Professional Development Event Planning MDE - CTE - RFP

The Michigan Department of Education's Office of Career and Technical Education (MDE-OCTE) is seeking a professional event planning contractor to manage multiple career and technical education (CTE) events during the 2025-2026 season through Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 250000001191. The contractor will be responsible for planning and executing six primary events, including a New Administrator Workshop in September 2025, Early Middle College Workshop in October 2025, Fall and Spring OCTE Updates, a Grant Dissemination/Data Workshop in January/February 2026, and the Michigan Career Education Conference scheduled for January 25-27, 2026. Deliverables include comprehensive event management services such as venue selection, vendor contract management, registration processing, exhibitor logistics, and potentially collecting registration fees to offset event expenses. The proposal requires detailed cost itemization covering administrative expenses, onsite staffing, equipment, supplies, printing, advertising, and online registration site development. Proposals are due February 13, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern, with a contract term beginning July 1, 2025, and potential for up to seven additional one-year renewals. The contractor must provide services at cost without markups and handle events ranging from small workshops of 20-30 attendees to larger conferences with over 100 participants.

The contract is funded through the federal Carl D. Perkins Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), which supports developing academic and career skills for secondary and postsecondary CTE students. While no specific set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise requirements are explicitly mentioned, the RFP suggests a comprehensive and competitive procurement process. Payment terms are net 45 days, with opportunities for quick payment discounts. The contract does not specify a maximum budget, instead instructing bidders to provide their most competitive pricing proposal based on the detailed service requirements. The MDE-OCTE will utilize primarily onsite services for traditional events, with the ability to incorporate special enhancements for select conferences. The contractor will be responsible for managing State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs) documentation through QR codes for attendee credits. The agency anticipates the potential addition of 1-4 supplemental events during the contract period, not to exceed four total days, providing flexibility in programming and event planning.