Title
Media and Marketing Buying Contract - CO-OP 23-014 Request for Award (Ordinance S-49440)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into a contract with Owens, Harkey and Associates, LLC, to provide $1,500,000 per year for up to three years, for a total of $4,500,000 million, in media advertising and marketing buying services for the Communications and Water Services departments. Further request to authorize the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. The total value of the contract will not exceed $4,500,000.
Report
Summary
This contract will provide media buying, advertising placement, and marketing strategy development to promote City departments' marketing goals. Media buying is the act of acquiring real estate or inventory where advertisement may be placed. The process of media buying and marketing is executed by a marketing agency to conduct market research and establish an audience. The goal is to identify the target audience, establish channels, and purchase the advertisement space on channels such as television, website, and radio, to expose and maximize marketing efforts. Over the next 18-24 months, staff will be putting together a Qualified Vendor List (QVL) to expand engagement with the community and build a diverse portfolio of vendors.
Procurement Information
In accordance with Administrative Regulation 3.10, standard competition was waived as a result of an approved determination memo based on special circumstances: Special Circumstance/Alternative Competition. The contractor Owens, Harkey and Associates, LLC, is a full-service marketing agency that will help the Communications and Water Services departments maximize their media exposure and marketing strategy, leveraging the State of Arizona cooperative agreement to fulfill their marketing goals. The contractor will oversee the departments' marketing goals, target audience, and media buying process, working directly with vendors to execute the purchase of advertisement space and ensure the most visible placements at the optimal times.
Contract Term
The contract will begin on or about March 1, 2023, for up to a three-year term with no options to extend.
Financial Impact
The contract value will not exceed $4,500,000 for up to a three-year term. Funding is available in the Communications and Water Services departments' budgets.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by City Manager Jeffrey Barton, Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Communications and Water Services departments.