SACRAMENTO: The board of directors for the California High-Speed Rail Authority unanimously approved the selection of Ogilvy PR Worldwide for a $9 million PR contract, an official at the state agency confirmed.
The board voted unanimously at its November 5 monthly meeting, according to Jeffrey Barker, deputy director for communications, policy, and public outreach for the California High-Speed Rail Authority.
Christi Black, MD for Ogilvy's Sacramento office, said that she expects work to begin in the next few months.
The rail authority originally awarded the account to Mercury Public Affairs in September. Following questions over the firm's ties to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's office, a second RFP was issued, which Mercury declined to pitch.