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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM) SYSTEM SERVICES
ISSUED BY: Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau d/b/a Coastal Mississippi
CONTACT: Kendra Simpson, Director of Marketing
[email protected]
DATE ISSUED: April 2, 2025
RESPONSE DEADLINE: April 18, 2025, 12:00 p.m. CDT
BACKGROUND:
On April 4, 2013, Governor Phil Bryant signed House Bill 1716, forming the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau d/b/a Coastal Mississippi, herein "Coastal Mississippi" or "Bureau", effective July 1, 2013. Pursuant to House Bill 1716, 2013, Local and Private Laws of Mississippi, the Boards of Supervisors of Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties appointed members to the Board of Coastal Mississippi.
Coastal Mississippi is a political subdivision of the State of Mississippi and exists for the purpose of increasing regional and national awareness of Coastal Mississippi as a premier travel destination and to drive economic impact through tourism.
INTRODUCTION:
The Bureau hereby issues this Request for Proposals ("RFP") from qualified vendors for a comprehensive, cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system designed specifically to support the unique needs of Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs). For the purposes of this solicitation, the terms “proposal,” “bid,” and “response” shall be interpreted synonymously. The proposed system must integrate with the Bureau's existing content management system (CMS), which, at the time of data migration, will be administered by Tempest, the Bureau's contracted website design services vendor, facilitate marketing and sales operations, support partnership engagement, and improve internal administrative efficiencies.
Responses to this RFP will be considered confidential and proprietary to the Bureau. Proposers are advised to carefully review all terms and ensure they meet the stated qualifications. This RFP will be posted on the Coastal Mississippi website at www.coastalmississippi.com, www.centralbidding.com, and MS PTAP.
All times contained herein are Central Daylight Time (CDT), and the term "close of business" shall mean 5:00 PM unless otherwise specified.
QUESTIONS:
All questions must be submitted in writing to Kendra Simpson, Director of Marketing
Email: [email protected]
Questions must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM CDT on April 11, 2025. Responses to all questions will be posted publicly on the Coastal Mississippi website on April 14, 2025.
The Bureau retains the right to disregard questions submitted after the aforementioned deadline.
FINAL SUBMISSION DUE DATE AND TIME:
All proposals must be received no later than 12:00 PM CDT on Friday, April 18, 2025. The Bureau reserves the right to refuse any proposal received past the aforementioned submittal deadline. The Bureau reserves the right to reject responses received after this date and time.
SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS:
Proposals may be submitted via delivery, mail, or electronically at www.centralbidding.com.
Mailed/Delivered Responses Should Be Clearly Labeled As:
"Coastal Mississippi CRM System Services RFP"
Delivery/Mail: Coastal Mississippi
Attn: Kendra Simpson, Director of Marketing
2350 Beach Boulevard, Suite A
Biloxi, MS 39531
Electronic Submission:
www.centralbidding.com
NOTICE OF LIABILITY:
It is the sole responsibility of the respondent to ensure that their proposal is received by the Bureau prior to the submission deadline. The Bureau shall not be held liable for any delay or failure in delivery. Proposals received after the deadline shall not be accepted. All proposals submitted shall be binding upon the respondent for a period of ninety (90) calendar days following the submission deadline.
Negligence on the part of the respondent in preparing their proposal shall not confer any right to withdraw the proposal after submission.
NONDISCLOSURE:
All materials submitted in response to this RFP shall be considered confidential and proprietary to the Bureau. No public disclosure, press release, or other references to this RFP or any resulting agreement shall be made without the express prior written consent of the Bureau. Responses become the property of the Bureau and may be subject to disclosure under the Mississippi Public Records Act.
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
Coastal Mississippi seeks to engage a qualified vendor to implement a secure, scalable, and fully integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform to support the Bureau’s marketing, sales, partnership, and tourism service operations. The solution must address the distinct needs of a Destination Marketing Organization and ensure seamless data migration, integration, training, post-implementation support, and standard and custom reporting.
SCOPE OF WORK:
The selected CRM solution must provide, at minimum, the following capabilities: Proposals should clearly address each item listed in this section.
General Features:
Cloud-based, mobile-accessible platform
Role-based user access controls
CMS integration
Secure data hosting compliant with applicable standards
Real-time dashboard and report builder
Open API for third-party integrationsSales & Services:
Lead and inquiry management
Contact and organization tracking
Sales forecasting
Email/calendar integration
Tagging and segmentationMarketing & Communications:
Email campaign management and analytics
Media tracking
Google Analytics integration
CMS content distribution integrationEvent & Tourism Management:
Event registration and itinerary builder
FAM (Familiarization) tour coordination
Booking and housing records
Visitor surveysPartnership Management:
Secure partner portal
Partner communication tracking
Online invoicing and payment portal
ROI reportingAdministration & Finance:
Data exports and segmentation
Performance reports
User access logs and audit trailsOnboarding & Support:
Full data migration
Staff training
Ongoing support and maintenance
Documentation and quick-reference guidesAVAILABLE FUNDS:
Vendors must submit a detailed cost proposal including but not limited to:
Licensing or subscription fees
Implementation and onboarding
Training and documentation
Optional modules
Annual support and maintenanceThe Bureau reserves the right to adjust the project scope and budget as needed. This RFP does not guarantee a contract award or specific funding level.
SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS:
Proposals must include the following sections: Proposals should address each section in the order listed, providing thorough and complete responses.
A. Statement of Qualifications
B. CRM Features and Capabilities
C. Organization Overview
D. Implementation Timeline
E. Support Services
F. Case Studies
G. References
H. Budget
I. Conflicts of Interest
J. Sample Contract
Please note that the sample contract should include all information necessary to execute an agreement with the Bureau should the proposer be selected as the vendor to enter into negotiations with.
EVALUATION AND SELECTION:
Proposals will be scored by no fewer than three (3) members of the Bureau’s staff and at least one (1) member of the Board of Commissioners. Finalists may be asked to present virtually or in person.
Evaluation Criteria
Weight
Functionality and Scope Alignment
30%
DMO/Tourism Industry Experience
25%
Integration Capabilities
20%
Implementation & Support Plan
15%
Cost and Value
10%
The Bureau reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and waive technicalities.
SMALL, MINORITY, AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES:
In compliance with federal and state statutes, Coastal Mississippi encourages the participation of small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses in this procurement. This RFP will be listed on MS PTAP and distributed to relevant vendors accordingly.
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES:
Activity
Completion Date
RFP Public Release
April 2, 2025
Questions Due
April 11, 2025
Questions Answered
April 14, 2025
Proposals Due
April 18, 2025
Evaluation & Interviews
April 21–23, 2025
Vendor Selection
April 24, 2025
Contract Awarded
May 1, 2025
Work Begins
May 2, 2025
DISCLAIMER:
The Bureau reserves the right to terminate this procurement at any time. No documentation will be provided unless specifically referenced herein or released through an official public records request.
Official Bid Documents and submission instructions are available via www.centralbidding.com. For assistance with the electronic submission process, please contact Central Bidding at 225-810-4184.

Additional Notes/Requirements

Please see attachment of RFP in PDF form.