Media Advertising

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA Western Carolina University Request for Proposal #: 73-RFP00654 Media Advertising Date of Issue: 09/16/2022 Proposal Opening Date: 09/30/2022 At 2:00 PM ET Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to: Rick Hooper Associate Director of Purchasing Email: hooperr@email.wcu.edu Phone: 828-227-7203 Ver: 11/2021 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA Request for Proposal # 73-RFP00654 ______________________________________________________ For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public. This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection. This page shall be filled out and returned with your proposal. Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

___________________________________________________ Vendor Name ______________________________ Vendor eVP# Note: For your proposal to be considered, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered vendor in good standing. You must enter the vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal). If you do not have a vendor number, register at https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 1 Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to: Rick Hooper Purchasing Department Western Carolina University Phone: 828-227-7203 Fax: 828-227-7444 Email: hooperr@email.wcu.edu Request for Proposal #: 73-RFP00654 Proposals will be publicly opened: 09/30/2022 @ 2:00 PM ET Using Agency: Western Carolina University Commodity No. and Description: Media Advertising Requisition No.: EXECUTION In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein. By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that: ▪ this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54), ▪ none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and ▪ it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1. Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that: ▪ it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency. As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system. G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization. By executing this proposal, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS. These documents can be accessed from the ATTACHMENTS page within this document. Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late proposals shall not be accepted. STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY PURCHASING DEPARTMENT 301 H F ROBINSON BLDG CULLOWHEE, NC 28723 Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 2 COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR: STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP: CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO: PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #12): PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR: FAX NUMBER: VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL: VALIDITY PERIOD Offer shall be valid for at least 60 days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP. ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed. FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as indicated on The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________. (Authorized Representative of Western Carolina University) Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 3 Contents 1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND ............................................................................................. 5 1.1 CONTRACT TERM .................................................................................................................. 5 2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION ....................................................................................................... 5 2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT ............................................................................. 5 2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE – DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS BID................................................. 6 2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS ............................... 6 2.4 RFP SCHEDULE ..................................................................................................................... 6 2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS ....................................................................................................... 6 2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL ....................................................................................................... 7 2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS ........................................................................................................ 7 2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS .................................................................................................... 7 2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................... 8 3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS ....................................... 8 3.1 METHOD OF AWARD ............................................................................................................. 8 3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION......... 8 3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS ................................................................................... 8 3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA ........................................................................................................ 8 3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES ............................................................. 10 3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES .................................................................. 10 4.0 REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................... 10 4.1 PRICING ................................................................................................................................ 12 4.2 INVOICES .............................................................................................................................. 12 4.3 HUB PARTICIPATION .......................................................................................................... 12 4.4 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 12 4.5 BACKGROUND CHECKS ..................................................................................................... 13 4.6 PERSONNEL ......................................................................................................................... 13 4.7 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS ............................................................................................. 13 4.8 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION ................................................. 14 5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK .......................................................................... 14 6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION............................................................................................. 14 6.1 PROJECT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE ............................................................ 