Comprehensive Interior and Exterior Bus Advertising Services

The vendor is required to provide for marketing, selling, and managing advertising services on transit buses and bus shelters.
- Partner to fully manage all aspects of its advertising program, covering interior and exterior advertising space on eligible vehicles and shelters.
- The goal is to outsource this function to a vendor that can generate revenue while maintaining professionalism and efficiency in both sales and operations.
• Develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive advertising sales strategy for fixed-route vehicles with an option for adding shelters.
• Actively solicit, manage, and retain advertisers through an ongoing professional sales process.
• Maintain a customer service system to support advertiser questions, complaints, renewals, and cancellations.
• Track and report the number of ads sold, types, locations, and terms of each contract.
- The contractor must be familiar with the composition and ad eligibility of the transit fleet to accurately sell, place, and manage advertising inventory. 
- The advertising program must be designed around the operational characteristics and physical constraints of the fleet, which may evolve over time.
• Acknowledge and adhere to transit current advertising eligibility based on fleet makeup:
a. Transit’s current fleet:
• (22) 35-foot buses
• (12) 29-foot buses
• (5) 35-foot trolleys
• (9) body on chassis (BOC) buses
b. Advertising placement eligibility:
• Exterior ads: permitted on 35-foot and 29-foot buses only.
• Interior ads: permitted on 35-foot buses, 29-foot buses, and trolleys.
• BOC buses: not eligible for advertising and do not require advertising support.
• Design and maintain sales materials, installation schedules, and inventory systems that reflect these ad eligibility rules.
• Fleet totals and configurations are subject to change, and the contractor must remain flexible in adapting inventory and coverage targets in response to new vehicle acquisitions or retirements.
- To ensure consistent visual quality and brand alignment, transit requires that the contractor handle all production, installation, removal, and maintenance of advertisements on transit vehicles and shelters.
• Print and install all approved ads, including full bus wraps, passenger-side, driver-side, and rear panels, as well as interior bus cards and shelter placements.
• Ensure installations are safe, timely, and compliant with industry standards and transit quality expectations.
• Maintain ad displays throughout their campaign lifespans, with timely replacement or repair of damaged materials.
• Guarantee that all materials and removal processes will not damage transit vehicles or property; repair costs will be reimbursed if damage occurs.
- The advertising program to be self-sustaining and financially beneficial. the contractor will collect all advertising revenue, cover all operational costs, and remit transit portion monthly.
• Guarantee transit receives this revenue regardless of advertiser payment status. 
• A monthly revenue remittance report itemizing advertisers, contract terms, inventory sold, and payment breakdowns. 
• Offer a minimum annual revenue guarantee, payable in twelve equal installments
• Absorb all associated production, installation, removal, and operational costs.
- To ensure content aligns with community standards and transit brand, the contractor must work closely with transit staff to receive ad approvals and maintain compliance with transit advertising policy.
• Submit all ads for prior approval by transit.
• Follow transit advertising policy for all content, advertisers, and placements.
• Revise any rejected ad in coordination with transit staff.
• Ensure advertisers indemnify transit and the city for any content-related legal action. - Long-term partner capable of growing the program while maintaining transparency and accountability throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Assign and transfer all active advertising contracts to transit at the end of the agreement. 
• Maintain all records for a minimum of three years after the contract ends, or longer if legal and audit matters arise. 
• Allow transit to audit financial records with one business day’s written notice. 
• Attend regular meetings with transit to review performance, revenue, and strategy.
- The success of this program will be measured by ad coverage across eligible vehicles and shelters. 
- Transit is seeking a partner who can demonstrate performance and growth.
• Achieve 60 percent coverage of available advertising space within the first 12 months of the contract.
• Provide projected revenue forecasts for year 1 and updated projections annually.
• Produce inventory and reach and frequency reports upon request or at intervals specified by transit. - Advertising methods and formats continue to evolve.
- Encouraged to think beyond traditional ad placements and explore creative or digital opportunities that enhance visibility, modernize the program, and increase revenue potential without disrupting service or design standards.
• Propose innovative advertising formats such as shelter digital displays, floor decals, QR code-based engagement ads, or other non-traditional placements. 
• Evaluate and present the projected return on investment and operational impact for any proposed new formats. 
• Implement approved new inventory placements at no additional cost to transit, unless otherwise negotiated.
- To ensure business continuity, the contractor must prepare for a seamless transition at the end of the contract period. 
- This includes documenting internal processes and transferring relevant records to transit or any future advertising provider.
• Compile and deliver all sales data, client lists, inventory tracking systems, and ad history reports in a format accessible to transit. 
• During the transition period, provide access to any digital tools, templates, or internal tracking systems used for managing the advertising program. 
• Cooperate fully with transit and any successor contractor during the transition period, including staff briefings and technical guidance as needed.
- The security and confidentiality of any data collected through the advertising program, including advertiser information and payment records.
• Compile and deliver all sales data, client lists, inventory tracking systems, and ad history reports in a format accessible to transit. 
• During the transition period, provide access to any digital tools, templates, or internal tracking systems used for managing the advertising program. 
• Cooperate fully with transit and any successor contractor during the transition period, including staff briefings and technical guidance as needed.
- The contractor must comply with all applicable city of state laws, and federal regulations that govern advertising, procurement, and public transit operations.
• Comply with all applicable procurement, labor, accessibility, nondiscrimination, and environmental regulations as required by local, state, or federal law. 
• Ensure all advertising operations remain in compliance with FTA (federal transit administration) guidance, particularly around advertising revenue reporting and content restrictions (e.g., no tobacco, political endorsements, etc.). 
• Provide any certifications or documentation transit may require for audits or funding-related reporting.
- Transit frequently needs to communicate service updates, public service campaigns, or hiring initiatives to riders and the broader community. 
- To support these communications.
• Reserve at least 5 percent of total available exterior advertising inventory, or a minimum of 10 placements, for transit exclusive use at any given time, free of charge for ad space and installation. 
• Allow transit to utilize up to 5 interior ad spaces per bus for notices, rules, service changes, hiring campaigns, or other internal messaging, free of charge for space and installation. 
• Transit will be responsible for covering the production costs of all such materials. 
• Ensure that transit messages are installed and removed promptly and placed in high-visibility areas across the system whenever possible.
• Provide complimentary access to a portion of the advertising inventory for transit messaging, while transit will remain responsible for production costs.
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Pre-Proposal Conference (Non-Mandatory) Date: July 29, 2025