Media Research Buying and Analysis Consulting Services

The Vendor is required to provide the work of the in-house team on an as-needed basis, by providing a combination of strategic media buying support services including but not limited to media research; recommendations and refinement; media buying, execution and trafficking; and media buying tracking, analysis and adjustment based on outcomes.
- Media mix should be developed to effectively reach the target audience in support of various marketing, communications, branding and outreach campaigns.
- Develop Strategic Marketing & Media Plans
•    Create integrated marketing and media plans with multiple touch points to maximize message impact with the target audience by achieving optimal reach and frequency within provided budget.
•    Utilize a comprehensive list of media options to create a media plan with gross impressions and cost-per-mille clearly identified, with value-added promotional opportunities included in the plan.
•    Provide recommendations and rationale for media mix and budget breakdown.
- Broadcast Media
•    Television – Research television advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on most current rankings against target audience. Media plans should include total number of spots, spot length, gross rating point’s achieved, cum audience, total reach, frequency, and household impressions.
•    Radio – Research radio advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on most current rankings against target audience. Media plans should include total number of spots, gross rating points achieved, cum audience, total reach, frequency, and gross impressions.
•    Podcasts and Streaming - Research podcast and streaming advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on most current rankings against target audience. Media plans should include total number of spots, gross rating points achieved, cum audience, total reach, frequency, and gross impressions.
- Digital
•    Connected TV/OTT – Research streaming video advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on geographic, demographic and psychographic filters against campaign target audience. Media plans should include estimated views, reach and gross impressions.
•    Geo-Fencing/Targeting – Research geo-fencing mobile app advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on geographic, demographic and psychographic filters against campaign target audience. Media plans should include estimated reach and gross impressions.
•    Online Distribution – Research media website and/or app network advertising opportunities as part of media buys or as stand-alone buys; provide recommendations for final media buy based on demographic filters and keyword-based SEO/SEM against campaign target audience. Media plans should include estimated reach, average click-through-rate and gross impressions.
•    Google Ads/Google Ads Manager – Research google advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on demographic and geographic filters and keyword-based SEO/SEM against campaign target audience. Media plans should include estimated reach, average click-through-rate and gross impressions.
- Direct Marketing
•    Digital Banner Ads in E-Newsletters – Research e-newsletter advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on geographic and demographic filters against campaign audience. Media plans should include newsletter subscribers, audience breakdown, average open rate, average click-through-rate and gross impressions.
•    Dedicated E-Blasts – Research custom e-blast advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on geographic, demographic and psychographic filters against campaign target audience. Media plans should include e-blast audience numbers, audience breakdown, average open rate, average click-through-rate and gross impressions.
•    Direct Mail/Mailers – Research direct mail/unique mailer opportunities; provide recommendations for final marketing plan based on geographic; demographic and psychographic targeting, and creative opportunities to reach audience based on campaign alignment.
- Transit Shelters – Research out-of-home advertising opportunities; concentrating on transit shelters, including bus shelters and bicycle docking station kiosks; provide recommendations for final marketing plan based on geographic and demographic targeting to reach target audience based on campaign alignment.
- Display Opportunities – Research alternative out-of-home display advertising opportunities, particularly event based or high-traffic opportunities, including, but not limited to, kiosks, wraps, sponsorships and other unique out-of-home display; provide recommendations for final geographic and demographic targeting to reach target audience based on campaign alignment.
- Social Media
•    Meta PPC – Research Meta advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on demographic, geographic, behavioral, and interest filters against campaign target audience. Media plans should include estimated reach, estimated clicks, estimated cost-per-click and/or cost-per-result and gross impressions.
•    LinkedIn PPC – Research LinkedIn advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on demographic, geographic, behavioral, and interest filters against campaign target audience. Media plans should include estimated reach, estimated clicks, estimated cost-per-click and/or cost-per result and gross impressions.
