HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - 04/25/2016 (2)Lodging Tax Advisory
Committee Agenda
Mission: Promote the City as a destination
to increase tourism and business development
Committee Members: Bill Boyce, Chair, Tim Higgins, John Casey, Barbara Smith,
David Kwok, Andrew Hutchison, Josh Bang
City Staff: Ben Wolters, Julie Pulliam
AGENDA
April 25, 2016
4:00 p.m.
CENTENNIAL NORTH & SOUTH CONFERENCE ROOM
(ACROSS FROM ELEVATORS)
Item Description Action Speaker(s) Page
1. Welcome & Introductions NO Bill Boyce
2. Approval of Minutes of February 22, 2016 YES Bill Boyce 1
3. Genesis Agreement Update NO Mary Kae Repp 6
4. Seattle Thunderbirds Marketing Agreement Update NO Andrew Corona 12
5. Appointment of New Lodging Tax Committee Position YES Ben Wolters 14
Bryan Powell, Ramada GM
6. Ask – New Space Conference, June 2016 YES Bill Ellis 16
7. Ask – ShoWare 3 on 3, July 2016
& High School Basketball events, December 2016 YES Tim Higgins 19
Steve Turcotte
8. Ask – 28th Anniversary Pacific Northwest YES Elna Duffield 24
Historic Vintage Auto Races, July 1-3 Jennifer Wirkman
Motion: Move to approval the request for $3,000 for Sponsorship of the June,
2016 New Space Conference
Motion: Move to approval the request for $5,000 for Sponsorship of the 2016
ShoWare 3 on 3 and High School Basketball events.
Motion: Move to approval the request for $5,000 for Sponsorship of the 28th
Anniversary Pacific Northwest Historic Vintage Auto Races held July 1-3rd.
Motion: Move to approval the appointment of Bryan Powell to the Lodging Tax
Advisory Committee.
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Meeting January 13, 2016 page 2
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9. Approve Budget YES Ben Wolters 31
10. Marketing RFP YES Ben Wolters 32
Andrew Corona
11. Next Meeting Date: June 27, 2016, 4pm, Centennial North & South Conference Rooms
Unless otherwise noted, the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee meets every other Month on the 4rd Monday at 4:00 p.m.
in Centennial North & South Conference Room, 400 West Gowe Street, Kent WA 98032.
For information on the above item(s), or upcoming meetings contact Julie Pulliam (253) 856-5702.
Motion: Move to approval/deny/modify the RFP to be used to advertise for qualified
firms for the creation, implementation and performance documentation of tourism
promotion and marketing services for the city’s tourism program, Visit Kent.
Motion: Move to approval the amended Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Budget
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
February 22, 2016
Start Time 4:00 pm
Centennial Center Conference Room North & South
Committee Members Present: Josh Bang, Andrew Hutchison, Bill Boyce
Others Present: Ryan Hart, Andrew Corona, Jim Donner, Michelle Wilmot, Mary Kae
Repp, Colin Campbell, Jason Thompson, Andrea Keikkala, Ben Wolters, Julie Pulliam
Chair Boyce called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. Introductions were made.
Chair Boyce asked for any additions to the agenda. Seeing none, he called for
approval of the Minutes.
1. Approval of the January 14, 2016 Minutes.
Josh Bang moved and Andrew Hutchison seconded a motion to
approve the minutes of January 14, 2016. Motion passed.
2. Ask from Seattle Metro Jo Girls Fastpitch Tournaments – Jim Donner
Jim Donner, with ASA softball requested funds to support state and national
tournaments held in Kent. He stated he has worked with a number of hotels in
the past who have provided lodging for softball teams from out of state and out
of the country.
These tournaments bring a lot of impact to the community and it is possible that
open ceremonies could be held at Show Ware center. 136 teams have attended
previously. Seattle Metro is non-profit and the funds would be used to off-set
the cost of the tournament and also the rental fee for the fencing on the fields.
The rental fee is $220 per complex.
The national tournament brings about 40-50 teams and the other tournaments
brings about 200 teams every year. They will work with a company to help set
up hotels for tournaments. Committee would like for them to tell the company
that they need to book hotels in Kent. Jim Donner explains the families for the
tournaments are specific about rates, whether the hotel offers breakfast or not,
and if the tournament is rained out that they let them out of their room
obligation on the second night. Josh Bang stated he has had good experience
with the RFP for rooms. Andrew Hutchison said he has had little experience with
the RFP Company HBC and knows they want a $10 kick back from the hotels
which Hutchison would not be supportive of. Donner stated the Kent games
have grown and the majority of the teams stay in Kent and eat in the
restaurants.
Mr. Donner said he would like to have the tournament here each year. Hutchison
asked how many tournaments Donner handles a year, Donner replies, 28.
MOTION: Andrew Hutchison moved and Josh Bang seconded to move to
approval an ask for $5,000 for the 2016 Seattle Metro Girls Fast Pitch
Tournament. Motion Passed.
Budget Re-Organization– Ben Wolters
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Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
February 22, 2016
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Lodging tax operating fund as of December 31st 2015 amended proposal. Discussed
options for 2016 were based on past history and Wolters would like to change the
budget allocation for the year to more closely reflect where revenues are more
likely to be in 2016 as well as the committee’s expenditures.
Request to increase projected revenues to $275,000 keeping with 2015 estimated
actuals. Expenditures under marketing and branding are the budget line item we
have used to track our expenditure in developing visitkent.com and the work we
funded Genesis has done including our TV ad campaign. Ben states that he has
heard from many of the council members their desire to keep building on our work
from last year’s marketing plan.
Increase the Marketing line item to $190,000 which will include $20,000 that used
to be a separate line item for branding. Now marketing and branding are combined.
Decreased the amount for projects and events to $15,000, we have always
underspent in that category.
Proposed Amended budget of $293,000 requires us to dip into the fund balance for
about $18,500 leaving us a fund balance of $375,000.
Looking for approval or suggested amendments from the committee to be carried
forward. Wolters recommends the changes in budget go to the finance department
to be wrapped up in their quarterly budget update to city council.
4. Expansion of Committee Membership
City Council approved/reapproved expansion of the committee for 7 to 9.
Reapproved because the staff discovered that in the original ordinance the terms
were not specified and it needs to be in compliance with the RCWs that create the
committee. The next steps are as follows:
Andrea Keikkala, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, needs to have her
nomination formally approved before the City Council as one of the newly created
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Members.
