Wheeler Digital Ad Services

Solicitation No.

8327082457

Type / RFx

RFP

Status

Active

Level

city

Published Date

February 10, 2026

Due Date

March 6, 2026

NAICS Code

541810AI guide

Jurisdiction

City of Aspen

State

Colorado

Agency

City of Aspen

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from qualified vendors for the management and execution of a comprehensive digital advertising strategy and services for the 2026 season. The objective is to drive online engagement and ticket sales through digital advertising campaigns that are cohesive with the Wheeler’s brand positioning and seamlessly integrated with seasonal campaign creatives. Preference will be given to vendors with a local or regional presence and demonstrated experience marketing arts venues serving both residents and visitors in resort communities. Proposals should demonstrate familiarity with the Aspen community, its audiences, and the cultural context in which the Wheeler Opera House operates. Vendors who can bring local insights and connections to the project will be prioritized, ensuring that campaign strategies resonate authentically with both residents and visitors. The selected vendor will work closely with the in-house marketing team to ensure campaigns are optimized for target audiences and cohesive with the Wheeler’s brand and messaging. **Solicitation Type**: RFP - Request for Proposal (Formal) **Source ID**: PU.AG.USA.2143.C15144676 **Piggyback Contract**: No **Question Acceptance Deadline**: 02/27/2026 02:00 AM EST **Questions are submitted online**: Yes **Bid Submission Type**: Electronic or Physical Bid Submission **Owner Organization**: City of Aspen **Solicitation Number**: 2026-053 **Reference Number**: 0000412488 **Pricing**: Lump sum **Bid Documents List**: | Item Name | Description | Mandatory | Limited to 1 file | |---|---|---|---| | Bid Documents | Documents defining the proposal | No | No | **Questions and Answers**: - Q1 Arrow Right Question: ## Request for Clarification: RFP 2026-053 ### 1. Strategic Goals & KPIs Performance Benchmarks: Regarding the "Primary KPIs" mentioned in Section 1.4: Is there a specific target Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) metric for the 2026 season, or a historical benchmark from 2025 that the City wishes to exceed? Success Definition: Beyond ticket conversions, how does the Wheeler define "success" for this partnership in the short term (first 6 months of the 2026 season) versus the long term (2-year outlook)? House Fill: What is the average "House Fill" or sell-through rate across the 80+ multidisciplinary events? Are there specific genres (e.g., lectures vs. live music) that historically require more aggressive digital support? ### 2. Audience & Market Dynamics Feeder Markets: Beyond the Roaring Fork Valley, which regional "feeder" markets (e.g., Denver/Front Range) have historically shown the highest conversion for destination buyers? Seasonal Split: What is the ideal target split between local/repeat visitors and destination/tourist traffic for the 2026 season? Programmatic Strategy: For the Device ID (DID) scope, is the Wheeler interested in "conquesting" or geofencing audiences from other high-traffic Aspen events (e.g., Food & Wine Classic) to build retargeting pools? ### 3. Technical Integration & Workflow Ticketing Integration: Does the Wheeler currently utilize the Spektrix "Dotdigital" integration, and do you expect the selected vendor to manage the hand-off between paid social and automated email journeys? Collaboration: What is the preferred workflow for the digital vendor to receive and adapt creative assets to ensure brand consistency without creating bottlenecks? Data Access: What is the City’s policy for sharing historical performance data or platform access (Meta Business Suite/Google Ads) with the selected vendor during the onboarding phase? How many agencies are invited to participate in this RFP? Best regards, Derek Answer: Answered in Addendum 1 02/12/2026 03:55 PM EST 02/18/2026 12:52 PM EST - Q2 Arrow Right Question: Creative Only? We are Denver-based and have direct past experience developing creative for the Central City Opera House. Are you open to submissions for the creative portion of the RFP only? Answer: Answered in Addendum 2 02/18/2026 03:01 PM EST 02/18/2026 04:01 PM EST - Q3 Arrow Right Question: Advertising Budget What is the Wheeler Opera House's budget for advertisements for the 2026 Season? Answer: Answered in Addendum 3 02/19/2026 09:02 AM EST 02/19/2026 11:38 AM EST - Q4 Arrow Right Question: Third-party ad platforms Does your current agency or in-house team utilize any third-party ad serving platforms as part of the media buying and campaign execution? If yes, please specify which platforms are used. Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:18 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q5 Arrow Right Question: Selection Criteria Clarification Can you clarify how much weight or priority will be given in the RFP evaluation process to locally based firms with demonstrated knowledge of the Roaring Fork Valley market? Specifically, how will preference for vendors with a local or regional presence and experience marketing arts venues serving both residents and visitors in resort communities be applied in scoring? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:20 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q6 Arrow Right Question: Submission Clarification Section 2.3 states “electronic submission must be compiled into a single pdf or Word document.” Would a PPT turned into a PDF be acceptable or does it need to be a 8.5x11” vertical format? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:21 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q7 Arrow Right Question: Selection Process Will the vendor be decided based upon the written responses or does The Wheeler anticipate doing interviews of a group of finalists? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:21 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q8 Arrow Right Question: Creative Sharing Can you share a sample of the creative templates created? Are videos and HTML5 files of the templates available? What program are the templates built in? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:21 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q9 Arrow Right Question: Contract Term What is the term/length of this awarded contract? Is there an opportunity for extensions within the contract? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:21 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q10 Arrow Right Question: Current Advertising Who conducts the current digital advertising campaign? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:22 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q11 Arrow Right Question: Sample Contract Exhibit A references the contract and terms of the contract including insurance requirements. Can you provide the sample contract for review? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:23 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q12 Arrow Right Question: RFP Timing Why is this project going out to RFP now? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:23 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q13 Arrow Right Question: Campaign Results The ROAS for Google is very good - do you know if the current campaign strategy is focused on buying branded terms? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:24 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q14 Arrow Right Question: Campaign Goals Can you share The Wheeler’s campaign goals? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:24 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q15 Arrow Right Question: Tactic Question What is your definition of Device ID advertising? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:24 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q16 Arrow Right Question: Business License Does the selected vendor have to have a Colorado business license to finalize a contract with The Wheeler? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:24 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q17 Arrow Right Question: Fee Proposal To confirm, the Fee Proposal does NOT require the proposer to provide suggested net media costs since there is no provided budget? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:25 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q18 Arrow Right Question: Campaign Tracking Does The Wheeler use GA4 for campaign performance tracking? Does The Wheeler have revenue tracking from AspenShowTix through GA4? Answer: Answered in Addendum 5 02/20/2026 06:25 PM EST 03/03/2026 12:13 PM EST - Q19 Arrow Right Question: Campaign Reports Can you provide any historical campaign reports? Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/20/2026 06:25 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST - Q20 Arrow Right Question: Denver Post Media Qs Budget & Media Spend Total Budget: What is the total anticipated budget for this project? Does the budget include both the agency's management fees and the actual media spend, or is the media spend handled separately? Media Allocation: Is there a predetermined percentage or "not-to-exceed" amount for media buying across specific platforms like Meta, Google, or Spotify? Creative & Technical Integration Asset Adaptation: The RFP mentions the agency will resize and adapt assets as needed. To what extent is "adaptation" required? Does this include minor copy edits or full conceptual variations for A/B testing? Ticketing Integration: Regarding the coordination with Spektrix, is the tracking pixel currently fully functional on the checkout site, or will the agency be responsible for the technical implementation and troubleshooting of conversion tracking? Reporting Tools: The RFP mentions a preference for "real-time or near-real-time" reporting. Does the City have a preferred dashboard (e.g., Looker Studio, AgencyAnalytics) they already use, or should the agency provide their own solution? Audience & Market Strategy Local vs. Visitor Split: What is the historical percentage split between local residents and destination visitors for ticket sales? Is there a specific target ratio the City wants to achieve in 2026? First-Party Data: Will the agency have access to the Wheeler’s existing email lists or past ticket-buyer data for building lookalike audiences and remarketing campaigns? Seasonality: Are there specific "shoulder seasons" or high-priority events (like the Aspen Laugh Festival) that require a disproportionate amount of the annual digital budget? Process & Selection Internal Resources: Who will be the primary day-to-day contact at the Wheeler’s in-house marketing team, and what is the typical turnar Answer: Answered in Addendum 4 02/24/2026 05:15 PM EST 03/02/2026 05:44 PM EST

1. February 10, 2026Published
2. March 6, 2026Responses Due