Survivor-Centric Outcomes in Response & Recovery + Equity
(SCOR2E)
Introducing Survivor-Centric Outcomes in Response & Recovery + Equity (SCOR2E)
SCOR2E unites a diverse group of consulting, private, and public experts, creating a powerful coalition to advance emergency management solutions. A Contract Teaming Agreement (CTA) between ATCS and Guidehouse further strengthens and enhances the collective approach to addressing complex challenges. ATCS and Guidehouse serve as managing partners, leveraging their respective strengths to steer SCOR2E’s strategic direction.
ATCS is a recognized leader and award-winning engineering and emergency management consulting firm. Headquartered in the Washington DC metro area, ATCS boasts 18 years of FEMA-specific experience and has been a pivotal force in supporting FEMA’s mission across Recovery directorates, programs, offices, Regions, and post-disaster field operations since 1997.
Since 2005, Guidehouse has had the privilege of supporting FEMA Headquarters, Directorates, Program Offices, and Regions. Guidehouse’s depth of experience extends beyond the federal scope to include state, local, and tribal governments, showcasing the collective capability to deliver comprehensive solutions across governmental layers.
A Partnership Forged in Experience and Innovation
For over 15 years, Guidehouse and ATCS have collaborated on numerous Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs), including FEMA Customer Experience, Public Assistance Reengineering, and CAPP MOBIS, and multiple FEMA Office of Response and Recovery projects, including the Office of Business, Industry, and Infrastructure Integration (OB3I), Field Operations Directorate (FOD), and Public Assistance sectors. This industry-leading partnership allows Team SCOR2E to employ flexible, agile practices that meet aggressive deadlines and adapt seamlessly to changing requirements and leadership priorities.
The combined project management expertise underscores the group’s ability to monitor work effectively, manage personnel, maintain clear communications, mitigate risks, and deliver services of the highest quality. The synergy between Guidehouse and ATCS transcends traditional collaboration, offering enhanced quality, management, and technical delivery without burdening the client with administrative complexity.
SCOR2E Mission: Enhanced Resilience through Innovation
At the heart of SCOR2E is the unwavering commitment to crafting and implementing adaptive solutions that enable communities to anticipate risks, prepare for disasters, and strengthen their resilience. Its mission goes beyond mere support; SCOR2E aims to augment FEMA’s capabilities and capacities, encouraging innovation and implementing solutions that lead to successful program delivery and optimal outcomes for disaster survivors. Through strategic leadership, program policy expertise, operational staff, public engagement, and innovative tools and technology, SCOR2E designs and implements comprehensive solutions, streamlining program delivery and maximizing impact for the benefit of disaster survivors and their communities.
Managing Partners
ATCS is a leading engineering consulting firm offering comprehensive solutions across a wide range of fields, including transportation, traffic planning, environmental planning, geospatial, site civil, bridges and structures, rail and transit, buildings and facilities, air and noise, program management and project controls, water resources, and emergency management services. ATCS is committed to excellence in all aspects of our work, ethical business practices, client-focused service delivery, and social responsibility towards the communities we serve and operate in.
ATCS brings 30 years of experience as a multi-faceted engineering firm. ATCS has the staff, public engagement experience, tools, and partners to offer strategic support from pre-disaster preparedness to response, recovery, and long-term mitigation, transforming complex challenges into opportunities for resilience and growth.
Strategic Leads: Kwong Hui | Eric Lasky | Jennifer Harris
Guidehouse is a global consultancy providing advisory, digital, and managed services to the commercial and public sectors. Guidehouse is purpose-built to serve the national security, financial services, healthcare, energy, and infrastructure industries. Disrupting legacy consulting delivery models with its agility, capabilities, and scale, the firm delivers technology-enabled and focused solutions that position clients for innovation, resilience, and growth. With high-quality standards and a relentless pursuit of client success, Guidehouse’s more than 17,000 employees collaborate with leaders to outwit complexity and achieve transformational changes that meaningfully shape the future.