There is still one position unfilled, per the RCW’s the committee would need to
recruit a representative from hotel community to fill this position. Geographically,
we do not have any representation in the area that includes; Comfort Inn, Ramada
Inn, Extended Stay, Days Inn, Howard Johnson, and a Holiday Inn Express.
Andrew Corona will be touching base with some to f the hoteliers to see if there is
interest.
Once both positions have been recruited and filled they will be put on the Council
agenda for the final approval of the Full Council.
5. Review Genesis Marketing Campaign options & Next Steps
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Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
February 22, 2016
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Taking the feedback gathered from the conversation held in January, Wolters asked
Mary Kae Repp of Genesis Marketing to put together 3 different proposals at the
$70,000, $100,000 and $150,000 levels.
The $70,000 is very basic what we should do to keep VisitKent website up to date
with maintenance and operations, and to build onto social media. $100,000 is
stepping it up even further and $150,000 is where we get back into doing things
such as TV ads.
In reference to a recommendation Barbara Smith sent in her absence, Ben voiced
Smith’s believes it would be difficult to have a staff member, along with all the
other needs of the program be able to keep the site current. Would the $70,000 be
able to pay for a staff person to do just the website? Wolters doesn’t see a positon
being put in place in 2016, if a position would be considered it will have to be put
into 2017-18 City Council Bi-Annual Budget.
Mary Kae would like the committee’s approval to participate on phone or Skype
meeting instead of traveling so the $3,000 spent on traveling in the proposal could
be allocated to other things such as hiring a local Kent photographer to take some
much needed photos.
Ben states that Julie and he will work with the IT department to see if Skype can be
arranged.
Mary Kae explains the difference in the 3 different proposed levels:
In $70,000 we gave up blogs and would continue with the website maintenance.
In the $100,000 proposal it allows for social media and blogs as well as keeping up
the website maintenance and on-line advertising.
Moving on to the $150,000 proposal, this will allow for allocated funds to opposing
cities the T-birds will be playing. We would be advertising our lodging and
promoting the team’s fans to come to Kent. We will want to continue with the sport
minded people campaign and focus on advertising in areas like Portland, Canada
and Tri Cities to convince them to stay the night and spend money in Kent when
visiting for T-Birds, Mariners, Seahawks and Sounders games. The $150,000 gives
us more opportunity to get a higher frequency of online marketing in other cities
and the contest part of it gives us an opportunity to show how fun it is to stay shop
and eat in Kent.
Ryan Hart stated that he believes the online marketing numbers are higher than
they need to be. He believes a similar amount of work can be done with less
money.
Andrea Keikkala asks if the marketing agreement has ever gone through the RFP
process. She stated concerns regarding an out of state company leading the way
on these projects rather than having a local company that better understands our
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Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
February 22, 2016
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market. She brings up the point of the 2009 Kent City Ordinance to shop local.
Wolters asked if there is a local firm that shows as much expertise.
The Committee discusses the possibility of reopening the bid to other companies for
continued work on this project.
Mary Kae Repp suggests considering doing 6 months at the $150, 000 level minus
the 22 for the purpose of the possibility of Genesis not getting the bid. If a new
marketing company were to be selected they may want to go in a completely
different direction.
Wolters states that he believes Genesis is one of the lower cost firms in this market
and that it we took time to look at other firms. We wanted to move forward in a
timely and cost effective matter and Genesis has done this for us. Hutchison stated
he felt starting over with a new marking firm at this point would not be a Wolters
agrees with committee member Andrea that it is a lot of money and we are in a
place where we have something more established with a point of reference, it may
be the right time to open the RFP process so we can compare our options in the
market place. To do an RFP process would give the committee a broader
understanding of what the options are and how we may want to guide the
marketing of Kent. Wolters only concern is in continuity and not losing the value of
what has been created over the last year or so. So Wolters suggestion is going with
the 6 month amended version of the $150,000 proposal keeps the momentum
going and gives the Committee time to start the RFP process if that’s what the
committee choses to do.
Chair Boyce stated he felt the 6 month agreement with Genesis while the RFP
process is underway would be appropriate.
Josh Bang stated the key component is the contests and agreed on the 6 month
term with Genesis.
Chair Boyce stated going through this process will show we have a proven process
moving forward.
Hart stated we have a point of reference now and an RFP process will confirm we
are going in the right direction.
MOTION: Ryan Hart moved and Josh Bang seconded to move to approve a
six month term for Genesis marketing for $70,000. Motion Passed.
6. Other Marketing Options/Proposals/Next Steps
Jason Thomson gave a revision to the last proposal from the T-Birds.
From the feedback from the last meeting the T-Birds brought forth additional
options and feedback.
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Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
February 22, 2016
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Colin spoke on how the T-Bird have relationships regarding marketing and
promotion among hockey fans, creating long term partnerships with companies
such as Les Schwab, Fred Meyer to state a few.
Jason stated last year we booked almost a thousand nights of rooms between
teams and fans while coming for hockey games. One thing he believes is a big
marketing tool is having the VistitKent.com on the back of the bus so when they go
into Tri-Cities, Spokane, and Portland and all over Western Canada people will see
VisitKent.com and will be curious to look it up.
There will be on the bottom corner of the print at home tickets, it says “for more
information on what can be done or where to stay go to VisitKent.com”. Since 40%
of our tickets are print at home, this is a strong message that allows us to get info
into the hands of people who are now on their way to the event.
T-Birds stream their games on Video Bug live, on the bottom of the streaming it will
also have the VisitKent.com promoting coming to Kent when their team travels here
for a games.
Other items offered are radio spots will happen over the hockey season, presence
on the Thunderbird website, E News on twitter feeds, and in house TV.
Wolters asked about tracking, how will heads in beds be measured? Measurable will
be come up with for tracking stays.
Chair Boyce stated this is hard to track but it is part of how we need to measure
per the State requirements.
The presentation of this revised proposal will cost $49,400
Ryan Hart stated this proposal has a lot of value to get the brand and VisitKent.com
more visual.
Keikkala loves this proposal and especially since the Thunderbirds are our home
town team.
Colin Campbell suggested the agreement starts in March 2016 and ends in April
2017.
Wolters stated he likes how this proposal supports the branding element.
MOTION: Andrew Hutchison moved and Josh Bang seconded to move to
approve an agreement with the Seattle Thunderbirds in the amount of
$49,400 to begin March 2016 through April 2017. Motion Passed.
Adjournment - The meeting was adjourned by Chair Bill Boyce, at 6:40 pm.
