CGA is requesting information to assist in engaging a specialist or agency to (1) create a series of compelling, communicative charts and graphs for inclusion in our 2022 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report, and (2) complete layout and design of the 2022 DIRT Report.
While much of the Report’s scope and content are similar year-over-year, CGA is seeking a specialist or agency who can elevate the overall design of the annual DIRT Report to be more modern, narrative and compelling. The ideal collaborator(s) will engage deeply with the subject matter to create fresh, out-of-the-box ideas for uncovering new perspectives on our data and communicating the importance of damage prevention. Experience in damage prevention or adjacent industries would be helpful.
Please review the complete RFI and consider submitting information or sharing with other qualified contacts. Proposals must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 to kcahill@commongroundalliance.com.
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Request for Information
Data Visualization and Information Design
2022 DIRT Report
BACKGROUND
The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) seeks to engage a specialist or agency to (1) create a series of compelling, communicative charts and graphs for inclusion in our 2022 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report, and (2) complete layout and design of the 2022 DIRT Report, to be digitally published in August 2023.
Established in 2000, CGA is dedicated to preventing damage to underground utility infrastructure and protecting those who live and work near these important assets through the shared responsibility of our stakeholders. CGA is a member-driven association of 3,200 damage prevention professionals spanning every facet of the underground utility industry.
CGA’s annual DIRT Report is the only comprehensive national accounting of damages to North American infrastructure, making it a key resource for the media and the entire damage prevention industry – including local, state and federal regulators and policymakers – as we try to reduce the number of damages to buried infrastructure and improve public safety.
CGA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
SCOPE OF WORK
CGA is seeking a specialist or agency to refresh the design of our annual DIRT Report; specifically, to (1) create a series of compelling, communicative charts and graphs for inclusion in our 2022 Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report, and (2) complete layout and design of the 2022 DIRT Report by our mid-August 2023 publication deadline.
Past examples of our annual DIRT Reports can be found here, or furnished by CGA (email kcahill@commongroundalliance.com). The number of graphs and charts for the 2022 Report will be roughly equivalent to the 2021 Report, and the page count will also be similar.
While much of the Report’s scope and content are similar year-over-year, CGA is seeking a specialist or agency who can elevate the overall design of the annual DIRT Report to be more modern, narrative and compelling. We have included links to some data visualizations and information design concepts below to serve as examples of the forward-thinking strategic approach that the qualified specialist or agency would bring to this project. The ideal collaborator(s) will engage deeply with the subject matter to create fresh, out-of-the-box ideas for uncovering new perspectives on our data and communicating the importance of damage prevention.
The selected specialist or agency will be responsible for holding virtual meetings/check-ins with CGA staff, who will provide input, oversight and guidance.
The selected specialist or agency should be experts in data visualizations and information design. Experience in damage prevention or adjacent industries would be helpful.
DATA VIZUALATION EXAMPLES
· The Economist: French bulldogs are taking over America
· The Economist: Online daters are less open-minded than their filters suggest
· The Economist: Upper legislative houses tend to be biased and malapportioned
· The Economist: Suicide rates for girls are rising. Are smartphones to blame?
· Pew Research Center: How public polling has changed in the 21st century
· Pew Research Center: How Americans view emerging uses of artificial intelligence
PROJECT DELIVERABLES
1. Project planning: Work with CGA staff/task team members to define a strategy and execution plan to achieve project deliverables and goals.
2. Chart and graph development: Beginning in June, review data sets and collaborate with CGA staff on eye-catching, communicative data visualization concepts for the 2022 DIRT Report.
3. Report layout and design: Following data visualization development and in collaboration with CGA staff, create layout/design concepts for the 2022 DIRT Report. Once a concept has been selected, execute Report design for mid-August 2023 digital publication.
If you can only bid on part of this project, please indicate and explain how you would address the other deliverables.
SCHEDULE
The following is a general schedule intended to give specialists and agencies a sense of CGA expectations. The schedule is subject to modifications. It is anticipated that the successful bidder will have interaction, via video conferencing (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.), throughout the process with members of the CGA staff who will provide input, oversight and guidance.
Draft schedule – Subject to Modifications:
- Deadline for RPI submissions: May 31
- CGA selects specialist/agency: Week of June 5
- Project kick-off call: Week of June 5
- Follow-up discovery call: Week of June 12
- Data visualization first-round concepts reviewed: Week of June 26
- Final data visualizations produced: Week of July 3
- Report design first-round concepts reviewed: Week of July 10
- Report revisions presented: Week of July 17
- CGA delivers final report content to specialist/agency: Week of July 24
- Final report design presented: Week of Aug. 7
- CGA delivers two rounds of revisions: Week of Aug. 7
- Final report design published digitally: Week of Aug. 14
PROCESS
Submitting Information:
To express an interest in becoming the CGA’s contractor for this Scope of Work, please submit the following:
- A statement of capabilities relative to the goals and deliverables of the project described above.
- A description of any relative prior experience.
- An outline of the intended approach to the Scope of Work.
- An outline of pricing and proposed billing method for the Scope of Work in the form of one of the following: hourly rate, flat rate, deliverable rate or combination structure.
Responses must be submitted electronically by Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET to:
Kelly Cahill
kcahill@commogroundalliance.com
(Electronic confirmation of receipt of information will be sent following submittal)
Questions:
Send any questions related to the Scope of Work or RFI to kcahill@commogroundalliance.com.