Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	Dave Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager
CC:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
DATE:	June 13, 2012
RE:	Authorization to Request Proposals for Marketing Assistance for Retiree Attraction

Please place the following item on the June 19 City Commission Consent Agenda:  authorize staff to develop and distribute a request for proposals to solicit the services of a marketing firm to assist in development and implementation of a marketing plan and campaign.

One of the three immediate action steps recommended in the final report of the Retiree Attraction and Retention Task Force was the development and implementation of a marketing plan and campaign.   A marketing plan should capitalize on the strengths of our community, identify the target market and create marketing materials for distribution.

Staff will contact other communities who have successfully launched retiree recruitment initiatives to determine the appropriate elements to be included in a Request for Proposals and distribute to appropriate firms.  Distribution of an RFP would be anticipated by mid-July, with selection of a firm targeted for early fall and work to begin on development of a plan shortly thereafter.