Visit Gainesville, Alachua County Website Redesign

Post InformationPosted At:Wed, Apr 5, 2023 8:30 AMSealed Bid Process:Yes (Bids Sealed / Pricing Sealed)Private Bid:No1. Introduction1.1. SummaryAlachua County Board of County Commissioners (hereinafter, the “County” or “Alachua County”) is seeking proposals from qualified individuals or entities (hereinafter, referred to as "Consultant” or the “proposer”) for the provision of RFP 23-399-LC Visit Gainesville, Alachua County Website Redesign.The following apply to this request for proposal: Instruction to Proposers, Terms and Conditions, Insurance, Scope of Work, Proposal Requirements and Organization, Request for Proposal Selection Procedures, Evaluation Phases, Attachments, Submittals and Sample Agreement.Request For Proposals for Website Design, Hosting, Maintenance and Support for Visit Gainesville, Alachua CountyVisit Gainesville, Alachua County is seeking the services of a qualified media and marketing company specializing in tourism promotion to implement its goals for a new

VisitGainesville.com website in accordance with the Scope of Work described below.ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEWVisit Gainesville, Alachua County is a department of the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners and serves as the destination organization for Alachua County which includes 9 municipalities: Gainesville, Alachua, Archer, Hawthorne, High Springs, La Cross, Micanopy, Newberry, and Waldo.Alachua County is known for its green spaces and natural assets; excellence in arts and cultural programming and institutions; distinctive local eateries and craft breweries; music, art and agricultural festivals; opportunities for participatory and spectator sports; multicultural communities; and more, all of which create a significant percentage of year-round visitation to Alachua County. Tourism communications efforts strengthen Alachua County’s brand awareness and perception with key publics further establishing Alachua County as top destination for leisure and business travel in the state of Florida.1.2. BackgroundTOURISM ECONOMIC IMPACTSTravel and tourism are essential for the health of the Alachua County economy. In addition to being Florida’s number one industry, tourism is a pillar of economic growth in Alachua County.The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports over 16,000 people are currently employed in the leisure and hospitality sector in Alachua County.Jobs supported by tourism in Alachua County paid over $211 million in wages and salaries in 2021.Visitors spent a record-setting $155,758,160 on overnight lodging in Alachua County in 2022. This is a 30% increase from the prior best year, which was $110,560,000 million in 2019 (pre-pandemic), an increase of over $45 million.Visitors staying paid accommodations generated $61,450,100 in state and local tax revenue in 2021, saving each Alachua County household $603 dollars in taxes.Visitors staying in paid accommodations spent over $406 million in Alachua County on lodging, entertainment, dining, shopping, groceries, and transportation in 2021.In 2022, lodging revenue was a record-breaking $110 million, with over 2.1 million guests staying overnight in our hotels, motels, and B&B’s. Market projections for 2023 show an increase across occupancy, average daily rate and revenue per available room. ABOUT THE DESTINATIONAlachua County is in North Central Florida. The County has 7 exits along the I-75 corridor. Gainesville and Alachua County offers visitors a community rich in higher education, tech and innovation, excellence in healthcare, abundant natural resources with opportunities for outdoor recreation, culture and Southern hospitality with amenities found in much larger cities.• The population of Alachua County is approximately 280,000.• The time zone is Eastern Standard.Alachua County’s seat is Gainesville, the home of the University of Florida. Alachua County is part of the Gainesville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is known for its diverse culture, local music, and artisans.Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, a top 5 public university in U.S. News 2022 rankings. The University of Florida has over 60,000 students with an extensive international enrollment.Alachua County is also home to UF Health which encompasses the colleges of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health and Health Professions and Veterinary Medicine. UF and UF Health attract skilled health professionals and staff from across the country. The dynamic university environment encourages business, career, and community growth and development. The UF Health network of hospitals and physician practices manages more than 3 million inpatient and outpatient visits each year and serves patients from all 67 Florida counties, from around the nation and from more than 40 countries.Visit Gainesville, Alachua County Assets and Points of Interest• Alachua County is home to 8 Florida State Parks and is the gateway to Florida’s freshwater springs.