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Augmented Public InformationAugmented Public InformationO�ce Support for COVID-19O�ce Support for COVID-19

CommunicationsCommunications

About Avant Solutions:The Avant Solutions team looks forward to the opportunity to workyour PIO team to support public information communicationsdesigned to keep the public informed about the developmentsassociated with the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Avant Solutions is a public relations and communication consultancy.At Avant Solutions, we design customized communication strategiesthat work. 

We start by listening to your challenges, and then we get creative –exploring avenues that haven’t been considered, proposing solutionsfrom a new perspective, and building a communication plan that �tsyour needs. Your audience. Your voice. 

Founded by communication expert and thought leader MoniqueFarmer, Avant Solutions is rooted in a creative approach to strategiccommunication. No matter your industry or challenge –communication-based or operational, we will take the time to listen toyour goals and challenges, and then develop a customized plan basedon your needs, proven strategies and a little unconventional wisdom. 

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Avant Solutions is part of PR Consultants Group, a national network of50 award-winning independent communications and public relationsprofessionals and consultancies, allowing us to extend our reach inevery market across the U.S. and Canada and Puerto Rico and topurchase (cost-share) a variety of major PR tools, programs andservices at a�ordable costs.  

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This proposal outlines proposedThis proposal outlines proposedpublic relations and communicationpublic relations and communication

tactics supportive of yourtactics supportive of yourcommunication objectives. communication objectives. 

Why public relations/Why public relations/ public information-sharing?public information-sharing?

Public relations is a management function that works to buildmutually bene�cial relationships both inside and outside of an

organization to help that organization present itself as relatable tothe clients, consumers, customers and the publics it serves.

Organizational success depends on organizational reputation shapedby public relations e�orts. Public relations helps set the tone for thatreputation by sharing the organization’s story and ensuring that it is

consistently and accurately portrayed.

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The scope of work de�nes work that is inclusive in this bid. Work beyond the scope outlined within this bid will be discussed with

management before completing at a rate of $205 per hour.

SECTION 1

COVID-19 News ReleasesPackage

Description Item Quantity

SUBTOTAL

$16,000.00

Price

Background research, fact veri�cation and delivery of40 news releases and 40 fact sheets, respectively, forpublic dissemination by DHHS PIO. Each individualnews release and fact should is limited to a wordcount of no more than 750 words per document.

$16,000.00 1 unit $16,000.00

SECTION 2

Comprehensive KeyMessages and Talking PointsDocument Package

Description Item Quantity

SUBTOTAL

$6,500.00

Price

Background research, fact veri�cation and delivery ofup to 4 comprehensive key messages and talkingpoints documents

$6,500.00 1 unit $6,500.00

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SECTION 3

COVID-19 CommunicationsToolkits

Description Item Quantity

SUBTOTAL

$5,000.00

Price

Consultant will develop a maximum of 4 COVID-19Communications Toolkits to include social mediaposts, public service announcement scripts and �yersper toolkit (to be developed in English language only) –for use with local community health departments

$5,000.00 1 unit $5,000.00

SECTION 4

Media QueryDatabase/Online RTQ LibraryWebsite access

Description Item Quantity

SUBTOTAL

$4,788.00

Price

One year access to media query database/onlineresponse to query library website; white-label optionavailable at additional fee. All Intellectual Propertyassociated with the media query database/online RTQis and shall forever be owned by the consultant.

$4,788.00 1 Unit $4,788.00

SECTION 5

White-label setup for MediaQuery Database/Online RTQLibrary Website access

Description Item Quantity

SUBTOTAL

$1,500.00

Price

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White label set-up of Media Query Database/OnlineRTQ Library Website access to align with State ofNebraska website branding. White-labeling set-up iso�ered and available consultant's customers. AllIntellectual Property associated with the media querydatabase/online RTQ is and shall forever be owned bythe consultant.

$1.00 1500 Unit $1,500.00

SECTION 6

Social Media CalendarContentDevelopment/SchedulingSupport

Description Item Quantity

SUBTOTAL

$1,450.00

Price

Social media content support; calendar contentdevelopment and auto-scheduling support - $1,450amount billed monthly

$1,450.00 1 Unit $1,450.00

Total $35,238.00

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BiographyMonique Farmer, APR leads Avant Solutions. She has devoted nearly20 years to building her expertise as a communication strategist andadviser. Her experience spans internal and external communication,leader communication, issues management, reputation management,crisis communication, media training and media relations.

