Part 15 Professional Services - Final

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing, in partnership with the Cultural and Community Engagement office and the Utah Office of Tourism, is conducting a Request for Statements of Qualifications (RFSQ) under Utah Procurement Code 63G-6a Part 15 to procure marketing and creative services from a Design Professional Service Provider or Consultant. The primary objective is to conceptualize and implement Utah's pavilion for the Great American State Fair (GASF), a 30x30-foot exhibit on the National Mall in Washington, DC, commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The service provider will manage four key project phases: planning and conceptualization, design, vendor selection and fabrication oversight, and pavilion installation, maintenance, and tear-down. The GASF will operate from June 25 to July 10, 2026, with build-out scheduled for June 18-23, 2026. Critical deadlines include anticipated contract execution by March 23, 2026, conceptual design finalization by April 5, 2026, final pavilion design and budget by April 15, 2026, and fabrication throughout May 2026. The solicitation closed on March 17, 2026, and evaluation will be based on a 500-point technical scoring framework emphasizing company profile and qualifications (150 points, 30 percent weight) and portfolio with comparable project examples (350 points, 70 percent weight). Vendors must meet four mandatory minimum requirements: certification of ability to meet stated timelines, previous experience managing budgets of $500,000 or more, capability to work in Washington, DC during installation and de-installation periods, and experience managing products outside the State of Utah. A minimum technical score of 350 points (70 percent) is required for proposal acceptance, and pricing information is explicitly excluded from qualification submissions.

The solicitation documents do not identify specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types eligible to respond; however, all vendors must certify compliance with anti-boycott statutes, forced labor restrictions, and E-Verify employment eligibility verification requirements for Utah-based employees. Contractors must maintain workers' compensation and general liability insurance coverage with minimum limits of $1 million per occurrence and $3 million aggregate. No incumbent vendors or existing infrastructure requirements are specified in the procurement materials. The project budget is estimated between $500,000 and $900,000, with the final compensation to be negotiated with the highest-ranked vendor determined to be fair and reasonable under Part 15 qualifications-based selection procedures. If negotiations with the top-ranked vendor prove unsuccessful, the State reserves the right to proceed with negotiations with the next highest-ranked vendor. All sub-contracted vendors and independent contractors must be approved by the Cultural and Community Engagement office and Utah Office of Tourism, with final approval of creative elements and budget items resting with these agencies. The service provider must include all travel and staffing costs related to installation and tear-down in their proposal, as the procuring agencies will manage pavilion staffing during public operating hours.