Request for Proposals: Public Relations Services

This is an exciting time for ShelbyKY and ShelbyKY Tourism.

Over the past several years, as the official destination marketing organization for Shelbyville, Simpsonville, and Shelby County, Kentucky, we’ve worked diligently to build a strong regional reputation for our bourbon heritage, Saddlebred equine heritage, historic small towns, and a quality of life that reflects the best of the Bluegrass State. We've invested in our brand and storytelling, and our work has been recognized at the local, state, and national levels for creativity and impact.

And now, we’re ready for what’s next—elevating ShelbyKY from a well-known regional destination to a nationally recognized place worth traveling for. We're seeking a proactive public relations partner to help us get there, whether that is a boutique practice or a well-established firm.

This RFP is an invitation to collaborate with a destination that values strategy, creativity, and long-term relationship building. We're looking for a firm that can help us sharpen our narrative, deepen our media relationships, and position ShelbyKY confidently in the national travel conversation through a strategic combination of earned media, influencer engagement, and compelling storytelling. We are big fans of well-told stories and believe our work is best when it draws on human creativity, collaboration, and connection.

We understand public and media relations and know that for a partnership to be mutually successful, it must be built on trust, editorial integrity, and collaboration. We're looking for a strategic partner with the vision and expertise to tell our story on the right stages, to the right audiences, at the right time.                         

If your firm is excited by the opportunity to shape the next chapter of a growing destination brand, we invite you to submit a proposal.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Janette Marson
President & CEO

Mason Warren
Vice President

ShelbyKY Tourism is seeking a qualified public relations firm to provide comprehensive media relations and communications services for the fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027), with the option to renew for additional one-year terms. 

Budget

• $50,000 annually, including retainer and all out-of-pocket expenses. Respondents are asked to propose a scope of work that can be delivered effectively within this budget.

RFP Timeline

• RFP Release: April 6, 2026
• Questions Due: April 24, 2026 (answers available at bit.ly/FY27PRRFPQuestions)
• Proposal Deadline: May 8, 2026
• Interviews and selection: Week of May 11, 2026
• Contract Term: FY27 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027)

Staff Contact

Mason Warren
mason@visitshelbyky.com
502.633.6388 office or 502.321.9975 mobile

Shelby County, Kentucky, with a population of about 50,000, is located in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass region, between the state’s two largest cities—Louisville and Lexington. ShelbyKY offers authentic Kentucky experiences, including bourbon heritage, equine culture, history, and outdoor recreation. ShelbyKY is Your Bourbon Destination® and the Saddlebred Capital of the World™. More information about ShelbyKY is available at visitshelbyky.com.

At ShelbyKY Tourism, we take pride in doing good—and award-winning—work well. As the official destination marketing organization for Shelby County, Kentucky, we are recognized by industry peers and organizations as leaders in tourism and travel, and we continually push the envelope of what a destination marketing organization can achieve. In December 2025, we launched our newest brand campaign—Sounds Like ShelbyKY. Watch the hero video at bit.ly/soundslikeshelbyky. In fall 2026, we will launch our next brand campaign focused on telling ShelbyKY’s story through the seasons. 

ShelbyKY Tourism has secured recent coverage in outlets including Good Grit, Style Blueprint, MSN, and Southern Living. Our media outreach has historically focused on bourbon tourism, equine heritage, and agritourism experiences. The next phase of our PR strategy will prioritize elevating ShelbyKY from a strong regional destination to a nationally recognized travel experience.

The selected firm will ideally perform the following services. However, the final scope, cadence, and service levels (including hours, response times, crisis support availability, number of FAMs, and in-market activations) will be mutually defined in the contract to ensure alignment with budget and staffing capacity. All activities outlined in the scope of work will be conducted in ShelbyKY Tourism’s fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027).

• Media Relations & Pitching
  • Proactive, ongoing, and creative media outreach
  • Media outreach will be conducted in two buckets: (1) destination presence (increasing awareness of ShelbyKY) and (2) executive presence (positioning ShelbyKY Tourism executive staff as tourism leaders and experts)
  • Pitch development and distribution
  • Creation of a monthly message/pitch calendar
  • Media monitoring and reporting
• Press & Media Materials
  • Occasional press release writing and distribution to local/regional outlets
  • Media kit updates and maintenance
  • Talking points and messaging support as needed
• Familiarization (FAM) Trip Management
  • Planning and coordination of familiarization trips
  • Media and influencer outreach and invitation management
  • Pre-trip briefing materials and itinerary development (in collaboration with ShelbyKY Tourism staff)
  • Post-trip follow-up and coverage tracking
  • Organize “desk-side” briefings and in-market media events with key media outlets in target markets (New York, Nashville, Chicago, etc.)
• Influencer Management
  • Identification and vetting of relevant travel influencers
  • Outreach, negotiation, and relationship management
  • Campaign coordination and deliverable tracking
• Strategic Planning & Counsel
  • Quarterly strategic planning sessions
  • Regular consultation on communications opportunities and challenges
  • As needed, provide strategic crisis communications counsel and support, understanding that extended crisis response or on-site support may require separate scoping and approval
• Reporting & Measurement
  • Monthly reports should include pitches sent, active media relationships, placements secured, and estimated earned media value; firms should indicate which monitoring platform or tools they use to track coverage and reach.