She is an alumni and honor's graduate from the Department ofDefense Information School's Public A�airs Quali�cations Course andhas earned multiple national communication awards including a PRSASilver Anvil Award (Missouri River, regional �ood response), and a GoldMedallion Award (brand and reputation strategy) from the NationalSchool Public Relations Association. The Gold Medallion is the highesthonor awarded by NSPRA.

As part of her commitment to advancing the profession, shedeveloped an online Web platform designed to aid professionalcommunication experts in the development of communicationstrategies (Anvil Ready). Her work in the �eld has garnered invitationsto speak at Ragan Communications Crisis Conference and PRSA'sInternational Conference.

Farmer currently teaches PR Management and Case Studies, PRTechniques, Strategic Writing and serves as professional advisor forthe PRSSA Bateman Competition Team in the College of Journalismand Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.She previously served as the Director of Communications forNebraska's largest school district, the Omaha Public Schools. Prior tothat she worked in Corporate Communications for ConAgra Foods andserved in a Public A�airs O�cer role for the U.S. Army Corps of

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Engineers. Her research insights into the frameworks and modelsschool districts can use to approach rebranding initiatives werepublished in a study conducted by the national research group,Hanover Research. Additionally, Farmer’s co-authored research onCrisis Communication was published in the peer-reviewed academicjournal, Newspaper Research Journal in July 2017. She holds a Master'sDegree in Public Administration (Public Management), a Master'sDegree in Journalism and Mass Communications (Media Studies) and aBachelor's Degree in Journalism (Advertising and Public Relations).

In her spare time, Farmer serves as the Vice President of Outreach andActivities for PRSA Nebraska. She also serves on the board of OmahaSTEM Ecosystem and the University of Nebraska at Omaha AlumniAssociation.

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Avant SolutionsProject Fee Outline:Avant Solutions is o�ering to work with your team on this project(outlined above) and a monthly fee retainer basis for social mediasupport to develop and provide the deliverables proposed.

Avant Solutions will invoice on the last day of each month with a net30 payment requirement. 

Travel time is billed at the hourly rate and mileage and parking will bebilled a pass-through expense with no markup. 

Media Relations and Media Monitoring Tools: 

Avant Solutions works with and has user licenses to a number of topindustry tools including:

Anvil Ready (communication strategy builder) Query Vault (media query database/library) Cloud Campaign (Social media listening and scheduling

automation) TV Eyes (broadcast monitoring)  Deposit Photos (imagery)  Survey Monkey  Google Forms

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The subscription cost to use Cloud Campaign, TV Eyes, Deposit Photos,Survey Monkey and Google Forms is included in the hourly rate. TheQuery Vault media query database can be white-labeled for your team'suse at an additional fee.

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Agency ResponsibilitiesThe agency will be responsible for performing all of the duties outlinedwithin this agreement.

Client ResponsibilitiesThe public relations process is a partnership between the agencyrepresentative and the client. We work with you to develop tacticalelements needed for your organization's communication goals andobjectives. As a client, we ask you provide the agency with an o�cialonboarding session, information, materials and access to key sta� andinformation so we may determine the best recommended direction tosupport your needs.

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Next Steps...Thank you for taking the time to review this proposal.

If you are ready to move forward, we will start with a meeting to discussnext steps. We will be prepared to begin working with you as soon as May 6,2020. The news releases and fact sheets outlined in this proposal should be

ordered and submitted by Aug. 7, 2020.Please let me know if you have any questions

or if this proposal is approved.

Monique Farmer

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By Clicking the Accept button, you agreeto the terms of the proposal.

For project work, 50% will be due prior to starting the work. Then,monthly payments of the remaining balance will be due through

completion of the work outlined in this proposal. Work beyond thescope of this proposal would require a new scope of work and

accepted contracted. Upon your acceptance of this proposal, we willdiscuss the timeline and details for our work together.

This proposal is copyrighted and con�dential. It is approved for viewing by the DHHS PIO team only.

Accept

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