26-8644_-_Authorization_to_Advertise_FE.pdf

This is an Authorization to Advertise document issued by Collier County, Florida's Procurement Services Division on behalf of the Tourism Division for Solicitation No. 26-8644, Tourism Research Services. The County seeks a qualified firm to conduct comprehensive tourism research and analytics evaluating the effectiveness of the County's tourism advertising and promotional efforts. The scope of services includes four primary research tasks: monthly visitor profile studies through airport interviews, hotel and attraction surveys, and online interviews; monthly hotel occupancy and average daily rate studies with annual comparisons; annual economic impact assessments measuring tax revenue, employment effects, and return on advertising investment; and three to four annual focus group research sessions in domestic and international markets. Proposals must be submitted electronically by April 9, 2026, at 3:00 PM EST and must remain valid for 180 days. The contract term is three years with two optional one-year renewal options, with prices remaining firm throughout the agreement duration.

Evaluation of proposals totals 100 points, with criteria including cover letter and management summary (5 points), certified woman and minority business enterprise status (5 points), business plan and methodology (20 points), cost of services (20 points), firm experience and capacity (20 points), specialized expertise of team members (20 points), and local vendor preference (10 points). Proposers must provide monthly and annual costs for each research task, separate pricing for out-of-pocket expenses, and hourly rates for additional work outside the defined scope. Historical annual expenditures for tourism research services approximate $120,000, though this may not reflect future spending patterns. Local vendor preference is available for businesses maintaining a physical business address within Collier or Lee County limits with verifiable economic contribution to the County. A Bid Bond equal to 5 percent of the cost proposal is required, and if the contract exceeds $200,000, Performance and Payment Bonds of 100 percent of the contract award amount are required. Insurance requirements include Worker's Compensation, Commercial General Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence with $2,000,000 aggregate, Automobile Liability of $500,000 per occurrence, and Professional Liability coverage, with Collier County named as Additional Insured.