Invitation to Qualify: Special Events Services

The City of Pittsburgh's Office of Management and Budget is soliciting proposals through an Invitation to Qualify (ITQ #2024-ITQ-373) for Special Events Services, seeking qualified individuals and firms to provide professional services across three primary categories: Event Management Services, Marketing & Public Relations, and Graphic Design. The procurement is ongoing, with an initial pre-proposal meeting held on February 26, 2025, and proposals accepted until March 5, 2027. Vendors may apply for one or multiple service categories, with a maximum contract term of three years beginning on the first contract execution date. The evaluation will be conducted by a proposal committee using a pass/fail scoring method, assessing firm qualifications, team credentials, and diversity participation efforts. Key evaluation criteria include the vendor's professional references, team expertise, and demonstrated ability to meet the city's diversity and inclusion objectives. Interested parties must register on the City of Pittsburgh's Beacon website and can submit questions through the OpenGov Q&A feature. The pre-proposal meeting was conducted via Microsoft Teams, and vendors are expected to provide comprehensive proposals detailing their capabilities in event production services.

The solicitation includes specific participation goals for diverse business enterprises, with targeted percentages for Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MBE) at 18%, Women-Owned Business Enterprises (WBE) at 7%), Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) at 5%, and LGBTQ+ businesses at 3%. Vendors not certified as Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (MWDBE) are required to provide a list of certified subconsultants and complete a Pre-Award Good Faith Effort Checklist. The contract includes provisions for work orders with individual limits of $100,000 per order and an annual compensation cap of $750,000. Invoicing terms are set at Net 45 days, and all graphic artwork created during the contract will become the property of the City of Pittsburgh. Consultants must maintain specific insurance coverage, including commercial general liability, automobile liability, and professional liability. The city reserves the right to terminate the agreement with 10 days' notice, and no new work orders can be issued after the contract's expiration.