Robert H. Smith School of Business Advertising Services

Background
The Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland seeks to partner with an advertising agency that possesses innovative expertise in digital marketing, advertising, and brand strategy, specifically tailored for the higher education sector.
The goal of this contract is to enhance the school's brand visibility and effectiveness in attracting prospective students through strategic marketing initiatives.

Work Details
The contractor will be responsible for delivering a comprehensive range of services including:
1) Development of planning documents such as annual media plans, campaign tactical plans, creative briefs, and brand implementation guidance;
2) Production schedules and task-based project budgets;
3) Research and tactical recommendations including market analyses;
4) Campaign assessments and analytical reports;
5) Creation of collateral materials covering various advertising formats like Search Engine Marketing (SEM), native advertising, social media advertising, multimedia production (video/radio ads), and print advertising;
6) Strategic planning to strengthen the Maryland Smith brand in alignment with the University of Maryland's broader strategy;
7) Account management including day-to-day operations, client interactions, meeting arrangements, and campaign evaluations;
8) Creative direction encompassing concept development, copywriting, design oversight, and quality assurance;
9) Digital marketing strategies including paid search and email campaigns;
10) Media planning and buying with a focus on optimizing placements;
11) Metrics tracking to evaluate campaign effectiveness;
12) Research services to inform strategic communications.

Period of Performance
The contract will be executed over a specified period as defined in the solicitation documents, typically spanning multiple months or years depending on project requirements.

Place of Performance
The services will primarily be performed at the University of Maryland's campus in College Park, MD, with potential outreach to other locations as necessary for specific campaigns.

Bidder Requirements
Bidders must demonstrate experience in higher education marketing and possess a full in-house creative staff with at least three years of relevant experience.
They are required to provide examples of past projects similar in scope. The contractor must also comply with all University branding guidelines and be prepared to work collaboratively with university departments.