Four large public universities are calling for PR proposals to develop a national campaign to burnish so-called public flagship universities in the US.

The schools include the Univ. of Texas at Austin, Univ. of Kansas, Univ. of Pittsburgh and Univ. of Michigan. The Univ. of Texas issued an RFP on April 2 on behalf of the group for an agency to conduct research, develop goals and a PR strategy, and present a creative, integrated PR plan with three concepts.

The search comes out of a meeting of 10 provosts of public flagship universities in 2013, who agreed to expand an existing working group focused on communications and public affairs. The four institutions above volunteered to investigate the feasibility of a unified, national PR campaign.

Proposals are due May 7. View the RFP.