Specifications include, but are not limited to: educate Texas voters about the State’s voter identification requirements in the 2024 primary election (Phase I) and the 2024 general election (Phase II). It is expected that the project requirements for Phase I and Phase II will be substantially similar (e.g., encompassing voter identification provisions for in-person voting and voting by mail), except that Phase I will seek to educate and communicate with Texans for purposes of the March 5, 2024 primary election and any subsequent primary runoff election on May 28, 2024, and Phase II will seek to educate and communicate with Texans for purposes of the November 5, 2024 general election. It is expected that the activities in Phase I will incorporate approximately forty percent (40%) of the allocated budget, and the activities in Phase II will incorporate approximately sixty percent (60%) of the allocated budget.; Consistent with the broad goals set forth in Sections 1.1 and 1.2 of this RFP, and the foregoing provisions, specific tasks to be implemented by the Contractor in Phase I and/or Phase II (as agreed upon through the Task Activity Plan and Cost Estimate processes referenced in Sections 4.3 and 4.4 of this RFP) may include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) Develop overall concept, themes, and design of voter education materials for the 2024 primary and general elections related to the State’s voter identification requirements for in-person voting and voting by mail; (2) Provide creative consultation and production consultation with SOS on a comprehensive statewide voter education campaign utilizing broadcast, print, and digital creative deliverables, special events, and other activities; (3) Research, plan, develop, and implement voter information/outreach strategies, messages, and materials for the general statewide voting population, and various subgroups, including the Spanish-speaking population and other minority communities, voters with disabilities, students, young and elderly voters, first-time voters, new Texas residents, individuals who are eligible to vote but are not registered, and voters who are eligible to vote by mail but have not previously voted by mail, as applicable to voter identification requirements for inperson voting and voting by mail; (4) Research, plan, develop, and implement innovative strategies, messages, and materials to effectively educate the statewide voting population and targeted sub-groups regarding the State’s voter identification requirements and processes for in-person voting and voting by mail; (5) Plan, design and produce, or re-broadcast educational voter information/outreach materials in multiple formats, including television, print, radio, electronic formats (such as Internet and smartphone applications), and in video formats that are research-based and appropriate for selected venues and media, pertaining to voter identification requirements for in-person voting and voting by mail; (6) Update the VoteTexas.gov web site as requested by SOS in Phase I and Phase II, including by incorporating certain concepts, designs, and messaging developed in the 2024 voter education campaign. Updating SOS’s main website (www.sos.state.tx.us, www.sos.texas.gov) is a responsibility of SOS; (7) Plan and implement creative special events and activities across the State of Texas to engage the public in meaningful ways regarding voter identification requirements for in-person voting and voting by mail; (8) Develop and implement innovative, effective social media opportunities throughout Phase I and Phase II of the campaign, utilizing a variety of platforms, to supplement traditional advertising methods to inform Texans of the voting processes and voter identification requirements applicable to in-person voting and voting by mail; (9) Engage with community news organizations across the State of Texas, including organizations and outlets that primarily serve minority communities, as well as organizations that support individuals with disabilities, in developing and implementing a statewide voter education plan that encompasses voter identification requirements for in-person voting and voting by mail; (10) Provide weekly update meetings (by telephone, video conference, or in person), status reports, detailed activity reports for prior weeks and projections for short-term and long-term future plans, and possible oral presentations to SOS executive staff on a regular basis regarding the status of the 2024 voter education campaign; (11) Provide awareness tracking at various stages of the program. Benchmark tracking shall be provided prior to Phase I followed by awareness tracking after Phases I and II. SOS will review awareness tracking after both phases to determine effectiveness of the level of awareness of the program and dissemination of the messages to the public. Contractor may be required to improve and/or modify the design or delivery of such messages based on request of the SOS Project Manager following the receipt of tracking information. Awareness tracking shall include the engagement of an independent subcontractor, approved by SOS, to conduct awareness tracking. The subcontractor shall provide SOS a copy of the raw data (in electronic form) from the evaluation, as well as a written narrative report. The effectiveness of the program will be analyzed in light of the following: (a) Quality and level of recall for the advertising and other messaging; (b) Level of awareness and understanding of voting processes and procedures, including how to comply with voter identification requirements (for in-person voting and voting by mail); (c) Ways in which voters’ attitudes about the voting processes (for in-person voting and/or voting by mail) have been demonstrably altered; and (d) Key demographic characteristics of target markets/audiences;