Guidehouse brings strong experience in government consulting services with expertise in Defense & Security, Energy, Sustainability, Infrastructure, Financial Services, Health, and Federal, State and Local government to help them face challenges in climate emergencies, infrastructure regeneration, demographic shifts, emerging technologies and more.
Strategic Leads: Amy Machovina | Harl Romine
Meet Our Partners
Avani Services, LLC is an economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business (EDWOSB) specializing in custom education, training, human capital and program management, digital transformation, and professional support services for public and private sector clients.
With 25 years of experience and recognized industry excellence in training, Avani was recently awarded a contract by FEMA to develop training for the Public Assistance Program, focusing on leadership development, process optimization, and field operational success. Avani has also developed over 50 courses for the FEMA NETC.
Avani’s team will leverage its training and subject matter expertise to meet FEMA’s needs. Our objective is twofold: (1) to strengthen each stakeholder’s ability to collaboratively fulfill their roles and responsibilities for successful program delivery; and (2) to maximize the training program’s cost-effectiveness and time efficiency by using the latest training technologies and best practices in pedagogy.
Strategic Lead: Natasha Cox view resume
Projects and Impacts
At Stake
As a leader in training and development, Avani is enhancing disaster response and recovery through work on Public Assistance training for the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
At stake were efforts in updating and developing training materials for the Public Assistance Leadership Academy (PALA) and Coach and Evaluator (C&E) Training, as well as creating critical organizational tools such as templates, tracking systems, and shared drives. Avani works to improve FEMA’s learning outcomes and is committed to elevating the educational standards within government training programs.
The Difference
Given the critical nature of their mission and the wide range of groups they assist, FEMA personnel must be thoroughly trained and proficient in their duties. Avani makes a difference by helping clients cultivate a skilled, competent, and prepared workforce ready to lead aid initiatives, build resilient infrastructure, and support community recovery.
The Impact
Avani’s hands-on and interactive approach to managing contracts ensures that client input and feedback are seamlessly integrated into our deliverables. They work collaboratively to ensure that Public Assistance training helps participants hone their leadership skills and become better equipped to perform in high-stakes situations. Avani’s work will ultimately enable FEMA to help communities recover and rebuild more effectively after disasters.
Avid Core works to bring together decision-makers, experts and the public through effective consultation and communication, delivering shared knowledge at the intersection of public policy and the real world. Avid Core thrives in challenging and rapidly-evolving environments, where it’s important that all voices are not only heard but understood—empowering all to become advocates for themselves, their organizations and their communities.
Avid Core brings expertise working with federal, state, tribal, and local clients to ensure equitable and inclusive communications and outreach. Avid Core staff supported FEMA’s Community Engagement Risk Communications (CERC) team with project management, outreach planning and execution for the Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning program, providing strategic counsel in the development of public involvement plans and execution of public meetings for FEMA’s Federal Flood Risk Management Standards and regional risk reduction teams. This firm brings decades of experience engaging decisionmakers, industry leaders, experts, and historically marginalized populations through effective communication and outreach. Avid Core is a woman- and minority-owned small business and 8(a) certified by the SBA.
Strategic Leads: Amanda Roberts view resume | Kimberly Alexander view resume | Stephanie Mace view resume | Virginia Quiambao Arroyo view resume
Projects and Impacts
At Stake
Emergency Management Alliance of Central Virginia (EMACV), PlanRVA
Avid Core partnered with ATCS to initiate and facilitate The Emergency Management Alliance of Central Virginia (EMACV), supported by PlanRVA’s (formerly the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission) Business Recovery Project, bringing together emergency managers, locality executives and elected officials, and economic development experts with local businesses and business organizations. Avid Core worked to educate and help residents within the nine localities of Central Virginia prepare for and recover from disasters affecting their communities. The Business Recovery Project received the Recovery Program of the Year award at the 2024 Virginia Emergency Management Symposium.
