Bozeman City Study Commission Recommendations Ballot Education

2026-11-03

The City of Bozeman Study Commission ( BSC ), is seeking proposals from firms to undertake a ballot education campaign for proposed City Charter Changes on the November 3 , 2026 , election SCOPE OF SERVICES The City of Bozeman is requesting proposals from qualified firms or individuals for the development of a public engagement and education program for the proposed Amended Charter and Sub - Options . The City is prohibited by state law from using public resources to advocate for or against ballot issues or voted tax increases . However , the City does have a responsibility to educate the public on the needs of the community and provide solutions for their consideration . The City ’ s educational efforts will include facts about the proposed Amendments to the City Charter and facts and procedures related to approval of the Sub - Options on the ballot . It should be understood that the successful proposer will need to have a full and complete understanding of the “ bright line ” that exists in the law between advocating and educating . This understanding can and will be highlighted throughout the work done with city staff . The City seeks proposals that prove capabilities for the project areas below ; describing strategies to be used and quality controls . Sufficient detail must be given and should include examples of past projects , ability to meet deadlines , and managerial experience . The proposer should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the complexities of educating on ballot issues in the Bozeman community . These services include but are not necessarily limited to developing and implementing strategy , messaging , and education regarding the proposed Amendment . 1 . Strategic Communications Plan : Provide us with a general overview of how you would create a strategic communications plan for the City . What will be key events throughout the timeline ? How would you suggest the flow of information be distributed to educate as efficiently and thoroughly as possible ? Which staff members would you utilize in the education effort and how much City staff time will be needed ? 2 . Logo and Branding : The City of Bozeman believes that it is crucial for Bozeman voters to recognize and understand what they are voting on when they go to the polls . How will you create a brand identity for the education effort ? How will this identity be carried through all aspects of the strategic communications plan ? 3 . Messaging : Due to the complexity of the ballot measure , there is potential for misinformation to spread around the topic . It is critical that the City ’ s education effort be unified across all platforms and venues on which it informs the public about the proposed Amendments and Sub - Option choices . How will you work with city staff to develop key messages , answers to FAQs , etc .? 4 . Materials / Production / Creative : Describe how graphic materials are created . Do you have staff available to do graphic design , write copy , and produce video ? Provide examples of items that you have produced for other agencies that demonstrate your ability to provide easy to understand information on complicated issues . 5 . Social Media : Demonstrate how you would integrate social media as a part of an education effort . The City of Bozeman manages all social media channels internally but is interested in utilizing innovations within platforms to engage with users in a productive way . What is your experience with creating shareable content that educates about complex subject matter ? 6 . Media Planning & Buying : Provide us with your process in deciding where , when , and how to purchase media . What tools or analytics do you use ? What are the determining elements that make your purchasing decisions ? Optimization strategy ? Please include reference to social media advertising in your proposal . 7 . Community Partnerships : How do partnerships with local Bozeman organizations fit into the overall education effort ? How have you used partnerships to extend an agency ’ s ability to communicate beyond their existing channels ? How has that helped to extend budget and staff time ?

Montana

2026-04-29