Advertising Media Placement and Other Related Services

The Vendor is required to provide advertising media placement and other related services.
- Two separate advertising contracts:
1) Media placement services and
2) Production Services.
- Services provide:  
• Strategic planning and consulting
• Media placement – media buys and inventory management
• Account management
• Budget and billing management
• Reporting and performance analysis
• Other related media initiatives and services
- Strategic planning and consulting services  
• Develop a comprehensive advertising media placement plan with effective strategies to reach the state’s diverse population and integrate these marketing efforts to achieve the stated goals of the marketing department (“plan”); this plan must be updated annually or as directed by agency marketing team and achieve the following objectives:
• Increase public awareness of agency products and its mission to support education.
• Enhance agency brand awareness and extend the reach of agency messaging throughout all media placements.
• Identify and implement innovative strategies that reach across all relevant media platforms and advise  agency of implementation strategies for advertising media not currently utilized by agency, including any media related innovations that become available after the start of the contract.
• Identify new approaches to establish and enhance relations with agency statewide television draw partners that play a critical role in conveying a positive image of agency through their telecasts of lottery drawings.
• Present and propose media purchasing strategies that target media markets at local and statewide levels.
• In conjunction with agency, develop a budget plan that maximizes the utilization of all media purchases and media placement, advising agency of new trends, and report the estimated costs of any contemplated modifications to the plan.
• Develop and consider other beneficial strategies or goals that the contractor and agency may incorporate during the term of the contract.
- Media placement - media buys and inventory management
• Provide quality advertising media placement services that reach across all relevant and emerging communication channels in a professional manner consistent with media industry best practices; the contractor will purchase media, in all its forms, including local broadcast (television and radio), print and digital media, outdoor billboards, and any other media format required to meet agency needs throughout the course of the contract; minimum requirements include:
• Media Buys
1. Identify and evaluate potential media placement opportunities and become familiar with competitive bidding requirements; provide agency with estimates and obtain approval and authorization from agency prior to the purchase.
2. Maintain partnerships with agency television draw partners that telecast agency draws and feature lottery broadcasts; initiate communications with stations for media opportunities, negotiate pricing, renew and/or cancel media based on performance (i.e. comparing the number of estimated and scheduled airings to actual airings or broadcasts, etc.).
3. Negotiate cash alternatives for any non-cash incentives or rewards offered for the purchase of media or other services to reduce costs; recommend cost cutting or, at the very least, cost containment and “bonus spots” or value-added options (which amount to greater services for the same price or reduced pricing for media placement) during the term of this contract; non-cash incentives or rewards will neither be accepted nor used by the contractor.
4. Review/evaluate all media placement proposals relating to special events, promotions, and sponsorships; prepare institute analysis (with post-event evaluations of performance, total cost, etc.) to assist marketing team in determining advertising effectiveness and optimization.
5. Verify and provide proof of performance for the broadcast, display, or publication of all requested media placements according to contracts and placement instructions through management and ongoing performance evaluations.
6. Develop weekly (or as otherwise directed) status reports detailing status and timelines of all planned, open, and pending jobs; prepare and submit quarterly pre and post- evaluations for all media purchases; provide detailed spreadsheets and/or other reports acceptable to agency that tracks the ongoing expenses and remaining balances relating to the plan, and recommend potential cost savings when applicable.
• Inventory Management
1. The contractor shall ensure media inventory is well-managed to minimize any potential shortages or overages of stock and responsible for the timeliness of the movement and replacement of media inventory; the contractor must make recommendations to agency of any changes to be made to existing spot inventory, including inventory of media schedules purchased from media vendors such as television stations and billboard companies.
2. Prepare and provide monthly and/or quarterly reports with updated media inventory status as directed by agency.
- Account Management
• Provide an experienced, dedicated account team member that will work collaboratively with the lottery’s marketing department. a single point of contact will be committed to agency account and work with agency marketing team and provide continuous feedback/evaluation on the status of media placement performance, opportunities to optimize performance, and recommend adjustments to better satisfy agency marketing objectives.
