AgriFutures Australia is seeking the services of a dedicated public relations agency to deliver public relations and media engagement activities within the US market. This includes campaigns for AgriFutures growAG. and AgriFutures evokeAG. programs.
The successful agency will be appointed as AgriFutures Australia’s preferred public relations agency for the US market and will be invited to complete a master services agreement for a 12-month period with the opportunity to extend the agreement for 12 months (pending organisational requirements).
This Request for Quote closes on Monday, 25 November 2024 at 12 noon (AEDT).
Background
AgriFutures Australia is one of 15 Research and Development Corporations (RDCs) that service the Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) needs of Australian rural industries. We represent the research needs for 13 thriving rural industries delivering research and innovation that aims to give Australian farmers and producers real returns, as well as prepare them to thrive into the future. In addition to representing our 13 levied industries, we play a unique role among RDCs by engaging with the global agrifood innovation ecosystem to ensure Australia remains at the forefront of accessing, adopting, developing, and exporting agrifood technologies. This effort is championed by our AgriFutures growAG. platform and the annual evokeAG. event.
AgriFutures growᴬᴳ⋅ is the platform for Australian and global agrifood innovation where users can explore research, technology, and commercialisation opportunities in one place. The platform facilitates connections with a diverse ecosystem including researchers, investors, and startups, and enables users to discover funding avenues, list projects, and engage with over 400 organisations.
All the information is free to access enabling users from Australia and around the world to locate information and opportunities to deliver innovation back to the farm and the food supply-chain. With a growᴬᴳ⋅ account users can gain access to our exclusive Concierge Service for personalised support. Whether it is finding strategic partners, exploring investment avenues, or forging valuable connections, our team ensures your outreach efforts are both effective and efficient.
AgriFutures evokeAG. is Asia Pacific’s premier agrifood innovation event.
This unique, cross-sector, international event brings together thought leaders and change makers in agriculture, food manufacturing, research, innovation, investment, and policy to build connections for a more resilient, productive, and profitable agricultural sector and value chain.
evokeAG. 2025 will be held on February 18-19 in Brisbane, Queensland.
Service requirements
AgriFutures Australia is seeking a dedicated public relations agency to elevate the visibility of its AgriFutures growAG. and AgriFutures evokeAG. programs within the US market through targeted PR and media engagement activities. While the agency will primarily work on specific projects for AgriFutures growAG. and evokeAG., they may also support broader campaigns across the business when required.
Examples of activities include, but are not limited to:
- Developing public relations campaigns to increase brand awareness of AgriFutures growAG. and evokeAG. in the US market, potentially also supporting event promotion and coordination, thought-leadership positioning, and organisational support.
- Media engagement activities, such as drafting and pitching media releases to relevant outlets, managing interviews, creating talking points, and coordinating between media and AgriFutures Australia staff.
- Proactively identifying key media contacts and influencers within the US media landscape that align with AgriFutures growAG. and evokeAG.‘s priorities.
- Identification of key spokespeople and talent sourcing to support the promotion of PR activities.
- Comprehensive reporting encompassing an evaluation of media pitching efforts, time spent on tasks, successful pitches, and key takeaways. Additionally, the report should provide an overall campaign assessment, detailing media metrics such as reach in relation to the target audience. While we utilise an internal media monitoring platform, we expect the selected agency to demonstrate the effectiveness of their pitching strategies.
- Weekly reporting is required throughout the duration of the campaign, including recommendations for optimisation where applicable.
- At the conclusion of each campaign, a final report should be submitted with suggestions for future campaigns and potential engagement opportunities.
- Regular work-in-progress meetings, with weekly check-ins during active campaigns, along with meeting notes and action plans.
- Strategic advice to ensure project messaging is tailored to media audience needs.
- Active monitoring of the US media landscape to identify PR opportunities and relevant commentary related to AgriFutures growAG. and evokeAG. initiatives.
- Media crisis management if/ when needed.
- The ability to facilitate surveys within the US market on behalf of AgriFutures Australia, with all data remaining the property of AgriFutures Australia.
