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CICF 2014 RFP | Alliance Group & Rocket Pop Media

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Commonwealth of Virginia Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund

Request For Proposals RFI# 1911402 Issue Date: January 28, 2014

Title: Advertising, Communications Public Relations and Marketing Services Commodity Code: 91500/91509/91522/91826/91573 Period of Contract: Award date continuing for two (2) years, with up to five additional one-year renewal options. Bruce Harris Procurement & Operations Supervisor Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 1


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Alliance Group 2201 W. Main Street Richmond, VA 23220 RFP # 1911402 February 20, 2014 Table of Contents Tab 1: Tab 2: Tab 3: Tab 4: Tab 5: Tab 6: Tab 7:

Completed RFP and Addenda Qualifications and Experience of Offerors

RFP page 1 -­‐ 25

RFP page 26 -­‐ 36

RFP page 37 -­‐ 43

RFP page 44

RFP page 45

RFP page 46 -­‐ 47

RFP page 48-­‐ 49

1. Organizational Structure 2. Creative Samples 3. Demonstrated Knowledge and Experience Plans for Providing Services References Proposed Price Small Business Subcontracting Plan Attachment B, “Small Business Subcontracting Plan” Appendices, Data and Other Submissions

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 3


Tab 1 – RFP and Addenda Issue Date: January 28, 2014 Commodity Code: 91500/91509/91522/91826/91573 Title: Advertising, Communications, Public Relations, and Marketing Services Issuing Agency: Commonwealth of Virginia Using Agency: Commonwealth of Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund 1000 DMV Drive 2201 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 23220 Richmond, VA 23220 Period Of Contract: From Award up to Two-­‐year initial term, with up to five additional one-­‐year renewal options.. Sealed Proposals Will Be Received Until 2:00 P.M. EST, February 20, 2014 for Furnishing The Services Described Herein, And Then Opened in Public. No proposal will be accepted after this date and time unless modified by addendum. PROPOSALS MUST BE SEALED AND SUBMITTED TO THE ISSUING AGENCY PER VII.6 IDENTIFICATION OF PROPOSAL ENVELOPE, IF PROPOSALS ARE HAND DELIVERED, DELIVER TO: 1000 DMV DRIVE, RICHMOND, VA 23220, ATTENTION: PURCHASING. All Inquiries, Questions, and Requests For Information MUST Be Directed To: Bruce Harris, Procurement & Operations Supervisor, preferably by E-­‐mail to bruce.harris@workcomp.virginia.gov or fax at 877-­‐376-­‐5114. Potential offerors may also call 804-­‐205-­‐3062 for general questions and requests; however all technical questions must be submitted in writing preferably by email, or by fax if email is not possible, and should be submitted no later than February 14, 2014. In Compliance With This Request For Proposals And To All The Conditions Imposed Therein And Hereby Incorporated By Reference, The Undersigned Offers And Agrees To Furnish The Services In Accordance With The Attached Signed Proposal Or As Mutually Agreed Upon By Subsequent Negotiation. Name And Address Of Firm: Alliance Group Date: ___2/21/2014________________________ 2201 W. Main Street By: __________________________ Richmond, VA____________________ (Signature In Ink) Zip Code: 23220 Name: ___Robert B. Jones_______________________ (Please Print) FEI/FIN NO:__54-­‐1779090________ Title _____President/CEO____ DUNS # : __060065765 Email address:_rob@alliancegroupltd.com____ Fax Number: __(804) 359-­‐9680________ Telephone Number: (804) 648-­‐6299___________ Pre-­‐Proposal Conference: Omitted.

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I. PURPOSE The Virginia Workers’ Compensation, (VWC) on behalf of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund (CICF) is soliciting proposals to establish a term contract to provide Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations Services for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund. II. BACKGROUND The mission of CICF is to administer the Compensating Victims of Crime Act in a compassionate, fair and efficient manner. In so doing, the Fund strives to treat every victim and survivor with dignity and respect, recognizing the tremendous impact that violent crime has upon our society. In 1977, the Virginia General Assembly found the Commonwealth had a moral responsibility to help its citizens who were innocent victims of crime. CICF was created to pay unreimbursed expenses of victims who suffer personal physical or emotional injury or death as a result of a crime. Virginia was the fourteenth state to establish such a program. Now, every state, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, has a similar program. CICF is one of several departments under the auspices of the VWC.\VWC is headed by three Commissioners and an Executive Director. The Commissioners are chosen by the General Assembly and the Executive Director is selected by and reports to the Commissioners. Daily operations of CICF are managed by the Director of CICF, who reports to the Executive Director. Since its inception, the Fund has processed over 25,000 claims from those who have been victims of violent crimes in Virginia. CICF receives between 1800-­‐2000 claims and awards approximately three million dollars annually. Awards assist victims with medical costs, lost wages, funeral expenses, counseling costs, and other reasonable and necessary expenses that are not covered by any other resource. The Fund receives no tax dollars from the citizens of Virginia. CICF is funded by court fees, assessments on offenders, restitution, and a federal Victim of Crime Act Grant to supplement monies available to victims of violent crime. Over the past few years, the Fund has continued to meet the ever-­‐changing needs of its victims by adding additional benefits and increasing caps on existing benefits. This has been accomplished by staying in close touch with victims, local Victim Witness programs, advocates, and providers to continuously stay on top of the ever-­‐changing needs of victims, providers, and advocates. These groups guide the changes in the laws and the policies that govern CICF. With respect to previously existing benefits and eligibility requirements, CICF has worked hard to provide additional support for victims. In 1998, the General Assembly created a new position, the Crime Victims’ Ombudsman. The Ombudsman’s role is to assist claimants in obtaining necessary documentation for their claims and to ensure victims’ rights are safeguarded and protected through the claims process. The Fund relies on these criminal justice agencies that work directly with victims to provide CICF information to eligible victims and assist them in applying for CICF benefits. Years of budget cuts across the Commonwealth and local governments have resulted in reduced staffing for law enforcement, Victim Witness offices, and other criminal justice agencies. These cuts not only diminish the types of services that are available to victims, but also the number of victims who would receive services. There were approximately 17,000 eligible crimes committed in the Commonwealth last year. Based on the number of applications CICF receives annually (1800-­‐2000), the Fund is receiving claims for little more than 10% of crimes being committed in the Commonwealth. CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 5


III. STATEMENT OF NEEDS Phased Approach: The VWC is soliciting proposals for advertising, marketing and public relations agencies to develop a public awareness campaign for CICF. During the first year of the contract, the public awareness campaign will be piloted in Central and Southwest Virginia. Expansion statewide will be determined based on the results of the pilot project. Often, the public and many criminal justice agencies are not aware of CICF or the scope of its work to make victim’s financially whole after a crime. Last year, there were approximately 17,000 eligible crimes committed in the Commonwealth. Based on the number of applications CICF received last year, CICF received approximately 10% of the related crimes in the Commonwealth. In 2013, CICF conducted approximately 20 trainings for Police Departments across the Commonwealth. During these presentations, more often than not, a significant number of officers had never heard of CICF. Over the past 5 years, with federal, state, and local budget cuts, the local advocate programs working with crime victims have not grown with the populations they serve and, in some areas, programs have endured cuts. For example, in Fairfax County, with a population of over 1.1 million there are approximately 10 advocates serving all crime victims in that area. In the past, these advocate programs have been the direct link between victims and CICF. CICF has concluded there is a need to advertise itself, its purpose, and victim resources directly to the public to increase phone calls, collaboration within the criminal justice field and the number of applications CICF receives annually for victims assistance. Additionally, CICF is required per the Code of Virginia to provide a public awareness campaign: § 19.2-­‐368.17. Public information program. The Commission shall establish and conduct a public information program to assure extensive and continuing publicity and public awareness of the provisions of this chapter. The public information program shall include brochures, posters and public service advertisements for television, radio and print media for dissemination to the public of information regarding the right to compensation for innocent victims of crime, including information on the right to file a claim, the scope of coverage, and the procedures to be utilized incident thereto. Whenever a crime which directly resulted in personal physical injury to, or death of, an individual is reported within the time required by § 19.2-­‐368.10, the law-­‐enforcement agency to which the report is made shall make reasonable efforts, where practicable, to notify the victim or other potential claimant in writing on forms prepared by the Commission of his or her possible right to file a claim under this chapter. In any event, no liability or cause of action shall arise from the failure to so notify a victim of crime or other potential claimant. The Contractor shall develop communications concepts based on CICF’s goals and produce advertising, marketing, and public service announcements for recommended media. The Contractor shall efficiently and effectively execute all appropriate elements, and assist in the evaluation of its effectiveness. 6 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


A. General Requirements: The VWC seeks Offerors to provide proposals that address this need for a full-­‐service marketing communications agency that can assist in the development of an integrated public relations and marketing campaign to support CICF’s mission and in a manner that must minimally address the following requirements: 1. Services: 1. Media Planning/Buying: a. Translate advertising and marketing goals and strategies into effective media plans and buys which may include, but are not limited to, television, radio, print, and Internet advertising. b. Provide a schedule of media buys to CICF for advance approval, in writing, prior to any media buy. 2. Creative Strategic Planning and Management: a. Contractor shall translate advertising and marketing goals into creative strategies and then into public relations communications concepts that provide maximum exposure, impact and return on investment. b. Contractor shall research and develop public relations campaigns compatible with CICF’s marketing, public relations, and electronic marketing promotions. c. Contractor shall develop overall campaigns based on media strategies and selected industry partners based upon approved research and shall demonstrate the ability to leverage advertising dollars for maximum delivery through off-­‐rate card negotiation and other benefits. d. Contractor shall develop and execute creative strategies, in consultation with CICF executive staff. e. Contractor shall develop and monitor creative and production budgets, in consultation with CICF executive staff. f. Contractor shall develop a direct marketing strategy to support CICF’s public relations campaigns. g. Leveraging CICF resources with potential partners, including, but not limited to, advertising, marketing and/or public relations partnerships between CICF and other parties; cultivate corporate partnerships with CICF and/or private sector; and cultivate partnerships with other public agencies in order to extend CICF’s message delivery. 3. Production: a. Execute CICF’s public relations and marketing campaigns that accurately address CICF’s Media strategies and goals utilizing proven capabilities for high quality and cost efficiency. b. Maintain timelines and deadlines while keeping all appropriate staff informed of project status. c. Maintain the approved production budgets. No budget shall be exceeded without prior written approval of CICF. d. Manage the creation and/or production of collateral material, upon CICF’s request. 4. Research: CICF requires that all public relations strategies be based on sound research. The Contractor shall evaluate the ongoing effectiveness of advertising placed on behalf of CICF. The Contractor shall analyze and utilize marketing research information to: a. Determine what types of communication, media, and/or messages are most effective in communication of CICF’s mission and message and apply this information to develop future communications. CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 7


b. Determine what types of communication, media, and/o0r messages are most effective in communication of CICF’s mission and message in the various regions of the state. c. Determine the overall effectiveness an advertising or marketing program provides. 5. Communications Plan and Budget: a. Develop advertising concepts that communicate message points as stated in the campaign plan. The plan shall include, but is not limited to, communications goals and strategies, total media expenditures, production budget, required research, media schedule, and Contractor’s fees, where applicable. b. Modify plans as a result of budget changes or at the request of CICF.