The Difference
The project’s three core objectives were: to provide small- and medium-sized businesses with guidance, resources, and tools to develop their own business-specific disaster recovery plans; to educate government officials and emergency managers about the core differences between business and government emergency planning; and to encourage stronger collaboration between government and private sector stakeholders. The ultimate goal of the project rests in empowering regional businesses and government representatives to protect critical assets within their communities and to encourage stronger and more rapid recovery.
The Impact
Throughout this ongoing initiative, the Avid Core team conducted a workshop introducing the Business Recovery Plan and outlining key considerations in disaster recovery planning, partners and tactics, engagement opportunities, and resources. A survey was used to further engage with stakeholders and to strengthen the Alliance Business Recovery Toolkit. Created to reflect the region and its unique needs, the toolkit encompassed key components and resources, such as a Key Business Recovery Actions guide, outlining the before and post disaster planning periods; a Business Disruption Worksheet; a business Recovery Workshop Guide; a Business Reliance Self-Exam; a Guide to Engaging the Business Community; and a Key Resource Sheet.
Boston.ai is an internationally recognized leader in interpretations and translations services with over 12,500 professional linguists. Boston AI provides services over the Phone, Video-Remote, Onsite Interpretation, Translation, Localization, Desktop Publishing, Transcription, CART services and more. Boston AI’s journey began with a shared passion for languages and a deep understanding of the importance of effective communication. Each member brings their unique linguistic skills and cultural insights, laying the foundation for what would become a dynamic and cohesive unit, with over 35 years combined experience.
Strategic Lead: Lalita A. Mahirchand
Bullock & Haddow LLC, was created in November 2001, as a resource for communities, organizations, businesses and States to turn to for practical assistance in mitigating, planning for, and recovering from the impacts of all forms of emergencies and disasters. Bullock & Haddow LLC, presents a consortium of professionals with outstanding expertise and years of experience working in risk management and communications issues at the local, state, and federal government levels and in the private sector.
Bullock and Haddow LLC bring professionals with proven expertise in domestic and international emergency management, FEMA programs, short and long term recovery planning, community engagement, disaster management capacity development, disaster risk management, and resiliency.
Strategic Leads: Jane Bullock | George Haddow
C² Technologies, Inc. is an internationally recognized leader in education, immersive training (AR/VR/XR, Digital Twins, Metaverse), MODSIM, Aviation Training, Training Systems Integration, Human Capital Management, Digital Transformation powered by AI/ML and 5G, serving the private and public sectors globally.
Award-winning training experts C2 Technologies has served FEMA for more than 30 years delivering over 300 training and other solutions. Our team will harness the training expertise C2 and subject matter expertise to meet FEMA’s training needs. Our objective is twofold: (1) to strengthen each stakeholder’s ability to carry out their roles and responsibilities collaboratively for successful program delivery; and (2) to maximize the training program overall cost and time-effectiveness by employing latest training technologies and best pedagogical practices.
Strategic Leads: Dolly Oberoi | Gifflene Charles-Toussaint view resume | Jim Little view resume | Eric Rose view resume
Community Resiliency Solutions (CRS) believes that a strong town is a resilient town. CRS is a dynamic and innovative consultancy firm that fosters and enhances walkable, sustainable, vibrant, strong towns, coupled with physical and fiscal resilience. With a deep commitment to sustainable development, long-term decision-making, and disaster preparedness, CRS offers tailored solutions and strategic guidance to help clients navigate and thrive in various challenges, ranging from natural disasters to economic uncertainties.
CRS has 20 years of experience working with communities to navigate disruptions from natural or manmade events. This firm has expertise in sustainable development, long-term decision-making, and disaster preparedness support.
CRS Founder and Chief Officer Laurie Schoeman has led leading-edge local, state and federal efforts to promote climate risk reduction, including the passage of the nation’s first utility-sponsored environmental justice policy in San Francisco; the construction of the nation’s first off-grid environmental justice learning center in California; and the publication of a series on Climate Resilient Housing which has led to close to $250M of investment into housing resilience. Schoeman is the co-chair of the New York State Climate assessment buildings chapter and co-facilitates Resilience21, a network of practitioners across the U.S. advancing climate risk reduction and adaptation.
