Important Dates
Launch of the bidding process
April 15, 2026
Deadline for submitting questions (aharvey@tourismelaval.com)
April 29, 2026
Deadline for receipt of bids via email (aharvey@tourismelaval.com)
May 8, 2026
Review of Applications
May 11–22, 2026
Presentation of the selected agencies
May 25–June 3, 2026
Contract Award
Week of June 8, 2026
Important Documents
FAQ
Q. I would like to know if it is possible to submit a proposal only for Component 3, which is strategic digital marketing support.
A: No. The bid must cover all aspects of the request for proposals.
Q. Is it possible to schedule a call or a meeting to discuss the request for proposals?
A. No. To ensure fair treatment of all bidders in this public tender, no individual meetings or calls will be arranged.
All questions must be submitted in writing. The answers will then be published in this FAQ so that they are accessible to all participants.
Q. How can I ask questions about the request for proposals?
A. Bidders are asked to submit their questions in writing through the designated channel.
The responses will be compiled and posted in this FAQ section to ensure that information is disseminated consistently.
Q. How much information should the response include?
A. Each section of the proposal should be no more than five (5) pages long.
Bidders are encouraged to submit a clear, concise, and focused response that addresses the requested information.
Q. Is it possible to get an extension of the filing deadline?
A. No. No extensions will be granted.
This rule is intended to ensure fairness among all bidders in the bidding process.
Q. Is the price weighted at only 15% of the final grade, or is there a "K-factor" type calculation?
A. Pricing and fee-based services account for 15% of the overall score. The request for proposals does not explicitly mention the use of the K factor, instead favoring an annual flat-rate pricing structure for each component. The evaluation will focus on the realism of the budget and the breakdown of costs. The organization is primarily seeking a transparent pricing structure that is appropriate for the complexity of the professional services required.
Q. In addition to the media budget that has been communicated, has an overall budget been set for the other three components to provide a framework for our evaluations?
A. No overall budget has been pre-determined for the data, digital, and business strategy components. Tourisme Laval to have the budgetary flexibility to adjust investments as strategic priorities evolve.
Q. Does the fact that we are partnering with Destination Québec cité make us ineligible?
A. Collaborating with another regional tourism association (ATR), such as Destination Québec cité, does not constitute a ground for ineligibility. However, the bidder is required to disclose any business relationships with similar organizations in the bidder’s letter and to ensure the confidentiality of strategic data in accordance with confidentiality requirements.
Q. The preliminary budget for shared media management is very helpful to us in preparing our cost estimate. To refine it, the following information would be particularly helpful to us:
Q. In a typical year, how many campaigns are usually rolled out, and what types are they?
A. There is no set pattern, and, more importantly, everything remains to be determined for the future. In the past, certain campaigns were run annually, in addition to a major summer campaign. Tourisme Laval to better target its investments and strategies to achieve concrete results for the destination.
Q. What is the current breakdown of media spending among the Agrément, Business, and Sports client segments?
A. Business tourism accounts for approximately 53% of the customer base, compared to 47% for leisure tourism. According to available statistics, the business segment generates twice as much economic impact per visitor as the leisure segment. Tourisme Laval align its investments with the size of its target customer bases. Historically, media investments have been greater in the leisure segment.
Q. Could you share your internal AI policies with us so that we can ensure our media optimization and analytics tools are fully compliant with them?
R. Laval has established an internal committee dedicated to AI to develop a framework for responsible use, which you will find attached.
Q. What is the current level of integration between Salesforce CRM and advertising platforms? Which Salesforce module do you use?
A. R. Tourisme Laval currently Tourisme Laval Salesforce Sales Cloud as its CRM and Pardot (Account Engagement) for marketing automation. There is no integration between the advertising platforms and the CRM.
Q. You want to set up a data lake. What measurement tools are currently in place that should be integrated into the data lake?
A. The tools to be integrated include Google Analytics 4, the Tourinsoft ERP system, and proprietary platforms. ATR recently acquired operating licenses from the Destination Canada Data Consortium and Environics Analytics.