•    YouTube PPC – Research YouTube advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on demographic, geographic, behavioral, and interest filters against campaign target audience. Media plans should include estimated reach, estimated clicks, estimated completed views, estimated cost per-click and/or cost-per-result and gross impressions.
•    TikTok PPC – Research TikTok advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on demographic, geographic, behavioral, and interest filters against campaign target audience. Media plans should include estimated reach, estimated clicks, estimated completed views, estimated cost-per-click and/or cost-per-result and gross impressions.
- Print
•    Newspaper and Magazines – Research relevant newspaper and print advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on geographic, demographic, and psychographic make-up of audited circulation and readership against campaign target audience. Media plans should include monthly readership, print distribution/circulation, and rationale and estimated gross impressions.
•    Specialty Publications – Research specialty publications including trade magazines, special issues, annual directories, special event distributions and other similar advertising opportunities; provide recommendations for final media buy based on geographic, demographic, and psychographic make-up of audited circulation and readership against campaign target audience. Media plans should include monthly readership, print distribution/circulation, and rationale and estimated gross impressions.
- Media Buying & Execution
•    Placement – Place all media buys based on the elements of the approved plans beginning with the rate negotiation and securing added-value promotions based on the District’s strategic priorities. Request insertion orders, contracts or agreements as required by each media outlet. Coordinate with the District to secure all necessary signatures and Task Authorizations (TA).
•    Trafficking – Provide media with final produced assets, confirm delivery and receipt of all assets for each media partner with the district. Secure invoices for all placed media, including broadcast audits where applicable. Check all invoices and/or audits against original proposals and insertion orders, negotiate make-goods, credits, discounts or other opportunities as needed for all media not run as scheduled or proposed, and provide the District with final invoices for payment.
- Media Campaign Analysis
•    Analyze all placed media campaign’s performance with regards to media partner’s performance, budget performance/cost efficiency, under and over delivery of audience, gross impressions vs. website traffic, and overall campaign performance, and make recommendations for improvement of future campaigns.
•    Broadcast Analysis – to include spot dates, times, programs, total # of spots, GRPs, estimated vs. actual gross impressions and CPM.
•    Digital Analysis – to include dates, platforms, specific creative, frequency, total clicks, click-through-rate, estimated vs. actual gross impressions and CPM.
•    Direct Marketing Analysis – to include dates, platform, specific creative, total subscribers, total opens, open rate, total clicks, click-through-rate, estimated vs. actual gross impressions and CPM.
•    Out-of-Home Analysis – to include posted dates, estimated traffic, estimated vs. actual gross impressions and CPM.
•    Social Media Analysis – to include dates, platform, number of followers, total number of campaign posts, combined reach, combined clicks, combined engagement, click-through-rate, estimated vs. actual gross impressions and CPM.
•    Print Analysis – to include run dates, sizes, audited circulation, readership and CPM.
- Media Landscape Research & Analysis
•    Consult with the District on an as-needed basis for non-campaign and campaign specific media buying strategies, research and landscape analysis to provide overall broadcast media rankers, new media trends and outlets, performance and recommendations, or landscape media research for specific industries and target audiences when applicable.
•    Local/Regional Media – Provide overall audit of local media landscape in any areas listed above, which may include but not limited to, rankers, reputation, audience insights, influencers, etc.
•    National/International Media – Research broader media landscape in specific focus areas such as tourism, within any of the areas listed above, to provide the District with recommendations on focus areas, audience usage trends, new opportunities for reaching target audience.
•    Industry Specific/Audience Specific Media - Provide overview of trade or industry specific marketing opportunities, regional and trade specific publications, trade specific conferences, sponsorships, and digital, direct or other advertising opportunities within a specialty target audience, industry, or subject. Examples include but are not limited to the District’s five sub-brands: Maritime (cargo, industrial), Waterfront Development (real estate development, blue tech), Public Safety (law enforcement, homeland security), Experiences (travel, tourism and hospitality) and Environment (pollution prevention, water quality, sustainability)

- Contract Period/Term: 3 years
- Information Meeting Date: November 12, 2025
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: November 20, 2025