Resolution 2024-33083 RESOLUTION NO. 2024-33083
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE
CITY MANAGER TO AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATIONS RELATING TO REQUEST
FOR QUALIFICATIONS NO. 2024-010-ND, FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS
SERVICES FOR ARTS AND CULTURE; AUTHORIZING THE
ADMINISTRATION TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH CULTURE
COUNSEL II, INC., THE TOP-RANKED PROPOSER; FURTHER, IF THE
ADMINISTRATION IS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN NEGOTIATING AN
AGREEMENT WITH CULTURE COUNSEL II, INC., AUTHORIZING THE
ADMINISTRATION TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH BLUE MEDIUM,
INC., AS THE SECOND-RANKED PROPOSER; FURTHER, IF THE
ADMINISTRATION, IS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN NEGOTIATING AN
AGREEMENT WITH BLUE MEDIUM, INC., AUTHORIZING THE
ADMINISTRATION TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH DEPARTMENT
PR, AS THE THIRD-RANKED PROPOSER; AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT
UPON CONCLUSION OF SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS BY THE
ADMINISTRATION.
WHEREAS, on January 31, 2024, the Mayor and City Commission approved the
issuance of the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) No. 2024-010-ND for Public Relations
Services for Arts and Culture; and
WHEREAS, Request for Qualifications No. 2024-010-ND (the "RFQ") was released on
January 31, 2024; and
WHEREAS, a voluntary pre-proposal meeting was held on February 14, 2024; and
WHEREAS, on April 5, 2024, the City received six (6) proposals from Blue Medium, Inc.,
CCOM Group, Inc., Circle of One Marketing Inc., Culture Counsel II, Inc., Department PR, E-PR
Online, Hylink Group, Mozaic Media & Communications, Inc., Perfect Plan Public Relations,
LLC, and The Weinbach Group, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, on April 19, 2024, the City Manager, via Letter to Commission No. 158-
2024, appointed an Evaluation Committee consisting of: Melissa Berthier, Director, Office of
Marketing and Communications; Lissette Garcia Arrogante, Director, Tourism and Culture
Department; Ian Rand, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications, The Wolfsonian —
FIU; and Grisette Roque Marcos, Executive Director, Miami Beach Visitors and Convention
Authority; and
WHEREAS, the Evaluation Committee convened on May 17, 2024, to review and score
the proposals; and
WHEREAS, the Evaluation Committee received an overview of the project, information
relative to the City's Cone of Silence Ordinance and the Government Sunshine Law, general
information on the scope of services, and a copy of each proposal; and
WHEREAS, the Evaluation Committee was instructed to score and rank each proposal
pursuant to the evaluation criteria established in the RFQ; and
WHEREAS, the Evaluation Committee process resulted in the ranking of proposers as
follows: Culture.Counsel II, Inc., as the top-ranked proposer; Blue Medium, Inc., as the second-
ranked proposer; Department PR, as the third-ranked= proposer; The Weinbach Group, Inc:, as
the fourth-ranked proposer; CCOM Group, Inc., as the fifth-ranked proposer-; Mozaic Media &
Communications, Inc., as the sixth-ranked proposer; Circle of One Marketing Inc. and Hylink
Group,:as the tied seventh-ranked proposers; Perfect Plan Public Relations, LLC; as the ninth-
ranked proposer, and E-PR Online, as the tenth-ranked proposer; and
WHEREAS, after reviewing all of the submissions and the Evaluation Committee's
rankings: and- analysis, the City Manager concurs. with the Evaluation :Committee and
recommends that the Mayor and City Commission authorize the Administration to: enter into
negotiations with Culture Counsel II, Inc., as the top-ranked proposer; further, if the
Administration is not successful in negotiating an agreement with Culture- Counsel II, Inc.,
authorizing the:Administration to enter into negotiations with Blue Medium, Inc., as the second-
ranked proposer; further if the Administration is not successful in negotiating an agreement with
Blue Medium, Inc.,'authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with Department PR,
as the third-ranked:proposer; and further authorizing the City Manager and City Clerk to execute
an agreement upon conclusion of successful negotiations by the Administration. :
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the ' Mayor and City
Commission hereby accept.the recommendation of the City Manager, pursuant to Request for
Qualifications (RFQ) No. 2024-010-ND for Public Relations Services for Arts and Culture;
authorize the.Administration to enter into negotiations with Culture Counsel. II, Inc., as the top-
ranked proposer; further, if the Administration is not successful in negotiating an agreement with
Culture Counsel. II, Inc., authorize the Administration to enter into negotiations with Blue
Medium, Inc., as the second-ranked proposer; further if the Administration is not successful in
negotiating an agreement with Blue Medium, Inc., authorize the Administration to enter into
negotiations with Department PR, as the third-ranked proposer; and further authorize the City
Manager and City Clerk to execute an agreement upon conclusion of successful negotiations by
the Administration. •
PASSED AND ADOPTED this oX - day of lnC 2024.