Q. To analyze the actual impact of the investments mentioned, what sources of transactional or foot traffic data (e.g., geolocation data, hotel reports) will be made available?
A. To measure the actual impact, the organization will provide geolocation data, hotel reports (ISQ, MTO, self-reported), and ministry dashboards.
Q. For the website redesign, we are working on the assumption that you are looking for strategic guidance rather than a turnkey digital redesign. Can you confirm this approach?
A. Indeed, for the more specific aspect of the website, we are initially looking for strategic guidance. This could potentially lead to a technical implementation with a cost estimate provided by our vendor.
Q. To tailor our services precisely to your needs, we would like to better understand your expectations. Would you like us to: Facilitate and/or participate in workshops?
A. Yes.
Q. Were we responsible for certain deliverables (site map, mockups, content strategy, SEO strategy, etc.)?
A. Certain deliverables may be the supplier’s responsibility, such as content strategies and SEO/GEO strategies designed to optimize our audience reach and media performance.
Q. Would we be joining a process that you are already leading, or would we take the lead on certain stages?
A. We would like to implement a redesign project, and the vendor selected through this request for proposals will be responsible for helping us determine how to carry it out.
Q. If you already have an internal process in place, please share the main points with us.
A. N/A
Q. In any case, could you let us know how many working meetings and presentations we should expect, the main types of stakeholders involved (management, marketing, operations, etc.), as well as your target timeline and desired launch date, so that we can plan the steps accordingly?
A. We would like to have a website that incorporates best practices and our vendor’s recommendations, as well as a customer portal and transactional features, by the fall of 2027. Quick improvements should be implemented in the meantime to ensure our various digital channels are well integrated. The project will be led by the Operations Department, in collaboration with the marketing team.
Q. Would you prefer the support to take the form of consulting with one of our strategy experts, with your team handling project management and report writing? Or are you considering a turnkey solution managed by the agency? Regarding deliverables, do you envision primarily ongoing consultation, or also the provision of formalized documents and plans? Do you prefer a single final document of recommendations, or a series of separate deliverables? How many working meetings and presentations should we schedule, and with which types of stakeholders (management, marketing, partners, members, etc.)?
A. Rather than imposing a time-bank structure or a fixed annual retainer, Tourisme Laval bidders to propose the most efficient collaboration model to meet the organization’s needs. This model must allow for flexibility between ad hoc strategic support and the full management of delegated projects when internal capacity is limited. The goal is to build a team focused on performance and innovation.
Q. In terms of the timeline, do you have specific deliverables in mind for specific dates, or do you prefer to provide ongoing support throughout the duration of the contract?
A. To be determined.
Q. Can you give us an overview of your current technology stack (analytics tools, data management tools, dashboards, etc.), in addition to Salesforce and Pardot?
A. Technology Environment and Data Management Our current environment is based on the Salesforce Sales Cloud suite and the Pardot application for marketing automation. Since the summer of 2023, we have completed our transition to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and use Looker Studio for our performance dashboards. Our ecosystem also includes the Tourinsoft ERP system for managing tourism offerings and synchronizing attraction profiles.
Q. How is your tourism community currently engaged (tools, initiatives, discussion forums, etc.)? Are you currently using a platform like Tourinsoft or another destination management system?
A. The Laval tourism community is coordinated through consultative committees. We do indeed use Tourinsoft as a centralized system for managing information about our 200 members and partners. Otherwise, there are, of course, our social media platforms.
Q. Are indicators such as tourist traffic and economic impact currently being measured and tracked? If so, how?
A. Yes, these indicators are closely monitored. Visitor flows are analyzed using geolocation data. Some indicators are tracked through dashboards provided by the Ministry of Tourism. In addition, we have access to economic data through the Destination Canada Data Consortium (notably LASR) and Environics Analytics. We aim to implement a system that will organize these various sources to support decision-making.
