Q&A Responses

Download a PDF of all questions and responses here.

Vendor Question: What are you looking for in an agency partner? 
Answer: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is looking for a firm that is forward-thinking and provides the best proposal, taking into account vendor experience, qualifications, and the solution itself. The firm should be strategic while demonstrating a high level of creativity. They should be open to and bring different ideas to the project.   
 

Vendor Question: In your opinion, what qualities or expertise would make a candidate or agency the ideal fit for this project? 
Answer: See question 1 answer 

Vendor Question: What do you see as the key markers of a successful rebrand? 
Answer: Charlotte Mecklenburg Library needs a brand that is recognizable within the community and that our staff and community stakeholders feel represents them. Both the organization and the public should feel good and excited about the brand and see the Library’s value. 
 

Vendor Question: Who will be the stakeholders and decision-makers throughout the brand development process? 

Answer: There should be several levels of involvement. The Library project team, Library staff, CML Board of Trustees, and the public will need opportunities for feedback. 

Vendor Question: Could you please provide a list of the project team members, including the key decision-makers who will be involved in the approval process? 

Answer: The RFP selection panel will be made up of several people from within Charlotte Mecklenburg Library including the CEO and the Chief Marketing Officer. There will be a member of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Board of Trustees. We intend to have someone who, while not a part of the Library, has experience in marketing and communications and brand development. The panel is currently being finalized. 
 

Vendor Question: Can you provide more information about the public and employee research conducted during the first half of 2024? 

Answer: The Library conducted a “Lead the Way” campaign which collected survey and focus group feedback from the public, Library staff, elected officials and stakeholders that would help craft CML’s strategic direction for FY2026-2028. A third-party collected more than 4,000 responses regarding what people think about the Library and how they believe the organization should progress in the future. 
 

Vendor Question: Your current brand standards include documentation covering all sub-brands, campaigns, collateral, templates, etc. Should we consider the scope to include all sub-brands, extensions, and campaigns, including a possible replacement of the 'I Can' campaign? 

Answer: Yes. 
 

Vendor Question: Is there an anticipated timeline for the completion of the Scope of Work (SOW)? While the RFP outlines the proposal submission schedule, it would be helpful to know the target date for having all branding assets in your team's hands. 

Answer: All deliverables are due to the Library by May 30, 2025. 
 

Vendor Question: Will any of the branding assets or sub-brands need to be translated into Spanish or any other languages as part of the project? 

Answer: There may be a few sub-brands that need translation. One that firms should already see in the style guide is Summer Break branding, which is translated into Spanish. 
 

Vendor Question: Will the SOW include campaign development related to the rebranding (such as a campaign similar to "I Can"), or is campaign creation only expected if it directly supports the rebranding story? 

Answer: Any campaign developed in response to the scope of work should support or complement the new brand.

Vendor Question: For logo usage samples, would you like us to reference the assets showcased in the appendix (e.g., library cards, templates, emails, posters, and billboards)? 

Answer: Yes. 
 

Vendor Question: Beyond delivering the specified branding assets, what would be the most effective way for our agency to collaborate with your internal team throughout the project?

Answer: The contract awardee should communicate with the Library project team on a regular basis while developing the branding assets. This will be through a combination of in-person and virtual meetings, email, and phone.  Anything beyond delivery and after the completion of the project can be discussed by the Library and the firm. 
 

Vendor Question: Under deliverables, what does "test" mean when you say, "New Brand Identity with Accompaniments – To reach a finished product, the vendor should strategize brand creation and test concepts before developing the final brand." 

Answer: This means brand concepts need to be assessed by various audiences before developing the final brand. 

Vendor Question: For the Scope of Work/Budget: As an agency, we strongly believe in partnering with an outside research firm for surveys and focus groups, when budgets allow, to ensure objective and statistically significant results representative of your audience. At the same time, outside research can be quite expensive and may not be possible within the Library's budget, especially given the large number of sub-brands that need to be included within the rebrand. Are you open to proposals that do not include formal focus groups and/or surveys via a 3rd party research firm? Or is some level of formal research expected/required? 

Answer: The Library is open to proposals that do not include research conducted by a third-party research firm.

Vendor Question: Who created the current brand?

Answer: Wray Ward