MOT issues RFP for Public and Media Relations Services

The Maine Office of Tourism is seeking an agency that can offer "the best combination of current destination marketing experience in the areas of media relations, media platforms and overall PR experience" to provide a "strategic, state-of-the-art public/media relations and social media program" to complement the existing paid-media program.

Deliverables will include, in a nutshell:

• Consumer public/media relations, domestic/international:
  • Provide positive public/media relations coverage promoting Maine as a leisure and business travel destination and also as a film production location
  • Develop and distribute press materials
  • Develop and maintain media kit and press room
  • Manage and curate MOT photo and video assets
  • Coordinate and execute travel media events in target markets
  • Much more...
• Travel trade public/media relations - domestic/international
  • Assist in development of trade media plan
  • Coordinate PR with MOT International Sales Manager and ex-US trade vendors
• FAM tours
  • Develop, plan, host trade and/or media FAMs annually
  • Manage and negotiate FAM rates with industry suppliers
  • Develop partner relationships
• Social media and content integration
  • Develop, manage, implement comprehensive social media strategy for MOT
  • Monitor and report social media mentions
• Internal PR/Technical assistance
  • Assist MOT in developing plan for communicating with Maine tourism industry
  • Assist MOT in developing plan to gather industry updates and news
  • Provide PR technical assistance to tourism businesses and make 12 presentations annually
  • Assist/coordinate MOT external communications, media releases, speeches. etc.
  • Provide media training for spokespersons
  • Monitor and leverage industry and lifestyle trends
• Collaborate with Ad Agency
  • Work with Ad Agency and MOT to execute content and creative across channels
  • Collaborate with Ad Agency and industry partners on promotions via existing and new channels
  • Coordinate paid social media with Ad Agency
• Special projects
  • Various, as assigned
  • Assist Film Office with PR/social as directed
  • Sub-contract with arts/heritage/cultural coordinator
  • 15%-20% travel time - in-state, out-of-state and international
  • State % of overall agency time to be committed to MOT

There is much, much more red tape in the RFP.

A copy of the RFP and all amendments is available here: www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/pro...ementservices/vendors/rfps .

MOT anticipates awarding this contract to a single contractor.

Initial contract term is anticipated to be 1 January to 31 December 2024, with possible renewals 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2027 and 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030.

Proposals must be submitted electronically to proposals@maine.gov and received no later than 11:59 PM local time 25 August 2023.

Bidders are to insert the following into the subject line of their e-mail proposal submission: “RFP# 202304083 Proposal Submission – [Bidder’s Name]”

Prior to contact award, all communication with the State of Maine must be via RFP Coordinator Micki Mullen at micki.mullen@maine,gov.

Comment: This is a big, big contract. Expect to be competing with the biggest players in the PR business.