Brand Development for Tourist-Oriented Blue Ridge Rising Programs

RFP No: 2026-010

KEY MILESTONES

RFP Issue Date:

August 14, 2026

Deadline for Questions:

Aug 25, 2026, 1:00 pm Eastern Time

Response to Questions:

Sep 2, 2026, 4:00 pm Eastern Time

Proposals Due:

Sep 15, 2026, 4:00 pm Eastern Time

Award Notification:

On or around October 2026

Required Project Completion Date:

No later than April 30, 2027

Request for Proposals
RFP No. 2026-010

Issued by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, in partnership with Friends of Southwest Virginia

Answers to questions submitted by potential applicants have now been posted below as Appendix A at the end of the original RFP.

1. KEY MILESTONES

See key milestones above or in the attached PDF. All applicants, including the selected consultant, will be notified following the selection process.

2. INTRODUCTION

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation (Foundation or BRPF), in partnership with Friends of Southwest Virginia (Friends), requests proposals from qualified entities to lead the development of a new brand for the tourist-oriented components of the Blue Ridge Rising program. Blue Ridge Rising (blueridgerising.com) marks the first time in the Parkway’s 91-year history that all 29 parkway-adjacent counties in Virginia and North Carolina are working side-by-side to implement economic development strategies with wide-ranging benefits for the Parkway’s neighboring communities. These strategies emphasize travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation.

The Blue Ridge Rising name and brand will continue to support efforts to bring community and agency partners together to develop and implement the Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan. The new “tourist-facing” brand will serve a different purpose and audience, helping to unify and advance the tourist-oriented strategies in the action plan in order to attract and serve visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway and its gateway communities. Those strategies include, but are not limited to, a new regional travel website, wayfinding and signage, curated travel itineraries, and marketing to various travel audiences. This new branding effort must be comprehensive, including brand purpose (vision, mission, values); target audience(s); brand positioning / market differentiation / unique value proposition; identity/persona/voice; name; logo; color palette; tagline; and any other appropriate content.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is being issued and managed by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation (BRPF or Foundation), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

3. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most visited units of the National Park System with over 16 million visitors in 2025. Parkway visitation annually exceeds visitation at Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon national parks combined. This 469-mile ribbon of road was envisioned as a designed landscape that highlights nature along its route from Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Parkway travels through 12 counties in Virginia and 17 counties in North Carolina, connecting rural mountain communities and the larger cities of Roanoke, Va., and Asheville, N.C. To learn more about the Blue Ridge Parkway, visit nps.gov/blri/index.htm.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is also the primary catalyst for travel and tourism in the region, serving as a unifying element for the 29 counties through which it passes, engendering a shared regional identity, providing a common link of interest, and contributing to regional economic vitality. While most people focus on the natural and cultural resources along the Parkway, rural economic development is one of the Parkway’s foundational goals. To a considerable degree, the Parkway has succeeded on that front. The Blue Ridge Parkway generates more than $1.9 billion of positive annual economic impact to the adjacent communities.

Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation works closely with the National Park Service, gateway communities, donors, and other partners to preserve culture and history, protect natural resources, ensure economic prosperity, and create more fulfilling experiences now and for future generations. Thanks to many generous donors, the Foundation has provided more than $24 million to support Parkway projects since 1997. The Foundation also manages programming at the Parkway’s Blue Ridge Music Center; operates the Parkway’s historic Bluffs Restaurant; and leads the Kids in Parks program, which has grown to more than 370 “TRACK Trails” in 18 states and the District of Columbia. For more information about the Foundation, visit brpfoundation.org.

Blue Ridge Rising

In 2023, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation launched Blue Ridge Rising to unite the Parkway’s 29 neighboring counties and develop regional strategies to support tourism, outdoor recreation, and related economic development. More than 500 community stakeholders participated in dozens of in-person listening sessions and planning discussions. The resulting Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan provides a community-led blueprint for the next three to five years. (To view the action plan, go to blueridgerising.com/action-plan.) BRPF continues to serve as the lead organization and coordinating partner for implementing the plan.

The 51 strategies in the action plan are organized across six themes: marketing, visitor experience, unified regional voice, resource protection, workforce education, and capacity building. Developing a regional brand is one of the strategies within the marketing theme. Since publishing the action plan, project leaders have further developed and refined that branding strategy, and this RFP represents the next key step in bringing that idea to fruition.

Friends of Southwest Virginia

While the Blue Ridge Rising effort includes dozens of partners throughout the Parkway corridor, Friends of Southwest Virginia is the Foundation’s primary partner on an ARISE grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) that is helping to implement many of the strategies in the action plan.

The mission of Friends of Southwest Virginia is to preserve, promote, and present the cultural and natural assets of Southwest Virginia (SWVA); to work in partnership in the region to generate economic development through these efforts; to provide educational and cultural opportunities for the general public and students of the region; and to showcase the cultural assets of SWVA at the SWVA Cultural Center & Marketplace (formerly Heartwood). Friends of Southwest Virginia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. To learn more, visit friendsofswva.org.

4. PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND CONTEXT

The issues discussed below provide general context for the branding effort. This text is not comprehensive of all branding activities or components, and some of the ideas presented here may be revised and improved during the branding process.

Brand: The new brand will help to unify and advance the tourist-oriented strategies in the Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan, with a goal of attracting and serving visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway and within its gateway communities. Tourist-oriented strategies include, but are not limited to, a new tourist-facing regional travel website, wayfinding and signage, curated travel itineraries, and related marketing efforts.

Audience: The branding effort focuses on visitors/tourists traveling to and within the 29-county Blue Ridge Parkway corridor, with “visitors/tourists” broadly defined as anyone traveling more than 50 miles from their primary residence. Additionally, the brand must cultivate a shared, cohesive identity that enables local communities and businesses to effectively promote the region to visitors.

Strategic Application: The selected consultant must develop a brand toolkit with clear guidelines on the practical applications of the overall brand identity, while illustrating how the brand can be used and promoted, including how, when, and why each brand element should be used to achieve the desired outcomes in tourism and regional alignment. Applications of the brand include, but are not limited to, print, electronic media, website, social media, wayfinding/signage, events on or near the Parkway, and product development.

Regional Identity and Partner Alignment: The brand and branding elements should have their own identity that complements the brands of other key partners serving the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor, such as the Blue Ridge Parkway and local and regional tourism agencies.

5. PROJECT BUDGET

Proposals exceeding $100,000 will not be considered. Applicants should not assume the full $100,000 is available.

6. FEDERAL FUNDING AND PAYMENT FOR SERVICES

This branding effort is supported in large part by a federal grant administered by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). Any contract resulting from this RFP will be subject to all applicable federal laws, regulations, and grant requirements, including but not limited to 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards). Bidders will be checked against the debarment and suspension list at sam.gov. If the bidder is debarred or suspended, they will not be eligible to be selected.

Payment to the selected consultant shall be made on a reimbursement basis, tied to the completion and acceptance of agreed-upon deliverables, and subject to the availability of grant funds. The Foundation does not guarantee the availability of federal or ARC funds and reserves the right to modify or terminate the contract if funding is reduced, delayed, or discontinued. The Foundation is committed to transparency and will make every effort to communicate any such developments promptly with the selected contractor.

Additional federal funding language, including invoicing requirements, allowable costs, and documentation standards, will be included in the final contract.

7. SCOPE OF WORK

Research and Analysis

Qualitative and Quantitative Research: Create and implement a brand research plan combining existing data with stakeholder input to identify and evaluate key elements of the region, current perceptions, recognition, and regional brand effectiveness.
Focus Group Facilitation: Lead fully virtual or fully in-person focus groups (no hybrid sessions) with community leaders, tourism agencies, business owners, and other key stakeholders to capture local insights and opportunities.
Tourist Perspective: Utilize surveys, focus groups, research, and other tools with current and/or potential tourists to the Parkway region to help inform the branding process.
Community Engagement and Narrative Testing: Employ creative public involvement tactics to ensure that community, partner, and business community leaders are aware of and involved in the research and/or narrative testing of the project.
Competitive Analysis: Audit competitor market positioning and regional branding strategies.
Success Metrics: Establish KPIs and measurement frameworks to evaluate brand success.

Project Management and Stakeholder Alignment

Advisor to the Branding Action Team: Serve as strategic lead and advisor to the internal branding action team, primarily composed of BRPF and Friends staff and community stakeholders with relevant tourism and marketing branding expertise. Lead regular virtual alignment meetings throughout the project lifecycle.
Process Facilitation: Coordinate workflows, milestone tracking, and stakeholder communications to ensure timely reviews and seamlessly executed deliverables.

Brand Identity and Logo Design

Scoping and Refining the Brand: Utilize research, analysis, and discussion with the branding action team to develop the foundational elements of the branding effort, such as vision, mission, values; target audience(s); positioning / market differentiation / unique value proposition; and identity/persona/voice.
Concepts and Revisions: Develop and present at least three distinct brand concepts, including name, logo, and tagline, for branding team review, followed by an iterative revision process to refine the preferred concept based on stakeholder feedback.
Design Versatility: Produce a complete logo suite optimized for print, web, billboards, banners, products, and signage with the following specs:
- Full-color and black-and-white variations.
- Vertical, horizontal, and standalone icon/wordmark options.

