COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY, PUBLIC RELATIONS \& CONTENT PARTNER REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Description: SOLICITATION INFORMATION ISSUING AGENCY CITY OF HOMEWOOD, ALABAMA Issue date November 2, 2026 Questions deadline November 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM Qualifications due November 20, 2026 at 5:00 PM Submission method Email to CityManager@homewoodal.org Procurement contact Alison Paliescheskey - 205-332-6104 Alison.paliescheskey@homewoodal.org PROJECT OVERVIEW The City seeks a qualified strategic communications and public relations partner to design and execute a coordinated Citywide communications program. This engagement begins with strategy and governance-not simply publishing content. PURPOSE AND PROCUREMENT APPROACH The City of Homewood seeks statements of qualifications from experienced professional firms to provide the services described below. This RFQ is one of two separately issued solicitations. Firms may respond to either or both RFQs; the City may select different firms or the same firm for both, based on separate evaluations. The selected provider must coordinate with the provider of the complementary services and designated City staff. This solicitation requests qualifications and a proposed service approach; the City may request detailed pricing from shortlisted firms before contract negotiation. CITY OVERSIGHT AND COORDINATION The City will retain control of communications policy, official approvals, accounts, records, and digital assets. The City Manager will direct administrative and operational messaging, with coordinated roles for the Mayor, Council, and departments as established by the City. The contractor shall identify a single account lead, use City-approved workflows, and collaborate with the other communications services provider without transferring decision-making authority. SCOPE OF SERVICES • Conduct a Citywide communications audit, including channel review, stakeholder interviews, and baseline assessment. • Develop a written communications strategy addressing goals, audiences, channels, key messages, departmental roles, approval processes, and success measures. • Develop an annual communications plan and maintain a rolling 90-day editorial and content calendar. • Provide proactive media relations, press releases, media monitoring, interview preparation, and story development or placement. • Develop crisis and emergency communications protocols, including escalation, approvals, and proposed after-hours support. • Plan and execute social media strategy, content development, scheduling, moderation standards, and performance reporting on City-owned accounts. • Plan, write, edit, and support production of City newsletters and targeted public information campaigns. • Establish brand and message standards and coordinate consistent communications across departments. • Provide communications counsel to the City Manager and Mayor, with documented protocols for Council and departmental requests. • Provide monthly reporting tied to reach, engagement, public understanding, and other agreed outcomes rather than post volume alone. • Train department leaders and designated staff on approved communications practices. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES • Initial audit and stakeholder interview summary; written Citywide communications strategy. • Annual plan, rolling 90-day content calendar, and agreed newsletter schedule. • Crisis communications protocol and contact/escalation matrix. • Monthly performance dashboard and periodic strategy review. • Brand/message guidance, templates, and staff training materials. SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS AND WORK SAMPLES • Demonstrated experience advising municipalities or comparable public agencies on strategic communications, media relations, and crisis response. • Examples of at least two communications plans, campaigns, media relations projects, or equivalent work products, with measurable results where available. • Proposed account lead and content/media specialists, with description of who will respond to urgent requests. REQUIRED RESPONSE CONTENTS • Cover letter signed by an authorized representative; legal name, office location, and primary contact. • Firm background, relevant experience, and at least one comparable municipal or government references, including contact information. • Project team organization chart, names and roles of personnel assigned to Homewood, resumes, estimated availability, and all proposed subcontractors. • Detailed understanding of the scope, proposed work plan, implementation sequence, communications/coordination approach, and sample service levels. • Relevant work samples or links as specified below, including the firm's precise role in each example. • Identification of anticipated third-party software, licensing, hosting, equipment, and pass-through costs, where applicable. • Disclosure of actual or potential conflicts of interest and any material litigation or contract terminations relevant to the services. EVALUATION CRITERIA CRITERION WEIGHT Relevant municipal/government experience 20% Approach and work plan 25% Assigned team and qualifications 20% Demonstrated work and communications 10% capability Service levels and responsiveness 10% Price/value, if requested during selection 15% SELECTION PROCESS The City anticipates reviewing submissions against the criteria and may invite selected firms for interviews, demonstrations, reference checks, and subsequent fee proposals. The City reserves the right to seek clarifications, negotiate scope and terms, reject any or all responses, cancel or reissue this RFQ, and make an award only if in the City's best interest, subject to applicable law and approvals. ANTICIPATED CONTRACT STRUCTURE The contemplated agreement is an initial one-year term, with possible renewals subject to satisfactory performance and City approval. The final agreement should establish a defined annual base scope and fee, a rate schedule for optional or additional services, measurable response times and deliverables, and procedures for approval of out-of-scope work. The final terms, insurance, indemnification, termination, public records, records retention, data protection, and other legal requirements will be reviewed by the City Attorney. OWNERSHIP AND TRANSITION All City accounts, domains, credentials, analytics, contact lists, records, archives, content, source materials, templates, and other City-funded deliverables must remain under City administrative control, subject to applicable third-party licenses. The selected contractor must document systems and workflows, provide orderly transition-in and transition-out support, and return or transfer City materials promptly at expiration or termination. INSTRUCTIONS AND RESERVATIONS Responses should be submitted by the stated deadline in searchable PDF format unless otherwise specified. Firms are responsible for verifying delivery. Questions must be directed only to the designated procurement contact. The City may issue written addenda; firms are responsible for acknowledging them. Costs of preparing responses are the respondent's responsibility. The City may treat submitted materials as public records to the extent required by Alabama law; respondents should not assume confidentiality merely by labeling material proprietary. PRE-ISSUANCE ITEMS TO CONFIRM City staff and legal/procurement counsel should confirm procurement method, statutory advertisement requirements, evaluation/pricing sequence, insurance terms, records provisions, scope inventory, dates, and approval authority before public issuance. CITY OF HOMEWOOD