Write a request for proposal that tests an agency's genuine capability rather than its pitch polish alone.
Public Relations & Media
Selecting and Managing Public Relations Agency Retainers
Run a rigorous agency selection process and manage the resulting retainer with a clear scope of work, KPIs and review cadence, so the relationship earns its fee every quarter.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
Many organisations select a public relations agency on chemistry alone and then struggle for two years to define what the retainer is actually meant to deliver. This course covers both sides of the relationship: running a rigorous selection process and then governing the retainer so it keeps earning its fee. Delegates draft a request for proposal that tests genuine capability rather than presentation polish, structure a scope of work that separates strategic counsel from production tasks, and choose a fee model — retainer, project or hybrid — appropriate to the work involved. The course covers setting KPIs an agency can actually influence, running quarterly business reviews that surface problems before they become contract disputes, and negotiating contract terms covering notice periods, intellectual property and conflicts of interest. Sessions also address managing a roster of several agencies without duplicated scopes, and handling a respectful transition when a retainer ends. The final session applies every tool covered — the RFP, the scope of work and the review format — to a participant's actual agency relationship, current or upcoming.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Structure a scope of work that separates strategic counsel from production and administrative tasks.
Choose a fee model — retainer, project-based or hybrid — appropriate to the work an agency will deliver.
Set KPIs an agency can realistically influence, avoiding metrics driven mainly by external events.
Run a quarterly business review that surfaces performance issues before they escalate into contract disputes.
Negotiate contract terms covering notice periods, intellectual property ownership and conflicts of interest.
Manage a roster of multiple agencies without overlapping scopes or duplicated invoices for the same work.
Who Should Attend
Communication managers running a competitive process to select a new public relations agency.
In-house teams managing an existing agency retainer that has drifted from its original scope.
Procurement specialists supporting communication teams through agency tender and contract negotiation.
Marketing leads who share agency resources with communication teams and need a clear scope split.
Chief communication officers overseeing a roster of specialist and generalist agencies across markets.
Agency-side account directors who want to understand how sophisticated clients run selection and review.
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Running a Rigorous Agency Selection Process
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Defining Needs and Writing the RFP
- Define the specific capability gap an agency must fill before drafting a single line of the brief.
- Write a request for proposal that asks for evidence of relevant experience rather than generic case studies.
- Set evaluation criteria in advance, weighting strategic thinking, media relationships and cultural fit explicitly.
- Shortlist a manageable number of agencies to avoid a selection process too large to run rigorously.
Session 2Chemistry Meetings and Reference Checks
- Structure chemistry meetings around a realistic scenario rather than a rehearsed capability presentation.
- Question proposed account teams directly about who would actually staff the retainer day to day.
- Call reference clients and ask specifically about responsiveness, judgement and behaviour under pressure.
- Score shortlisted agencies consistently against the criteria set before meetings began, not after them.
02Structuring the Scope of Work and Fee Model
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Writing a Clear Scope of Work
- Separate strategic counsel, such as planning and issues advice, from production tasks like drafting and distribution.
- Define deliverables precisely enough that both sides agree when a piece of work is genuinely complete.
- State explicitly what falls outside the scope of work and how out-of-scope requests are costed.
- Align the scope of work with the internal team's own capacity so responsibilities are not duplicated.
Session 2Choosing and Negotiating a Fee Model
- Compare retainer, project-based and hybrid fee models against the predictability of the required work.
- Negotiate rate cards and seniority mix so the retainer is not staffed mainly by the most junior team members.
- Build in a mechanism for adjusting fees when scope changes materially during the contract period.
- Agree how expenses, media spend and third-party costs are approved, invoiced and reconciled.
03Setting KPIs and Governing Performance
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Setting KPIs an Agency Can Influence
- Set KPIs tied to media relationships, message pull-through and responsiveness rather than uncontrollable events.
- Agree a small set of leading indicators reviewed monthly alongside lagging indicators reviewed quarterly.
- Avoid KPIs that reward volume of coverage over relevance, accuracy or alignment with the message house.
- Document how KPI results feed into fee reviews, renewal decisions or performance improvement plans.
Session 2Running Quarterly Business Reviews
- Structure a quarterly business review around KPI results, upcoming priorities and relationship health.
- Raise performance concerns directly and early, rather than allowing them to accumulate into a renewal decision.
- Invite agency feedback on internal barriers, such as slow sign-off, that limit the retainer's effectiveness.
- Record agreed actions from each review and follow up on them at the start of the next one.
04Contracts, Governance and Transitions
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Negotiating Contract Terms
- Negotiate notice periods and termination clauses that protect continuity without trapping either party unfairly.
- Clarify intellectual property ownership for content, research and creative work produced under the retainer.
- Address conflicts of interest explicitly, including work the agency does for competitors or adjacent sectors.
- Include confidentiality and data-handling clauses appropriate to the sensitivity of shared information.
Session 2Managing a Multi-Agency Roster and Transitions
- Coordinate a roster of specialist and generalist agencies so scopes do not overlap or leave gaps.
- Appoint a lead agency or in-house owner to resolve conflicts between roster members on shared projects.
- Plan a respectful offboarding process when a retainer ends, including handover of contacts and materials.
- Onboard a new agency efficiently using documentation and history retained from the previous relationship.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
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