PORTLAND, OR: The Oregon Zoo is seeking to create a roster of firms for marketing and communications services.
The zoo claims to be the most-attended fee-based tourist attraction in the state. By the end of its 2013 fiscal year in June, attendance reached 1.68 million, the highest in its 125-year history, according to the zoo.
The contracts will last up to three years with the possibility of two-year extensions. The accounts will each be worth up to $400,000. Responses to the RFP are due October 30.
There are no incumbent firms, said Stephanie Cameron, marketing and communications manager at the Oregon Zoo. She declined to comment further.
The winning agencies will work on a variety of communications projects and tasks on an ongoing, as-needed basis, according to the RFP. The potential scope of work includes strategic marketing communications and brand support to promote initiatives, events, and programs.
Other possible duties are graphic design and production support, including the design and layout of communications products. They could also include the development of press releases, recommendations for and implementation of media strategies, and some paid media activity.
Key initiatives in the works include the 2014 opening of Condors of the Columbia, a habitat for adult birds from the species.
In 2015, the zoo is planning to unveil Elephant Lands, made up of 6.25 acres around the zoo's eastern edge, created to protect a heard of Asian elephants.
