AUSTIN, TX: TateAustin Public Relations has been selected by the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority after a competitive pitch. The account is valued at $750,000 over two years and includes marketing as well as PR.
The RFP was issued to gain PR and marketing help for the launch of "toll tags," which allow drivers to pass through tollbooths without stopping. The project is part of a $2.2 billion initiative to convert or build more toll roads in Texas.
TateAustin director Brad Mays said a "big component is the public information" aspect of the work, informing consumers about the new service and toll roads in the area.
Mays said the firm underwent at least three rounds before being chosen. Other agencies pitching the business included Burson-Marsteller, Oldfield Davis in Dallas, Vollmer Public Relations in Houston, and Sanders Wingo Galvin & Morton Advertising in El Paso, TX.
The contract has sparked some criticism from local officials who oppose the toll plan. Those officials have called for an audit of the Mobility Authority, in part over PR expenditures.
