U.S. Navy to PR Firms: Throw Us a Life Preserver!

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The U.S. Navy's Chief of Information (CHINFO) is taking on water. "Navy leaders have placed increased demands on CHINFO," which have "long outstripped CHINFO's capacity to respond," admits the Navy's solicitation for public relations help. Between "news media, television and movies, and social media such as web logs (blogs), internet video sites such as YouTube, and social interaction sites such as MySpace," the military branch just can't keep up. So, the Navy is seeking proposals from PR firms "to provide public affairs support on an as-needed basis for up to five years." The Navy contract will involve "environmental and reputation risk management," "measuring public opinion," "ethical public relations" and "U.S. military community relations / community outreach." Specific activities include "develop a web log (blog) and advise on blogging." Representatives from the Rendon Group, Burson-Marsteller, Lincoln Group, GolinHarris and Hill & Knowlton, among other firms, attended a Navy presentation on the contract. The Navy hopes to award the contract in September.