PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Commerce Corp. board of directors on Monday awarded a contract to an Ohio-based firm to create a five-year tourism development plan for the agency’s marketing arm and the state’s six tourism regions.
The vote was unanimous. Board chairman Gov. Daniel J. McKee was absent.
Responding to a request for proposals issued in August, the winning bid went to Clarity of Place Inc., which will be paid $220,000 plus expenses.
The duration of the initial contract is expected to begin immediately and be completed within six months.
According to the RFP, the “regional-based” plan should “pinpoint the state and each tourism regions strongest current lures to note as well as identify product development that needs to take place in each [region],” and identify themes and future development potential.
Commerce will use the plan to inform the development of a marketing strategy and blueprint for tourism regions to develop products “that will produce a competitive edge,” according to the RFP, which did not require any media buys or advertising expenses.
Asked why the department awarded the bid to a firm based in Ohio, Anika Kimble-Huntley, the state’s chief tourism marketer, said Clarity of Purpose has previous experience in the tourism sector in states like Virginia and has worked with more than 300 destination marketing organizations, including the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitor’s Bureau.
“What I personally love is their analytic ability,” she said, adding the firm also recently completed a “medical tourism” campaign for another client.
Commerce Tourism Director Mark Brodeur said the contract, which the department negotiated down by $25,000, was not for a new marketing effort, but rather as “a precursor to the marketing,” and for the development of a template plan that can be used by the various tourism regions.
“To see where we are as a tourism management organization,” he said. “And if we are doing everything we should.”
“The marketing plan comes next,” said Brodeur.
An online document listing bidders’ questions and requests for clarification included an inquiry from an unnamed vendor regarding the short time frame to file proposals to the RFP, which opened on Aug. 4 and closed on Aug. 21.
The corporation responded it “believes that this is adequate amount of time for qualified vendors to prepare and submit proposals.”
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com