IV. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS A. General Requirements: In order to be considered for selection, Offerors should submit a complete response to the RFP. One (1) original, FIVE (5) hard copies of each proposal and one (1) electronic copy (CD, USB or DVD) of each proposal must be submitted to the issuing agency shown on the cover page by the due date and time. Any proposals received after the deadline will not be considered and shall be returned unopened. Proposals will not be accepted by facsimile transmission or by electronic email. If the Offeror’s proposal contains proprietary information, Offeror shall submit an additional one (1) redacted hard copy and one (1) redacted electronic copy. The Offeror shall make no other distribution of the proposal. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to assure that the proposal packages are received by the time and date indicated. Proposals submitted elsewhere, including to other state or federal agencies, will not be accepted. Refer to page two (2) of this document for the deadline and for the address. Proposals must be sent to the ISSUING AGENCY and not the USING AGENCY address to be considered delivered. 1. Proposal Preparation: An authorized representative of the Offeror shall sign proposals. All required information should be submitted. If an Offeror fails to submit all information requested, the purchasing agency may require prompt submission of missing information after the receipt of vendor proposal. Failure to submit all required information may result in a lowered evaluation score of the proposal. Mandatory requirements are those required by law or regulation or are such that they cannot be waived and are not subject to negotiation. Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP. The Offeror is responsible for all costs of proposal preparation. The VWC is not liable for any costs incurred in preparing a response to the RFP. Emphasis should be placed on completeness and clarity of content. Proposals should be organized in the order in which the requirements are presented in the RFP. The proposal should contain a table of contents which cross-­‐references the RFP requirements. Each copy of the proposal should be bound or contained in a single volume where practical. All documentation submitted with the proposal should be contained in that single volume. All pages should be numbered. 8 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


2. Proprietary Information: All executables, user data, materials, meeting minutes, progress reports and documentation shall be submitted to the VWC and shall belong exclusively to VWC, and shall be subject to public inspection in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Trade secrets or proprietary information submitted by an Offeror shall not be subject to public disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act provided the Offeror invokes the protections of Section 2.2-­‐4342F of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act which provides that: “Trade secrets or proprietary information submitted by an Offeror, or subsequently the Contractor, in connection with a procurement transaction, shall not be subject to public disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. However, the Offeror or Contractor must invoke the protection of this Section prior to, or upon submission of the data or other materials. The Contractor must identify the data or other materials to be protected and justify in writing the explicit reasons that such protection is necessary. Failure to mark the data or other materials as proprietary or otherwise classified, will result in the data or other materials being released to Offerors or to the public as provided in the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.” The classification of the entire proposal document, line item prices, and/or total proposal prices as proprietary or trade secrets is not acceptable. 3. Offeror’s Understanding of Requirements: Offerors are responsible to inquire about and clarify any requirements of this RFP that is not understood. ORAL REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. All inquiries related to this RFP must be in writing to Bruce Harris via email at bruce.harris@workcomp.virginia.gov or fax at 877-­‐376-­‐5114. Include “RFP 1911402” in the title of any message or fax cover page. All written inquiries must be received by the issuing office by 2:00 pm, February 14, 2014. NO FURTHER WRITTEN INQUIRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THIS DATE AND TIME. Any changes to this solicitation will be made through an addendum that will be posted on the State procurement website at www.wva.virginia.gov. 4. Utilization and Planned Involvement of SWaM Businesses: It is the policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia and VWC to contribute to the establishment, preservation, and strengthening of small businesses and businesses owned by women and minorities and to encourage their participation in State procurement activities. VWC encourages Contractors to provide for the participation of small business and businesses owned by women and minorities through partnerships, joint ventures, subcontracts, or other contractual opportunities. All information requested by this RFP on the ownership, utilization and planned involvement of small businesses, women-­‐owned businesses, and minority-­‐owned businesses must be submitted. If an Offeror fails to submit all information requested, the VWC may require prompt submission of missing information after the receipt of Contractor’s proposal. 5. Oral Presentation: Offerors who submit proposals in response to this RFP may be required to present an oral presentation of their proposal to the Proposal Evaluation Team. An oral presentation may provide an opportunity for the Offeror to clarify or elaborate on their proposal submittal. If held, VWC will schedule the time and location of these presentations. If the Offeror is selected to give an oral presentation, such Offeror may be requested to provide additional copies of their proposal at that time. Oral presentations are an option of the Proposal Evaluation Team and may or may not be conducted. Therefore, proposals must be complete. CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 9


B. Specific Proposal Submission Instructions: Proposals should be as thorough and detailed as possible so that the Proposal Evaluation Team can properly evaluate the Offeror’s capabilities to provide the required services. Offerors are required to submit the following items, separated by tabs within the proposal and in sequential order corresponding to the related sections of this RFP: Tab 1: RFP and Addenda The complete RFP (without attachments) signed and filled out as required, along with an original signed copy of any addenda that may have been issued. Tab 2: Qualifications and Experience of Offerors Describe your firm’s background, experience, and qualifications related to this type of project that should include, but not limited to, the following: 1. Organizational Structure a. Provide a detailed written narrative statement of the firm’s organizational structure and history, locations, including the principals and their background, including the identity, title, and resume of the individual(s) who will be responsible for implementing services and overall management of the contract. b. Detail the ownership structure and other relevant information regarding the firm. c. Include the legal name and address and the legal form of company (partnership, corporation, joint venture, etc.) d. If proposing a joint venture, then identify all members of the joint venture and provide all information required within this section for each member of the venture. e. If the company is a wholly-­‐owned subsidiary of a “parent” company, then it must provide all information required for both firms. f. In all cases, provide addresses of affiliates, subsidiaries, or satellite service locations that will be used to support this project. 2. Creative Samples a. Include 3-­‐4 samples of work you have done for other clients, including, but not limited to, print, radio, TV and Internet. b. Include 3-­‐4 samples of communications products. c. Include 3-­‐4 writing samples, including, but not limited to, marketing plans, press releases, and creative proposals. 3. Demonstrated Knowledge and Experience a. Provide a detailed narrative describing the firm’s qualifications and background in providing these types of services. b. Describe specialized experience in the type of services and/or solutions required in the Statement of Needs, along with demonstrated knowledge and experience in the services and procedures outlined herein. c. Describe your firm’s experience implementing and maintaining a similar solution and providing these services described herein for other identified clients of comparable size or larger.

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Tab 3: Plans for Providing Services Offerors shall submit a comprehensive Proposal explaining their capabilities, qualifications, resources, plans, and processes, which can successfully enable the fulfillment of all requirements outlined in the Statement of Needs. At a minimum, the Offeror should address in separate and distinct sections, each of the following topics to describe the company’s approach for providing the services and each of the requirements stated in Section III, in addition to specifically addressing the following: 1. Describe your firm’s approach to provide a solution for the CICF’s requirements as described in the Statement of Needs, both for the pilot project and statewide implementation. 2. Describe when your firm can begin servicing CICF, expressed as a number of days and provide a proposed detailed schedule for implementation of your firm’s solution should it receive a contract award. 3. Describe the training component that your firm offers to assist CICF with rollout/implementation of the proposed solution. 4. Describe initial and ongoing communication plans and methods your firm would employ in order to educate and train CICF staff if needed to assist with implementation. 5. Identify by name, title, and location the individual(s) who will be responsible for implementing services and overall management of the contract. 6. Identify and describe the role of any other individuals involved, including the identity of the individual who will be the primary day-­‐to-­‐day contact for CICF, with resumes of key personnel. Tab 4: References Provide a minimum of three (3) references. Preferably, these references would have active accounts maintained over the past two (2) years. References should include at least one other Virginia government agency if possible. For each, provide the name of the client entity and a current contact name with telephone number and email address. See Attachment C, entitled “Vendor Data Sheet.” Tab 5: Proposed Price Provide proposed pricing in a format similar to the one provided in Attachment A, entitled “Pricing Schedule.” Proposed pricing must be complete and comprehensive for all proposed services, to be comprised of leading edge business processes and practices, and competitive prices. Tab 6: Small Business Subcontracting Plan The Offeror should submit the following three (3) sets of data for small business, women-­‐owned business, and minority-­‐owned business: 1. Ownership 2. Utilization of small, women-­‐owned, and minority-­‐owned businesses for the most recent twelve months. 3. Planned involvement of small, women-­‐owned, and minority-­‐owned businesses on the current procurement. Attachment B, entitled “Small Business Subcontracting Plan” contains the format for providing this information. Tab 7: Appendices, Data and Other Submissions Include any other appendices, data, and other information necessary to support your proposal. V. EVALUATION AND AWARD CRITERIA A. Evaluation Criteria The Proposal Evaluation Team will review all proposals received by the proposal submission deadline. Proposals must be complete and responsive to all sections of the RFP. Proposals that do not fulfill all program requirements or omit any of the requested contents may receive a reduced evaluation score. Factors upon which proposals will be evaluated include: CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 11


Evaluation Criteria Point Value 1. Qualifications and experience of Offeror in providing similar services 30 2. Approach for providing services to meet the Statement of Needs 30 3. Price 20 4. SWaM Participation 20 TOTAL 100 VI. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS A. VENDORS MANUAL: This solicitation is subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia Vendors Manual and any changes or revisions thereto, which are hereby incorporated into this contract in their entirety. The procedure for filing contractual claims is in section 7.19 of the Vendors Manual. A copy of the manual is normally available for review at the purchasing office and is accessible on the Internet at www.dgs.state.va.us/dps under “Manuals.” B. APPLICABLE LAWS AND COURTS: This solicitation and any resulting contract shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and any litigation with respect thereto shall be brought in the courts of the Commonwealth. The agency and the contractor are encouraged to resolve any issues in controversy arising from the award of the contract or any contractual dispute using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedures (Code of Virginia, § 2.2-­‐4366). ADR procedures are described in Chapter 9 of the Vendors Manual. The contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations. C. ANTI-­‐DISCRIMINATION: By submitting their bid, bidders certify to the Commonwealth that they will conform to the provisions of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, as well as the Virginia Fair Employment Contracting Act of 1975, as amended, where applicable, the Virginians With Disabilities Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act and § 2.2-­‐4311 of the Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA). If the award is made to a faith-­‐based organization, the organization shall not discriminate against any recipient of goods, services, or disbursements made pursuant to the contract on the basis of the recipient's religion, religious belief, refusal to participate in a religious practice, or on the basis of race, age, color, gender or national origin and shall be subject to the same rules as other organizations that contract with public bodies to account for the use of the funds provided; however, if the faith-­‐ based organization segregates public funds into separate accounts, only the accounts and programs funded with public funds shall be subject to audit by the public body. (Code of Virginia, § 2.2-­‐4343.1E). In every contract over $10,000 the provisions in 1. and 2. below apply: 1. During the performance of this contract, the contractor agrees as follows: a. The contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment, except where there is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the contractor. The contractor agrees to post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, notices setting forth the provisions of this nondiscrimination clause. b. The contractor, in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of the contractor, will state that such contractor is an equal opportunity employer. c. Notices, advertisements and solicitations placed in accordance with federal law, rule or regulation shall be deemed sufficient for the purpose of meeting these requirements. 12 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


2.