• Create and implement a systematic approach to evaluate the effectiveness of agency plan by analyzing appropriate metrics based on the goals of the campaign and the tactic/content used.
• Monitor, stay knowledgeable of, and keep agency informed on emerging advertising trends and media platforms that may be relevant in the development and implementation of agency plan.
• The contractor shall meet with agency as necessary, but not less than semi-annually, to review the quality and level of services.
• Make oral or written presentations and/or briefings regarding agency marketing campaigns at agency board of commissioners meetings, other meetings, conferences, or other events upon the request of agency.
• Media services account manager will collaborate directly with agency marketing team, as well as, the production services contractor to ensure cohesion between the developed creative and the purchased media.
- Budget and Billing Management
• Due to the size of the lottery’s advertising budget, a dedicated account billing manager will be required to work directly with the lottery’s marketing and finance teams and be capable of performing the following tasks.
• Process and reconcile large volumes of invoices associated with media placement vendors; agency estimates the typical volume of invoices generated is approximately 2,500 per year.
• Provide agency with billing for all media related purchases at net cost; the contractor must not markup goods or services purchased on behalf of agency; in addition, the contractor must fully disclose and credit agency with any discounts or special offers that the contractor received through any media related purchases made on behalf of agency.
• Be familiar with all aspects of the billing records associated with this contract and be readily available to address issues posed by agency , responding promptly by phone or email during business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. et, Monday through Friday.
• Pay media vendors in a timely manner in accordance with the billing terms set forth by each media vendor and have processes in place to prevent outstanding past due invoices and any fees associated with past due invoices; any outstanding invoices unpaid past the date of the media vendors’ payment terms should be resolved immediately.
- Reporting and performance analysis
• The contractor will provide monthly and quarterly account management reports, including progress reports and budget reports itemized by project estimates, accounting documentation (accounts payable aging analysis), and other financial information necessary to comply with the contract payment terms and conditions established by agency; the contractor will ensure all invoices, authorization forms, and all other correspondence include the agency reference name and job order number.
• The contractor shall utilize the necessary tools and processes to monitor, maintain, and improve the institute effectiveness of all media buys with specific and detailed information related to media placement, data analytics, and post-buy institute analyses that utilize new rating information for the buy period, when available.
• The contractor will generate post buy reports on a quarterly basis that indicate whether the reach, frequency, and gross rating point (grp) goals of each buy were achieved; if goals were not achieved, the report shall contain a make good report where bonus spots were issued.
• The contractor shall provide agency with any additional media related or performance reports upon request on a regular or infrequent basis throughout the term of the contract.
• The contractor will maintain all contract and financial related records for audit purposes for the duration of the contract term and for three (3) additional fiscal years past the contract end date.  records should include, but are not limited to, media buys, proof of performance, billing records, job orders, bank records and payment transactions as directed by agency ;  all contract related transactions made by the contractor are subject to inspection and audit during normal hours of operation; records may be stored at agency main office upon the contractor’s request and agency approval.
- Other related media initiatives and services  
• The contractor will learn agency processes, culture, and expectations and provide a high level of quality account service no matter the timelines or deadlines imposed, including any needs that require attention outside of normal business hours.
• Assist agency in identifying and developing experiential and promotional programs that engage new, potential, and existing players; assist agency with recurring promotional partnerships, sports sponsorships, local and regional events, and other similar events or projects on an as needed basis; pre and post-media buy evaluations must be provided for these events.
• Provide advice and/or develop a plan to enhance agency public relations program as it relates to media relations, crisis communications, event management, and cross-cultural outreach.
• Conduct market research studies to assist agency with understanding consumer and retailer behaviors (studies may be ad hoc or ongoing projects that are qualitative or quantitative in nature); and perform retail audits that measure the quality of service provided to players through mystery shopping and other techniques (i.e. recall tests, copy and motivation tests, and media weight tests).
• Provide any other media related services as requested by agency.  
- Contract Period/Term: 3 year