Q. What are the top business priorities you’d like to address through better use of data (beyond standard issues such as attribution or campaign performance—what are the challenges that are more specific to your situation, your customer base, or your initiatives)?
A. Beyond standard allocation, our specific challenges lie in conducting causal analyses to directly link every dollar invested to tangible business results. We also want to model customer journeys for our high-value-added segments and identify the levers that will help maximize foot traffic during periods of lower seasonality.
Q. Could you describe the structure of your in-house marketing team (roles, areas of expertise, responsibilities), as well as the functions you wish to keep in-house?
A.
The in-house marketing team reports to the Operations and Performance Department (currently hiring). This is a new department comprising the marketing team, the development team, and the reception staff. The marketing team is currently undergoing a complete restructuring. With the goal of optimizing our marketing performance and aligning with our organizational priorities, we are currently in the process of rebuilding our marketing team. The proposed structure involves adding a senior role with a strong strategic focus, responsible for guiding and ensuring the consistency of marketing initiatives, as well as one to two marketing consultant positions—including expertise in digital marketing—and a dedicated resource for coordinating activities. This change aims to strengthen our capacity for analysis, planning, and execution, while ensuring greater agility in the rollout of our initiatives.
We would like to continue managing the brand and coordinating with partners in-house. The agency we select will need to propose an efficient collaboration model that includes strategic guidance, training for our teams, and the ability to handle specific delegated tasks that we cannot manage on our own.
Q. Do you distinguish between the visitor (tourist) experience and the member experience? Are these initiatives separate or integrated? We’re asking because Section 3) “Strategic Digital Marketing Support” discusses the customer experience in general, and we’re wondering if you consider these two target groups to be “customers.”
A. Both of these targets are considered customers.
Q. Do you carry out co-branded marketing initiatives with your members/partners? If so, what percentage of your media initiatives do they represent, and in what form?
A. Yes, we are implementing co-branded initiatives. At Tourisme Laval, these types of initiatives are governed by our COOP program. Recently, members who used the Laval brand in their advertising were able to take advantage of this program to receive a discount on their investment. The program will be reviewed, as it is currently underutilized.
Q. You mention both customer segments (leisure, business, sports) and market niches (business and conferences, family, cultural, gourmet, and sports). Can you explain how these categories relate to one another? Specifically, does the “leisure” customer segment encompass certain market segments such as family, cultural, and gourmet? Is there currently a prioritization of customer segments or market segments?
A.
The concepts of client groups and niches fall within two complementary levels of analysis and intervention.
Target audiences (leisure, business, sports) refer to the types of visitors we wish to attract, whereas market segments (business and conferences, family, cultural, culinary, and sports) correspond more closely to the structured tourism experiences and products offered by the destination. As such, the leisure segment actually encompasses several market segments, notably family, cultural, and gourmet, which serve as complementary drivers of appeal depending on visitor profiles and reasons for visiting.
In addition, certain sectors are receiving increased strategic attention. Business tourism—particularly in the meetings and conventions segments—is recognized by the Quebec Ministry of Tourism as a sector with strong potential, due to its significant economic impact and its ability to generate overnight stays during the off-season. Similarly, culinary tourism is a growing sector that helps promote local identity and enhance the overall visitor experience.
In this context, we are prioritizing the development and structuring of these high-potential sectors, while ensuring overall consistency with other market segments in order to maximize value creation for the destination.
Q. Are there any technological or organizational constraints to consider?
A. The main challenges lie in the seamless integration of existing systems (GA4, Tourinsoft, CRM) and strict compliance with Bill 25 on the Protection of Personal Information.
Q. Could you outline the main points of your internal AI policies, particularly as they relate to the use of generative tools within the scope of the mandate?
A. R. Tourisme Laval established an internal committee to oversee the use of AI. Our policies require full transparency regarding the use of generative tools and mandate systematic human review of all content produced, in order to ensure ethical practices and data security.
Q. When do you expect to complete your planning exercise, and will it include specific guidelines or measures that will provide clear direction for this mandate?
