State and Federal Communications has prepared a new white paper with a comprehensive examination of pay-to-play laws and the characteristics of an effective pay-to-play compliance program.

This white paper is useful for politically active business entities who have, or are seeking, to obtain government contracts amid the complex regulatory scheme of pay-to-play laws.

A strong pay-to-play compliance program can mitigate your risks and facilitate a smooth procurement experience that stays within the boundaries of all regulations.

Have you ever asked:

• Is quid pro quo considered bribery in exchange for a specific contract?
• To whom may we contribute?
• What should we be aware of while negotiating a contract?

This white paper includes:

• Pay-to-play categorization: focus on restriction, disqualification, or disclosure
• How and why to implement best practices for making contributions
• Recent trends in ethical business contributions and procurement laws

If you are attempting to obtain a local or state contract, this free white paper is a must-read.

Click here for downloading instructions – and ensure you and your team can say “I Comply!”

Did you miss Amanda Rabinowitz from 89.7 WKSU congratulate Elizabeth Bartz and State and Federal Communications on our 25th anniversary on Morning Edition? Don’t worry, we’ve got it for you right here!

Peter is originally from Pennsylvania and moved to the Greater Cleveland area almost ten years ago. He received his Associate’s Degree in Graphic Design from Cuyahoga Community College this past December, and is transferring to the University of Akron this coming Fall to continue his studies.

To Peter, designing for and branding a company, organization or individual is more than creating art, but communicating who the company is and what they stand for in a visual form.

Growing up, Peter has always been (and still is) very involved in the life of his church and its youth groups’ activities. He enjoys listening to all sorts of music, binging on Netflix and hanging out with friends.

Peter also enjoys traveling and exploring new places. He has already been to Greece numerous times, as well as Cyprus, Turkey, Israel and Mexico. He is an avid NBA and Cavs fan, who hopes to see another championship banner in the rafters of the Q in the near future!

From this internship Peter hopes to learn new skills in fields other than graphic design, and he hopes to gain experience in networking. Establishing connections in person and via social media is very important, as it could open many doors and opportunities for yourself!

Peter looks forward to continue working alongside some great people at State and Federal Communications.

Kayliegh Crumb is a junior at Kent State University majoring in journalism with a double minor in political science and economics. She expects to graduate in the spring of 2020.

Kayliegh was always interested in public speaking growing up. She first started public speaking when she competed in Destination Imagination as a fourth grader. Now, she uses the skills learned from Destination Imagination in her broadcasting career. She has been a correspondent, weather anchor and assistant producer at TV2, the Kent State University news station.

She believes amazing communications skills are necessary in any field. No matter the career, you must properly read nonverbal cues and present your information effectively.

She loves watching cheesy rom-coms, spending time with her family or friends and traveling.

Hello! My name is Greta Conley, and I’m an intern at State and Federal Communications. I am going to be a sophomore at the University of Akron, and I’m studying graphic design.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a passion for art and using creativity. I love typography, hand lettering and painting. I couldn’t imagine my life without these creative aspects, so majoring in graphic design was a clear choice because it gives me the skills to turn that into a career.

When I learned about the internship at State and Federal communications, I was immediately interested because it seemed like an amazing opportunity to sharpen my skills and grow in new ones. So far in my internship, I have loved getting to know more about how a business operates and how a graphic designer can fit into that as well as getting the ability to expand my network.

After I graduate college, I would like to pursue a job as a graphic designer with a focus on company identity and branding or package design. Everything I have learned here will carry through to help me in my education and career beyond just this summer.

Abigail Siegfried is a junior at The University of Akron double majoring in music and political science. She plans to graduate in the spring of 2020.

Watching her father practice law and hearing about his time serving as a county prosecutor inspired Abigail to pursue political science as a career. Abigail finds government and politics fascinating and is excited to see how she will learn and grow through the State and Federal internship this summer.

After graduation, Abigail is considering going to law school. She believes that government and politics is an exciting field that is continuously changing and wants to contribute to its growth and work to make society a better place through it. She believes that great things can come when people in government and law use their position of power for the betterment and growth of the American society, and that it is the key to the making of a truly great nation.

Music is one of Abigail’s passions, and teaching piano lessons is her favorite pastime. Having done several research papers on the importance of music education on a child’s growth and development, Abigail knows the importance of fostering a love for music in the next generation. Abigail considers it a great privilege to see each of her students develop as a musician both technically and emotionally.

When she is not studying or teaching, Abigail enjoys playing the piano for her church every week and spending time with her family.

Sammy is going into his third year at the University of Akron, studying Business with a minor in Public Relations. He’s pursuing this degree in hopes to one day be his own boss, and own a restaurant somewhere out west, preferably Denver or Salt Lake City. He’s also a huge fan of photography, weight lifting, and sports, playing football, lacrosse, and throwing shot put and discus.

Over his years being involved with scouts, Sam has been able to go to Colorado and climb Mount Antero, see Pikes Peak and zipline over canyons; go to New Mexico on a 12-day trek in bear country and try actual rock climbing, metal working, and many other activities; and has white water rafted in the New River Gorge in West Virginia. The only reason Sammy wants to move out west is to have the beautiful view of the mountains in his backyard, and have the ability to go climb a mountain any day he wishes.

Sam believes having the business skills to network, and read financial records properly is imperative to strive and be successful. He thinks this internship will better help him understand the inner workings of a business, which will be beneficial later down the road.