Respectfully submitted by Julie Pulliam, Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Secretary
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VisitKent.com $70,000
March 1 – August 31
Organic SEO & Website Updates
• March - September
• Search Engine Optimization- to increase search rankings on search engines
• Keep the website relevant on the front end & back end including:
o Editing pages for online marketing
o Updating calendar of events
o Changing up seasonal verbiage
o Staying up to date with search algorithms
o Staying up to date with current search terms
• Website Updates including but not limited to:
o Hotel booking agent through booking.com.
Genesis will create a one sheet that shows what the booking
agent will look like – steps that the consumer will take—what
percentage does hotel booking take out of the hotels. Send to
MBRA to send to hotel operators for approval
o Creation of new landing pages to match 2016 Kent Personalities
campaign
Action Plan per meeting with Ben & Andrew on March 28th
• Genesis will send a monthly plan to Andrew for input in advance of doing
SEO work.
• March prior to this plan Genesis Marketing did the following:
o Blog transfer to live 100% on VisitKent.com instead of Word Press.
o Google Algorithms have recently changed and the Word Press blog was
not working to increase SEO as well as it should. Because of this, we
moved all blogs to have their own page on VisitKent.com,each blog
with its own unique URL.
o Per Andrew’s request we updated the calendar and added all of the T-
birds games
o Updates to the website to feature First Washington’s Lego competition
• The April action plan was sent to Andrew on April 6th, 2016- see attachment
titled April SEO Plan for additional details
• May’s plan will be emailed to Ben and Andrew by April 26th
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Social Media Management
• March – September
• Write and post 3 social media posts a week to Facebook, Google +,
Instagram and Twitter.
• This includes finding and using relevant photos & trending hashtags to
increase engagement and website awareness
o Genesis contract started March 1st. January & February were at no
charge and September will also be at no charge.
Blog Posting
• March - September
• 8 blog posts per month to include research, copywriting, and providing photos for
the VisitKent.com blog
o Images will be provided and taken by Dana or obtained via permission
from necessary entities (i.e. ShoWare)
o The City of Kent will have the rights to use and share any images taken
personally by Dana without providing photo credit or additional
compensation outside of this contract.
o The City of Kent agrees that Dana may still use the latter photos in any
manner at her discretion.
• Side Note- We were able to pay Dana out of last year’s contract for the 1st quarter of
blog writing. In addition, Dana is very accommodating and is willing to tailor her posts
to our needs for SEO and to match the proposed personality campaign.
Creative/Marketing Plan
Our marketing plan is to support and enhance the previously approved section of the
website that highlights “Kent Personalities”. The “Kent Personalities” idea and section
has been on the website since the launch and has thus developed an established idea
with returning website visitors.
100% of this campaign will be designed to promote why people will come to and stay
in Kent, WA while also providing a sense of relatability to consumers.
The following plan is broken out into 4 phases.
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Phase 1: Viral Social Media Quiz- Live date May 5th
Which Kent Personality are you?
• WHY create a viral social media quiz?
o It will give visitors a sense of ownership and relatability to Kent that will
inspire them to travel to and stay in Kent.
• HOW will we do this?
o Visitors will take a multiple question quiz that asks them questions
related to things to do in Kent.
o Based on their answers, the quiz will pick from a set of Kent
Personalities and assign that Kent Personality to the quiz taker. The quiz
taker will then be able to share their results with their friends on social
media.
They will also be able to
• Click on a link that will give them a coupon to use in Kent
that fits their personality (working with Downtown
Association and Kent Station for coupons).
• Provide their email to sign up for monthly newsletters
o Personalities will be:
Foodie
Sports Nut
Outdoor Enthusiast
Entertainer
Family Fun Seeker
Art Aficionado
Ultimate Experience Seeker- All 6 personalities
o Quiz will live on VisitKent.com. The results page will allow the quiz
taker to share with friends, thus increasing visitors the website and
increasing intent to travel to Kent.
o This quiz will be very similar to quizzes found all over Facebook and on
BuzzFeed. See this link for a simple example
http://www.buzzfeed.com/agh/what-flavor-of-starburst-are-
you#.eoLDPq0Ka
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o We will create 2 versions of the quiz to ensure optimal performance.
Version 1- quiz takers must enter their email in order to read
their results.
Version 2- quiz takers will be given the option to enter their
email for future newsletters. Once the 1st contest is live, quiz
takers will also be given the opportunity to enter after providing
us with their information.
o The plan is to have a live/ working rough draft of the quiz for the
meeting on April 25th.
• WHAT do we expect it to accomplish?
o Increased night stays in Kent
Phase 2: Contesting
All Contests will align with the Kent personality theme as well as target those going
to Seattle Sports events to stay in Kent.
Each contest will include the following:
• Creation of a web page to feature winners and their experiences
• Creation of a contest page (3) and custom bounce back response
o Initial Construction
o Simple text edits for other 2
• Custom email sent out to winners giving suggestions on fun things to do in
town (3)
Contest 1 - June – “Entertainer”
• 2 tickets to The Avett Brothers
o Premium seats
• $500 in gift cards to shop at local businesses in Kent. Gift card selection will
be guided by and approved by Ben, Ryan, Michelle, & Andrew.
• 2 night stay at Hampton Inn
• 2 $50 gift cards to restaurants of the boards choice
Contest 2 – July – “Sports Nut”
• 2 Tickets to Seattle Sounders Game
• Riverbend Golf 18-Holes
• 2 Night Stay Best Western
• 2 $50 gift cards to restaurants of the boards choice
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Contest 3 – August – “Sports Nut”
• 2 Tickets to Thunderbirds game
• 2 Tickets to Seahawks game
• 2 Night Stay at Marriott
• 2 $50 gift cards to restaurants of the boards choice
Each contest winner will be asked to send us photos and a video to share on our
social media sites and website
Phase 3: Online Marketing
• Run Dates: May 5 – August 31
• Monthly campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, & Google Remarketing.
• Campaigns will focus on:
o Contest Entries
o Encouraging people to take the Viral “Personality Quiz”
o Generic -promoting staying in Kent and focusing on the Personality
Theme
Phase 4: Monthly Tourism Newsletter
• Twice a month E-newsletter to go out to those who have signed up for
newsletters on website and who have entered the contest.
o June, July, August, September
T-Birds sponsorship Support
Since the Genesis 6 month contract ends September 1st, the plan is to use some of
the budget to set Kent up with a successful sponsorship with the T-birds.
The T-Birds sponsorship includes the below. Genesis will work to produce these items
so they are ready to go at the start time of the T-Bird sponsorship:
• TV spot :30
o We will create 7 ads of Cool Bird doing fun things around Kent. Each ad
will focus on a different Kent Personality. These ads will rotate
throughout the hockey season. *This is not a TV schedule that Genesis would
book and is a part of the T-birds sponsorship.
• All art requirements included in the T-Birds sponsorship
o We will follow the Kent Personality theme and create a different version
for each personality
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• Instagram standups: Life size cut outs of Cool Bird holding an Instagram
frame. 7 versions, 1 for each personality
• :30 radio spot
o We will create 7 spots to use throughout the T-Birds season. These ads
will focus on the Kent Personalities theme and invite sports fans to take
the Kent Personalities Quiz. *This is not a radio schedule that Genesis would
book and is a part of the T-birds sponsorship.
Total Amount Proposed
SEO/Website Updates: $3,500
Social Media Management: $2,400
Blog Posting: $2,800
Creative/Contesting: $8,600
Online Marketing Spend: $33,575
Online Marketing Management Fee: $5,925
T-Birds Partnership: $13,200
Overall Amount: $70,000
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Exhibit A
(Advertising elements)
The value of these individual elements are $73,600. The total net package price of this Agreement is $49,400
payable as follows:
25% due 30 days upon signing ($12,350)
25% due June 30, 2016 ($12,350)
25% due Sept 30, 2016 ($12,350)
Remaining balance due December 31, 2016 ($12,350)
This Agreement runs from March 1, 2016 through May 1, 2017
TEAM BUS - (Package Price - $14,000 | August 2016 – May 1, 2017)
Advertiser will receive logo placement on the back of the Team bus. All signage elements must meet with signage
standards set for by the Team and must receive design approval by the Advertiser before production and installation. This element
will begin with the wrapping of the Team bus for the 2016-17 season.
WEBCAST - (Package Price - $10,000 | March 1, 2016 – May 1, 2017)
Advertiser will receive logo placement on the Team’s webcasts that originate from the Team’s Arena. All signage elements
must meet with signage standards set for by the Arena and the Team.
PRINT AT HOME - (Package Price - $2,400 | March 1, 2016 – May 1, 2017)
Advertiser will receive One (1) print at home ad space on the bottom of all print at home tickets for the Team’s Home
Games. All signage elements must meet with signage standards set for by the Arena and the Team.
DASHER BOARD SIGNAGE - (Package Price - $12,000 | March 1, 2016 – May 1, 2017)
Advertiser will receive Two (2) dasher board ads placed in mirror image. All signage elements must meet with signage
standards set for by the Arena and the Team.
PROMOTIONAL NIGHTS - (Package Price - $0 | March 1, 2016 – May 1, 2017)
Advertiser will have Two (2) promotional nights each season. On each of these nights the Advertiser will receive One (1)
table on the concourse in which to hand out information and promotional materials. Any cost associated with the
information or promotional materials are outside of this Agreement and are the sole responsibility of the Advertiser. The
details of these nights will be finalized by August 1 st of each year for the upcoming season.
VIDEO SCOREBOARD - (Package Price - $2,500 | March 1, 2016 – May 1, 2017)
Advertiser will have One (1) thirty second “in house” television commercial that will run on the video scoreboard at Team’s
Home Games. Advertiser will provide a broadcast ready commercial to the Team to be played on the video scoreboard.
PROGRAM - (Package Price - $0 | March 1, 2016 – May 1, 2017)
Advertiser will receive One (1) half-page ad in the Team’s digital game night program.
RADIO - (Package Price - $8,500 | March 1, 2016 – May 1, 2017)
All 72 regular season and playoff games are broadcasted on Thunderbirds Radio. Advertiser will provide broadcast ready
radio spots to the Team. Your radio package includes:
– Four (4) :30 second commercials for each of the Team’s games broadcast on the radio
– One live read during each game
– Inclusion in the Opening and Closing Billboards
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WEB - (Package Price - $0 | March 1, 2016 – May 1, 2017)
Team website - The Advertiser’s logo will be placed on the partnership page of Team’s website. In addition, Team will link
Advertiser’s logo back to Advertiser’s website.
Advertiser Team
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BRYAN D POWELL
905 Cherry Street, 203 ♦ Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206-954-1406 ♦ Email: bdpowell73@comcast.net
I have over 20 years of experience in the hotel and hospitality industry. I worked my way up from the front desk to
the general manager. I enjoy working with the public and making their stay at my property the best it can be. I
strive to create mutually beneficial business and community relationships.
For the last two years I’ve had the privilege of being the General Manager of the Ramada Hotel on 84th Ave S in
Kent, WA. Prior to being named General Manager I was the Direct of Sales and Marketing. Throughout my time at
the hotel I’ve worked hard to maintain and foster our relationship with the Kent community. I am active in the
Kent Chamber of Commerce and my hotel has hosted numerous Chamber meetings. My hotel is a proud sponsor
of the Seattle Thunderbirds – it’s a relationship that has been going strong for the last seven years. In addition to
working with the Thunderbirds my hotel is extremely proud of our partnership with the South King County Activity
Center (SKCAC), an organization that seeks to empower people with developmental disabilities through gainful
employment. In 2014 my hotel was recognized by the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment
for our partnership with SKCAC.
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BRYAN D POWELL
905 Cherry Street, 203 ♦ Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206-954-1406 ♦ Email: bdpowell73@comcast.net
EXPERIENCE:
Ramada Hotel – Kent, WA
General Manager May 2014 – Present
Responsible for maximizing revenues.
Responsible for preparation of property budget and forecasts.
Explains and manages financial activities. Reconcile all financial accounts.
Recruits qualified applicants. Trains employees in accordance with company standards.
Ensures that employee related issues are resolved in a manner consistent with company policies.
Participates and monitors monthly inventory of supplies and equipment. Ensures purchases made are within
budget and by approved vendors.
Holiday Inn & Suites – Kent, WA
Director of Sales and Marketing June 2010 – May 2104
Develop strategy, tactics, sales plans and profit targets.
Develop relationships with clients.
Represent the business at trade fairs and networking events.
Manage revenue channels on the GDS, OTA’s and branded website .
Respond to RFP’s in CVENT, LANYON and Meeting Broker.
Washington Self-Insurers Association – Olympia, WA
Event Coordinator April 2006 – September 2008
Event Registration.
Membership Recruitment.
Contract Negotiation.
Days Inn – Port Orchard, WA
General Manager March 2003 – September 2006
Manage daily operations for 55 room hotel with a banquet facility.
Recruitment and hiring of personnel.
Responsible for preparation of property budget and forecasts.
Holiday Inn – Poulsbo, WA
Assist General Manager June 2001 – March 2003
Responsible for personnel, accounting, and Office Administration.
