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| RFP Name | Marketing/Communications/Content Creator For The Planning Department |
|---|---|
| RFP No. | P-2026-1 |
| Open Date | May 1, 2026, 2:30 PM |
| Close Date | May 15, 2026, 4:30 PM |
Project Description
The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe (SBIT) is undergoing a vital relocation due to rising risks of flooding and coastal erosion caused by climate change. The Tribe seeks a Marketing/Communications/Content Creator to provide strategic communications designed to humanize the crisis, tell personal stories of resilience, and engage both the community and external stakeholders.
Proposals that reflect experience working with Native American tribes with proven abilities in these areas will be the most competitive.
The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe reserves the right to waive any informality in the proposal process and will award the contract(s) based upon the qualifications and experience that best meets the type of work necessary and that are deemed to be in the best interest of the tribe.
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Scope of Work
The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe (SBIT) is undergoing a vital relocation due to rising risks of flooding and coastal erosion caused by climate change. The Tribe seeks a Marketing/Communications/Content Creator to provide strategic communications designed to humanize the crisis, tell personal stories of resilience, and engage both the community and external stakeholders.
Questions & Answers
Question:
Will the selected contractor be responsible for posting directly to Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe social media accounts, or only creating approved content for SBIT staff to post?
Answer:
The Tribe’s Planning and Public Relations teams will handle posting on the Tribe’s social media accounts. The contractor will work closely with these teams to ensure posts are delivered on time and formatted correctly for high-quality, consistent engagement.
Question:
Who will provide final approval for stories, interviews, photos, videos, flyers, mailers, and press releases?
Answer:
All content must be submitted to the Planning Department for final review. The Tribe and its authorized representatives will provide approval to ensure all materials accurately reflect the goals of the Uphill Relocation Project.
Question:
Does SBIT already have a consent/release form for Tribal members, families, youth, and staff who may be photographed, interviewed, recorded, or featured?
Answer:
Yes, the Tribe has a release form in place for Tribal members, families, youth, and staff who may be photographed, interviewed, recorded, or featured. This form will be available for all events and interviews.
Question:
For the youth training/internship component, does SBIT expect a specific number of workshops, training hours, or participants per year?
Answer:
To provide meaningful one-on-one technical training and mentorship, the Tribe expects to host two to four interns per year. These interns will participate in training for photography, video, and social media. Participation is based on youth volunteers and will not exceed four people annually, with a maximum of eight training hours per quarter.
Example Curriculum:
- Quarterly Workshops: Two-hour sessions (such as an afternoon of shadowing) or "media bootcamps" covering storytelling basics and social media ethics.
- Independent Work: Students capture community event footage or draft example social media posts.
- Mentorship Check-ins: Monthly 30-minute sessions with the contractor to review work and provide professional feedback.
Question:
Will printing and mailing costs for flyers, posters, and mailers be paid separately by SBIT, or must those hard costs be included within the $3,375 monthly retainer?
Answer:
Printing and postage expenses will be covered by the Tribe. However, the contractor must coordinate with the Planning team regarding material specifications and quantities to ensure arrangements are authorized before production begins. Please allow at least one week of lead time, depending on the scale of the project.
Question:
Does SBIT have brand guidelines, logo files, preferred fonts, colors, language standards, or cultural review requirements for public communications?
Answer:
- Custom visual assets and infographics are expected as part of the strategy roadmap. The selected contractor will play a key role in helping the Tribe design its brand identity.
- Cultural review is a core requirement; all materials will undergo a review process to ensure they are community-appropriate and support the Tribe’s long-term communication strategy.
- Whenever possible, the Contractor may incorporate traditional language in consultation with the Cultural Department. Language-inclusion, while strongly encouraged as part of the creative process, is not required.
- This is not something readily available online or in other sources and will require on-site expertise from the Cultural Department.
- The Planning Department looks forward to seeing new branding possibilities and invites the contractor to review the Tribe’s Website, Storymap, and Master Plan for inspiration from Tribal members' artwork.
- The official logo is required for formal notices; individual departments may also provide specific icons.
Question:
Are travel costs expected to be included in the monthly retainer, or may they be billed separately if travel beyond the Tokeland / local service area is required?
Answer:
Yes. Because the project requires capturing high-quality photography and video of local relocation milestones, all travel expenses between work locations must be factored into the $3,375.00 monthly retainer. Home-to-office commuting is not included.
Question:
Does SBIT want raw photo and video files delivered, edited final assets only, or both?
Answer:
In accordance with the Tribal Data Sovereignty policy, we require that all files be maintained in their entirety, including both raw formats and final edited versions, please.
Question:
Are there specific relocation milestones already scheduled between June 2026 and May 2028 that should be reflected in the project timeline?
Answer:
The selected contractor will participate in detailed discussions regarding all upcoming events and milestones to establish a full schedule well in advance.
Question:
Is SAM.gov registration required at the time of proposal submission, or may proof of active registration be provided before contract execution?
Answer:
Proof of registration is required at the time of proposal submission. Registration demonstrates that the contractor is verified with an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and is eligible for federal funds. The Tribe requires this proof during the proposal process to ensure the selected candidate's immediate eligibility.
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