A. The exercise is scheduled to conclude sometime this summer. The targets associated with certain strategic planning priorities will be incorporated into the marketing plan and the metrics to be tracked.
Q. Do you currently have one or more partners to assist you with these four areas?
A. The organization already works with certain consultants and agencies for specific needs (e.g., management of the current website, performance-based campaigns). However, this request for proposals aims to consolidate this expertise within a more comprehensive and integrated support relationship.
Q. Do you have a 360-degree assessment of your current data ecosystem (sources, data types, ownership, tools, and performance levels—both marketing and organizational)?
A.
Tourisme Laval already begun an in-depth analysis and uses powerful tools (GA4, Looker Studio, Salesforce, Pardot). A partial assessment has been conducted, particularly for the Business and Sports customer journeys. However, the mandate calls on the agency to complete this assessment in order to define a roadmap toward a unified data lake.
Q. How would you assess your readiness to transition to a data-driven culture shared by all your teams?
A. The organization is highly committed to this initiative, as evidenced by the recent strategic reassignment of certain executives to lead business intelligence and the creation of an internal committee dedicated to AI. The team is ready for this transition but is seeking a partner capable of providing both strategic guidance and training to enhance its internal capabilities.
Q. Can you confirm whether the production of new photo and video content—including filming, art direction, post-production, and usage rights—should be included in the lump-sum proposal or presented as an option or related expenses for the media and digital strategy components?
A. According to the request for proposals, the lump-sum prices submitted must cover everything necessary for the service, including inputs such as photos and video footage. However, the organization wishes to retain the option of assigning specific tasks to the agency for large-scale productions that the in-house team would be unable to carry out.
Q. Have specific growth targets been established to evaluate the performance of the budget allocated to the new approach? Against what metrics will the concept of tangible incremental value be measured?
A. Specific targets will be formalized in the new strategic plan. The concept of “incremental value” will be measured by cross-referencing mobility data (foot traffic) with transaction expenditure data, thereby linking every dollar invested to a real economic return for the region.
Q. When you mention improving user journeys, which journeys are considered a priority for analysis or optimization?
A. The priority user flows include the visitor (tourist) experience as well as that of members. Special attention must be paid to the Business and Sports audiences, whose sections of the current site are undergoing a redesign to improve engagement.
Q. What are the main pain points or limitations currently observed in the user experience of the website or customer portal?
A. The main pain points identified are the lack of a seamless user journey for niche segments and the need for closer integration between informational content and the transactional component. Content management also needs to be simplified for the internal team. There is no customer portal.
Q. Are there any business processes related to the website or the customer portal that you would like to better structure, simplify, or streamline as part of this project, and that have already been identified?
A. For users, ease of planning and access to member offers is paramount. For internal teams, automated synchronization between the website and the Tourinsoft ecosystem would be desirable. The transactional aspect of the site, meanwhile, remains a critical feature.
Q. Which of these processes are currently the most problematic or the least effective for your teams or users?
R. Laval wants to streamline the management of its membership program and the processes related to donations and sponsorships. The processes for measuring the impact of campaigns, which are currently based on multiple sources, need to be better structured within the future data warehouse.
Q. Do you already have any useful documentation that could help inform our discussion and that you could share with us—such as user flows, personas, UX audits, analytics data, or internal findings?
A. The selected agency will have access to recent SEO reports, user journey analyses for priority customer segments, and historical performance data (GA4, Salesforce).
Q. Regarding the transactional component mentioned in the request for proposals, are you primarily seeking strategic guidance to clarify how it integrates with your existing systems, rather than implementation?
A. For the digital overhaul, Tourisme Laval a phased approach. Phase 1 of this project consists exclusively of providing strategic recommendations, an assessment, and a vision for the customer portal. Phase 2, dedicated to the complete redesign for a fall 2027 launch, will be the subject of a later decision: the organization may choose to continue with the selected firm or issue a specific request for proposals for this technical implementation.