About this opportunity
AI summaryThe City of San José Housing Department seeks an onshore US organization to deliver marketing and public information strategy consulting services. The selected contractor will perform offsite work across brand identity and design, graphic design and collateral development, and video strategy and production to align agency outreach goals with actionable digital and in-person communications. Proposals must include a portfolio of one to five sample projects, three references, and required city forms, including cost proposals and conflict of interest certifications. Prospective bidders must submit written questions and objections through the Biddingo portal by November 9, 2026, at 4:00 PM Pacific Time. Final proposals are due electronically via Biddingo by November 20, 2026, at 4:00 PM Pacific Time. The Housing Director will make the final award decision following responsiveness checks and proposal scoring by city staff and subject matter experts.
Buyer and opportunity details
- Client
- HOUSING DEPARTMENT
Scope of work
- Advance a cohesive communications strategy aligning outreach and engagement goals
- Develop design assets to support comprehensive digital strategy
- Update and maintain visual and verbal brand style guides
- Develop and build out brand templates including email newsletters and presentation decks
- Design fliers, decks, graphics, gifs, and digital friendly formats
- Provide graphic design services including signs, brochures, fliers, presentations, art direction, and copywriting
- Develop multimedia content for website, landing pages, and social media channels
- Develop and execute a video strategy, including 3-5 minute explainer videos
How proposals are evaluated
| Criterion | Weight / scoring |
|---|---|
| Experience & Desired Qualifications | 25% without oral interview / 20% with oral interview |
| Cost Proposal | 15% |
| Small Business Enterprise | 5% |
Minimum qualifications
- Continuous experience over the last five (5) years providing professional services
- Minimum of three (3) years of experience providing marketing, public information, or communications services
- Three (3) or more years of experience developing and executing strategic communications
- Active registration and good standing with the California Secretary of State
Documents to include with your response
- Cover Letter
- Company Profile
- Services Narrative
- Portfolio (minimum 1, maximum 5 sample projects via URL link or PDF)
- Form 1 - Response Certification
- Form 2 - Cost Proposal
- Form 3 - Conflict of Interest
- Form 4 - Request for Local and Small Business Preference (Optional)
- Form 5 - Customer Reference / List of References
- Form 6 - Acknowledgement of City Standard Terms
Key dates
- Release Date
- Friday, October 30, 2026
- Deadline for Questions and Objections
- Monday, November 9, 2026 by 4:00 PM Pacific Time
- Proposal Due Date and Time
- Friday, November 20, 2026 -- 4:00 PM Pacific Time
- Proposal Evaluation Completed
- January 2027
- Notice of Results (estimated)
- February 2027
- Contract Execution (estimated)
- April 2027
How to submit
- Method
- Electronic submission through Biddingo
- Instructions
- Responses must be submitted online at http://www.biddingo.com/sanjose prior to the due date and time. Fonts must be Times New Roman, Arial, or similar, minimum 11 point, with margins of 1 inch or more. Cover letter and services narrative each limited to no more than 3 pages.
Contract details
- Term
- Initial Contract Period: April 2027 – June 30, 2028
- Set-aside / preference
- Local and Small Business Enterprise Preference (LBE/SBE): 5% of total points for local and additional 5% for small under evaluative awards
- Place of performance
- Performance of the work will be offsite
- Insurance and bonding
- Proof of insurance meeting specified requirements in Attachment C prior to contract execution