BC-21513-C Institutional Brand Strategy, Identity Refresh, and Implementation RFP

Background
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is a public research university established in 1966 and part of the University System of Maryland. Located in Baltimore County, UMBC is recognized for its commitment to academic excellence and innovation. The university is initiating a brand refresh to align with its new strategic plan, which aims to enhance its market position and communication strategies across various audiences.

Work Details
The contract involves a comprehensive brand refresh initiative that includes:

1. Brand Discovery and Research: Evaluating existing resources, analyzing the new strategic plan, conducting competitive landscape analysis, and performing a master identity audit.

2. Creative Development: Developing visual language, brand expression, print collateral templates, digital assets, and environmental/merchandise branding.

3. Creative Evaluation & Refresh Launch: Gathering community feedback on creative concepts, developing a rollout strategy for both internal and external launches, and establishing post-launch monitoring frameworks. Deliverables include final packaged asset files in various formats.

Period of Performance
The contract term is 18 months, starting from August 2026 with key milestones including discovery phase completion by October 2026 and public launch by September 2027.

Place of Performance
The services will be performed at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County located at 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250.

Bidder Requirements
Offerors must demonstrate experience rebranding mid-sized public institutions with at least ten years in higher education marketing. They must provide three references from similar projects and evidence of financial stability. Additionally, there is a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) participation goal of 20% for this contract.