HomeMy WebLinkAboutTripepi - Bid OnCall Comm
RFQ response submitted for:
On-Call Consulting for Communications Support Services
Submitted: November 18, 2021
By: Ryder Todd Smith, Co-founder, Tripepi Smith
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LETTER OF INTEREST ....................................................................................................................................... 3
KEY PERSONNEL EXPERIENCE ......................................................................................................................... 5
FIRM EXPERIENCE & CLIENT REFERENCES ...................................................................................................... 9
GENERAL FIRM INFORMATION ..................................................................................................................... 11
FEE SCHEDULE .............................................................................................................................................. 13
APPENDIX A: RESUMES ................................................................................................................................. 15
APPENDIX B: FULL TRIPEPI SMITH TEAM ...................................................................................................... 22
APPENDIX C: TRIPEPI SMITH CLIENTS ........................................................................................................... 23
APPENDIX D: ADDITIONAL FEE SCHEDULE INFORMATION ........................................................................... 24
APPENDIX E: STATEMENT OF PAST CONTRACT DISQUALIFICATIONS .......................................................... 28
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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LETTER OF INTEREST
Thank you for the opportunity to present Tripepi Smith’s services in response to the City of San Luis
Obispo’s need for on-call strategic and tactical communications support. While Tripepi Smith has been
assisting the City with various communications needs over the past year, ranging from press releases
to graphic design to video production, we know there is so much more we can do with the City and
look forward to earning the opportunity to work with City Staff on a range of projects.
Tripepi Smith’s professional, highly trained team is well-positioned to help the City develop and
execute all aspects of any communications program that will positively inform and engage the City’s
stakeholders. Tripepi Smith is a team of 35 communications experts—robust enough to offer
experienced and effective professionals for the job, yet small enough to be nimble and responsive.
We offer a spectrum of skills that allows us to match the appropriate resource to the task at hand,
letting us execute faster and reduce engagement costs. These resources vary by both years of
experience and core hard skills (graphic design versus videography versus writing versus social media,
for example). The result: we have an ability to tell a complete story across mediums, all within our one
team.
Tripepi Smith has years of experience planning, supporting and conducting proactive public outreach
for projects ranging from major infrastructure upgrades to public safety and financial initiatives, to
general plan updates and community development programs, and beyond. We’ve engaged in a
variety of public relations, marketing and crisis communications activities including copywriting and
developing key messages, branding and design work, media planning and buying, media relations
and press release distribution, photography and video production services, designing websites, fully
managing and monitoring social media accounts, organizing and facilitating public engagement
forums (both in-person and virtual), and much more. Representative examples of this work are
included in this proposal.
Tripepi Smith is a force multiplier for the communication operations in cities across California. From
Napa to Pismo Beach to La Cañada Flintridge to Carlsbad and out to Indian Wells, Tripepi Smith is
actively working with dozens of city governments and public agencies. We gain insights from the
breadth of our work and share that knowledge with our city clients. No other communications firm has
the city client depth and diversity that Tripepi Smith offers.
As requested in the RFQ, we affirm that Tripepi Smith:
• Has the availability and time to dedicate the personnel and resources necessary to provide on-call
consulting services.
• Has the requested minimum qualifications.
• Intends to adhere to the provisions described in the RFQ.
• Will, if selected, sign a service provider agreement with the City.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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Authorization: As co-founder and president of Tripepi Smith, I am qualified to enter into an agreement
with the City and to make the statements above and below on behalf of the firm. This proposal is valid
for 90 days from submission date.
Regards,
Ryder Todd Smith,
Co-Founder & President, Tripepi Smith
ryder@tripepismith.com • (626) 536-2173 • Fax: (949) 679-8371
PO Box 52152, Irvine, CA 92619
Ryder is the contact person throughout the proposal evaluation period.
Incorporation
Founded in 2000 and incorporated in
2002 as a California S Corporation,
Tripepi Smith is based in Orange
County. FEIN: 73-1642614 California
Business License: C2414674
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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KEY PERSONNEL EXPERIENCE
Proposed Team
Ryder Todd Smith
Co-founder
President
Emily Mason
Sr. Bus. Analyst
APR
Molly Lockwood
Bus. Analyst
Sara Madsen
Bus. Analyst
(& Creative Services)
Skylar Hunter
Bus. Analyst
(& Creative Services)
Allison Torres
Jr. Bus. Analyst.
(& Spanish Translation)
It is anticipated that Senior Business Analyst Emily Mason will be the team lead for the proposed
engagement. Emily will advise on communication strategy and handle account and project
management, logistics, coordination, creative direction and final review for writing and design. Tripepi
Smith principal Ryder Todd Smith will make leadership presentations, facilitate community discussions
and actively participate with senior staff in ideation
and brainstorming when needed. Business Analyst
Molly Lockwood will provide writing support,
content development for social media, email and
other digital platforms, metric dashboard creation
and other duties as assigned. Business Analyst
Sara Madsen, who is part of Tripepi Smith’s
Creative Services team, will handle graphic design
and website development work. Business Analyst
Skylar Hunter, another member of the Creative
Services team, will fulfill requests for photography,
video production and engineering of virtual public
meetings. Junior Business Analyst Allison Torres
will also be available for any Spanish translation
needs that may arise.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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Bios
(see resumes in Appendix A to learn more about the proposed team)
Team Member Role Description
Ryder Todd Smith
Principal
Role: Strategy &
Presentations
Ryder has a mixed background in the worlds of government relations,
technology and marketing. He served as the SVP of Operations and
Chief Information Officer for a software-as-a-service startup in the
financial services sector. Prior to that, he was the technology manager
for a regional staffing firm. Ryder leads Tripepi Smith and is the
ultimate project owner on all work handled by the firm. He is the
creator of the City Internet Strategies Study, publisher of the Civic
Business Journal, publisher of PublicCEO and a frequent speaker on
the local government circuit. His insights have been published in
Western City and PM magazines. He volunteers his time as vice chair
of the Rose Institute of State and Local Government Board of
Governors and previously served as a Planning Commission for the
City of Tustin. Ryder graduated from Claremont McKenna College
with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, Economics and a dual
degree in Economics.
