Item Description:
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Amd 2 to Agmt PL00000729 with Metre LLC for media planning, media procurement, and limited creative services to advance County’s strategic priorities, ext end date to 12/31/28, incr NTE by $1,500,000 for a new total NTE of $3,500,000
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that Amendment 2 to Agreement PL00000729 with Metre LLC to provide strategic media planning, media procurement, and creative services to promote the County’s strategic programs and priorities, extending the current principle agreement two years with a new contract expiration date of 12/31/28, and increasing the not to exceed amount by $1,500,000 for a new total not to exceed amount of $3,500,000, be approved; that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the amendment on behalf of the County; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.
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Background:
Board action request 24-0495, adopted in December 2024, authorized the negotiation of an agreement with Metre LLC for media planning and ad buying services in support of Hennepin County’s paid media campaigns.
Due to the success, strategic value, and cost savings of centralized paid media support, Hennepin County Communications seeks to extend agency partnership with Metre LLC for strategic media planning and procurement.
Hennepin County Communications used a competitive RFP process in Fall 2022 and Summer 2024 to establish the right agency partnership to bring information about our important services and programs to the public we serve.
At the conclusion of both previous RFP processes, Metre LLC rose to the top of responding agencies and was selected based on the highest rated proposal for both non-cost and cost-based criteria.
Metre is a certified woman-owned small business. Their agency rate for government support is $75 per hour. They work with peer counties in the metro area, including campaigns we partner on. Metre has a proven track record in effectively supporting Hennepin County’s paid media campaigns. Working with Metre, Hennepin County is better positioned to:
• Analyze and increase the efficacy of paid ad campaigns
• Effectively reach priority populations with targeted program messages and information
• Align media buying activity across the organization
• And reduce costs through negotiated value and buying leverage and over delivery of ads
Examples of recent media planning and procurement support include:
• Health awareness campaigns
o Heart health awareness
o Opioid use prevention
o Teen and young adult sexual health access
o Children and adult vaccination
o WIC and SNAP navigation support
o Hennepin Health member enrollment
• Waste reduction and environmental action campaigns
o Metro recycling
o Organics recycling
o Stop food waste
o Plastic free challenge
o Business and individual reuse programs
o 1 million trees goal (1, 2, Tree)
o Cost-share conservation engagement
• Transit engagement
o Blue Line Extension
• Board recruitment
o Northpoint Community Board
o Hennepin County’s Community Advisory Boards
Successful outcomes include:
• Better-than-benchmark reach and cost performance across all campaigns
• 45% of media buying invested in BIPOC-owned media outlets
• Consistent 30-50% total negotiated value by campaign
This principal agreement requires no new funding, as funding for each campaign is identified by the appropriate program budget. Hennepin County Communications will reevaluate agency need and partnership at the conclusion of the two-year extension.
Current Request: This action seeks an extension to the contract term to December 31, 2028, along with an increase of $1,500,000 to the not to exceed amount for a new total not to exceed amount of $3,500,000. As of July 15, 2026, $1,509,205 of the contract’s original $2,000,000 NTE has been spent in support of dozens of approved paid media campaigns.
This request funds services that are: core services
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval