CONF: 2027 & 2028 MHSATS Nursing Leadership

The State of Minnesota Department of Administration, Office of State Procurement, is soliciting formal RFP responses from hotel or event venue contractors to host the 2027 and 2028 MHSATS Nursing Leadership Conferences, with responses due November 5, 2026 at 3:00 PM Central Time through the SWIFT Supplier Portal; email and non-electronic submissions will not be accepted. The venue must sit within 20 miles of the Brainerd Post Office at 422 Laurel Street, Brainerd, MN 56401, measured by Google Maps. Evaluation awards up to 120 preference points to certified targeted group, economically disadvantaged, and veteran-owned businesses; this is preference scoring, not a set-aside.

The State seeks one conference option per year, April 13–15, 2027 or April 11–13, 2028, for an estimated 80 attendees, with no guaranteed minimum attendees, rooms, or meals. Required services include lodging (the price schedule lists 60 single-occupancy and 20 double-occupancy rooms), registration, a general session room, breakout rooms, an exhibitor area, a mother's room, a prayer room, a dining room, audio-visual equipment, parking, meals and breaks, and shuttle service if facilities sit more than one-quarter mile apart. Pricing must be firm, all-inclusive, stated in U.S. currency without formulas or percentages, and not adjusted for attendance below 80. Cancellation fees must be stated in dollars for notice periods from 117 days out to under 24 hours, with separate lodging and non-lodging schedules; the State may pay zero if none are specified.

Responders must carry commercial general liability insurance of $2 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, commercial auto liability of $5 million to $10 million per occurrence depending on vehicle capacity, and workers' compensation per Minnesota statute. Workforce Certificates and, if applicable, Equal Pay Certificates from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights are required before execution unless an employee-count exemption applies. Prohibited products include triclosan, coal tar, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and certain PFAS-containing products. The venue must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act, the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990, and Minnesota Department of Health and CDC COVID-19 guidance. The State may inspect facilities before award and reject responses for conditions such as odors, mold, or unsanitary conditions.

Phase 2 scoring weights acceptance of State terms at 100 points, cancellation policy at 100 points, and cost detail at 800 points. The State may award to one or multiple responders, negotiate with the highest-scoring responder, or reject all responses. Offers remain firm for 180 days.

The question deadline was October 26, 2026 at 2:00 PM Central Time, with answers issued by addendum to Authorized Representative Rhiannon Fissehaye. Evaluation is anticipated to conclude November 20, 2026. The contract runs from execution through May 31, 2028, with an option to extend up to an additional 12 months by amendment. Payment is due within 30 days of an undisputed invoice under Minn. Stat. 16A.124.