Train new employees in guest relations and standard operating procedures.
Assisted with Marketing and Sales.
Community Involvement:
Member of Kent Chamber of Commerce
SKCAC Partner
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Page 1
Kent Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
2015-2016 Funding Request Application
The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee’s Mission:
Promote the City as a destination to increase tourism and business development.
Guidelines for applying for grants from the City of Kent’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Who may apply? Youth and amateur sports associations, schools, teams
Community/regional events organizations,
business/trade associations, event associations and
individuals. Approved Tourism Facilities.
How to submit? Complete and submit applications on line, or at a
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Meeting, or mail a
completed original grant proposal form plus two copies
to the address below.
Where to submit? City of Kent
220 4th Ave. S.
Kent, WA 98022
Attn: Julie Pulliam
When are the deadlines? July 1, 2016 and September 1, 2016 with funds to be
distributed as requested in approved application.
What is the grant size? Between $250.00 and $5,000.00, however, the
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee reserves the right to establish
any grant amount it sees fit, regardless of the amount
applied for.
Where can I direct questions? Call Julie Pulliam at 253-856-5702
Each grant will be judged against specific criteria. The committee will review the extent
to which the proposed project is consistent with the strategic goals of the Lodging Tax
Advisory Committee and shows potential for tourism and hotel stays.
OBJECTIVES:
The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee’s 3 Strategic Goals
Creating Partnerships
Branding Kent as a Destination
Sports Commission
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Page 2
1. Who else is funding this project? The City of Kent, WA Department of Commerce, Blue
Origin, Edelman, Planetary Resources, Vulcan Aerospace, Museum of Flight, Spaceflight
Industries, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Space Angels Network, Systima Technologies, Ball
Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Washington Aerospace Partnership, SEDS-USA.
2. What is the total budget for this project? TBD
3. How does your project fit with the goals of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee?
Creating Partnerships
Branding Kent as a Destination
Sports Commission
Creating Partnerships (New Space Frontier and WA Space Coalition), Branding Kent as a
Destination for future events as well as regional space industry hype events—still in
planning.
4. How many night stays do you anticipate generating from your project?
The project will generate additional stays in the future based upon the partnerships
created. This will bring attention to the advanced capabilities of Kent and the many high-
tech companies of the Kent Industrial Valley, and as such, lines it up to be successful in
recruiting more events to Kent facilities.
Project Name: New Space Conference 2016
Project Background:
Project Leader: Name and Title
Brandon Seifert, Co-Chair, NewSpace Conference, brandon.seifert@spacefrontier.org,
612-723-1664
Other individuals involved in writing and/or implementing this grant:
Name: Title: Contact:
Name: Title: Contact:
Name: Title: Contact:
Amount requested: $TBD
DEADLINE FOR APPLYING (please circle one): July 1, 2016 or September 30, 2016
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
On a separate page(s), briefly describe the project you are proposing in two parts. In the
first part, please briefly (in 250 words, or less) provide and overview of your project, (1)
including how the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee’s goals will be met, (2) how the funds
will be used and how you will be able to track hotel stays and what your methodology for
tracking will be. Catalogs, pictures or brochures are appropriate to demonstrate
equipment, supplies or other items(s) requested.
17
Page 3
In the second part, please specifically address the following in your proposal:
How many room nights do you expect to collect? Have you asked for money in the past?
What were the results? How many overnight stays did the event create?
Where and when will the project take place? Please include start and completion dates?
What will benchmark the projects progress?
Please limit your entire application response to two pages.
FINAL REPORT
If your request is granted for funding from the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC)
you will be expected to provide at the next LTAC meeting after your event a full report on
your final project with the number of stays created. And a completed 2015-2016 Event or
Tourism Facility Lodging Tax Expenditure Report Form.
Attached: Form
Approved for funding
Declined funding
18
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20
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23
Page 1
Kent Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
2015-2016 Funding Request Application
The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee’s Mission:
Promote the City as a destination to increase tourism and business development.
Guidelines for applying for grants from the City of Kent’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Who may apply? Youth and amateur sports associations, schools, teams
Community/regional events organizations,
business/trade associations, event associations and
individuals. Approved Tourism Facilities.
How to submit? Complete and submit applications on line, or at a
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Meeting, or mail a
completed original grant proposal form plus two copies
to the address below.
Where to submit? City of Kent
220 4th Ave. S.
Kent, WA 98022
Attn: Julie Pulliam
When are the deadlines? July 1, 2016 and September 1, 2016 with funds to be
distributed as requested in approved application.
What is the grant size? Between $250.00 and $5,000.00, however, the
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee reserves the right to establish
any grant amount it sees fit, regardless of the amount
applied for.
Where can I direct questions? Call Julie Pulliam at 253-856-5702
Each grant will be judged against specific criteria. The committee will review the extent
to which the proposed project is consistent with the strategic goals of the Lodging Tax
Advisory Committee and shows potential for tourism and hotel stays.
OBJECTIVES:
The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee’s 3 Strategic Goals
Creating Partnerships
Branding Kent as a Destination
Sports Commission
24
Page 2
1. Who else is funding this project? BMW Northwest; Hagerty Collector Car Insurance;
Private (non-business)donors; In-Kind business donors.
2. What is the total budget for this project? $291,435.00
3. How does your project fit with the goals of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee?
Creating Partnerships
Branding Kent as a Destination
Sports Commission
As the second biggest motor sporting event held at Pacific Raceways, the Pacific NW
Historics attracts racing enthusiasts (both drivers and spectators) from up and down the
Pacific coast. The race attracts thousands of spectators to the Kent area for a period of
three days as well as regional car clubs and racers who travel here from Canada, Idaho,
Montana, Oregon, California and other destinations. Many local businesses support our
event through in-kind donations and we encourage our out-of-town racers to explore the
local area.
4. How many night stays do you anticipate generating from your project?
1-4 nights – Participants generally arrive the a day or two before the event and stay
Through the weekend. The 2016 Historic races will be from July 1-3. There is another
vintage race in Portland the following weekend and some participants stay on in the area
to vacation. We generally have about 200 racers participating with approximately 40%
from out of the area. We also have around 300 cars participating in the Car Corral with
about 20% from outside the Seattle area.
Project Name: Pacific Northwest Historic Races
Project Background:
The Pacific Northwest Historic Vintage Races were started in 1989, at Pacific Raceways, by
the Society of Vintage Racing Enthusiasts (SOVREN) Car Club as a small local car race. In
1991, SOVREN joined with the SOVREN Guild of Seattle Children’s Hospital to create the
second largest vintage car race in both Washington State and on the Pacific Coast.
