Subject:
Title
Award Marketing Contract to Marketing Firm to Provide Business Focused Marketing Services
Body
EXPLANATION AND SUMMARY:
The Economic Development Department requests award of a marketing contract to Reingold Inc. to provide marketing services focused primarily on supporting the business community in the Town of Vienna. The award amount is $40,016.04. In order to award this contract, the Town would ride an existing marketing contract with Fairfax County-allowing for a shortened procurement process and allowing the Town to use the existing prices, terms and conditions in the original contract with Fairfax County (#4400008733) and their approved vendors.
The purpose of this project is to provide support of the Town’s business community, and informational and educational resources through new and /or improved social media and web platforms. The focus of this project would be to:
• create a meaningful marketing strategy to provide clarity to consumers around ways to support our businesses
• create engaging social media campaigns with a business focus
• create a website that focuses on business information -clearly articulates which businesses (type) are in Vienna, provides relevant messaging tools for businesses, provides business related data and presents educational resources and information to assist business owners with their growth.
The project would begin with a substantial marketing campaign that encourages consumers to support Town of Vienna businesses throughout the next few months of winter and navigating the health crisis. It is anticipated that this will be a very difficult time-period for independent and small business retailers, businesses in personal care industries and restaurants.
This project will also provide long term benefits to businesses and the economic development department by focusing on providing a strategy to communicate with businesses on all platforms that is cohesive and streamlined and create a website that communicates directly to visitors about ways to shop, dine and play in Vienna, and it will include information relevant to both existing and future business in the Town of Vienna.
Funding
The award amount is developed based on the consultant pricing provided to Fairfax County related to labor and final deliverables. Funding for this project will be from the general fund. The Finance Department has allocated $100,000 to the marketing effort, paid for by funding eligible public safety salaries with CARES funding, in accordance with agreement with Fairfax County (the grantor) and guidance from the U.S. Office of the Inspector General regarding use of CARES funds.
Strategic Plan Initiative:
Vienna as an influential and well-governed community.
Vienna as an economically prosperous community.
Vienna as an engaged community.
Departmental Recommendation: Recommend approval.
Finance Recommendation: Recommend approval.
Purchasing Recommendation: Recommend approval
Town Attorney Recommendation: The Town may ride the Fairfax County contract for the proposed services or issue an RFP/IFB in the discretion of the Town Council.
Town Manager's Recommendation: I recommend the Town Council award a contract to execute marketing services to support the business community to Reingold, Inc., as presented.
Cost and Financing: Not to Exceed $40,100.00
Account Number: 100-108-1081-18150-43101
Decision Needed by This Date: January 4, 2021
PROPOSED/SUGGESTED MOTION
Recommended Action
"I move to award a contract not to exceed $40,100.00 to execute marketing services to support the business community, to Reingold, Inc. utilizing the Fairfax County Marketing and Communications Services contract number 4400008733."
Or
Other action deemed necessary by Council.