14 6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS .................................................................. 14 6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ............................................................................................ 14 Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 4 6.4 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK .................................................................................................... 14 6.5 DISPUTE RESOLUTION ....................................................................................................... 15 6.6 CONTRACT CHANGES ........................................................................................................ 15 7.0 ATTACHMENTS ..................................................................................................................... 16 ATTACHMENT A: COST PROPOSAL ............................................................................................. 16 ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS .......................................................................... 17 ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS ................................... 17 ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION .............................................. 17 ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM ....................................................................... 17 ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR ........................................... 17 Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 5 1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND Western Carolina University seeks to obtain proposals from qualified media buying agencies. Vendors interested in becoming Western Carolina University’s media buying agency of record are requested to providing strategic media planning, purchasing, analysis and reporting. A presentation of your agency’s capabilities, case studies that demonstrate results-oriented campaigns and a preliminary rate structure are required. Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto. The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Contract. About Western Carolina University. Western Carolina University (WCU) is a regional comprehensive University that serves the westernmost part of North Carolina as a part of the 17 public campuses of the University of North Carolina system. WCU serves more than 10,000 graduate and undergraduate students from more than 48 states and 35 countries. Our academic programs span more than 120 specialties—including the nation’s highest-ranked entrepreneurship and project management programs, a national award-winning teacher education program, a criminal justice program used as a model for North Carolina’s accreditation program, and the nation’s first accredited four-year emergency medical care program. All external marketing done for the University will follow the directive of WCU’s strategic plan. Read it here: http://www.wcu.edu/about-wcu/leadership/office-of-the-chancellor/wcu-2020-plan/2020-vision-focusing-our- future-wcu-strategic-plan/ The total annual budget will be dependent on annual budget availability and may fluctuate based on the strategic goals of the University and the needs of individual departments. The expected annual budget, inclusive of all agency fees, is expected to not exceed $250,000. Agencies shall be able to demonstrate good budget stewardship and success in leveraging modest budgets to achieve exponential results. 1.1 CONTRACT TERM – One (1) year from date of award. Western Carolina University may extend this contract for one (1) additional one (1) year period based on satisfactory performance. This contract will begin on date of award and will be in place for three years from this date. 2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION Proposals must be submitted electronically at: https://wcu.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/27852 2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT This RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference. http://www.wcu.edu/academics/majors-minors-graduate-programs/index.asp http://www.wcu.edu/academics/departments-schools-colleges/COB/college-of-business-centers/center-for-entrepreneurship-and-innovation/index.asp http://www.wcu.edu/academics/wcu-graduate-school/graduate-degree-programs/project-management-graduate-degree-and-graduate-certificate.asp http://www.wcu.edu/academics/departments-schools-colleges/CEAP/ceap-depts/teacher-education/index.asp http://www.wcu.edu/academics/departments-schools-colleges/cas/casdepts/crimcj/cj/index.asp http://www.wcu.edu/academics/departments-schools-colleges/HHS/hhs-schools-depts/healthsci/health-sciences-majors/emc/index.asp http://www.wcu.edu/about-wcu/leadership/office-of-the-chancellor/wcu-2020-plan/2020-vision-focusing-our-future-wcu-strategic-plan/ http://www.wcu.edu/about-wcu/leadership/office-of-the-chancellor/wcu-2020-plan/2020-vision-focusing-our-future-wcu-strategic-plan/ https://wcu.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/27852 Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 6 2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE – DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS BID. ATTENTION: The E-Procurement fee may apply to this solicitation. See the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions. General information on the E-Procurement Services can be found at: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/. 2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP. If Vendors have questions, issues, or exceptions regarding any term, condition, or other component of this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation and amendment of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question and answer period. Other than through this Q and A process or negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal or otherwise. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above). By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded. Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive. The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. 2.4 RFP SCHEDULE The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule. Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue RFP State 09/16/2022 Submit Written Questions Vendor 09/22/2022 @ 10:00 AM ET Provide Response to Questions State 09/23/2022 @ 5:00 PM ET Submit Proposals Vendor 09/30/2022 @ 2:00 PM ET 2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Written questions shall be emailed to hooperr@wcu.edu by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter “RFP # 73-RFP00654 Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in the format shown below: Reference Vendor Question RFP Section, Page Number Vendor question ...? http://eprocurement.nc.gov/ Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 7 Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be email to all vendors receiving this solicitation in the form of an addendum. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the RFP and an addendum to this RFP. 2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Vendor shall bear the risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening. The time and date of receipt will be recorded on each proposal when received. Any proposal or portion thereof received after the proposal deadline will be rejected. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS – MAILED, EMAILED OR FAXED COPIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED SEE SECTION 4.0 REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMISSION INSTRUCTION 2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized signature where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s proposal, in the State’s sole discretion. Vendor RFP responses shall include the following items and attachments, which shall be arranged in the following order: a) Cover Letter, must include a statement that confirms that the proposer has read the RFP in its entirety, including all links, and all Addenda released in conjunction with the RFP. b) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the Proposal Number. c) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP. d) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP, if required to be returned. e) Vendor’s Proposal addressing all Specifications of this RFP. f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION h) Completed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM i) Completed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR 2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS Unless provided otherwise in this RFP, Vendor may submit alternate proposals for comparable Goods, various methods or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate proposals must specifically identify the RFP requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate proposal. Any alternate proposal, in addition to the marking described above, must be clearly marked with the legend: “Alternate Proposal #___ . Each proposal must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, each must be offered with a separate price and be contained in a separate proposal document. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered. Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 8 2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS Relevant definitions for this RFP are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found below which are incorporated herein by this reference. 3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS 3.1 METHOD OF AWARD North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the specific RFP Specifications and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria described below. While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more line items or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so. The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received. 3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION While this RFP is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See the Paragraph of the Instructions to Vendors entitled Confidential Information. 3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS Only responsive submissions will be evaluated. The State will conduct a One-Step evaluation of Proposals: Proposals will be received according to the method stated in the Proposal Submittal Section above. All proposals must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State. At the date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the proposal from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and the name of the Vendor and total cost offered may be announced. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position. If negotiation is anticipated under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, pricing may not be public until award. 3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA In addition to the general criteria in G.S. 143-52 which may or may not be relevant to this RFP, all qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria, to result in an award most advantageous to the State: Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 9 All qualified proposals will be evaluated with three (3) finalists selected who meet the RFP requirements and achieve the highest score based on the criteria described below. Criteria Points Method Cost/Value 30 Cost score will be determined by the below formula. 30 x cost of the lowest-cost proposal = cost score cost of cost proposal being evaluated Years in business 20 0 – 5 years 10 points 5 – 10 years 15 points >10 years 20 points Familiarity with target markets 30 Can demonstrate direct experience with media campaigns in all of WCU's target markets = 20 points Can demonstrate experience with media campaigns in some of WCU's target markets = 10 points Past experience working with a 4 year University 20 Yes: 10 points No: 0 points Upon completion of the initial evaluation (see above) those Vendors that achieve the top three (3) highest scores shall be selected as finalists and Vendor presentations shall be conducted. Criteria Points Method Previous Point total _____________ Evaluation of finalist presentation 100 1. Ability to administer contract. 25 points 2. Experience with and results demonstrated for accounts similar in size and scope to WCU. 25 points 3. Experience with and results demonstrated for campaigns targeting teenagers and their influencers. 25 points 4. Demonstrated ability to effectively measure and report campaign results. 25 points Total Points: _________ Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 10 The following questions will be used in evaluation of proposals. Number of years your company has been in business: _____________________ Has your company in the past worked with a four-year University in North Carolina on any project? Yes: _____ No: ______ If yes, please attach detail to response package listing University name, when work was performed, type of work and who on campus was your contact. Has your company in the past had direct experience with media campaigns in all of WCU's target markets? Yes: _____ No: ______ Has your company in the past had direct experience with media campaigns in some of WCU's target markets? Yes: _____ No: ______ If yes to either question, please attach detail to response package with supporting documentation. See 4.0 Requirements, Section 3, line d, for list of target markets. 3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State: a) Total cost to the State b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property e) Availability of pertinent skills f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology h) Relations with citizens and employees i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues 3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES This RFP serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the RFP. Except as specifically stated in the RFP, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety. 4.0 REQUIREMENTS This Section lists the requirements related to this RFP. By submitting a proposal, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 11 RFP. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better proposal, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question and answer period in accordance with the Proposal Questions Section above. To be considered, responding agencies shall have at a minimum (but not limited to) the following: • Must return RFP in a timely manner with all sections requiring responses completed and document signed. Proposals must be submitted electronically at: https://wcu.