The contractor will include the provisions of 1. above in every subcontract or purchase order over $10,000, so that the provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor or vendor.

D. ETHICS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTING: By submitting their bid, bidders certify that their bid is made without collusion or fraud and that they have not offered or received any kickbacks or inducements from any other bidder, supplier, manufacturer or subcontractor in connection with their bid, and that they have not conferred on any public employee having official responsibility for this procurement transaction any payment, loan, subscription, advance, deposit of money, services or anything of more than nominal value, present or promised, unless consideration of substantially equal or greater value was exchanged. E. IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986: By submitting their bid, bidders certify that they do not and will not during the performance of this contract employ illegal alien workers or otherwise violate the provisions of the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. F. DEBARMENT STATUS: By submitting their bid, bidders certify that they are not currently debarred by the Commonwealth of Virginia from submitting bids or proposals on contracts for the type of goods and/or services covered by this solicitation, nor are they an agent of any person or entity that is currently so debarred. G. ANTITRUST: By entering into a contract, the contractor conveys, sells, assigns, and transfers to the Commonwealth of Virginia all rights, title and interest in and to all causes of action it may now have or hereafter acquire under the antitrust laws of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia, relating to the particular goods or services purchased or acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia under said contract. H. MANDATORY USE OF STATE FORM AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR RFPs: Failure to submit a proposal on the official state form provided for that purpose may be a cause for rejection of the proposal. Modification of or additions to the General Terms and Conditions of the solicitation may be cause for rejection of the proposal; however, the Commonwealth reserves the right to decide, on a case by case basis, in its sole discretion, whether to reject such a proposal. I. CLARIFICATION OF TERMS: If any prospective bidder has questions about the specifications or other solicitation documents, the prospective bidder should contact the buyer whose name appears on the face of the solicitation no later than five working days before the due date. Any revisions to the solicitation will be made only by addendum issued by the buyer. J. PAYMENT: 1. To Prime Contractor: a. Invoices for items ordered, delivered and accepted shall be submitted by the contractor directly to the payment address shown on the purchase order/contract. All invoices shall show the state contract number and/or purchase order number; social security number (for individual contractors) or the federal employer identification number (for proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations). b. Any payment terms requiring payment in less than 30 days will be regarded as requiring payment 30 days after invoice or delivery, whichever occurs last. This shall not affect offers of discounts for payment in less than 30 days, however. c. All goods or services provided under this contract or purchase order, that are to be paid for with public funds, shall be billed by the contractor at the contract price, regardless of which public agency is being billed. CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 13


d. The following shall be deemed to be the date of payment: the date of postmark in all cases where payment is made by mail, or the date of offset when offset proceedings have been instituted as authorized under the Virginia Debt Collection Act. e.

Unreasonable Charges. Under certain emergency procurements and for most time and material purchases, final job costs cannot be accurately determined at the time orders are placed. In such cases, contractors should be put on notice that final payment in full is contingent on a determination of reasonableness with respect to all invoiced charges. Charges which appear to be unreasonable will be researched and challenged, and that portion of the invoice held in abeyance until a settlement can be reached. Upon determining that invoiced charges are not reasonable, the Commonwealth shall promptly notify the contractor, in writing, as to those charges which it considers unreasonable and the basis for the determination. A contractor may not institute legal action unless a settlement cannot be reached within thirty (30) days of notification. The provisions of this section do not relieve an agency of its prompt payment obligations with respect to those charges which are not in dispute (Code of Virginia, § 2.2-­‐4363).

2.

To Subcontractors:

a.

A contractor awarded a contract under this solicitation is hereby obligated:

(1) To pay the subcontractor(s) within seven (7) days of the contractor’s receipt of payment from the Commonwealth for the proportionate share of the payment received for work performed by the subcontractor(s) under the contract; or (2) To notify the agency and the subcontractor(s), in writing, of the contractor’s intention to withhold payment and the reason.

b. The contractor is obligated to pay the subcontractor(s) interest at the rate of one percent per month (unless otherwise provided under the terms of the contract) on all amounts owed by the contractor that remain unpaid seven (7) days following receipt of payment from the Commonwealth, except for amounts withheld as stated in (2) above. The date of mailing of any payment by U. S. Mail is deemed to be payment to the addressee. These provisions apply to each sub-­‐tier contractor performing under the primary contract. A contractor’s obligation to pay an interest charge to a subcontractor may not be construed to be an obligation of the Commonwealth. 3. Each prime contractor who wins an award in which provision of a SWAM procurement plan is a condition to the award, shall deliver to the contracting agency or institution, on or before request for final payment, evidence and certification of compliance (subject only to insubstantial shortfalls and to shortfalls arising from subcontractor default) with the SWAM procurement plan. Final payment under the contract in question may be withheld until such certification is delivered and, if necessary, confirmed by the agency or institution, or other appropriate penalties may be assessed in lieu of withholding such payment. 4. The Commonwealth of Virginia encourages contractors and subcontractors to accept electronic and credit card payments. K. PRECEDENCE OF TERMS: The following General Terms and Conditions VENDORS MANUAL, APPLICABLE LAWS AND COURTS, ANTI-­‐DISCRIMINATION, ETHICS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTING, IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986, DEBARMENT STATUS, ANTITRUST, MANDATORY USE OF STATE FORM AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS, CLARIFICATION OF TERMS, PAYMENT shall apply in all instances. In the event there is a conflict between any of the other General Terms and Conditions and any Special Terms and Conditions in this solicitation, the Special Terms and Conditions shall apply. 14 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


L.

QUALIFICATIONS OF BIDDERS/OFFERORS: The Commonwealth may make such reasonable investigations as deemed proper and necessary to determine the ability of the offeror to perform the services/furnish the goods and the offeror shall furnish to the Commonwealth all such information and data for this purpose as may be requested. The Commonwealth reserves the right to inspect offeror’s physical facilities prior to award to satisfy questions regarding the offeror’s capabilities. The Commonwealth further reserves the right to reject any proposal if the evidence submitted by, or investigations of, such offeror fails to satisfy the Commonwealth that such offeror is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract and to provide the services and/or furnish the goods contemplated therein.

M. TESTING AND INSPECTION: The Commonwealth reserves the right to conduct any test/inspection it may deem advisable to assure goods and services conform to the specifications. N. ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACT: A contract shall not be assignable by the contractor in whole or in part without the written consent of the Commonwealth. O. CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT: Changes can be made to the contract in any of the following ways: 1. The parties may agree in writing to modify the scope of the contract. An increase or decrease in the price of the contract resulting from such modification shall be agreed to by the parties as a part of their written agreement to modify the scope of the contract. 2. The Purchasing Agency may order changes within the general scope of the contract at any time by written notice to the contractor. Changes within the scope of the contract include, but are not limited to, things such as services to be performed, the method of packing or shipment, and the place of delivery or installation. The contractor shall comply with the notice upon receipt. The contractor shall be compensated for any additional costs incurred as the result of such order and shall give the Purchasing Agency a credit for any savings. Said compensation shall be determined by one of the following methods: a. By mutual agreement between the parties in writing; or b. By agreeing upon a unit price or using a unit price set forth in the contract, if the work to be done can be expressed in units, and the contractor accounts for the number of units of work performed, subject to the Purchasing Agency’s right to audit the contractor’s records and/or to determine the correct number of units independently; or c. By ordering the contractor to proceed with the work and keep a record of all costs incurred and savings realized. A markup for overhead and profit may be allowed if provided by the contract. The same markup shall be used for determining a decrease in price as the result of savings realized. The contractor shall present the Purchasing Agency with all vouchers and records of expenses incurred and savings realized. The Purchasing Agency shall have the right to audit the records of the contractor as it deems necessary to determine costs or savings. Any claim for an adjustment in price under this provision must be asserted by written notice to the Purchasing Agency within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the written order from the Purchasing Agency. If the parties fail to agree on an amount of adjustment, the question of an increase or decrease in the contract price or time for performance shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures for resolving disputes provided by the Disputes Clause of this contract or, if there is none, in accordance with the disputes provisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia Vendors Manual. Neither the existence of a claim nor a dispute resolution process, litigation or any other provision of this contract shall excuse the contractor from promptly complying with the changes ordered by the Purchasing Agency or with the performance of the contract generally. P. DEFAULT: In case of failure to deliver goods or services in accordance with the contract terms and conditions, the Commonwealth, after due oral or written notice, may procure them from other sources and hold the contractor CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 15


responsible for any resulting additional purchase and administrative costs. This remedy shall be in addition to any other remedies which the Commonwealth may have. Q. INSURANCE: By signing and submitting a bid or proposal under this solicitation, the bidder or offeror certifies that if awarded the contract, it will have the following insurance coverage at the time the contract is awarded. The bidder or offeror further certifies that the contractor and any subcontractors will maintain these insurance coverage during the entire term of the contract and that all insurance coverage will be provided by insurance companies authorized to sell insurance in Virginia by the Virginia State Corporation Commission. 1. Workers’ Compensation – Statutory requirements and benefits. Coverage is compulsory for employers of three or more employees, to include the employer. Contractors who fail to notify the Commonwealth of increases in the number of employees that change their workers’ compensation requirements under the Code of Virginia during the course of the contract shall be in noncompliance with the contract. 2. Employer’s Liability -­‐ $100,000.00 3. Commercial General Liability -­‐ $1,000,000 per occurrence. Commercial General Liability is to include bodily injury and property damage, personal injury and advertising injury, products and completed operations coverage. The Commonwealth of Virginia must be named as an additional insured and so endorsed on the policy. R. ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARD: Upon the award or the announcement of the decision to award a contract as a result of this solicitation, the purchasing agency will publicly post such notice on the DGS/DPS eVA VBO (www.eva.virginia.gov) for a minimum of 10 days. S. DRUG-­‐FREE WORKPLACE: During the performance of this contract, the contractor agrees to (i) provide a drug-­‐free workplace for the contractor's employees; (ii) post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance or marijuana is prohibited in the contractor's workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition; (iii) state in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of the contractor that the contractor maintains a drug-­‐free workplace; and (iv) include the provisions of the foregoing clauses in every subcontract or purchase order of over $10,000, so that the provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor or vendor. For the purposes of this section, “drug-­‐free workplace” means a site for the performance of work done in connection with a specific contract awarded to a contractor, the employees of whom are prohibited from engaging in the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of any controlled substance or marijuana during the performance of the contract. T. NONDISCRIMINATION OF CONTRACTORS: A bidder, offeror, or contractor shall not be discriminated against in the solicitation or award of this contract because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, faith-­‐based organizational status, any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment or because the bidder or offeror employs ex-­‐offenders unless the state agency, department or institution has made a written determination that employing ex-­‐offenders on the specific contract is not in its best interest. If the award of this contract is made to a faith-­‐based organization and an individual, who applies for or receives goods, services, or disbursements provided pursuant to this contract objects to the religious character of the faith-­‐based organization from which the individual receives or would receive the goods, services, or disbursements, the public body shall offer the individual, within a reasonable period of time after the date of his objection, access to equivalent goods, services, or disbursements from an alternative provider. U. eVA BUSINESS-­‐TO-­‐GOVERNMENT VENDOR REGISTRATION: The eVA Internet electronic procurement solution, web site portal www.eva.state.va.us, streamlines and automates government purchasing activities in the Commonwealth. The eVA portal is the gateway for vendors to conduct business with state agencies and public bodies. All vendors desiring to provide goods and/or services to the Commonwealth shall participate in the eVA 16 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


Internet e-­‐procurement solution by completing the free eVA Vendor Registration. All bidders or offerors must register in eVA and pay the Vendor Transaction Fees specified below; failure to register will result in the bid/proposal being rejected. Vendor transaction fees are determined by the date the original purchase order is issued and the current fees are as follows:

V.

