REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Public Relations Consultant ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
The Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF), a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the nation’s largest Latino-serving, social service organization. With an annual budget of $63 million and 630 employees, MAOF operates in seven counties throughout the state of California. MAOF is headquartered in Montebello, Calif. Calif. SCOPE OF WORK
MAOF seeks public relations consultancy, preferably through a public affairs/media relations firm that has a history of working with nonprofits and the Latino community, to develop and implement communications and public relations strategies that increase the public’s awareness of its activities and initiatives; enhance its image among key stakeholders; and, maximize media opportunities in local, national, and international media markets. RESPONSIBILITIES •
Media Relations – Develop and maintain effective working relations with media outlets in
markets where MAOF operates, particularly in Los Angeles, and those that specialize in the coverage of or target Latinos in in the United States. Will prepare and distribute news releases, maintain current media lists, and serve as media spokesperson as necessary. •
Manage Special Events – Create special events, such as press conferences, and manage all
aspects including media relations, audio-visual support, staging, program agenda, and collateral material. •
•
Media Preparation – Prepares senior management for media interviews. Collateral Material – Assists in the preparation of media kits, quarterly newsletters, and
other printed material that will be made available to key stakeholders, such as funders and major donors. •
Public Relations Counsel – Provides public relations counsel to senior management and the
board of directors as necessary. •
Crisis Management – Develop communications component of crisis management plan that
outlines communication system for senior management and other principals in crisis situations. Must be available on a 24-hour basis by telephone and email.
Mexican American Opportunity Foundation Distribution Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008
CONTRACT PERIOD
The contract period will be from August 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. Based on performance, the contract will be extended for an additional year on a no-bid basis. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
All proposals must be no more than five pages in length. A two page curriculum vitae for up to three firm personnel may be included as attachments. Please submit your proposal on 8 ½ x 11 paper with a 1-inch margin on all sides. Limit your narrative to double-spaced pages that are numbered and printed only on one side. Please use a common font in 12-point type. All proposals must include a cover letter with the primary person’s contact information. Proposals can be submitted by U.S. Mail or converted into a PDF file to submit by email. SELECTION CRITERIA
The following selection criteria will be used to evaluate applications. For ease of reading by the reviewers, applicants should develop their narrative description to follow the sequence of criteria provided below. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses. Additional points will be awarded to applicants who can meet the criterion for special consideration. 1.
Qualifications (35 Points)
a) Provide a brief description about your firm, which should include: its founding and history; number of employees; employee’s average years of experience; practice areas, and, awards or recognitions (35 points); b) Special Consideration: Describe your firm’s personnel career experience with and knowledge of the Latino community (5 points); and, c) Special Consideration: Describe your firm’s personnel career experience with and knowledge of nonprofit organizations (5 points). 2.
Experience (50 Points)
a) Please list your firm’s past or current experience in the aforementioned responsibilities as possible, which should include dates and names of clients (50 points); and, b) Special Consideration: Additional points will be awarded if more than half of the clients listed are nonprofits and/or groups that primarily serve the Latino community (10 points). 3.
Relationships (15)
a) Please list the media outlets with which your firm has a relationship. Separate lists into the following categories: radio, print, local television, national media outlets, cable, Internet, and news services (15 Points); and, b) Special Consideration: Additional points will be awarded if one-third or more of all contacts are in the Spanish-speaking press or primarily serve Latinos (5 points). Mexican American Opportunity Foundation Distribution Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
All proposals must arrive by Monday, July 21, 2008 at 5:00 PM. Proposals can be submitted by: •
U.S. Mail:
Attn: PR Proposal Mexican American Opportunity Foundation 401 N. Garfield Avenue Montebello, CA 90640
OR •
Email:
[email protected] Subject Line: “PR Proposal”
ANNOUNCEMENT
The selection of the award-winning proposal will be announced by Friday, July 25. Applicants that are not chosen will be informed of the results by email on the same day. Please do not contact MAOF about your proposal after it is submitted. QUESTIONS
For questions, please contact MAOF Chief Development Officer Filiberto Gonzalez at
[email protected] or (323) 278-3605 or cell number (323) 595-1040. For more information about MAOF, please visit www.maof.org.
Mexican American Opportunity Foundation Distribution Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008