Strategic Brand Alignment and Implementation

Brand Standards and Guidelines: Develop a brand guide/toolkit that clearly communicates brand standards, implementation, and management to guide usage, ensuring visual and messaging consistency, while maintaining suitable flexibility across target audiences and participating partners.
Brand Activation and Promotion: Provide actionable recommendations on brand articulation, target market segmentation, protocols for brand use by third parties, and promotional avenues to drive awareness locally, regionally, and nationally.

8. QUESTIONS AND RFP UPDATES

Submit any questions about this RFP in writing to projects@brpfoundation.org, no later than 1:00 p.m. EDT, August 25, 2026, with RFP No. 2026-010 in the subject line. Submitted questions and responses to those questions will be posted no later than 4:00 p.m. EDT, September 2, 2026, on the same webpage where the original RFP appears: blueridgerising.com/rfp-opportunity/branding.

There will be no in-person or virtual meeting to discuss this RFP. Verbal comments provided by any party, including but not limited to Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation staff and Friends of Southwest Virginia staff, shall not be binding. If it is necessary to update or revise the RFP in whole or in part, e.g., to extend the proposal deadline, that information will be shared on the same webpage where the original RFP appears: blueridgerising.com/rfp-opportunity/branding.

9. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must include the following elements. The total proposal should not exceed 20 pages, excluding resumes and references.

A. Title Page Include, at a minimum:

Company name
Website
Address
Telephone number
Primary contact name and email address.

B. Executive Summary Provide an overview of the firm’s proposed approach to the project.

C. Company Information Include, at minimum:

Description of the firm and core services
Organizational capacity and staff size
Resumes of key personnel to be assigned to the project
Contact information for three professional references.

D. Qualifications and Relevant Experience Include:

Relevant experience designing comprehensive tourist-facing or consumer-facing brand identities, incorporating brand purpose, positioning, market differentiation, unique value proposition, logos, taglines, etc.
Examples of similar projects completed and their results
Experience facilitating stakeholder engagement
Experience working in Appalachian communities or rural regions
Familiarity with regional tourism or destination marketing.

E. Project Methodology and Timeline Describe:

Proposed methodology to conduct a comprehensive branding effort to meet the objectives listed in this RFP.
- This section should make clear how the applicant will determine/achieve key aspects of a comprehensive branding effort, such as brand purpose (vision, mission, values); target audience(s); brand positioning / market differentiation / unique value proposition; identity/persona/voice; name; logo; color palette; tagline; and any other appropriate content.
- Each applicant should feel free to use their own list, terminology, definitions, and ordering/sequencing of key branding elements and steps.
Any additional steps, phases, branding exercises, or approaches deemed relevant or necessary for successful brand creation, launch, stewardship, etc.
Project management and communications approach
Proposed methodology for stakeholder engagement and data collection
Approach to facilitating branding action team meetings and focus groups
Methodology for identifying and prioritizing recommendations
Schedule of work: a detailed timeline including milestones and deliverables
Anticipated challenges and proposed mitigation strategies.

Note: The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology for any of the elements listed above. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

F. Budget Information

The proposed budget must include a clear overall price, and within that, a detailed financial breakdown itemized by the following specific project phases and operational requirements:

A detailed financial breakdown itemized by the four phases of the Scope of Work and operational requirements:
- Research and Analysis: All-inclusive costs associated with creating and executing the brand research plan, analyzing existing and competitor market data, preparing for/facilitating all focus groups and brand testing, and establishing success metrics. This section must account for the specific logistics of conducting distinct, fully in-person sessions and separate, fully virtual sessions.
- Project Management and Stakeholder Alignment: Costs for serving as advisor to the branding action team and for process facilitation.
- Brand Identity and Logo Design: Costs associated with the development of initial creative concepts, the presentation of three (3) distinct draft logos/brands/names, and the execution of at least two (2) rounds of revisions on the selected concept.
- Strategic Brand Alignment and Implementation: Costs for the final delivery of the brand standards guidelines, asset toolkit formatting, and actionable implementation recommendations.

The budget should include an itemized schedule showing proposed billing rates per project member per hour, and the estimated number of hours dedicated to each of the four phases listed above.

Travel and Other Expenses; Administrative/Indirect Expenses
- Travel: Transportation, meals, lodging, and incidentals for contracted staff.
  - Please note that BRPF has a separate amount of funds available to assist, as needed, with the travel costs of project participants (e.g., members of the branding action team, focus group participants). These travel funds for project participants are separate from the available funds for this branding RFP/contract and should not be included in the applicant’s proposed project budget.
- Other out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., focus group hosting materials, or asset licensing). All such expenses must be capped and built directly into the overall fixed price; unexpected or unitemized surcharges will not be accepted.
- Administrative/indirect costs.

G. Additional Information (Optional) Include any additional information deemed relevant to the proposal.

10. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Interested firms must submit proposals no later than 4:00 p.m. EDT, on September 15, 2026, by email, as a single PDF attachment to: projects(at)brpfoundation.org, with RFP No. 2026-010 in the subject line. Submissions received after the due date/time will not be considered. Please, no phone calls.

11. EVALUATION CRITERIA

The contract will be awarded to the responsible vendor whose proposal is determined to be responsive to this RFP and represents the best overall value, considering both qualitative and cost factors. Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria and relative weights:

Project Approach, Methodology, and Schedule (40%): Includes the quality and feasibility of the proposed methodology, stakeholder engagement approach, understanding of project objectives, and ability to complete the work within the proposed timeline.
Qualifications, Experience, and Regional Knowledge (40%): Includes experience in all aspects of comprehensive branding efforts, preferably including branding efforts related to tourism, marketing, a mix of urban and rural destinations/regions, and/or the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor.
Cost Proposal (20%): Includes overall cost-effectiveness and value provided relative to the proposed scope of work.

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Friends of Southwest Virginia reserve the right to seek clarification of proposals, reject any or all proposals, and make an award in the best interest of the project and funding requirements.

APPENDIX A – Questions from Potential Applicants

The questions below are presented and answered in the order received

1. Do you already have a preferred sitemap or wish list for website pages and features, or would you like us to lead that process and make recommendations?

This Request for Proposals (RFP) focuses exclusively on branding, not the creation of a website. Therefore, this question is not relevant to this RFP, it will not be answered at this time. An RFP for our regional travel website will be issued in the next few weeks. All RFPs are posted at https://blueridgerising.com/rfp-opportunities/.

2. Are there any special functions or integrations (for example, an event calendar, itinerary planner, interactive map, or directory) you know you’ll need?

Please refer to the answer to Question 1.

3. Should our team create all website content including photography, copywriting, and graphics, or will you provide some existing assets?

Please refer to the answer to Question 1.

4. Regarding stakeholder reviews, is there a set decision-making group for brand and website approvals, or should we plan for input from multiple partners and committees?

All final decisions throughout the branding effort will be made by the branding action team, primarily composed of BRPF and Friends staff and community stakeholders with relevant tourism and marketing branding expertise, with additional input as needed from the Director of Blue Ridge Rising and the CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. Input from additional stakeholders is expected throughout the process; please refer to Section 7 of the RFP, “Scope of Work.”

As noted in the answer to Question 1, a separate RFP for a regional travel website will be issued soon and is not part of the current Branding RFP (RFP 2026-010). The name and other elements of the new brand will be used for many purposes, including, but not limited to, the regional travel website.

5. Are there specific deadlines, launch dates, or grant-related timing we need to align with? Is a phased launch or minimum-viable Go Live an option if the timeline is tight?

As noted in RFP Section 1. Key Milestones, the work requested in the RFP must be completed no later than April 30, 2027. Applicants should propose a timeline for activities and deliverables that they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

6. Finally, are there any additional deliverables we should be aware of, such as print materials, social media setup, or signage artwork, that you want included with the website and brand toolkit?

The selected agency will not develop production-ready applications, but should instead provide guidance and examples illustrating how to apply the new branding elements to these and similar products.

7. Do you have existing visitor data/research, stakeholder research, surveys, market studies, etc. that will be made available to the selected consultant?

Relevant data, research, surveys, planning documents, and other background materials that are available to the project team will be shared with the selected consultant as appropriate. Existing materials should be viewed as background resources rather than a comprehensive collection of available research. The selected consultant will be expected to identify and review additional relevant existing research and data, as well as conduct any new research necessary to successfully complete the project.

8. Are you looking for the selected agency to only provide branding guidance and examples for wayfinding/signage, or are they expected to design production-ready signage as part of the project?

The selected agency will be expected to provide branding guidance and examples for wayfinding/signage. They will not be expected to design production-ready signage. A separate RFP regarding wayfinding and signage will be released later, and that effort will incorporate the new branding elements and guidelines as much as possible.

9. Are the website, signage, and itineraries, marketing, and product development referenced in the RFP as examples of how the new brand may be applied, or is the selected agency expected to develop any of those items within this scope?

