Media Buying

The Kenton County Airport Board (“KCAB”) will receive proposals for Media Buying. Questions are due at 11:59 pm on Thursday, June 4, 2026 and answers will be posted no later than Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 11:59 pm. Proposals must be received by Thursday, June 18, 2026 at 2:00 pm. No proposals will be accepted after that time unless such date or time is extended pursuant to an addendum issued by KCAB.

Background

KCAB is the owner and operator of the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). KCAB’s mission is to provide an exceptional travel experience while acting as a primary economic engine for the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region. KCAB’s Public Affairs Department operates as an integrated in-house marketing agency. Our team develops brand strategies, manages internal and external communications, and oversees project execution across diverse channels. To support its strategic goals, KCAB is seeking a specialized partner (or partners) to provide Radio and Digital Media Buying services.

Current Operations & Growth

• Passenger Traffic: CVG has seen a significant post-pandemic resurgence. The airport now handles more than 9 million passengers annually, representing a strong return in regional travel demand.

• Regional Dominance: Offering more than 50 nonstop destinations, CVG provides more direct flights than any other airport in the tri-state region, including premier international service to London, Paris, Toronto, and the Caribbean.

• Global Cargo Hub: CVG is the 7th largest cargo airport in North America. As the home of the Amazon Air Hub and the DHL Express Global Superhub, the airport campus supports over 70 employers and thousands of specialized jobs.

The intent of this RFP is to secure high-impact media placements that drive passenger conversion, support workforce recruitment for our campus partners, and solidify CVG’s brand presence as the preferred choice for leisure and business travel within the Cincinnati DMA and secondary "fly-in" markets.

Project Details

• Reference ID: 26-034-RFP
• Department: Public Affairs
• Department Head: Mindy Kershner (Director)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-06-05T03:59:00.000Z
• Answers Posted By: 2026-06-12T03:59:00.000Z

Evaluation Criteria

• Approach & Strategy (30 pts) —

  Methodology for reaching CVG’s specific passenger and workforce targets.

  A factor in this score is the 3-Month Sample Campaign blueprint. KCAB is looking for realistic tactics, smart audience targeting, and a channel mix that makes sense for CVG's market.

• Budget Approach & Cost Effectiveness (10 pts) —

  Points are awarded based on the clarity of the commission or project fees. KCAB is not requesting a fixed monthly retainer model for this contract. Cost-effectiveness will be graded by seeing exactly how these stated fees apply to the 3-month sample campaign pricing layout.

• Qualifications & Experience (30 pts) —

  Agency history, core staff expertise, and demonstrated performance on similar airport, transportation, or public-sector contracts.

• Reporting & Technology (30 pts) —

  Quality of live analytics dashboards, attribution modeling clarity, and transparency/frequency of reporting structures.

Submission Requirements

• Cover Letter (1 page maximum) (required) —

  Include a cover letter which summarizes the key points of the response. The letter should include the name, address, email address, and telephone number of the primary company representative or individual to be contacted regarding your response.

• Scope Option Selection (Per Section 1.7.4) (required) —

  Select which specific service scope option your organization is submitting a proposal for: 

• Organization Information (required) —

  Provide your organization's name, corporate address, and primary contact info. Include profiles of key team members assigned to the account (including roles, years of service, and technical expertise). Additionally, provide a summary of your agency's qualifications, resources, and history serving clients in the travel, aviation, transportation, or tourism industries.

• Media Capabilities & Audience Reach (required) —

  Provide a detailed list of channels (radio, digital, streaming, social) the organization utilizes. Include specific target market examples and audience data/demographics showcasing how your platform selections will successfully reach CVG’s target customers (leisure passengers, business travelers, and regional workforce prospects).

• Proposed Fee Structure & Cost (required) —

  • KCAB is looking for a compensation model based on active media deployment, not a fixed monthly retainer. Define agency fees using one (or both) of the following structures:

    • Agency Commission Model: A flat percentage fee based on actual, approved media spend (e.g., an X% commission markup on placed media).

    • Project-Based / Per-Campaign Fee: A flat, predictable fee charged per specific flight or campaign lifecycle.

    Itemize any additional costs (e.g., third-party platform fees, trafficking fees, specialized software dashboards). If bidding on a partial scope (Option B or C), isolate costs strictly to that respective scope.