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/27852 Agencies should submit responses to the following questions in the form of a presentation. Presentations can either be Power Point or, if another presentation format is preferred, a PDF of the presentation can be submitted. If necessary to convey complete information, slide notes or an accompanying word document may be submitted. Finalists will be expected to deliver the presentation via video conference or online presentation. Western Carolina University is located in rural North Carolina and regular meeting travel will not be compensated, so the ability to present information digitally is necessary not only for the RFP but for ongoing execution of the contract. Keep in mind that you will have no more than 45 minutes to present in the final round. The presentation should succinctly address the following: 1 Please tell us about your agency and your team. 1. How many full-time employees do you have? 2. How many full-time employees are dedicated to media buying. 3. What portion of your annual agency revenue does your media buying service represent? 4. Who would work on Western Carolina University’s account? 2 Please provide an overview of your agency’s capabilities. a. Briefly describe your agency philosophy, specifically, your planning and buying 
approach. b. Briefly describe methods and research tools used in the planning process. c. What is your competitive advantage, specifically related to the WCU account? What makes you different from all the other agencies we might work with? 3 Please tell us more about your work. a. Please include a list of your Top 5 clients in volume of buy. b. Please describe your relationship with clients similar in scope and target audience to WCU. c. Please describe your work related to outreach to teenagers and their influencers, including notes on campaign results as appropriate. https://wcu.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/27852 Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 12 d. Please describe your work in and/or media knowledge of the following markets: Asheville, NC; Charlotte, NC; Raleigh, NC; Greenville, SC; Atlanta, GA; Knoxville, Tenn. e. Please provide ONE relevant case study that best represents your 
agency’s work, noting the context of audience and markets above. 4 Measurement is key. Describe your approach to tracking and reporting results: a. How often and in what format would you provide reporting on paid media results? b. Can you provide examples of the types of reporting you would provide for various mediums? What might we see during/following a TV buy? What about an online campaign? What about social? What do those reports look like? c. Describe how your agency evaluates the success of a campaign? 5 What would your agency commission be for any buys placed for Western Carolina? 4.1 PRICING Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to the State for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges for handling, transportation, administrative and other similar fees. Complete ATTACHMENT A: PRICING FORM and include in Vendor’s proposal. The pricing provided in ATTACHMENT A, or resulting from any negotiations, is incorporated herein and shall become part of any resulting Contract. 4.2 INVOICES Vendor shall invoice the Purchasing Agency. The standard format for invoicing shall be Single Invoices meaning that the Vendor shall provide the Purchasing Agency with an invoice for each order. Invoices shall include detailed information to allow Purchasing Agency to verify pricing at point of receipt matches the correct price from the original date of order. The following fields shall be included on all invoices, as relevant: Vendor’s Billing Address, Customer Account Number, NC Contract Number, Order Date, Buyer’s Order Number, Manufacturer Part Numbers, Vendor Part Numbers, Item Descriptions, Price, Quantity, and Unit of Measure. 4.3 HUB PARTICIPATION Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute G.S. 143-48, it is State policy to encourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped, and women contractors in purchasing Goods and Services. As such, this RFP will serve to identify those Vendors that are minority owned or have a strategic plan to support the State’s Historically Underutilized Business program by meeting or exceeding the goal of 10% utilization of diverse firms as 1st or 2nd tier subcontractors. Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION. 4.4 REFERENCES Vendor shall provide at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. The State may contact these users to determine whether the Services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the Proposal. Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 13 4.5 BACKGROUND CHECKS Vendor and its personnel are required to provide or undergo background checks at Vendor’s expense prior to beginning work with the State. As part of Vendor background, the following details must be provided to the State: a) Any criminal felony conviction, or conviction of any crime involving moral turpitude, including, but not limited to fraud, misappropriation or deception, by Vendor, its officers or directors, or any of its employees or other personnel to provide Services on this project, of which Vendor has knowledge, or provide a statement that Vendor is aware of none; b) Any criminal investigation for any offense involving moral turpitude, including, but not limited to fraud, misappropriation, falsification or deception pending against Vendor of which it has knowledge, or provide a statement Vendor is aware of none; c) Any regulatory sanctions levied against Vendor or any of its officers, directors or its professional employees expected to provide Services on this project by any state or federal regulatory agencies within the past three years or a statement that there are none. As used herein, the term “regulatory sanctions” includes the revocation or suspension of any license or certification, the levying of any monetary penalties or fines, and the issuance of any written warnings; d) Any regulatory investigations pending against Vendor or any of its officers, directors or its professional employees expected to provide Services on this project by any state or federal regulatory agencies of which Vendor has knowledge or a statement that there are none. e) Any civil litigation, arbitration, proceeding, or judgments pending against Vendor during the three (3) years preceding submission of its proposal herein or a statement that there are none. Vendor’s response to these requests shall be considered a continuing representation, and Vendor’s failure to notify the State within thirty (30) days of any criminal litigation, investigation or proceeding involving Vendor or its then current officers, directors or persons providing Services under this Contract during its term shall constitute a material breach of contract. The provisions of this paragraph shall also apply to any subcontractor utilized by Vendor to perform Services. 