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Our Work.

DCI Group is an independent public affairs consulting firm that specializes in public relations, crisis management, grassroots engagement, and digital advocacy. Our firm is widely acknowledged as the deepest and most sophisticated political network in the public affairs industry. We craft and execute winning strategies with speed and precision at the state, national, and international levels.

Public Affairs.


Policy matters. You want to be advocating for sound policies that promote the public good, not just your own.

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And today, politics matter more than ever. In today’s hyper-political, hyper-partisan environment, you can’t afford to get the politics of an issue wrong. One bad event can ricochet across the Internet and do untold damage before you even have time to react.

When an issue as narrow and as innocuous as the Export-Import Bank can become a litmus test for activists in one of the major parties, then virtually anything is fair game.

At DCI Group our job is to help prepare our clients for any circumstance. We’ll help you get your policy goals over the finish line; and we’ll design strategies to protect you from regulatory, political, and reputational harm.

Related Service Offerings


Public Affairs

  • Integrated Campaign Management (Local, State, Federal, International)
  • Regulatory Challenges
  • Issues Management
  • Corporate Finance (M&A, Restructuring, Taxes and Regulations)
  • Ballot Measures
  • Litigation Support


Research & Analysis

  • Opinion Research
  • Message Development
  • Policy & Regulatory Analysis
  • Opposition Research


It’s important to get both the policy and the politics right on public issues. That's the sweet spot, and if you can occupy it your chances for success go up dramatically.

Brian McCabe,Managing Member

State & Local


Federal policymaking in Washington, DC gets most of the attention, but state and local laws and regulations can have a much more direct impact on daily lives — and the local officials crafting these policies are often more receptive to engaging with their constituents and community leaders throughout the process.

Our Strategy & Case Studies

Where the federal government fails to act, state and local governments are increasingly assertive and fill the void with their own laws and regulations. These can then become the blueprint for other states and even Congress.

Did you know that in the 2020 election cycle, after voters in the 44 states with regularly scheduled legislative races went to the polls and elected nearly 6,000 state legislators and 11 governors, the result was the least amount of partisan change in almost 100 years?

In an environment with entrenched partisanship, successfully engaging with policymakers on the state and local levels requires a well-developed plan, an authentic message, an understanding of key local issues and concerns, a team with long-established relationships, and a commitment to execution.

The pandemic showed how quickly interacting with policymakers can change. Legislatures opted for remote hearings and closed government buildings to the public. While any number of changes may make registering input more challenging, we know how to adjust given our vast experience.

First, understand the terrain. State legislatures differ from Congress in key ways. Consider:
  • Only eight state legislatures operate year round.
  • The other forty-two operate a part-time legislature that range in length from just two to five months, with most convening in January and concluding by Memorial Day.
  • A member of Congress typically has around  25 staff members, however, a part-time state lawmaker averages only 4-5 employees in their office. Many states have lawmakers with even fewer staffers than that.
Second, knowing how state legislatures operate, it is important to have a well crafted strategy. Here are some best practices that  we recommend:
  • Begin legislative preparation in the preceding summer or fall at the latest. By the time most legislatures convene in January, they have already mapped out much of their calendar for the months ahead.
  • Provide reliable fact-based information to explain your policy position and your company’s or industry’s state impact directly to legislators and staff. With less time and few staff members, state lawmakers are more receptive to educational efforts (and are less cynical).
  • Recruit and deploy allies to provide support for your position. While each member of Congress represents about 700,000 constituents, state legislators represent an average of only 57,000 (and as few as 3,330 in some states). As a result, companies have a much better chance of persuading elected officials by mobilizing their constituents. Whereas it may take tens of thousands of contacts to get the attention of a member of Congress, it may only take a dozen or so constituent inputs to influence a state legislator. The same volume may not be necessary, but the quality must be superior for maximum impact.
View State Case Studies
Finally, how can DCI Group help? 
  • You can’t beat our experience. For 25 years we have operated hundreds of multistate and local policy campaigns.
  • With 1,500 bipartisan professionals in all 50 states, we know who has the best relationships and who can help you win.
  • We have a four-step process that meets you wherever you are – from passive information-gathering to evaluating threats to managing multistate and local campaigns to optimizing large teams (while cutting costs).
Let us know how we can help you.  Contact Us
Understand how local government functions.
  • Frontline providers. Local elected officials are often responsible for managing direct essential services, such as community policing and fire services, for their constituents.
  • Local budgets reflect community priorities. Budgets are policy statements at the local level where deficit spending is not an option; therefore proposals with a budget impact, especially a proposal that will generate increased local sales tax receipts, could be seen positively, but proposals that incur real costs for the community may require multiple levels of approval to be adopted.
  • Differing power structures. Local government is managed in a number of different ways. Some have county/city managers, some with chief executives (mayor or county executive), and some are run by a collective council. Understanding the power structure is critical prior to engagement.
  • Local voices matter. Like all politicians, hearing about important issues from their constituents is critical.
  • Building consensus is key. Unlike other levels of government, local government can predominately operate in a nonpartisan or bipartisan manner.
Engagement:
  • Identify the power structure and develop a strategy to engage with the decision makers who have the most influence on a particular issue (i.e. mayor, city manager, council president).
  • Engage local supporters to communicate directly with officials.
  • Provide reliable information that supports your position directly to officials. Given their direct ties to the community they represent, policymakers are more open to understanding all sides of a particular issue, its potential impact on the community, and data that supports your position.
  • Public engagement is an important complement to lobbying and directly engaging with policymakers.
View Local Case Studies
Finally, how can DCI Group help? 
  • You can’t beat our experience. For 25 years we have operated hundreds of multistate and local policy campaigns.
  • With 1,500 bipartisan professionals in all 50 states, we know who has the best relationships and who can help you win.
  • We have a four-step process that meets you wherever you are – from passive information-gathering to evaluating threats to managing multistate and local campaigns to optimizing large teams (while cutting costs).
Let us know how we can help you.  Contact Us
DCI Group has an extensive track record designing and winning ballot measure campaigns, including victories with sports stadiums, airports, gaming and casino approval, as well as energy, telecom, education, and general tax measures. Our experience includes both statewide ballot measures and local approval for highly charged topics. View Ballot Initiative Case Studies
Finally, how can DCI Group help? 
  • You can’t beat our experience. For 25 years we have operated hundreds of multistate and local policy campaigns.
  • With 1,500 bipartisan professionals in all 50 states, we know who has the best relationships and who can help you win.
  • We have a four-step process that meets you wherever you are – from passive information-gathering to evaluating threats to managing multistate and local campaigns to optimizing large teams (while cutting costs).
Let us know how we can help you.  Contact Us