• Alachua County is home to 6 breweries, and the DMO recently worked with Bandwango to launch a “Sippin’ Seven Alachua County Ale Trail” highlighting the award-winning craft beers.• The official Alachua County tagline is “Where Nature and Culture Meet”• The DMO compiles, curates, and disseminates the “What’s Good” event guide to 20,000+ email addresses weekly. This marketing piece won the Visit Florida Flagler Award for Best Consumer Communication for 2020. The “What’s Good” is a key sub-brand of Visit Gainesville, Alachua County.• Visit Gainesville, Alachua County recently completed all standards of accreditation through Destinations International. The accreditation application, with extra standards of distinction. is currently under review.• In recent years, Gainesville and Alachua County have received editorial coverage in Forbes, The Boston Globe, Orlando Magazine, Southern Living, Lonely Planet and more. The destination frequently hosts vetted travel writers and bloggers.• Utilization of the destination as a hub for film production has increased in recent years, including projects for Netflix, PBS, commercial shoots, and more.• During 2022, the DMO participated with all 13 cities of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in supporting sponsorship of the SEC Media Days. New initiatives with the SEC include a SEC incentivized passport through Bandwango.• Find us also on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.GETTING HERE: TOURISM DRIVE TIME ZONES AND GNVThere are 15 million people within a 5-hour drive of the destination, and there are five large markets (with a population of more than 500,000 people each) within a 2.5-hour drive of Alachua County. An additional six large markets are within a 5-hour drive. Other small cities (such as Tallahassee) are also located within these drive-time windows.MSA’s with 500,000+ Population Within a 2.5-hour Drive- Tampa-St. Petersburg MSA 3,098,274- Orlando-Kissimmee MSA 2,500,950- Jacksonviille MSA 1,523,615- Lakeland MSA 667,696- Daytona Beach MSA 648,188MSA’s with 500,000+ Population Within a 5-hour Drive• Miami-Ft. Lauderdale MSA 6,076,113• Atlanta MSA 5,891,925• Sarasota-Bradenton MSA 800,171• Charleston MSA 783,132• Cape Coral-Ft. Myers MSA 719,287• Palm Bay MSA 586,206Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) serves North Central Florida and the Heart of Florida through all facets of aviation: commercial airlines, general aviation, military operations, medical missions, and air cargo. Located in Gainesville, Florida, just minutes away from the University of Florida, GNV provides a close, convenient, and competitively priced “gateway” to the Heart of Florida. The airport normally operates 16 daily departures on American Airlines and Delta with nonstop service to the international hubs of Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas Fort Worth and Miami, providing access to 343 destinations around the world in one stop. GNV is served by a full-service fixed base operator, University Air Center (UAC). With more than 350 part- and full-time employees and tenants at the airport, GNV has an annual economic impact on North Central Florida of more than $374 million. In 2019, 558,246 commercial passengers set a record for passenger traffic from GNV. For more information, visit flygainesville.comOVERVIEW: VISIT GAINESVILLE, ALACHUA COUNTY WHERE NATURE AND CULTURE MEETVisit Gainesville, Alachua County deploys a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach to increasing tourism through the investment of tourist development tax into county-wide capital infrastructure projects; marketing and advertising strategies deployed to targeted regional and national audiences; grant programs and funding support to arts, nature and culture organizations, attractions and event producers; outreach and sales to conference and meeting planners; support of participatory sporting activities; hosting travel writers, and more, with the goal of increasing tourism, visitor spending, economic development, destination enhancement, and the elevated visibility of Alachua County.Alachua County has visitors occupying hotel rooms for a variety of reasons, including visitation surrounding the University of Florida and Santa Fe College for move-in, graduation, and football games; leisure trips from