    This fee structure will contribute to the score for Budget Approach & Cost Effectiveness.
• Campaign Case Studies (required) —

  Provide up to three (3) project profiles demonstrating successful past campaigns. Profiles should highlight cost-effective campaign execution, clear objectives, omnichannel frameworks, and post-campaign reporting metrics. Include client references (name, title, email, phone) for each profile.

• Hypothetical 3-Month Sample Campaign (Strategy) (required) —

  Provide a strategic blueprint for a 3-month campaign designed to drive leisure passenger travel at CVG, as required by the Scope of Work (Section 1.7.3). Align the strategy with the chosen scope option (Option A, B, or C; Section 1.7.4).

  • Targeting & Platforms: Detail the target audience profiles and selected station/platform choices.

  • Flighting & Metrics: Outline the proposed flight schedules, deployment timeline, and key performance indicators (KPIs) used to measure success.

  This strategy blueprint will contribute to the score for Approach & Strategy.

• Reporting & Technology Capabilities (required) —

  Detail your agency's reporting infrastructure. Describe the transparency and frequency of your data delivery, your approach to multi-touch attribution modeling, and your capabilities regarding live analytics dashboards.

• Digital Offerings Criteria (Required for Option A & C Bidders Only) —

  • Demonstrate proficiency in conversion optimization, geo-targeting capabilities, mobile advertising, and simplified attribution reporting.

  • Provide verification of active Google Partner Status certifications: Google Ads Premier Partner, Google Analytics Certified, Google Tag Manager Certified, and Google Ads Display Certification.

• Minimum Qualifications (required) —

  Provide supporting documentation verifying that the firm and assigned staff meet all requirements listed in Section 1.7.2. Please organize documentation by the three categories listed below:

  • Proven Experience (5+ years managing $500k+ annually)

  • Regional/National Expertise (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Designated Market Area & fly-in markets)

  • Verification Tools (Nielsen, Comscore, MRI-Simmons, etc.)

• Exceptions (required) —

  State in writing all exceptions to this RFP or sample contract attached.  Exceptions should list referencing page and paragraph numbers. If no exceptions are taken, the proposal must include a statement that the bidder takes “No Exceptions”.

• Provide a copy of your Certificate of Insurance (required)
• Resident & Non Resident Status Forms (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Confirmation (required) —

  By submitting a proposal, the proposer consents to its use and acceptance of electronic signatures to execute any awarded contract and associated agreements. Proposer agrees to be bound by electronic signatures to the same legal effect and extent as if manually signed. KCAB expects the successful proposer will execute any awarded contract using KCAB’s electronic signature service unless the proposer includes an exception with its proposal signifying its desire to sign manually. Included with the proposal, proposers must identify the following information regarding the person with full authority to legally bind proposer and sign agreements on its behalf:

  1. Full Name;
  2. Position Title; and
  3. Email Address.

  Please provide this information in the next questions.

• Provide the following: (required) —

  Proposers must identify the following information regarding the person with full authority to legally bind proposer and sign agreements on its behalf:

  1. Full Name;
  2. Position Title; and
  3. Email Address.
• Performance Bond (REPLACE FILE) (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Proposal Bond (REPLACE FILE) (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Surety Bond Affidavit (REPLACE FILE) (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Provide type of services: (required)
• The term of the agreement will be for ________. (required) —

  Example: one (1) year or two (2) years 

  If requesting a Contract Amendment, Contract Extension, or Task Order please enter N/A.

• Will there be renewals? (required) —

  If requesting a Contract Amendment, Contract Extension, Task Order, Master Agreement or New Contract please select No below.

• with an option to renew for____________. (required) —

  Example: two (2) additional one-year terms

• Will surety be needed? (required)
• Bid surety is forfeited to KCAB if the successful proposer fails to execute a contract within ________ after notification of award of contract. (required) —

  Example: thirty (30) days

• Please select which of the following you will be using: (required)
• Will you be using the following? (required) —

  For Construction-An Line Item Table is REQUIRED

  If requesting a Contract Amendment, Contract Extension, Task Order, Master Agreement or New Contract please select None below.

• Who are the evaluation team members? (required)
• Would you like to include weights with your evaluation criteria? (required)
• The successful proposer shall issue an invoice __________ for work performed along with supporting data. (required) —

  Example: on a monthly basis

• Additional comments: