Questions & Clarifications

Questions and clarifications will be posted here as they are submitted.

Q. Are all of your ad dollars dedicated to digital advertising?
A. No, we use print, television and radio as well.

 
Q. What is the current print, television and radio advertising?
A. Print – Nebraskaland, Nebraska Life, Game & Parks Game Guides, Iowa Outdoors, Visit Nebraska, Destination Western Nebraska. Previously advertised in AAA Living, which did well for us but is no longer in print.
Television – Nebraska Public Media
Radio – Mainly local, focused on app downloads, community calendar promotion. Occasionally, we have purchased radio in markets where we are doing travel shows as well.

 
Q. When is the last time you collected photo and video assets?
A. We did videography and photography at several locations (Fort Robinson, The Cliffs, Chadron State College, Coffee Park, Toadstool, Chadron State Park) in 2023, and a staff photographer also collected assets in 2021.

 
Q. The RFP mentions PR work. What is the expectation for that?
A. Mainly we are just looking for ways we can complement our advertising with PR efforts. This is more of a desire for conversations/advice.

 
Q. What is the primary goal you’re looking to accomplish?
A. Cohesive advertising campaigns and good communication.

Request for Proposals

Marketing Agency of Record

Issue Date: April 2, 2025

Deadline for submissions: April 30, 2025, at 5:00 pm MT

Contact Information: Kerri Rempp | Discover Northwest Nebraska

P.O. Box 746, Chadron, NE 69337

director@discovernwnebraska.com

Digital submissions preferred.

NOTE: Proposals are public documents and subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

Process for questions and clarifications:

If you have questions or are seeking clarifications related to the RFP, those must be submitted via email to: director@discovernwnebraska.com no later than close of business on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Responses to clarifications will be provided and posted online as they are received.

Interviews: RFP respondents should be prepared to participate in virtual or in-person interviews with the Dawes County Travel Board on May 6, 2025, upon request from Discover Northwest Nebraska.

Notification: All respondents will be notified of the committee’s final selection no later than June 5, 2025.

Request for Proposals

Discover Northwest Nebraska seeks a qualified, full-service marketing agency to serve as the organization’s contracted agency of record. The agency will guide the organization’s overall marketing strategy including advertising campaigns, development of creative assets, photo and video production, and national media relations.

The contract will be for a term of three years and will begin July 1, 2025. We expect the contract to include an option to renew for one additional three-year term.

Over the last four fiscal years, Discover Northwest Nebraska’s advertising budget has ranged from $35,000  to $80,000. The budget is driven by expected lodging tax income and Nebraska State Tourism grant funding. Northwest Nebraska has included traditional and digital media in its advertising.

Our in-house marketing team manages day-to-day social media, produces blog content for the website, updates the community event calendar, and provides routine website updates.

Our in-house marketing team consists of:

  • Director of Tourism

Note that we do not currently seek an update of our visual brand identity or website.

Web development and maintenance is contracted separately from the agency of record.

Scope of Work

  1. Evaluate and update Discover Northwest Nebraska’s marketing strategy and tactics utilizing industry insights.
  1. Identify target markets for ad placement.
  1. Develop an annual advertising campaign supported by a robust creative package. Northwest Nebraska does maintain some photo and video assets. Additional assets will be provided to the agency of record or contracted with the agency of record as needed.
  1. Design collateral materials for the consumer leisure market as well as for specific industry segments such as outdoor enthusiasts, art lovers, history buffs, etc.
  1. Advise on social media strategy and assist in the development of a social media calendar that aligns with the overall public relations strategy.
  1. Secure coverage of Northwest Nebraska in national and regional media outlets.
  1. Assist with the development of crisis communication plans as needed.
  1. Organize photo and video shoots including location scouting, scripting, and securing talent, as needed.
  1. Collaborate with the organization to ensure the website’s look and feel is in keeping with the organization’s latest campaigns.
  1. Monitor and interpret consumer and travel industry data.
  1. Prepare a monthly report that lists ad placements, assigns a monetary value to earned media, and evaluates overall marketing performance.
  1. Should a new Agency of Record be selected, the agency will coordinate with the previous agency of record to transfer advertising, video and photo assets for the Northwest Nebraska account.

Content of Submission

  1. Based upon the information provided by Discover Northwest Nebraska, propose how your agency would approach the marketing strategy for our organization.
  1. Provide a sample of your plan deliverables, describe how they will be converted into action, and list the metrics for success.
  1. Describe your experience working with destination marketing organizations, tourism bureaus, or similar organizations.
  1. Include two relevant case studies including background, implementation, and outcomes.
  1. Provide a brief description of your agency’s structure and capabilities, including basic information and history and bios for key project team.
  1. Disclose and explain any potential conflicts of interests you may have.
  1. List your top three clients as determined by total billing.
  1. Provide three references.
  1. Detailed explanation of fee schedules.

About Discover Northwest Nebraska

Discover Northwest Nebraska is the destination marketing organization for the Nebraska counties of Dawes and Sioux. It is responsible for marketing the region to visitors and achieving a positive economic impact through tourism. Governed by the Dawes County Travel Board, an advisory board to the Dawes County Commissioners, Discover Northwest Nebraska is the over-arching organization that manages visitor attraction activities.

The Dawes County Travel Board is funded by a 4% tax on lodging. Dawes County has entered into an interlocal agreement with Sioux County to promote the two counties as one destination.

The 2023-24 annual report can be found at https://discovernwnebraska.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2023-24-Annual-Report-Compressed.pdf.

Mission Statement

The Dawes County Travel Board promotes Northwest Nebraska and seeks to improve visitor experience while advising the Board of Commissioners in the administration of proceeds from tax revenue provided by the Nebraska Visitors Development Act.

The Dawes County Travel Board (DCTB) is comprised of seven members who volunteer their time to promote, encourage and attract visitors to the Dawes County and encourage the use of travel and tourism facilities within the county. The Dawes County Improvement and Promotion Funds are allocated by the board, which are to be used for visitor attractions and facilities improvement or promotion of area events.

About Northwest Nebraska

NEBRASKA LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IT.

Northwest Nebraska defies expectations. You won’t find cornfields and flat landscapes here. What will you find? How about a rich historical and geological record and an unexpected forest? From towering buttes to the sweeping features of the Oglala National Grassland, Northwest Nebraska defines the Great American Road Trip. Throw in a lunar landscape and a budding arts and culture scene, and there is truly No Better Direction.

The region is accessible by two of Nebraska’s specially-designated scenic byways – the 385 Gold Rush Scenic Byway (Hwy 385) and the Bridges to Buttes Scenic Byway (Hwy 20). Additionally, Highways 29 and 2/71 are part of what is known as the Fossil Freeway, which carries travelers to several stops that tell the story of the area’s fossil history, reaching from the southern Panhandle of Nebraska to southern South Dakota.

This is a place for people to explore and discover new things; a place for people who want to get off the interstate and away from the crowds; a place for people who want to find themselves by getting lost.

Submission Process

Deadline for submissions: April 30, 2025, at 5:00 pm MT

Please send submissions via email to Kerri Rempp, Director of Tourism, at director@discovernwnebraska.com.

Submissions are public documents subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

If you have questions or are seeking clarifications related to the RFP, those must be submitted via email to: director@discovernwnebraska.com no later than close of business on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Responses to clarifications will be provided and posted online as they are received.

RFP respondents should be prepared to participate in virtual or in-person interviews with the Dawes County Travel Board upon request from Discover Northwest Nebraska. All respondents will be notified of the committee’s final selection by June 5, 2025.