ShelbyKY Tourism’s ideal partner meets the qualifications outlined below. If your firm does not meet all qualifications, we still want to hear from you—and why you think you’re a great fit.

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in destination marketing or travel/tourism PR
• Proven track record of securing coverage in national travel publications and working with influencers/content creators
• Experience working with similar-sized destinations or DMOs
• Understanding of the Kentucky tourism landscape
• Established relationships with travel media and influencers
• Capacity to work within stated budget parameters

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated by a committee of ShelbyKY Tourism staff and board members, with evaluation based on the following criteria.

• Strategic Approach (35%): Understanding of ShelbyKY's positioning, proven creative pitch strategies, and plan for elevating from regional to national coverage
• Experience & Results (25%): Relevant case studies, demonstrated success with similar clients, and quality of national placements
• Team & Capacity (15%): Qualifications of assigned personnel, availability, communication approach
• Cost & Value (15%): Budget alignment, fee structure transparency, value proposition 
• Quality and Care (10%): Response should be clean, clear, easy to read, and free from errors

Evaluation Process

Upon receipt of all proposals by the stated deadline (COB on May 8, 2026), a committee made up of ShelbyKY Tourism staff and board members will review and evaluate proposals against the above criteria. The committee’s scores will be averaged, and the top three scoring firms will be invited to interview—either in person at our office in Shelbyville, KY, or via Zoom. The selected firm will begin work on July 1, 2026. 

Please include the following in your response. Your response should not exceed 20 pages.

• Cover Letter
  • Overview of firm, ownership structure, and size
  • Brief statement of interest and fit
• Team
  • Bios, qualifications, and contact information of team members who would work on this account
• Strategic Approach
  • Your understanding of ShelbyKY's current market position
  • Proposed strategy for securing tier-1 national coverage
  • Sample pitch angles or campaign ideas (preliminary concepts, of course—let your creativity show!)
  • Media targeting approach and priority outlet list
• Account Management & Onboarding
  • Describe typical turnaround expectations for pitch development, reactive media requests, and general client communications
  • Describe your onboarding process, including what you'll need from ShelbyKY Tourism to get started, your expected ramp-up timeline, and when active pitching typically begins following contract execution
• Artificial Intelligence
  • Your perspective on the use of artificial intelligence in public relations
  • Provide a copy of your agency AI use policy (if available)
• Case Studies
  • Three case studies from similar destination clients
  • Include challenges, approach, and measurable results
• Cost Proposal
  • Detailed fee structure
  • Total annual cost and breakdown of any anticipated OOP expenses (FAM trips, press materials, etc.)
  • Proposals must clearly distinguish services included in the base retainer from those that are optional or incremental, to ensure expectations remain aligned with the budget
• References
  • Three client references with contact information (at least two should be current or recent tourism/destination clients)

Deadlines

• Questions Due: April 24, 2026 (5 PM EDT)
• Proposal Deadline: May 8, 2026 (5 PM EDT)

Questions

• Submit all questions regarding this RFP by email to mason@visitshelbyky.com. Questions due by COB on April 24, 2026. Answers will be posted no later than COB on April 27.
• Questions will be answered as they are received; answers are available at https://bit.ly/FY27PRRFPQuestions. You are strongly encouraged to submit questions before the deadline and to review previously answered questions to avoid duplicate submissions. 
• Please include “RFP - Public Relations Question[s]” in the subject line.

Proposals

• Submit all responses to this RFP by email to mason@visitshelbyky.com no later than COB May 8, 2026. 
• All proposals should be sent as a single PDF with the subject line: “RFP - Public Relations Response - [INSERT FIRM NAME HERE].” 
• Late, improperly formatted, or incomplete submissions will not be considered. If the file is too large to email, send a Dropbox or Google Drive link and ensure the file is set to allow external viewing

ShelbyKY Tourism reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. Once received by ShelbyKY Tourism, proposals are subject to Kentucky open records regulations and should not be considered confidential or proprietary. Submitting a bid does not guarantee that a contract will be awarded to any bidder. ShelbyKY Tourism is not responsible for any costs associated with preparing a response to this request for proposals.