•
-i ATTEST: ' fyr
teven Meiner, Mayor
JUL - 3 2024
Rafael E. Granado City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO. . .
' & LANGUAGE
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` . City Attorney Date .
Procurement Requests -C2 D
MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: 1 Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Rickelle Williams, Interim City Manager
DATE: June 26, 2024
TITLE: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY
MANAGER, PURSUANT TO REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) 2024-010-
ND FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICES FOR ARTS AND CULTURE. (TOURISM
AND CULTURE)
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission approve the resolution accepting the City
Manager's recommendation pursuant to RFQ 2024-010-ND,for Public Relations Services for Arts
and Culture, and authorize the Administration to enter into negotiations with Culture Counsel II,
Inc., as the top-ranked proposer. If the Administration is not successful in negotiating an
agreement with Culture Counsel II, Inc., authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations
with Blue Medium, Inc., as the second-ranked proposer. If the Administration is not successful in
negotiating an agreement with Blue Medium, Inc., authorizing the Administration to enter into
negotiations with Department PR, as the third-ranked proposer. The resolution also authorizes
the City Manager and City Clerk to execute an agreement upon the conclusion of successful
negotiations by the Administration.
The solicitation is currently under the cone of silence.
BACKGROUND/HISTORY
Over the past several decades, the cultural landscape of Miami Beach has evolved into a world-
class destination for performing and visual arts. Visionary leaders have long understood the
transformative potential of the arts and cultural economy for Miami Beach. In 1984, the City
launched an Art in Public Places program that allocates two (2%) percent of hard costs for City
and public/private projects to purchase public art. In 1998, the City strengthened its commitment
to the arts by establishing the Cultural Arts Council (CAC) to develop, coordinate, and promote
the arts in Miami Beach. Since the program's inception, the City of Miami Beach Mayor and
Commission and the CAC have awarded approximately $20 million in cultural arts grants,
supporting thousands of performances, exhibits, and other cultural activities in the City.
At present, the City awards $1,050,000 in annual grants to cultural anchor institutions and
presenting organizations that create cycles of performances and events all year round. In addition,
$2 million is allocated to sponsor cultural, sports, and holiday events throughout the year. These
successful programs are innovative, far-reaching, and energetic. The City's cultural investment is
complemented by privately sponsored events. The result is an arts agenda impressive in reach,
frequency, and programmatic diversity.
A well-qualified consultant is needed to assist the Tourism and Culture Department with strategic
communications and publicity services related to the City's robust arts and culture programming,
including, but not limited to, strategy, marketing, media outreach, social media, and public
relations. In the past, the department has sought quotes annually for the services. However, the
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department is interested in considering a longer-term arrangement to ensure that a more strategic
approach can be developed and implemented.
Accordingly,the Administration developed RFQ 2024-010-ND for public relations services for arts
and culture, seeking proposals for the desired services.
ANALYSIS
On January 31, 2024, the Mayor and the City Commission authorized the issuance of RFQ No.
2024-010-ND for public relations services for arts and culture. On January 31, 2024,the RFQ was
issued. A voluntary pre-proposal conference to provide information to proposers submitting a
response was held on February 14, 2024. Three (3)addenda were issued, and 100 prospective
bidders accessed the advertised solicitation. RFQ responses were due and received on April 5,
2024. The City received a total of ten(10) proposals from the following firms:
• Blue Medium, Inc.
• CCOM Group, Inc.
• Circle of One Marketing Inc.
• Culture Counsel II, Inc.
• Department PR
• E-PR Online
• Hylink Group
• Mozaic Media & Communications, Inc.
• Perfect Plan Public Relations, LLC
• The Weinbach Group, Inc.
On April 29, 2024, the City Manager appointed the Evaluation Committee via LTC # 158-2024.
The Evaluation Committee convened on May 17, 2024, to consider proposals received. The
Committee was comprised of Melissa Berthier, Director, Office of Marketing and Communications;
Lissette Garcia Arrogante, Director, Tourism and Culture Department; Ian Rand, Assistant
Director of Marketing and Communications, The Wolfsonian — FIU; and Grisette Roque Marcos,
Executive Director, Miami Beach Visitors and Convention Authority.
The Committee was provided an overview of the project and information relative to the City's
Cone of Silence Ordinance and the Government Sunshine Law. The Committee was also
provided with general information on the scope of services and a copy of each proposal. The
Committee was instructed to score and rank each proposal pursuant to the evaluation criteria
established in the RFQ. The evaluation process resulted in the ranking of proposers as indicated
in Attachment A.
The Evaluation Committee deemed Culture Counsel II, Inc. (Culture Counsel) the best-qualified
firm to provide public relations services for arts and culture. The Evaluation Committee noted that
Culture Counsel II, Inc. has years of experience in the art world and an extensive network of
journalists and editors that will generate a variety of pitching angles and evergreen narratives
around arts and culture in the City. Culture Counsel will be able to diversify outreach across
different channels of media, sharing the City's news with and placing stories in national and
international broadsheets, art publications, and popular culture, lifestyle, philanthropy,
architecture, and travel press. The Evaluation Committee also noted that Culture Counsel not
. only has long-term collaborations in Miami-Dade County but has communicated some of the most
impactful cultural projects in the country,from museum openings to art fairs (NADA Miami Beach,
The Armory Show, Dallas Art Fair), public art initiatives (Creative Tiem, Time Square Arts), and
citywide biennials (Prospect New Orleans, Performa, Fotofocus).
Culture Counsel works with arts communities across the country, spurring momentum through
media outreach, community engagement, programming, and partnerships. Though Culture
Counsel works in many cultural sectors, from architecture and design to philanthropy and
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entertainment, its work in the art world has defined the firm since 2015. Through its work with
various types of cultural institutions (funders, grantmakers, non-profit presenting organizations,
commercial spaces), it harnesses a network effect that amplifies audience engagement and
spotlights entire communities. Its Miami-Dade County collaborations include NADA Miami Beach,
the Perez Art Museum Miami, MOCA North Miami, Nina Johnson Gallery, Oolite Arts, the Joh S.
and James L. Knight Foundation, and the 0, Miami Poetry Festival. All references provided
positive feedback.
The Evaluation Committee also deemed Blue Medium, Inc., (Blue Medium) the second-ranked
proposer, and Department PR, the third-ranked proposer, qualified in the event that negotiations
with Culture Counsel II, Inc. are unsuccessful.
