Prequalification for Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations Services

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) issued a Request for Prequalification beginning May 1, 2025, aiming to establish a vetted pool of prime contractors qualified to provide marketing, advertising, and public relations services statewide. This prequalification process targets professional service providers with at least two years of relevant experience, verified through detailed submission of past work histories and vendor questionnaires. The resulting list will allow the Department to efficiently assign projects via two mechanisms: purchase orders for work valued below $29,000 and formal Scope Statement solicitations for projects exceeding this threshold. Importantly, this solicitation is for prequalification only and does not itself constitute a contract; actual contractual engagements will be executed subsequently through individual purchase orders or Scope Statements. The prequalification period is open for one year, allowing ongoing vendor applications, and places emphasis on compliance with state procurement regulations, active registrations (including North Carolina Secretary of State and SAM.gov), and encourages participation by Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) and veteran-owned firms. The scope of anticipated services encompasses a broad spectrum of communications tasks, including market research, creative development, advertising placement and media buying, account management, and adherence to data security and privacy standards. The evaluation for acceptance onto the vendor list is based on best value to the state, factoring vendor credentials, capacity, and compliance but does not include standard federal contracting clauses or prices, as this is a prequalification phase. Vendors must maintain active registrations and demonstrate organizational integrity, with particular attention to HUB certification and veteran-owned business status to support state diversity and inclusion goals. While explicit contract administration details, invoice processing instructions, or contact personnel are not provided, administrative oversight will be conducted by the DPS Purchasing and Logistics office with purchase orders issued electronically. The process emphasizes ongoing assessment of vendor performance, where failure to meet standards can lead to removal from the prequalified list, and ensures that all contracts resulting from this prequalification comply with relevant state law, including non-violation of the False Claims Act. Overall, this solicitation establishes a flexible, streamlined procurement framework to support NCDPS communications needs across North Carolina.