For orders issued January 1, 2014 and after, the Vendor Transaction Fee is: (i) DMBE-­‐certified Small Businesses: 1%, capped at $500 per order. (ii) Businesses that are not SMBE-­‐certified Small Businesses: 1%, capped at $1,500 per order. The specified vendor transaction fee will be invoiced, by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of General Services, approximately 30 days after the corresponding purchase order is issued and payable 30 days after the invoice date. Any adjustments (increases/decreases) will be handled through purchase order changes. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: It is understood and agreed between the parties herein that the agency shall be bound hereunder only to the extent of the funds available or which may hereafter become available for the purpose of this agreement.

W. SET-­‐ASIDES: This solicitation is set-­‐aside for DMBE-­‐certified small business participation only when designated “SET-­‐ASIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES” in the solicitation. DMBE-­‐certified small businesses are those businesses that hold current small business certification from the Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise. This shall not exclude DMBE-­‐certified women-­‐owned and minority-­‐owned businesses when they have received the DMBE small business certification. For purposes of award, bidders/offerors shall be deemed small business if and only if they are certified as such by DMBE on the due date for receipt of bids/proposals. X. BID PRICE CURRENCY: Unless stated otherwise in the solicitation, bidders/offerors shall state bid/offer prices in US dollars. Y. AUTHORIZATION TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IN THE COMMONWEALTH: A contractor organized as a stock or nonstock corporation, limited liability company, business trust, or limited partnership or registered as a registered limited liability partnership shall be authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth as a domestic or foreign business entity if so required by Title 13.1 or Title 50 of the Code of Virginia or as otherwise required by law. Any business entity described above that enters into a contract with a public body pursuant to the Virginia Public Procurement Act shall not allow its existence to lapse or its certificate of authority or registration to transact business in the Commonwealth, if so required under Title 13.1 or Title 50, to be revoked or cancelled at any time during the term of the contract. A public body may void any contract with a business entity if the business entity fails to remain in compliance with the provisions of this section. VII. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS 1. Audit: The contractor shall retain all books, records, and other documents relative to this contract for five (5) years after final payment, or until audited by the Commonwealth of Virginia, whichever is sooner. The agency, its authorized agents, and/or state auditers shall have full access to and the right to examine any of said materials during said period. 2. Award: Selection shall be made of two or more Offerors deemed to be fully qualified and best suited among those submitting proposals on the basis of the evaluation criteria above. Negotiations shall be conducted with the Offerors so selected. Price shall be considered, but need not be the sole determining factor. After negotiations have been conducted with each Offeror so selected, the VWC shall select the Offeror which, in its opinion, has made the best CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 17


proposal, and shall award the contract to that Offeror. The VWC may cancel this RFP or reject proposals at any time prior to an award, and is not required to furnish a statement of the reasons why a particular proposal was not deemed to be the most advantageous. (Section 11-­‐65D, Code of Virginia.) Should the Commonwealth determine in writing and in its sole discretion that only one Offeror is fully qualified, or that one Offeror is clearly more highly qualified than the others under consideration, a contract may be negotiated and awarded to that Offeror. The award document will be a contract incorporating by reference all the requirements, terms and conditions of the solicitation and the Contractor’s proposal as negotiated. 3. Cancelation of Contract: The purchasing agency reserves the right to cancel and terminate any resulting contract, in whole or in part, without penalty, upon 60 days written notice to the contractor. In the event the initial contract period is for more than 12 months, the resulting contract may be terminated by either party, without penalty, after the initial 12 months of the contract period upon 60 days written notice to the other party. Any contract cancelation notice shall not relieve the contractor of the obligation to deliver and/or perform on all outstanding orders issued prior to the effective date of cancelation. 4. eVA Business-­‐to-­‐Government Contracts and Orders: The solicitation will result in monthly payments to the contractor with the eVA transaction fees specified below assessed for each payment. a. DMBE-­‐certified Small Businesses: 1%, capped at $500 per order. b. Businesses that are not SMBE-­‐certified Small Businesses: 1%, capped at $1,500 per order. 5. Renewal of Contract: This contract may be renewed by the Commonwealth upon written agreement of both parties for five (5) successive one year periods, under the terms of the current contract, and at a reasonable time (approximately 90 days) prior to the expiration. At its sole discretion, the Commonwealth may permit price adjustments only at the time of contract renewal, and only where verified to the satisfaction of the Contracting Officer. The contract pricing for any renewal period following the initial term shall not exceed the lesser of a) 3% of the contract pricing for the prior term, or; b) the contract pricing for the prior period, increased/decreased by more than the percentage increase/decrease of the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics’ “Other Services” item under the Services category of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-­‐W) section of the Consumer Price Index for the latest twelve (12) months for which statistics are available. Contractor shall give not less than thirty (30) days advance notice of any price increase request, with documentation, to the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor in writing of any approved increase. Price increase would take effect on the first day of the renewal period. However, the contractor shall fill all outstanding requests received prior to the effective date of the price adjustment at the old contract prices. 6. Identification of Proposal Envelope: Signed proposals should be returned in a sealed package identified as follows: From: Robert B. Jones 2/20/2014 2 p.m. Name of Offeror Due Date Time 2201 W. Main St1 911402 Street or Box Number RFP Number Richmond, VA 23220 Advertising, Communications, Public Relation & Marketing Services City, State, Zip Code RFP Title 18 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


DMBE-­‐certified Small Business No: 657461 Name of Contract Purchase Officer: Robert B. Jones 7. Small Business Subcontracting and Evidence of Compliance: A. It is the goal of the Commonwealth that 40% of its purchases be made from small businesses. This includes discretionary spending in prime contracts and subcontracts. All potential offerors are required to submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan. Unless the Offeror is registered as a DMBE-­‐certified small business and where it is practicable for any portion of the awarded contract to be subcontracted to other suppliers, the contractor is encouraged to offer such subcontracting opportunities to DMBE-­‐certified small businesses. This shall not exclude DMBE-­‐certified-­‐ women-­‐owned and minority-­‐owned businesses when they have received DMBE small business certification. No Offeror or subcontractor shall be considered a Small Business, a Women-­‐Owned Business or a Minority-­‐Owned Business unless certified as such by the Department of Minority Business Enterprise (DMBE) by the due date for receipt of proposals. If small business subcontractors are used, the prime contractor agrees to report the use of small business subcontractors by providing the purchasing office at a minimum the following information: name of small business with the DMBE certification number, phone number, total dollar amount subcontracted, category type (small, women-­‐owned, or minority-­‐owned), and type of product/service provided. B. Each prime contractor who wins an award in which provisions of a small business subcontracting plan is a condition of award, shall deliver to the contracting agency on a quarterly basis, evidence of compliance (subject only to insubstantial shortfalls and to shortfalls arising from subcontractor default) with the small business subcontracting plan. When such business has been subcontracted to these firms and upon completion of the contract, the contractor agrees to furnish the purchasing office at a minimum the following information: name of firm with the DMBE certification number, phone number, total dollar amount subcontracted, category type (small, women-­‐owned, or minority-­‐owned), and type of product or service provided. Payment(s) may be withheld until compliance with the plan is received and confirmed by the agency. The agency reserves the right to pursue other appropriate remedies to include, but not be limited to, termination for default. C. Each prime contractor who wins an award valued over $200,000 shall deliver to the contracting agency on a quarterly basis, information on use of subcontractors that are not DMBE-­‐certified small businesses. When such business has been subcontracted to these firms and upon completion of the contract, the contractor agrees to furnish the purchasing office at a minimum the following information: name of firm, phone number, total dollar amount subcontracted, and type of product or service provided. 8. State Corporation Commission Identification Number: Pursuant to Code of Virginia Section 2.2-­‐ 4311.2 subsection B, a bidder or Offeror organized or authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth pursuant to Title 13.1 or Title 50 is required to include in its bid or proposal the identification number issued to it by the State Corporation Commission (SCC). Any bidder or Offeror that is not required to be authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth as a foreign business entity under Titles 13.1 or Title 50 or as otherwise required by law is required to include in its bid or proposal a statement describing why the bidder or Offeror is not required to be so authorized. Contractor agrees that the process by which compliance with Titles 13.1 and 50 is checked during the solicitation stage is streamlined and not definitive, and the Commonwealth’s use and acceptance of such form, or its acceptance of Contractor’s statement describing why the bidder or Offeror was not legally required to be authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth shall not be conclusive of the issue and shall not be relied upon by the Contractor as demonstrating compliance.

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 19


VIII. INVOICES AND METHOD OF PAYMENT 1. Invoices: As applicable, all invoices shall be rendered promptly to the VWC after all services covered by the invoice have been provided. The Contractor shall invoice monthly in arrears. No invoice may include any cost other than those identified in the contract. Invoices shall provide at a minimum: i. Name of authorizing user (VWC) ii. Authorized user point of contact name iii. Description of the services provided iv. Invoice number v. Invoice date vi. Itemized monthly charges vii. Contract number viii. Contractor’s Taxpayer Identification number 2. Method of Payment: a. Payment will be made within thirty (30) days of receipt of valid invoice for all services provided during the previous month. Contractor shall submit a valid invoice to the invoice address below by the tenth (10th) day of the month, following the month in which services were rendered: Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission Finance Office 1000 DMV Drive Richmond, VA 23220 b. For valid invoices in any amount up to $50,000.00, if the Contractor accepts credit card payments in any amount, Contractor shall accept payment by the Commonwealth’s Gold Card. IX. PRICING SCHEDULE Offerors are strongly advised to provide a model Pricing Schedule for the Commonwealth’s evaluation purposes that represents their solution to all requirements depicted in the RFP, and which is complete, comprehensive, simple and easy to understand. A suggested format is located in Attachment A.

