Marketing and Media Campaigns 2.1 Brand Stewardship • Protect the IDEA national brand across all regional media markets, paid channels, and vendor relationships by ensuring that placements are brand-safe, reflect responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds, and invoices are paid correctly and on-time. 2.2 Campaign Strategy, Planning, and Buying • Work in tandem with IDEA’s Marketing Department to plan, develop, and execute data-driven annual omnichannel media plans across IDEA Texas markets for: A. Student Recruitment & Enrollment B. Staff Recruitment & Hiring C. New Region Entry D. Brand Awareness • Within each campaign, purchase the following components (as needed) including, but not limited to: digital (search, display, social, video, audio, CTV/OTT), broadcast TV, cable, terrestrial & streaming radio, out-of-home, print, direct mail, in-theater, paid data lists, sponsorships (including but not limited to blog and editorial sponsorships, event and booth sponsorships, radio remotes, TV/radio station on-air interviews), and grassroots opportunities. • Leverage market-level research and DMA (Designated Market Area) rankers to recommend optimal reach, frequency, and budget allocations. • Conduct market demographic and media consumption research for existing regions, new regions, and campus-specific areas as needed. • Negotiate, place, and reconcile all media buys; maintain credit with 500+ vendors. 2.3 Data Analytics, Reporting, and Optimization • Weekly status calls with IDEA Marketing team with updates on campaign performance and projects with recommendations outlined for each initiative. • Real-time interactive dashboard accessible to IDEA Marketing team, allowing segmentation by campaign, market, tactic, and creative audience. • Maintain a weekly tracker that tracks media spend by tactic, by region; total applications, online applications, digital applications, applications for current school year (rolling enrollment), and next school year (recruitment year). • Maintain a monthly tracker of media spend vs. applications yielded. • Maintain weekly broadcast pre- and post-logs, verifying all spots ran correctly and notifying IDEA of any make-goods. • Maintain a comprehensive marketing flowchart by region, with links to current creative. • Provide quarterly recap reports by region no later than two weeks after the close of the quarter. • Provide quarterly forecast reports by region no later than two weeks before the start of the quarter. • Conduct quarterly deep-dive reviews/report-outs and optimizations to IDEA’s marketing team. • Participate in annual planning step-back with IDEA’s marketing team to plan the upcoming year. • Conduct annual review and look-forward presentation for IDEA’s marketing team and leadership to gain campaign approval of the upcoming recruitment year media plan. 2.4 Research & Insights • Produce market demographic and media-consumption analyses for existing and prospective regions. • Produce competitive regional analyses annually. • Test emerging platforms, pilot new tactics, and share industry best practices annually during review and look forward presentation. 3. Budget Planning, Tracking, and Remittance 3.1 Determine and Ensure Appropriate Budget Levels Per Region Per Fiscal Year • Use DMA (Designated Market Area) knowledge and rankers to determine appropriate market saturation levels to support campaign goals, as well as projections for expected cost to increase IDEA’s brand presence/awareness in each market. • Collaborate with IDEA to identify optimal CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)/CNSE (Cost Per New Student Enrolled) targets and cost projections. 3.2 Plan, Track, and Implement Payments to Vendors On-Time and On A Monthly Basis: • Collaborate with IDEA’s Marketing Team as needed in the development of proposed recruitment media budgets. • Maintain a live fiscal year dashboard detailing planned vs. actual spend by month, campaign, medium, and region that tracks student and staff recruitment efforts separately. This should be updated no later than the 15th of each month. • Issue monthly fee and escrow invoices to the IDEA Marketing team and relevant IDEA Accounts Payable contacts, including a breakout detail of how the escrow funds are planned to be allocated across media campaigns, tactics, and regions, no later than the 10th of each month. • Pay media vendors within 30 days of reconciliation to ensure IDEA’s name and brand remain in good standing with all vendors. • Refund IDEA if planned expenditures are not spent to ensure that funds are used appropriately and in the correct regions. • Organize and conduct quarterly budget meetings with the IDEA Marketing team to provide updated consensus on budget spend and fiscal year remainder amounts. • On a quarterly basis, the degree to which the Vendor completes services as contracted pays for requested services in compliance with state and federal requirements, and stays within the budget and Cost Per Student Enrolled (CPSE) metrics will be evaluated. The Vendor will provide this report to the district, and the district’s Business Office will provide information on any potential non-compliance. 4. Account Management & Availability • Provide a dedicated IDEA account team (minimum: executive strategist, account lead, media planner/buyer, budget manager). • Offer on-demand support via email, phone, or text 7 days a week, including after-hours and weekends for urgent needs. • Maintain comprehensive records for FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests. • Provide IDEA with close-of-project documentation—including final reports, reconciled budgets, performance metrics, and key learnings—with all materials accessible for download via a shared drive or secure platform. 5. Freelance & Research Recommendations • Supply vetted third-party contacts for creative production, copywriting, voiceover, and market research when requested. • Facilitate introductory meetings or calls between IDEA and recommended vendors as needed. • Maintain a current roster of go-to freelancers and research partners, with profiles accessible to the IDEA team upon request. Purpose of Request for Proposal (RFP): The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit proposals from qualified firms to provide comprehensive media strategy, planning, buying, optimization, reporting, research and budget management services that drive enrollment, staffing, and brand awareness goals while safeguarding the IDEA Public Schools (IDEA) brand in every market. Objectives 1.Drive data-based, multi-channel media campaigns for student recruitment, staff hiring, new-regionlaunches, and brand awareness. 2.Deliver best-in-class analytics and dashboards that maximize cost-per-student-enrolled (CPSE) andcost-per-hire (CPH). 3.Provide strategic recommendations for freelance creative production and marketing researchresources as value-add; the creation of advertising assets is outside this contract.