Strategic Lead: Laurie Schoeman
Dr. Claire Knox’s brings leadership skills and expertise in policy management, environmental policy and disaster management, and coastal zoning to support FEMA’s resilience goals and initiatives.
Her areas of specialty include:
- Environmental Vulnerability and Disaster Response/Emergency Management
- Environmental Policy and Management
- Critical Theory
- Coastal Zone Planning and Management
Dr. Brie Haupt is an Assistant Professor for the Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness program at Virginia Commonwealth University and graduated from the University of Central Florida Public Affairs program focusing on Public Administration. Her research interests include public administration, public policy, emergency and crisis management, cultural competence, competence-based education, empathetic communication and difficult dialogue/conflict resolution.
Dr. Haupt bolsters a strong background in public administration, cultural competence, and emergency and disaster management. She brings diverse experience and research in academia to include several publications on policy development, commitment to constructive dialogue, and competence-based education.
Projects and Impacts
At Stake
Dr. Haupt recently created a book on Crisis Communication Planning and Strategies for Nonprofit Leaders. Having conducted research on the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on nonprofit agencies involved in response and recovery efforts, the book concluded that many local and regional nonprofits were ill-prepared for the catastrophic impact of the pandemic and how it affected operations, reputations, donations, implementation, and crisis communication. Haupt Consulting authored a book to assist nonprofit agencies with developing crisis communication plans and to examine the unique position of nonprofit organizations in an intersection of providing public services and being a part of emergency and crisis management practices. This text has been adopted in numerous nonprofit management programs and has been integrated into the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Management Institute library.
Along with foundational information related to crisis communication and historical/present role of nonprofit organizations, each chapter focuses on critical strategic planning concepts and includes a summary of key points, discussion questions and additional resources for each concept. With this text, nonprofit organizations will be able to strategically plan for organization-specific and emergency management related crises, develop effective crisis communication plans, garner internal and external support and generate assessment strategies to maintain the relevancy of these plans within their future endeavors.
The Difference
Crisis Communication Planning and Strategies for Nonprofit Leaders offers a new and insightful approach to crisis communication planning to assist nonprofit organizations that are called upon to fulfill a variety of community needs, such as sheltering, food distribution, relief funding, family reunification services, volunteer mobilization and much more. It is an essential resource for nonprofit organizations and for emergency management practitioners to assist in developing the most comprehensive strategic plan for preparing, mitigating, responding and recovering from crises.
The Impact
This text was nominated for the American Society of Public Administration’s Section on Democracy and Social Justice book award and was awarded the inaugural Outstanding Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award from the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration in 2023.
Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS) helps build resilient communities by reducing risk, enhancing public safety and improving quality of life. IBTS helps balance social, economic and environmental priorities by assisting municipalities with efficient service delivery through public-non-profit partnerships and regional service agreements. Services from IBTS include: Building and Community Development, Energy and Sustainability Services, Disaster Planning and Recovery, Quality Assurance, and Compliance and Risk Monitoring.
IBTS offers building services, energy and sustainability solutions, local government solutions, general consulting, home and disaster management expertise, and resilience services.
Strategic Leads: Virginia Hief | Carmen Lopez | James Turner
Projects and Impacts
At Stake
IBTS delivers regulatory, program management, and engineering services to city, county, state, and federal government clients. Core services include Building and Community Development, Clean Energy and Sustainability, Market Research, Community Engagement, and Quality Assurance services. IBTS has been working to advance the nation’s resilience for many years, including disaster relief and recovery work performed after multiple natural disasters. At stake were their “on point” skills – engineering, land planning, flood plain management, building code plan reviews and inspections, and community outreach to deliver pre- and post-natural disaster mitigation solutions. IBTS has designed, implemented, and planned effective mitigation programs and response action for communities to accelerate their recovery.