Emily Mason, APR
Senior Business Analyst
Role: Strategy &
Project Lead
Emily is a dynamic communications professional, skilled in facilitating
meaningful engagement between organizations and their stakeholders
through integrated campaigns that leverage public relations,
marketing, digital and event strategies. She thrives on collaborating
with cross-functional teams to explore innovative and creative
storytelling opportunities to navigate complex challenges and increase
organizational reputation. This includes a wide variety of content
creation, from crafting press releases and print collateral, to
developing videos and implementing social media and influencer
campaigns. She especially loves the seemingly limitless possibilities of
digital communications, having had the opportunity to incorporate the
use of gamification and user-generated content in past campaigns.
Emily holds a Master of Communication Management from the
University of Southern California and achieved and maintains
Accreditation in Public Relations through the Public Relations Society
of America. Additionally, she is certified in Hootsuite Social Marketing.
Her clients include the City of Grover Beach, City of San Luis Obispo,
City of Manhattan Beach, Foster City, City of La Verne, City of Pico
Rivera, City of Santa Paula, City of Manteca, County of Sonoma, Kings
County and California Mayors Coalition.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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Molly Lockwood
Business Analyst
Role: Content Creation
& Client Support
Molly is Molly Lockwood is a creative and technical writer with a
diverse background in strategic communications. In 2020, she
completed her B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with a Legal
Studies sequence at the Claremont Colleges. Before joining Tripepi
Smith, Molly gained public agency experience as an Intern Investigator
at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. She also
edited and published a surf magazine during her undergraduate
career, which allowed her to develop leadership experience in content
creation, social media management, website building, and the print
medium. Molly is a certified Hootsuite Social Marketing Professional
and Constant Contact Solutions Provider.
Her clients include the City of Grover Beach, City of San Luis Obispo,
City of La Cañada Flintridge, Renne Public Law Group, the California
City Management Foundation and Civiltec Engineering.
Sara Madsen
Business Analyst
Role: Graphic Design &
Website Development
Sara is a talented graphic designer and website designer with a
background in marketing and environmental sustainability, in which she
earned her degree from San Diego State University. Her formal
education in Visual Communications and passion for the environment
led her to complete a Creative Design internship with ECOLIFE
Conservation. During her time with the non-profit, she advanced her
strategic approach to graphic design. As a continuation of her interest
in non-profits, NGOs, and the public sector, Sara tackles graphic
design, digital marketing and web development projects for clients
and Tripepi Smith. Sara is certified as a Constant Contact Certified
Solutions Provider and Hootsuite Social Marketing Professional. She
has also completed the Public Policy Making Academy II at the
University of California, Irvine and the Executive Education Forum for
Local Leaders at the University of Southern California.
Her clients include City of Indian Wells, City of Paramount, City of
Hawaiian Gardens, City of San Luis Obispo, City of Vallejo, City of
Lomita, City of Culver City, City of Palm Desert, City of Palmdale,
California Choice Energy Authority, Santa Clarita Valley Water,
California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Renne Public Law Group
and Civiltec Engineering.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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Skylar Hunter
Business Analyst
Role: Photography,
Video Production &
Technical Production
for Community Forums
Skylar joined the City of Lake Forest as a Public Relations specialist
where he specialized in film production, graphic design, writing, and
social media advertising. During his tenure at the City, Skylar served
as the in-house videographer producing the City’s Mayor’s
Minute weekly video series and the Meet the Mayor/State of the City
short film. He led engineering and producing the livestream of City
Council meetings via Facebook Live, making Lake Forest the first city
to allow public comment through Facebook live chat. Skylar is a
certified Hootsuite Social Marketing Professional and Constant
Contact Solution Provider. He also has his FAA-issued drone pilot
license, which he puts to use for Tripepi Smith’s MuniAerial, and
earned a certification in Twitter Flight School for Video.
Skylar’s clients include the City of Huntington Beach, City of Lynwood,
California Joint Powers Insurance Authority and Renne Public Law
Group.
Allison Torres
Jr. Business Analyst
Role: Spanish
Translation & Client
Support
Allison brings a strong background in social media marketing and data
analytics to the Tripepi Smith team. Allison graduated from Biola
University with a degree in Business Management, where she gained
experience in marketing and project management during the various
internships she held. Allison flexed her leadership skills as a two-year
captain of the Biola Women’s tennis team. Previously, she executed
social media marketing at TSE Worldwide Press. Allison is certified by
Hootsuite in Social Media Marketing, and is also fluent in Spanish.
Her clients include City of Manteca, City of Grover Beach, City of
Twentynine Palms, Kings County, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency,
Western Municipal Water District and the Clean Energy Alliance.
Team Tripepi Smith
Beyond the proposed project team discussed above, the City of San Luis Obispo will also have access
to the full force and diverse talents of the entire 35-member Tripepi Smith team as new situations
arise. (Our full team can be viewed in Appendix B and at: https://www.tripepismith.com/our-team/.)
