91003126Q0030_7.13.26.pdf

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL

BUSINESS (WOSB)

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES

1. REQUISITION NUMBER PAGE 1 OF

2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3.AWARD/EFFECTIVE

DATE

4. ORDER NUMBER 5. SOLICITATION NUMBER 6. SOLICITATION ISSUE

DATE

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

a. NAME b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (No collect calls)

8. OFFER DUE DATE/

LOCAL TIME

9. ISSUED BY

13b. RATING

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

CODE

15. DELIVER TO 16. ADMINISTERED BY CODE

18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE17a. CONTRACTOR/

OFFEROR

CODE

FACILITY

CODE

CODE

TELEPHONE NUMBER

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN

OFFER

18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK

BELOW IS CHECKED

REQUEST

FOR QUOTE

(RFQ)

INVITATION

FOR BID

(IFB)

REQUEST

FOR

PROPOSAL

(RFP)

SEE ADDENDUM

19.

ITEM NO.

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

21.

QUANTITY

22.

UNIT

23.

UNIT PRICE

24.

AMOUNT

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Government Use Only)

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN 29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REFERENCE

. YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION

(BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE

SET FORTH HEREIN, IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR

30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print) 30c. DATE SIGNED

31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER)

31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print) 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE

STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV. 11/2021)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

10. THIS ACQUISITION IS UNRESTRICTED OR

NORTH AMERICAN

INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION

STANDARD (NAICS):

SIZE STANDARD:

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

THE DEFENSE PRIORITIES

AND ALLOCATIONS

SYSTEM - DPAS (15 CFR 700)

SET ASIDE: % FOR:

11. DELIVERY FOR FREE ON

BOARD (FOB) DESTINATION

UNLESS BLOCK IS MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED

ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED

27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE (FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION) FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4.

FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED.

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED.

8(A)

ECONOMICALLY

DISADVANTAGED

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL

BUSINESS (EDWOSB)

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

(SDVOSB)

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS

NOTE: OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, AND 30.

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH

AND DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND

ON ANY ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

SPECIFIED

DATED.

OFFER

ADDENDA

ADDENDA

91003126Q0030

US Department of Education

US Department of Education FSA Contracts Operations Division 400 Maryland Ave SW Washington DC 20202

07/28/2026 1500 ET

Jordan Rosenlund 202-739-1104

FSA-ACQ

FSA-ACQ

Kenneth McCurdy

721110

$40

Period of Performance: 08/05/2026 to

12/31/2026

STOCK RECORD (S/R)

STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV. 11/2021) BACK

19.

ITEM NO.

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

21.

QUANTITY

22.

UNIT

23.

UNIT PRICE

24.

AMOUNT

32a. QUANTITY IN COLUMN 21 HAS BEEN

RECEIVED INSPECTED AND CONFORMS TO THE CONTRACT, EXCEPT AS NOTED:

41a. I CERTIFY THIS ACCOUNT IS CORRECT AND PROPER FOR PAYMENT

32b. SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVE

32c. DATE

41b. SIGNATURE AND TITLE OF CERTIFYING OFFICER 41c. DATE

42a. RECEIVED BY (Print)

42b. RECEIVED AT (Location)

42c. DATE RECEIVED (MM/DD/YYYY) 42d. TOTAL CONTAINERS

40. PAID BY

32d. PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVE

32e. MAILING ADDRESS OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE 32f. TELEPHONE NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

32g. EMAIL OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

33. SHIP NUMBER 34. VOUCHER NUMBER 35. AMOUNT VERIFIED

CORRECT FOR

PARTIAL FINAL

37. CHECK NUMBER

38. S/R ACCOUNT NUMBER 39. S/R VOUCHER NUMBER

36. PAYMENT

COMPLETE PARTIAL FINAL

ACCEPTED,

2 - Section 2 3 - Section 3

2 - Section 2

SOLICITATION OVERVIEW

Solicitation No.: 91003126Q0030 Issue Date: Monday, July 13, 2026 Closing Date: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time Point of Contact (POC): Kenneth McCurdy Contracting Officer Kenneth.McCurdy@ed.gov 202.365.3842 Secondary POC: Jordan Rosenlund Contract Specialist Jordan.Rosenlund@ed.gov 202.987.1061 mailto:Michael.Pigram@ed.gov Set-Aside: None NAICS: 721110 - Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels Size Standard: $40M Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price Period of Performance: August 5, 2026 through December 31, 2026 Conference Execution Period: December 1, 2026, through December 3, 2026

SECTION A:

BACKGROUND

The United States Department of Education (ED), through its Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), conducts the annual Federal Student Aid Training Conference (FSATC). This event delivers comprehensive training, critical updates on federal student aid policies, regulations, and operational guidance, as well as opportunities for information sharing and engagement with higher education institutions, loan servicers, financial aid administrators, and other stakeholders.

For 2026, the Acting Chief Operating Officer (COO) has mandated that the FSATC be held entirely in person. This decision is based on stakeholder feedback, the proven effectiveness of previous in-person conferences, and the Department's dedication to providing interactive and impactful training and networking opportunities.

