Request for Quotation of Services
Communications Officer
Please submit your quote by email/regular mail or in person no later than May 30, 2025 at 4:00PM to:
Township of West Orange
Panayiota Reynolds, Purchasing Agent
66 Main Street, Room 111
West Orange, NJ 07052
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Phone: (973) 325-4056
Fax: (973) 736-8380
It is recommended that you call to ensure the receipt of your email submission.
The Township of West Orange (the “Township”) requires the services of a Communications Officer to perform specific duties including, but not limited to coordination regarding media inquiries, design and create graphic content, maintain the digital e-sign and serve as Township Historian. The successful bidder (or vendor) will be a part-time/Independent Contractor position and not employer/employee or principal/agent. The Communications Officer shall report to the Mayor or designee.
The contract is for a duration of 12 months. Compensation will be calculated annually and paid in equal monthly installments. Factors for consideration include, but are not limited to, experience, availability, cost, and technical expertise. When submitting your proposal, please include your experience and references.
Scope: Responsibilities of the Communications Officer shall include, but not limited to:
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Design and create graphic content for social media platforms, the Township website and digital e-sign.
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Maintain direct responsibility for e-sign updates and maintenance.
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Interface directly with media sources in order to provide accurate information about the Township.
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Draft press releases and assist in the preparation of official statements.
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Serve as a substitute to post on social media and/or the News & Announcements section of the Township website, should the regular staff person be unavailable due to circumstances such as illness or travel out of the area.
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Collaborate with the Mayor’s Office for the planning of occasional ceremonial and holiday events and provide photos for use on social media when in attendance.
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Request to receive the weekly reports from the Office of the Chief of Police/Fire or their designee(s) and transform the information into a brief paragraph/synopsis of each incident. The synopsis will be released as a weekly Emergency Services Blotter. The successful bidder shall be guided by all laws/guidelines governing the release of permitted information.
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Present Township announcements at Town Council meetings during public comment for the Council and public.
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Serve as the Township Historian to preserve and promote West Orange history. Responsibilities include responding to historical inquiries and curating, supplying and maintaining historical artifacts for public displays and presentations.
The Township will provide the successful vendor with the hardware and software, its maintenance, a dedicated phone line, and office supplies required to facilitate the duties listed in this contract within the budget parameters established by the Township. All hardware and software will be considered the property of the Township, and the successful vendor shall return all equipment at the conclusion of this or any subsequent contract with the Township.
INDEMNIFICATION AND CONFIDENTIALITY
The successful vendor shall agree that no public statements, materials or other presentations shall be made without approval of the Mayor or designee. The successful vender also agrees not to incur any expenses on behalf of the Township without first obtaining written approval.
All promotional materials shall become the Township’s property. The successful vender agrees to indemnify and defend the Township against all claims and actions by third parties for damages resulting from any breaches of your contract with the Township. The Township agrees to indemnify the successful vender against libel, copyright infringement or any third-party action when acting in good faith on behalf of the Township under the tenets of a contract with the Township.
The successful vender will be held harmless for all hardware and software provided by the Township for the facilitation of the duties agreed hereto.
Any additional expenses must have prior authorization. No overtime or additional fees will be paid or due under this agreement.
The successful vender shall agree not to accept any commissions or other enumeration with regard to services performed under the contract with the Township.
The successful vender shall agree to disclose to the Mayor and Business Administrator any marketing or other services which involve public figures, sensitive issues or other controversial or potentially controversial matters.
The successful vender shall agree that all information and documents obtained in the course of the Contract are strictly confidential and highly proprietary. As such, the successful vender shall agree not to discuss, distribute or disseminate any information or documents concerning the Township, its employees, elected officials, representatives and agents at any time during the term of the contract and thereafter without the express written consent of the Township. Any such discussion, distribution or dissemination will cause irreparable harm to the Township and the parties consent to injunctive, emergent and temporary relief restraining such activities.