Our firm operates in a virtual office environment. Being virtual allows us to engage the right talent at
the right time, and it enables us to operate more efficiently to save money for our clients. That said,
the team—composed of policy wonks, creative message developers, technology gurus and graphic
and fine artists—is located primarily throughout Southern California, as well as Northern California,
Arizona and New Mexico.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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FIRM EXPERIENCE & CLIENT REFERENCES
Tripepi Smith has been selected to work with over 90 local government agencies (see Appendix C)
and related organizations to help with their communications. We can provide you with contacts or
work samples for any of these clients if desired and are confident you will find them to be quite happy
with our services. The following is a list of sample projects and client references.
Contact Project/Services Description
City of San Luis Obispo
990 Palm St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Whitney Szentesi
Public Communications Manager
805.783.7716
wszentesi@slocity.org
On-demand communications support including newsletter production, graphic
design support, press release content writing, social media content support,
video production and website assistance.
Period: November 2020 to present
City of Grover Beach
154 S. 8th St., Grover Beach, CA 93433
Matthew Bronson
City Manager
805.473.4567
mbronson@groverbeach.org
Weekly client calls, regular press releases/articles, monthly community e-
newsletter, media and social media monitoring, social media management,
monthly metrics reporting and quarterly content planning. Additional crisis
comms support, graphic design and outreach projects related to Measure F
(sales tax measure), emergency homeless shelter pilot (including collaboration
with SLO County and 5CHC) and districting.
Period: April 2020 to present
City of Pismo Beach
760 Mattie Rd., Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Jorge Garcia
Assistant City Manager
805.773.7007
jgarcia@pismobeach.org
Graphic design support including style guide creation, templates, Budget in
Brief booklet, new Police Department Mobile Command Center vehicle wrap
and the re-design of police vehicle wraps. Update of city stock photos through
photography shoot and photo editing. Tripepi Smith remains on contract with
Pismo Beach for on-demand communications support.
Period: March 2021 to present
City of American Canyon
4381 Broadway St.,
American Canyon, CA 94503
Jen Kansanback
Communications Manager
707.647.5355
jkansanback@cityofamericancanyon.org
On-demand crisis communications, platforms review, policy strategy expertise,
graphic design, content production support, video production support, event
management and facilitation, photography services, media outreach, social
media management, communications and leadership strategy, metric
reporting, website content updates, copywriting services, quarterly
communications calendar planning, professional development training.
Period: 2019 to present
City of Culver City
9770 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Shelly Wolfberg
Asst. to the City Manager
310.253.6008
shelly.wolfberg@culvercity.org
Communications assessment, strategy and action items, social media
management, social media and media monitoring, ongoing communications
support, videography, monthly metrics reporting, photography, graphic
design, bi-weekly client calls and crisis communications.
Period: 2017 to present
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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City of Duarte
1600 Huntington Dr., Duarte, CA 91010
Dan Jordan
City Manager
626.590.4633
djordan@accessduarte.com
Tripepi Smith conducted a full communications assessment for the City of
Duarte in 2014. After ad hoc video, photo and email outreach work over a few
years, the City engaged Tripepi Smith in 2020 to refresh the 2014
communications assessment, create a style guide, consult in creating a new
website and to redesign its quarterly newsletter. Additionally, the City entered
a retainer agreement for social media services, writing news articles and press
releases, updating the website, delivering monthly metrics reports, conducting
weekly project management calls as well as quarterly strategy calls with
leadership and to produce the quarterly newsletter.
Period: 2014 to present
City of La Cañada Flintridge
One Civic Center Dr.,
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Carl Alameda
Assistant City Manager
818.790.8880
calameda@lcf.ca.gov
Communications assessment, and on-demand communications support.
Community newsletter generation, media relations, videography, graphic
design support and strategic message development.
Period: 2016 to present
City of La Verne
3660 D St., La Verne, CA 91750
Bob Russi
City Manager
909.596.8726
brussi@cityoflaverne.org
Weekly client calls, press releases, news articles, city manager newsletter
content development, media and social media monitoring, social media
management, quarterly content planning, crisis communications and special
projects such as districting formation and communications assessment.
Period: August 2020 to present
Project examples, including descriptions and links to
materials, can be reviewed at the following online custom
portfolio link:
https://www.tripepismith.com/samples-for-slo-
communications
You can see additional client work examples through our
online portfolio at:
http://www.tripepismith.com/work
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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GENERAL FIRM INFORMATION
A Public Affairs Firm that Understands Local Government
Tripepi Smith excels at public affairs. We work in a complex environment where successful
communications go hand-in-hand with marketing and technical expertise. As a full-service marketing
and creative services firm, Tripepi Smith delivers content and design tailored for local government,
public agencies, nonprofits and private companies—each strongly represented in our client list.
Grounded in Civic Affairs. Co-Founder and CFO Nicole Tripepi Smith is a second-generation civic
affairs professional (her father was a city manager for 28 years), and Co-Founder and President Ryder
Todd Smith brings over a decade of public agency marketing and communications experience to the
table.
Implementing Strategy and Engaging Audiences
Tripepi Smith recognizes the important interplay of public affairs and design. It’s about presenting
ideas that advance communities and public institutions. An important corollary to this is providing the
creative services that can build materials to engage audiences and make ideas resonate. Tripepi
Smith’s multi-faceted design team enables us to reach these goals and lead effective creative strategy.
Strategic. Tripepi Smith is a provider of technology,
communications and public affairs services. We leverage our
skills and experiences in each of these areas to deliver
efficient, technologically driven communication solutions
that reflect our deep understanding of local government.