The selected agency will not develop those specific materials, but should provide guidance and examples illustrating how to apply the new branding elements to these and similar products.

10. Is there existing research that you feel is relevant to the project, or are we starting from scratch?

11. The RFP seems to outline the need for both a quantitative survey and several qualitative focus groups with a range of stakeholders. Are you committed to including both quantitative and qualitative primary research or is there some flexibility there?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

12. Are you completely wedded to the proposed brand development process or is there some flexibility there? [For example, we’ve found it more beneficial to develop the verbal aspects of the brand prior to exploring visual identity vs reviewing both messaging and logo options simultaneously.]

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP. As stated in Section 9.E., “Each applicant should feel free to use their own list, terminology, definitions, and ordering/sequencing of key branding elements and steps.”

13. How would you describe the process for approving key deliverables? Is it a pretty tight-knit group of decision-makers or are their multiple layers of reviews?

14. I noticed there are a couple of instances in this RFP where a “new tourist-facing regional travel website” is mentioned, but it is not expressly included in the scope of work. Can you please confirm that the design and development of a new website is a separate project and that you are not looking for this to be included in the RFP?

Yes, we confirm that the design and development of a new website is a separate project, and it is not included as a component in this branding RFP. That statement notwithstanding, certain elements of the branding effort must anticipate and facilitate the regional travel website effort, e.g., making certain that appropriate URLs are available to support the new brand.

The RFP for our regional travel website will be issued in the next few weeks. All RFPs are posted at https://blueridgerising.com/rfp-opportunities/.

15. “Applications of the brand” are mentioned a couple of times within the RFP, including wayfinding/signage and curated travel itineraries. It’s my understanding these are listed as a means of illustrating where the new logo may show up and what should be addressed in a Brand Guide Book, but that the design of the collateral materials themselves is not within the scope of this project. Can you please confirm or clarify?

The selected agency will not develop those specific collateral materials, but should provide guidance and examples illustrating how to apply the new branding elements to these and similar products.

16. Proposal Length: Section 10 states the proposal should not exceed 12 pages, and then states the total should not exceed 20 pages. Can you confirm the governing page limit?

We apologize for the confusion. The total proposal should not exceed 20 pages, excluding resumes and references. The online language regarding the 12-page limit has been removed.

17. Focus Groups:

a. How many focus group sessions are anticipated in total, and how many should be fully in-person versus fully virtual?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

b. Is there an expectation for in-person sessions in multiple locations across the 29-county corridor?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

c. Is the consultant responsible for securing venues for in-person sessions?

BRPF, Friends of Southwest Virginia, and regional partners can assist with identifying potential venues and making local connections as appropriate. The selected consultant will be responsible for coordinating and securing venues for in-person sessions as part of managing the overall stakeholder engagement process.

d. What is the target participant count per session and is participant recruitment limited to invited stakeholders or open to county residents?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

18. Payment Structure:

a. Is an initial deposit or mobilization payment available?

The payment structure and schedule will be negotiated as part of the contract.

b. What invoicing and reimbursement cadence should applicants plan for?

Invoices should be sent and will be paid according to the contract terms. The Foundation will make reasonable efforts to pay invoices due in accordance with the contract within 30 days. Some payments may be held pending receipt of funds from our funding agency.

c. If funding is reduced, delayed, or discontinued mid-project, what compensation applies to work already completed and accepted?

The Foundation will make all payments according to the terms of the contract.

d. If available, could relevant payment and termination provisions be shared prior to the proposal deadline?

Payment and termination provisions are not available prior to contract negotiation.

19. Budget Structure: Section 10.F requests both a fixed overall price by phase and an hourly rate/hours schedule for each phase. Is the per-phase price a fixed or not-to-exceed amount that the hourly schedule simply substantiates, or is billing based on actual hours worked at the stated rates, with the phase price serving as an estimate?

Billing can be based on actual hours worked or a percentage of the phase completed; either way, the total amount billed per phase cannot exceed what is stated in the proposal.

20. Community Engagement and Narrative Testing: The Scope of Work lists this as distinct from Focus Group Facilitation and Tourist Perspective research.

a. Does this describe a separate, broader public-awareness effort (e.g., public updates, community meetings, social media outreach) meant to keep the wider community informed throughout the process?

Yes, it is a separate though complementary effort. We maintain over 1,100 community and agency contacts in the 29 Parkway counties and beyond. That is far too many for a small number of focus groups, and they aren’t purely tourists either. The community engagement part of the scope of work focuses on engaging this wider group of community and agency contacts. We can’t assume, though, that our 1,100+ contacts are the only people in the region who might have valuable insights to offer as the branding effort moves forward.

b. Can you clarify what narrative testing specifically involves? Is it expected to be an ongoing activity across the full project lifecycle or a distinct task/milestone?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology for narrative testing. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

21. Historical context: Is there an incumbent agency or firm currently engaged on Blue Ridge Rising brand, marketing, or website work? If so, will that relationship continue alongside this engagement?

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation (BRPF) does not have a current contract with the firm that created the Blue Ridge Rising brand. BRPF utilizes many different outlets for its marketing efforts, but the organization does not have any current contracts for marketing services with a branding-type agency. BRPF has an ongoing relationship for website management with one firm, and that work is expected to continue.

To be clear, though, this branding RFP focuses on creating a new brand for the tourist-facing elements of the Blue Ridge Rising project, and it does not involve the creation of finished marketing collateral or a website. The existence (or lack thereof) of one or more active contracts with BRPF and/or Friends for any service or product will have no impact on the eligibility or evaluation of any applicant. The evaluation of each applicant will be based solely on the content of their application and the evaluation criteria listed in the RFP.

22. Brand architecture: Is the intent for the new tourist-facing brand to function as a sub-brand or visual extension of Blue Ridge Rising, or as a fully independent brand with its own name and identity system, separate from Blue Ridge Rising going forward?

The new tourist-facing brand will be a fully independent brand with its own name and identity system, separate from the Blue Ridge Rising name and brand.

23. NPS and partner brand constraints: Are there existing graphic identity standards, from the National Park Service or otherwise, that the new brand must work within or avoid conflicting with, particularly for any signage or wayfinding located on or near Parkway property? Who holds final approval authority over brand elements that touch NPS-adjacent infrastructure?

Regarding signage and wayfinding or NPS-adjacent infrastructure, the selected agency will be expected to provide branding guidance and examples for wayfinding, signage, and other likely uses of the brand. They will not be expected to design production-ready signage.

A separate RFP regarding wayfinding and signage will be released later, and those efforts will incorporate the new branding elements and guidelines as much as possible. The National Park Service and the state departments of transportation will play significant roles in the development and implementation of that wayfinding and signage plan, but it is not possible to anticipate every existing or future regulation, rule, or restriction that other parties may place on the use of the new brand and their materials, equipment, and facilities.

24. Partner brand landscape: The scope says, “The brand and branding elements should have their own identity that complements the brands of other key partners serving the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor, such as the Blue Ridge Parkway and local and regional tourism agencies.” Is the vision for this to include co-branded elements and logo variations? Or to what extent do you envision the materials needed for partners?

Our vision does not include co-branded elements or related logo variations. The phrase “complements the brands of other key partners” is intended to emphasize that we seek to create a brand that does not create redundancies or confusion with the brands of our partners. Our goal is to establish a distinct identity, while also emphasizing our role as a guide, connector, and catalyst for travel throughout the Blue Ridge corridor.

25. Governance and approval: Who are the named final decision-makers for brand approval, and what is the expected review cadence? If and when will external boards or advisors be involved? In cases where BRPF and Friends of Southwest Virginia have differing feedback, how is that resolved?

26. Existing data: Does the Foundation or Friends of Southwest Virginia have existing visitor research, market data, or brand perception studies from the 2023 listening sessions or elsewhere that would be provided to the consultant, or is the consultant expected to source/generate all research data independently?

Relevant visitor data, research, surveys, market studies, planning documents, and other background materials that are available to the project team will be shared with the selected consultant as appropriate. Existing materials should be viewed as background resources rather than a comprehensive collection of available research. The selected consultant will be expected to identify and review additional relevant existing research and data, as well as conduct any new research necessary to successfully complete the project.

27. Tourist research: For the “Tourist Perspective” research component, is there a minimum expected sample size or preferred method (e.g., surveys at Parkway sites, online panel, existing visitor databases, etc.)? Does the foundation currently have access to any tools with such data?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP. Regarding available data, please refer to the answer to Question 26 above.

28. Existing assets and naming: Does any existing name, logo, or identity work already exist for the tourist-facing brand, even informally? Is trademark clearance for a new name the consultant’s responsibility or the Foundation’s? Or is a trademark not necessary?

The Foundation does not have any formal or informal name, logo, or identity already selected. The Foundation intends to trademark the new brand elements to the fullest extent possible. The selected firm must conduct appropriate research and preliminary due diligence to determine whether proposed brand elements are already trademarked and appear eligible for trademark protection. BRPF will manage formal legal clearance, filings, and associated legal costs through its trademark attorneys.

