A Winning RFP, Despite Political Shenanigans
A nationally known labor-management group in St. Louis faced a monumental challenge - assemble a team to create a first-of-its-kind plan to develop a sustainable minority workforce for the rebuild of I-64/Highway 40. Top-of-mind: the embarrassing memory of the shut-down of an earlier highway project due to insufficient minority participation. The plan also had to be repeatable - capable of serving as a model for future infrastructure projects such as the proposed new Mississippi River Bridge - in addition to meeting complex Request-For-Proposal (RFP) requirements of a state agency.

The industry group turned to Casey Communications, its partner for more than 20 years, to provide comprehensive logistical support including developing the mission, researching/assembling the team, drafting the proposal and coordinating idea- and information-gathering sessions.

Within a 60-day period, Casey:

• Collaborated with 10 diverse team members to develop a cohesive case statement that served as the foundation for the proposal.
• Developed and perfected the 19-page proposal, in the process judiciously managing internal conflicts when two team members attempted to involve a competing RFP respondent in the proposal.
• Prepared team members for the "short list" interview (and ultimately participated in that interview).
• Strategically placed major feature stories detailing a separate diversity initiative by the labor-management group in local and national media over the period that the RFPs were being evaluated.
• Rushed to help fill the void with replacement entities when two RFP participants surprisingly withdrew on the eve of a crucial meeting with the agency.

Despite the political hi-jinks, Casey's client won the contract and is currently implementing a first-of-its-kind program to help minorities achieve sustainable careers in construction.