Our team has a strong record of working with public
agencies, joint powers authorities and not-for-profit organizations throughout California to better
engage and connect with their stakeholders and community.
Creative. Tripepi Smith’s creative professionals have worked with public and private clients on
imagery, colors and graphic design in an array of projects. Our firm offers creative services that
“…solutions that reflect
our deep understanding
of local government.”
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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address not only traditional media such as print, websites, logo design and advertising but also non-
traditional marketing services around email campaigns, social media, blogging, SEO, video production
and more. This integrated approach to content development makes the process more efficient and
more effective for clients.
Content x Distribution = IMPACT
Tripepi Smith was born in the digital era and brings
significant technical skills to the table. Members of our
team carry technical certifications in Hootsuite Social Media
Marketing, Facebook Blueprint, Google Advertising,
Google Analytics and Twitter Flight School, among others.
We take digital seriously and recognize how critical it is to
not only develop great visuals and messaging, but to
ensure the audiences we want to reach actually see that
content. Without content distribution there is no IMPACT.
Our Services
Strategy, Marketing, Communications
Strategic development, research, surveys,
messaging
Social media management
Web and social media strategy,
optimization (SEO), metrics
Web hosting and support
Email campaigns
Relations (media, stakeholders, public,
government)
Support and training for events,
presentations and virtual gatherings
Google AdWords, LinkedIn and
Facebook advertising
Creative Services
Full-service graphic design for digital,
print and outdoor
Brand and logo development
Content generation, writing and editorial
Output services (digital distribution, print
management, mail management)
Photography, illustration and information
graphics
Video and animation
Web design and implementation
Other Information
While Tripepi Smith is based out of Irvine, CA, our 35-member team operates in a virtual office
environment and are located primarily throughout Southern California, as well as Northern California,
Arizona and New Mexico.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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FEE SCHEDULE
Based on the wide variety of needs outlined in the RFQ, Tripepi Smith is providing an ad hoc or time
and materials quote for work. Tripepi Smith will use the following information, rates and more to price
out specific work as requested by the City. Tripepi Smith can provide weekly or monthly updates on
the budget use and how it is being spent depending on the nature of the engagement or project.
2021-22 Hourly Rates
Role/Title Hourly - Ad Hoc* Hourly - Retainer
Principal $285.00 $245.00
Director $200.00 $175.00
Art Director $200.00 $175.00
Senior Business Analyst $160.00 $140.00
Business Analyst $110.00 $100.00
Junior Business Analyst $85.00 $75.00
Senior Videographer/Animator $160.00 $145.00
Senior Graphic
Designer/Photographer
$145.00 $130.00
Photographer/Videographer $110.00 $100.00
Graphic Designer $110.00 $100.00
Web Developer $160.00 $140.00
Drone Operator $160.00 $145.00
*These are the rates assumed under an ad hoc or time and materials contract/approach to work.
Flexible Time & Materials Agreements (assumed for this contract)
Tripepi Smith can build flexibility into agreements based on time and materials. In cases where Tripepi
Smith provides an estimate of time and resources required (based on the hourly rate schedule shown
above), we can offer terms that offset some uncertainty. Sometimes, where insufficient details are
available to fix price for a project, we can offer a discount of 30% on any time over the estimate to
mitigate cost and time overruns due to scope creep. Additionally, depending on the nature of the
engagement or project, Tripepi Smith can provide weekly or monthly budget reports that track cost
vs. estimate.
Fixed Price Agreements (option)
Clients may desire a well-defined project to be accomplished by Tripepi Smith. Examples can include
a video or a website project or well-defined budget summary document. In these cases, Tripepi Smith
can provide a fixed price alternative to the client.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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Retainer Agreements (option)
Many Tripepi Smith clients have a fixed baseline of work they need done every month, and then they
layer in time and materials work on top of that. These clients, when their retainers exceed $6,500 a
month, can have access to our reduced Hourly – Retainer rates noted above.
Billing
Time at Tripepi Smith is billed in 15-minute increments – i.e. we invoice our time in a format
consistent with the following examples: 1.25, .75, 4 or 6.5 hours.
Sometimes we have a resource who does work across categories of skills. For example, we may
have a videographer who operates a drone. When that person is doing the category of skill, that
skill rate will apply. In this example, a videographer flying a drone is billed at the drone operator
rate.
If Tripepi Smith is requested to be onsite, we will invoice for travel time at half rate of the
resource’s Standard Rate. However, if the resource is onsite for at least 16 hours of billable time,
we will not invoice for travel time. Travel costs will be reimbursed when agreed upon by the City.
Annual Cost Adjustment
In a multi-year contract, Tripepi Smith will adjust its pricing for the hourly rate on July 1 of each
year starting July 1, 2022. The adjustment will be either 5% or the regional CPI index, whichever is
more.
Other Costs
Because Tripepi Smith offers a broad set of services, including extensive content production, we have
some other content production-related fees that may come up during the course of our engagement
that we want to tell you about. These can be reviewed in Appendix D.
Example Pricing Estimates
The City has noted a need for communications support that can span many areas of work. The
simplest way to price this is on an ad hoc basis where the City calls upon Tripepi Smith as needed to
execute work. The following task estimates are based upon the ad hoc rates listed above, and
additional detail about each task and other estimates can be reviewed in Appendix D.
