News

Smart Growth America is seeking a qualified media/PR firm to manage the rollout of its most popular, visible, signature national report: ​Dangerous by Design​. The contract will run from (beginning date ASAP) through July 31, 2022. The release of the report is tentatively scheduled for July 11, 2022.

Background:

Dangerous by Design​ identifies the most dangerous places for people to walk in the United States. Using the Pedestrian Danger Index, the report ranks the most dangerous states and metropolitan statistical areas, illustrating to policymakers at all levels the scope of the problem, and how the (federally mandated) design of our streets is a key contributor, and what can be done to reverse this trend. Previous versions of this report have been covered widely in national media including the Today Show, CBS This Morning, the New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, Bloomberg, USA Today, and Fast Company, to name a few. And at the metro/regional level, the report release generates ample coverage from daily newspapers, television and radio stations, and other local outlets during release and throughout the year. You can read the most recent version of Dangerous by Design (2021). This 2022 release will be similar in terms of content and messaging, albeit with some changes due to new data sources. A draft embargoed version of the report should be ready for review by June 30th.

Scope of work:

The scope is focused on three key areas:

• Providing feedback on the report content and SGA’s rollout and release strategy to improve its effectiveness.
• Build a media release list and providing the capacity to handle the bulk of national and regional/metro media pitching and helping to coordinate interviews with SGA staff.
• Helping shape and administer a media-only briefing about the findings on the day before release.

Specific tasks are likely to include:

• Planning, coordination and implementation of outreach to national media outlets, including pitching the release of the report and/or help placing opinion pieces (authored by SGA).
• Planning, coordination and implementation of outreach to a selection of regional/metro media markets in the top 20 (*worst) metro areas to pitch the release of the report.
• Managing and implementing a media-only conference call on the findings the day before the report’s release.
• Managing the intake of reporter inquiries and helping to schedule interviews with Smart Growth America.
• Providing advice on SGA strategy and content for social media.
• Producing a detailed post-action summary report with details on reach, clips, etc.

Preferred qualifications:

• Relationships with national media contacts working on transportation, safety, and/or public health issues.
• Some familiarity with transportation or land use issues.
• Demonstrated history of success with similar landmark report releases.
• Access to a media contacts library of some kind (Meltwater, Cision, etc.)

Proposal submission:

Interested applicants should submit in an email to beth.osborne@t4america.org​ and ecova@smartgrowthamerica.org​ by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on June 6, 2022:

• A brief letter of interest
• Please Include your DUNS number if applicable
• A short narrative technical proposal
• List of references
• Key staff
• Proposed budget

Send any questions to ecova@smartgrowthamerica.org