This conference is anticipated to attract approximately 5,000 to 7,000 financial aid professionals, higher education partners, and federal staff for comprehensive training on policies, systems, and procedures related to the administration of current and upcoming federal student aid programs.

SECTION B: SUPPLIES AND SERVICES

SCOPE OF WORK

mailto:Kenneth.McCurdy@ed.gov mailto:Jordan.Rosenlund@ed.gov mailto:Michael.Pigram@ed.gov

Per the Statement of Work (SOW) (Attachment 1), FSA’s primary objective is to secure a venue suitable for hosting the FSATC multi-day training conference. The selected venue must provide adequate conference facilities, lodging capacity, food service capabilities, and advanced audio-visual infrastructure. Compliance with 508 accessibility standards and comprehensive logistical support are also required to ensure the successful execution of the December 2026 FSATC in a fully in-person format.

TYPE OF CONTRACT

The Government anticipates awarding a Firm Fixed Priced (FFP) contract.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance for the December 2026 Federal Student Aid Training Conference (FSATC) is as follows:

Contract Period of Performance Date of Award through December 31, 2026

Pre-Conference Planning and Coordination Period August 6, 2026, through November 29, 2026

Conference Execution Period November 30, 2026, through December 4, 2026*

Post-Conference Closeout Activities Period December 5, 2026, through December 31, 2026

*Conference Alternate Date: December 8 – 10, 2026

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The conference venue shall be located within the continental United States (CONUS), preferably within reasonable proximity to a major commercial airport and public transportation infrastructure. Cities with FSA regional offices are preferred (i.e. Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC).

PRICING TABLES

The following is the recommended contract line item number (CLIN) Structure for the services required under the Winter 2026 FSATC effort.

CLIN 0001 Core Event Management (FFP) CLIN 0002 Space, Parking, Security, Misc. (FFP) CLIN 0003 A/V & Production (FFP) CLIN 0004 Light Refreshments (FFP) CLIN 0005 Lodging (FFP)

SECTION C: CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

List of Clauses Included by Reference

Clause Database

Clause Number Clause Title Item

List

EDAR 3452.209-

71 Conflict of interest. (MAR 2011)

EDAR 3452.227-

72 Use and non-disclosure agreement. (MAR 2011)

EDAR 3452.242-

Accessibility of meetings, conferences, and seminars to persons with disabilities. (MAR 2011)

RFO 52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government. (JUN 2020) - Alternate I (NOV 2021)

RFO 52.203-7 Anti-Kickback Procedures (Jun 2020) RFO 52.203-8 Cancellation, Rescission, and Recovery of Funds for Illegal or

Improper Activity. (MAY 2014)

RFO 52.203-10 Price or Fee Adjustment for Illegal or Improper Activity. (MAY 2014)

RFO 52.203-13 Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (Nov 2021) RFO 52.203-16 Preventing Personal Conflicts of Interest. (JUN 2020) RFO 52.203-17 Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights. (NOV 2023) RFO 52.203-19 Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality

Agreements or Statements (Jan 2017)

RFO 52.204-9 Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel. (JAN 2011)

RFO 52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards. (JUN 2020) (Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO 52.204-13 System for Award Management-Maintenance. (OCT 2018) (Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO 52.204-19 Incorporation by Reference of Representations and Certifications. (DEC 2014)

RFO

52.209-6

Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting With Contractors Debarred, Suspended, Proposed for Debarment, or Voluntarily Excluded. (JAN 2025) (Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO 52.212-4 Terms and Conditions-Commercial Products and Commercial Services. (NOV 2023) (Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO

52.212-4

Terms and Conditions-Commercial Products and Commercial Services. (NOV 2023) (Deviation JAN 2026) - Alternate I (NOV 2021) (Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO 52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns. (JAN 2025) (Deviation

JAN 2026)

RFO 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting. (OCT 2022) (Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO 52.219-28 Postaward Small Business Program Rerepresentation. (JAN 2025) (Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO 52.222-3 Convict Labor. (JUN 2003) RFO 52.222-35 Equal Opportunity for Veterans. (JUN 2020) (Deviation JAN

2026)

RFO 52.222-36 Equal Opportunity for Workers with Disabilities. (JUN 2020) (Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Veterans. (JUN 2020) (Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO 52.222-40 Notification of Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act. (DEC 2010)

RFO 52.222-41 Service Contract Labor Standards. (AUG 2018)

RFO

52.222-43 Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards- Price Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option Contracts). (AUG 2018)

RFO 52.222-44 Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Labor Standards- Price Adjustment. (MAY 2014)

RFO 52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons. (OCT 2025) (Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO 52.222-54 Employment Eligibility Verification. (JAN 2025) (Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO 52.224-1 Privacy Act Notification. (APR 1984) RFO 52.224-2 Privacy Act. (APR 1984) RFO 52.224-3 Privacy Training. (JAN 2017) RFO 52.226-8 Encouraging Contractor Policies To Ban Text Messaging While

Driving. (MAY 2024)

RFO 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer - System for Award Management. (OCT 2018)

RFO 52.232-39 Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations. (JUN 2013) RFO 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business

Subcontractors. (MAR 2023)

RFO 52.232-90 Fast Payment Procedure. (Deviation JAN 2026) RFO 52.233-4 Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim. (OCT 2004)

(Deviation JAN 2026)

RFO 52.244-2 Subcontracts. (JUN 2020)

List of Clauses Included by Full Text

3452.201-70 Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). (MAR 2011)

(a) The Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) is responsible for the technical aspects of the project, technical liaison with the contractor, and any other responsibilities that are specified in the contract. These responsibilities include inspecting all deliverables, including reports, and recommending acceptance or rejection to the contracting officer.

