Issued by: KC BioHub, a program of BioNexus KC
Issue Date: March 18,2026
Proposal Due Date: April 17, 2026

 

Organizational Overview

About BioNexus KC

The KC region is a global leader at the nexus of human and animal health, inspiring thinkers from diverse disciplines to combine their efforts for a common purpose — healthcare innovation. For 25 years, BioNexus KC has been advancing the region’s strengths in digital health, cancer research, health equity, informatics, and rare disease.

BioNexus KC stimulates collaboration, accelerates emerging technology from concept to reality, and creates opportunities at the nexus of:

• Human and Animal Health
• Urban and Rural Health
• Healthcare and Information Technology
• Academia and Industry
• Kansas and Missouri

Program: KC BioHub

The KC BioHub is a consortium of more than 100 local non-profits, institutions of higher education, local governments, startups, and industry partners within the greater Kansas City region (stretching from McPherson and Manhattan, KS to Columbia, MO) that work together to grow our regional biologics and biomanufacturing capabilities. The consortium has led the effort to designate Kansas City as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub. The KC BioHub consortium is a program of BioNexus KC.

Purpose of the RFP

KC BioHub seeks a marketing firm to develop a marketing strategy and campaign recommendations that elevate the visibility of the region’s life sciences industry and support driving interest from other domestic industry hubs. The goal of the work is to build credibility and business activity for the region’s existing biomanufacturing industry.

The selected firm will help identify a compelling narrative and recommend marketing approaches that highlight the ecosystem’s assets and attract attention from industry leaders, investors, and partners in other regions.

This engagement will focus primarily on strategy and campaign development, rather than full campaign implementation.

Project Objectives

The selected firm will help the organization:

• Increase national awareness of the ecosystem’s life sciences strengths
• Highlight key assets, such as research institutions, companies, and innovation infrastructure
• Attract industry partners, investors, and talent
• Provide a clear marketing strategy and campaign roadmap

Scope of Work

The selected firm will provide strategic marketing guidance, including the following activities.

Messaging & Positioning

• Review existing marketing materials and messaging
• Identify key differentiators of the ecosystem
• Develop a clear narrative and positioning statement
• Provide messaging pillars that partners can use consistently

Target Audience Prioritization

Identify and prioritize key audiences, such as:

• Life sciences companies outside the region
• Venture capital and investors outside the region
• Entrepreneurs and startups outside the region
• Industry media and influencers outside the region
• Talent and workforce outside the region

National Marketing Strategy

Develop a high-level national marketing strategy, including:

• Recommended marketing channels
• Communications priorities
• Opportunities for earned media and industry visibility
• Potential partnerships or platforms to increase awareness

Campaign Concepts

Provide 2–3 campaign concepts that could elevate awareness of the ecosystem.

Concepts should include:

• Core idea and messaging
• Suggested marketing channels
• Example campaign tactics
• High-level implementation considerations

Deliverables

The selected firm will be expected to deliver:

• Messaging and positioning framework
• Target audience overview
• National marketing strategy recommendations
• 2–3 campaign concepts
• High-level marketing roadmap and budget for implementation
• Final presentation to organizational leadership

Project Timeline

Milestone	Date
RFP Issued	March 18
Proposal Deadline	April 17
Firm Selection	April 24
Project Kickoff	May 1

The anticipated project duration is 8–10 weeks.

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should include:

• Firm Overview – Brief description of the firm and relevant capabilities.
• Relevant Experience- Examples of projects related to: Marketing strategy development, Industry or sector promotion, National awareness campaigns, Economic development or innovation ecosystems
• Proposed Approach: Outline of how the firm would approach this project.
• Project Team: Key staff who would be involved in the project.
• Budget Estimate: Provide an estimated total project cost.
• References: At least two relevant client references.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Criteria	Weight
Relevant experience	35%
Quality of proposed approach	35%
Team expertise	15%
Cost	15%

 

Submission Instructions

Proposals should be submitted electronically via the info or submit button below:

Laurie Brown, Vice President of Operations
laurie@kcbiohub.org

Submission Deadline: April 17^th, 2026 at 5pm CT