Timeline
Activity |
Date |
RFQ – applications open |
Friday, 25 October 2024 |
RFQ – applications close |
Monday, 25 November 2024 |
Intended completion date of evaluation of respondent’s responses |
Monday, 9 December 2024 |
Expected execution of contract |
Thursday, 20 December 2024 |
Date of commencement of Project |
Friday, 20 December 2024 |
Expected project completion date |
Friday, 20 December 2025 |
Submitting a response
Applications for this Request for Quote must be submitted to the designated project contact Manager, Communications, Harriet Coutts, +61 0457160446, .
Terms of reference
AgriFutures Australia uses standard form contracts and agreements for projects and research procured by AgriFutures Australia (please refer to https://www.agrifutures.com.au/contracts-and-agreements/). These contracts and agreements set out the terms on which AgriFutures Australia will engage successful applicants to carry out the project.
Applicants must be familiar with the contracts and agreements before submitting a response, and are advised to seek legal advice beforehand.
These contracts and agreements have been developed to reflect AgriFutures Australia’s statutory and other procurement responsibilities.
If you require any amendments to the standard agreement please complete the statement of non-compliance for each of the relevant clause. AgriFutures will then assess those requests.
Applicants will be taken to have agreed to all clauses in the Master Services Agreement that are not referred to in a statement of non-compliance. The extent of any non-compliance will be a factor in AgriFutures Australia’s evaluation of the application.
If you require further information regarding these contracts and agreements please contact:
Stephanie-Kate Bratton
General Counsel
Contact
Should you have any questions about the Request for Quote, please direct all enquires to the Manager, Communications growAG. via the details below prior to 5pm AEDT Friday, 22 November 2024.
Questions related to the RFQ will be taken via email. Individual responses will not be provided by the Manager. A response, along with the question, will be posted in the Frequently Asked Questions section, below, within 24 hours of receival.
Please contact:
Frequently asked questions
What type of data collection are you looking to do?
We aim to gather insights on the US ecosystem, specifically regarding their interest in expanding into new markets, perspectives on funding opportunities, accessibility, and related topics. Our target is to collect 300 responses.
For reference, you can view a previous example here: NZ Market Research.
Please note the following data collection requirements:
- All survey data must be gathered through AgriFutures Australia’s SurveyMonkey account.
- Survey data will be de-identified and provided back to the vendor for analysis.
- Compliance with US data collection laws and AUS privacy principles is essential.
Can we present our proposal to you?
Yes. You are welcome to present your proposal to our assessment panel. To schedule a time, please contact Harriet Coutts at .
Note that a written submission is also required as part of the RFQ process.
What is the current scope of AgriFutures presence in the US?
AgriFutures has previously attended and facilitated programs in the US under the evokeAG. and growAG. brands, these activities include:
- Attending World AgriTech in San Frans in 2023 and 2024.
- Toured the US with a delegation in 2023 and attended the Salinas Biological Summit.
- Media buys targeting the US to use the growAG. platform.
- US delegates have attended evoke (no formal delegation).
- Paid editorial partnerships with AgFunder.
Can you share AgriFutures planned presence at World Agri-Tech in 2025? Any sponsorships, speakers, or booth secured?
At this point, we are not planning to sponsor the event. However, we will be attending as delegates.
What audience is AgriFutures looking to target in the US?
The growAG. launch should target the West Coast with a specific interest in:
- Ecosystem players – organisations that have key institutional and start/scaleup relationships.
- Research organisations – key ag institutions to drive impact through commercialisation and research opps and leverage networks.
- Corporates – key ag institutions to drive impact through commercialisation and research opps and leverage networks.
Could you please summarise the goal of AgriFutures expanded brand awareness in the US?
The overall goal of the growAG. launch campaign is to increase American contributors to the growAG. platform.
Will US-based spokespeople be available to participate in PR outreach?
We don’t have any spokespeople based in the US, however they will be available to participate during visits.
What are your expectations around working with a partner who has a presence or resources on the ground in the US?
We welcome agencies based in the US or Australia for the RFQ, provided they have strong connections with relevant industry and tier-one media publications and a solid understanding of the US ecosystem. While location isn’t a requirement, being locally based (or having ‘boots on the ground’) could be helpful during busy campaign periods.