September 8, 2021
Point of Contact: Ms. Tywanii Ross
Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority (RVBA)
601 S. Jefferson St. #110
Roanoke, VA 24011
540-904-4739
Project Description:
Branding and Marketing Services
Bid Submission Deadline:
09/24/21 1:00 PM EST
Via Email to:[email protected]
Overview
The Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority (RVBA) was founded in 2014 with the purpose of providing the region’s first open-access fiber-optic broadband internet network. The authority was started by four local municipalities at the request of local businesses leaders.
The RVBA serves Salem City, Roanoke City, Roanoke County, and Botetourt County. With the goal of improving economic development prospects for the region, the RVBA aims to increase access to enterprise quality broadband and work tougher with the private sector to deliver higher speeds, greater capacity, and competitive prices to businesses across the region.
The RVBA developed and maintains a redundant regional network “ring” that supports educational institutions, industrial parks, and other significant economic centers.
With this RFP, the RVBA seeks to contract with a full-service marketing and communications contractor to manage lead generation, attract media coverage, develop external messaging strategies, execute educational public affairs campaigns, develop multi-media content, manage websites and social media, and maintain brand integrity.
The ideal candidate will be a full-service communications consultancy familiar with the authority’s history and committed to the projects long term economic impact on the region.
General Summary of Work
Contractor will work with RVBA leadership to broaden community awareness of the RVBA’s mission, operating practices, and successes. Contractor will develop new strategies to measure and promote the authority’s community impact and coordinate with allies in both the public and private sector to uncover new opportunities for network expansion and economic growth for the region. The selected contractor will manage and expand upon existing brand identity, communications and lead generation strategies to maintain a healthy relationship between the RVBA, its founding members, the local business community, and the public at large.
Scope of Work
PR Message Management: The successful agency must educate local media contacts on all things broadband. This includes technical workings of the Roanoke Valley network, organizational operating procedures, the current political environment, new regional innovations and capabilities, strategic partnerships, client successes and more. Tasks include but are not limited to: List Management, Relationship Building, Media Briefings, Press Conference Planning, Messaging Strategy, Custom Content Development, Coverage Tracking, and impact analysis.
Lead Generation: The successful agency will develop pragmatic strategies that will cost effectively identify and attract and convert appropriate new customers according to the RVBA’s founding mission.
Asset Development: The successful agency will have a team of full service creative experts (editorial, graphic design, multimedia) ready and available to develop a portfolio of high quality custom assets to manage community understanding of the RVBA project, drive net new sales, promote regional expansion, and maintain positive public perception.
Brand Management: The successful agency will have existing processes and procedures in place to manage the existing brand and ensure the consistent quality of all published materials.
Sales Support: The successful agency will understand technology onboarding and fiber optic services sales processes. They will work closely with our in-house staff to improve the client experience and streamline sales and customer service operations whenever and wherever possible.
Additional Services Required
September 8, 2021 - In its seventh year, The Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority (RVBA) is facing many great opportunities for growth. It is critical that the Authority continue to present itself clearly and effectively to prospective partners, customers, and the public in a way that appeals to all audiences. The RVBA wishes to address its requirements through two important ways:
Virginia’s increased investment in broadband improvements underscores the importance of the next several years for both the region and the Authority. The RVBA’s success in establishing its Open-Access Network in collaboration with both localities and private service providers positions the Authority well for the imminent changes. However, in such a time as this, the RVBA needs a well-designed, refreshed brand identity and website that will allow the RVBA to present itself more professionally and impactfully.
As an organization servicing and attracting partnerships with cutting-edge technology companies, the RVBA needs a modernized visual identity and website up to the standards of the industry. A website with expired security certificates, blurry images, hard-to-read fonts, and a convoluted user experience will not do. To its credit, the RVBA has upheld a standard of excellence in serving the region with a robust, top-of-the-line fiber network. Now it needs a visual identity and digital footprint up to those same standards.
A redesign of the RVBA brand and website is necessary. An updated brand identity will present the RVBA with a more visual appeal and professional ethos. In addition, a strategically designed website will deliver a better user experience with more streamlined information architecture, more impactful copywriting, and enhanced lead generation systems befitting the RVBA’s current situation. Ultimately, the execution of this rebrand and website development will allow the RVBA to attract new partners, improve service to its current customers, and impact the Roanoke Valley region in new and better ways.
Please provide a firm fixed price with a detailed scope of work (SOW) for the following:
Please respond to the Authority by 1 PM on September 24, 2021 by sending your separate quotations for Re-branding and Re-building professional services via email to [email protected].