(b) The COR is not authorized to make any commitments or otherwise obligate the Government or authorize any changes that affect the contract price, terms, or conditions.

Any contractor requests for changes shall be submitted in writing directly to the contracting officer or through the COR. No such changes shall be made without the written authorization of the contracting officer.

(c) The COR's name and contact information:

Name: Monica Hill Email: Monica.Hill@ed.gov

(d) The COR may be changed by the Government at any time, but notification of the change, including the name and address of the successor COR, will be provided to the contractor by the contracting officer in writing.

(End of Clause)

3452.202-1 Definitions-Department of Education. (MAR 2011)

(a) The definitions at FAR 2.101 are appended with those contained in Education Department Acquisition Regulations (EDAR) 3402.101.

(b) The EDAR is available via the internet at www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/clibrary/edar.html.

(End of clause)

3452.204-71 Contractor security vetting requirements. (OCT 2023)

(a) The Contractor and its subcontractors shall comply with Department of Education personnel, cyber, privacy, and security policy requirements set forth in "Contractor Security Vetting Requirements" at http://www.ed.gov/fund/contract/about/bsp.html.

(b) Contractor employees who will have access to proprietary or sensitive Department information including "Controlled Unclassified Information" as defined in 32 CFR 2002.4(h), Department IT systems, Contractor systems operated with Department data or interfacing with Department systems, or Department facilities or space, or perform duties in a school or in a location where children are present, must undergo a personnel security screening and receive a favorable determination and are subject to reinvestigation as described in the "Contractor Vetting Security Requirements." Compliance with the "Contractor Vetting Security Requirements," as amended, is required.

(c) The type of security investigation required to commence work on a Department contract is dictated by the position designation determination assigned by the Department. All Department Contractor positions are designated commensurate with their position risk/sensitivity, in accordance with title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations (5 CFR 731.106) and OPM's Position Designation Tool (PDT) located at: https://pdt.nbis.mil/. The position designation determines the risk level and the corresponding level of background investigations required.

(d) The Contractor shall comply with all Contractor position designations established by the Department.

(e) The following are the Contractor employee positions required under this contract and their designated risk levels:

High Risk (HR): NA Moderate Risk (MR): NA mailto:Monica.Hill@ed.gov http://www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/clibrary/edar.html http://www.ed.gov/fund/contract/about/bsp.html https://pdt.nbis.mil/

Low Risk (LR): X

(f) For performance-based contracts where the Department has not identified required labor categories for Contractor positions, the Department considers the risk sensitivity of the services to be performed and the access to Department facilities and systems that will be required during performance, to determine the uniform Contractor position risk level designation for all Contractor employees who will be providing services under the contract. The uniform Contractor position risk level designation applicable to this performance-based contract is:

Moderate Risk.

(g) Only U.S. citizens will be eligible for employment on contracts requiring a Low Risk/Public Trust, Moderate Risk/Public Trust, High Risk/Public Trust, or a National Security designation.

(h) An approved waiver, in accordance with the "Contractor Vetting Security Requirements," is required for any exception to the requirements of paragraph (g) of this section.

(i) The Contractor shall-

(1) Comply with the Principal Office (PO) processing requirements for personnel security screening;

(2) Ensure that no Contractor employee is placed in a higher risk position than for which the employee is approved;

(3) Ensure Contractor employees submit required security forms for reinvestigation in accordance with the time frames set forth in the "Contractor Vetting Security Requirements";

(4) Report to the COR any information (e.g., personal conduct, criminal conduct, financial difficulties) that would raise a concern about the suitability of a Contractor employee or whether a Contractor employee's continued employment would promote the efficiency of the service or violate the public trust;

(5) Protect sensitive and Privacy Act-protected information, including "Controlled Unclassified Information" as defined in 32 CFR 2002.4(h), from unauthorized access, use, or misuse by its Contractor employees, prevent unauthorized access by others, and report any instances of unauthorized access, use, or misuse to the COR;

(6) Report to the COR any removal of a Contractor employee from a contract within one business day if removed for cause or within two business days if otherwise removed;

(7) Upon the occurrence of any of the events listed under paragraph (b) of the clause at FAR 52.204-9, Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel, return a PIV ID to the COR within seven business days of the Contractor employee's departure; and

(8) Report to the COR any change to job activities that could result in a change in the Contractor employee's position or the need for increased security access.

