LIMA — Allen County Commissioners approved a contract with Washington, D.C.-based communication firm kglobal to work with the Department of Defense’s Office of Economic Adjustment grant program to create a communication and social media strategy for the county.
The goal, according to project manager Cynthia Leis, is not just to promote Lima’s Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, but also the county as a whole. Leis noted that kglobal has connections in both the public and private sectors, especially with the Pentagon, which will be helpful given Lima’s military connection.
“We really felt like there was a good connection with them,” she said. “We felt that with this communication plan, we certainly want to have everyone at the table at the county and regional level, but we want to be able to tell a focused story not only here locally, but also outside, even outside the state of Ohio.”
Starting next week, kglobal will examine the current promotional materials used in the county, from the “Real American Strength” campaign to the “Believe” Downtown Lima promotions, performing a gap analysis and formulating a long-term social media and communication strategy, including a public relations campaign that kglobal hopes will be able to be sustainable even after the contract is completed.
The process is expected to take 12 months, and while the originally agreed terms call for a contract price of $148,500, kglobal offered a 10 percent discount, giving a final cost of $134,500.
“The total budget in the OEA grant for communications and social media is roughly $160,000,” Leis said. “So it does give us a little bit of extra budget for once we start transitioning to a local provider.”