20 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


ATTACHMENT A PRICING SCHEDULE Year 1 – Pilot Project -­‐ Central and Southwest Virginia: 1. Discovery, market research, and strategy: $ ____$20,000.00__________________ 2. Brand development, comprehensive identity: $ ____$25,000.00_________________ 3. Monthly account maintenance, to include: tracking, monitoring, and advertising staff commission costs (NOT fees charged by the various media outlets to run ads) $ ____$8,000.00__________________ per month Subsequent Years – Statewide: 1. Discovery, market research, and strategy: $ _____$20,000.00_________________ 2. Brand development, comprehensive identity: $ _____$15,000.00_________________ 3. Monthly account maintenance, to include: tracking, monitoring, and advertising staff commission costs (NOT fees charged by the various media outlets to run ads) $ ______$15,000.00________________ per month

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 21


ATTACHMENT B Small Business Subcontracting Plan Definitions Small Business: "Small business " means an independently owned and operated business which, together with affiliates, has 250 or fewer employees, or average annual gross receipts of $10 million or less averaged over the previous three years. Note: This shall not exclude DMBE-­‐certified women-­‐ and minority-­‐owned businesses when they have received DMBE small business certification. Women-­‐Owned Business: Women-­‐owned business means a business concern that is at least 51% owned by one or more women who are citizens of the United States or non-­‐citizens who are in full compliance with United States immigration law, or in the case of a corporation, partnership or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51% of the equity ownership interest is owned by one or more women who are citizens of the United States or non-­‐citizens who are in full compliance with United States immigration law, and both the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more women who are citizens of the United States or non-­‐citizens who are in full compliance with the United States immigration law. Minority-­‐Owned Business: Minority-­‐owned business means a business concern that is at least 51% owned by one or more minority individuals or in the case of a corporation, partnership or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51% of the equity ownership interest in the corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity is owned by one or more minority individuals and both the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more minority individuals. All small businesses must be certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Minority Business Enterprise (DMBE) by the due date of the solicitation to participate in the SWAM program. Certification applications are available through DMBE online at www.dmbe.virginia.gov (Customer Service). Offeror Name: Alliance Group Preparer’s Name: Robert B. Jones Date: 2/21/2014 Instructions A. If you are certified by the Department of Minority Business Enterprise (DMBE) as a small business, complete only Section A of this form. This shall not exclude DMBE-­‐certified women-­‐owned and minority-­‐owned businesses when they have received DMBE small business certification. B. If you are not a DMBE-­‐certified small business, complete Section B of this form. For the offeror to receive credit for the small business subcontracting plan evaluation criteria, the offeror shall identify the portions of the contract that will be subcontracted to DMBE-­‐certified small business in this section. Points will be assigned based on each offeror’s proposed subcontracting expenditures with DMBE certified small businesses for the initial contract period as indicated in Section B in relation to the offeror’s total price. Section A If your firm is certified by the Department of Minority Business Enterprise (DMBE), are you certified as a (check only one below): __X___ Small Business ______ Small and Women-­‐owned Business ______ Small and Minority-­‐owned Business Certification number: 657641 Certification Date: __5/31/2016_______________________ 22 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


Section B Populate the table below to show your firm's plans for utilization of DMBE-certified small businesses in the performance of this contract. This shall not exclude DMBE-certified women-owned and minority-owned businesses when they have received the DMBE small business certification. Include plans to utilize small businesses as part of joint ventures, partnerships, subcontractors, suppliers, etc. Small Business Name, Address, & Certification # Rocket Pop Media Certification #675076

Status if Small Business is also: Woman(W), Minority (M)

Contact Person, Telephone # & Email

Type of Goods and/or Services

Planned Involvement During Initial Period of the Contract

Planned Contract Dollars During Initial Period of the Contract

Small business, Woman

Cara Dickens (804) 644-­‐2525 cara@rocketpopmedia.com

Providing creative & media services

Assist with all components in Year 1 and subsequent years of project

$70,500

Totals $

$70,500

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 23


ATTACHMENT C DATA SHEET 1.

2. 3.

QUALIFICATION OF OFFEROR: The Offeror must have the capability and capacity in all respects to fully satisfy all of the contractual requirements identified within. It is the responsibility of the offeror to provide sufficient information in their proposal to enable the evaluation panel to determine the offeror’s qualification. YEARS IN BUSINESS: Years Months

Indicate the length of time you have been in business and providing this type of service: 15

REFERENCES: Indicate below a listing of at least three (3) recent references for whom you have provided similar services as described within. Include the date service was furnished and the name and address of the person the evaluation panel should contact. Offeror must validate the contact information prior to submission of proposal. The evaluation panel will not be obligated to request missing information and/or request correct contact information, etc. Provide a brief narrative statement for each reference describing the service provided. Expand on this format as needed. (If this information is included elsewhere in your firm’s proposal, you may refer to the location of this information.)

CLIENT

ADDRESS

PERSON TO CONTACT

VA Resources Authority 1111 E. Main Street Jean Bass Richmond, VA 23219 Ph#804-­‐644-­‐3331 Fax#804-­‐644-­‐3109 Date: 2009 Email:jbass@virginiaresources.org Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Alliance Group manages public relations efforts on behalf of the Virginia Resources Authority to educate the general public and public officials about the funding mechanisms the VRA has to offer to local governments. Feld Entertainment One Ravina Drive, Suite 1120 Crystal Drake Atlanta, GA 30046 Ph#404-­‐414-­‐1144 Fax#801-­‐650-­‐8471 Date:2013 to present Email:cdrake@feldinc.com Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Alliance Group provides public relations work in the Richmond and Hampton Roads regions. Feld produces the Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus, Monster Jam truck shows and Disney on Ice. Traditional and nontraditional engagement of the public is done in support of their events. VA Public Safety Foundation 2201 W. Main Street Hadden Culp Richmond,VA 23220 Ph# 540-­‐459-­‐5493 Fax# 804-­‐359-­‐9680 Date: 2009 to present Email:haddenculp@gmail.com Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Alliance Group provides all public relations and social media, in addition to association management, to make the public aware of VPSF and it’s mission to assist the families of public safety officers killed in the line of duty. Atrium 101 Great Road Suite 382 Jim Doyle, President Bedford, MA 01730 Ph# 515-­‐215-­‐2872 Fax# 877-­‐ 546-­‐0752 Date: 11/2011 to present Email: jim@atriumcampus.com Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Rocket Pop Media developed a complete brand identity, including name, logo, website, marketing materials, and eventual user interface for Atrium clients. Keep Virginia Beautiful 4121 Cox Rd. Suite 200 Mike Baum Glen Allen, VA 23060 Ph# 804-­‐337-­‐9696 Fax# Date: 01/2010 to present Email:mbaum@keepvirginiabeautiful.org Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Rocket Pop Media developed a marketing plan that included a fresh logo, website, social media, email marketing, and video. Caring Voice Coalition 8249 Meadwobridge Road Jennifer Previtera Mechanicsville, VA 23116 Ph#804-­‐427-­‐6468 Fax# 804-­‐278-­‐5065 Date: 7/2011 -­‐ 12/2012 Email: jprevitera@caringvoice.org Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Rocket Pop Media produced complete corporate videos and over 20 short-­‐form patient testimonials, and created a web and social design that focused on their stories with clear calls to action.

24 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


ATTACHMENT D PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION SUMMARY FORM SECTION/TITLE NA

PAGE NUMBER(S)

REASON(S) FOR WITHHOLDING FROM DISCLOSURE

NA

Identify the reason for withholding from disclosure by applying the applicable code from below and/or by written explanation. A= This page contains information relating to “trade secrets”, and “proprietary information” including processes, operations, style of work, or apparatus, identify, confidential statistical data, amount or source of any income...of any person (or) partnership. “See Virginia Public Procurement Act, Section 11-­‐52 (D). Unauthorized disclosure of such information would violate the Trade Secrets Act 18 U.S.C. 1905. B= This page contains proprietary information including confidential, commercial or financial information which was provided to the Government on a voluntary basis and is of the type that would not customarily release to the public. See Virginia Public Procurement Act, Section 11-­‐52 (D); 5 U.S.C. 552 (b)(4); 12 C.F.R. 309.5(c)(4). C= This page contains proprietary information including confidential, commercial or financial information. The disclosure of such information would cause substantial harm to competitive position and impair the Government’s ability to obtain necessary information from contractors in the future. 5 U.S.C. See Virginia Public Procurement Act, Section 11-­‐52 (D); 552 (b)(4); 12 C. F. R. 309.5(c)(4)


Tab 2, #1 – Qualifications and Experience of Offerors/Organizational Structure Alliance Group:

a. Since 1999, Alliance Group has provided public relations, public affairs and social media guidance and advice to a range of corporate, governmental and non-­‐profit clients in Virginia and throughout the Mid-­‐Atlantic region. We believe in results and because of that our clients stick by us. Located at 2201 W. Main Street, Richmond, VA , 23220 since 2012, we understand the opportunities and challenges in communicating with the general public, targeted audiences, niche markets, the media, government officials and agencies. We orchestrate effective public relations campaigns to create a powerful grassroots base that has a strong voice and message.

About Rob Jones, President & CEO Rob, a former gubernatorial senior staff member and Richmond city councilman, was an attorney and member of the government relations team at the law firm of Mays and Valentine (now Troutman Sanders) and is the founder of the Alliance Group. Rob oversees the firm's work with its public relations clients. The clients in this sector include a range of organizations, including international businesses, local companies, governmental agencies and non-­‐profits. Working with such a diverse client base has many benefits. Rob is able to identify certain communications tools and tactics that may be unique to one industry and successfully apply them for clients in other fields. This talent for designing a creative solution for each client's communications needs is a strength that Rob brings to every engagement. Rob serves on the board of directors for the Virginia Council of CEOs, Leadership Metro Richmond, Greater Richmond Chamber and the YMCA Model General Assembly. He is also an active member of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and RichTech. He has been actively involved with several government and leadership organizations including the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL), and the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. Rob is a graduate of the University of Virginia – McIntire School of Commerce and holds a J.D. from Lewis & Clark, Northwestern School of Law. In addition, he is a graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia and Leadership Metro Richmond.

b.

c. d. e. f.

Alliance Group is an S Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, FIN or FEI number 54-­‐1779090. Alliance Group is eVA registered, account number 10027907. Our DUNS number is 060065765. Services include communications, public relations, and advertising. Alliance Group is also a certified SWaM business. The legal name is Trebor Group, Inc. doing business as Alliance Group, 2201 W. Main Street, Richmond, VA 23220 and is an S Corporation. NA Rocket Pop Media NA

26 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


Rocket Pop Media:

Entrepreneurs Cara Dickens, Vice President and Producer, and her husband Scott, President and Executive Producer, founded Rocket Pop Media in 2001. The firm incorporates all forms of interactive advertising, linking web, mobile apps, video, and social media campaigns for local, regional, and national clients. From an office at 2530 W. Main Street in the heart of Richmond’s historic Fan District, their team of developers, designers, videographers, and content strategists craft tailored solutions that engage consumers as partners, allowing Rocket Pop’s clients to meet and exceed their goals. About Cara Dickens, Vice President & Producer A vocal advocate for local businesses, Cara directs content, turnkey marketing, and advertising solutions for Rocket Pop Media’s variety of clients. Cara has a strong background in sales, leadership, and team building, and has an indomitable entrepreneurial spirit. She was a founding partner in Glass & Powder Boardshop, and helped grow that startup from a single storefront to an almost $3 million business. She has been honored with the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce “Impact Award," the Watersports Industry Association "Dealer of the Year," the Small Business Administration "Entrepreneur of the Year," the Virginia Lawyer's Weekly "Influential Women of Virginia," and was named the National Association of Women Business Owners' “Rising Star." Prior to launching her own businesses, she supervised hiring and training at several corporate and private restaurants and studied at Florida Atlantic University and Virginia Commonwealth University. About Scott Dickens, President & Executive Producer Scott started in marketing, but quickly acquired a taste for his own ventures. In addition to working with Ziff-­‐Davis, he has launched his own companies, bands, and has won awards for his retail businesses. In 2001, Scott founded Rocket Pop Media as a vehicle for video and advertising, for both his own retail company and other Richmond businesses. Scott is a frequently requested speaker, addressing groups about topics ranging from social media, marketing, leveraging video, to personal challenges and small businesses. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech, and a native of Danville, Virginia.

