Governor’s Institutes of Vermont
Request for Proposals for Branding Services
Proposal Deadline: 4/29/15
The Governor’s Institutes of Vermont, a nonprofit organization, requests proposals for Branding
and Marketing Services. Electronic submissions of the proposals are preferred and should be
submitted to Executive Director Karen Taylor Mitchell at Karen@giv.org. Questions regarding
this RFP should be directed to Karen@GIV.org.
Introduction
The Governor’s Institutes of Vermont (GIV) requests proposals for branding and marketing
services. Project goals include developing a unifying message and promotion strategy to more
powerfully reach each of GIV’s target populations, creation of collateral materials, and launch of
a sustainable social media plan. A secondary goal is using the branding campaign as a means to
unify and motivate GIV’s staff and alumni communities.
The proposed contract period for services is from May-November 2015 with possibility of
ongoing services through July 2016. As a nonprofit organization that receives public funding,
GIV is committed to the effective and efficient use of its limited marketing budget.
About GIV
The Governor’s Institutes is Vermont’s renowned summer enrichment program for motivated
high school students. GIV empowers young people with intensive, hands-on learning
experiences in college settings which inspire their academic and creative passions, build
confidence and leadership, and expand their sense of possibility. High school is a vital juncture,
and GIV has a 30-year track record of bringing students together with peers, mentors and
professionals to collaborate and raise the bar on each student’s future horizons. Young people
come from all walks of life, from the economically disadvantaged and rurally isolated to those
who have many advantages but whose needs are underserved by their schools. Institutes are
hosted on Vermont college campuses to give students the opportunity to rehearse their futures, to
try sampling college life from delving into intensive study to locating the dining hall and
learning to live with a roommate. Each year, a startling number of GIV graduates call their
Institute experiences “life-changing.”
Background on the GIV Branding Project
To further the extraordinary outcomes that students and our community gain though GIV, our
Board has set ambitious enrollment growth, gender diversity, and economic diversity goals. GIV
is currently serving 62% more students per year than just five years ago, and we believe that
powerful, unified brand messaging and delivery is key to continued expansion. Governor’s
Institutes has a positive, recognizable brand that has been by supported by targeted outreach and
development campaigns, as well as the news media, but to date, no formal brand exploration or
marketing has been done for GIV. This special project is being generously supported by a
private donor and is not part of GIV general operating funds.
Scope of Work
We seek a partner with a collaborative working style, a thorough understanding of marketing
pertaining to young people and nonprofits, and a track record for excellent brand development
and execution to help us:
Phase I:
Assess the scope and efficacy of current branding and outreach efforts and gain input and
build excitement among farflung staff and alumni to then:
a) Develop a brand platform for GIV including positioning, personality, promise,
differentiation, and value proposition.
b) Develop a comprehensive brand strategy (including brand architecture) for a multifaceted brand that addresses relationships between Institutes, diverse target audiences,
and limited staff resources.
Phase II:
a) Create the brand identity including collateral, unified website, and brand identity
standards/guidelines/systems.
b) Develop and help deliver a strategy to gain organizational consensus for the
brand.
Proposal Requirements
a) Provide a brief description of your firm’s structure and capabilities. Introduce your
proposed project team with their backgrounds and distinguish between services provided
in-house and those provided by outside consultants. If services are to be provided by
outside consultants, please provide a brief description of the firm, its role, and
capabilities.
b) Describe in detail your approach and process for brand development and how it would fit
with GIV.
c) Provide a detailed fee proposal which outlines the specific activities to be completed and
rough timelines.
d) References: Supply at least two (2) references that have used your professional services
for a similar project. Include a contact name, address, and a contact phone number.
e) (optional) Provide case studies of your firm providing similar services to firms our size.
Anticipated Schedule
 RFP issued 4/14/15
 Proposals due to GIV 4/29/15
 Invitation to present issued by GIV 5/5/15
 Finalist presentations 5/7/15 – 5/14/15
 Decision 5/18/15
Proposal Evaluation
Selection of the successful proposal will be made by GIV based upon the bidder’s:
 Responsiveness to work scope and program needs, including comprehensiveness
 Demonstrated experience and expertise in similar projects, especially in Vermont
 Personnel assigned: bios, qualifications
 Cost effectiveness
Contract Terms
The proposed contract period for services is through the end of 2015. All material produced, data
collected, and reports generated by the subcontractor on behalf of GIV are confidential and
become the exclusive property of GIV. The contractor may not share program materials,
customer data, industry or program participant contact information, etc. unless explicitly
authorized by GIV to do so.
This RFP does not commit GIV to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal or to
procure or contract for services. GIV reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals
received as a result of this RFP, to negotiate with all qualified bidders, and to cancel the RFP, in
part or in its entirety at its sole discretion.