CGA is requesting proposals from agencies to create a refreshed tagline for the national 811 campaign and animated versions of the 811 logo to be available to CGA members and damage prevention stakeholders. 

As CGA looks to enhance the 811 brand and refresh the current campaign, we are looking for an update to the “Call before you dig. Know what’s below” tagline and the ability to animate the 811 logo without changing or modifying the 811 logo/mark. Bringing the tagline into alignment with modern 811 request procedures (most requests are no longer made by telephone) and communicating the urgency of adhering to the 811 process are key objectives. As CGA and our members continue to advertise and market 811 in new ways, the ability to animate the 811 mark/logo opens additional doors for dynamic digital campaigns.

Please review the complete RFP and consider submitting a proposal or sharing with other qualified contacts. Proposals must be submitted no later than noon EST on Monday, Jan. 30 to kcahill@commongroundalliance.com. 

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Request for Proposal

811 Logo and Tagline
Updated Call-to-Action and Functionality

BACKGROUND

The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) seeks to engage an agency to create a refreshed tagline for the national 811 campaign and animated versions of the 811 logo to be available to CGA members and damage prevention stakeholders.

Established in 2000, CGA is committed to saving lives and preventing damage to North American underground infrastructure by promoting effective damage prevention practices of today and tomorrow. CGA is a member-driven association of nearly 2,000 individuals and 250 member companies in every facet of the underground utility industry. Membership in the CGA is open to all stakeholder groups (Excavators, Locators, Road Builders, Electric, Telecommunications, Oil, Gas Distribution, Gas Transmission, Railroad, One Call, Public Works, Equipment Manufacturing, State Regulators, Insurance, Emergency Services and Engineering/Design) with a genuine interest in reducing damages to the underground infrastructure. CGA’s top-tier members represent some of the largest companies and organizations in North America.

CGA was created, in part, to promote the concept that damage prevention is a shared responsibility and that it is in the public interest to ensure the safety, environmental protection and utility service reliability of underground facilities. Damage to underground utilities can result in deaths and injuries to individuals, damage to property and the environment, utility service interruptions and disruptions due to evacuations and road closures. 

CGA is a non-profit 501©(3) organization.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

CGA created the 811 logo and tagline to generate a cohesive national brand and support industry promotion of the newly established 811 number in 2007. The logo and supporting campaign materials were made available to all CGA members and stakeholders interested in promoting the safe digging message. The 811 logo has been widely used by member companies as well as national and state-level organizations. Examples of the logo in use include national/regional public service announcements and commercials, advertising campaigns (print, video, digital and experiential/event marketing), stickers on construction equipment, vehicle wraps and decals, pipeline markers, state 811 center branding (e.g., New York 811), a wide range of promotional products, and more.

As CGA looks to enhance the 811 brand and refresh the current campaign, we are looking for an update to the “Call before you dig. Know what’s below” tagline and the ability to animate the 811 logo without changing or modifying the 811 logo/mark. Bringing the tagline into alignment with modern 811 request procedures (most requests are no longer made by telephone) and communicating the urgency of adhering to the 811 process are key objectives. As CGA and our members continue to advertise and market 811 in new ways, the ability to animate the 811 mark/logo opens additional doors for dynamic digital campaigns.

SCOPE OF WORK

CGA is seeking an agency to create (1) options for an updated tagline and textual treatment for the 811 campaign and (2) options for animations of the 811 logo, which will be made available to CGA members and damage prevention stakeholders. Please note that the 811 logo itself will remain unchanged, and all deliverables in this scope of work should adhere to the 811 Graphic Standards Guide.

The selected agency will be responsible for holding virtual meetings/check-ins with CGA staff, who will provide input, oversight and guidance.

The selected agency should be experts in branding and design.

PROJECT DELIVERABLES

 Project planning: Work with CGA staff/task team members to define a strategy and execution plan to achieve project deliverables and goals.

1. Tagline development: Develop a selection of 3 options for an updated tagline and textual treatment for the 811 logo to replace “Know what’s below. Call before you dig.”

• Tagline should be concise enough to accompany the compact 811 logo – see accompanying 811 Graphic Standards Guide for examples of how the tagline has been stacked with the logo previously and would likely be stacked in the future.
• Tagline should be brought into the current era, e.g., “call” is an outdated call to action, as the majority of 811 requests are now made online.
• The basic message of the tagline should communicate why and how to utilize 811.
• Please include not only 3 copy options for new 811 taglines, but also 3 textual treatments – reference 811beforeyoudig.com and commongroundalliance.com for current textual style preferences, but do not feel obligated to directly mimic any currently available font.
• Please be prepared to provide image files of finalized textual treatments of the tagline in a range of sizes and file types, including EPS, JPG and PNG at a minimum.

3. 811 logo animations: Develop a selection of 3 animations of the 811 logo, adhering to current 811 logo graphic standards.
   • Goal is to create dynamism within the logo and provide association members with an 811 asset usable in a wide range of applications, including sports stadium signage (LED, etc.) and digital media campaigns.
   • Please provide animation files of finalized selection in a range of sizes and file types, including MOV and JPG.

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 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 agencies to submit RPF proposals to CGA: Monday, Jan. 30
• Interview top three agencies: Week of Jan. 30
• CGA selects agency: Monday, Feb. 6
• Project kick-off call: Week of Feb. 6
• First tagline and animation options delivered: Tuesday, Feb. 28
• Second tagline and animation options delivered: Monday, March 6
• Final tagline and animation options delivered: Friday, March 10
  
  

BID PROCESS

Submitting Proposals: 

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 outlined 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.

Proposals must be submitted electronically by Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, at noon EST to:

Kelly Cahill

kcahill@commongroundalliance.com
(Electronic confirmation of receipt of proposal will be sent following submittal)

Reference Documents:  Please reference the provided 811 Graphic Standards Guide for examples of the 811 logo and usage, as the deliverables for this RFP must adhere to the 811 Graphic Standards.

Questions: 
Send any questions related to the scope of work or RFP to kcahill@commongroundalliance.com.