Rational PR, a small DC-based public affairs firm, yesterday sent out an unusual pitch for drumming up business on K Street. The firm is offering to share a percentage of its revenues with lobbying firms who hire them.

In an email titled "Rational PR Strives To Increase Lobbying Partnerships with 10 Percent Fee Sharing" sent to 1,500 lobbyists, the firm said it was "pleased to announce" that Rational PR will offer the "10 percent revenue-sharing agreement to lobbying firms and independent lobbyists who select RPR as a partner in their clients' campaigns."

Patrick Dorton, one of the cofounders of Rational PR, called the pitch a way to "formalize" a method for lobbyists and lobbying firms to team up. "What generally happens is PR firms phone bank [cold call] lobbyists in town asking them for business," he said. "It doesn't make sense and it's kind of haphazard."

Most sophisticated lobbying campaigns today are accompanied by a public relations campaign and while some on K Street who had received the email told National Journal that they hadn't seen a pitch like this, others said it's a common business tactic.

Mark Irion, CEO of Dutko Worldwide, which has used Rational PR for campaigns in the past, said the company's pitch is "a clever strategy and its not that unusual. We've offered commissions to people who find business for 25 years."

It's a tough time to be beating on K Street's door for business. According to first quarter lobbying disclosure documents, most of the top ten lobbying firms in town reported their fee income had declined from the same period a year ago.

"There is no question that firms in Washington are looking at their revenue side and to the extent that adding PR capabilities or partnerships can both contribute to revenue as well as contribute to the clients' success, we think this fee-sharing is a good thing," he said.

                                                                                                                    -- Bara Vaida