Important Information
Please read the following important information regarding Sponsorships and Advertising on NCST Platforms.
Who can be a Sponsor or Advertiser?
With few exceptions ( listed below ) any Organization, Business, or Cause may bid to become a Sponsor, or take advantage of other advertising opportunities offered by NCST.
As mentioned, there are a few exceptions which are listed below.
NCST reserves the right to refuse to create, or continue, a relationship with any individual, organization, or business that it deems to be harmful to it’s reputation for any reason.
If you have any question regarding if your organization or business is affected by any of the exceptions above, please feel free to contact us for clarification.
Prohibition on Competitors Sponsoring or Advertising During the Same Term
To protect the interest of Sponsors and Advertisers as well as to reduce confusion within the community, NCST prohibits any organization or businesses in direct competition from being Sponsors or Advertising on the platform during the same term.
This means, for instance, that if a business whose main offering is the repair and installation of roofs where to be a Sponsor during a term, for the length of that term a competing business whose main offering is roof repair and installation would not be eligible to bid to Sponsor a different topic, nor would they be eligible to advertise during that term on the platform.
This doesn’t however prohibit a business whose main offering is say, windows and siding installation, but also offers roof repair services, from becoming a Sponsor or Advertising during that term.
To see what organization or business types are prohibited, please see the information provided in each sealed bid request.
In the case that all topics are up for bid concurrently, all bids will be accepted. If competing organizations or businesses bid on separate topics and were to win each separately, the highest overall bid amount between the two would be the tie-breaker and that organization or business would be awarded the topic for which they were the highest bidder. The competitor’s bid in the separate topic would become ineligible and the topic would be awarded to the next highest bidder for that topic.
If you have any questions regarding if your organization or business is prohibited due to information above, please feel free to contact us for clarification.
How do Sealed Bids Work?
When the term for a Sponsorship comes to an end, NCST will post a request for Sealed Bids for Sponsoring that topic.
This post will provide all the detailed information regarding minimum bids, the length of the Sponsorship, and any other specific terms relevant to that Bid Request.
This Request for Sealed Bid will also contain a form in which you can provide your ” sealed ” Bid for the Sponsorship offered. The Bid is Sealed in that only you and NCST will be aware of the amount you’ve Bid, other Bidders will not.
Your Bid should be the most you are willing to spend to become the Sponsor of the topic at the terms stated in the Bid Request.
Once you submit your bid, you will receive a confirmation of it’s receipt by NCST. If further information is needed, you will be contacted shortly after your Bid is received.
Please make sure that you’ve read and understand all information regarding the Bid Request and all exceptions, etc. before submitting your bid. Once your bid is submitted we expect it to be honored if you are the winning bidder.
Winning Sponsorship Bids are due in full at the time you’re notified of your winning status, shortly within the end of the bidding period.
Please ensure you are prepared to provide payment no later than close of business on the date the bidding closes.
Failure to do so will result in the next highest bidder being awarded the Sponsorship topic.
Special Terms
Weather Topic
This Sponsorship includes the following.
Traffic, Crime, Fire, and Yeet Topics
The Sponsor will have a graphical banner containing their business information attached to posts ( and any other locations named in Bid Specific Terms and Provisions ) related to NCST’s coverage of the sponsored topic.
The design of the banner will be created by NCST so as to match the platforms overall design aesthetic.
The banner will include the following information, provided by the Sponsor, clearly displayed within it.
The Sponsor can request that their information is updated at any time during their sponsorship by contacting NCST.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]