Request for Proposal for Integrated Communications & Marketing Services

For

The Barrington Area Council on Aging

The Barrington Area Council on Aging is soliciting proposals from qualified firms and individuals to provide professional branding, marketing and communications services.

All proposals must be received by January 16. 2018. 5:00 p.m. CST. Any proposal received after the due date and time will not be considered. Proposals may be submitted via email by this date to , or by mail to BACOA, 6000 Garlands Lane, Suite 100, Barrington, IL 60010.

RFP Response Due DateTuesday, January 16, 2018

5 p.m. CST

Vendor SelectionMonday, January 22, 2018

5 p.m. CST

Background

Founded in 1985, the Barrington Area Council on Aging (BACOA) is a nonprofit, 501 (c) (3) organization whose mission is to promote vibrant, healthy aging by providing activities, education and support to aging adults, caregivers and families within the Barrington area. BACOA serves 1,000-1,500 people annually.

BACOA is the vital resource that adults, families and caregivers seek out for information and support. Its guiding principles are:

Stewardship: BACOA is a responsible steward of its financial and human resources. It adheres to the principle of excellence in all it does and its actions are guided by a respect for our clients, donors and the community.

Transparency: BACOA is committed to open and honest communications and ensures transparency in all actions. BACOA routinely makes available critical data to all stakeholders.

Accountability: BACOA stands accountable to its clients, donors and the community. It willingly explains its actions to its stakeholders.

Services/Programs:

Information and referral

From independent living to skilled nursing care, BACOA offers insight and information about

local seniorhousing options for the elderly. BACOA advises families on how to work with seniors

resistantto making changes as their abilities decline. BACOA provides referrals for:

  • Homecare services
  • Independent living communities
  • Assisted and supportive living options
  • Skilled nursing care alternatives

BACOA offers older adults assistance navigating the complicated world of government services. BACOA helps seniors and family caregivers with issues relating to:

  • Social Security
  • Medicare/Medicaid
  • Prescription coverage
  • Supplemental insurance
  • Transportation
  • Free tax preparation

Outreach and Case Coordination

Health issues often leave older adults isolated, vulnerable and unable to undertake basic daily activities. BACOA can help access needed services, educate and advise seniors and their families on appropriate services to ensure they are well cared for. Programs include:

  • Meals with Wheels – provides hot, nutritious meals to the elderly unable to prepare meals for themselves either because of poor health or low income.
  • Third-party benefits coordination – assists seniors though insurance-related issues.

Support Services

BACOA offers a series of support services for those needing care, their caregivers or both. Services include support groups for:

  • Alzheimer’s
  • Caregivers
  • Low Vision

Support Programs

BACOA offers support programs to enable the health-challenged and their care partners to learn better methods to cope with the stress of chronic illness.

  • “A Day Out” Respite Program – Led by a licensed professional with the help of trained volunteers, “A Day Out” Respite provides an engaging, interactive and safe program for health-challenged loved ones, while also providing a much-needed break for caregivers.
  • Memory Café – A social program that provides people with mild cognitive impairment and their caregivers a safe, nonjudgmental environment where they can enjoy the company of others while visiting local attractions, play board or card games or chat about current events. Expert instructors are also brought in to engage participants in everything from art to massage.

Aging Better Programs

Studies have demonstrated that socialization is critical to aging well. BACOA provides a host of programs that keep older adults engaged and active in their later years.

  • Senior lunch and activities
  • Cuisine Club (monthly dining)

Introduction

The Barrington Area Council on Aging recently completed a strategic planning process and identified a need to increase its community outreach efforts to ensure effective communication with an older adult population who doesn’t identify as “old.” Additionally, more than one-third of all Barrington area residents are over the age of 60, yet half of the residents are unaware of BACOA. Creating awareness and an increase in client participation by people who need BACOA services is another goal.

To positively accomplish these goals, an integrated communications and marketing plan that addresses the need to reframe the aging concept along with an awareness/branding campaign must be developed. Key messages must be identified and integrated. BACOA will base its messaging on its own qualitative research along with aging and ageism research completed by the FrameWorks Institute. (

Preliminary branding and marketing goals

  • Research, build, position and message a new brand strategy with updated internal and external identity with a nod to BACOA’s mission, vision and values.
  • Establish an updated visual identify for BACOA and create a brand book that governs the use of that identity.
  • Create and assist Director of Communications & Development in the implementation and launch of a plan to incorporate the branding campaign into all BACOA projects, messaging platforms, and marketing initiatives, including website, social media and other collateral materials.
  • Generate positive awareness and improve public/stakeholders perception of BACOA.
  • Identify and develop partnership opportunities.

Audience

BACOA is a Barrington-area based organization with residents, clients and donors in the Village of Barrington, Barrington Hills, Lake Barrington, North Barrington, Port Barrington, South Barrington, Tower Lakes, Deer Park, Fox River Grove, Kildeer and Inverness.

Submittal Requirements

Section 1:Letter of project interest outlining an understanding of the scope of work

Section 2:Firm information

  • Name, address, email and phone number of consulting firm or team to be used for the project.
  • Address for website and links to firm’s social media outlets.
  • A narrative describing the firm’s qualifications for the project and past experience designing/creating integrated communications/marketing and branding campaigns.
  • Outline any experience your firm has had with nonprofit agencies.
  • Key personnel: provide a summary for key personnel that include names, respective titles, experience and period of service with the firm.

Section 3:Project Approach

  • Describe key tasks to be accomplished through the course of the project and how they will be executed. Possible alternative processes used successfully in the past that should be considered as part of the project may be included.
  • Describe your approach to brand development and messaging.
  • Describe your evaluation measures. What processes and/or tools does your firm use to evaluate and measure communications and marketing efforts? What specific measurements of success will you use for a branding campaign?
  • Outline a key stakeholder outreach strategy.

Section 4:Summary of Previous Relevant Projects

  • A list of recent similar projects. Please provide contact information for a relevant project manager.
  • Briefly describe two projects that have been completed, the results and the response to the results/outcomes.

Section 5:Budget

  • Present a line item budget outlining costs for the project. Also provide a budget narrative that describes all direct and indirect costs for each part of the project.

Section 6:Project Timeline

  • Please provide a timeline relating to what your firm will deliver over a specific amount of time.

Selection Criteria

Please submit an emailed PDF proposal by 5 p.m., January 16, 2018 to:

Susan Olafson

or by mail:

Susan Olafson

BACOA

6000 Garlands Lane

Barrington, IL 60010

RFP Evaluation Schedule

Release of RFP:Jan. 2, 2018

Responses Due:Jan. 16, 2018

Selection:Jan. 22, 2018

  • All questions may be directed to Susan Olafson at 847-381-5030 at any time. If your proposal requires further discussion or an in-person interview, you will be contacted.