Australia/New Zealand Representation Office

The State of Nevada, Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Division of Tourism, is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP 10TCA-S3686) for international representation services to serve as the state's representative in Australia and New Zealand markets. The procurement seeks a qualified vendor to provide comprehensive international representation encompassing market intelligence and insight, travel trade sales and marketing (B2B), public relations and earned media, social media support, and account management services, with primary emphasis on increasing awareness and visitation to Nevada from long-haul travelers, particularly emphasizing rural Nevada destinations. Key deliverables include a staffing plan, detailed work plan with budget allocation, market intelligence reporting, travel trade engagement, public relations campaigns, and social media support aligned with Nevada's "Get A Little Out There" brand positioning. The work allocation will focus 85 percent on the Australian market and 15 percent on the New Zealand market, with the vendor responsible for all agency travel to trade shows, missions, and familiarization tours as part of the engagement. Evaluation criteria include technical factors weighted at 85 points covering staffing plan, work plan and budget allocation, relevant client experience, innovative ideas, program overview, and introductory video, with cost weighted at 15 points; vendor presentations scheduled for April 14-16, 2026, will add 100 additional evaluation points assessing client work demonstration, key staff fulfillment, innovative ideas, presentation quality, and Nevada knowledge. The proposal submission deadline is March 26, 2026, at 1:00 PM Pacific Time, with a Notice of Intent estimated for April 17, 2026, and Notice of Award estimated for May 1, 2026, pending Board of Examiners approval on June 9, 2026.

Nevada-based businesses receive a five percent preference pursuant to Nevada Revised Statutes sections 333.3351 to 333.3356, though the solicitation does not specify other set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. All vendors must be registered with the Nevada Secretary of State with a valid Nevada business license, maintain registration in the System for Award Management (sam.gov), comply with Nevada and federal law including data encryption and United States data residency requirements, and execute a certification regarding no boycott of Israel. No current incumbent vendor is identified for this solicitation, indicating this represents a new contracting opportunity. The contract will be awarded for a two-year term beginning July 1, 2026, and expiring June 30, 2028, with an optional two-year extension available if agreeable to both parties. The total annual budget is $500,000 USD, structured as a retainer plus costs at net, with the retainer capped at 30 percent ($150,000 USD annually) for all labor, planning, and agency travel, while program costs must comprise a minimum of 70 percent ($350,000 USD annually) and are billed at net with no markup, ensuring Nevada receives direct cost billing for trade events, missions, press trips, and content production. The State reserves authority to consider alternative tiered contract values of $400,000 and $300,000 if proposed by vendors with appropriate justification.