MEDC Announces RFPs for Tourism, Business Marketing and PR Efforts

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has announced a request for proposals (RFP) to assist with the marketing, advertising and communications activities that promote Michigan as a world-class business location and travel destination. Four separate RFPs have been approved for release by the Michigan Strategic Fund and issued to obtain proposals from advertising, marketing and public relations agencies, as follows:

• Travel Marketing and Advertising
• Business Marketing and Advertising
• Business and Tourism Public Relations and Social Media
• State of Michigan Travel Guide Production Services

With one of MEDC’s strategic focus areas being to market the state and promote Michigan’s image as a world-class business and leisure travel destination, these contracts serve to assist in generating new business prospects for the state, increasing awareness of the full suite of services MEDC offers to Michigan businesses and communities, and increasing the visibility and selection of Michigan as a regional and national leisure travel destination.

“Whether our audience is leisure travelers, entrepreneurs or business owners looking to expand or grow in the state, we have a compelling story to tell about the benefits and opportunities Michigan has to offer,” said Doug Kuiper, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the MEDC. “Working alongside our talented team here at MEDC, our marketing and PR agency partners play a critical role in getting that Why Michigan story into market and building a pipeline of new visitors and new business leads that will help drive long term economic growth in Michigan.”

Important Dates:

• March 23, 2021 – RFPs released, available here.
• April 6, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. – Applicant questions for all RFPs due via email.
• April 13, 2021, by close of business – Responses to all qualifying questions to all RFPs will be posted on the respective RFP pages (linked above).
• May 19, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. – Electronic proposal submission deadline for all RFPs.

The MEDC is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. Within MEDC, the Marketing and Communications department, including Travel Michigan, markets the state to its selected audiences and serves as lead on paid and field marketing, public relations, event planning and protocol events related to the business development programs, travel and tourism, mobility initiatives and other placemaking initiatives within the organization.

The MEDC desires to extend its fully integrated business and travel marketing and communications campaigns, which seek to attract, retain and grow businesses that deliver economic benefit and opportunity to the people of Michigan as well as promote the state as a premier four-season travel destination with an unmatched quality of life through the Pure Michigan brand.

Additionally, for more than 20 years, Travel Michigan has entered into a contract with a full-service, integrated marketing partner and publisher for the development, sales, production and proactive distribution of the official state of Michigan travel guides, featuring articles with a focus on high quality content, editorial experience, compelling photography and innovative – but proven – proactive distribution solutions.

The health of tourism, one of the state’s largest industries, is crucial to Michigan’s economy. In 2019, tourism contributed $26.3 billion in visitor spending to the state’s economy. This spending also generated $2.9 billion in state and local taxes and supported 230,792 jobs in Michigan. During this same year, Pure Michigan campaign drove 1.9 million trips to Michigan, inspiring travelers to stay longer and do more while they were in the state.

While supporting 23 COVID-19 relief program efforts led by the MEDC last year, business marketing efforts also continued on both the attraction front through the state’s Pure Opportunity campaign and in-state to help connect Michigan businesses to resources and programs offered by the MEDC, through the Pure Partnership campaign. These efforts contributed toward $6.9 billion in private investment generated throughout the state, in the midst of a global pandemic, the creation of more than 14,000 new jobs.

The RFPs are available online at www.michiganbusiness.org/public-notices-rfps/ along with specifics on the application process. Proposals must be submitted by email no later than 3:00 p.m. on May 19, 2021.

Potential bidders are invited to submit questions via e-mail to contractsandgrants@michigan.org. E-mailed questions must be received no later than 3:00 p.m. on April 6, 2021. Responses to all qualifying questions will be posted online by the close of business on April 13, 2021.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.