(j) Failure to comply with any of the personnel security requirements in the "Contractor Security Vetting Requirements" at http://www.ed.gov/fund/contract/about/bsp.html, may result in a termination of the contract for default or cause.

(End of Clause)

3452.224-70 Release of information under the Freedom of Information Act. (MAR 2011) By entering into a contract with the Department of Education, the contractor, without regard to proprietary markings, approves the release of the entire contract and all related modifications and task orders including, but not limited to:

1. Unit prices, including labor rates;

2. Statements of Work/Performance Work Statements generated by the contractor;

3. Performance requirements, including incentives, performance standards, quality levels, and service level agreements;

4. Reports, deliverables, and work products delivered in performance of the contract (including quality of service, performance against requirements/standards/service level agreements);

5. Any and all information, data, software, and related documentation first provided under the contract;

6. Proposals or portions of proposals incorporated by reference; and

7. Other terms and conditions.

(End of clause)

3452.239-71 Department information security and privacy requirements. (OCT 2023)

(a) The Contractor shall, at all times, maintain compliance with the most current version of Department security requirements as set forth in "Department Information Security and Privacy Requirements." These requirements are posted at http://www.ed.gov/fund/contract/about/bsp.html.

(b) The Contractor shall be notified when the "Department Information Security and Privacy Requirements" have been updated.

(c) If any such change causes a material increase or decrease in the cost of, or the time required for, performance of any part of the work under this contract, whether or not changed by the order, the Contractor may request an equitable adjustment to the contract price or the delivery schedule, as applicable. The Contracting Officer shall make an equitable adjustment in the contract price, the delivery schedule, or both, and shall modify the contract.

(d) The Contractor must assert its right to an equitable adjustment under this clause within 30 days from the date of receipt of notice of the changed requirement. However, if the Contracting Officer determines that the facts justify it, the Contracting Officer may receive and act upon the Contractor's request for equitable adjustment submitted before final payment of the contract.

Failure to agree to any adjustment shall be a dispute under the Disputes clause. However, nothing in this clause shall excuse the Contractor from proceeding with the contract as changed.

(e) The Contractor shall incorporate the substance of this clause, its terms and requirements, including this paragraph, in all subcontracts, and require written subcontractor acknowledgement of the same. Violation by a subcontractor of any provision set forth in this clause will be attributed to the Contractor.

(f) Failure to comply with this clause, including the embedded Department Information Security and Privacy Requirements, may result in a termination of the contract for default or cause.

(g) Performance of this contract [X] does include [ ] does not include the following: access to, collection of, or maintenance of information on behalf of the Department; or Department information technology (IT) products, systems, or hardware that are (1) used or operated by the Contractor on behalf of the Department, or (2) used in the performance of services or the furnishing of products. IT products, systems, hardware, and services include agency-hosted, outsourced, and cloud-based solutions, as well as incidental IT equipment that is acquired by the Contractor to support contract performance. When "does include" is selected, the categorizations shown below apply:

(1) In accordance with the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS 199), Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems, the Information Security Categorization applicable to each security objective has been determined to be:

Confidentiality: [ ] Low [X ] Moderate [] High

Integrity: [ ] Low [ X] Moderate [] High

Availability: [ ] Low [X] Moderate [ ] High

Overall Risk Level: [] Low [ X] Moderate [] High

(2) Performance of this contract [X] does involve [ ] does not involve Personally Identifiable information (PII) as defined in OMB A-130 (2016).

(3) Performance of this contract [X] does involve [ ] does not involve "Controlled Unclassified Information" as defined in 32 CFR 2002.4(h).

(End of Clause)

52.203-3 Gratuities. (APR 1984)

(a) The right of the Contractor to proceed may be terminated by written notice if, after notice and hearing, the agency head or a designee determines that the Contractor, its agent, or another representative-

(1) Offered or gave a gratuity (e.g., an entertainment or gift) to an officer, official, or employee of the Government; and

(2) Intended, by the gratuity, to obtain a contract or favorable treatment under a contract.

(b) The facts supporting this determination may be reviewed by any court having lawful jurisdiction.

(c) If this contract is terminated under paragraph (a) above, the Government is entitled-

(1) To pursue the same remedies as in a breach of the contract; and

(2) In addition to any other damages provided by law, to exemplary damages of not less than 3 nor more than 10 times the cost incurred by the Contractor in giving gratuities to the person concerned, as determined by the agency head or a designee. (This subparagraph (c)(2) is applicable only if this contract uses money appropriated to the Department of Defense.)

(d) The rights and remedies of the Government provided in this clause shall not be exclusive and are in addition to any other rights and remedies provided by law or under this contract.

(End of clause)

52.222-42 Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires. (MAY 2014)

In compliance with the Service Contract Labor Standards statute and the regulations of the Secretary of Labor (29 CFR part 4), this clause identifies the classes of service employees expected to be employed under the contract and states the wages and fringe benefits payable to each if they were employed by the contracting agency subject to the provisions of 5 U.S.C.

