Kentucky Educators Rising Program and Conference Sponsorship

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Education, under the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking one or more sponsors for the Kentucky Educators Rising Program and Conference. This sponsorship opportunity supports a statewide conference serving the Career and Technical Student Organization, targeting middle and high school students interested in education-related careers. Sponsorship deliverables include providing lunch for over 1,000 students and educators, conference supplies, advertising and promotional materials, and financial support. The 2025 conference achieved record attendance of 826 students, demonstrating significant reach and impact. Evaluation of technical responses will be based on three criteria: responsiveness to the solicitation (200 points), sponsor background and compatibility with the Kentucky Department of Education's mission (200 points), and sponsorship cost proposal (600 points), for a total of 1,000 points. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service System by 4:00 p.m. EST on September 12, 2025. No bidder's conference or site visits are scheduled. The anticipated award date is October 1, 2025, for a one-year sponsorship period.

The RFP offers three sponsorship levels with varying financial commitments and corresponding benefits. The Presenting Sponsor level requires a minimum commitment of $45,000 and includes underwriting lunch, comprehensive conference branding and logo placement on marketing materials and merchandise, media recognition, and a representative role in opening session activities. The Conference T-Shirt & Promotional Swag Sponsor level requires a minimum of $25,000 and ensures all attendees receive branded merchandise with similar logo and recognition benefits. The Supporting Sponsor level requires a minimum of $2,500 and provides webpage listing, digital program inclusion, and social media recognition. All prospective bidders must be registered in the Commonwealth eProcurement System prior to submission. The Commonwealth reserves the right to utilize the full amount of any monetary sponsorship for other expenses incurred during the conference. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions on applicant types are mentioned in the RFP.