1-2026 10 27 Wildfire Summit RFP final.pdf

SUMMIT COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Conference Management and Event Coordination Services

First Annual Wasatch Back Wildfire Summit Creating Resilient, Wildfire-Adapted Communities

Issued By: Summit County, Utah - Lands & Natural Resources Department – Fall 2026

1. INTRODUCTION

Summit County is seeking proposals from qualified conference and event management professionals or firms to provide conference planning, coordination, and logistical support services for the inaugural Wasatch Back Wildfire Summit, scheduled for May 17-18, 2027, in Park City, Utah. The purpose of the Summit is to convene key stakeholders to advance wildfire resilience across Utah and the Wasatch Back region.

The Summit will focus on creating resilient, wildfire-adapted communities through collaboration, innovation, science, policy development, and investment strategies. Conference themes include community preparedness, wildfire science and implementation, and innovative approaches to financing resilience efforts.

2. BACKGROUND STATEMENT

The Wasatch Back Wildfire Summit was established to bring together practitioners, community leaders, researchers, policymakers, investors, nonprofit organizations, and residents to address the growing wildfire and watershed resilience challenges facing Utah. Topics include community preparedness, implementation of science-based solutions, cross-boundary collaboration, innovative funding mechanisms, public health, insurance, land use, and wildfire adaptation strategies.

Due to an unexpected staff vacancy during a critical phase of conference development, Summit County is seeking professional conference management assistance to ensure the successful delivery of this inaugural event while maintaining schedule, quality, attendee experience, and budget objectives.

Substantial conference planning efforts have been completed, including:

Securing the conference venue.

Developing and launching the conference website.

Establishing conference themes and program framework.

Securing food and catering services.

Developing a call for session proposals.

Initiating conference branding and outreach efforts.

Establishing volunteer and partner relationships.

3. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Dates are estimated and subject to change.

4. CONFERENCE OVERVIEW

The Wasatch Back Wildfire Summit will be hosted at the Summit County PEAK Building (6301 N Landmark Drive, Park City, UT) in Kimball Junction, Park City, Utah. The two-day conference will feature workshops, field learning opportunities, keynote presentations, panel discussions, breakout sessions, poster presentations, partner exhibits, and networking opportunities.

The conference is expected to attract:

Land managers and wildfire practitioners.

Public health and emergency management professionals.

Local, regional, and state policymakers.

Researchers and academic institutions.

Homeowner associations and community leaders.

Nonprofit organizations.

Residents interested in wildfire preparedness and resilience.

Summit County anticipates 100-200 attendees.

5. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The selected consultant shall provide comprehensive event coordination, communications, and logistical support services, including but not limited to the following:

a) Speaker Recruitment and Program Development

Review submitted session proposals and assist County staff with session selection.

Milestone Date RFP Issued Monday, November 3, 2026 Questions Due Friday, November 6, 2026 Proposals Due Monday, November 16, 2026 5:00PM Contract Award Friday, November 20, 2026 Kick Off Meeting First week of December Summit Event Dates May 17-18, 2027

Identify, recruit, confirm, and coordinate remaining keynote speakers, panelists, workshop facilitators, moderators, and presenters.

Develop and maintain speaker tracking systems.

Coordinate speaker communications and scheduling.

Collect biographies, presentation materials, audio-visual requirements, and related information.

Develop speaker briefing materials and event schedules.

b) Marketing, Communications, and Outreach

Develop and implement a conference promotion strategy.

Expand awareness and attendance through coordinated outreach campaigns.

Manage and update conference-related website content in coordination with County staff.

Develop social media content calendars and promotional campaigns.

Coordinate email communications and mailing list engagement.

Create promotional materials and conference announcements.

Track registration trends and recommend outreach strategies as needed.

c) Event Logistics and Conference Administration

Develop and maintain a master conference work plan and timeline.

Coordinate conference planning meetings and action items.

Maintain conference budgets and monitor expenditures against approved funding.

Coordinate with vendors, sponsors, partners, volunteers, and speakers.

Create operational plans for conference registration, attendee experience, and wayfinding.

d) Volunteer and Stakeholder Coordination

Organize and facilitate regular planning meetings with conference partners and volunteers – Currently meeting biweekly.

Track assignments and deliverables.

Develop volunteer schedules and training materials.

Coordinate day-of volunteer activities.

e) Swag and Materials Procurement

Design, source, and coordinate procurement of conference merchandise and attendee materials.

Obtain quotes and oversee production schedules.

Ensure timely delivery of conference materials.

f) Day-of Event Management

Serve as the lead conference coordinator during the event, including:

Managing attendee check-in and registration.

Supervising conference volunteers.

Coordinating presenters and speakers.

Ensuring sessions begin and end on schedule.