drive-in markets for outdoor and nature- based activities including biking, birding, hiking, and the springs; cultural events and festivals; medical stays for patients and their families; visits to family and friends for holidays and private social events; business travel, conferences and meetings; transient travelers off I-75; team travel for youth league sports; construction crews and seasonal agricultural workers; and more.Results from an Americans for the Arts poll found that in Florida, 82% of adults agree that the arts attract travelers and are good for tourism. $1.2 million annually is invested into grant programs supporting dozens of local non-profits and tourism generating businesses, including the Nature and Culture Destination Enhancement Grant Program. In 2019, over 831,000 patrons participated in more than 533 arts, nature and culture programs funded in part through the Nature and Culture Destination Enhancement Grant Program. 25% of the TDT funding awards to Nature and Culture Destination Enhancement organizations is used for direct out-of-county marketing to advertise the venues, events, and activities to tourists through radio, newspaper, billboard, digital, tv and more.According to Americans for the Arts, in Alachua County, cultural attendees provide nearly $68 million in event-related spending, above and beyond the cost of admission. Funding awards are based on objective criteria including attendance, budget, and opportunities for visitor engagement.ASSETS AND STRATEGIC ADVANTAGES: FOCUS AREA: CONSUMER LEISUREAlachua County features world-class museums, performing arts, and live music, plus an abundance of nature-based recreational opportunities at state parks offering more than 100 miles of trails for biking, birding and hiking, and crystal-blue freshwater springs.• OUTDOORS AND NATURE Birding, Bike Trails, BlueWays, Freshwater Springs, Fishing, Boating, Paddling, Camping• CULTURE Live Music Festivals, Theatre, Museums, Galleries, Performance• DINING & BREWERIES 7 Breweries, 2 Wineries, Unique local eateries, Regional chain restaurants• LOCATION I-75 corridor 5 hours from Major Metro Areas• MUNICIPALITIES Small towns with unique charm• ATHLETICS Spectator (UF Gator football/athletics); Participatory (youth, collegiate, professional)• UNIVERSITY AFFILIATED Top 5 Public University; Alumni Engagement• VENUES|FACILITIES The County has recently invested TDT for the purchase and renovation of the Alachua County Agriculture and Equestrian Center and the Alachua County Sports and Events Center at Celebration Pointe.• Conferences; Meetings; and trade shows provide key business opportunities and are a primary area of focus for Visit Gainesville, Alachua County’s sales team.BRAND PERSONALITY Key messaging components include:• AUTHENTIC: Diverse, Embracing, Inclusive• CURATED: Respectful, Conscientious, Organized• APPROACHABLE: Friendly, Welcoming, Warm• CHARMING: Unique, Humorous, Unexpected• INTELLIGENT: Knowledgeable, Trustworthy, InformativeNATURE + ACTIVE OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS Alachua County has abundant resources and mild winter weather, making it an ideal destination for year-round outdoor activities, including birding, cycling, paddling, photography, snorkeling and diving, hiking, equestrian and mountain bike trail riding, fishing, and camping.BEER LOVERS + FOODIES Alachua County’s hundreds of restaurants and a popular food truck scene have been featured on CNN, Food and Wine, Bon Appétit and VegNews Magazine, and Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille puts Gainesville on the map with one of the state’s largest restaurants. Six breweries, including the award-winning First Magnitude Brewery Company, Swamp Head Brewery, Cypress & Grove, Blackadder, Daft Cow, and High Springs brewing companies offer craft beer enthusiasts opportunities for multi-day tastings and exploration.MUSIC + ARTS AND CULTURE + CREATIVES Live music and performance is foundational to Gainesville’s reputation as home to multiple Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musicians. Our market has rich musical legacy including 8 Hall of Fame Musicians including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Bo Diddley, plus Less Than Jake, Hot Water Music, Sister Hazel and more. Alachua County TDT investment in venues including the Phillips Center, Hippodrome, Legacy Park in Alachua; County TDT investment in FEST, Tom Petty Festival, the BASH at Depot Park, and more.DRIVE-IN MARKETS + I-75 CORRIDOR TRANSIENT Exits along the I-75 corridor represent ample opportunity for travelers to take advantage of restaurants, hotels, and shopping.COMPETITORS + SPECTATORS Fans enjoy games at the