Communication and event services within the framework of the Coordination and Transfer Unit Smart Cities (KTS)

The contracting authority is PD - Berater der öffentlichen Hand GmbH (PD). PD requires support in carrying out its tasks. The funding program "Model Projects Smart Cities", launched by the client in 2019, comprises 73 Model Projects Smart Cities (MPSC) in three phases. A total of 89 cities, districts, and municipalities are directly involved in these MPSC, each having concluded its own funding agreement with the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW). Based on the Smart City Charter, cities and municipalities are to be supported by the funding program in order to: 1. develop digital decision-making bases and intelligent solutions in municipalities and regions, 2. initiate learning processes for the entire spectrum of the municipal landscape, and 3. make effective contributions to integrated and sustainable urban development. Since 2021, PD has been supporting the funded municipalities with the Coordination and Transfer Unit Model Projects Smart Cities (KTS) through technical support, knowledge transfer, networking, and other support and service offerings. Some of these offerings are also aimed at municipalities that are not funded. The goal is to make the findings, solutions developed, and knowledge products generated in the funding program accessible beyond the funded projects, to support their transfer into municipal practice, and to contribute to their consolidation. Communication and public relations work form an essential basis for this. They make the results and developments of the funding program visible, prepare knowledge in an audience-appropriate manner, and support its dissemination and reuse. The existing website smart-city-dialog.de serves as the central knowledge, communication, and networking platform. In addition, editorial formats, social networks, and press and public relations work are used. The subject of the present contract is the strategic, editorial, and operational provision of communication and event services, the editing and production of online content for the website and social media, press and public relations work, as well as the complete content-related and organizational preparation, execution, and follow-up of two congresses as national flagship events of the funding program. The funding period for the last MPSC ends in the first half of 2028. During the term of the awarded contract, the focus of activities will therefore increasingly shift from supporting ongoing funding activities to securing, preparing, disseminating, and consolidating the program results. This development must be taken into account in the conception and implementation of the services. The contract comprises the following lots. Bidders can bid for one or more lots: Lot 1: Editing and content production Lot 2: Press and public relations work Lot 3: Congresses