unicornnews: PRCA launches public sector group

With public sector PR work more important than ever, what with private businesses still keeping those budgets tight, the Public Relations Consultants Association last month launched a new group within the organisation to specifically bring together people working in this area, on both the in-house and agency sides.  Explaining the logic behind the new PRCA public sector group, its chair, Quantum PR MD Charlie Vavasour, told esPResso: “Agencies play a key role in supporting in-house public sector teams, but on occasions the relationship can be frustrating for both parties. For example, as agencies we would like to raise awareness of the time and effort invested in preparing pitches and completing long tender documents, particularly on the occasions when there is a decision to abandon the process or not appoint”.

He continued: “On the other side the public sector gets understandably irritated when agencies use a pitch team to win the business and then have the project staffed with different individuals – this is something we want to help change. The group will also address effective evaluation, an ongoing bugbear for both agencies and in-house teams, and will work together to come up with solutions for many other issues”.

Needless to say, given its remit, the new group is open to both the PRCA‘s traditional agency members and those newer members who work in-house.

Posted Tuesday September 8 2009 by Chris Cooke

Related categories: CIPR Public Sector