The Difference
As a result of this work, IBTS developed a strong resilience program with practical tools including the Community Resilience Assessment Framework & Tools (CRAFT) methodology to help communities identify, prioritize, and address resilience needs across economic, social, governance, and physical spectrums.
IBTS built the CRAFT framework on three pillars of resilience – social, economic and government. IBTS uses a series of indicator questions to determine a community’s social, economic, and government resilience scores, in addition to an overall baseline score. Indicator questions cover a wide range of factors – such as accessibility of parks and public spaces, disaster planning efforts, local economic downturn, and outdated building codes – and include scoring criteria that provide examples of practical recommendations communities can readily implement to improve their resilience. The CRAFT tool has recently been expanded and refined to include a focus on equity in the context of climate resilience.
IBTS resilience subject matter experts (SMEs) facilitate workshops with diverse community stakeholders on-site or remotely to determine a score for each indicator. Community stakeholders can include county managers, department heads, business leaders, and community advocates, among others.
This scalable, repeatable solution includes on-site stakeholder assessment reviews, community site visits, project impact analyses, project recommendations, and technical assistance. The tools address the needs, challenges, and most pertinent threats faced by governments across the nation.
The Impact
CRAFT has been tested and proven valuable across multiple cities and counties with varying socioeconomic demographics, physical hazards, and resource constraints; it is a highly adaptive and customizable resource for any community. For example, in the City of Orlando, Florida, CRAFT was used to ensure that their existing community resilience plan and initiatives were centered on social equity so that populations most vulnerable to disasters and climate-related hazards were protected. The CRAFT tool was used in Ramsey County, Minnesota, to serve as a benchmark of best practices as the County develops its Climate Action Framework. Other communities where the CRAFT framework has been used include San Leandro, California; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Norristown, Pennsylvania; Germantown, Tennessee; the Puerto Rican municipalities of San Germain, Maricao, and Cabo Rojo; and currently, Adams County, Colorado.
IBTS supported eight communities in Puerto Rico as part of the HUD CDBG-DR Municipal Recovery Planning Program, helping these communities envision their future and developing plans for recovery and resilience for all populations in their municipality. IBTS is also working at the grass roots level with 10 community-based organizations in Puerto Rico through HUD’s CDBG-DR Whole Community Resilience Planning Program. This program provides funding for resilience plans that present comprehensive solutions to strengthen preparedness, response, recovery, and resilience capacity at the community level. IBTS helps provide communities with the tools to implement inclusive and participatory planning processes focused on existing community vulnerabilities and needs. Through the planning process, IBTS helps communities identify and prioritize resilience actions (processes, programs, projects, and public policies) to reduce vulnerabilities and mitigate risks. The approach promotes capacity building.
iParametrics is a recognized leader in emergency management, homeland security, program management, and cost engineering. Our firm works on the most complex, cutting-edge problems, offering client-focused solutions aimed at improving resilience. Headquartered near Atlanta, Georgia, with team members throughout the United States, iParametrics offers solutions to a broad range of federal, state, and municipal clients throughout the country. iParametrics’ experience includes working with numerous federal agencies as well as 700+ cities, counties, townships, and parishes.
iParametrics offers expertise to design, develop, and deploy data science, machine learning, deep learning, and other analytics tools that address and solve complex problems. This firm helps clients better understand their data, transform their data into insight, and support decision-making.
Strategic Leads: Jeff Stevens view resume | Shanti Smith-Copeland view resume
Ira Peppercorn International brings 21 years of experience in the Management Consulting Services industry within the engineering, accounting, research, and management services sectors.
Ira Peppercorn International brings 25 years of experience in housing and urban development at national, state and local levels. Their innovation achievements include:
- Creating tools to assist organizations in improving their effectiveness in housing programs and management.
- Formulated innovative program to improve long-term housing opportunities in post-disaster situations.
- Developed tools to analyze public housing physical and financial needs.
Strategic Lead: Ira Peppercorn view resume
JH Consulting, LLC, was founded in 2006 in West Virginia. Their mission is to meet the public and private sectors’ growing emergency preparedness and safety needs. JH Consulting is an expert in preparedness planning, technical writing, and safety consulting and our team members have extensive knowledge and training. They can work with you to provide vulnerability and risk assessments, emergency planning and execution, compliance and safety monitoring, and training, workshops and mock exercises to meet your needs. JH Consulting is your resource and partner for emergency preparedness and safety.
JH Consulting brings 17 years of expertise in short- and long-term recovery, stakeholder engagement and outreach to rural communities, and qualitative data analysis. Their other services include vulnerability and risk assessments, emergency planning and execution, compliance and safety monitoring, and training, workshops and mock exercises.
Strategic Leads: Jeffery Harvey view resume | Henry McDonald view resume
Projects and Impacts
At Stake
Upshur County, City of Buckhannon (West Virginia) Public Safety Capabilities and Needs Study
In 2022 and 2023, JH Consulting, LLC supported a joint project between the Upshur County Commission and Buckhannon City Council to study the capabilities and needs of the public safety infrastructure serving the two jurisdictions. At stake was an examination of emergency preparedness, response, and recovery, and through its conduct, we gathered data to gauge the community’s level of capability throughout USDHS/FEMA’s 32 core capabilities (CITE).
The Difference
A unique aspect of this project was its first phase, which JH Consulting calls a “road show.” In this phase, JH Consulting interviewed whole community partners, i.e., those well beyond the traditional emergency services, hospitals, public health, and emergency management. JH Consulting asked all participants three simple questions, and their responses informed the subsequent phases of the project. Those questions were:
- In what ways can your entity support a disaster response and recovery in the community?
- What support do you think you will need during a disaster affecting the community?
- How do you think we (i.e., the whole community) can improve our response and recovery capabilities for our community?
The Impact
Completion of this project began just after the county, city, and the board of health serving the community demobilized is COVID-19 community task force. The impact of this project is engagement from whole community partners was at an all-time high, and the local governing bodies wanted to capitalize on that collaboration.
During the road show phase, local agencies were comfortable with JH Consulting staff and appreciated the time we took to both get to know them and listen to their ideas for improving the community. Participants also appreciated JH Consulting’s efforts to make the study a data-driven document. There was concern throughout the project that strong personalities would loom large in the final product, but JH Consulting staff kept the focus of the analysis on the available data. Where there was no data to support a recommendation, the recommendation became a brief action plan for how to generate and collect relevant data.
As an additional impact, the governing bodies have used the results to inform the goals for a comprehensive emergency operations plan revision (to include a much more focused effort to develop recovery capabilities), data to support conversations about increasing the local fire fee, and as the basis for more recruiting efforts (i.e., addressing staffing needs within the emergency services).
Longview Solutions Group (LSG) offers exceptional professional support services across various domains, including:
- Program Management/Support
- Program Evaluation/Review/Development
- Simulation
- Certifications And Accreditations
- Market Research/Public Opinion
- Communications
- Reporting/Observation
- Emergency Response/Disaster Planning
LSG provides deep expertise in emergency management solutions and has capabilities to include conducting special hazard assessments, risk and gap analyses, evaluations, and research.
Strategic Lead: Roy Dunn
MLU Services, Inc. (MLU), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a national emergency and disaster recovery contractor with 20+ years of active contract experience. MLU serves federal, state, and local governments, utility companies, and private sector organizations with turnkey temporary housing equipment and operations, general construction, debris removal, logistics, staffing, project management, and consulting services. MLU Services is a Minority Business Entity (MBE) and Woman-Owned Business Entity (WBE).
MLU is a national leader in disaster recovery and provides experience in disaster operations to include housing, debris removal, base camps, traffic control, vegetation management, and mobile clinics.