29. Focus group scope: How many focus groups total are anticipated, and what’s the expected mix of stakeholder types (community leaders, tourism agencies, business owners) per session? Is a specific number of sessions per state or per sub-region expected, given the 29-county footprint? How many focus groups would you like to be in-person? Should travel and lodging for consultant-led in-person sessions be included within the fixed-price cap for “other out-of-pocket expenses,” or budgeted separately?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

The costs of the consultant’s travel and lodging expenses related to the project must be listed separately from other budget line-items. The total amount of travel expenses in the proposal budget will represent a “not-to-exceed” amount for contract purposes.

30. Narrative Testing: Is the selected consultant expected to independently recommend the approach and format for public narrative testing, or does the Foundation have specific messaging, milestones, or project phases it wants shared with the public at particular points? Please clarify what outcome the Foundation hopes to achieve through this component.

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

31. Deliverable ownership: Will the selected consultant be expected to transfer full ownership of source files (e.g., native design files) and all associated usage rights upon project completion?

Yes, the selected consultant must release all project materials, files, and usage rights to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation upon project completion.

32. Success metrics ownership: Section 7 asks the consultant to “establish KPIs and measurement frameworks.” Will the Foundation or branding action team be tracking these metrics post-launch, or is ongoing measurement/reporting expected to be part of this engagement’s scope or a future one?

The Foundation will be tracking these metrics post-launch.

33. Focus groups and in-person engagement: Approximately how many focus groups do you anticipate, and are there specific communities or locations within the 29-county corridor where in-person sessions are expected?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

34. Participant recruitment: Will BRPF and Friends of Southwest Virginia recruit stakeholders, community leaders, tourism representatives, business owners, and tourist participants for research sessions, or should the consultant include participant recruitment and coordination within the proposed scope and budget?

35. Existing research and data: What existing quantitative or qualitative research, tourism data, visitor segmentation, stakeholder research, or previous brand studies will be available to the selected consultant?

36. Branding Action Team and approvals: Approximately how many members will serve on the Branding Action Team? What approval or decision-making process do you anticipate for major milestones such as positioning, naming, creative concepts, and final brand selection?

37. Naming and trademark considerations: Should the proposed scope include trademark screening, legal clearance, domain availability research, and/or URL acquisition for the new brand name? If so, should the consultant manage those activities directly or coordinate with BRPF’s legal resources?

The Foundation does not have any formal or informal name, logo, URL, or identity already selected. The Foundation intends to trademark the new brand elements to the fullest extent possible. The selected firm must conduct appropriate research and preliminary due diligence to determine whether proposed brand elements are already trademarked and appear eligible for trademark protection. BRPF will manage formal legal clearance, filings, and associated legal costs through its trademark attorneys. The selected firm should also make certain that appropriate URLs are available to support the new brand; Foundation staff will be responsible for securing those URLs.

38. Brand toolkit deliverables: Beyond the logo suite and brand standards, do you anticipate production-ready applications such as social templates, signage/wayfinding concepts, event materials, tourism collateral, or website concepts? Or should the toolkit primarily provide guidelines and illustrative examples for future implementation?

The selected agency will not develop production-ready applications, but should instead provide guidance and examples illustrating how to apply the new branding elements to these and similar products.

39. Brand launch and activation: Does the April 30, 2027 completion deadline represent delivery of the completed brand system and implementation recommendations, or should the proposed scope also include support for public launch and initial rollout?

The selected firm should provide recommendations for public launch and initial rollout of the new brand, among other deliverables, no later than April 30, 2027. The scope does not include executing the public launch, purchasing media, producing launch materials, or providing ongoing promotional materials. Please also refer to the “Strategic Brand Alignment and Implementation” content in Section 7. Scope of Work in the RFP.

40. Reimbursement and invoicing: Can you provide additional guidance on anticipated invoicing frequency, typical reimbursement timing following invoice approval, and whether milestone-based partial invoicing will be permitted during longer project phases?

Generally speaking, the Foundation has entered into other contracts based on milestone payments, so there is precedent for this approach. However, the exact payment structure and schedule will be negotiated as part of the contract. Invoices should be sent and will be paid according to the contract terms. The Foundation will make reasonable efforts to pay invoices due in accordance with the contract within 30 days. Some payments may be held pending receipt of funds from our funding agency.

41. Is formal legal trademark clearance for the selected brand name expected to be included within the consultant’s scope and budget, or will BRPF/Friends handle legal clearance separately once a preferred name has been selected?

42. Beyond the published Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan and its six theme PDFs, what existing research and underlying data will be made available to the selected consultant? For example, will the consultant have access to raw survey data, prior visitor studies, economic-impact data, brand-perception research, or other relevant tourism research?

43. Does BRPF have an anticipated minimum scale or level of statistical rigor for the quantitative tourist research component? For example, a desired sample size, geographical distribution, or expectation of statistically representative findings, or should applicants propose the research methodology and sample they believe are appropriate for informing and validating the brand within the available budget?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

44. For stakeholder and tourist research, what level of support should applicants assume BRPF/Friends will provide with participant identification and recruitment? For required fully in-person and fully virtual focus groups: will BRPF/Friends handle venue booking, participant recruitment, and local logistics, or is that the consultant’s responsibility?

Regarding participant identification and recruitment, the project team will assist by making introductions to key stakeholders and sharing relevant existing contacts where appropriate. However, the Foundation does not maintain a comprehensive list of all relevant stakeholders throughout the 29-county project area. The selected consultant will be expected to identify and engage additional stakeholders as necessary to ensure broad and effective participation.

Regarding in-person and virtual venues, BRPF, Friends of Southwest Virginia, and regional partners can assist with identifying potential venues and making local connections as appropriate. The selected consultant will be responsible for coordinating and securing venues for in-person sessions and for setting up virtual sessions (e.g., a Zoom call and electronic invitations), as part of managing the overall stakeholder engagement process.

BRPF and Friends will be available to assist with the actual distribution of virtual invitations to in-person and virtual events in order to improve response rates, but the invitation content and final distribution list(s) should be developed to copy-and-paste status by the selected consultant.

45. The RFP indicates that the Blue Ridge Rising name and brand will continue to support the partner- and community-facing initiative, while a new brand will serve the tourist-facing programs. Should applicants assume the new tourist-facing identity be developed as a fully distinct brand system, or should proposals explore an intentional visual, verbal, or endorsement relationship between the new brand and Blue Ridge Rising?

The new tourist-facing brand will be a fully independent brand with its own name and identity system, separate from the Blue Ridge Rising name and brand.

46. Roughly how many people currently sit on the Branding Action Team, and how are the 29 counties represented on it (one rep per county, sub-regional reps, etc.)?

The Branding Action Team primarily includes BRPF and Friends of Southwest Virginia staff, along with community stakeholders with relevant tourism, marketing, and branding expertise. The team is not intended to include one representative from every county. Broader geographic and community perspectives are expected to be gathered during the research and stakeholder engagement process.

47. Beyond the Branding Action Team, is the separate “Alliance” of elected officials and business leaders (referenced in the Unified Regional Voice plan) expected to have any formal review or sign-off role on the brand, or is final approval authority contained entirely within BRPF/Friends and the Branding Action Team?

While we welcome input from a wide variety of stakeholders, this “alliance” will have no formal review or approval role. Final decisions will be made by the Branding Action Team, with additional input, as needed, from the Director of Blue Ridge Rising and the CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.

48. Please confirm the fee structure format expected (fixed price vs. hourly-not-to-exceed) to ensure compliance with 2 CFR 200.324(c)’s prohibition on cost-plus-a-percentage-of-cost contracting.

Billing can be based on actual hours worked or a percentage of the phase completed; either way, the total amount billed per phase cannot exceed what is stated in the proposal.

49. Must both virtual and in-person focus groups be conducted, or can it be one or the other?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

50. What existing research, data, or prior brand work (if any) will be provided to the selected consultant as a starting point?

Any relevant background materials that are available to the project team will be shared with the selected consultant as appropriate. Existing materials should be viewed as background resources rather than a comprehensive collection of available research. The selected consultant will be expected to identify and review additional relevant existing research and data, as well as conduct any new research necessary to successfully complete the project.

51. Who has final sign-off authority on brand concepts — the Branding Action Team, BRPF/Friends leadership, or another body?

52. The RFP states proposals should “not exceed 12 pages” in one place and “not exceed 20 pages” in another (Section 10) — which page limit governs?

We apologize for the confusion. The total proposal should not exceed 20 pages, excluding resumes and references. The online language regarding the 12-page limit has been removed.

53. Will shortlisted firms be invited to interview or present, or is the award made from written proposals alone?

The Foundation reserves the right to seek clarification from applicants and may invite selected firms to participate in interviews or presentations as part of the evaluation process. Applicants should not assume that an interview will be required.

54. Brand Development vs. Production Deliverables.

The RFP references applications of the new brand across signage, advertising, merchandise, digital platforms, tourism materials, and other visitor-facing touchpoints. Can you clarify the expected level of production within this contract?
Should the selected consultant provide the brand identity system, templates, specifications, application examples, and usage guidance for these touchpoints, or should the proposal also include production-ready design and execution of individual materials such as signage, collateral, advertising, environmental graphics, merchandise, or other applications?
If production-ready deliverables are expected, can BRPF identify the specific deliverables and anticipated quantities that should be included in the proposed scope and budget?