Although in the beginning the SOVREN Car Club had been able to donate some of the
profits from the race to local charities, when it joined with the guild, its only beneficiary
became Seattle Children’s Hospital. The races grew quickly and gained a reputation up
and down the Pacific Coast as one of the favorite destination races for both racers and
spectators alike. Although the club has been invited by other Washington State race
venues to re-locate the Historics to their facilities, because of the amenities that the City
of Kent can provide such as affordable and plentiful overnight accommodations, a variety
of restaurants, easy access to major highways and more, the club has chosen to stay at
Pacific Raceways. In 1989, there were about 60 cars competing in the weekend long
event and only a couple of hundred spectators…that year, the races had a profit of $3500
which was donated to The Museum of Flight and Mary Bridge Hospital. In 1991, when it
combined with the SOVREN Guild, there were over 100 race cars, close to a thousand
spectators and the races were able to donate over $35,000 to Uncompensated Care at
Seattle Children’s. Since 1991, the races have increased in the number of race cars and
spectators (around 5-6,000) and now on the 25th Anniversary of the SOVREN Guild and
the SOVREN Car Club’s partnership, we will surpass the 10 million dollar mark in
25
Page 3
donations to the hospital. This would not have happened without the teamwork not only
of the car club and the guild but also the support of local Kent businesses such as
Republic Service, Meadosweet Farms, Thermo King, Les Schwab, Plush Pippen Pies, Valley
RV Superstore, FSA, Encore Foods, White River Buddhist Temple, Kent AM Kiwanis and
more. They have been true partners in supporting the races and Seattle Children’s
Hospital.
Project Leader: Name and Title
Elna Duffield, SOVREN Guild, Event Coordinator
Jennifer Wirkman, SOVREN Guild, Event Coordinator
Contact email
Elna: L.Duffield@comcast.net / Jennifer: Jennifer_SOVREN@frontier.com
Contract phone Elna – (206) 779-5046 / Jennifer – (425) 444-4665
Signature
Other individuals involved in writing and/or implementing this grant:
Name: Jerri L. Chase Title: President, SOVREN Guild Contact:(206) 406-7790
Name: Title: Contact: -
Name: Title: Contact:
Amount requested: $ 5,000.00
DEADLINE FOR APPLYING (please circle one): July 1, 2016 or September 30, 2016
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
On a separate page(s), briefly describe the project you are proposing in two parts. In the
first part, please briefly (in 250 words, or less) provide an overview of your project, (1)
including how the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee’s goals will be met, (2) how the funds
will be used and how you will be able to track hotel stays and what your methodology for
tracking will be. Catalogs, pictures or brochures are appropriate to demonstrate
equipment, supplies or other items(s) requested.
In the second part, please specifically address the following in your proposal:
How many room nights do you expect to collect? Have you asked for money in the past?
What were the results? How many overnight stays did the event create?
Where and when will the project take place? Please include start and completion dates?
What will benchmark the projects progress?
Please limit your entire application response to two pages.
FINAL REPORT
If your request is granted for funding from the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC)
you will be expected to provide at the next LTAC meeting after your event a full report on
your final project with the number of stays created. And a completed 2015-2016 Event or
Tourism Facility Lodging Tax Expenditure Report Form.
Attached: Form
26
Page 4
Approved for funding
Declined funding
27
Kent Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
2015-2016 Funding Request Application
Pacific Northwest Historic Vintage Races (PNWH)
Project Description:
The Pacific Northwest Historic vintage race is a 3 day, wheel-to-wheel competition that
features over 200 pre-1985 race cars competing on the challenging 2.25-mile Pacific
Raceways road course. Approximately 200 pre-1985 race cars participate and this year
will feature Corvettes. Other marques include Mustangs, Camaros, Porsches, Alfa
Romeos and Ferrari; back by popular demand, the BMW Pro-3 racing group. Competitors
come from California to Western Canada. Besides the race cars, the event also includes
showings from the regions’ best car clubs with a total participation of over 300 collector
& car club vehicles on display throughout the race weekend. We are interested in
promoting the Historics as a destination event to racing enthusiasts from outside of King
County including the I-5 Corridor, Eastern Washington, Olympic Peninsula, Western
Canada, Oregon and California.
The Kent Lodging Tax grant would be used to help promote the races through radio,
television, social media, car shows and print. We would promote the use of Kent
accommodations by both participants and spectators through several means. The
SOVREN Car Club can promote Kent lodging facilities to racers through their online
bulletin board communications and FB account and the PNWH website and FB page can
do the same for spectators. Tracking lodging use could be done with a short survey as
spectators enter through the ticket gate and we are looking into our credit card
processing system to see if it tracks billing zip codes, which would give us an indication
of our attendees’ home locations. Most efficient, would be partnering with Kent lodgings
to offer a “promo code” for a discount on accommodations or, a combined
“Lodging/PNWH VIP” package that is advertised through our event advertising, website,
FB and flyers. Another potential way to promote Kent tourism/lodging, is to provide
“give-away” packages to our contracted radio stations, that include accommodations.
28
The Pacific Northwest Historics will take place on July 1-3, 2016 at Pacific Raceways
(Fact Sheet included) and will create a need for overnight accommodations for 1-4
nights. Participants and some spectators may arrive as early as Wednesday or Thursday
(June 29/30) and, because there is another vintage race the following weekend in
Portland, some may stay until July 4th or 5th. Although the Historics has been held at
Pacific Raceway for 28 years, we have never attempted to coordinate and/or collect
accommodation fees from our racers or the attendees. We have also never requested
money from the Kent Lodging Tax Advisory Committee in the past.
It is difficult to estimate the number of rooms that might be used throughout the race
weekend. An estimate would be that it would generate around 50-100 bookings. It
should also be noted that each year the SOVREN Car Club holds two additional races at
Pacific Raceways, the Spring Sprints in April and the Fall Finale in September. Although
not as large as the Historics, these races would also attract both participants and
spectators that would need for lodging.
This would be the beginning of a long-term partnership with the City of Kent and the
SOVREN Car Club and the Pacific Northwest Historics to build the races into a destination
event that would benefit both entities into the future. As with any new adventure, it will
take time for the word to get out to the general public but by using the Lodging Tax
grant to help increase our advertising budget, we can start this process immediately.