Blue Medium, founded in 2000, is a public relations company specializing in serving the visual
arts, architecture, and design communities. From long-term, full-scale communications strategy
and implementation to shorter-term project-based public relations, Blue Medium provides a range
of services founded upon lasting relationships with the media we serve and a high standard of
professional trust and reliability. Its clients include, but are not limited to, the Andy Warhol
Museum, The Mystic Seaport Museum, and the Rhode Island School of Design. All references
provided positive feedback. Finally, Blue Medium is the incumbent providing these services to the
City, and the City has been satisfied with its work and offered positive feedback.
Department PR is a women-led multicultural communications firm based in New York City that is
dedicated to the arts, design, and culture. Its approach is human-centric and collaborative, with a
proven track record of setting goals and achieving them. It centers its communications campaigns
on strategic thinking, deep relationships with art and cultural media worldwide, and creative
thinking to create dynamic storytelling for its clients that is compelling and effective. It has worked
on notable campaigns worldwide with notable recent projects in Florida, including the SCOPE Art
Show, The Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, and the ArtLife of West Palm Beach. All
references provided positive feedback.
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
The Tourism and Culture Department has budgeted $60,000 for these services. Fees will be
established through the negotiation process. Services pursuant to the award of this RFQ shall be
subject to successful negotiations and the availability of funds approved through the City's
budgeting process. It is not anticipated that grant funding will be utilized for this project.
Does this Ordinance require a Business Impact Estimate?
(FOR ORDINANCES ONLY)
The Business Impact Estimate (BIE)was published on . See BIE at:
https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/city-clerk/meetinq-notices/
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
160-0380-000312-25-406-548-00-00-00- $60,000
CONCLUSION
Based on the foregoing, it is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission approve the
Resolution authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with Culture Counsel II, Inc.,
the top-ranked proposer; further, if the Administration is not successful in negotiating an
agreement with Culture Counsel II, Inc., authorize the Administration to enter into negotiations
with Blue Medium, Inc., as the second-ranked proposer; further, if the Administration is not
Page 69 of 1862
successful in negotiating an agreement with Blue Medium, Inc., authorize the Administration to
enter into negotiations with Department PR, as the third-ranked proposer; and further authorize
the City Manager and City Clerk to execute an agreement upon conclusion of successful
negotiations by the Administration.
Applicable Area
Citywide
Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, Is this item related to a G.O. Bond
pursuant to City Code Section 2-17? Project?
No No
Was this Agenda Item initially requested by a lobbyist which, as defined in Code Sec. 2-481,
includes a principal engaged in lobbying? No
If so, specify the name of lobbyist(s)and principal(s):
Department
Procurement
Sponsor(s)
Co-sponsor(s)
Page 70 of 1862
ATTACHMENT A
RFQ 2024-010.ND i fI
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Culture
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,Culture CbunoM!Um. 91 0 g__,1 —_—O-- 90 1 90 90 3 Ib 0 65 1 6 1
Blue Medum.Imo 99 0 09 ,3 91 90 1 100 100 1 7U_ 0 -7� 4 9__ 1
LOsesr mer9 PR --- Jr 0 II ,2 IN91 1 ..-eaae 2 70 0 70 0 11- 1
The W euibiGrou9.Inc. 60 0 10 .6 65 01 4 65 15 4 10 0 00 5 17 4
`CCOMGrouo,I1�1 _ 67 0 67 4 75 75 7, 55 05 4 75 0 75 4 19 1
,Moza.c Mama i Conu ocak0nt,Inc. 56 0 56 7 60 /o 5 10 00 7 15 0 05 1 20 I
Circle of One M4ixeunykV. — 65 _ I_ fit -_—_9_ _NI__- , _ A____r_. 00 5 65 _ 65 9` 19 . 9 � 5.__. _ 79 __---?
nw ro _-_-.. 55 0 55 I 75 75 7 05 55 4 70 0 70 6 - 25 7
Perfect,Plan PuM c Rel.t�.LLC , 40 0 40 9 70 70 • 70 70 0 70 0 70 6 52 1
E•PR Olin -._ 40 0 40 9 65 [ 46 10 40 40 10 55 0 55 _1 39 11
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