Seven companies applied for state PR contract that was canceled without clear explanation

Seven companies applied in August for the Dunleavy administration $9 million public relations contract. The state canceled this RFP for reasons that are not clear.

The Dunleavy administration says that under state law it cannot release the list of applicants for the new RFP until after a decision to award a contract is announced. That is now expected in early December.

Proposals for the new RFP, which are to include a campaign to push Alaska as an ideal location for data centers, were due Monday.

State law says “the proposals are open for public inspection after the notice of intent to award a contract is issued under AS 36.30.365.” In other words, after the state picks a company for the job, the list of competitors will be released.

The applicants responding to the August RFP were:

Angry Apples Marketing

Bernholz and Graham Inc dba Thompson & Co. Public Relations

Birdsall Voss & Associates Inc.

Black Rock Group

Brilliant Media Strategies Alaska, Inc.

MSI Communications

Yuit Communications, LLC