29
FACT SHEET 2016
28th ANNIVERSARY- PACIFIC NORTHWEST HISTORICS
VINTAGE AUTO RACES
DATE: July 1st – 3rd, 2016
LOCATION: Pacific Raceways, 31001 144th Ave. S.E., Kent, Washington 98042 (Off State Highway 18)
TIME: 8:30 a.m.: gates open
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Friday qualifying in morning and racing
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday/Sunday racing (Two sessions per race group)
TICKET PRICES: Adults: $25 one-day pass Friday, Saturday or Sunday, $40 multiple day pass
Children age 7 - 16: $5 per day
Children 6 years and under are free
Full color programs - $5.00
VIP Parking $5.00 / Field Parking FREE
Tickets available at the gate or online through Brown Paper Tickets
EVENT DESCRIPTION: The Pacific Northwest Historics features many of the world’s rarest and most beautiful pre-1985 race cars. This year the
featured marque is the Corvette. Other favorite marques include BMW, Mustangs, Camaros, Porsches, Alfa Romeos and
Ferrari will also be racing. Also, back by popular demand is the Pro-3 racing group. Some less recognizable names like
Marcos, Devin, and Piper will be also racing. Most are in mint condition through extensive restoration, and many attain
straightaway speeds in excess of 150 miles per hour. Competitors come from all over the West Coast and Canada. The
wheel-to-wheel competition runs on the challenging 2.25-mile Pacific Raceways road course that includes nine turns, a
200-300 foot elevation drop, and a nearly ¾ mile straightaway. The paddock area and infield offer unparalleled access to
spectators and everyone is invited to see the cars and drivers close up between races.
FEATURED DISPLAY: Celebrating the excitement and thunder of 60 years of Corvette racing. Ever since the first event back in 1956, Corvette
racing has been a staple for people throughout the United States who get thrills from big engines, mad horsepower and
speed. Come and see some of the NW finest Corvettes on display and racing at this year’s Historics.
FEATURED RACE GROUP: Cooper Racing Cars was founded in December 1947 by Charles Cooper and son, John Cooper. They began by building
racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, UK in 1946. Through the 1950s & early 1960s, they reached auto
racing’s highest levels as their rear-engine, single-seat cars altered the face of Formula One and the Indianapolis 500. Their
Mini Cooper dominated rally racing as well. The Cooper name lives on in the Cooper versions of the Mini production cars
that are still built in England, but are now owned and marketed by BMW.
SPECIAL EVENT: Pro3 Demo Track Experience - Ride shotgun in a BMW PRO3 Race Car and experience five exciting laps around the
road course at Kent’s Pacific Raceways on July 1.2 and 3rd. Price - $250 per seat. Limited seats available. Contact:
Elna at L.Duffield@comcast.net for more information.
GUEST CELEBRITY: Lyn St. James - The first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, seven Indianapolis 500 starts, 31
International & National closed circuit speed records in a 20-year period, two 24 Hours of Daytona wins (1987 & 1990), a
12 Hours of Sebring win (1990), raced twice in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, competed in SCCA Trans-Am races, IMSA GT races,
and received the Rolex Award of Excellence. St. James was named one of Sports Illustrated for Women "Top-100 Women
Athletes of the Century", and in 2010 Automotive News named her "One of the Top 100 Women in the Automotive
Industry". Founder of Women in the Winner's Circle Foundation, a nonprofit organization for the education, training, and
advancement of women in automotive fields and created the Women's Sports Foundation Project Podium Scholarship
Grant, St. James has proudly coached & mentored many women in the automotive fields.
CAR CORRAL: An additional 300+ vintage and collector cars from local car clubs will be on display in the car corral throughout Friday,
Saturday and Sunday.
PRESENTERS: Society of Vintage Racing Enthusiasts (SOVREN) and SOVREN Guild of Seattle Children’s Hospital
SPONSORS: Presenting Sponsor: BMW Northwest / Associate: Pacific Raceways / Supporting: Hagerty Insurance
BENEFICIARY: The majority of the proceeds benefit uncompensated care at Seattle Children’s Hospital. The SOVREN Guild is also proud
to be a Research Champion through its’ sponsorship of the Seattle Children’s Research Science Adventure Lab. Celebrating
our 25th Anniversary, the SOVREN Guild will surpass 10 million dollars in donations to Children’s in 2016. Our goal for
2016 is $480,000.00
MORE INFORMATION: Web: http://northwesthistorics.com/ You may also find the SOVREN Guild on Facebook.
Or, Event Coordinators: Elna Duffield - Email: L.Duffield@comcast.net
Jennifer Wirkman – Email: jennifer_SOVREN@frontier.com
30
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RFP Introduction and Summary
Kent, Washington requests proposals from qualified firms for the creation,
implementation and performance documentation of tourism promotion and
marketing services for the city’s tourism program, Visit Kent. This is a one-year
contract for services which begins September 1, 2016 with two one-year options to
renew. The overall budget for this contract has not been established, but it is
anticipated that approximately $100,000 to $150,000 will be available for the
delivery of tourism promotion and marketing services, including media placements
and a limited availability to do special campaigns annually. Final allocation will be
subject to the approval of Lodging Tax Advisory Committee and the Kent City
Council.
Proposals are due by COB Wednesday, May 27, 2016. All interested firms should
submit one hard copy and one electronic copy to:
Ben Wolters, Economic & Community Development Director
City of Kent
400 West Gowe Street
Kent, WA 98032
bwolters@kentwa.gov
Background
Kent, Washington is located in the heart of the Seattle-Tacoma metroplex only
seven miles from SeaTac International Airport, 19 miles south of Seattle and 19
miles northeast of Tacoma. Incorporated in 1890, Kent is the second-oldest and
third largest city in King County with a population over 125,000. Kent is the sixth
largest city in the state of Washington.
Kent is a major industrial and economic driver for the region, home to nearly 5,000
businesses including Boeing, Oberto Sausage, Blue Origin, Amazon, Flow
International, Tazo Tea and one of five Starbucks roasting plants. It is the fourth
largest manufacturing and distribution center in the United States. More than 138
languages are spoken in Kent’s primary schools and its two colleges – Green River
and Highline A growing population of hundreds of international students call Kent
home, bringing cultural fluency and a worldwide perspective to this growing
community.
Located in the heart of the Green River Valley, Kent’s breathtaking setting features
views of Mount Rainier and the Cascade and Olympic Mountains. The city boasts its
own natural wonders including the Green River, Lake Fenwick, Lake Meridian, Green
River Natural Resources Area, and a robust system of parks and trails.
