REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
October 6, 2026
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Contract for Media Campaign Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Contract with Civilian, Inc., for the provision of media campaign services, in the amount not to exceed $4,305,000, for the period of October 6, 2026 through June 30, 2031.
(Presenter: Joshua Dugas, Director, 252-5142)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Foster Sustainable Development Through Strategic Partnerships.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The recommended amount of $4,305,000, for media campaign services are funded by Substance Use Disorder Recovery Services, Behavioral Health Services Act, 1991 and 2011 Realignment funds. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2026-27 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DBH is responsible for providing mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services to San Bernardino County (County) residents experiencing severe mental illness and/or SUD. DBH Public Relations and Outreach provides a wide range of marketing and advertising materials to keep the community informed of mental health, SUD services, and DBH events. Media campaign services is a multi-year, integrated public awareness campaign designed to increase awareness of behavioral health initiatives and educate county residents regarding substance use, including fentanyl, suicide prevention, mental health stigma, and employment opportunities at DBH.
Media campaign services will utilize an integrated media strategy to effectively and efficiently reach residents throughout the county, with targeted consideration for young adults, at-risk, and underserved communities. Media tactics will include high volume and targeted platforms such as digital freeway boards, radio, cable television, and social media. Campaign messaging will be developed for both English and Spanish speaking general market audiences and will incorporate distinct branding and creative materials tailored to each initiative. The campaign will enhance public awareness, promote access to behavioral health resources, and support DBH's efforts to reduce stigma and improve the overall behavioral health and well-being of county residents.
Media campaign services are expected to have broad reach throughout the county, generating approximately 15,000,000 opportunities per fiscal year for county residents to see or receive campaign messaging. The campaign will provide factual, accessible, and educational information regarding each behavioral health initiative, equipping county residents with information and resources to make informed decisions that may positively impact their health, well-being, and future.
Media campaign services comprise of four campaigns: Substance Use Disorder Campaign - $300,000 per fiscal year, Suicide Prevention Campaign - $145,000 per fiscal year, General Mental Health Campaign - $208,000 per fiscal year, and the Workforce Recruitment Campaign - $208,000 per fiscal year. The Substance Use Disorder Campaign is designed to educate the public about the harmful misuse and dangers of addiction and death from illicit drug use, including fentanyl, and promote treatment services and preventive tools that the County offers for community members. The Suicide Prevention Campaign aims to promote awareness of the community to improve attitudes and knowledge regarding suicide. The General Mental Health Campaign is designed to reduce stigma and promote access to behavioral health services. The Workforce Recruitment Campaign is designed to promote employment opportunities at DBH including administrative, clinical, and licensed professionals to meet adequate staffing and service provision needs.
Performance measures for the media campaign services contract focus on service quality, timeliness, accessibility, reach, and outcomes to ensure services are delivered in accordance with established standards and contract requirements. All campaign activities and materials are required to be pre-approved by DBH. Civilian, Inc. will be required to submit regular reports, including monthly service logs, outcome and performance data, fiscal reports, and compliance documentation. These reporting requirements will enable DBH to monitor contract performance, evaluate campaign effectiveness and reach, identify trends and areas of concern, and ensure services remain aligned with DBH’s behavioral health priorities and community needs.
PROCUREMENT
On May 11, 2026, the County Administrative Office approved and authorized the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) DBHE26-ADMN-6300, to solicit interested and qualified organizations and agencies to provide media campaign services throughout the county. The RFP was publicly advertised through direct mailings to more than 680 community-based organizations, educational providers, service providers, and other interested parties, and posted on the County’s Electronic Procurement Network.
The proposal conference for media campaign services was held on June 3, 2026. A total of ten proposals were received. Ten proposals met the procurement requirements and proceeded to the evaluation phase.
|
Proposal Name |
Proposed Costs |
|
Banyan Communications, Inc. |
$4,305,000.00 |
|
Brown Marketing Strategies, Inc. DBA CENTRIC |
$4,239,871.13 |
|
Civilian, Inc. |
$4,305,000.00 |
|
Guiding Hope Marriage and Family Therapy Corporation |
$3,435,000.00 |
|
M&M Media Solutions, Inc. DBA Mediasol |
$4,305,000.00 |
|
National Latino Behavioral Health Association |
$4,305,000.00 |
|
New Image Media |
$3,265,000.00 |
|
Raincross, Inc. |
$4,305,000.00 |
|
Red Rock Branding |
$4,305,000.00 |
|
Unique Image, Inc. |
$4,242,870.00 |
The evaluation committee comprised of three individuals from DBH, Department of Public Health, and Public Works Department, evaluated the proposals based on the criteria in the RFP, including but not limited to: Substance Use Disorder Campaign, Suicide Prevention, General Mental Health Campaign, Workforce Recruitment Campaign, Strategic Planning Outline for Quarter One, Reporting Capabilities and Plan, and Translation Capabilities and Process for all County Threshold Languages. Each campaign was further evaluated with the following categories: A minimum of two distinct creative concepts for the campaign, actual designs, mock-ups, and visual representations for each creative concept, a detailed list of deliverables, Event Support, Creative Development Process, Comprehensive Implementation Timelines for each creative concept, Team Structure and Qualifications, Content Capture Plan, and Budget Breakdown.
Based on the evaluation criteria, the evaluation committee determined that Civilian, Inc. best met the County’s standards to provide media campaign services and recommend them for the award.
Award and denial letters were sent to all responsible and responsive proposers on August 19, 2026. No protests were received within the allowable period.
Based on the evaluation results of the proposals, DBH recommends awarding the Contract to Civilian, Inc. for the provision of media campaign services for the period of October 6, 2026 through June 30, 2031. The Purchasing Department supports this recommendation.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health (Diana Barajas, Administrative Supervisor I, 388-0862) on September 28, 2026; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on September 14, 2026; Purchasing (Jessica Barajas, Supervising Buyer, 387-2065) on September 9, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Lizveth Varela, Administrative Analyst, 387-4883) on September 14, 2026.