CRNC Ends Contract With Response Dynamics, Inc.
We are pleased to announce that the CRNC has terminated its contract with the direct-mail firm, Response Dynamics, Inc. (RDI)
The CRNC has been working for more than a year to eliminate the 13-year old contract with RDI because, despite significant reforms to the contract, their operation did not meet the ethical standards of the College Republicans and did not afford the CRNC adequate control over their tactics. Since that time the CRNC Executive Committee and staff have worked very hard to find fundraising consultants the CRNC can be proud of and to negotiate an end to the contract that ensures refunds for those that deserve them and avoids crippling litigation.
Many of you know from your state leaders that it was announced at the National Board Meeting at the end of 2003, well before any press stories, that the CRNC intended to move away from RDI as soon as it was possible to do so. Hopefully your state leaders also shared with you the resolution to officially eliminate the RDI contract this spring, a resolution that was put forth by the CRNC Executive Board and endorsed unanimously at the 2004 November Board Meeting.
We apologize that a few CRs who are looking to gain politically by taking confidential information to the press have made it impossible for us communicate with you about this over the recent weeks. We sincerely appreciate the vast majority of you who have given us the benefit of the doubt through this process. Obviously announcing to the media that we intended to end the contract would have made it impossible for us to ensure refunds were paid to those who deserve them.
This problem has existed since the contract was signed back in 1992. Your current CRNC leadership is proud to have been able to put a stop to it.
Among the provisions stipulated in the original contract is one that allows RDI to mail for five months following notice of contract termination. However, we have significantly negotiated that time frame down and thankfully, the reforms we have made will remain in place until the final conclusion of this mail program in May.
We are also pleased to report that in searching for new fundraising consultants, we have contracted with two firms that share our ethical standards. In their first few months of operation they have been very successful. With a successful fundraising operation we can be proud of, and without RDI, the CRNC is prepared to operate on strong financial footing for many years to come, allowing us together, to recruit, train and mobilize more students for our Party and our candidates.
Any chapter chairs who have additional questions about RDI or any other CRNC fundraising matters, please feel free to contact the national headquarters at (888) 765-3564.
Too little, too late….