Strategic Communications.


It all starts with research and messaging.

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Original research that helps inform and frame your issue – and your opposition – correctly; consumer research to understand what people are thinking, and how they react to certain words and concepts; and knowledge about what will be most impactful for specific policy-makers.

You have a story to tell, and it’s our job to help ensure the story is told on your terms and to the right people for maximum impact.

Related Service Offerings


Research & Analysis

  • Opinion Research
  • Message Development
  • Policy & Regulatory Analysis
  • Opposition Research

Strategic Communications

  • Strategy and Messaging
  • Crisis Response Management
  • Litigation Communications
  • Journalist and Editorial Board Engagement
  • Spokesperson Training


People often hire us because they’re on the defensive. We help our clients go on the offensive by finding better and more creative ways to help make their case. And our track record of winning is second to none.

Justin Peterson,Managing Member

Activation.


Our team of more than 1,500 people in the field help make the introductions that build long-term relationships with advocacy organizations, think tanks, policy experts, and individuals using the latest digital recruitment and advocacy tools.

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Policy-makers are more attuned to their constituents than ever before, in large part due to the ubiquitous nature of online communication and social media. Elected officials go to incredible lengths to stay in touch with politics at home, and no policy-maker wants to be out-of-step with the people he or she represents.

Sometimes you’ll need quantity – a large volume of constituent input designed to make a specific point. Other times a handful of very-high quality contacts from local, influencers will do the job. We can deliver in either case, and will design the program that best suits your needs.

The key is the ability to execute. Whether it’s a labor-intensive, field-centric approach…or a digital/social media strategy… or the need for media coverage in targeted news outlets that’s required, DCI Group can deliver results for you.

Ensuring the appropriate input from the right people can help ensure you win.

Related Service Offerings


Strategic Alliances

  • Relationship Mapping
  • Coalition Building
  • Ally Recruitment & Mobilization
  • Event Logistics & Management


Grassroots Engagement

  • Local Mobilization Strategy
  • Influencer Identification & Outreach
  • Community Relations


Digital & Online Integration

  • Advertising (TV, Radio, Print, Online)
  • Content Development
  • Web & Mobile Engagement
  • Online Audit & Social Media
  • Database Communications

Complete Service Offerings.

Public Affairs
  • Integrated Campaign Management (Local, State, Federal, International)
  • Regulatory Challenges
  • Issues Management
  • Corporate Finance (M&A, Restructuring, Taxes and Regulations)
  • Ballot Measures
  • Litigation Support
Strategic Alliances
  • Relationship Mapping
  • Coalition Building
  • Ally Recruitment & Mobilization
  • Event Logistics & Management
Research & Analysis
  • Opinion Research
  • Message Development
  • Policy & Regulatory Analysis
  • Opposition Research
Grassroots Engagement
  • Local Mobilization Strategy
  • Influencer Identification & Outreach
  • Community Relations
Strategic Communications
  • Strategy and Messaging
  • Crisis Response Management
  • Litigation Communications
  • Journalist and Editorial Board Engagement
  • Spokesperson Training
Digital & Online Integration
  • Advertising (TV, Radio, Print, Online)
  • Content Development
  • Web & Mobile Engagement
Washington, DC
Brussels

Headquartered in Washington, DC.
Operating worldwide.

Contact.


Phone: +1 (202) 546-4242
Email: [email protected]