University of Florida, which offers NCAA and SEC sports including football in Florida’s largest stadium “The Swamp”, track and field, basketball, baseball, gymnastics, softball, golf, and more. Team and youth travel sports teams compete at multiple facilities across the County, including the newly constructed Alachua County Sports and Events Center at Celebration Pointe.FAMILIES + RETIREES Active, multi-generational, kid-friendly.CULTIVATORS Farmers, growers, agritourism, farm-to-table offerings, farmer’s markets.INNOVATORS Tech corridor, entrepreneurs, biotechnology, AIBUILDERS / DEVELOPERS / ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT / RECRUTMENT OF TOP TALENT2. WEBSITE BACKGROUNDVisit Gainesville’s current website, VisitGainesville.com, was developed in 2017 and completed in 2018. Upon completion, the maintenance and updates to the site have been performed by department staff.The website serves 4 main audiences, with intersecting interests, organized as follows:• Leisure travel for visiting and local audiences, business travelers, resident and visitors seeking events, attractions, lodging, dining, itineraries, and more.• Industry: travel writers, media outlets, film companies, bloggers, etc.• Travel planners: Group sales and meetings, conferences, RFP portal, group service request portal.• Internal users include local industry partners and grant recipients. It is the wish of the DMO to have a B2B “Partner Portal” (name TBD) where grantees, lodging providers, attraction operators, festival organizers, and more can access tourist development council reports, industry reporting, grant and sponsorship application information, add their events to the calendar, update their listings, and other functions.Website Metrics for http://VisitGainesville.comJANUARY 1, 2023 - MARCH 1, 2023 (QUARTERLY WEBSITE METRICS):75,513 users with 152,526 pageviews Top page views:Events: 16,563Sippin’ Seven: 16,036Homepage: 9,212Free Things to Do: 5,696Hoggetowne Medieval Faire: 5,393 (seasonal event) Top Cities by Users:Gainesville: 10,717(private) 8,377Atlanta: 6,795Orlando: 3.895Jacksonville: 2.527Miami: 2.161 Google Ads: Google searches generated 2.26M impressions and 31,800 clicks.Creation and distribution of custom blog content permits the DMO to tell the stories of the destination via our own storytelling and distribution tactics. This enables content distribution that is media-adjacent, rather than strictly in the realm of editorial or influencer coverage. In today’s fluid communications environment, blogs and website content are increasingly important, and can serve as a catalyst for collaboration with external writers, PR professionals, influencers, and content re-distributors. Examples include:• Medical Related Stays• The Perfect Weekend Getaway• Local Favorites Food Blog• Sweet Treats• Unique and Fun Vacation Rentals• Welcome Sports Fans• Family Friendly Outdoor Activities• Vegan Dining FILM LIAISON Visit Gainesville, Alachua County serves as the local film liaison and central source for film production information, providing guidance and support with location scouting, permitting, logistics, sourcing group rates with lodging partners, resources for equipment, industry professionals and vendors. Hundreds of motion pictures, documentaries, television shows and commercials have been filmed in Alachua County. Recent projects include commercials shot for the Olympics, interview locations for 48 Hours, CBS News and The History Channel, numerous movies and videos including All Underdogs Go to Heaven; Unsupersize Me in Cuba: Shaping A Dream; Que Late Official; 24/7 College Football, and a major NETFLIX film shoot which generated significant room nights in early September 2022. 1.3. Contact InformationLeira Cruz Cáliz, CAPM, CPPBProcurement Agent II Email: lcruzcaliz@alachuacounty.usPhone: (352) 337-6268Department:Visit Gainesville, Alachua County, FL1.4. TimelineOpenGov Release Project Date:April 5, 2023Question Submission Deadline:April 16, 2023, 12:00amSolicitation Submission Deadline:April 26, 2023, 2:00pmSolicitation Opening – Zoom Meeting:April 26, 2023, 2:00pm Microsoft Teams meeting Join on your computer, mobile app or room device Click here to join the meeting https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZTQyYzk5YzMtZDc4ZS00N2IxLTljMWUtMjAwNTQwN2NjNTNi%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2290fc851d-766d-4d7b-a09c-bfbf1d2dac94%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22c82ab8e7-6ee1-4cd5-9191-4aa322a1828f%22%7dMeeting ID: 259 625 692 241 Passcode: yX9G3Q Download Teams | Join on the web Or call in (audio only) +1 469-998-7938,,366862554# United States, Dallas Phone Conference ID: 366 862 554#