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 27


Tab 2, #2 – Qualifications and Experience of Offerors/Creative Samples Alliance Group works with a range of businesses and government agencies on the full scope of their public relations needs. Below, please find an informational brochure that we prepared for the Virginia Resources Authority.

Typical Loan Security

Financing to build Virginia Communities

General obligation, revenue, lease revenue (subject to VRA approval)

Contacts DEQ: Walter A. Gills, Program Manager, wagills@deq.virginia.gov, 804.698.4133 VRA: Shawn B. Crumlish, Director of Debt Management, scrumlish@virginiaresources.org, 804.644-3100, ext. 117

About the Virginia Resources Authority Created in 1984, the Virginia Resources Authority (VRA) provides innovative, cost-effective and sustainable financial solutions to build vibrant and healthy communities in Virginia. Since its inception, VRA has supported over 1,000 infrastructure projects with over $5.5 billion in financing.

Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund Cost-Effective Infrastructure Financing

Suzanne Long Executive Director 1111 E. Main Street, Suite 1920 Richmond, VA 23219 804.644.3100 phone 804.644.3109 fax

www.VirginiaResources.org

Brochure

28 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP

1111 E. Main Street, Suite 1920 Richmond, VA 23219 804.644.3100 phone 804.644.3109 fax

www.VirginiaResources.org


We handle public relations work in the Richmond and Hampton Roads markets for Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest provider of live family entertainment. Feld produces the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey circus, Monster Jam truck shows, and Disney on Ice performances in venues around the world to over 30 million people. Following are representative samples of the extensive media exposure that we have garnered for the Feld shows in Virginia. Newspaper Articles, View The Free Lance-­‐Star article online here View Feature Video, WRIC online here

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 29


Rocket Pop Media has provided a host of services to a diverse list of clients. They include print, video, web services, social media, and more. Their clients are retailers, government/military, restaurants, both business-­‐to-­‐client (B2C) and business-­‐to-­‐business (B2B), as well as charities and service organizations both large and small. See a showcase of their work at rocketpopmedia.com and several examples below. Print Ad Event Poster

BRUNCH

LUNCH

DINNER

American Tap Room, an upscale casual eatery offering chef-inspired comfort cuisine & featuring an extensive craft beer selection.

PHONE NUMBER 804.308.9013

Don’t forget about our gift cards and Taproom Bucks for the holidays. Visit our website to learn more.

HOURS

WEBSITE AMERICANTAPROOM.COM

Now conveniantly located at WIllow Lawn!

Event Banner

30 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


Tab 2, #3 – Qualifications and Experience of Offerors/Demonstrated Knowledge and Experience The CICF is seeking to develop a public awareness campaign. Alliance Group will work in partnership with Rocket Pop Media to deliver a comprehensive public awareness campaign, including total market earned media in a wide range of traditional and online outlets, including TV, radio, print and online sources. Our firms will work together to provide you with in-­‐depth research and succinct, actionable recommendations for an innovative, impactful campaign for CICF. From your RFP, we understand the goals of the campaign are to target those qualified to receive unreimbursed expenses for victims of violent crime in order to: 1. Increase the number of eligible applicants for victims’ assistance 2. Increase inquiries concerning the Fund 3. Increase collaboration within the criminal justice field In this response, Rocket Pop Media and Alliance Group will demonstrate our unique approaches and extensive experience in providing the following services: creative, media buying, public relations and research. We will also show you examples of our award-­‐winning work. Alliance Group will take the lead on securing earned media placement. Alliance Group will work together with Rocket Pop Media on co-­‐management and oversight of ad production, creative concepts and advertising placement. Both Alliance Group and Rocket Pop Media have strong experience in monitoring and reporting the responses to our public awareness campaigns. The following examples, for Smoke Free Virginia Now and the Virginia State Board of Elections, demonstrate the experience of Alliance Group in securing earned media and building public awareness for a specific issue: Smoke Free Virginia Now Campaign In 2008, the Alliance Group conducted the Smoke Free Virginia Now campaign (under the banner of the Virginians for a Healthy Future Coalition), an extensive statewide public awareness campaign. The Alliance Group organized and managed a broad and diverse coalition, which included partnerships with the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, American Heart Association, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and The Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, among many others. The campaign’s end-­‐goal was to create grassroots support that would influence the General Assembly to pass legislation requiring all restaurants, bars and workplaces in Virginia to go smoke-­‐free. Reaching this goal required engineering a significant behavioral and attitudinal change among many Virginians, given the strong presence and long history of the tobacco industry in the state. A principal focus of the campaign was shaping public opinion to build broad-­‐based support for the cause and increasing the perception and awareness of the dangers of second-­‐hand smoke. In overseeing this campaign, the Alliance Group was responsible for the following broad objectives: • Identify grassroots leaders who are invested in the issue, including churches, community centers, health related organizations, legislators, and business leaders; • Develop a speaker’s bureau, including vetting speakers, developing talking points, creating media kits; • Recruit industry professionals -­‐ specifically focused on finding individuals whose health was affected by smoking in bars/restaurants who could be resources for the media and testify in front of the General Assembly; • Work with a wide range of outlets, including print, television, radio and online, to generate earned media featuring credible and influential third-­‐party allies and advocates;

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 31


• •

Generate op-­‐eds and Letters to the Editor in daily and weekly newspapers across the state; Assist in developing a radio campaign.

The Virginians for a Healthy Future coalition, which started as five groups, grew to include over 60 organizations and restaurants. Over the course of the year, we were responsible for generating hundreds of media hits and recruited over 15,000 supporters for the campaign. All of the hard work paid off when the General Assembly passed the Virginia Clean Indoor Air legislation in February 2009. Virginia State Board of Elections In the fall of 2012, we assisted the VA State Board of Elections with a voter education and outreach project to implement the directives of House Bill 9 and Senate Bill 1. As part of this effort, our team devised and executed a number of public relations strategies to educate voters statewide on the changes in VA election law that would impact the voting process. Our efforts included pitching stories to a wide variety of media across the state, including print, broadcast and online outlets, to ensure maximum news coverage of these election law changes. We also catalogued a comprehensive statewide list of key constituency groups and developed voter education materials for those groups to share with their members. Our work resulted in an Election Day that went smoothly as voters came to the polls well -­‐ informed about how the legislative changes would affect their voting experience.

32 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


The following examples, for Atrium, Caring Voice Coalition, and Keep Virginia Beautiful, showcase the experience of Rocket Pop Media in helping organizations build their public awareness:

View the entire case study online here. JSA Technologies has been the leading provider of mobile payment and account management on campuses and institutions for over 15 years. They are re-­‐imagining the traditional campus card system with Atrium, a new product that will disrupt a bloated and proprietary industry. Atrium was a concept without a name or face. Campus card systems are massive things; part identity, part debit, part room key, and more. In other words : a beast. The branding and creation of Atrium would have to reflect strength and security, but impart something that was revolutionary and easy to use. Based on feedback from a JSA advisory board and conversations with actual administrators, we began brainstorming a name for the new ecosystem. An “atrium” is an open space in the middle of a large building, but also a chamber of the heart, helping to regulate the flow of blood. A logo was created that conveyed the message of Atrium with a single image, much like the Nike swoosh, or Apple’s iconic symbol. It was further reinforced with design and font choices that said, “Easy, powerful, and modern.” In addition to a website, traditional business cards, and letterhead, we designed a brochure and a clever “invitation” to a surprise launch taking place at a national trade show. Clean and clear with a die-­‐cut logo, it teased, “What would you create?” and invited the bearer to “an exclusive demonstration” without saying what the final product would entail. Brochure View complete brochure online here.

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 33


Print Collateral

View the entire case study online here. Caring Voice Coalition is a national non-­‐profit organization that works to improve the lives of patients with chronic and life-­‐threatening illnesses. Their outreach services provide financial, educational, and emotional support otherwise unavailable to these individuals who need help the most. We were initially approached about producing a series of video pieces that would focus on telling the human stories of CVC patients and their community. Unsure of how to market these videos and intrigued by the value of being able to go full circle with one agency, they decided to expand their relationship with Rocket Pop Media to help consolidate and unify their messaging for a more cohesive approach to brand marketing. In addition to complete corporate videos and over 20 short-­‐form patient testimonials, we created a web and social design that focused on their stories with clear calls to action. The clean, iconic design loads quickly on a variety of platforms and mobile devices, and provides for sharing components linking news, updates, and events that are of importance to the CVC community. 34 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


Video View the video online here.

When Keep Virginia Beautiful (KVB) was launched in 1953, it was the “Virginia Anti-­‐Litterbug Council.” Keep America Beautiful (KAB) was founded later that same year and used KVB as the model for a national campaign. Three years later, KVB dropped the “Litterbug” and re-­‐emerged as the voice of Virginia’s natural and scenic environment. By 2008, the 55-­‐year old Keep Virginia Beautiful had fallen dormant and existed in name only. At the end of that year we were invited to meet with regional affiliates of KAB, the state of VA, and concerned corporations to reinvent KVB. We developed a marketing plan that included a fresh logo, website, social media, email marketing, and video. The new website is designed as a social network for KVB partners, affiliates, participants, and concerned citizens. Users are encouraged to join or follow groups or individuals, post events, receive notifications, and share their thoughts. We use these features to establish and maintain ongoing relationships with school, government, and environmental groups. One of our first initiatives was to introduce a record-­‐setting “30 Grants in 30 Days” campaign, empowering smaller communities with a statewide voice that was previously unavailable to them. Coca-­‐Cola and Walmart jumped on board in a campaign to put “neck ringers” on Coke products in Walmart stores statewide announcing the “new” KVB and its mission.