Photoshoot (full day):
$2,050 / shoot
Video Production (in full):
$4,650 / video
Social Media Content:
$400 / 3 posts
Graphic Design Projects:
$500 - $950 for light to
medium design work
News Articles & Press
Releases:
$675 / press release or
article
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APPENDIX A: RESUMES
Resumes for the Tripepi Smith team members who are identified to work on this project are included
below (starting on the next page). Additional resumes for team members are available upon request.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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RYDER TODD SMITH
TRIPEPI SMITH – PRESIDENT 11/00 – PRESENT
● Provide communications advice, strategy and execution services to a range of small to mid-sized
public and private sector clients spanning local government, real estate, finance, technology and
healthcare verticals
MAVENT INC – SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS 5/05 – 11/09
● Responsible for quality assurance, technology operations and internal infrastructure organizations
● Built team of technology professionals to manage multi-site production environment at co-location
facilities.
● Managed vendor relationships and reviewed all invoices
● Brought focus to key areas, including: system documentation, knowledge sharing with other
employees, schedule management for finite resources and enhanced security
● Developed and managed the departmental budgets for three groups
MAVENT INC – VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING 08/04 – 05/05
● Managed the Company’s outside PR firm relationship, creative firm relationship, corporate
website, ad campaigns, conference schedule, conference logistics and internal employee
communications
● Developed and managed the marketing budget
MAVENT INC – VICE PRESIDENT, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS 02/03 – 08/04
● Monitored nationwide political activities that were pertinent to Mavent’s interests
● Developed relationships with third-party interest groups that impacted the Company’s product
● Participated in industry conferences and represented the Company at industry events
OLYMPIC STAFFING SERVICES – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGER 01/98 – 11/00
● Managed and controlled all aspects of the technology environment at this five-location, 35-
employee company
NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORPORATION – GOV’T REPRESENTATIVE 07/97 – 12/97
● Worked directly with the Director of State and Local Government Relations to research issues of
concern to Northrop Grumman
● Developed agendas to target upcoming legislative issues
● Assisted in lobbying work and development of testimony
EDUCATION
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE – CLAREMONT, CA
● Bachelor of Arts in Politics – Philosophy – Economics with Dual in Economics
o Cum Laude Honors
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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EMILY MASON, APR
TRIPEPI SMITH – SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST 03/20 – PRESENT
● Provides project management and account support for clients
● Plans, executes and evaluates integrated communication campaigns
● Drafts articles, press releases, messaging and other client communications materials
● Manages social media and other digital channels, including organic, paid and community
management content
ARELLANO ASSOCIATES – SENIOR PROJECT COORDINATOR & SOCIAL MEDIA LEAD 09/18 – 03/20
● Provided clients with public relations, marketing, event planning and grassroots communications
services
● Built relationships with local public agency staff, community and faith-based leaders and the
public-at-large to garner support for client projects and priorities
● Collaborated with cross-functional teams to transform complex topics into accessible stakeholder
language for both in-person and digital channels (social media, videos, website content, fact
sheets, FAQs etc.)
ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY – COMMUNITY RELATIONS SPECIALIST 02/15 – 06/18
● Researched, planned, implemented and managed proactive community engagement programs
● Built and maintained relationships with non-profits, businesses, advocacy organizations, city staff
and elected officials
● Managed agency’s public committees and associated subcommittees: Citizens Advisory
Committee and Taxpayer Oversight Committee (Measure M/OC Go)
ASSOCIATION OF CA CITIES, ORANGE COUNTY – COMMS, EVENTS AND PROGRAMS COORDINATOR 09/13 – 02/15
● Built relationships with local, state and federal government entities and major businesses
● Co-created e-blasts, newsletters, social media posts, website updates, presentations, speeches,
flyers, etc.
EDUCATION
● Bachelor of Arts in Communications (Focus in Public Relations and Minor in Business
Administration) – California State University, Fullerton – Fullerton, CA
o Summa Cum Laude Honors
● Master of Arts in Communication Management – University of Southern California – Los Angeles,
CA
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
● Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), Public Relations Society of America 04/19
CERTIFICATIONS
● Hootsuite Social Marketing 05/20
SOFTWARE
● Hootsuite/Sprout Social
● Constant Contact
● Google Analytics
● Canva/Visme
● WordPress
● DaVinci Resolve
● Meltwater
● Cision
● Business Wire
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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MOLLY LOCKWOOD
TRIPEPI SMITH – BUSINESS ANALYST 05/20 – PRESENT
● Develop and distribute news releases, social media content and email marketing campaigns for
public agencies and private sector clients
● Report and analyze digital marketing metrics
PUBLISHER – SEA MAVEN MAGAZINE 06/18 – 05/20
● Curated, edited, and directed all content for website, social media, and 100+ page print magazine
● Utilized SEO and digital analytics to improve rankings, grow audience, and drive traffic to targeted
content
INTERN INVESTIGATOR – PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICE FOR D.C. 06/19 – 08/19
● Collaborated with attorneys to develop investigative strategy on a wide range of cases
● Tasks included meeting regularly with clients, identifying and interviewing witnesses, drafting and
serving subpoenas, acquiring public records, providing courtroom assistance, and canvassing
crime scenes
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY INTERN – JEUX DE VAGUES 06/17 – 08/17
● Generated press contacts and coverage with a wide range of local publications
● Drafted press releases, editorials, and letters to government agencies on behalf of the company
EDITORIAL INTERN – THE INERTIA 06/17 – 08/17
● Developed and executed editorial calendar in accordance with partner needs
● Wrote and published weekly articles on WordPress platform
EDUCATION
● Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economic with a Legal Studies Sequence – Pitzer
College – Claremont, CA
o Nancy Penick McGarry Endowed Scholarship Recipient
o Honors Thesis
CERTIFICATIONS
● Constant Contact Certified Solutions Provider 07/20
● Hootsuite Social Marketing 06/20
SOFTWARE
● Canva
● Mailchimp
● LexisNexis
● Westlaw
● WordPress
● Microsoft Office
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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SARA MADSEN
TRIPEPI SMITH – BUSINESS ANALYST/GRAPHIC ARTIST 01/21 – PRESENT
● Project Management: Serve as project manager lead across multiple clients; execute project
management tasks and ensure deliverables are completed efficiently and meet and exceed client
quality expectations
● Graphic Design: Manage creative strategy and execute graphic design on assignments such as
logo development and infographic design
● Website Development: Manage website design process, content transfer, modification and
maintenance
● Writing: Produce and distribute social media, articles, newsletters, surveys and press releases
TRIPEPI SMITH – JUNIOR BUSINESS ANALYST/GRAPHIC ARTIST 07/18 – 12/20
● Execute graphic design on layout and concept design of brand-consistent print and web projects
● Manage website design, modification and maintenance
● Produce and distribute social media, articles, newsletters, surveys and press releases
● Set up, assistance and publication of e-newsletter campaigns and additional email marketing
EDUCATION
● Bachelor of Science in Marketing, Concentration: Integrated Marketing Communications, Minor in
Sustainability – San Diego State University – San Diego, CA – Cum Laude
● Associate of Arts in Visual Communications – Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising – Los
Angeles, CA – Magna Cum Laude
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
● UCI Public Policy Making Academy II 03/20
● CAPIO “Facebook and Instagram for Government” Workshop 12/19
● USC Executive Education Forum for Policy and Administration 10/19
CERTIFICATIONS
● Constant Contact Certified Solutions Provider 09/19
● Hootsuite Social Marketing 06/19
SOFTWARE
● Adobe Illustrator
● Adobe Photoshop
● Adobe InDesign
● Adobe Lightroom
● Constant Contact
● Hootsuite
● WordPress
● Canva
● Microsoft Office
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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SKYLAR HUNTER
TRIPEPI SMITH – BUSINESS ANALYST 07/19 – PRESENT
● Script, produce and edit videos
● Set up technical details of over 100 shots, including lighting and sound
● Create original video content by working collaboratively with producers, designers and art
specialists to facilitate multimedia production
● Produce city council meeting broadcasts for cable and public access
● Conduct and facilitate webinars, digital town halls and other online meetings
CITY OF LAKE FOREST – PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST 09/17 – 07/19
● Project lead responsible for 2019 refresh and redesign of City website
● Incentivized, redesigned, and implemented new City monthly e-newsletter
● Launched City Council meeting broadcasts to Facebook Live
● Produced, Filmed, and edited City short films, commercials, and weekly video series
● Designed collateral (postcards, brochures, website content, photos, and animations)
● Wrote and edited press releases, articles, web content, advertising copy, periodicals and
publications
CITY OF LAKE FOREST – PUBLIC RELATIONS INTERN 09/16 – 09/17
● Assisted with preparation and execution of digital/print newsletter, website articles, and social
media posts
● Filmed, edited, and produced live and animated videos to communicate City campaign messages
EDUCATION
● Bachelor of Arts in Film – California State University, Long Beach – Long Beach, CA – McNair Scholar, Cum
Laude
● Master of Arts in Film Studies – Chapman University – Orange, CA – Summa Cum Laude
● Master of Arts in Public Relations – Full Sail University – Winter Park, FL – Summa Cum Laude
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
● UCI Public Policy Making Academy II 03/20
● CAPIO “Facebook and Instagram for Government” Workshop 12/19
● League of California Cities Crisis Communications Workshop 05/17
CERTIFICATIONS
● Twitter Flight School 05/20
● Constant Contact Certified Solutions Provider 04/20
● Federal Aviation Administration Remote Pilot Certificate 02/20
● Hootsuite Social Marketing 06/19
SOFTWARE
● Adobe Illustrator
● Adobe Photoshop
● Adobe Premier Pro
● Adobe Audition
● Adobe Lightroom
● Adobe After Effects
● Constant Contact
● Powtoons
● Piwik Analytics
● Google Analytics
● Facebook Advertising
● Microsoft Office
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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ALLISON TORRES
TRIPEPI SMITH – JUNIOR BUSINESS ANALYST 10/20 – PRESENT
● Conduct market research to provide client insights
● Manage social media and respond to public questions
● Write stories and press releases for the firm’s website and city clients
TSE WORLWIDE PRESS – WEB DESIGNER, MARKETING LIASION 05/20 – 08/20
● Designed two custom websites for TSE Worldwide Press and United Yearbook, a subsidiary
company
● Developed strategic social media audits and campaigns
● Implemented a Diversity and Inclusion Policy through researching the company and policy
FELLOWSHIP MONROVIA – CENTER FOR RACIAL RECONCILIATION INTERN 08/19 – 05/20
● Conducted research for racial disparities within Los Angeles County and created visual reports on
Tableau
● Assisted in the development of new programs and educational content
● Supported the Center’s director with scheduling and daily tasks
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON – TACTICAL SCHEDULING INTERN 05/18 – 08/19
● Automated and programmed an interactive tool for change management to existing projects
● Lead four department wide training on how to use the change management tool
● Assisted the department Director with implementing an updated organizational structure
EDUCATION
● Bachelor of Science in Business Management – Biola University – La Mirada, CA
o Dean’s List Recipient
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
● Writing with Flair: How to Become an Exceptional Writer Udemy Course 11/20
● Ninja Writing: The Four Levels of Writing Mastery Udemy Course 11/20
● Editing Mastery: How to Edit Writing to Perfection Udemy Course 11/20
CERTIFICATIONS
● Hootsuite Social Marketing 10/20
SOFTWARE
● Microsoft PowerApps
● Canva
● Hootsuite
● SharePoint Designer
● Tableau
● Microsoft Office
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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APPENDIX B: FULL TRIPEPI SMITH TEAM
As previously stated, the City of San Luis Obispo will have access to the full force and diverse talents
of the entire 35-member Tripepi Smith team as new situations arise.
