Social Media Presences

Department Office/Division/Program: Department of Economic & Community Development Department Contract Administrator or Grant Coordinator: Kaylin Kerina (If applicable) Department Reference #: Amount: (Contract/Amendment/Grant) $ 105,600 Advantage CT / RQS #: 19A20230420000000002793 CONTRACT Proposed Start Date: Click or tap to enter a date. Proposed End Date: AMENDMENT Original Start Date: 2/15/2023 Effective Date: 1/1/2024 Previous End Date: 12/31/2023 New End Date: 12/31/2024 GRANT Project Start Date: Grant Start Date: Project End Date: Grant End Date: Vendor/Provider/Grantee Name, City, State: Marshall Communications Portland, ME Brief Description of Goods/Services/Grant: Establishing a social media presence is critical for Career Exploration to gain student, industry, and community buy in. The additional contract amendment would allow for PR and additional marketing campaigns to run to increase awareness of the MCEP. PART II: JUSTIFICATION FOR VENDOR SELECTION Check the box below

for the justification(s) that applies to this request. (Check all that apply.) A. Competitive Process G. Grant B. Amendment H. State Statute/Agency Directed DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION OF PROCUREMENT SERVICES e) Rsv wu he) BENNO} Procurement Justification Form (PJF) REV 1/23/2024 Page 2 of 3 C. Single Source/Unique Vendor I. Federal Agency Directed D. Proprietary/Copyright/Patents J. Willing and Qualified E. Emergency K. Client Choice F. University Cooperative Project L. Other Authorization Please respond to ALL of the questions in the following sections. PART III: SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 1. Provide a more detailed description and explain the need for the goods, services or grant to supplement the response in Part I. Maine Career Exploration requires public relations and marketing services to raise awareness of the programs primary components and the programs achievements and events. There is also a continued need for ongoing clear, educational, and engaging content on social media channels to inform and attract the interest of the target audiences including students, parents, parent-teacher organizations, guardians and community resources, and statewide, industry partners/sectors and employers. Goal Raise awareness of Maine Career Exploration and its mission to strengthen Maines workforce over the long term by making sure students have the skills, and Maines businesses have the workers, that they need to succeed. Social Media Marketing Goal Metrics: Increase Facebook followers by 100% | Increase Instagram followers by 100% Increase LinkedIn followers by 100% Increase content engagement by: Posting & reposting key partners social media |Cross-partner posting and engagement Update Link Tree on a regular basis Public Relations and Marketing services Deliverables/tactics including but not limited to: o Pitching to local media, including Mainebiz and Maine Publics Maine Calling o Press releases for events and important program news o Creation of a most wanted media list for ongoing pitching and press releases o Event assistance o Interview coordination and management o Website copy and SEO o E-newsletter distribution o Op-eds on topics that resonate with current news cycle Social Media Services Weekly organic social posts for Instagram: 3-4 posts per week* Weekly organic social posts for Facebook: 3-4 posts per week* Weekly organic social posts for LinkedIn: 3-4 per week* Weekday monitoring and posting on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, responding to and liking comments, encouraging/monitoring user-generated content, as appropriate Identifying and following relevant media, businesses and organizations Work with the Program Manager to create short videos showing career exploration opportunities throughout the state Social media advertising with a monthly budget set by Maine Career Exploration Monthly report *Though each social channel will have a specific target audience in mind as outlined above, certain social posts may do well to be repurposed across multiple channels. Procurement Justification Form (PJF) REV 1/23/2024 Page 3 of 3 PART III: SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 2. Provide a brief justification for the selected vendor to supplement the response in Part II. Reference the RFP number, if applicable. Marshall Communications already has a contract with the Department of Economic and Community Development for The Office of Tourism. Their contract will mirror similar services and needs. 3. Explain how the negotiated costs or rates are fair and reasonable; or how the funding was al