Waste-to-Energy Plant Expansion
Posted: May 16, 2013
The Leytham Group consulted on a $300 million sole source government procurement for expansion of a waste-to-energy plant — the largest in Hillsborough County’s history. This sole source was threatened by a high profile, ongoing lawsuit involving a completely separate division of the corporation. We were brought in to create a media strategy in tandem with the political strategy that would improve public perception about the corporation prior to embarking fully on the waste conversion matter.
We took a proactive approach to managing the negative issue, and garnered editorial support and credibility. This positioned the corporation well moving into the sole source procurement, enabling a “pushback” strategy — keeping the corporation OUT of the paper — notwithstanding one policymaker’s insistent effort to gain political attention by bringing up the old, negative matters. (That board member has since been unelected.) Ultimately, in this case, the chair of the deciding board agreed to edit and byline an Opinion Editorial, and we pursued and were given an award as a “Healthy Hero” of Hillsborough County. Further, both papers wrote and opined in favor of the project, and the expanded facility passed with decision makers and opened.
Making News
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