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Chittenden Solid Waste District board authorizes $95,000, one-year marketing contract with Place Creative
Summary
The Chittenden Solid Waste District board unanimously authorized the executive director to sign a one-year, not-to-exceed $95,000 contract with Place Creative for marketing and communications services, after staff recommended the vendor following an RFP process.
On March 26, 2025, the Chittenden Solid Waste District Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to authorize the executive director to enter a one-year contract, not to exceed $95,000, with Place Creative for marketing and advertising services, with two one-year options to renew.
The board action followed a staff presentation describing an RFP process and the reasons staff recommended Place Creative. Elise Serta, the district’s marketing communications manager, said the district received 17 responses to the RFP and narrowed the field to five finalists. "We were very lucky. We had 17, respondents to the RFP, and ultimately, we did whittle that down to 5 finalists," Serta said, noting the selection team included staff members from across the district.
The memo in the board packet said Place offered a competitive blended hourly rate and has experience working with Vermont governmental agencies and major Vermont brands. Staff told commissioners Place proposed to provide both strategic planning and day-to-day creative services — from high-level communications strategy to routine collateral, signage and web support — and that local staff availability was a factor in the recommendation.
The contract is for one year, at a not-to-exceed amount of $95,000, and includes two optional one-year renewals. Staff said the contract amount represents a fully loaded rate comparable to the cost of hiring a comparable in-house position and that Place had provided a discounted nonprofit rate. The packet lists a $140 hourly rate as the vendor’s blended rate and says Place developed a scope that maps expected hours to tasks.
A motion to authorize the executive director to sign the contract was moved from the floor and seconded. The board chair called for the vote and the motion carried unanimously.
Board members asked staff to track hours and return to the board if the statement-of-work estimates required additional budget. The contract will be managed via statements of work tied to the hourly rate, staff said, and the district retains the option not to renew the contract after the first year.
The contract approval was a formal vote; no other related policy changes were proposed at the meeting.
The district’s marketing lead said staff selected Place in part because the firm has a strong local presence and experience with state agencies and Vermont brands, which staff said would help with stakeholder engagement on upcoming projects, including outreach tied to the new materials recovery facility (MRF).
