Pat Liguori, ABC O&O Stations SVP/Research & Electronic Measurement and board member of the Council for Research Excellence, sent a note and accompanying RFP to TVBR to try and clear up some confusion in the marketplace:
“Attached is an RFP sent out yesterday from the Set Top Box Subcommittee of the Council for Research Excellence. Unlike what Mr. Mandese wrote yesterday, you can see this is an RFP wherein we are looking for an individual researcher to work with our subcommittee to put together a white paper on the who/what/when/where/why of STBs. It’s our hope that the release of the RFP to a few trade outlets will catch the attention of some researchers (of whom we may not be aware) who will submit proposals.”
The goal of the subcommittee is to generate a comprehensive white paper on STBs, such that it will provide a base of knowledge about the current state and usage of STBs within our industry.
The Council for Research Excellence is wholly funded by The Nielsen Company and has available to it many of the resources of Nielsen yet operates independently of Nielsen.
Read the RFP in full here:
Request for Proposals
The Set Top Box and Audience Research: The State of the Art
A Council for Research Excellence Initiative
August 15, 2008
1. Context
In June, 2005 Nielsen Media Research, with the support of its clients, created the Council for Research Excellence (CRE) to help direct some of its research and development initiatives. The Council has identified some initial areas of concern and seeks proposals from independent researchers, institutions and research companies to design, execute and report the findings of their research. This request has been authorized by the Council committee which is charged with investigating methods and metrics of audience research derived from TV set top boxes.
2. Purpose
With the ability to time-shift video consumption, come the demands for greater accountability and increased data granularity within the commercial Broadcast/ Cable industry. For these reasons, Set-Top Box (STB) data are increasingly being heralded as the future of television audience measurement.
The goal of the committee is to conduct a comprehensive examination of how various vendors’ STBs capture and report tuning, from which will emerge learning as to the viability of using STB data as a measure of video tuning behavior.
Specifically, the committee seeks proposals to review current methods and metrics involving data collected by way of TV set top boxes. This initial study should serve the purposes:
* To identify and describe current vendor practices of collecting, processing and reporting data from set top boxes
* To educate the Nielsen client community and the broader media and research industries about the major offerings
* To identify important methodological issues regarding the collection and application of audience data from set top boxes
* To map out key issues for the industry’s ongoing review, tracking and analysis, such that STBs will be a dynamic measurement tool.
The review needs to be current, accurate and sufficiently thorough to help guide the committee’s thinking on possible research efforts it may conduct in the future.
3. Organizational Profile
The Council for Research Excellence consists of thirty-eight clients of Nielsen Media Research plus two representatives of Nielsen. To learn more about the Council, please see www.researchexcellence.com.
The committee addressing set top boxes is chaired by Pat Liguori, SVP of Research ABC Owned Television Stations
The committee will review all submissions and make recommendations to the full Council for final acceptance.
4. Proposal Format
The proposal should contain the following components:
* Process
This section should identify the proposed data gathering methodology, specific questions to be employed and the major individuals/companies to be approached
* Deliverables
The proposal should lay out the specific processes, results, interpretations, recommendations, etc. to be delivered.
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* Timing
The proposal should present milestones expressed in number of weeks after the contract is awarded.
* Cost
The budget for this project has not been established. Please provide a specific breakdown of your pricing.
* Profile
The Committee is looking for a supplier with experience in television research and the media industry. Please provide the following information.
1. Bio/CV/Resume, including recent research in the TV/new technology industry
2. What contacts do you have which will permit you to conduct this study effectively?
3. Describe what makes your work especially valuable? (it’s OK to brag a little)
4. Two examples of similar work you can share.
5. Please provide two references for whom you have done projects or with whom you have worked.
5. Basis for Award of Contract
The Council’s evaluation will be based on the Supplier’s ability to address all issues and questions in the assignment, and other factors such as research design, interviewing capabilities, prior experience, pricing, completeness of proposal, and ability to meet deadlines.
The Council is seeking high quality methods, exemplary execution and thought-leadership.
The Council reserves the right to select and/or negotiate with one or more of those Suppliers it deems most qualified, reject any or all proposals received, and make an award in whole or in part.
6. Timetable
* Submission Deadline: September 12, 2008
* Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2008
* Data Collection : 4th Quarter 2008
* Anticipated Completion date: January 15, 2009
7. Proposal Submission
Richard Zackon is the facilitator for the Council for Research Excellence. Submissions should be sent to [email protected] .
8. Other terms
* Following the date at which the Council receives the Supplier’s proposal and pricing, that proposal and price shall be binding on the Supplier in all respects for a period of 90 days.
* In submitting a proposal, the Supplier understands that the Council will determine at its sole discretion which proposal, if any, is accepted. The Supplier waives any right to claim damages of any nature whatever.
* This RFP defines specific requirements only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, an offer to contract. The Council will consider each proposal, but is under no obligation to act on any proposal. All submitted proposals shall become the property of the Council.
* Each supplier agrees that they shall absorb all costs incurred in its preparation, revision, and presentation of any proposal.
* When applicable, any travel and lodging will be billed at cost.
* At the conclusion of the project, all materials developed by the project team will become the exclusive property of The Nielsen Company.
9. Additional information and Clarifications
Please submit all questions to [email protected].
