Comprehensive Audit Services

The vendor is required to provide a comprehensive audit of the university's crisis and issues management and incident response communications, create a plan for any needed improvements, and provide ongoing support for proactive monitoring and unforeseen crisis response.
- The audit and subsequent recommendations will ensure that communications planning, strategy, and processes work efficiently and effectively within the new organizational structure of the university, specifically within the division of marketing and communications.
- Workstreams
a. Crisis communication readiness audit, analysis, and recommendation
1. Audit of current process (does not include audit of emergency response efforts)
• Review existing issues and crisis monitoring, management and incident response plans
• Evaluate current organizational structure and roles
• Assess cross-university collaboration methods
• Analyze communication channels and tools currently in use
2. Stakeholder interviews
• Conduct in-depth interviews with key stakeholders across the organization
• Gather insights on current processes, challenges, and opportunities
• Identify pain points and areas for improvement
3. Analysis and recommendations
• Analyze current structure, plans, and processes for enhancement opportunities
• Benchmark against best practices in higher education and other relevant industries
• Develop comprehensive recommendations for improvement
4. Issue identification and planning
• Identify key issues for which the university needs to proactively plan
• Develop a prioritization framework for issue management
b. Issues management planning and preparedness
1. Playbook development and updates
• Utilize audit findings and industry best practices to enhance issues and crisis playbooks
• Develop step-by-step guidance for situations by crisis level
• Clearly define roles and responsibilities within the plans
• Create key messaging and positioning statements to support internal decision-making and communications responses
• Ensure plans consider the university's varied audiences and multiple campuses
2. Tools and technology recommendations
• Provide counsel on key tools needed for monitoring relevant topics in media and social media
• Recommend technologies to support efficient and effective crisis response
• Suggest platforms for internal communication and collaboration during crises
• Provide counsel regarding regular usage of recommended technology to manage crises with sophistication
3. Training and implementation support
• Develop training materials for key stakeholders on new or updated plans
• Recommend workshops to familiarize team members with their roles and responsibilities
• Provide guidance on conducting regular drills and simulations that may be needed
4. Measurement and evaluation framework
• Develop KPIs to measure the effectiveness of crisis and issues management efforts
• Create a framework for post-incident analysis and continuous improvement of communications efforts.
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: June 13, 2025