Why should you be aware of best practices and recent trends regarding lobbying and gifts? Reputation is your company’s most valued asset. Perception is everything. This short educational video is a must-see for all government relations professionals involved in advocacy and lobbying compliance at the state and local level.

Adopting best practices for state and local lobbying and gift compliance will help your company avoid fines, debarment, or brand damage. Companies with a strong reputation for ethics compliance can better establish their role as industry leaders and trusted advisors.

Click here to view this video on best practices and recent trends for lobbying and gift-giving – and ensure you and your team can say “I Comply!”

On June 6th, State and Federal Communications’ Team Intern had a chance to visit the newest addition to the Goodyear blimp fleet. Upon arrival interns were split into two groups: one group would listen to the public relations speech first and the other would get a tour of the blimp hangar and photo gallery first, then they would switch.

During the public relations presentation, the speaker explained the blimp’s long history and how its purpose is split into three unique categories. The blimp is used to engage, spotlight, and reward.

The Goodyear Blimp is very recognizable, making it easy for it to engage with anyone who sees it in the sky.

It is also used to spotlight certain charities, events, or anniversaries. For example, the Goodyear Blimp was flown to a small tire store to mark its 45th anniversary of selling Goodyear tires.

Finally, the blimp has been involved in many rewarding opportunities, Goodyear once teamed up with NASCAR to give one veteran a huge surprise. They had informed the veteran he was getting a once in a lifetime ride in the Goodyear blimp but did not mention his favorite race car driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., would be dressed like a pilot inside waiting to surprise him.

The tour of the Goodyear Blimp hangar was next. Walking into the hangar was truly an experience, the sheer size of the blimp was beyond impressive. The new blimp was in the process of being built, so it was hanging from the ceiling as the crew continued to build and add the final components. It is the third blimp of Goodyear’s newest fleet. One of the blimp’s pilots said it will take two days to fill the blimp with enough helium to float and extra couple days to purify it. After it is built and filled, it will finally be ready for its first flight.

This experience was not only interesting but also benefited the interns. It allowed us to get out into the community and meet other professionals as well as gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the local culture.

You can consider this Silver Anniversary—Part One. On July 1st, State and Federal Communications, Inc. will celebrate its 25th anniversary. WOW! That is a long, long time and I have been here every minute of it.

We are going to take the opportunity to celebrate this event in Akron, Ohio and in Washington, DC and I hope you can all join us.

Feel free to respond to this email and I will make sure you receive an invitation. We are looking forward to opening our doors to all of our clients and friends around the country.

Thank you…Thank you for always relying on our quality services and knowing we are here to make sure government affairs world a lot easier.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Check out some photos from a busy April at State and Federal Communications!

Staff Anniversaries:

See us in person! Are you attending any of these events in May? Make sure you say hi to someone from State and Federal!

May 10-13 NCSL Executive Committee Meeting, Denver, CO

May 11 NILE Program on State Lobbying, Washington, D.C.

May 16 Bloomberg Government’s Next Infrastructure, Washington, D.C.

May 17 GPN Infrastructure Week Rooftop Reception, Washington, D.C.

May 17 Akron Roundtable, Akron, OH

May 22 Akron Urban League — Akron Talks, Akron, OH

April 9 Akron Press Club, Akron, OH

April 11-13 SGAC National Summit, Salt Lake City, UT

April 14 Cherry Blossom Parade, Washington, DC

April 17 Public Affairs Council Annual Member Dinner, Washington, DC

April 19 Akron Roundtable, Akron, OH

April 20 11th Annual YouToo Social Media Conference, Kent, OH

April 20 Coffee with Congressional Candidates, Akron, OH

April 25 WPNI Closing Reception, Washington, DC

April 26 Akron Urban League — Scholarship Luncheon and Annual Meeting, Akron, OH

April 30 Heart-to-Heart–25th Annual Greater Akron Speaks Out for Values Breakfast, Akron, OH

Last month I went into detail on what was done in 2017 for our website. Today I am going to list out what we are doing in 2018 to make our website even more valuable.

My conversation a couple of months ago with Research Manager Michael Beckett continued with what he said would be added to our site. Our #1 goal is to continue support to our clients when there are questions and special projects.

1. Our work with our European Compliance is growing. Scotland will be completed and on our site in April. Other countries for 2018 include France, Germany, Austria, and Greece. We are giving our clients a great introductory offer to add European Compliance to the guides you are currently receiving.

2. We like to produce Tip Sheets—one pagers that help you answer quick questions. This year we will publish three of them:

• Social media lobbying (we weren’t talking about that 25 years ago);

• Gift splitting and reimbursement; and

• Restrictions on lobbyist contributions.

3. In addition, we are going to clarify the following in all our jurisdictions:

• Placement agents in our Procurement Lobbying Publication;

• Grass tops lobbying in our Lobbying Laws Publication;

• Procurement lobbying (contracts) vs. executive branch lobbying (rules and regulations) in our Procurement Lobbying Publication;

• Timing of contributions for purposes of aggregation in our Political Contributions Publication; Q&A regarding state contribution limits applicability to local candidates in our Political Contributions Publication;

• PAC contribution match by corporate employer rules in our Political Contributions Publication.

You will also see our familiar Executive’s Checklists in our Municipal Lobbying entries and we are always ready to add more municipalities.

Our team works all year long to make sure the State and Federal Communications website is always up-to-date on the work you need. This isn’t a side business for the company… it is the foundation of our overall business.

If you have any questions about our website, please do not hesitate to give me a call. It has been part of my DNA for a long, long time.