Parks Facilities Rental & Event Management Services

The City of Cincinnati, located in Hamilton County, Ohio, is soliciting proposals for Parks Facilities Rental & Event Management Services through a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process. The procurement seeks a contractor to manage nine municipally-owned event venues, including pavilions at Ault Park, Alms Park, Mt. Echo Park, Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park, and lodge facilities at Oak Ridge and Maple Ridge, as well as The French House, The Gibson House, and Krohn Conservatory. The selected vendor will be responsible for comprehensive event management services, encompassing marketing, reservations, scheduling, client coordination, on-site event management, facility cleaning, vendor coordination, and ancillary services like catering and equipment rental. Proposals will be evaluated across six key areas: experience with similar projects (20 points), operational management plan (20 points), business and marketing plan (20 points), financial proposal including fee structure and revenue sharing (20 points), economic inclusion commitment (10 points), and other benefits to the City (10 points). The RFP timeline includes two non-mandatory pre-submission meetings on January 21 and February 10, 2026, with a written questions deadline of February 13, 2026, and a proposal submission deadline of February 25, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET via the City's Bonfire portal.

The contract includes specific requirements for minority and women-owned business enterprise (MBE/WBE) participation, mandating 5.0% MBE and 2.0% WBE subcontracting goals, with potential proposal rejection for non-compliance. The contract will have an initial five-year term with three optional two-year renewal periods, with the City anticipating contract negotiations in May 2026. The estimated contract value for inclusion goal purposes is $400,000, with specific financial arrangements including mandatory client payment deposits with the Parks Board, a one percent administrative fee to the City, and a unique alcohol sales revenue split where 51% goes to the Parks Board as the liquor license holder. The contractor must maintain robust insurance coverage, including $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate general liability insurance, $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate professional liability insurance, and $1,000,000 in umbrella coverage. Proposals are restricted to single legal entities including corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, limited liability companies, and limited liability partnerships, with requirements for comprehensive disclosure of corporate information, potential conflicts, and organizational history.