Addendum Date: August 4, 2026

ADDENDUM 1 TO RFP NO. 27-14

for

HILO URBAN TRAILS CONTENT AND EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENT

STATE OF HAWAI‘I

HAWAI‘I TOURISM AUTHORITY

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & TOURISM

This Addendum includes:

• RFP 27-14 Hilo Urban Trails Content and Experience Development answers to questions submitted on HIePRO.

• Section 2.2 (7) Reporting and Final Deliverables – Revision to deliverable dates

• Section 1.9 Website References – Updates to website addresses

Note: A new version of the RFP is not forthcoming. All changes are documented in the Addendum(s).

Applicants must refer to the Addendum(s) to know of the changes.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. Can HTA provide copies of or links to these existing plans and materials referenced in Section

2.1, to ensure offerors build upon them accurately?

a. Yes. Please refer to the updated website references in Section 1.9 of this Addendum for the

HTA Hawaiʻi Island Destination Management Action Plan 2026-2028. The Downtown Hilo

Multimodal Master Plan and Hilo Bayfront Trails Master Plan are hosted on the official

County of Hawaiʻi Planning Department website, and Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation website, respectively.

2. Does "related fields" include public-sector cultural and educational programming experience

(e.g., county government–sponsored cultural and community engagement work) absent direct visitor-industry/tourism experience?

a. Yes. Public-sector cultural and educational programming experience may be considered experience in a related field, even without direct visitor-industry or tourism experience, provided the experience is relevant to the scope of work.

3. Should printing/production/fabrication costs for physical activation materials be itemized within the $225,000 fixed-price budget, or does HTA anticipate a separate procurement mechanism for print/production vendors?

a. Yes. All costs for the design, production, fabrication, and distribution of physical activation materials shall be included and itemized within the $225,000 maximum fixed-price budget.

No separate procurement mechanism is contemplated for those costs under this RFP.

4. Can HTA clarify what form of multimedia materials may be requested in Round 2, so offerors can plan appropriately?

a. Regarding proposal content: HTA has not determined whether multimedia materials will be requested in Round 2 of the procurement process or the specific format that may be requested.

Offerors should not submit multimedia materials with their initial written proposals. If multimedia materials are requested in Round 2, instructions and submission requirements will be provided in writing to all priority-listed Offerors on an equal basis.

5. 10. The RFP states that "The Offeror shall coordinate with relevant community organizations, cultural practitioners, historians, kūpuna, subject-matter experts, businesses, museums, galleries, restaurants, cultural and historical institutions, government agencies, property owners, and other partners as appropriate.". Do you have preferred cultural practitioners, kūpuna, historians and subject matter experts that the successful vendor can work with? If not, should they be identified as part of the RFP response? Or is it ok to confirm these advisors and experts in the first phase of the project if the award is successful?

a. HTA does not have preferred partners for this RFP. Offerors are not required to identify or secure confirmed participants before award. Offerors may identify prospective partners, categories of participants, or a proposed outreach approach to demonstrate feasibility.

Confirming participation by community partners, advisors, and subject-matter experts is part of contract performance.

6. Section 1 of the scope places the project’s work plan as the preliminary deliverable and reads in part, “The workplan shall also include the Offeror’s proposed concept for the participatory element of the Hilo Urban Trails Project…”. However, Section 7 of the scope places the due date for participatory engagement concept late January, 2027. Could you please explain what is specifically sought at the time of the work plan with respect to the participatory element?

a. At the workplan stage, HTA seeks a preliminary concept describing how the participatory element would function from the visitor perspective, the anticipated partner and content inputs, and the proposed process for further development and coordination. The later draft deliverable is the developed concept, refined through research, partner engagement, and HTA review.

7. Section 5 of the scope reads in part, “The Offeror shall also design, produce, and distribute non-construction physical activation materials…”. How many months’ or years’ supply of non-construction physical activation materials does HTA seek with this RFP?

a. HTA is not prescribing a fixed months’ or years’ supply. Offerors shall propose a reasonable initial production quantity and distribution plan sufficient to launch and demonstrate the approved concept within the fixed-price budget. Limited initial production, together with print-ready and editable files and recommendations for future quantities, is acceptable.

8. Section 7 pertaining to final deliverables dates the draft Existing Asset Review Summary due

October 16, 2026, one week from the RFP schedule estimated start of contract performance.

The majority of draft materials appear to be due at the end of January, 2027. Does HTA feel this allows sufficient time to conduct research and collect community, cultural, business, and partner participation in the project?

a. Thank you for bringing this discrepancy to our attention. HTA acknowledges the discrepancy, and the revised deliverable schedule is provided in Response No. 10 of this Addendum. Draft submissions are interim review milestones and may be refined further following HTA review.

Final deliverables remain due within the contract term.

9. RFP Section 1.9 Website References

HTA has launched its new website, and the following URLs have been updated accordingly:

HTA Website https://hta.hawaii.gov/

The Hawaiian Islands Brand Guidelines https://hta.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-thi-brand-guidelines-external-final.pdf

Maemae Toolkit: https://hta.hawaii.gov/what-we-do/tools-resources/ma%CA%BBema%CA%BBe-toolkit/

HTA Research https://hta.hawaii.gov/research/

HTA Resident Sentiment Surveys:

https://hta.hawaii.gov/research/evaluation-performance-measures/

Hawaiʻi Island Destination Management

Action Plan 2026-2028

Hawaiʻi Island Destination Management Action Plan 2026-2028 – Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority

10. RFP Section 2.2 (7) Reporting and Final Deliverables

The Offeror shall provide progress updates to HTA in a format and frequency approved by HTA. Final deliverables shall include, at minimum:

a. Final project workplan and schedule;

b. Existing asset review summary (draft by November 13, 2026 October 16, 2026);

c. Hilo urban trail framework (draft by December 18, 2026 November 20, 2026);

d. Interpretive content and storytelling package (draft by February 26, 2027

January 29, 2027);

e. Visitor orientation, wayfinding, and engagement recommendations (draft by

February 26, 2027 January 29, 2027);

f. Community, partner, and business participation summary;

g. Participatory engagement concept, including proposed visitor experience, participating locations or categories of participants, participation logic, incentive structure where applicable, digital stamp or check-in concepts, visitor prompts, and related content inputs (draft by February 26, 2027 January 29, 2027);

h. Physical activation materials package, including design files, print-ready files, quantity recommendations, distribution plan, and documentation of distributed materials;

https://hta.hawaii.gov/ https://hta.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-thi-brand-guidelines-external-final.pdf https://hta.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-thi-brand-guidelines-external-final.pdf https://hta.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-thi-brand-guidelines-external-final.pdf https://hta.hawaii.gov/what-we-do/tools-resources/ma%CA%BBema%CA%BBe-toolkit/ https://hta.hawaii.gov/what-we-do/tools-resources/ma%CA%BBema%CA%BBe-toolkit/ https://hta.hawaii.gov/research/ https://hta.hawaii.gov/research/evaluation-performance-measures/ https://hta.hawaii.gov/research/evaluation-performance-measures/ https://hta.hawaii.gov/what-we-do/plans-reports/dmaps/hawaii-island-dmap-2026-2028/ https://hta.hawaii.gov/what-we-do/plans-reports/dmaps/hawaii-island-dmap-2026-2028/

i. Digital implementation content package for HTA or HTA’s web development and support services contractor(s);

j. Permissions, attribution, partner-provided materials, and placement approval documentation;

k. Maintenance and content update recommendations;

l. Final project report; and

m. Final financial report.