Tripepi Smith’s team of communications experts offers the right professionals for the job while being
small enough to be nimble and responsive. Tripepi Smith has a spectrum of experience and skills that
allows us to apply the appropriate resource to the appropriate tasks to both execute faster and reduce
engagement costs. These skills vary by both years of experience and core hard skills (graphic design,
videography, writing, and social media, for example). At Tripepi Smith, experienced directors and
analysts drive strategy and implement messaging with support from three in-house accredited public
relations professionals. Government affairs experts and policy wonks innovate for our dozens of
municipal clients. Ten creative professionals generate compelling branding, websites, design, social
media, photography and video. The result: we have an ability to tell a complete story across mediums
all within our one team.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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APPENDIX C: TRIPEPI SMITH CLIENTS
Tripepi Smith has been selected to work with over 90 local government agencies to help with their
communications. We can provide you with contacts at any of these clients if desired.
California City Management
Foundation
City of Aliso Viejo
City of American Canyon
City of Azusa
City of Bellflower
City of Burlingame
City of Claremont
City of Coronado
(City of) Culver City
City of Cupertino
(City of) Daly City
City of Danville
City of Duarte
City of El Cerrito
City of Fountain Valley
City of Foster City
City of Fullerton
City of Gilroy
City of Grover Beach
City of Hawaiian Gardens
City of Huntington Beach
City of Indian Wells
City of Industry
City of Irvine
City of La Cañada Flintridge
City of La Palma
City of La Puente
City of La Verne
City of Lake Forest
City of Laguna Hills
City of Laguna Niguel
City of Lancaster
City of Livermore
City of Lomita
City of Lynwood
City of Manhattan Beach
City of Manteca
City of Martinez
City of Millbrae
City of Morgan Hill
City of Murrieta
City of Napa
City of Norwalk
City of Orange
City of Orinda
City of Palm Desert
City of Palmdale
City of Paramount
City of Pismo Beach
City of Placentia
City of Pomona
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
City of Rancho Mirage
City of Riverbank
City of Rolling Hills Estates
City of Santa Ana
City of Santa Clarita
City of Santa Cruz
City of Santa Paula
City of Saratoga
City of Stanton
City of South Gate
City of Tracy
City of Vallejo
City of Vista
City of Walnut
(City of) Yuba City
Town of Windsor
County of Merced
County of Fresno
County of Sonoma
County of Santa Barbara
County of Kings
California Contract Cities
Association
CalChoice Energy CCA
California Joint Powers
Insurance Authority
Citrus Heights Water District
Claremont McKenna College
Costa Mesa Sanitary District
El Toro Water District
Independent Cities Association
Independent Cities
Finance Authority
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Institute for Local Government
League of California Cities
Municipal Management
Association of Northern
California
Municipal Management
Association of Southern
California
Orange County City Manager
Association
Orange County Sanitation
District
Palmdale Water District
Rowland Water District
San Gabriel Valley City
Managers’ Association
Bellflower-Somerset Mutual
Water Company
South Orange County
Wastewater Authority
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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APPENDIX D: ADDITIONAL FEE SCHEDULE INFORMATION
Other Costs
Because Tripepi Smith offers a broad set of services, including extensive content production, we have
some other content production-related fees that may come up during the course of our engagement
that we want to tell you about.
Equipment Fees
Tripepi Smith offers some services that require equipment, such as drone operations and video
production. As such, in those cases, the following rates apply:
Title Half Day Full Day
Video Equipment $350 $550
Drone Equipment N/A $500
$550 for a full day of video equipment use (includes full set of video equipment). Full day is defined as
a shoot lasting four (4) or more hours. $350 for a half day of video equipment use. Half day is defined
as anything up to four hours of video production. All such expenses will be authorized by the
organization prior to fee being assessed.
$500/day drone fee applies and is not inclusive of the drone operator time (Drone Operator rate).
Larger production projects may require addition fees for extensive equipment needs, multiple
cameras, live switchboards and more. These fees will be discussed prior to being incurred with the
City.
Print & Advertising Fees
Title Client Pays Directly Client Reimburses TS
Print costs, digital promotion, media
placement No Fees 10%
Print Costs: Tripepi Smith is happy to use a printer of the client’s choosing for print production work,
or to recommend a printer with whom we have experience. Tripepi Smith typically has the printer bill
the client directly for work. Tripepi Smith makes no money on print services and has no economic
interest in the selected print vendor other than ensuring quality and fair pricing for our clients. If
Tripepi Smith is asked to pay the bill for the client, we will apply a 10% agency fee to the
reimbursement expense.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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Digital Advertising: Tripepi Smith is a Google Partner and Constant Contact Solution Provider and has
Facebook Certified staff. We consider digital platforms to be a cornerstone element of any outreach
strategy; often this comes with digital advertising fees. Tripepi Smith typically uses a client’s credit
card to cover such fees, and those fees are impossible to estimate at this time without our firm being
engaged in the work with the team. If a Tripepi Smith credit card is used to run the advertising
campaign, then we will charge an additional 10% agency fee on all advertising charges to compensate
for the administrative overhead.
