Communication Consultant Services

The Vendor is required to provide communication consultant services for performing natural resource damage assessments and engaging with settlements, litigation, and negotiations with responsible parties throughout state across different sites.
- The need for assistance in developing communication content and strategies aimed at increasing public relations and engagement, capturing institutional knowledge, creating cohesive narrative of long-term, complex site or project histories, and disseminating technical and legal knowledge for nonspecialized audiences.
- Audience research and strategy
•    Contractor will be expected to conduct environmental justices and stakeholder analysis to identify different audiences (e.g., citizens, industry professionals, NGOs, journalists, policymakers) to identify barriers to comprehension of legal jargon, technical complexity, or lack of accessible content. 
•    May be asked to map communication goals to connect audience needs to program goals and to review best practices from other agencies’ communication methods to provide advice to program on how to improve communication practices.
•    Contractor may develop and execute communication strategies to increase public awareness and understanding of technical and legal initiatives associated with the program and individual sites. 
•    This will require identifying what can be communicated out to support program public relations and engagement and what communication from the public or stakeholders can positively contribute to program projects.
- Content development
•    Project managers with key messages for different communication channels (e.g., press releases, web copy, FAQ sheets, project partner's social media). 
•    This may include developing explainer materials such as one-pagers, fact sheets, infographics, or other materials to break down complex materials or site and settlement histories. 
•    This will require working with subject matter experts within program to verify accuracy of information while simplifying content and assist program staff with talking points, op-eds, or other related documents for agency leaders that frame technical and legal material in relatable language.
- Digital and social media engagement
•    Develop social media or other campaigns that highlight bite-sized key messages from complex projects or sites with relevant project partners, partnering agencies, and co-trustees. 
•    This may include designing or building interactive tools aimed to improve knowledge and engagement of program as a program and program settlements, sites, or projects.
- Media and public relations
•    Write press releases and media advisories highlighting public impact of anything involving a public comment period, proposed new claim steps, implementation of restoration actions, technical reports, or project accomplishments. 
•    This may include preparing media kits with simplified backgrounders, FAQs, and visual aids for active sites to help journalists through technical and legal materials and site histories. 
•    May be requested to support media inquiries with clear, plain-language explanations, maintain a media contact list, develop guidance and training for staff on media
- Public engagement and outreach
•    May be asked to coordinate public forums, town halls, or listening sessions where citizens can ask about policy, legal, or technical concerns or questions. 
•    May be required to develop partnerships with community organizations and organizers to amplify outreach in hard-to-reach populations. 
•    This may include creating education materials to increase civic, technical, and legal literacy of sites and associated restoration activities.
•    Increase visibility strategies to develop agency reputation and trust in communities program works in and may organize staff training for better public outreach and engagement.