The selected agency will not develop specific production-ready collateral materials, but should provide guidance and examples illustrating how to apply the new branding elements to these and similar products.

55. Regional Travel Website Scope

a. The RFP references a future regional travel website as an important application of the new tourist-facing brand. Can you confirm the expected scope of the selected branding consultant as it relates to that website?

The design and development of a new website is a separate project, and it is not included as a component in this branding RFP. That statement notwithstanding, certain elements of the branding effort must anticipate and facilitate the regional travel website effort, e.g., making certain that appropriate URLs are available to support the new brand.

b. Should applicants plan to provide the brand strategy, identity, messaging, visual system, and digital brand guidance that will inform the future website, or are any website-specific deliverables, such as strategy, information architecture, UX/UI design, content development, or development, expected within this contract?

Applicants should provide the brand strategy, identity, messaging, visual system, and guidance needed to inform the future regional travel website. Website strategy, information architecture, UX/UI design, content development, and website development are not included in this contract.

56. Proposal Page Limit. Can BRPF confirm the applicable proposal page limit for RFP No. 2026-010? The current RFP webpage references both a 12-page and 20-page proposal limit, while the downloadable RFP states a 20-page maximum excluding resumes and references.

We apologize for the confusion. The total proposal should not exceed 20 pages, excluding resumes and references. The online language regarding the 12-page limit has been removed.

57. The RFP notes that the tourist-facing brand will serve a different purpose and audience than the existing Blue Ridge Rising name, and it separately lists “name” among the required deliverables, with three distinct concepts expected at the outset. Could you clarify whether the selected consultant should develop an entirely new name and identity for the tourist-facing brand, or whether the Blue Ridge Rising name should carry through in some form? That distinction shapes how we approach naming and positioning from day one.

The selected consultant should develop an entirely new name and identity for the tourist-facing brand. The Blue Ridge Rising name will continue to identify our partner- and community-facing work. We do not require or expect the selected consultant to utilize the Blue Ridge Rising name and brand in any way in creating the new tourist-facing identity.

58. Is there existing research available to the selected consultant, such as visitor data, prior brand perception studies, or notes gathered from the 500-plus stakeholders engaged during the original action plan process? Knowing what already exists will help us scope the research phase accurately and avoid duplicating work that has already been done.

The selected consultant will have access to relevant materials from the Blue Ridge Rising planning process, including the Action Plan and other available background information. While these materials may provide helpful context, much of the research and data from the Blue Ridge Rising planning process was collected approximately three years ago and may no longer reflect current conditions.

Other relevant data, research, surveys, planning documents, and materials that are available to the project team will also be shared as appropriate. Existing materials should therefore be viewed as background resources rather than a comprehensive or current collection of available research and data. The selected consultant will be expected to build upon relevant existing information where appropriate, identify and review additional available research and data, and conduct any new research and stakeholder engagement necessary to successfully complete the project.

59. For the focus groups, could you share a general sense of how many sessions you’re anticipating, and roughly where across the 29-county footprint they should take place? The RFP is clear that in-person and virtual sessions must stay separate, although the scale and geography aren’t specified, and that has a real effect on how we budget logistics.

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

60. What existing research/data will be available to the selected consultant? And What level of original research are you anticipating through this project?

61. Does “brand activation and promotion” mean recommendations only, or any actual implementation/production?

“Brand activation and promotion” refers to recommendations and implementation guidance. The scope does not include executing the public launch, purchasing media, producing launch materials, or providing ongoing promotional materials. Please also refer to the “Strategic Brand Alignment and Implementation” content in Section 7. Scope of Work in the RFP.

62. The scope includes development of a new name. Is trademark screening/clearance expected as part of the consultant’s scope and budget, or will the Foundation handle legal clearance separately?

The Foundation intends to trademark the new brand elements to the fullest extent possible. The selected firm must conduct appropriate research and preliminary due diligence to determine whether proposed brand elements are already trademarked and appear eligible for trademark protection. BRPF will manage formal legal clearance, filings, and associated legal costs through its trademark attorneys.

63. Section 7 describes focus groups as either fully virtual or fully in-person, while Section 9F asks applicants to account for the logistics of both distinct, fully in-person sessions and separate, fully virtual sessions in the proposed budget. Should applicants price both formats, or should applicants propose and price the format(s) they believe are most appropriate based on their methodology?

a. In either case, how many focus groups and approximately how many participants per session does the Foundation anticipate, and are there specific locations or geographic areas within the 29-county corridor where in-person sessions are expected?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

b. For the required research with current and/or potential tourists, should the selected consultant be responsible for recruiting research participants and providing any associated incentives, or will the Foundation and/or its partners provide access to appropriate audiences?

The Foundation does not maintain distinct lists of current and/or potential tourists. The project team will assist by making introductions to key stakeholders and sharing relevant existing contacts where appropriate (e.g., tourism development authorities, destination management organizations). The selected consultant will be expected to identify and engage additional current and/or potential tourists as necessary to ensure broad and effective participation.

BRPF and Friends will be available to assist with the actual distribution of online surveys or virtual invitations to in-person and virtual events in order to improve response rates, but the surveys, invitation content, and/or final distribution list(s) should be developed to copy-and-paste status by the selected consultant.

65. Beyond the RFP’s broad definition of visitors/tourists, are there specific priority visitor markets, geographic origin markets, or travel motivations that the Foundation wants the new brand to prioritize?

The Foundation has not prescribed specific priority visitor markets, geographic origin markets, or travel motivations. Applicants should use available research and their proposed research process to identify and recommend the audiences that will best advance the project objectives.

66. What existing research, visitor data, stakeholder feedback, or other relevant findings will be provided to the selected consultant at the outset of the project, including research conducted as part of the Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan?

Other relevant data, research, surveys, planning documents, and background materials that are available to the project team will be shared with the selected consultant as appropriate. Existing materials should be viewed as background resources rather than a comprehensive collection of available research. The selected consultant will be expected to identify and review additional relevant existing research and data, as well as conduct any new research necessary to successfully complete the project.

67. The RFP states that payment will be made on a reimbursement basis tied to completion and acceptance of agreed-upon deliverables. How frequently may the consultant invoice, and is payment expected to be tied to completion of the four project phases or to specific deliverables within each phase?

The exact invoicing schedule will be negotiated as part of the contract. There is precedent for milestone-based payments, and invoicing may be tied to agreed-upon deliverables within or at the completion of project phases.

68. Proposal page limit: Section 10 first states that proposals should not exceed 12 pages, excluding resumes and references, and then states that the total proposal should not exceed 20 pages, excluding resumes and references. Could you please confirm which page limit applicants should follow?

We apologize for the confusion. The total proposal should not exceed 20 pages, excluding resumes and references. The online language regarding the 12-page limit has been removed.

69. In-person focus groups: Does the Foundation have a preferred minimum number or geographic distribution of fully in-person focus groups across the 29-county corridor, or should applicants recommend the number and locations they believe can best accomplish the project objectives within the available budget?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

70. Tourist research: Does the Foundation anticipate that the selected consultant will conduct new primary quantitative research with current and/or potential tourists, such as a survey or research panel, or may the consultant propose an appropriate combination of existing visitor data and targeted original research based on the available datasets?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

71. Branding Action Team: Can you provide an anticipated size and general composition of the Branding Action Team, and clarify whether that group will serve as the primary decision-making/approval body for major brand milestones?

72. Travel and direct expenses: Please confirm that consultant staff travel, lodging, and other project-related direct expenses must be included within the proposed amount subject to the $100,000 maximum, while BRPF’s separate participant-travel funds are outside the consultant’s proposed budget.

We confirm that the costs of the consultant’s travel, lodging, and other project-related direct expenses related to the project must be included in the consultant’s overall proposed budget, which should not exceed $100,000.

We also confirm that separate funds are available for BRPF to cover participants’ transportation, lodging, and meals. BRPF will also pay for any reasonable accommodations of participants. These separate funds are not available to pay honoraria, stipends, prizes, or rewards to project participants. BRPF staff will administer these participant travel expenses and expense reimbursement requests directly with the participants and any third-party vendors (e.g., ASL interpreters).

73. Budget: Is the assigned budget inclusive of fees + hard costs (travel, research, or analytical locations, etc.)?

The consultant’s proposed budget must include all fees and expenses necessary to successfully complete the project, including consultant’s travel, research, analysis, meeting room rentals, and any other related costs.

74. Strategies: Of the 51 strategies across the six themes (marketing, visitor experience, unified regional voice, resource protection, workforce education, and capacity building), how many are currently within the marketing theme, and will any require integration into the branding strategy?

The marketing theme of the Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan contains 12 strategies. This project directly advances the regional branding strategy within the marketing theme, but the selected consultant should review the full action plan and consider relevant connections to the other strategies when developing the brand and implementation recommendations. For example, to support the bicycle safety and access strategy within the visitor experience theme, we now host content on the Ride with GPS website.

