Members of the Jacksonville Port Authority board of directors and staff have stated the port is at a crucial period in its history. Today, the board will review applications from firms that seek to help explain why.
JaxPort's evaluation committee will meet at 3 p.m. at the port administration office at 2831 Talleyrand Ave. to review four public relations applicants that responded to the port's request for proposals for public affairs and community outreach services.
"This will help move us forward to the future," said port interim CEO Roy Schleicher.
The applicants are Caltrop Communications, Hester Group, Right Coast Strategies and St. John & Partners.
Three of the firms have Jacksonville ties.
Caltrop Communications is based in California and has offices in Miramar and Tampa.
Hester Group was founded in Jacksonville in 1998 by Hester Clark, the company's president.
Ponte Vedra Beach-based Right Coast Strategies is headed by Susie Wiles, Jacksonville Civic Council interim executive director, who serves as a principal, along with former Jacksonville Jaguars player Tony Boselli.
St. John & Partners is based in Jacksonville, created in 1984, and led by Chairman and CEO Dan St. John.
Schleicher said the contract could be for up to three years.
"It's not just our strategic plan that we have to talk to our stakeholders about, but it's also everything else we are doing," he said.
JaxPort's request for proposals asked for a firm to assist and support the port's public affairs and community outreach efforts.
The proposal requests applicants provide all professional, technical, clerical and subcontracting necessary to perform the tasks assigned and that they "will function as an extension of JaxPort's staff to enhance public affairs and community outreach activities in support of JaxPort's vision and mission."
The areas of service will include, but are not limited to, stakeholder engagement, coordination of third-party advocacy and development/execution of an effective and comprehensive education and awareness campaign to support implementation of JaxPort's strategic master plan and associated projects.
The port has linked its future growth to increased access to ports for ships and deeper water in the shipping channel.
It is pursuing an adjustment to the Mile Point section of the shipping channel that would help ease tidal restrictions on cargo ships and allow them more time to call on area ports.
The port also is pursuing a depth of 47 feet in the shipping channel to allow larger ships access to local ports while carrying more cargo.
Both issues will be addressed in the port's strategic plan for growth, which is currently in development and a rough draft could be released by the end of the month, said Schleicher.
"We've got to get our name out. We've got to make sure that everybody understands how important we are to the community," said Schleicher.
JaxPort has stated it is responsible for 65,000 jobs in Northeast Florida related to port activity and its operations annually contribute $19 billion in economic impact.
The firm would work with members at JaxPort that perform similar services for the independent authority.
They are:
• Nancy Rubin, senior director of communications
• Robert Peek, trade development, marketing and customer service department and marketing development director
• Joanne Kazmierski, government and external affairs department, community outreach and environmental advocacy manger
• Meredith Fordham Hughes, creative design manager.
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Applicants for JaxPort request for public relations and community outreach services
Caltrop Communications, headquartered in California with offices in Miramar and Tampa
Hester Group, Jacksonville
Right Coast Strategies, Ponte Vedra Beach
St. John & Partners, Jacksonville