National history day coordination

The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs is entering into a sole-source contract with the Historical Society of New Mexico to coordinate the state's National History Day competition, with a proposal due September 17, 2026. This is a sole-source procurement — the Historical Society of New Mexico is the only entity holding an Affiliate Agreement with the national National History Day organization to coordinate the competition in New Mexico.

The scope encompasses managing New Mexico's participation in both state-level and national-level National History Day competitions, including encouraging student participation in grades 6–12 statewide, subsidizing travel for approximately 60 state-level competition winners and support personnel to the national competition in Washington, DC, conducting teacher outreach and professional development across the state, maintaining a statewide advisory committee, serving as liaison to regional coordinators, and participating in fundraising. The contractor must submit a final written report by June 30, 2027, documenting at least 2,000 participating students, approximately 60 state finalists sent to nationals, and engagement across at least 15 of New Mexico's 33 counties.

The contract value is $200,000 with a term running October 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027; no renewal options are specified. The Department of Cultural Affairs conducted due diligence by contacting the previous provider, the New Mexico Humanities Council, which confirmed the Historical Society of New Mexico's sole capability. The sole-source determination requires a 30-calendar-day posting period without protest before final approval by the State Purchasing Agent. The Historical Society of New Mexico's SHARE Vendor Number is 0000054529, and the primary contact is Joseph Britton.