Serving as the primary liaison with venue staff and vendors.

Coordinating food service schedules and catering logistics.

Overseeing signage, room setup, and conference materials.

Managing troubleshooting and operational issues as they arise.

Assisting with attendee needs and customer service.

g) Post-Conference Support

Conduct attendee and speaker surveys.

Compile conference metrics and participation statistics.

Prepare a post-event summary report.

Identify lessons learned and recommendations for future conferences.

6. DELIVERABLES

The selected consultant shall provide:

1. Comprehensive project work plan within two weeks of contract execution.

2. Monthly and as-needed progress reports and anticipated check-in schedule.

3. Updated speaker and program schedule.

4. Marketing and communications plan.

5. Volunteer coordination plan.

6. Conference operations and logistics plan.

7. Day-of-event management services.

8. Post-conference report summarizing outcomes, attendance, expenditures, and recommendations.

7. QUALIFICATIONS

Interested firms or individuals should demonstrate:

Experience planning conferences, summits, or professional events with 150+ attendees.

Experience managing speaker recruitment and program coordination.

Experience in marketing, social media management, and event promotion.

Experience coordinating volunteers and multi-stakeholder events.

Strong project management and budgeting capabilities.

Familiarity with natural resources, emergency management, wildfire, conservation, governmental, or public-sector conferences is preferred.

Ability to work collaboratively with local government staff and partner organizations.

8. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals should include:

a) Firm Information

Name of firm or consultant.

Primary contact information.

Brief organizational background.

b) Relevant Experience

Description of similar projects.

Examples of conference or event management experience.

References and examples from at least three comparable projects.

c) Project Approach

Understanding of the project.

Proposed methodology and work plan.

Approach to speaker recruitment, marketing, logistics, and event delivery.

d) Schedule Describe the schedule for how your firm will complete all phases of the project from contract initiation to post-event deliverables. Include proposed dates/timeline for check-ins with Summit County Lands & Natural Resources staff.

e) References Provide name, telephone number, and project dates of at least two (2) references for whom your firm completed similar projects, to be contacted as to your performance on similar projects.

f) Project Team

Key personnel and responsibilities.

Relevant qualifications and experience.

g) Fee Proposal

Provide a detailed fee proposal including:

Hourly rates and estimated hours, or Lump-sum fee with task-level breakdown.

Reimbursable expenses, if any.

9. EVALUATION CRITERIA

This is not a bid process. Proposals submitted in response to this RFP will be reviewed and ranked by a Selection Committee. Selection will be based on qualifications and experience and the selection criteria described below. The first Contractor of choice will be asked to complete negotiations on their proposed fee. If no agreement can be reached, which is mutually accepted and agreed upon, then County will meet with the second Contractor of choice and so on, until a final agreement has been negotiated and executed. The Contractor will be selected on the basis of several factors, including but not limited to experience with similar projects, staff, qualifications, project manager, approach to the project, and references. Negotiations will be initiated with the highest-ranked Contractor.

Each RFP will be ranked based on the following criteria and weighted percentages:

Criteria Weight

Relevant Experience 30% Project Approach and Understanding 30% Qualifications of Key Personnel 20% Fee Proposal 15% References 5% Summit County Local or Based Company 5 bonus points Veteran Owned Company 5 bonus points

10. TERMS OF CONTRACT

Please review the attached contract information and submit any proposed changes to said contract, Exhibit A. The County will require that the selected proposer be willing to negotiate, and to enter into, a written agreement with the County to provide all services required within the scope of services as submitted by the proposer in its proposal. The County Manager’s Office or designee, working with the selected proposer, will negotiate the agreement. All provisions of the agreement will be in compliance with State and Federal laws. Adequate and satisfactory insurance is also required, including general liability, automobile, and workers’ compensation.

11. INTENT OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

It is the intent of the Request for Proposal to generally set forth the minimum acceptable requirements for the proposal to be submitted herein.

12. TERM OF ENGAGEMENT

The County reserves the right to extend the term of the contract to complete pending projects or to cancel the contract at any time with 30 days’ written notice. The estimated implementation timeline is subject to change. The contractor will be working with Summit County, but the project is subject to Summit County permitting and review. The County reserves the right to select one or more Contractors from submitted qualification proposals alone. Agreement will be in compliance with State and Federal laws. Adequate and satisfactory insurance is also required, including general liability, automobile, and workers’ compensation. Summit County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive informalities, request additional information, negotiate scope and fees, and select the proposal determined to be in the best interest of the County.

13. Project Contact All communication shall go through Summit County Project Manager (PM)

Summit County Contact & Project Manager (PM) Jessica Kirby Director, Lands & Natural Resources Summit County, Utah 435-602-0308 jkirby@summitcountyutah.gov