5341 or 5332.

This Statement is for Information Only: It Is Not A Wage Determination

Employee class Monetary wage - Fringe benefits

GS-220 Administrative Work in Information Technology

(End of clause)

52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference. (FEB 1998)

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

https://acquisition.gov/browse/index/far and https://acquisition.gov/edar

(End of clause)

52.252-6 Authorized Deviations in Clauses. (NOV 2020) https://acquisition.gov/browse/index/far https://acquisition.gov/edar

(a) The use in this solicitation or contract of any Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR Chapter

1) clause with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of (DEVIATION) after the date of the clause.

(b) The use in this solicitation or contract of any N/A (48 CFR N/A) clause with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of (DEVIATION) after the name of the regulation.

(End of clause)

List of Provisions Incorporated by Reference

Clause Provision

Provision Number Provision Title

RFO 52.203-11 Certification and Disclosure Regarding Payments to Influence Certain Federal Transactions. (SEP 2024)

RFO 52.203-18 Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements-Representation. (JAN 2017)

RFO 52.240-90 Security Prohibitions and Exclusions Representations and Certifications.

(Deviation JAN 2026)

List of Provisions Included by Full Text

3452.209-70 Conflict of interest certification. (MAR 2011)

(a)(1) The contractor, subcontractor, employee, or consultant, by signing the form in this clause, certifies that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, there are no relevant facts or circumstances that could give rise to an organizational or personal conflict of interest, (see FAR subpart 9.5 for organizational conflicts of interest) (or apparent conflict of interest), for the organization or any of its staff, and that the contractor, subcontractor, employee, or consultant has disclosed all such relevant information if such a conflict of interest appears to exist to a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts (or if such a person would question the impartiality of the contractor, subcontractor, employee, or consultant). Conflicts may arise in the following situations:

i. Unequal access to information. A potential contractor, subcontractor, employee, or consultant has access to non-public information through its performance on a government contract.

ii. Biased ground rules. A potential contractor, subcontractor, employee, or consultant has worked, in one government contract, or program, on the basic structure or ground rules of another government contract.

iii. Impaired objectivity. A potential contractor, subcontractor, employee, or consultant, or member of their immediate family (spouse, parent, or child) has financial or other interests that would impair, or give the appearance of impairing, impartial judgment in the evaluation of government programs, in offering advice or recommendations to the government, or in providing technical assistance or other services to recipients of Federal funds as part of its contractual responsibility. "Impaired objectivity" includes but is not limited to the following situations that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question a person's objectivity:

(A) Financial interests or reasonably foreseeable financial interests in or in connection with products, property, or services that may be purchased by an educational agency, a person, organization, or institution in the course of implementing any program administered by the Department;

(B) Significant connections to teaching methodologies or approaches that might require or encourage the use of specific products, property, or services; or

(C) Significant identification with pedagogical or philosophical viewpoints that might require or encourage the use of a specific curriculum, specific products, property, or services.

(2) Offerors must provide the disclosure described above on any actual or potential conflict of interest (or apparent conflict of interest) regardless of their opinion that such a conflict or potential conflict (or apparent conflict of interest) would not impair their objectivity.

(3) In a case in which an actual or potential conflict (or apparent conflict of interest) is disclosed, the Department will take appropriate actions to eliminate or address the actual or potential conflict, including but not limited to mitigating or neutralizing the conflict, when appropriate, through such means as ensuring a balance of views, disclosure with the appropriate disclaimers, or by restricting or modifying the work to be performed to avoid or reduce the conflict. In this clause, the term "potential conflict" means reasonably foreseeable conflict of interest.

(b) The contractor, subcontractor, employee, or consultant agrees that if "impaired objectivity", or an actual or potential conflict of interest (or apparent conflict of interest) is discovered after the award is made, it will make a full disclosure in writing to the contracting officer. This disclosure shall include a description of actions that the contractor has taken or proposes to take to avoid, mitigate, or neutralize the actual or potential conflict (or apparent conflict of interest).

(c) Remedies. The Government may terminate this contract for convenience, in whole or in part, if it deems such termination necessary to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. If the contractor was aware of a potential conflict of interest prior to award or discovered an actual or potential conflict after award and did not disclose or misrepresented relevant information to the contracting officer, the Government may terminate the contract for default, or pursue such other remedies as may be permitted by law or this contract. These remedies include imprisonment for up to five years for violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001 and fines of up to $5000 for violation of 31 U.S.C.

3802. Further remedies include suspension or debarment from contracting with the Federal government. The contractor may also be required to reimburse the Department for costs the Department incurs arising from activities related to conflicts of interest. An example of such costs would be those incurred in processing Freedom of Information Act requests related to a conflict of interest.

(d) In cases where remedies short of termination have been applied, the contractor, subcontractor, employee, or consultant agrees to eliminate the organizational conflict of interest, or mitigate it to the satisfaction of the contracting officer.

(e) The contractor further agrees to insert in any subcontract or consultant agreement hereunder, provisions that conform substantially to the language of this clause, including specific mention of potential remedies and this paragraph (e).

(f) Conflict of Interest Certification.

The offeror, [insert name of offeror ], hereby certifies that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, there are no present or currently planned interests (financial, contractual, organizational, or otherwise) relating to the work to be performed under the contract or task order resulting from Request for Proposal No. 91003126R0005 that would create any actual or potential conflict of interest (or apparent conflicts of interest) (including conflicts of interest for immediate family members: spouses, parents, children) that would impinge on its ability to render impartial, technically sound, and objective assistance or advice or result in it being given an unfair competitive advantage. In this clause, the term "potential conflict" means reasonably foreseeable conflict of interest. The offeror further certifies that it has and will continue to exercise due diligence in identifying and removing or mitigating, to the Government's satisfaction, such conflict of interest (or apparent conflict of interest).

Offeror's Name: RFP/Contract No.:

Signature:

Title: Date:

(End of provision)

3452.233-70 Agency level protests. (OCT 2023)

All protests to the agency must be submitted to the Contracting Officer. In accordance with FAR 33.103(d)(4), interested parties may request an independent review at a level above the Contracting Officer as an alternative to consideration by the Contracting Officer. If a protest is silent on this matter, consideration and decision will be made by the Contracting Officer.

(End of Provision)

52.216-1 Type of Contract. (APR 1984) (Deviation JAN 2026)

The Government contemplates award of a Firm-Fixed Price format for entirety of the contract resulting from this solicitation.

(End of provision)

52.252-1 Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference. (FEB 1998)

This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

https://acquisition.gov/browse/index/far and https://acquisition.gov/edar

(End of provision)

SECTION D: ATTACHMENTS

1. Attachment 1 - Statement of Work (SOW)

SECTION E: INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

SUBMISSION OF QUOTATIONS

Questions: All questions regarding this RFQ must be submitted electronically via email subject line: 91003126Q0030 “December 2026 FSATC Questions” to Kenneth McCurdy at Kenneth.McCurdy@ed.gov and Jordan Rosenlund at Jordan.Rosenlund@ed.gov by Monday, July 20, 2026 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. No phone calls will be accepted.

Quotation Submission: Quotations must be submitted electronically via email subject line:

91003126Q0030 “December 2026 FSATC (Vendor Name Quotation)” to Kenneth McCurdy at Kenneth.McCurdy@ed.gov and Jordan Rosenlund at Jordan.Rosenlund@ed.gov by Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. No phone calls will be accepted.

This requirement is being issued and awarded utilizing NAICS code 721110 Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels with a Small Business size standard of $40,000,000.00.

Offerors will be required to submit the following Volumes in response to the issuance of this

RFQ.

https://acquisition.gov/edar mailto:Kenneth.McCurdy@ed.gov mailto:Jordan.Rosenlund@ed.gov mailto:Kenneth.McCurdy@ed.gov mailto:Jordan.Rosenlund@ed.gov

Quotation Format: Quotations shall be organized into the following volumes:

Volume 1: Cover/Transmittal Letter, Executive Summary, Unique Entity identifier (UEI) Number .

Volume 2: Technical Quotation:

· Technical Approach – Functional, Logistic, and General Requirements

· Management Plan – Management Structure, Experience, and Methodology

· Past Performance – Evaluation of Prior Work

· Concessions and Value-Added Enhancements – Extra Benefits Offered Volume 3: Price (excel preferred). FFP Pricing and Assumptions.

Acceptable formats for all sections of the quotation are listed below:

Text Documents Microsoft Word 2010 compatible Font Size:11pt Spreadsheets Microsoft Excel 2010 compatible Font Size:At least 11 pt Project Documents Microsoft Project 2010 compatible Font Size:At least 11 pt

Additional formatting requirements:

• Paper Size: Standard 8-1/2” X 11” paper, single-spaced with one-inch margins.

• Font Type and Size: Times New Roman, 11-point.

• Tables, Charts, Figures, and Graphics Size: Font size must be no smaller than 11 pt.

• Indexing: Each volume shall be organized such that an extensive search of required documents is not necessary to review the quotation.

• The page limits for each volume are:

o Volume 1: Cover/Transmittal Letter, Executive Summary, Unique Entity identifier (UEI) Number. (No page limit) o Volume 2: Technical Quotation: (No more than 20 pages) o Volume 3: Price (excel preferred). FFP Pricing and Assumptions. (No more than 5 pages)

Offerors shall submit their quotations in three separate volumes as described below:

VOLUME 1: COVER PAGE

A cover letter and documents that verify active registration with SAM.gov.

VOLUME 2: TECHNICAL QUOTATION

Quotation must provide a detailed description of the hotel, explicitly highlighting its proximity to the preferred location, alongside a firm confirmation of availability for the specified December 2026 dates.

Non-Price Factor 1: Technical Approach The Offeror’s quotation shall include a comprehensive plan for fulfilling all sleeping room, meeting space, and breakout requirements detailed in Attachment 1, supplemented by descriptions of meeting room quality through photos and floor plans. Additionally, the quotation should detail the guest room amenities, general hotel facilities—such as restaurants and business centers—and provide an itemized list of audiovisual equipment offerings along with proposed technical support and labor. Finally, the quotation must include a complete list of proposed concessions and complimentary services, as well as a professional resume or experience description for the designated Project Manager (PM) that highlights their relevant skills and knowledge.

Site Visit: At the Department’s discretion, the Offeror shall submit to a site visit by the Government to review their facilities and ensure adequate accommodations prior to award, in accordance with FAR 52.237-1 Site Visit.

Non-Price Factor 2: Management Plan The Offeror’s quotation shall include project management structure, roles and responsibilities, risk mitigation, quality control measures, coordination of venue and lodging accommodations, travel and transportation support, attendee registration, communication protocols, and on-site event management. Additionally, the Offeror shall clearly demonstrate their approach for ensuring cost efficiency, schedule adherence, accessibility compliance, health and safety considerations, and timely reporting to ensure the conference is executed professionally and achieves all program objectives.

It should incorporate detailed planning for lodging, transportation, meals, and on-site support, as well as contingency plans for unforeseen challenges. Additionally, the plan should address communication strategies, pre-event materials, and post-event evaluation to ensure the conference is impactful, well-organized, and provides a seamless experience for executives.

Non-Price Factor 3: Past Performance Offerors shall provide at least three references of recently (i.e., within five years) completed projects. Reference information shall include customer name (including contract/order number, if applicable), location, project description (including award amount), and a customer reference for each of the projects submitted.

Non-Price Factor 4: Concessions and Value-Added Enhancements Offerors shall include concessions and enhancements which must exceed basic solicitation requirements as detailed in Attachment 1, and contribute meaningfully to the value and success of the conference. The Government reserves the right to consider the extent to which the Offeror’s proposed concessions reduce risk, increase operational efficiency, or lower total cost to the Government.

Preferred Concessions

Conference Facilities and Space

· Complimentary meeting/office space.

· Complimentary light refreshments and snacks in the VIP Holding Room (estimated 15 people).

· Daily complimentary continuous light refreshments and snacks for Staff Room (estimated 40).

· Complimentary keys to access all contracted space.

· 40 Complimentary easels.

· Up to 1,000 lbs. of complimentary in-bound receiving and handling of in-house shipping and receiving department starting the Friday prior to conference start date. Discount requested for anything beyond the 1000 lbs.

· Space for complimentary luggage storage on Event Day 3, unless provided by the hotel.

AV, IT, and Connectivity

· Complimentary power in the plenary session with exclusive use of in-house AV.

· Complimentary Wi-Fi is acceptable only if it meets the above performance; otherwise offer a flat rate for the required capacity (e.g., =15 Gbps aggregate) rather than data-cap terms (GB). Hardwired drops: minimums in Attachment 1 Section 3.1.2 prevail, with exclusive use of in-house AV provider in all contracted meeting spaces.

· Flat rate acceptable only if performance meets Attachment 1 Section 3.1.2 (=3–5 Mbps/device, =5,000 devices).

· At least a 40% discount on all AV requirements.

· Waived fee(s) for use of an outside AV provider.

· Complimentary SSID (network name) with or without exclusive use of in-house AV.

· Two (2) Hardwired internet lines in the plenary session with no less than five (5) Mbps each.

· Two (2) Hardwired internet lines at registration with no captive portal.

· Two (2) Hardwired internet lines in the meeting planner office with no less than five

(5) Mbps each.

· Charging stations in strategically placed locations for access and use by conference participants.

Lodging

· Up to 20 guaranteed guest rooms per night at a 90% discount off government per diem rate or lowest rate offered from Pre-Conference Day through the day immediately following the conclusion of the conference.

· One (1) Complimentary room for every 35 picked up with the ability to use undesignated complimentary room with room rate value as credit towards the Master account.

· Complimentary/discounted Wi-Fi for guest rooms.

· If applicable, waive resort/activity fees.

VOLUME 3: PRICE

The Price Quotation shall include all information necessary for the Government to understand the Offeror’s proposed pricing schedule. The Offeror shall submit adequate information to support its pricing tables. The supporting information shall contain sufficient detail to enable the Government to determine reasonableness and to evaluate whether the proposed price is consistent with the Offeror’s Technical Quotation. Offerors are strongly encouraged to provide the Government with a discount. All contract rate discounts must be clearly reflected in the Price Quotation.

Period of Acceptance of Quotations

The Offeror agrees to hold firm their proposed prices in their quotation for sixty (60) calendar days from the date specified for receipt of offers.

SECTION F. BASIS FOR AWARD

In accordance with FAR Part 15.103-1, the Government will employ a best-value tradeoff process to select the offeror whose quotation represents the optimal combination of technical merit and price. It is in the best interest of the Government to conduct this procurement on a best value basis, wherein the Technical Factors (non-price) will be more important than the Price Factor. The Government will evaluate the quotations in accordance with the evaluation factors in the solicitation (see below).