75. Approval Process: To what degree and complexity will the local communities be involved in the development of this project?

Local communities will provide input through research, surveys, focus groups, community engagement, and/or narrative-testing components of the project. They will help inform and validate the work, but final approval authority will remain with the Branding Action Team.

76. Content: Please estimate the number of final versions of creative executions required. Will each community have a base layout to tailor to their needs or will each community require multiple specific versions?

The selected agency will not develop production-ready applications, but should instead provide guidance and examples illustrating how to apply the new branding elements to likely print and virtual materials. We do not require or expect customized creative executions for each community.

77. We would appreciate clarification regarding the proposal page limit. Section 10 states that proposals should not exceed 12 pages, excluding resumes and references, and subsequently states that the total proposal should not exceed 20 pages, excluding resumes and references. Could you please clarify the maximum permitted proposal length?

We apologize for the confusion. The total proposal should not exceed 20 pages, excluding resumes and references. The online language regarding the 12-page limit has been removed.

78. Will this branding effort coordinate with or build on findings from the concurrent creative economy strategic planning engagement, or should bidders treat the two as fully independent procurements with no expected coordination?

The branding effort and creative economy strategic plan engagement are separate procurements with different scopes and deliverables. The selected branding consultant will not be required to formally integrate or coordinate the two projects. If relevant findings from the creative economy work become available during the branding process, they may be considered as one of the many sources of background information.

79. Will the “Blue Ridge Rising” name and mark continue as a visual or verbal reference point for the new tourist-facing brand, or is the Foundation considering a new name and identity that may or may not tie to the existing Blue Ridge Rising brand?

The new tourist-facing brand will have a fully independent name and identity. The Blue Ridge Rising name and mark will continue to support partner- and community-facing efforts. Blue Ridge Rising will not serve as a visual or verbal reference point for the tourist-facing brand.

80. Does the Foundation have existing brand guidelines or visual standards from the National Park Service, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or regional tourism agencies that bidders should review upfront to understand what “complements” means in practice under Section 4?

Generally speaking, the new brand, including graphic identity standards, should be distinct from and not conflict with those of our partners. More specifically, the new brand cannot incorporate the NPS Arrowhead or other significant elements of the NPS identity. Relevant existing guidelines and background materials available to the project team will be shared with the selected consultant as appropriate.

81. Does the Foundation have existing visitor perception research, prior brand awareness studies, or visitor contact data that bidders should build on, or is establishing that research baseline the consultant’s own responsibility?

Any relevant data, research, and other background materials that are available to the project team will be shared with the selected consultant as appropriate. Existing materials should be viewed as background resources rather than a comprehensive collection of available research. The selected consultant will be expected to identify and review additional relevant existing research and data, as well as conduct any new research necessary to successfully complete the project.

82. The RFP references combining existing data with new stakeholder input. What existing research, visitor data, audience profiles, stakeholder findings, or previous brand-related research will be available to the selected consultant? When and how was this information collected?

Relevant research, visitor data, stakeholder findings, and other background materials that are available to the project team will be shared with the selected consultant as appropriate. This may include materials from the original Blue Ridge Rising planning process, which were collected approximately three years ago. These resources should be viewed as background resources rather than a comprehensive or fully current research baseline. The selected consultant will be expected to identify and review additional relevant existing research and data, as well as conduct any new research necessary to successfully complete the project.

83. Have the stakeholders who will participate in focus groups or other engagement activities already been identified, or should the selected consultant include stakeholder identification and recruitment as part of the proposed research plan?

The project team will assist by making introductions to key stakeholders and sharing relevant existing contacts where appropriate. However, the selected consultant will be expected to identify and engage additional stakeholders as necessary to ensure broad and effective participation.

84. What existing communication channels could be used to recruit current and prospective tourists for surveys, focus groups, or other research? For example, do BRPF, Friends of Southwest Virginia, the National Park Service, or participating tourism partners maintain relevant email lists, newsletters, membership groups, social media audiences, or other outreach channels?

The Foundation (including the Blue Ridge Rising project) does not maintain distinct lists of current and/or potential tourists, but the Foundation’s contact lists (e-newsletter sign ups, social media channels, etc.) include more than 15,000 people, who represent a broader spectrum of people who have self-selected for inclusion. The Blue Ridge Rising project has a mostly distinct contact list of 1,100+ community and agency contacts, as well as separate e-newsletters and social media channels. The Foundation is willing and able to utilize these contact lists and social media channels to share online surveys and/or virtual invitations to in-person and virtual events. The introductory content, surveys, and/or invitations should be developed to copy-and-paste status by the selected consultant.

The project team will also assist the selected consultant by making introductions to key stakeholders and sharing relevant existing contacts where appropriate (e.g., tourism development authorities, destination management organizations), though the Foundation cannot guarantee that any of these entities will be willing to share their contact lists and/or share surveys or other content through their various communication channels. The selected consultant will be expected to identify and engage additional current and/or potential tourists as necessary to ensure broad and effective participation and representative sampling of the traveling public.

85. The 2026 Blue Ridge Rising Summit agenda includes a session titled “Brainstorming Our Regional Brand.” What information or input does the project team hope to gather through that session? Will findings, participant feedback, and other relevant information from this session—and from any other applicable Summit sessions—be documented and made available to the selected consultant?

The “Brainstorming our Regional Brand” Summit session was held to gather thoughts from community and agency leaders about what the regional brand should communicate, represent, and accomplish. Comments from those discussions have been recorded and will be available to the selected consultant. Please note that this was a brainstorming session, and no particular idea or suggestion was voted on, prioritized, or eliminated from future consideration. Also, we must emphasize that many other perspectives must be considered as this branding effort moves forward. Other available and relevant information from other Summit sessions will be available as well.

86. The RFP states that the tourist-facing brand should have its own identity while complementing Blue Ridge Rising and other brands serving the Parkway corridor. Should applicants envision this as a distinct, standalone brand, a sub-brand or endorsed brand of Blue Ridge Rising, or should the appropriate brand architecture be determined through the selected consultant’s research and strategy process?

Applicants should envision the tourist-facing brand as a distinct, standalone brand with its own name and identity system, rather than as a sub-brand or endorsed brand of Blue Ridge Rising. The Foundation does not expect or require the new brand to have any particular connection to the Blue Ridge Rising name and brand.

87. Who will serve as the primary client-side project lead? Please also describe the anticipated composition and approximate size of the branding action team, including the roles of Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Friends of Southwest Virginia, and other participating organizations.

All final decisions throughout the branding effort will be made by the branding action team, primarily composed of BRPF and Friends staff and community stakeholders with relevant tourism and marketing branding expertise, with additional input as needed from the Director of Blue Ridge Rising and the CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. One Foundation staff person will serve as the primary point of contact for the selected consultant.

88. Is there a target budget below the $100k?

There is no specific target budget below the $100,000 maximum. As noted in Section 11 of the RFP, Evaluation Criteria, the cost proposal represents 20% of the evaluation score, and it includes “overall cost-effectiveness and value provided relative to the proposed scope of work.”

89. re: Brand Activation and Promotion under Strategic Brand Alignment and Implementation. Can you elaborate further on the expectation here? Our take on this separates the ask into two categories. 1. BRAND LAUNCH ROLL OUT PLAN and 2. BRAND ALIGNMENT GUIDE. Our questions based on that are as follows.

1a. Can you provide a bit more detail on the scope of deliverable this would be?Given that the RFP is predominantly focused on branding, we believe the ask here is not for an exhaustive play-by-play, tactical marketing and communications plan for the brand launch. On the flipside, we also believe the ask is not for a broad overarching brand launch marcom framework that lacks any inclusion potential ideas, influencers, partners, specific advertising strategy and audience insights. Can you provide some parameters to this ask?

The selected firm should provide recommendations for public launch and initial rollout of the new brand. The scope does not include executing the public launch, purchasing media, producing launch materials, or providing ongoing promotional materials. Please also refer to the “Strategic Brand Alignment and Implementation” content in Section 7. Scope of Work in the RFP.

2a. What is meant by the term “protocols” when referencing third party use of brand. Are these guidelines/instructions that would be a version of the Brand Standards and Guidelines but for partners? Or does “protocols” refer to and/or include specific setup/system perhaps with the use of a web portal for third parties to use?

We expect protocols guiding (a) if/when we allow the use of our brand by third parties; (b) actual use of our brand by those third parties; and (c) appropriate measures to take to ensure and enforce proper use (and no misuse) of our brand by third parties.

90. How distinct does the Foundation envision the new tourist-facing brand being from the existing Blue Ridge Rising brand? Specifically, should respondents anticipate an endorsed sub-brand, a related but distinct identity, or a fully independent identity?

91. Are there existing constraints, brand standards, or usage requirements related to referencing the Blue Ridge Parkway name, National Park Service marks, or other key partner brands that should inform the proposed approach?

The new brand should be distinct from and not conflict with the identities of key partners, including but not limited to the National Park Service and the Blue Ridge Parkway. More specifically, the new brand may not incorporate the NPS Arrowhead or other significant elements of the National Park Service identity. Relevant standards available to the project team will be shared with the selected consultant as appropriate.

