102222R3410 - Digital Marketing Services

                                                                               (GLOBAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS)

                                                                                  U.S. Department of State

                                                                 Digital Advertising and Consulting Services

                                                                          Request For Information (RFI)

BACKGROUND

The Bureau of Global Public Affairs Research and Analytics (GPA/RA) offices of the United States Department of State (DoS) are the primary sources responsible for providing situational communicative awareness to DoS spokespeople to effectively disseminate the United States Government (USG) views to mass audiences domestically and internationally. The Research and Analytics Team brings social and information science expertise to plan, monitor, course-correct, and evaluate GPA-led communications projects. GPA researchers study issue awareness and biases of target audiences by leveraging existing research from the interagency, the private sector, and the academic community, as well as through commissioned polls or focus groups. GPA analysts observe and report on foreign information environments and monitor Department-owned messaging platforms to enhance USG communicators’ situational awareness.

GPA’s Office of Research has been tasked with providing enterprise-level digital marketing services to U.S. Department of State public diplomacy and public affairs stakeholders in Washington, D.C. and abroad. The Office currently has the capability to carry out audience research and perform program evaluations for said stakeholders; it is thus well positioned to advise Departmental stakeholders on how to carry out, optimize, and evaluate effective digital advertising strategies.

Most digital advertising platforms base payments for advertising campaigns on microtransactions tied to a credit card(s) registered on the respective platform’s business manager and/or advertising account. Considering the bulk and global reach of advertisements run by the Office of Research, this payment method is not a viable option.

INTRODUCTION:

The Bureau of Global Public Affairs at the Department of State is requesting information from potential offerors who specialize in Digital Marketing and Advertising Services to include account access by GPA/RA to social media platforms to include[BCC1]  but not limited to Facebook/Instagram, Twitter, and Google Ads to reach international audiences on a global scale. GPA/RA seeks to position themselves in an environment that allows for a variety of digital marketing and ad services to be effectively summoned to meet the ever-changing needs of diplomatic communications that engage foreign audiences to advance U.S. foreign policy. 

The Department of State Global Public Affairs Branch would like to know more about products and related services for the purposes of maintaining the Office of Research’s digital advertising accounts to include tracking weekly spending activities per platform, delegating permissions within an advertising account, and connecting client social media owned accounts to advertising platforms.

NAICS CODE:  541910: Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling

Task Requirements include but not limited to the following:

• The Office of Research and Analytics  to run digital advertising campaigns on demand through a vendor payment method in order to deploy content to target audiences in various locations globally.
• Office of Research to run all advertisements independently of an intermediary and have direct access to all data associated with each advertising campaign.
• A firm knowledeable of detailed and comprehensive budgetary reporting services on a weekly/bi-weekly basis in support of GPA digital advertising campaigns.
• A firm with the knowledge and capabilities to establish a line of credit (via a vendor-owned credit card or line of credit, depending on platform requirements) for advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google Ads, and other relevant digital advertising platforms. 
• Information on how access to various social media platforms can be utilized to perform digital marketing and advertising functions on DoS established ad accounts.
• Provide timely customer service in regard to maintaining fluid accessibility to digital advertising platforms. In the event that an ad account is inaccessible, a customer service[BCC2]  agent will be readily available to assist with reacquiring access.

The Responses must include the firm name or company, point of contact information, Socio-Economic Status (HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSM, etc.)  NAICS code, and Information on Digital marketing and advertisement services and products associated with the direct use of social media platform accounts.

This information to this announcement will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition planning decisions.  No contract will be awarded as a result of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information requested.  The deadline to respond to this notice is May 2, 2022, 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST). Interested firms are instructed to submit written responses by email to:

Crystal Brooks, Contracting Officer  

Email:  BrooksCC@state.gov

Office of Global Programs Branch

U.S. Department of State