COUNTY OFFICIALS BACK TDC DECISION TO RE-BID OUTDATED WEBSITE & ADVERTISING CONTRACTS 

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Tinsley Promoting has been producing and putting print, digital and tv advertisements for Monroe County tourism for 40 years. CONTRIBUTED

Florida Keys officers spurned the established order this week by ending a 30-year relationship throughout a really public breakup, or not less than a trial separation. It occurred on the Nov. 19 county fee assembly — and it wasn’t mutual.

The board of county commissioners (BOCC) upheld the Oct. 29 suggestions of the Vacationer Improvement Council (TDC) by voting to terminate its decades-long contracts with web site and digital companies supplier Two Oceans Digital, and with Tinsley Promoting, which for 40 years has deliberate, designed, produced, edited, positioned and scheduled the Keys’ print, broadcast and digital advertisements and commercials.

The advice to rebid these contracts was prompted by audits the county clerk and unbiased marketing consultant carried out earlier this yr to look at the TDC’s contracts with the businesses. Auditors had been alarmed by the outdated contract with Two Oceans, which grants the corporate 100% of promoting income from the Florida Keys’ tourism web site at fla-keys.com. Whereas the contract made sense 30 years in the past, when digital promoting was simply getting began, it has led to a scenario that’s lopsided for the TDC, however fairly profitable for Two Oceans.

The clerk’s audits of the Tinsley contract didn’t comprise any of the identical considerations, however TDC president and CEO Kara Franker advised the TDC board she is worried by the charges Tinsley is charging the county.

Each corporations initially indicated a willingness to fulfill with TDC and county officers, probably rerenegotiate their contracts, and submit bids for his or her previous jobs in response to the 2 new Requests for Proposals that will likely be issued.

However on Nov. 20, the night after the county fee assembly, Franker advised the Keys Weekly that renegotiation discussions had began with Tinsley, then damaged down. 

“They began down that path, then refused to barter any additional,” Franker stated, including that Two Oceans did wish to renegotiate.”

Dorn Martell, co-owner of Tinsley, requested the county commissioners throughout their Nov. 19 assembly to not cancel Tinsley’s contract, however to go forward and situation the brand new RFP. Martell stated Tinsley must schedule and purchase promoting slots a yr prematurely, and canceling the contract would impede their means to do this.

Franker pushed again on Martell’s statements, telling county commissioners that advert placement will be scheduled and purchased quarterly and in smaller batches and needn’t be achieved a yr prematurely. The fee in the end voted to terminate each contracts efficient March 31 to permit sufficient time for the TDC workers, board and Franker to situation two new RFPs for digital advertising and marketing and web site companies and promoting companies. Bids will likely be reviewed and ranked by an analysis committee earlier than the TDC board after which the county fee finalizes the brand new contracts. 

County commissioners, TDC board members and Franker all have inspired Tinsley and Two Oceans to submit proposals in response to the brand new RFPs.

Why all of the modifications?

A collection of audits by the county clerk of the TDC, together with its contracts with Two Oceans Digital and Tinsley Promoting revealed that the TDC was considerably overpaying Two Oceans, given the cost construction during which Two Oceans retains 100% of all promoting income generated by fla-keys.com. The audit estimated that Two Oceans is making $600,000 to $1.2 million a yr on that promoting, however is offering the TDC with companies that doubtless would value lower than $200,000 a yr. 

The audit report states that the cost construction during which Two Oceans retains all advert income made extra sense for the TDC when the contract was initiated in 1995, when internet marketing was almost non-existent.

Occasions — and know-how — have modified dramatically since 1995. And whereas the contract for the TDC’s web site and digital companies has been renewed each three to 5 years, the compensation phrases have by no means modified. Auditors additionally revealed that the prior RFPs to which Two Oceans Digital efficiently replied had been written in a approach that was closely preferential to the incumbent firm.

“Because of the severity of the deficiencies in each the procurement course of and the ensuing contractual association, we advisable that the TDC critically consider their association with Two Oceans to find out whether or not it could be useful to both instantly cancel and re-bid this contract or think about different different options for web site and digital companies,” the audit states. 

Within the new RFP to be issued for web site and digital companies, Franker has requested bidders to, “Describe and supply examples of how the Proposer would deal with managing an internet site promoting program in the neighborhood … and … describe and supply examples of how the Proposer would construction a income sharing mannequin for web site promoting.”

Change is horrifying

The TDC, with county fee approval, has initiated extra modifications up to now 4 months than had been beforehand authorised in additional than 4 years, because of the scathing audits that criticized the TDC management in addition to the county for a scarcity of oversight.

Franker’s predecessor, Stacey Mitchell, was fired in March because of the primary audit final yr. County commissioners have emphasised for the previous a number of months that their obligation is to earn again the general public’s belief and repair what’s damaged in Monroe County authorities.

Officers employed Franker, who can also be an lawyer, after a nationwide search and to this point have given her free rein and a clean test to appropriate the issues recognized by auditors.

When she began in September, Franker was candid in her critique of the TDC, however emphasised how shorthanded Stacey Mitchell was. The TDC for the Palm Seashores has a workers of 55, Franker stated in September. Monroe County’s TDC has a workers of 13, and Mitchell was not permitted to rent further staff.

Franker has added three new executive-level positions — vice presidents of finance/accounting; communications/advertising and marketing and administration/authorized, who will likely be a lawyer. These will likely be along with a brand new chief monetary officer (CFO), which the county fee had authorised instantly after the audits.

However not everyone seems to be comfy with all of the modifications, particularly given the unknowns with a possible new promoting company with an unproven monitor report.

“We’ve identified John Underwood and the fellows at Tinsley endlessly, however now we might be working with strangers; it simply scares me,” one TDC board member and enterprise proprietor advised the Key Weekly on the situation of anonymity to keep away from animosity. “I do know issues have to vary. These contracts had been horrible, they had been so previous. There’s only a lot occurring, and it makes me nervous.”

County commissioner Michelle Lincoln on the Nov. 19 BOCC assembly acknowledged the opposing whisper marketing campaign that has begun to focus on Franker.

“I simply wish to let that you’ve my full assist,” Lincoln stated. “You got here down right here and also you dove headfirst into the deep finish, and now you’re discovering there’s sharks in that water. I admire what you’re doing.”

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