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SWFL Economic Development Execs Issue RFQ for Marketing Campaign
Jun 17, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: June 17, 2008 CONTACT: Jennifer Berg SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVES Fort Myers, FL., June 17, 2008 - The Southwest Florida Economic Development Partners, a new initiative of economic development executives and other key stakeholders working on regional marketing and branding opportunities for Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Glades and Hendry counties, is seeking responses to a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for firms that possess an expertise in developing new regional branding and marketing campaigns. "The focus of the regional economic development initiative is the recruitment, retention and creation of high-wage jobs in targeted high technology industry clusters, such as health, life and environmental sciences, information technology, and specialty manufacturing," said Regina Smith, Executive Director of the Lee County Economic Development Office. The firm selected for this RFQ will have the ability to understand the various communities in the region, along with the unique assets and infrastructure and join these together into an image that effectively demonstrates the regional ability to attract and grow the select business clusters that will produce high-wage jobs and diversify the region's economy. "There is a need to attract high-paying industries to diversify the regional economy," said Dr. Richard Pegnetter, Founding Dean of the Lugert College of Business at Florida Gulf Coast University. The Southwest Florida Economic Development Partners is seeking firms to provide a scope of services that will include facilitating a half day or full day meeting with representatives from the economic development organizations throughout the region and a select a group of other stakeholders. Input from the meeting will be used to create a written communications and marketing plan that will include a timeline and detailed budget to implement, at a future date, the following items or others as deemed appropriate: - Regional identity and brand development, to include new logo and motto. This would also include incorporating logo-identity into the design of letterhead, envelopes, website and other outreach material. All proposals must be submitted electronically by July 15, 2008 to the Southwest Florida Economic Development Partners. |