Quotation Evaluation Criteria The evaluation factors for this procurement are as follows:

Technical Factor (Non-Price) Confidence Rating Factor 1 - Technical Approach High/ Some/ Low/ Neutral Factor 2 - Management Plan High/ Some/ Low/ Neutral Factor 3 - Past Performance High/ Some/ Low/ Neutral Factor 4 - Concessions and Value-Added Enhancements

High/ Some/ Low/ Neutral

Factor 5 - Price Acceptable/ Unacceptable

The basis for award will be Best Value. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important than price. As the difference in Offeror’s services become more equal, price and concessions will be the determining factor in the award decision.

The Technical Evaluation Factors will be evaluated utilizing the following confidence ratings.

TECHNICAL/PERFORMANCE CONFIDENCE ASSESSMENTS

Rating Description

High Confidence The Government has high confidence that the Offeror understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, and will be successful in performing the contract with little or no Government intervention.

Some Confidence The Government has some confidence that the Offeror understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, and will be successful in performing the contract with some Government intervention.

Low Confidence The Government has low confidence that the Offeror understands the requirement, proposes a sound approach, or will be successful in performing the contract even with Government intervention.

Neutral (Past Performance Only)

No recent/relevant performance record is available or the offeror’s performance record is so sparse that no meaningful confidence assessment rating can be reasonably assigned.

Evaluation Factor 1: Technical Approach The Government will evaluate the Offeror's Technical Approach based on overall clarity, completeness, and effectiveness of its responses to the solicitation. The Government will assess the ability to offer the preferred conference dates, provide suitable lodging accommodations, quality of general session space(s), breakout rooms, exhibitor and demonstration areas, registration and administrative spaces, and other essential facilities. Consideration will also be given to the practicality of the proposed space layout, crowd flow, wayfinding methods, accessibility, and how effectively the Offeror anticipates attendee movement throughout the event. The Government will review the Offeror’s audiovisual and IT capabilities, including their ability to support live streaming, provide stable Wi Fi, maintain redundancy, and integrate government furnished equipment. Security and accessibility compliance, lodging availability and proximity, food and beverage capacity, and transportation or parking arrangements will also be reviewed. The Government will further assess the Offeror’s ability to conduct preconference planning, manage daily on-site operations, support post conference closeout, and identify and mitigate risks that may affect conference execution.

Evaluation Factor 2: Management Plan The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s Management Plan on the strength and clarity of the Offeror’s plan for managing and coordinating the conference from planning through closeout.

The Government will consider the structure of the Offeror’s management framework, the suitability and experience of the proposed Project Manager. The evaluation will assess the Offeror’s approach to communication with the Government, schedule control, responsiveness during the event, and methods for addressing issues that arise. The Offeror’s quality assurance practices, including how they monitor room setups, audiovisual readiness, signage and branding placement, and compliance with requirements, will also be reviewed. The extent to which the Offeror demonstrates an organized, reliable, and proactive management philosophy will weigh heavily in this factor.

Evaluation Factor 3: Past Performance The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s Past Performance to assess its ability to successfully perform the requirements of the solicitation. The evaluation of past performance will be based on previous experience with the services being acquired. The Government reserves the right to evaluate past performance using any relevant data available, which may include, but is not limited to: (1) surveys of previous users of a particular hotel, (2) outreach to references provided in the quote, and (3) information retrieved from Government past performance systems (e.g., Contract Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS)) using the quoter’s unique entity identifier. The evaluation will consider performance history involving large-scale conferences (of the same size and scope), preferably those serving five thousand or more participants, as well as multi-day training events requiring significant breakout, exhibitor, and general session support.

Consideration will be given to experience managing events with substantial audiovisual, IT, and connectivity requirements, and the Offeror’s demonstrated success coordinating lodging for large attendance groups at acceptable rates.

Evaluation Factor 4: Concessions and Value-Added Enhancements The Government will consider concessions and value- added enhancements as additional benefits offered that provide measurable value or reduce overall government cost. The evaluation will be based on the additional benefits the Offeror provides that improve value or reduce the Government’s costs. This includes any complimentary services, discounts, operational enhancements, or attendee-focused improvements that exceed basic requirements and contribute meaningfully to the success of the conference. The Government will consider whether these value-added elements are feasible, clearly defined, and likely to offer practical advantages during event planning or execution.

Evaluation Factor 5: Price The Government will evaluate whether the Offeror’s proposed price is fair and reasonable, and consistent with the requirements of the conference. The Government will evaluate the reasonableness of pricing across all components, including venue rental, lodging rates and related fees, audiovisual services and labor, food and beverage arrangements, transportation, and any associated fees or additional expenses. Proposed pricing will be assessed on whether the Offeror’s pricing structure accurately reflects the size, scope, and scale of the conference.

The Government may compare proposed pricing to historical FSATC costs, the Independent Government Cost Estimate, and comparable market rates for similar venues and services to assess overall affordability and cost efficiency.

3 - Section 3

Attachment List

Attachment Number Title Date

1 Dec 2026 FSATC SOW_6.16.26Final 07/13/2026