PWS - event - catering - lodging 2-124 IN 18JAN.pdf

Yellow Ribbon Pre-Deployment Event For 2-124 IN

Location: TBD Date: 18 January 2026

1. BACKGROUND:

1.1. The Florida Army National Guard (FLARNG) will host multiple Yellow Ribbon Events in Fiscal Year 2024. These events are for Soldiers and the families of Soldiers who are deploying and returning from deployments. This will be a one-day event with no childcare services. The mission of the FLARNG Yellow Ribbon Program is to ensure that all deploying Soldiers and their Family Members are aware of benefits, resources, and contacts available to them by connecting them to resource providers. These benefits and resources help military families navigate the deployment cycle, especially as Soldiers begin their “reintegration” back into their families and communities. The selected venue will provide lodging and parking for the event listed in this solicitation.

2. SCOPE:

The objective of this Statement of Work is to conduct and complete the requirements for the 2-124 IN Pre-Deployment Event with 1300 total guests. It is the responsibility of the contractor to ensure all requested requirements are met. Event space, audio/visual (A/V) services, catering services, and lodging will be secured by the contractor with oversight from the Yellow Ribbon POC.

3. EVENT Date and Location:

Date: 18 January 2026 Hours: All event space must be available for exclusive use from 5:00 am until 6:00 pm on 18 January 2026 Location: The event location must be within a one-hour driving radius of Camp Blanding Joint Training Center (CBJTC).

4. Event Requirements;

A site visit of offered event facilities may be required prior to award of contract. The contractor shall provide a facility that will offer the following: parking lot, event space, audio/ visual equipment and technical support, and catering. The contractor shall provide an on-site representative the day prior, during and after the completion of the event to ensure Yellow Ribbon staff that no other requirements are needed by them or the event location. The Federal Government is tax exempt.

The on-site representative must be a representative from the contracting agency and cannot be a member of the hotel, venue, or catering company.

The event will be split into two audiences, a morning audience and an afternoon audience. The morning audience will receive a catered breakfast and the afternoon audience will receive a catered lunch. All other requirements will apply equally to both audiences.

CLIN 0001 Catering Requirements:

1.1. A catered hot breakfast will be provided for approximately 650 adults. It will be served buffet style from 7:00am to 9:00am on 18 January 2026. Drink refreshments will remain available to guests until 1100. Buffet will include a hot meal with a minimum of two main entree choices, an assortment of breakfast pastries, and an assortment of common breakfast items (i.e. granola, yogurt, fruit, etc.). The buffet will also serve beverages including, but not limited to, hot coffee, juice(s), milk, water, and hot tea including sugar and cream.

1.2. Buffet will not serve 'fast food' items (i.e. french toast sticks, waffle tacos, Cinnamon Swirl Toast Breakfast Sandwiches, cheesy cheddar baco-biscuits, etc.). Egg dishes cannot be made from powdered eggs. Food menu items should avoid common allergies (i.e. shellfish) and clearly label allergens when necessary. At least one entree and one side dish must not include cheese.

1.3. The on-site representative is responsible for ensuring that catered food items conform to these requirements. Failure to meet these requirements will incur a claim from the government.

1.4. Catering services will provide flatware, plates, and condiments. With the exception of paper "to-go" coffee cups, plates and/or flatware must not be paper products. Catering services include set-up and clean-up. Flatware is encouraged to be made of a durable plastic that can be trashed after use.

1.5 Catering will be delivered to the event space ready to be served at 7:00am 18 January 2026.

1.6 A catered hot lunch will be provided for approximately 650 adults. It will be served buffet style from 12:30pm to 2:00pm on 18 January 2026. Drink refreshments will remain available to guests until 4:00 pm.

The buffet will include a hot meal with a minimum of one salad (with a minimum of two dressings), main entrée (minimum of one beef and one chicken options), two additional side items (one vegetable, one starch, starch item can be used in main entrée if pasta type dish), bread/rolls, and a dessert. The buffet will also serve beverages including, but not limited to, lemonade, iced tea, hot tea, and water.

1.7 Buffet will not serve ‘fast food’ items (i.e. Hot dogs, chicken nuggets, hamburgers, etc.) nor will it serve ‘cold items’ (i.e. Cold cuts, subs, sandwiches) or “box lunches”. Food menu should avoid common allergies (fish, shellfish, peanuts, etc.) and clearly label allergens when necessary.