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 35


Website View online here. Poster

36 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP

Sticker


Tab 3 – Plans for Providing Services , #1 At Alliance Group and Rocket Pop Media, we know that in order to be effective, a public awareness campaign must prompt the target audience to process information, recall it and, most importantly, act on it. It’s one thing to be creative; it takes experience to be strategically creative. We create campaigns that get results. Studies show that in the course of a day, the average American is bombarded with over 30,000 pieces of data. In this day and age, it comes at us from many sources and the general public has become somewhat immune to traditional advertising messages. Despite this input of data, the average American is only able to comprehend and recall a mere 15-­‐ 20 pieces of this data. People ask us all the time “what do you do?” We create marketing campaigns that stand out from the sea of sameness. Our campaigns are comprehended and recalled. With Rocket Pop Media and Alliance Group, we generate creative messaging, whether in radio, television, outdoor or social media, that will stand out from the crowd. We will take the lead on producing creative content for CICF. We can produce multi-­‐media creative concepts for use in print, radio, television, outdoor, web and social media. We will take your campaign goals and use fresh ideas to creatively impact your target audience. The Alliance Group will begin by learning more about CICF in order to convey its message through subsequent marketing initiatives. We will conduct interviews, both in person and by phone, and will collect information regarded as necessary for the creative concept development phase. The Alliance Group will also conduct market research—through traditional and online methods—to understand the target audiences. The Alliance Group knows that reaching out to recipients of funding works. CICF has a clear benefit path to many providers of goods and services. At a glance, there are the ambulance operators, first responders and emergency services departments and organizations; police and sheriff's departments and organizations; funeral directors and other family service providers; hospital emergency agencies and their funding providers; social service agencies, psychologists, psychiatrists and other therapists whose services may be impacted by available funding. These agencies/providers have a vested interest to receive payment for services that are rarely covered by insurance/grants and could be a ready source for providing applications to CICF for their clients. Our job is to give our clients a product that enables them to stand out in the crowd, increase brand awareness and most importantly, get results. For some organizations these ideas take form in creative designs—for postcards, websites, billboards, web ads, videos, e-­‐newsletters, etc. For most clients, these ideas are strategic plans for the effective execution of marketing initiatives. Rocket Pop Media, in consultation with Alliance Group, will concept and develop creative campaigns for use in print, radio, television, outdoor, web and social media. Our deliverables will include: • Client consultation • Development of creative marketing concepts for the following mediums: o Print o Radio o Television o Web o Social • Graphic design and production • Creative direction • Art direction • Creative concept delivery presentation • Brand consultation Rocket Pop Media will take the lead on placing paid media. They have strong relationships with print, radio, and television, as well as outdoor, web, social, and interactive vendors statewide, which allows us to be competitive where others cannot. We can work to place media in a variety of traditional and non-­‐traditional venues, including: print, radio, television, outdoor, web, social, interactive and guerilla.

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 37


Rocket Pop Media uses a strategic, yet systematic approach to placing media. We create a comprehensive media schedule based on best fit and value. Due to the experience of our media department, we have developed relationships with local, regional and national media vendors. We will meet with selected contacts to review all recommendations and develop a marketing strategy for media placement, making sure to maximize value. Two successful ways to use online resources to cost-­‐effectively get the right information to the right people in publicizing CICF are e-­‐newsletters and videos. Rocket Pop Media can create a custom E-­‐news template that mimics your website design. In an effort to provide a cohesive, concise email outreach, the custom template will provide a consistent header and footer with editable sections for content and copy about ongoing CICF events and activities. The template’s editable sections will provide teasers to the content and copy that will reside on the website, ultimately driving click-­‐thrus to your website for complete details on CICF. This will serve three purposes: 1) Viewers will be able to quickly scan the email for content they find relevant without having to read through a wall of text. 2) The HTML coded template will be Search Engine friendly. 3) Click-­‐thrus will drive traffic to your website. People watch video 200x more often than they read static text, and video offers an opportunity to tell the unique story and value of CICF. Testimonials and fact-­‐based pieces are key to expanding your reach into the community, and integral for exposing your benefits to the victims you serve. These videos will be both instructional (teaching viewers the shortest routes toward using CICF services) and informational (telling the story of CICF’s successes). Rocket Pop will shoot, edit and produce a 3-­‐5 minute, High Definition marketing video to showcase CICF as Virginia’s premier advocate for victims and their rights. In addition, 3-­‐5 shorter spots will feature Virginia citizens and families who have benefitted from the programs offered by CICF. In addition to online and social media assets, there are other creative ways to effectively use paid media to promote CICF. Among other items, we can create a tri-­‐fold brochure and print-­‐ready advertising (to be used as posters, bus-­‐ wraps, etc.) as part of our package of collateral marketing items. Each of these items will contain strong images and clear, concise copy to quickly and efficiently convey the message and mission of CICF without the viewer having to search and scour pages of static text. Much like iconic corporate logos, consistency is key, and branding combined with a consistent theme will spread the story of the unique value of CICF and make it a recognizable organization. Alliance Group and Rocket Pop Media will provide public relations services in order to raise community awareness, as well as interest from media in print, radio, television, and web. The campaign may include the formation of internal and external strategy, regular media contact and lobbying, writing and dissemination of press releases, and media follow-­‐up. Our deliverables will include: • Client consultation • Development of PR pre-­‐launch and post-­‐launch strategy • Statewide media contacts • Demographic research • Non-­‐traditional polling through social media • Writing and dissemination of press releases • Scheduling Editorial Board meetings • Placing Letters-­‐to-­‐the-­‐Editor • Project management

38 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


Rocket Pop Media and Alliance Group will conduct pre-­‐and post-­‐launch campaign research in order to measure awareness and response for the CICF campaign. Research will include an evaluation of public opinion both before and after the campaign, as well as attitude research in order to measure the campaign’s impact. • Client consultation • Pre-­‐launch and post-­‐campaign analysis of public opinion through: • Phone • Email • Social media • On-­‐site surveys • Collection and compilation of data • Project management

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 39


Tab 3 – Plans for Providing Services, #2 We anticipate starting work on this engagement immediately and plan to use the schedule below in implementing our solution. Phase One: Mainstream Media Outreach – Building General Awareness The goal of this effort is simply to build a baseline level of awareness in the target markets about the existence of the CICF. You want periodic pieces in the “go-­‐to” media in Central and Southwest Virginia. The media you want to reach include the most visible, credible print, broadcast and online outlets in the given market. The primary goal from this effort is to lay the groundwork for more specific outreach. Once you have established a baseline level of awareness, then you can use more concerted and targeted paid and earned media tools to reach victims and those organizations that work with victims. Timeline – First Six Months: The primary emphasis of this track is in the first six months. Work on this outreach would continue throughout the initial 12 months, however, in terms of allocating resources, it would be a much higher priority during the first six months. Phase Two: Targeted Media Opportunities -­‐ Reaching Specific Audiences We need to reach victims and the groups with which they interface using the media channels, including print, broadcast, and social media, where they are most likely to get their news and information. Many of these outlets may have an industry or trade focus relating to some of the key constituency groups referenced elsewhere in this proposal. The principal unifying theme these outlets have is that they all are niche news sources their audiences trust and on which they rely. We can engage some of these key constituency groups through both traditional and novel means. We can seek to engage their membership by speaking at events and meetings. We also can reach them through online and social media efforts, including e-­‐newsletters and videos, as referenced above. Timeline – Months 6-­‐12: The primary emphasis of this track is during months 6-­‐12. As with all the other efforts, there will be work on this front during the entire 12-­‐month period, however, there will be particular emphasis during months 6-­‐12. We certainly will pursue any strong leads that present themselves earlier in the timeline. As discussed, there is some value in making in-­‐roads on the mainstream media outreach before investing significant amounts of time in targeting the niche media.

40 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


Tab 3 – Plans for providing services, #3-­‐4 Our team will assist CICF with the rollout of the public awareness campaign. Before we begin the campaign, we will sit down with CICF staff and outline the specific groups and media targets that we hope to engage. Following this, we will consult with them before we contact a group or make a media placement and then give a follow-­‐up update after we have conducted outreach. The value in this is that this gives us the ability to execute on a campaign that leverages your knowledge and experience in working with the community of victims who you serve. This also allows us, in real-­‐time, to adjust our outreach efforts to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. We see our work with CICF as a partnership where we are sharing information and updates on a regular basis. We want CICF staff to be fully apprised at each stage of the engagement. As such, we can put a communications plan in place to keep you updated on progress. As needed, we can have a weekly conference call and written report, to be supplemented by monthly in-­‐person meetings.

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 41


Tab 3 – Plans for providing services, #5-­‐6 Rob Jones and Andy Poarch (bio below) with Alliance Group and Cara Dickens with Rocket Pop Media will be responsible for implementing services and Rob Jones will be responsible for overall management of the contract. All three individuals are residents of Richmond. Andy Poarch, Vice President of Communications, Alliance Group Andy, a lawyer by training with a corporate and transactional background at a large international law firm, has transferred those talents and skills to helping Alliance Group’s clients address their communications and branding needs. Andy works with clients in crafting and implementing communications strategies to respond to a wide range of needs, drawing on his substantial experience with strategic planning for fast-­‐paced, complex organizations, including senior positions for two Virginia Governors. Andy also helps clients, including a range of corporate and governmental organizations, to achieve their media outreach goals. These efforts include not only strategic efforts to develop and implement long-­‐term public relations objectives but also tactical advice geared towards crisis communications and other, day-­‐to-­‐day media needs. Andy has assisted clients as diverse as Ford Motor Company and the Virginia Resources Authority with their public relations needs, including preparing press kits, writing and editing news releases and pitching stories to a wide variety of television, radio, print and online outlets and publications. Andy earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Virginia. Andy is active in civic and charitable organizations in the greater Richmond community, serving in leadership positions with the YMCA and his church and having served on the Board of Directors of Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Andy Poarch will be the day-­‐to-­‐day contact for CICF. Additionally, the following team members (all of whom are residents of Richmond) also will be involved in working with CICF: Peter DuMont, Project Manager, Alliance Group Peter DuMont wears several hats, working on PR and other initiatives, as well as serving as the firm's IT specialist. Peter has a wealth of experience in helping clients design and build websites, and he also has developed and executed a number of social media campaigns. With this background, Peter can "talk tech" with the best of them -­‐ a great skill to have on staff when some of the rest of us think "tech" is a foreign language akin to "Czech." Active in the community, Peter serves as an elder at Eternity Church in Richmond and is active in the local arts, serving as a volunteer usher at the Landmark Theater. A native Minnesotan, Peter is a graduate of the University of Richmond with a B.S. in English.

42 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


Jan Girardi, Special Assistant, Alliance Group Jan joined Alliance Group in 2013. Prior to that she worked for the President of City Council in the City of Richmond. Her experience in government and politics gives Jan a wide background in connecting and communicating with the public. Grass roots research and testing public opinion; conceptualizing, planning and executing special studies, writing material and outreach; managing projects, event planning and execution; and maintaining relationships and contacts with most local and statewide organizations, commissions and associations gives insight and know-­‐how to marketing. Before working in the public arena Jan owned, managed and marketed a successful retail business. She has also managed associations at the state level including an education program for the State Fair of Virginia, fundraising for The Mental Health Association of Virginia, Prevent Child Abuse Virginia and managing The Family and Children's Trust Fund. She has extensive experience in creating and managing educational/public awareness events; creating partnerships with high profile offices including the Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor and Governor; managing trade/industry shows as well as creating and building trade show/meeting displays and training personnel. Jan is a native of Richmond, VA and graduated from James Madison University with B.S. in vocational education.

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 43


Tab 4 – References ATTACHMENT C DATA SHEET 1.

QUALIFICATION OF OFFEROR: The Offeror must have the capability and capacity in all respects to fully satisfy all of the contractual requirements identified within. It is the responsibility of the offeror to provide sufficient information in their proposal to enable the evaluation panel to determine the offeror’s qualification.

2.

YEARS IN BUSINESS: Indicate the length of time you have been in business and providing this type of service: 15 Years Months

3.

REFERENCES: Indicate below a listing of at least three (3) recent references for whom you have provided similar services as described within. Include the date service was furnished and the name and address of the person the evaluation panel should contact. Offeror must validate the contact information prior to submission of proposal. The evaluation panel will not be obligated to request missing information and/or request correct contact information, etc. Provide a brief narrative statement for each reference describing the service provided. Expand on this format as needed. (If this information is included elsewhere in your firm’s proposal, you may refer to the location of this information.)