92. Are there specific applications or touchpoints the Foundation would like respondents to prioritize when demonstrating how the new brand could be applied?

Applications of the brand will include, but are not limited to, print, electronic media, website, social media, wayfinding/signage, print and electronic advertising/marketing, events on or near the Parkway, and product development.

93. Does the scope include design of the regional travel website or the wayfinding and signage system itself, or only the brand standards governing their application? If those initiatives will be procured separately, what is the anticipated timeline, and should the selected consultant plan for coordination or handoff?

The design and development of a new regional travel website and the wayfinding and signage effort are separate projects, and they are not included as components in this branding RFP. That statement notwithstanding, certain elements of the branding effort must anticipate and facilitate those other projects, e.g., making certain that appropriate URLs are available to support the new brand.

We anticipate releasing the regional travel website RFP later in September, and the wayfinding and signage RFP will follow later in the fall. The exact timelines for both projects are still to be determined. The three projects will almost definitely overlap in time for a certain period. We see value in having the three project teams share thoughts and ideas, but we have purposefully released the branding RFP first, because we want the brand to drive those other projects, not the other way around. Therefore, while we will encourage a certain amount of discussion between these three teams, the branding team should ultimately view its work as a handoff rather than a fully coordinated effort.

94. Is public launch of the brand—including media placement, launch events, or public relations—within the scope of this engagement, or does the contract conclude with delivery of the brand toolkit and implementation recommendations?

The public launch itself is not included in this engagement. The contract will conclude with the delivery of the brand system, toolkit, standards, and implementation and launch recommendations.

95. Does the Foundation expect the selected consultant to conduct trademark screening and clearance for the proposed name and logo, or will the Foundation manage legal clearance and registration?

96. Are there expectations regarding multilingual application of the brand or accessibility standards that the identity system should satisfy?

The final identity system and guidelines must incorporate current accessibility best practices and support use across a range of digital and printed applications.

For this RFP, the Foundation is not requiring multilingual brand applications, use of international signage symbols, or other related efforts to facilitate communications with non-English-speaking travelers. The Foundation is open to those possibilities, and applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

97. What existing research, data, stakeholder input, and brand/planning materials will be available to the selected consultant at the start of the project? This could include materials from the Action Plan process, National Park Service or regional tourism research, and any prior naming or brand concept exploration.

98. Does the Foundation have access to existing visitor data, contact lists, research partners, or other resources that could support outreach to current and potential tourists, or should the consultant assume responsibility for developing, sourcing, and recruiting all tourist research participants?

The project team will also assist the selected consultant by making introductions to key stakeholders and sharing relevant existing contacts where appropriate (e.g., tourism development authorities, destination management organizations), though the Foundation cannot guarantee that any of these entities will be willing to share their contact lists and data and/or share surveys or other content through their various communication channels. The selected consultant will be expected to identify and engage additional current and/or potential tourists as necessary to ensure broad and effective participation and representative sampling of the traveling public.

99. Does the Foundation have an anticipated scale for stakeholder engagement, including the expected number of focus groups, the approximate split between fully in-person and fully virtual sessions, and preferred locations or sub-regions for in-person sessions?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

100. Who will be responsible for recruiting focus group participants and coordinating engagement logistics? Will the Foundation and Friends of Southwest Virginia provide stakeholder contact lists, issue invitations, and assist with securing meeting venues, or should respondents assume responsibility for these activities?

BRPF, Friends of Southwest Virginia, and regional partners will assist by making introductions to key stakeholders, sharing relevant existing contacts, and identifying potential meeting venues as appropriate. However, the project team does not maintain a comprehensive list of all relevant stakeholders throughout the project area. The selected consultant will be expected to lead and manage participant recruitment and the overall stakeholder engagement process, including identifying and engaging additional participants and coordinating and securing venues for in-person sessions as necessary to ensure broad and effective participation.

101. Are participant incentives or honoraria an allowable expense? If so, should they be included in the consultant’s project budget, or are they covered by the separate participant travel funds referenced in the RFP?

Participant incentives and honoraria are an allowable expense. Those expenses must be included in the applicant’s total proposed project.

BRPF can utilize a separate allocation of funds to cover participants’ transportation, lodging, and meals (food and beverage other than alcohol). BRPF will also pay separately for any reasonable accommodations of participants.

102. Approximately how many members will serve on the Branding Action Team, and what meeting cadence does the Foundation anticipate for the regular virtual alignment meetings?

The Branding Action Team will primarily include BRPF and Friends staff and community stakeholders with relevant tourism, marketing, and brand expertise. The exact size has not yet been determined.

Applicants should anticipate frequent virtual coordination with the team, with the final cadence established during project kickoff based on the selected methodology and timeline.

103. Can the Foundation clarify the anticipated decision-making and approval structure for the project, including who has final approval at key project milestones?

104. Will the new brand require review or approval by the National Park Service, the Appalachian Regional Commission, or any other partner at defined stages? If so, should the consultant build those review periods into the proposed schedule?

The authority for final approval of all branding elements lies solely with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and the branding action team. In making those final decisions, the Foundation and the branding action team will of course welcome and thoughtfully consider input from community and agency leaders and other key stakeholders.

105. Does the Foundation have a defined set of regions, destinations, or tourism brands that it considers the primary competitive set for this project, or should respondents develop the competitive landscape independently as part of the research process?

The Foundation has not defined a primary competitive set. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

106. Following delivery of the KPI and measurement framework, does the Foundation anticipate any ongoing consultant role in measurement or evaluation, or is the framework itself the final deliverable?

The Foundation will be responsible for tracking the KPIs following completion of this engagement.

107. Is there a target or anticipated budget range within the $100,000 maximum that the Foundation is able to share?

There is no specific target budget below the $100,000 maximum. As noted in RFP Section 11, Evaluation Criteria, the cost proposal represents 20% of the evaluation score, and it includes “overall cost-effectiveness and value provided relative to the proposed scope of work.”

108. Is the $100,000 ceiling inclusive of all consultant travel, other out-of-pocket expenses, and administrative or indirect costs?

The consultant’s proposed budget should include all fees and expenses necessary to successfully complete the project, including consultant’s time, travel, research, analysis, and other related costs.

109. Are subcontractors or teaming arrangements permitted? If so, should subcontractor rates be itemized separately within the hourly schedule required in the RFP?

Subcontractors and teaming arrangements are permitted; however, a lead agency must be identified, and BRPF will execute a contract only with that lead agency. Generally speaking, the expenses of subcontractors should be itemized in the same manner as the lead contractor; some exceptions might be possible, e.g., a subcontractor who agrees to deliver a certain number of qualifying survey responses for a specific financial sum.

110. Will interviews with shortlisted firms be conducted virtually or in person? If in person, should related travel be included in the proposed budget?

The Foundation has not determined whether any interviews will be required or whether any interviews would be held virtually or in person. If interviews are conducted, the Foundation will provide selected firms with the format and logistical details. Proposals should not include interview-related travel in the proposed project budget.

111. Will a sample contract or the applicable federal flow-down provisions be made available prior to the proposal deadline? Are there insurance requirements the selected consultant should anticipate?

We believe that our standard contract for services template contains fairly standard content, but we will not make the full contract for services template available before the proposal deadline.

Most or all of the federal provisions related to subcontracting and subcontractors can be found online https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1at.

The following insurance-related language is included in our standard contract for services:

INSURANCE. Service Provider shall, at its own expense and for the full term of this Agreement plus thirty (30) days thereafter, maintain insurance coverage in the following amounts: General Liability – $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate; and Worker’s Compensation as required by applicable law.

Service Provider agrees to obtain separate Certificates of Insurance, issued by a nationally recognized insurance company, naming the Foundation and United States of America National Park Service as additionally insured and provide that the policies shall not be canceled for any reason during the period of contract performance unless and until the Foundation is given notice in writing by the insurance company.

This language may be modified as warranted based on the specific activities outlined in each contract.

112. In addition to resumes and references, does the 20-page limit exclude the title page, table of contents, budget tables, and work samples or portfolio materials? Are there any formatting requirements regarding font size or margins?

The 20-page limit excludes resumes and references only. All other materials should be included within the page limit. The RFP does not specify font size or margin requirements.

113. For the three professional references, is contact information sufficient, or are written letters of reference expected?

Contact information for professional references is sufficient. Written letters of reference are not required.

114. Who holds the final decision-making authority for branding decisions? (of course advised and influenced by a variety of partners and committees)

115. Beyond the Brand Action Team, community leaders engaged in focus groups, and the National Park Service, are there any other stakeholder audiences who will need to be engaged in discussion through this work? (e.g., Grant-makers)

The stakeholder groups identified in the RPF are not intended to be exhaustive. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

116. Will the BRPF team and/or key stakeholders observe any non-working holidays during the October-to-April project completion window?

The selected consultant should anticipate observation of all federal holidays. Many project staff take extra time off during the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Any organization-specific closures or significant scheduling conflicts, such as board meetings, will be discussed during project kickoff.

117. Are there any standing meetings or cadences connecting BRPF with regional partners, which the selected consultant might be expected to attend or follow-along with?