CLIN 0002 Event Space Requirements:

1. Room #1 – Large room for initial assembly to accommodate 650 guests with banquest-style seating, tables and chairs for seating, a stage, at least one trash can, and water stations. This room will likely need space to stage the catered breakfast and must provide tables so that guests can eat in this space. A scaled diagram of Room #1's set-up must be provided. See CLIN 0003 for Audio/Visual equipment requirements.

2. Registration/check-in area – If an in-house registration area is not available, six 6’ tables with 8 chairs & two (2) trash cans with rope stanchions shall be provided – Available 5:00 am until 6:00 pm on 18 January 2026.

3. Room #2 - One room large enough to accommodate a capacity of 50-100 attendees with tables, chairs, and at least one water station. This room should be only a short distance (~1-2 minute walk) from room #1. This room will be used to host workshop presentations and should include A/V equipment in accordance with CLIN 0003.

4. Room #3 - Space for 50 6' vendor tables with two chairs at each table and at least one water station shall be provided as the vendor area. The area should be big enough to comfortably host approximately 350 standing attendees at any given time. This area may be co-located with rooms #1 or #2 or can be a short distance (~1-2 minute walk) from room #1. Black table linens shall be provided for 10 tables.

5. Parking - Parking must be provided for attendees, vendors, and event staff (approximately 300 vehicles). Under no circumstances shall attendees, vendors, or event staff be required to pay for parking.

6. Event Location: The audience is being transported from CBJTC. As such, the event location must be within a one-hour driving radius of CBJTC. Due to the nature of the event timeline, exceptions cannot be made.

CLIN 0003 Audio/Visual Requirements: Audio/Visual and Technology Requirements: Cost shall be included in the total bill from the venue. Must NOT be a separate bill.

1. Room #1 A/V requirements:

• 1 podium with microphone stand

• 2 hand microphones with sound system

• 3-4 screens with dimensions at least 6' by 6'. These may be projector screens.

• 1 A/V cart or projector (if needed)

• A stage

2. Room #2 A/V requirements:

• 2 hand microphones with sound system

• 1-2 screens. These may be projector screens.

• 1 A/V cart or projector (if needed)

A technician must be on site for trouble shooting during all event times.

CLIN 0004 Lodging Requirements:

1. The Federal Government is tax exempt. Vendor accommodations must be within 10 miles of the event venue. Multiple lodging venues may be used to meet this requirement. All lodging venues to be used are subject to the requirements specified in CLIN 0004. The on-site representative must be able to meet Yellow Ribbon staff at the lodging venue(s), if requested. The on-site representative is responsible for ensuring that event-attendees identified by the Yellow Ribbon Coordinator who qualify to receive lodging are able to successfully check-in to the lodging venue without complications.

2. Attendees who meet our requirements for lodging will start to arrive the day prior to the event.

The amount of rooms required are:

• 50 rooms for the night of Saturday, 17 January 2026

• 50 rooms for the night of Sunday, 18 January 2026

3. Lodging facilities shall meet the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements and provide ADA compliant rooms. A preliminary requirement for ADA compliant sleep rooms and special room requirements will be provided by 19 December 2025.

4. All rooms provided under this contract shall be non-smoking rooms. The venue will not be undergoing renovations during event dates. Overnight and daily parking will be included in the contract for 50 vehicles on the days/nights of 17-18 January 2026. The parking area must be within walking distance of the lodging venue and not require a shuttle service to the front lobby of the venue.

5. Personal Expenses: Personal expenses in guest rooms such as long-distance phone charges, movie rentals, laundry, room service, etc. will be paid by the guest and shall not be billed under the resultant contract. NOTE: If cash or credit card is not available, incidental services shall be blocked for use in the room. The lodging venue may not deny qualified or identified event attendees the use of lodging if the attendee does not present a credit card for incidentals.

6. The Yellow Ribbon Coordinator may review the offered hotel facilities prior to awarding a contract at his or her discretion. The contractor shall provide facilities that will offer the following:

lighted parking lot, an exercise room, functional elevators, and ice machines. The Contractor shall provide an on-site representative to mediate complications and concerns while event attendees check-in and check-out from their rooms and all times between.

7. The on-site representative must be a representative from the contracting agency and cannot be a member of the hotel staff.

8. The lodging venue(s) should include a gym/fitness center, 24-hour front desk assistance, business services, a pool, and laundry services. Rooms should be spacious and include showers with warm water, a working refrigerator, free wi-fi, air conditioning and heating, a flat-screen television, furnishings complete with a desk, closet, chair(s), and an alarm clock.

9. Most importantly, the venue must be located in a low-crime area where attendees feel safe walking alone at night. The Yellow Ribbon Coordinator will determine if a proposed venue meets this requirement.