Strategic Lead: James Kelley
SGD Urban Solutions is an independent consultancy led by Principal Scott G. Davis. SGD Urban Solutions brings more than 20 years of experience to provide contract support, consulting, and advisory services related to sustainable, risk-informed planning and design as well as strategy and program management in helping communities recover from major disasters.
SGD Urban Solutions brings more than 20 years of experience supporting federal, state, tribal, territorial and local communities in specialty areas such as urban resilience, climate adaptation, urban and regional risk analysis, hazard mitigation, and disaster recovery.
Strategic Lead: Scott Davis view resume
Shoreline Risk is a boutique risk management consulting firm serving the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Specializing in systems analysis, integration and development; disaster preparedness; and contingency planning.
Shoreline risk brings expertise in enterprise risk management, emergency planning, continuous improvement, strategic planning and implementation, training and education, disaster preparedness, exercise design and facilitation, and business continuity planning.
Strategic Lead: Damon Coppola view resume
Simba Productions is one of the top video production companies in NYC. With over 40 years in the business, Simba Productions’ top notch creative team of writers, directors, cinematographers, and editors have produced thousands of videos for a wide variety of audiences and clients ranging from start-ups to long-established businesses like Kate Spade, Lukoil, the NCAA, Paramount Pictures, and Mikimoto. Simba has been ranked as one of the Top 20 Video Production Companies in NY, Top 5 Kickstarter Video Productions in North America and Top 10 Training Video Producers in North America.
Simba Productions brings 41 years of experience as listed among the top 10 training video production companies in North America. Their services include video production, consulting, social media, and producing content. Their expertise and production will assist in public messaging, public events, and training and education tasks.
Strategic Lead: Albert Dabah
WHITE64 is a full-service creative agency in the Greater Washington D.C. metro area. For over 50 years, WHITE64 has applied our talent, tenacity, and technology to create meaningful brand engagements that perform and endure. WHITE64 specializes in creating emotional connections with consumers and stakeholders by activating the shared values and experiences between brands and the people they serve.
WHITE64 brings creative expertise in campaigns, design, digital, media, strategy, and studio solutions. Their expertise and production will assist in public messaging and engagement, public events, and training and education tasks.
Strategic Leads: Kelly Weismiller | Alicia Gehring view resume | Mark Wahl view resume
Projects and Impacts
At Stake
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) is the main public transportation provider for Washington, DC; Northern Virginia; and suburban Maryland, providing more than 182 million trips in 2019. When the COVID pandemic hit, ridership plummeted nearly 80% overnight. Essential workers faced unknown dangers in traveling in the confined spaces of trains and buses. Even as fear lifted, work and commuting habits had permanently changed.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, Metro needed to be a viable and trusted travel option — at first for those who had no option but to take it and eventually, for those who would choose it for work, play and travel as the area faced increased and extended congestion from more drivers on the road at all times of the day.
The Difference
WHITE64 developed a two-pronged campaign: First, Doing Our Part, where Metro communicated all the actions, they were taking to keep their riders safe; and second, Doing Your Part, where Metro communicated what they needed riders to do to keep themselves and others safe (wear a mask, use hand sanitizer, social distance, etc.).
Then, as stay-at-home orders were lifted, we expanded into a “welcome back” message that continued to emphasize Metro as a safe travel option, but added in messages of reliability, ease, and speed in order to compete against increasingly congested roads and parking.
Overall, the campaigns delivered approximately 67M impressions, 145K clicks, and 22M video completions. across the DMV audience. The approximate total reach for the campaign was 8M with a frequency of 8.23x over the flight of the campaign.
The Impact
The most significant ridership impacts were around bus ridership, which reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels. Train ridership has rebounded more gradually, but recent months have brought regular increases, including a post-pandemic high of over 564,000 rail riders on November 14, 2023. Importantly, Metro has been able to use this data to make its argument for more funding from the regional jurisdictions that it serves as well as point to the campaign as helping keep confidence in the system during the darkest days of the pandemic.