Kent is also home to ShoWare Center, a 6,500 seat, 154,400 square-foot multi-
purpose arena. Completed in 2009, ShoWare Center is home to the Seattle
Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League, Tacoma Stars of the Major Arena
Soccer League and the Seattle Mist of the Legends Football League. The first LEED
32
Gold multi-purpose sports and entertainment arena in the nation, ShoWare Center
hosted 220 events, sold nearly 296,000 tickets and had 414,000 visitors in 2015.
Last year ShoWare ranked 95th in the United States and 181st in the world for
concert arenas, according to Pollstar.
In addition to its lush landscape, robust sports and recreational activities, and
thriving industry, Kent award-winning schools, and offers a wide variety of
shopping, dining and cultural options for its residents and visitors. Highlights
include Kent’s Historic District, Kent Station, the Kent Historical Museum, Pacific
Raceways and a range of entertainment options as well as restaurants, coffee shops
and pubs.
Statement of Need
The city is in need of tourism promotion and marketing services and wishes to
contract with an experienced and qualified consultant to create and implement
multi-media tourism marketing services that will result in increased business and
number of tourists to the City of Kent. The city would like for these efforts to build
upon the previously completed multi-step branding exercise (see ‘brand statement’
attachment), providing a consistent representation of Kent that balances the need
for an increase in overnight hotel stays as well as enhancing local, regional and
national awareness, shedding unfavorable stereotypes and shifting perceptions of a
place among audiences consistent with the common vision for Kent’s future.
Scope of Work
Strategic assessment – Review the current strategy that is in place and make
recommendations for adjustments or changes that need to be made, including but
not limited to target audience, marketing channels, marketing opportunities, etc.
Website – Refresh and manage the city’s tourism website – VisitKent.com – to
promote local businesses and events to residents, visitors and businesses; develop
content for the website; update and enhance the website with new event
information; link the website to the City of Kent and other regional travel promotion
sites; ensure the site and content utilizes good SEO practices; and website-related
opportunities and functions.
Social Media – Maintain existing social media sites to support tourism marketing
efforts and recommend additional social media platforms that may be suitable.
Update and enhance social media platforms regularly with new, relevant content
and engage potential visitors and residents.
Publications – Develop, design, deliver and distribute marketing collateral materials
to build awareness of Kent’s positive attributes and attract visitors.
Branding, Advertising and Media Relations – Create content; utilize print, online,
radio and video to target travelers; submit regular news releases to local media
regarding events; create and implement innovative promotional campaigns to drive
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visitors to visit local businesses; identify potential marketing needs of the city by
analyzing available advertising media to determine suitable advertising media for
the city; and other related branding and advertising activities. All efforts should
Market Research – Track website and social media analytics and report on them
regularly; track advertising success rates via click throughs, website landing pages,
etc; and submit regular reports on marketing efforts.
Communication – Regularly communicate with the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
and other key stakeholders to advise of progress and opportunities, make
recommendations, convey concerns and listen to ideas and suggestions offered by
relevant individuals and entities.
Budget – Create advertising and marketing budgets for city events and promotional
activities; secure, manage and track sponsorships and paid advertising for events.
Range for these activities, including special campaigns is $100,000-$150,000
annually.
Miscellaneous – In addition to the above, analyze our existing efforts and make
suggestions for marketing and content opportunities we have not yet explored and
make recommendations on what could be done better or differently. Also, be
prepared to provide strategic marketing support on special projects or initiatives as
assigned by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, should time and budget permit.
Form of Proposal
Cover Letter – A cover letter must be submitted with the proposal. The cover letter
should indicate the full name and address of the bidder that will perform the
services described in this RFP. The bidder must indicate the name and contact
information for the individual who will be the senior contact person for the
responding bidder for this engagement. The cover letter must include identification
of any and all sub-consultants of the bidder. A person authorized to bind the
proposer to all commitments made in the proposal must sign the letter.
Knowledge of the Kent Community – The bidder should furnish a narrative of how
the bidder is familiar with Kent and the Puget Sound tourism economy. The
narrative should identify past marketing and tourism related experience in the city
and region.
Experience and Qualifications – The bidder should clearly state its skills and
experience in a manner that demonstrates its capability to complete the Scope of
Work. If applicable, please highlight projects in which members of your proposed
project team have worked together. Consultants should highlight their
qualifications and experience (i.e., relevant case histories, including government
and economic development organization experience with sufficient detail,
information and/or access to online demos or examples). Consultants should
demonstrate their knowledge of best practices in marketing and website design for
tourism and economic development organizations. Consultants should detail their
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brand and web development process (i.e., explain the process they will follow,
including major milestones and evaluation); address usability standards and
testing; and address any important technology information and specifications used
in the solution. Each proposer shall also furnish a list of up to five
references/clients including names, addresses, phone numbers, and principal
contacts in which the proposer has provided similar advertising and marketing
services.
Approach – The bidder shall set forth its overall technical approach and plans to
meet the requirements of the RFP. This should convince the committee that the
bidder understands the objectives that the engagement is intended to meet, the
nature of the required work and the level of effort necessary to successfully
complete the engagement. The responding bidder should also set forth a detailed
work plan indicating how each task in the Scope of Work will be accomplished,
including an outline of a proposed work and a timeline for key milestones and
completion of the Scope of Work.
Projected Costs/Budget – The bidder should provide a detailed matrix of estimated
costs to provide the services, with the media buys being a part of the services
provided. Such costs should be presented in a budget format that itemizes actual
expenses for marketing, administration and creative services. Costs should not
exceed budget range of $100,000 - $150,000 annually.
Organization – The bidder should include an organizational chart including all key
team members, their resume and the amount of time each member will spend on
this engagement, based on a forty hour work week. If the responding bidder is a
“joint venture”, there must be included a clear statement of responsibility
associated with each member and/or entity of the joint venture.
Evaluation
Proposals will be evaluated by City staff, Lodging Tax Advisory Committee members
and members of the City Council. The selection team will evaluate all proposals
submitted, and select based the evaluation those to be interviewed. The selection
team reserves the right to request additional information to clarify the content of
the proposal. The selection team reserves the right to accept the proposal it
considers most qualified and serves in the Kent’s best interest. Selection criteria
may include, but may not be limited to the following:
Successful, demonstrated experience in developing and implementing
tourism promotion and marketing/advertising plans.
Ability to effectively communicate with a cross section of Kent businesses,
residents and stakeholders
Approach to completing the Scope of Work
Organization/communication skills
Estimated Timeline
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Deadline for Proposals: May 27, 2016
Selection: June 27, 2016
Contract Start Date: September 1, 2016
Questions
Questions regarding the Scope of Work may be directed to Andrew Corona,
Economic Development Analyst, at acorona@kentwa.gov or (253) 856-6405
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