QUESTIONS FROM VENDORS ARE UPDATED AS OF 1/12/24
- Can you clarify what is meant by “campaign implementation” in the timeline cited in the RFP and disclose what the full period of performance is for this engagement? "Campaign implementation” is the timeframe for contract negotiations with the provider. The performance period will begin February 19, 2024 and end June 14, 2024.
- Beyond message testing and materials development, is the potential vendor expected to conduct outreach to the media and/or execute against any public outreach recommendations? No, the vendor is not expected to conduct or execute outreach.
- Is the target audience for this campaign limited to the Harris County community, or will these resources be deployed nationwide? No. Resources will be deployed nationwide.
- What does success look like and how will we measure it? For the provider, success will be based on your pilot testing of messaging. You’re not responsible for the success of the campaign itself, but we would like you to share the findings from your pilot testing, including any adjustments made in the process.
- What are the goals? Provider goals are to develop and pilot test messaging on the importance of jury service for hard to engage communities and provide recommendations for how to best employ those messages. Our goals are to develop and implement those resources, sharing them with state and local stakeholders to help increase jury participation.
- Does Harris County have a participation or engagement benchmark they’re looking to achieve? These resources are being created for a national audience. There is no specific participation or engagement benchmark, but the goal for these resources is to reduce non-response rates.
- Have any types of campaigns, messaging, education, PSAs been developed like this before? Yes. Some examples include the below listed materials.
- See pp. 22-24 at https://www.ncsc-jurystudies.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/7644/jury-trial-innovations-2d-ed-2006.pdf;
- Resources developed by the ABA Commission on the American Jury: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/judicial/american_jury/resources/juror_appreciation_week/
- Posters developed by the Alaska Courts: https://courts.alaska.gov/artwork/docs/jury-posters.pdf
- Information about Arizona’s “Fair Because I Was There” program: https://www.azcourts.gov/juryservice
- What do we know about channel usage for these target audiences? As this is a national audience, there will be a wide array of channel usage by the target audience. These are hard to engage audiences, but it is unknown at this time as to what channels may be most effective with this group. However, we know for this population the existing methods are not currently effective.
- Can we assume a more heavily leaning digital approach? Probably. Once messaging is pilot-tested, we will be able to develop an answer to this question.
- Are we looking to cast a wide net with a single campaign across all channels? We are looking to the provider to test an array of messages and work with us to identify the best approaches.
- How many variations of messaging should we assume should be tested? We will rely on the provider in consultation with us to determine the appropriate number and scope of messages to be tested.
- Can we assume the budget does not include any paid media, PPC, etc., and that any media costs would be additional? Correct. Paid media is not included in the budget.
- What channels should we assume will be used for testing of messaging (you mention posters, brochures, sample op-eds and PSAs, digital ads, social media posts, etc.) Are we to assume all? Or can we expect to align the strategy and budget with channel prioritization? Align the strategy with budget and channel prioritization.
- How will decision-making be led given the number of organizations involved? NACDL will lead the decision-making process.
- How large is the stakeholder group we’ll be working with to finalize the campaign creative, messaging, and activation plan? The stakeholder group includes: The Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, The National Center for State Courts, and RTI International (Collectively the Justice for All Grant Partners).
- Is there an incumbent agency you’re currently working with? No
- How many potential agencies are you considering? The number of agencies we will consider will depend on the number of applications. However, only one agency will be awarded the project.
- What is driving the campaign implementation timeframe (2 weeks for strategy, creative campaign concepting, messaging, activation planning, and execution.) Is this flexible? This project is funded by a federal grant and is subject to certain timelines as a result. However, there is some degree of flexibility within the timeframe in the RFP. If believe a different timeline is appropriate, please include it in your proposal.
Project Objectives:
- Design and test messaging in light of findings made as to why Harris County (Texas) residents failed to respond to jury summonses and develop resources based on the most impactful messages. It should be noted that the report is a draft only being shared for the purpose of informing the proposal process. The report should not be circulated beyond those who are assisting in developing the proposal.
- Resources should be designed to target youth, the business community, community civic organizations, and underrepresented communities, especially individuals who may be unfamiliar with jury service or are reluctant to serve.
- Materials should:
- address potential barriers and misconceptions that deter individuals from participating in jury service as identified in the report.
- Promote civic engagement and a sense of responsibility among community members.
- The Justice for All Grant Partners will share the resources on an array of forums including partner and project websites, and, where appropriate, social media. In addition, the resources will be shared with criminal legal system stakeholders and community organizations with guidance about effective public outreach, including a webinar to showcase the resources.
Scope of Work:
The selected firm or individual will be responsible for the following:
- Designing and pilot testing messaging tailored to “hard to reach” communities.
- Resources could include posters, brochures, sample op-eds and PSAs, web-based advertising including digital banner ads and social media posts, talking points for community outreach presentations, and educational curricula.
- Product development should be based on the most impactful messaging.
Proposal Requirements:
Interested parties should submit a proposal that includes the following:
- Overview of the firm/individual's experience in community outreach and public engagement initiatives.
- Detailed description of the proposed community outreach strategy, including methods, tactics, and timeline.
- Samples of previous relevant work, such as outreach materials, educational content, and event planning.
- Budget estimate, including breakdown of costs for design, production, event coordination, media outreach, and evaluation.
- Approach to measuring the effectiveness of the campaign, including metrics to track participation rate improvements.
- Description of the team members who will be involved and their roles in the project.
Timeline:
- Proposal Submission Deadline: Friday, January 19, 2024
- Vendor Selection and Notification: February 2, 2024.
- Campaign Implementation: February 5, 2024 - February 19, 2024
- Reporting and Evaluation: Ongoing throughout the campaign and final evaluation report due June 14, 2024.
Budget:
The budget for this project is $50,000. Proposals should include a breakdown of costs, including hourly rates for all key personnel, anticipated expenses, and any overhead or indirect cost rate.
This project is funded through a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Costs and rates may be subject to federal rules and policies. If you have a previously approved government indirect cost rate, please provide that rate and the date it was approved.
Contact Information:
Vendor questions should be submitted by email to Monica Milton at mmilton@nacdl.org no later than January, 5, 2024 and answers will be posted below on January 12, 2024 .
Evaluation Criteria:
- Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Demonstrated experience and expertise in community outreach and engagement initiatives.
- Creativity and effectiveness of the proposed outreach strategy.
- Feasibility and realism of the proposed timeline and budget.
- Track record of working with diverse communities and promoting inclusivity.
- Clear approach to measuring and evaluating the campaign's impact.
Disclaimers:
Justice for All Grant Partners reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.
All submitted materials become the property of Justice for All Grant Partners.
Justice for All Grant Partners are not responsible for any costs incurred by vendors during the proposal preparation phase.
We look forward to receiving your proposals and working together to enhance participation in jury service within our community.
Sincerely,
JFA Partners
Nikki Parisi, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys
Bonnie Hoffman, National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys
Chris Wu, National Center for State Courts
Venita Embry, RTI International