CLIENT

ADDRESS

PERSON TO CONTACT

VA Resources Authority 1111 E. Main Street Jean Bass Richmond, VA 23219 Ph#804-­‐644-­‐3331 Fax#804-­‐644-­‐3109 Date: 2009 Email:jbass@virginiaresources.org Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Alliance Group manages public relations efforts on behalf of the Virginia Resources Authority to educate the general public and public officials about the funding mechanisms the VRA has to offer to local governments. Feld Entertainment One Ravina Drive, Suite 1120 Crystal Drake Atlanta, GA 30046 Ph#404-­‐414-­‐1144 Fax#801-­‐650-­‐8471 Date:2013 to present Email:cdrake@feldinc.com Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Alliance Group provides public relations work in the Richmond and Hampton Roads regions. Feld produces the Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus, Monster Jam truck shows and Disney on Ice. Traditional and nontraditional engagement of the public is done in support of their events. VA Public Safety Foundation 2201 W. Main Street Hadden Culp Richmond,VA 23220 Ph# 540-­‐459-­‐5493 Fax# 804-­‐359-­‐9680 Date: 2009 to present Email:haddenculp@gmail.com Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Alliance Group provides all public relations and social media, in addition to association management, to make the public aware of VPSF and it’s mission to assist the families of public safety officers killed in the line of duty. Atrium 101 Great Road Suite 382 Jim Doyle, President Bedford, MA 01730 Ph# 515-­‐215-­‐2872 Fax# 877-­‐ 546-­‐0752 Date: 11/2011 to present Email: jim@atriumcampus.com Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Rocket Pop Media developed a complete brand identity, including name, logo, website, marketing materials, and eventual user interface for Atrium clients. Keep Virginia Beautiful 4121 Cox Rd. Suite 200 Mike Baum Glen Allen, VA 23060 Ph# 804-­‐337-­‐9696 Fax# Date: 01/2010 to present Email:mbaum@keepvirginiabeautiful.org Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Rocket Pop Media developed a marketing plan that included a fresh logo, website, social media, email marketing, and video. Caring Voice Coalition 8249 Meadwobridge Road Jennifer Previtera Mechanicsville, VA 23116 Ph#804-­‐427-­‐6468 Fax# 804-­‐278-­‐5065 Date: 7/2011 -­‐ 12/2012 Email: jprevitera@caringvoice.org Describe project & relativity to this RFP: Rocket Pop Media produced complete corporate videos and over 20 short-­‐form patient testimonials, and created a web and social design that focused on their stories with clear calls to action.

44 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


Tab 5 – Proposed Price ATTACHMENT A PRICING SCHEDULE

Year 1 – Pilot Project - Central and Southwest Virginia: 1.

Discovery, market research, and strategy:

$ ____$20,000.00_________________

2.

Brand development, comprehensive identity:

$ ____$25,000.00_________________

3.

Monthly account maintenance, to include: tracking, monitoring, and advertising staff commission costs (NOT fees charged by the various media outlets to run ads)

$ ____$8,000.00__per month_________

Subsequent Years – Statewide: 1.

Discovery, market research, and strategy:

$ _____$20,000.00_________________

2.

Brand development, comprehensive identity:

$ _____$15,000.00_________________

3.

Monthly account maintenance, to include: tracking, monitoring, and advertising staff commission costs (NOT fees charged by the various media outlets to run ads)

$ ______$15,000.00_ per month

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 45


Tab 6 – Small Business Subcontracting Plan ATTACHMENT B Small Business Subcontracting Plan Definitions Small Business: "Small business " means an independently owned and operated business which, together with affiliates, has 250 or fewer employees, or average annual gross receipts of $10 million or less averaged over the previous three years. Note: This shall not exclude DMBE-certified women- and minority-owned businesses when they have received DMBE small business certification. Women-Owned Business: Women-owned business means a business concern that is at least 51% owned by one or more women who are citizens of the United States or non-citizens who are in full compliance with United States immigration law, or in the case of a corporation, partnership or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51% of the equity ownership interest is owned by one or more women who are citizens of the United States or non-citizens who are in full compliance with United States immigration law, and both the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more women who are citizens of the United States or non-citizens who are in full compliance with the United States immigration law. Minority-Owned Business: Minority-owned business means a business concern that is at least 51% owned by one or more minority individuals or in the case of a corporation, partnership or limited liability company or other entity, at least 51% of the equity ownership interest in the corporation, partnership, or limited liability company or other entity is owned by one or more minority individuals and both the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more minority individuals. All small businesses must be certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Minority Business Enterprise (DMBE) by the due date of the solicitation to participate in the SWAM program. Certification applications are available through DMBE online at www.dmbe.virginia.gov (Customer Service). Offeror Name: Alliance Group Preparer’s Name: Robert B. Jones

Date: 2/21/2014

Instructions A. If you are certified by the Department of Minority Business Enterprise (DMBE) as a small business, complete only Section A of this form. This shall not exclude DMBE-certified women-owned and minority-owned businesses when they have received DMBE small business certification. B. If you are not a DMBE-certified small business, complete Section B of this form. For the offeror to receive credit for the small business subcontracting plan evaluation criteria, the offeror shall identify the portions of the contract that will be subcontracted to DMBE-certified small business in this section. Points will be assigned based on each offeror’s proposed subcontracting expenditures with DMBE certified small businesses for the initial contract period as indicated in Section B in relation to the offeror’s total price. Section A If your firm is certified by the Department of Minority Business Enterprise (DMBE), are you certified as a (check only one below): __X___ Small Business ______ Small and Women-owned Business ______ Small and Minority-owned Business Certification number: 657641

Certification Date: __5/31/2016_______________________

46 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP


Section B Populate the table below to show your firm's plans for utilization of DMBE-certified small businesses in the performance of this contract. This shall not exclude DMBE-certified women-owned and minority-owned businesses when they have received the DMBE small business certification. Include plans to utilize small businesses as part of joint ventures, partnerships, subcontractors, suppliers, etc. Small Business Name, Address, & Certification #

Status if Small Business is also: Woman(W), Minority (M)

Contact Person, Telephone # & Email

Type of Goods and/or Services

Planned Involvement During Initial Period of the Contract

Planned Contract Dollars During Initial Period of the Contract

Cara Dickens (804) 644-­‐2525 cara@rocketpopmedia.com

Providing creative & media services

$70,500

Assist with all components in Year 1 and subsequent years of project

$70,500

Rocket Pop Media Small business, Woman Certification #675076

Totals $

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 47


Tab 7 Appendices, Data and Other Submissions Tab 7, Data & other submissions Alliance Group Clients Served: AGRICULTURE/WINES

ENVIRONMENT

IT

Jefferson Vineyards Sweely Estate Winery VA Grain Producers Association VA Wine Council VA Wine Distribution Co. VA Wineries Association

American Bird Conservancy Commonwealth Business Council for a Competitive Economy Environmental Defense Action Fund Natural Resources Defense Council VA Climate Initiative

Experian iGov Microsoft NIC-­‐VIPNET Pitney Bowes

COMMUNICATIONS

FINANCIAL SERVICES/ INSURANCE

ADT Clear Channel Comcast Embarq Harris Teleworks

Aetna Bank of America Money Services Roundtable Standard & Poors US Trust

GOVERNMENT

CONSUMER PRODUCTS Henkel Corporation

VA Resources Authority VA State Board of Elections VA Longitudinal Data System

HEALTHCARE

EDUCATION

American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Amgen American Healthcare Anthem Astra Zeneca BIO Boehringer Ingelheim Bon Secours Genentech Healthy Virginians Hepatitis Foundation International Lilly Medical Society of VA Novartis PACKids PartnerMD Pfizer PhRMA RetireSafe Sanofi-­‐Aventis UnitedHealthcare VA BIO VA Quality Healthcare Network

Educational Testing Services/Chauncey Group VA School Nutritionists Assocation ENERGY Algal Farms Alten Dominion Institute for 21st Energy Siemens ENTERTAINMENT Feld Entertainment Disney on Ice Monster Jam Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus

48 CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP

SAP Software AG Systech Corporation Traffic School Online NON-­‐PROFIT/ PROFESSIONAL/ TRADE ASSOCIATION Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Housing Opportunites Made Equal (HOME) National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) National Popular Vote Initiative Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (Southeast RCAP) The VA Bar Association To The Bottom and Back (2BNB) US Chamber of Commerce VA Hispanic Chamber of Commerce VA Hospitality and Travel Association (VHTA) VA Public Safety Foundation VA Indigent Defense Commission REAL ESTATE Realtec Salem Bible Church Wintergreen Resort RETAIL Home Depot Kroger Walmart


Rocket Pop Media Clients Served: Non-­‐Profit/Association Children Inc. Connect Virginia Dedicate My Run Fan Area Business Alliance Giving Change GRCC Extraordinary Women's Exchange Greater Richmond Chamber HHH Savor Keep Virginia Beautiful

Restaurant/Food American Tap Room Buddys Place Carytown Cupcakes Eat Lunch RVA Ellwood Thompsons FW Sullivans Lady Nawlins Northern Star Catering Olli Salumeria

Recruiting/Consulting BN Design Consult Dickens Dickens Consulting Epitome iPlace Media Skillet Morton Consulting Recruiting Concepts Snag A Job

Sports Arlington Kicks Baseball on the Boulevard Burke's Karate Disco Sports Friends of Richmond Baseball Hoops Jones Jhoon Rhee JRAVA OBX Surf

NAWBO Richmond Rich Tech Safe Harbor Shelter SBA Women's Enterprise Center Scenic Virginia Spinal Cord Injury Association of VA VABLN VSPMA VVAN Women ETC Women's ETC Conference

River City Cellars Secco Wine Bar The Republic RVA The Urban Farmhouse

Tolley Consulting

Richmond Skatepark Three Sports Yoga by Nitya

Construction/Real Estate

Legal

Local

Medical

Atrium BNW Builders Carr Contracting Fresh Air HR Dunn Inc KBS Mary Burgess River City Roofers Shearman Associates Snipes Properties Sunshine Management

CommonWealth Concierge Hathaway Adair Virginia Estates and Trusts Virginia Injury Law Shopping Ball Office Products Barracks Road Capitol Mac Carter & Spence Hummel If It's Wood and More

Adaptive Geriatrics Ann M Ritter MD Caring Access Solutions Caring Voice Coalition EZ Rampz Health Care Solutions Summit HHH Richmond LYLA Med Data Corp NHealth VCU Lend

Susan Magee Tall Timber Tree Service Tidewater Forestry Top Tier Zahler Construction

LaDifference Lex's of Carytown Palette Pentagon Row Pinwheels / Sylvan Spirit The Shops at Eastgate Willow Lawn

Beth Ahabah Bonair Buzz Challenge Discovery Charlie Diradour Christian Melgard DJ Williams Dominion Virginia Power Don't Big Box Carytown Earle Spencer 3 Ed Trask.com Fox Elementary Friends of Richmond Public Library r-­‐board.org Wine is Life

CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION FUND RFP 49


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CICF 2014 RFP | Alliance Group & Rocket Pop Media by Rocket Pop Media - Issuu