The selected consultant may be invited to participate in or present at various partner meetings, when doing so would efficiently advance the project. No standing meetings are currently prescribed as required consultant activities.

118. Are any other consultants currently engaged on Blue Ridge Rising marketing strategies whose work will overlap with this brand development?

No, not currently. We anticipate releasing the regional travel website RFP later in September, and the wayfinding and signage RFP will follow later in the fall. The exact timelines for both projects are still to be determined. The three projects will almost definitely overlap in time for a certain period. We see value in having the three project teams share thoughts and ideas, but we have purposefully released the branding RFP first, because we want the brand to drive those other projects, not the other way around. Therefore, while we will encourage a certain amount of discussion between these three teams, the branding team should ultimately view its work as a handoff rather than a fully coordinated effort.

That statement notwithstanding, certain elements of the branding effort must anticipate and facilitate those other projects, e.g., making certain that appropriate URLs are available to support the new brand.

119. Does the 20-page limit include the title page, executive summary, and budget tables?

The 20-page limit excludes resumes and references only. All other materials should be included within the page limit.

120. Are there formatting requirements for the proposal such as page size, orientation (slide deck vs. word document), minimum font size, or maximum file size for the emailed PDF?

The total proposal should not exceed 20 pages, excluding resumes and references. The RFP does not specify font size or margin requirements. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that its single PDF proposal file is not so large that it cannot be delivered to the projects@brpfoundation.org email address by the deadline stated in the RFP.

121. Does BRPF expect narrative testing of the brand with tourists before the final concept is selected, or is stakeholder testing sufficient?

Research should include current and/or prospective tourist perspectives as outlined in the RFP. The Foundation does not prescribe the exact stage or methodology for narrative testing. Applicants should propose the testing approach they believe will best inform and validate the brand before approval.

122. Will BRPF distribute tourist surveys through its own channels, or must the consultant secure survey respondents independently?

123. Does the roughly 1000-representative Blue Ridge Rising partner list (mentioned in RFP 2026-008) remain available for distributing project announcements and survey links?

Yes. However, the selected consultant will be expected to make specific efforts to identify and engage additional audiences and stakeholders, including current and prospective visitors, as necessary to ensure broad and effective participation in the research process.

124.Beyond the Action Plan, what existing brand research, perception studies, or positioning work will be shared with the selected consultant?

125. Has BRPF purchased or does it have access to visitor market research, such as Visit NC, Virginia Tourism Corporation, Zartico, or Longwoods data, or should applicants budget for purchasing visitor data?

Relevant visitor market research available to the project team will be shared with the selected consultant as appropriate. The project team can help seek data and support from Visit NC, Virginia Tourism Corporation, and other partners (Visit NC and VTC both share a lot of their data online); however, access to specific or proprietary datasets is not guaranteed. Applicants should propose and budget for any data and/or licenses they believe are necessary and should not assume that BRPF and partner-owned research will be available.

126. What sort of legal and regulatory support can BRPF provide to the consultant regarding trademark availability and USPTO filing?

127. What pre-licensed visual assets (e.g., BRPF’s own image library) or third-party asset libraries (e.g., subscription account with stockhouses like getty, subscription account to Adobe fonts) will be made available to the consultant for use in the brand development project?

Relevant visual assets owned or licensed by BRPF and Friends may be shared with the selected consultant when legally available and appropriate. Applicants should not assume access to any specific stock images, fonts, or third-party asset subscription. Any additional assets or licenses necessary to draft brand elements and brand applications are the responsibility of the contracted firm; they should be included in the consultant’s budget only to the extent that they are specifically necessary for this project and not in use or for use for the consultant’s other clients or day-to-day business. BRPF will have responsibility for obtaining and utilizing those third-party assets and services once the contract period concludes (or earlier).

128. Could the Brand Action Team provide 3-5 examples of local entities whose logos would need to “lock up” with the new brand logo?

We are not exactly sure what is meant by “lock up,” but, generally speaking, we are not seeking to co-brand with any of our dozens of partners at the local, regional, state, and national levels.

129. Is any mobilization payment or initial payment available at contract execution to cover startup costs?

The exact payment structure and schedule will be negotiated as part of the contract.

130. Beyond hosting materials, must other research-related expenses be included in the capped project fee? (e.g., participation incentives/gift cards, participation hospitality/snacks)

BRPF has a separate amount of funds available to assist, as needed, with the travel costs of project participants (e.g., members of the branding action team, focus group participants), i.e., transportation, lodging, and food and beverage (that includes both travel meals and “hospitality snacks” and beverages at meetings, but no alcohol). These travel funds for project participants are separate from the available funds for this branding RFP/contract and should not be included in the applicant’s proposed project budget. Any other expenses that do not fall into these participant travel cost categories (e.g., participation incentives/gift cards) must be capped and built directly into the overall fixed price; unexpected or unitemized surcharges will not be accepted.

131. Is frequent travel to in-person regional meetings expected from the consultant?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

132. The proposal outlines a scope of work that includes curated travel itineraries and related marketing efforts. Could you please share insight into what you are looking for in terms of these related marketing efforts? For example, would this include social media, digital marketing and public relations services?

The RFP gives examples of how the new branding elements would be used. Those examples include curated travel itineraries and marketing efforts. The scope of work does NOT include the creation of curated travel itineraries or specific marketing materials or services. The selected agency should instead provide guidance and examples illustrating how to apply the new branding elements to these and similar products and efforts.

133. How does Blue Ridge Rising currently plan to handle social and digital marketing efforts and public relations efforts for the new brand and new brand launch?

The selected firm should provide recommendations for public launch and initial rollout of the new brand. The RFP scope does not include executing the public launch, purchasing media, producing launch materials, or providing ongoing promotional materials. Please also refer to the “Strategic Brand Alignment and Implementation” content in Section 7. Scope of Work in the RFP.

134. Why now for this project?

The Parkway’s gateway communities selected regional branding as one of the strategies to include in the Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan. That regional branding effort must start and finish before we can fully design and implement other key strategies in the plan, such as the regional travel website, wayfinding and signage, and marketing collateral.

135. What is the research / existing data you’ve already completed?

136. What KPIs are you tracking for success?

As specified in the RFP, part of the scope of work (Section 7) is to “Establish KPIs and measurement frameworks to evaluate brand success.”

137. How does the project completion date of April 2027 align with the action plan’s 12-month goal timing? Is that date the end of the 12-month goal period, or is the plan to have the website include some of the items in the plan and have more added in the future (for example, bike maps, trail maps, etc)?

The 12-month window from the date of original publication of the action plan has passed. Relevant dates for the branding effort are detailed in Section 1 of the RFP. The work on the regional travel website will have its own timeline, and those dates are still to be determined.

138. Given the region spans 29 counties, how will local governments be involved in this process? The National Park Service?

The Foundation does not prescribe a specific methodology. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

139. Do you have access to stakeholders and focus groups gathered, or would the vendor be responsible for sourcing them?

The project team will assist by making introductions to key stakeholders and sharing relevant existing contacts where appropriate. However, the Foundation does not maintain a comprehensive list of all relevant stakeholders throughout the 29-county project area. The selected consultant will be expected to identify and engage additional stakeholders as necessary to ensure broad and effective participation. BRPF and Friends will be available to assist with the actual distribution of virtual invitations to in-person and virtual events in order to improve response rates, but the invitation content and final distribution list(s) should be developed to copy-and-paste status by the selected consultant.

140. For in person focus groups and meetings, where in the region should these be held? Near the Foundation in Winston-Salem, elsewhere, or mixed?

Specific locations and specific numbers of focus groups and meetings have not been prescribed. Applicants should propose the approach they believe best meets the project objectives and requirements outlined in the RFP.

141. The deliverables in the RFP list a brand: files, guidelines, etc. Should brand templates and collateral be included, or just general guidance for producing materials in the future?

The selected agency will not develop production-ready applications, but should instead provide guidance and examples illustrating how to apply the new branding elements to these and similar products.

142. Do you have internal staff who can be capable of using design assets to create additional materials?

Yes.

143. Are there any sensitivities to where the proposal falls within your budget range?

As noted in Section 11 of the RFP, Evaluation Criteria, the cost proposal represents 20% of the evaluation score, and it includes “overall cost-effectiveness and value provided relative to the proposed scope of work.”

144. Can you please explain “Applicants should not assume the full $100,000 is available.”

It means that we might have less than $100,000 available for the work outlined in the RFP.

145. What makes for a good partner?

Entire books are written on this topic. We will simply say that we value partners who communicate clearly, collaborate effectively, remain responsive and flexible, bring thoughtful ideas and relevant expertise to the work, and actively implement shared strategies; and we seek to do the same.

146. What are your concerns about your partner for this project?

We do not have specific project-related concerns about our many partners, beyond ensuring that the branding action team and the selected consultant thoughtfully engage our current and future partners and carefully consider their input and perspectives.

147. Do you have an existing relationship with any partners who are submitting proposals?

We do not know at this time who is submitting proposals for this specific RFP. Please also refer to the answer to Question 21.

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