%

5. Budget. The proposed budget should itemize work in sufficient detail to enable reviewers to evaluate the appropriateness of the entire funding request. Please note that travel and direct expenses associated with putting on the events will be reimbursed based on actual costs. These costs do not need to be included in the proposed budget. Weight: 30%

ELIGIBLE OFFERORS & CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, international organizations, and local, state, and Indian tribal governments.

By submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, the offeror warrants and represents that it does not currently have any apparent or actual conflict of interest, as described herein. In the event an offeror currently has, will have during the life of the contemplated contract, or becomes aware of an apparent or actual conflict of interest, in the event an award is made, the Offeror must notify NFWF in writing in the Statement of Quotations, or in subsequent correspondence (if the issue becomes known after the submission of the Statement of Quotations) of such apparent or actual conflicts of interest, including organizational conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter which might place the Contractor, the Contractor’s employees, or the Contractor’s subcontractors in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between their responsibilities under the award and any other outside interests, or otherwise.  Conflicts of interest may also include, but are not limited to, direct or indirect financial interests, close personal relationships, positions of trust in outside organizations, consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization, or decision-making affecting the award that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of the Offeror, the Offeror’s employees, or the Offeror’s future subcontractors in the matter.  Upon receipt of such a notice, the NFWF Contracting Officer will determine if a conflict of interest exists and, if so, if there are any possible actions to be taken by the Offeror to reduce or resolve the conflict.

Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies NFWF may result in the proposal not being selected for award.  

By submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, the Offeror warrants and represents that it is eligible for award of a Contract resulting from this solicitation and that it is not subject to any of the below circumstances:

Has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to a Contract with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, where the awarding agency is aware of the unpaid tax liability, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government; or 

Was convicted (or had an officer or agent of such corporation acting on behalf of the corporation convicted) of a felony criminal violation under any Federal or State law within the preceding 24 months, where the awarding agency is aware of the conviction, unless the agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government; or

Is listed on the General Services Administration’s, government-wide System for Award Management Exclusions (SAM Exclusions), in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 C.F.R Part 180 that implement E.O.s 12549 (3 C.F.R., 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 C.F.R., 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension, ” or intends to enter into any subaward, contract or other Contract using funds provided by NFWF with any party listed on the SAM Exclusions in accordance with Executive Orders 12549 and 12689. The SAM Exclusions instructions can be found here: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/


SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 

Proposals must be submitted under the same cover at the same time, in two distinctly labeled and separate documents: 1) Technical Proposal and 2) Evidence of Financial Stability.  Interested parties should submit proposals electronically to NFWF (Rob Blumenthal, rob.blumenthal@nfwf.org) using the requirements below:

  1. Technical Proposal
    1. Format: Proposals must be provided in Word format or searchable PDF with a font size no smaller than 11 pt
    2. Contact information: Primary contact person, company name, address, phone, e-mail, website, Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and EIN/Taxpayer ID number.
    3. Narrative: Concise (5-page limit) description of the work plan and a summary of the applicant’s expertise and experience, organized by the Criteria for Competitive Applications
    4. Biographies: Resumes and/or Vitae of key staff and their role in the proposed work area.
    5. References: List three clients who have received services from the applicant that is similar in nature to the proposed work; include names, phone numbers, and e-mail address
  2. Evidence of Financial Stability: The applicant shall provide proof of financial stability in the form of financial statements, credit ratings, a line of credit, or other financial arrangements sufficient to demonstrate the applicant’s capability to meet the requirements of this solicitation.

Applicants should submit questions regarding this RFP via e-mail to Rob Blumenthal (rob.blumenthal@nfwf.org). NFWF will respond to all Offerors at the same time and with the same answer. To provide equitable responses, all questions must be received by NFWF no later than May 11, 2022.

SELECTION PROCEDURE  

A panel of NFWF staff will review the proposals. The panel will assess each proposal according to the project description and evaluation criteria provided in this RFQ. Offerors may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, or budgets prior to final approval of the award. Only one award will be made for this project. Specific funding amounts will be negotiated with the Foundation and additional funding will be considered annually based upon the expressed needs of the programs. If multiple institutions are involved, they should be handled through subcontracts.

SUBMISSION DEADLINES

May 11, 2022 Deadline for questions about the solicitation to NFWF. 
Offerors should submit questions regarding this solicitation via e-mail to Rob Blumenthal (rob.blumenthal@nfwf.org). NFWF will post all the questions and responses to all questions so that all offerors have access to them at the same time. To provide equitable responses, all questions must be sent to NFWF no later than 5:00 PM EST May 11, 2022.
May 16, 2022 NFWF will post the questions submitted regarding the solicitation and responses on the NFWF website.
May 27, 2022 Deadline for receipt by NFWF of proposals. 
Proposals must be sent electronically as an e-mail attachment to Rob Blumenthal (rob.blumenthal@nfwf.org) by 5:00 PM EST May 27, 2022. 
Proposals must be provided in Word format or searchable PDF.
June 17, 2022 Contract award to selected Offeror