PORT ANGELES — Three 2016 tourism marketing contract finalists from outside of Clallam County but with Port Angeles residents participating have been selected from a six-applicant pool.
Among the proposals that did not make the cut was one that included Russ Veenema, the outgoing Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce executive director.
The city Lodging Tax Advisory Committee on Tuesday unanimously selected the three finalists for the $150,000 to $200,000 contract.
“There’s not a whole lot I can say,” said Veenema, who joined forces with Sequim cinematographer John Gussman in making the application.
“It’s the committee’s choice to choose who they think would represent Port Angeles best.”
The advisory committee will conduct up to two-hour public interviews with the applicants at an as-yet-unscheduled meeting before making a recommendation to the City Council.
Visitor center
The committee also agreed Tuesday to recommend a three-year extension to the existing visitor center operations contract with the chamber, which operates the facility this year under a $78,500 contract.
Under the new contract for 2016-18, the chamber would run the facility at 121 E. Railroad Ave. for $75,000 a year.
The chamber is in the last year of handling the $175,000 marketing contract.
It opted not to apply for the marketing contract for 2016.
Finalists
Here are the outlines of the 2016 marketing proposals that made the final round:
■ Atlas Advertising of Denver — $200,000 for 2016 with options for renewing the contract for $152,000 in 2017 and $177,000 in 2018. Each year would carry additional recurring expenses of $15,140.
The Port Angeles participant is Wheeler & Associates.
■ DVA Advertising & Public Relations, Bend, Ore. — $200,000.
The Port Angeles participant is Laurel Black Design Inc.
■ Vertigo Marketing, Bend, Ore. — $199,863.
The Port Angeles participants are Laurel Black Design Inc., Eric Neurath Photography, film and video producer Christopher Wright and social media specialist Marissa Hamlin.
Here are proposals that were not selected as finalists:
■ Veenema and Gussman, who formed Destination Port Angeles LLC of Carlsborg to apply for the contract, asking $179,500, with a $20,500 contingency.
■ The Rockfish Group, Poulsbo, asking $199,000, with no Clallam County companies involved.
■ Peninsulatrips.com, Thomas Farris Jr., Port Angeles, asking $150,000.
Lodging tax committee members are City Council member and chairwoman Cherie Kidd, Ryan Malane of Black Ball Ferry Line, Vicki Heckman, Holly Dempsey of Olympic Lodge, Robert Utz of Red Lion Hotel, Mike Edwards of the city-sponsored PA Forward committee and citizens-at-large Dave Shargel and Fowler Stratton.
Stratton did not participate in the scoring because, he said, his printer was not working.
“I basically agree on the top three applicants,” he said Thursday.
“I’m anxious to hear the applicants.”
Kidd said Thursday the committee will not release the application packets, which were leafed through by committee members during the meeting Tuesday, until after the interviews.
“It’s not fair to the people presenting them [if] they had a chance to have their information reviewed by their competitors,” she said.
“We’ve been given their initial proposals, then they are going to make a presentation, then we negotiate.”
Scoring
Committee members scored the applicants by giving them 25 points for qualifications and experience and 10 points each for reporting of measurable outcomes and work with Port Angeles companies.
Members also were asked to comment on “cost reasonableness” and marketing strategy and give an overall summary.
According to a synopsis of the scoring and comments, Vertigo scored 603 points overall, Atlas 544 points and DVA 543 points.
Destination Port Angeles LLC scored 483 points, The Rockfish Group 479 and Peninsulatrips.com 431.
“I thought the scoring system was excellent,” Kidd said at the meeting Tuesday.
“It was a good guide for me. It really helped me read smarter.”
Council review
City Council members will review the proposed three-year agreement with the chamber for the visitor center when they meet Tuesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
They are expected to address concerns over visitor center hours, which were not specifically outlined in the chamber’s proposal to continue running the facility at 121 E. Railroad Ave.
“We really need further information on that,” Kidd said Thursday.
“That’s the only concern I heard out of the committee.”
The chamber provided the only response to the city’s request for proposals to run the visitor center.
The city also sought applicants for the marketing contract by issuing a request for proposals.
The city is not obligated to choose the lowest-price proposal.
Tourism marketing and the visitor center are funded by 4 percent lodging tax proceeds on establishments that offer overnight accommodations.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
