AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO

Gerald D. "Gerry" Swanke
National Vice President
16821 SE McGillivray Blvd., Suite 204
Vancouver, WA 98683-0402
Office: 360/253-2616
FAX: 360/253-2716

ALASKA • COLORADO • GUAM • IDAHO • MONTANA • OREGON • UTAH • WASHINGTON • WYOMING

March 13, 2003

Carolyn Federoff
Council President, AFGE Council 222
108 Ashland Street
Melrose MA 02176

Dear Bargaining Council President:

Enclosed you will find a copy of a request that outlines an RFP for an AFGE media campaign. The NEC Communications Committee will be reviewing several requests for proposals AFGE is seeking from media consultants.

As you may recall, this project was an idea formed both at the National Convention that set forth these funds and a result of the Chicago Leadership Meeting in September of 2002. The media campaign that is the result of these efforts must be coordinated if we are to get the maximum benefit from the relatively little amount of money currently budgeted toward this project.

The purpose of this letter is to seek your suggestions and the priorities for issues that your council views as its highest priority. It is the committees' intention to evaluate these RFP's in conjunction with your responses and develop a comprehensive public relations campaign.

In addition, we would also like to hear about any media campaigns your council has already been moving. We are particularly interested in mobilizations and ideas that create "earned media" (defined as "free media" that is the result of "sweat equity," i.e. free radio and TV interviews at mobilization rallies).

The committee will reconvene in less than 30 days to accomplish this task. Your suggestions on AFGE's priorities will be very helpful for our deliberations. Please forward any thoughts or "best practice" media activities to my office or to my e-mail address at swankg@pacifier.com. Thank you.

Sincerely and fraternally,

Gerald Swanke
National Vice President
AFGE Eleventh District
AFGE NEC Communications Committee Chair

To Do For All That Which None Can Do For Oneself

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO
80 F Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001
(202) 737-8700
FAX (202) 639-6490 http://www.afge.org

February 14, 2003

Trippi, McMahon & Squier
1029 N. Royal Street
Suite 350
Alexandria, VA 22314

Dear Mr. McMahon

Re: Request for Proposals (RFP)

AFGE is requesting proposals to develop and implement a media campaign that would be accomplished in three phases.

AFGE is the largest federal employee union, representing 600,000 federal and D.C. government workers nationwide and overseas. The union is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and divided into 12 geographical districts consisting of some 1,100 locals. Over one-half of AFGE's members are consolidated into agency-wide bargaining units (councils). Agencies with the highest concentration of union membership include the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, the Department of Justice and the new Department of Homeland Security. More information regarding AFGE and its issues can be found on our Web site at www.afge.org.

Scope of Retention: AFGE expects that you will develop and carry out a media campaign in three potential stages as follows:

PHASE I

Purpose: To develop a media counter-offensive to defeat the Bush Administration's plans to privatize more than 850,000 federal jobs and eliminate the collective bargaining and civil service rights and protections of large groups of federal employees under the guise of national/homeland security, and to begin preparations for the 2004 elections.

Proposal should include the development of several themes for AFGE approval to use in a nationwide campaign that makes use of both free and paid media to convince the American people that the privatization of federal jobs and the elimination of collective bargaining and civil service rights and protections will cost taxpayers more, create a less effective and efficient government and will harm the efforts of those federal

employees on the frontlines of the war on terrorism in protecting our nation and its citizens. And, perhaps most important, it should make a persuasive case that the dismantling of a career civil service system will result in the creation of a political spoils system, controlled by corporations, that will undermine our democracy.

AFGE will provide staff expertise and documentation in support of its positions to aid the media firm in the development of this media campaign. However, the development and implementation of the media campaign will be your direct responsibility. All materials, ads, radio spots, strategies, etc., must receive AFGE approval before implementation. The proposal should contain a plan to assist in bringing other interested groups/individuals into this effort that could provide additional logistical and financial support.

Anticipated Target Date: March 2003
Resources Available:   $400,000

PHASE II

Purpose: To continue outreach of the existing media campaign, including any additional threats or attacks on government employees initiated by the administration or Congress.

Anticipated Target Date: September 2003 - December 2003
Resources Anticipated: $200,000 (This money will need to be raised by AFGE from its Locals, and so Phase II is not guaranteed.)

PHASE III

Purpose: To continue countering attacks on government employees while beginning efforts to improve the public's image of rank-and-file government employees as dedicated, hardworking and loyal Americans who deserve to be treated with respect and appropriately compensated. Proposal should also address the 2004 elections, encouraging federal employees to support candidates that support our issues and putting pressure from constituents on those candidates/incumbents (to be identified by AFGE) who can be swayed to support our issues.

AFGE will have a convention in August 2003. The proposal should be sufficiently constructed with enough vision for a more complete plan to be submitted to our convention. It should be addressed at the $2.5 million annual level, as well as include a proposal of what, if provided with additional resources, we should do, and the cost of the proposal at the higher level of funding. Phase III will require convention approval for additional funding and is not guaranteed.

Anticipated Target Date: January 2004

Requested Response: This is an extremely time-sensitive issue. Your response should include the following:

1.   A description of the services you intend to perform and the time period you expect will be necessary to complete each phase of the project.

2.   Your fee proposal. AFGE anticipates paying a flat fee for each phase of the project. Therefore, it requests that you quote a flat fee for each phase and provide a detailed description of the services covered by this fee, plus a description of items and an estimate of the cost for items not covered by each phase's fee. Bids should reflect payments received separate for "time" buys.

3.   A sample of the contractual arrangement under which you propose to perform this three-phase project. A contract for this three-part project must include a provision that specific written authorization must be obtained from AFGE before Phases II and III commence.

4.   The names of the individuals who will perform the work for this project, together with information concerning their qualifications and experience in developing and implementing media campaigns of this type.

5.   Your firm's experience in developing and implementing media campaigns of this type including a list of clients-listing the name and telephone number of a contact person for each client. We ask that you provide samples and work products covering a variety of media (television, radio, print, etc.).

6.   The number of your employees. Please provide a breakdown of professional staff by field of expertise.

7.   Your firm's ownership, indicating whether your firm is in any way related (such as a subsidiary of) to another firm.

8.   Whether your firm or any predecessor firm has ever been the subject of a petition in bankruptcy.

9.   Whether your firm (including any owner or employee) has ever been sued for breach of contracting involving a multi-media campaign.

10. Why AFGE should choose your company.

Procedure: Copies of your proposal must be received by the following individuals:

Brian DeWyngaert
Executive Assistant to the National President
AFGE
80 F Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20001

Diane S. Witiak
Assistant Director of Communications
AFGE
80 F Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20001

You will be required to present your proposal to a committee of AFGE members and elected officers. If you have questions or would like to set up a preliminary meeting before submitting your proposal, please contact Diane Witiak at 202-639-6419. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Bobby C. Harnage, Sr.
National President