Agency Natural Resources Dept

Contractor Metre LLC

SWIFT Contract Number 204690

Project Name Parks and Trails marketing

Project Number (if applicable) {Empty}

Summarize purpose of the contract, including why it was necessary: Provide strategic advertising planning and plan execution, creative services and reporting on ad placements. This work is outside the scope and staffing resources of the public relations unit.

Project Duration

Start Date Mon, 11/29/2021 - 00:00

Original end date Mon, 11/28/2022 - 00:00

Actual end date Thu, 11/28/2024 - 00:00

Did project finish on time? Yes

Total billable hours utilized (if applicable) {Empty}

Contract Amounts

Original contract: $250000

Amendments $450000

Contract total $700000

Did project finish within budget? Yes

What was the funding source? state

Is this a sole source contract? Yes

If this was a single source contract, explain why the agency determined there was only a single source for the services (if applicable) {Empty}

Evaluator Name Sara Berhow

Evaluator Email Address sara.berhow@gmail.com

Evaluate the contractor's timeliness Metre’s overall lack of strategic comprehension, coordination, and organization was disappointing given their experience as a marketing agency. DNR staff had to step in to complete work on multiple occasions, such as completing basic pre-photos shoot tasks.

Evaluate the contractor's quality We felt Metre had inadequate attention to detail, poor organizational planning, and didn't always understand the DNR’s objectives. Although Metre was willing to take on new projects, their ability to integrate these efforts into existing campaigns was lacking.

Notably, During the Metre contract, Facebook and Instagram ads were set up and administered through a management system the DNR could not access. This practice is not industry standard and caused numerous points of contention throughout the contract. However, Metre retained ownership of the platform and denied the DNR access, despite repeated requests.

This lack of access left the DNR unable to monitor ads in real-time, assess their performance, or track budget and placement. On multiple occasions, the DNR was caught off-guard by ads appearing on social media that had not been communicated or approved in advance—a situation that could have been avoided if the DNR had access to the platform. This single issue alone is a non-negotiable for future contracts.

Evaluate the contractor's cost Fair for the services promised.

Evaluate the contractor's overall performance Metre’s performance in this contract repeatedly fell short of expectations. The lack of access to ad management platforms, inadequate strategic planning, and frequent communication breakdowns created significant challenges for the DNR. While there were occasional successes, the overall experience highlighted systemic issues that would need to be addressed before considering any future collaboration

Would you engage the contractor's services again? No

Describe any negative action taken during the duration of this contract (i.e., termination, pursuit of suspension, etc.): n/a

Please rate the overall experience with the contractor 2 - dissatisfied