School Nutrition Social Marketing Campaign

The Iowa Department of Education is seeking proposals through an informal competitive bid to develop a social marketing campaign aimed at enhancing perceptions and awareness of the nutritional value of school meals among parents, school staff, and K-12 students in Iowa. The selected vendor will collaborate with Department staff to create a comprehensive campaign plan, produce graphics, logos, and scripts for three promotional videos (each 3-5 minutes), and deliver all materials in editable formats compatible with common software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Google, or Microsoft. Additionally, the vendor will organize focus groups or conduct other validity testing involving stakeholders from Iowa schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to gather feedback and validate campaign materials. The contract, with an estimated value between $50,000 and $150,000, is scheduled to run from December 1, 2025, through April 1, 2026, with proposals due by October 30, 2025. The procurement process is governed by Iowa law, specifically Iowa Code Chapter 22 concerning public records, requiring vendors to clearly mark confidential information at submission. The Department reserves broad rights to reject proposals, cancel, or re-advertise the bid at any time prior to contract execution. Communications regarding the procurement must be directed exclusively to Amy Freeman, the designated Issuing Officer. The evaluation criteria focus on the vendor’s experience working with state agencies or school districts, the quality and creativity of previous work, references, budget reasonableness, and ability to meet deadlines. Deliverables will be inspected and accepted based on stakeholder feedback, quality, and adherence to format requirements, with final approval resting with the Department. No federal clauses, specific packaging, shipping, or detailed contractual clauses are incorporated; the process emphasizes stakeholder engagement, creative deliverables, and compliance with Iowa’s public records law.