CONF: Office of Traffic Safety DRE Conference

The State of Minnesota, Department of Administration Office of State Procurement, is requesting proposals for conference planning and lodging services for the Office of Traffic Safety DRE Conference, with responses due July 21, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Central Time through the SWIFT Supplier Portal. The State encourages participation from small businesses certified under Minnesota's Small Business Procurement Program, including businesses majority-owned by racial minorities, women, persons with substantial physical disabilities, or veterans, or located in economically disadvantaged counties, with up to 120 preference points available for certified targeted group, economically disadvantaged, or veteran-owned businesses.

The scope encompasses hotel accommodations, conference facilities, and catering for approximately 385 attendees across a three-day conference. The facility must be located within 75 miles of the Washington Education Center in Brainerd, Minnesota, cannot be a casino, and hotel rooms must be individually equipped with fire sprinklers. The contractor must provide 90 single-occupancy rooms for night one and 350 for night two, a general session room with staging and audio-visual equipment, a registration area, and comprehensive food and beverage services including breakfasts, lunches, breaks, and all-day beverage service. Lodging, conference, and parking facilities must be within one-quarter mile of each other or shuttle service must be provided at no additional cost. Three conference dates are offered: September 22–24, 2026 (preferred), September 29–October 1, 2026 (alternate), or October 27–29, 2026 (alternate). The contract term runs August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2027.

Evaluation occurs in three phases: acceptance of state terms and conditions (100 points), cancellation policy (100 points), and cost detail (800 points), totaling 1,000 points plus up to 120 preference points. All pricing must be itemized on the provided price schedule; unspecified charges will not be reimbursed. Cancellation policies must specify dollar amounts for service cancellations across notice periods from 117 days to zero days prior to the conference, and separate lodging cancellation fees for notice periods from 30 days to less than 24 hours. Cost proposals remain firm for 180 days. The contractor must maintain $2 million in general liability insurance, $5–$10 million in commercial automobile liability, and statutory workers' compensation insurance. Questions are due July 14, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Central Time to Trevor Caldwell at trevor.t.caldwell@state.mn.us. For contracts exceeding $100,000, Workforce Certification is required; for contracts exceeding $500,000, Equal Pay Certification from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights is required.