Media Placement: Purchase fees for advertising media space is not included on Tripepi Smith
advertising proposals. Usually, clients contract directly with media, but in the event Tripepi Smith
covers these fees, then we will charge an additional 10% agency fee on all advertising charges to
compensate for the administrative overhead.
Tripepi Smith Partnership Discounts
Tripepi Smith has financial interest in certain related entities. These partnerships allow Tripepi Smith to
offer clients extra media reach or additional services at partner pricing. Partnerships include:
PublicCEO
– digital news about public affairs, reaching over 10,000 California government executives
https://www.publicceo.com
Civic Business Journal
– digital interest stories about the people in local government
https://www.civicbusinessjournal.com
FlashVote
– planning, implementing, measuring civic surveys
https://www.flashvote.com
TS Talent Solutions
– talent search services for local government and related agencies
https://tstalentsolutions.com
Example Pricing Estimates
The City has noted a need for communications support that can span many areas of work. The
simplest way to price this is on an ad hoc basis where the City calls upon Tripepi Smith as needed to
execute work. The following estimates are based upon the ad hoc rates listed above. Additional
estimates can be provided upon request.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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Photoshoot
Assuming a six-hour event, with one-hour pre-planning, travel time, post-shoot photo editing, delivery
to client photo portal using the Photographer rate.
$2,050 / shoot
Video Production
Assuming that Tripepi Smith handles all work and the video involves scripting, use of teleprompter, full
camera setup, a single day of production shooting (including travel time), b-roll shooting on same day,
pre-planning, post- production video editing, music licensing, voice over, transcription and upload to
appropriate channels.
$4,650 / video
Social Media Content Creation
Assuming the City dictates the subject for posting, Canva can be utilized for typical social media
graphic creation and that the City will monitor and respond to resulting comments and questions.
Tripepi Smith can also provide full social media management services which includes content planning
and monitoring, which can be priced out based on needs if requested.
$400 / 3 posts
Metrics Reporting
This summary report in PDF format includes the basic metrics (reach, posts, engagement, etc.) related
to City controlled social media and other digital platforms. This is available on a monthly or quarterly
basis.
$500 / month
Graphics
Tripepi Smith uses Canva extensively for basic social media graphics and therefore can use our Junior
Business Analyst resources for that work. When more extensive design is required, Tripepi Smith has
an Art Director, Senior Graphic Artists and Graphic Artists. In our experience, these costs can vary
widely based on iteration count, number of pages of content to layout or desired number of logo
options or extent of a particular branding process. In all cases listed below we assume written content
is being provided; these estimates are for design costs only.
Given all these factors, here are some general guidelines:
Print/Digital Short Format Quarterly Newsletter - $950
Print/Digital Banner - $825
Print/Digital Flyer or Infographic - $500 - $800
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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Branding Style Guide
This cost can vary widely depending on how many examples are desired for style implementation and
the creation of various assets for staff as well as template development for shared use (such as a
branded Word Template that start staff out on the right foot with each new project). Pricing here
assumes a holistic review of the brand, brand templates for up to 10 different scenarios, full color
review and documentation, font choice selection and use, two one-hour virtual training sessions on the
new style guide, and a single page cheat sheet style guide.
$14,700
News Articles & Press Releases
Tripepi Smith can draft news articles, press releases and/or official statements, which are typically up
to five hundred (500) words in length. The City would direct the allocation of stories with Tripepi
Smith’s suggestions, making internal subject matter experts available to aid the development of the
stories when needed. Additionally, this assumes the City would provide a media and external agencies
notification list for use by Tripepi Smith where a press release scenario is desired. The City would also
facilitate timely approval of quotes in the release when connected with City Staff or City
Councilmembers.
$675 / press release or article
Enhanced Media Monitoring
Meltwater is a comprehensive media monitoring software that allows communications professionals to
streamline their media monitoring, reporting, analytics and more. Meltwater allows you to monitor
media mentions, create newsletters, access media contacts and share reports with content insights - all
in one platform. Meltwater can generate a daily or weekly email summary of all media mentions and
other notable content relevant to the City and City leadership. More at https://www.meltwater.com/.
$450 - $900 / month
Website Development and Fees
Tripepi Smith has built websites for cities and other public agencies and can discuss our role as either
an RFP advisor or bidder with the City for a website project. As a point of reference, our costs to build
a website for a City are about twenty-two-thousand-five-hundred dollars ($22,500) with an optional
monthly unlimited support fee of $375. Hosting fees are $580 a year, which includes $200 for SSL
certification. Domain names fees are $30 a year per domain name and hosted on our premium
Amazon Web Services DNS account.
City of San Luis Obispo / On-Call Communications Support
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APPENDIX E: STATEMENT OF PAST CONTRACT DISQUALIFICATIONS
The bidder shall state whether it or any of its officers or employees who have a proprietary interest in
it, has ever been disqualified, removed, or otherwise prevented from bidding on, or completing a
federal, state, or local government project because of the violation of law, a safety regulation, or for
any other reason, including but not limited to financial difficulties, project delays, or disputes
regarding work or product quality, and if so to explain the circumstances.
Do you have any disqualification as described in the above paragraph to declare?
Yes X No
If yes, explain the circumstances.
N/A
Executed on November 18, 2021 at 5 p.m. under penalty of perjury of the laws of the State of
California, that the foregoing is true and correct.
Ryder Todd Smith, Co-Founder & President, Tripepi Smith
Signature of Authorized Bidder Representative