4.6 PERSONNEL Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner. “Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s). Should the Vendor’s proposal result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel. 4.7 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS If Vendor’s Proposal results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 14 Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables. 4.8 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION Default Insurance Coverage from the General Terms and Conditions applicable to this Solicitation: ☒ Contract value in excess of the Small Purchase threshold, but up to $1,000,000.00 5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK 6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION All Contract Administration requirements are conditioned on an award resulting from this solicitation. This information is provided for the Vendor’s planning purposes. 6.1 PROJECT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE The Vendor shall be required to designate and make available to the State a project manager. The project manager shall be the State’s point of contact for Contract related issues and issues concerning performance, progress review, scheduling, and service. 6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS The Vendor, at the request of the State, shall be required to meet periodically with the State for Project Review meetings. The purpose of these meetings will be to review project progress reports, discuss Vendor and State performance, address outstanding issues, review problem resolution, provide direction, evaluate continuous improvement and cost saving ideas, and discuss any other pertinent topics. 6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT The State encourages the Vendor to identify opportunities to reduce the total cost the State. A continuous improvement effort consists of various ways to enhance business efficiencies as performance progresses. 6.4 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK Performance of the work and/or delivery of Goods shall be conducted and completed at least in accordance with the Contract requirements and recognized and customarily accepted industry practices. Performance shall be considered complete when the Services or Goods are approved as acceptable by the Contract Administrator. Acceptance of Vendor’s work product shall be based on the following criteria: The State shall have the obligation to notify Vendor, in writing ten (10) calendar days following completion of such work or delivery of a deliverable described in the Contract that it is not acceptable. The notice shall specify in reasonable detail the reason(s) it is unacceptable. Acceptance by the State shall not be unreasonably withheld; but may be conditioned or delayed as required for reasonable review, evaluation, installation, or testing, as applicable to the work or deliverable. Final acceptance is expressly conditioned upon completion of all applicable assessment procedures. Should the work or deliverables fail to meet any specifications, acceptance criteria or otherwise fail to conform to the Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 15 Contract, the State may exercise any and all rights hereunder, including, for Goods deliverables, such rights provided by the Uniform Commercial Code, as adopted in North Carolina. 6.5 DISPUTE RESOLUTION During the performance of the Contract, the parties agree that it is in their mutual interest to resolve disputes informally. Any claims by the Vendor shall be submitted in writing to the State’s Contract Manager for resolution. Any claims by the State shall be submitted in writing to the Vendor’s Project Manager for resolution. The Parties shall agree to negotiate in good faith and use all reasonable efforts to resolve such dispute(s). During the time the Parties are attempting to resolve any dispute, each shall proceed diligently to perform their respective duties and responsibilities under this Contract. The Parties will agree on a reasonable amount of time to resolve a dispute. If a dispute cannot be resolved between the Parties within the agreed upon period, either Party may elect to exercise any other remedies available under the Contract, or at law. This provision, when agreed in the Contract, shall not constitute an agreement by either party to mediate or arbitrate any dispute. 6.6 CONTRACT CHANGES Contract changes, if any, over the life of the Contract shall be implemented by contract amendments agreed to in writing by the State and Vendor. THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 16 7.0 ATTACHMENTS **IMPORTANT NOTICE** RETURN THE REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS WITH YOUR RESPONSE FOLLOW THE LINKS TO ACCESS EACH ATTACHMENT ATTACHMENT A: COST PROPOSAL Vendor shall be compensated as a commission to the buy. No additional planning or administrative fees will be part of the compensation unless mutually deemed necessary and approved in advance by WCU. PLEASE LIST PERCENTAGE COMMISSION ON MEDIA BUYS PLACED THROUGH YOUR AGENCY: ____________________________ % ______________________________________________________________________________ Signature Date ______________________________________________________________________________ Printed Name Title Proposal Number: 73-RFP00654 Vendor: __________________________________________ Ver: 11/2021 17 ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS The Instructions to Vendors, which are incorporated herein by this reference, may be found here: https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_North-Carolina-Instructions-to-Vendors_09.2021.pdf ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS The North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, which are incorporated herein by this reference, may be found here: https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_North-Carolina-General-Terms-and-Conditions_11.2021.pdf ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION Complete and return the Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) Vendor Information form, which can be found at the following link: https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_HUB-Supplemental-Vendor-Information_9.2021.pdf ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM Complete and return the Customer Reference Form, which can be found at the following link: https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_Customer_Reference_Template_09.2021.pdf ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR Complete and return the Location of Workers Utilized by Vendor, which can be found at the following link: https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_Location-of-Workers_09.2021.pdf *** Failure to Return the Required Attachments May Eliminate Your Response from Further Consideration *** https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_North-Carolina-Instructions-to-Vendors_09.2021.pdf https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_North-Carolina-General-Terms-and-Conditions_11.2021.pdf https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_HUB-Supplemental-Vendor-Information_9.2021.pdf https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_Customer_Reference_Template_09.2021.pdf https://files.nc.gov/ncdoa/pandc/OnlineForms/Form_Location-of-Workers_09.2021.pdf