2025 Governor's Conference Hosting Services

The Kansas Water Office is seeking competitive proposals for hosting services for the 2025 Governor's Conference on the Future of Water in Kansas, scheduled for November 12-13, 2025, at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in Manhattan, Kansas. The Request for Proposal (RFP) with bid event number EVT0010264 solicits comprehensive conference management services, including pre-conference registration management, sponsor registration management, financial management, and name tag production. Key deliverables include developing an online registration system by August 1, 2025, with registration open from August 1 to October 17, 2025, weekly registration reports, nametag preparation, and staffing check-in tables throughout the conference. Evaluation criteria will focus on the bidder's experience managing conferences with over 600 attendees and their capacity to provide multiple on-site personnel. The procurement timeline requires bidders to submit proposals by May 13, 2025, at 2:00 PM CST, with questions and clarifications to be submitted via email by April 22, 2025. The contract will be a one-year agreement starting from the execution date, with bidders required to submit a detailed cost sheet in Excel format itemizing expenditures for each service component.

Potential bidders must obtain a current Tax Clearance Certificate from the Kansas Department of Revenue and register as bidders in the State of Kansas SMART Strategic Sourcing System. The solicitation includes provisions for bidder preferences, specifically highlighting opportunities for Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses, State Use Purchases, and Certified Business Bidder Preferences. Vendors must request an official invitation at least 24 hours before the event's closing date and complete various standard state procurement documentation, including forms related to Boycott of Israel, Sexual Harassment, and Immigration Reform and Control. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the comprehensive nature of the required services suggests a substantial contract value commensurate with managing a large-scale, two-day conference with multiple registration and management components. Bidders must demonstrate professional capability in event management, technological infrastructure for registration, and the ability to handle financial processing and on-site operations for a significant professional conference.