RFP#: 145-24 MBTA official store agent

Background
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is a corporate and political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, established under Mass. Gen. Laws, ch 161A.

The MBTA is seeking a qualified Official Store Agent to manage the MBTA Official Store and serve as a Licensing Agent. The goal of this contract is to provide quality MBTA Licensed Articles and memorabilia to the public while generating royalties that contribute to the MBTA's ongoing operations.

Work Details
The selected vendor will be responsible for:
1. Managing the MBTA Official Store (mbtagifts.com), including stocking, managing, and marketing the store.
2. Developing a process to wholesale MBTA Licensed Articles to retailers in the Boston area.
3. Representing the MBTA’s Intellectual Property as a Licensing Agent by negotiating contracts with firms for producing and selling articles incorporating MBTA's Intellectual Property.
4. Designing, developing, and maintaining an online store that meets specific standards outlined in Section 3.1 General Requirements.
5. Creating an annual strategic creative and business plan for marketing and stocking the store.
6. Implementing a marketing plan that includes social media engagement and customer acquisition strategies.
7. Ensuring compliance with inventory management, customer service standards, and fulfillment services including packing and shipping orders within five business days.
8. Setting competitive retail prices for Licensed Articles while adhering to any minimum price set by the MBTA for memorabilia.
9. Transitioning from any previous vendor smoothly, including domain registration transfer, data migration, and inventory management.

Period of Performance
The contract period will commence upon execution of the contract with an estimated start date yet to be determined.

Place of Performance
The services will primarily be performed in Boston, Massachusetts, specifically at locations operated by the MBTA such as the Charlie Service Center.