RFP 27-10 Administration of HTA's Visitor Experience Programs

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is requesting proposals for administrative support services across four statewide visitor experience programs—Kukulu Ola, Community Enrichment, Signature Festivals & Events, and Sports Tournaments & Events—for calendar year 2027 under RFP 27-10, with proposals due September 16, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time.

Minimum qualifications require three years of professional experience administering community funding programs and proven expertise working with governmental agencies or tourism authorities. Offerors must maintain a physical office in Hawaii and obtain a Certificate of Vendor Compliance prior to award. All work must align with each program's established guidelines and HTA's holistic approach to sustainable tourism management consistent with community desires, economic goals, cultural values, and natural resource preservation.

The scope encompasses procurement and contract administration for approximately 450 applicants across the four programs, awarding and managing contracts for an estimated 150 awarded projects, conducting statewide in-person evaluations, and maintaining comprehensive documentation and reporting. The contractor will provide administrative labor, materials, supplies, travel, program expenses, and overhead.

The total fixed-price contract value is $6.1 million. Of this amount, $5.5 million is award funding distributed to awardees: Kukulu Ola (up to $1.7 million), Community Enrichment (up to $1.7 million), Signature Festivals & Events (up to $1 million), and Sports Tournaments & Events (up to $1.1 million). The remaining $600,000 covers administrative services. The contract runs from October 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028. Funding derives from Hawaii State General Funds and is subject to legislative appropriation and allotment.

Proposals will be evaluated on experience and qualifications (40 points), proposed work plan (30 points), past performance and case studies (10 points), references (5 points), and price (15 points). Selection is estimated for the week of September 21, 2026. Proposals must be submitted through the Hawaii State eProcurement System (HIePRO) only. Offerors must disclose conflicts of interest, certify non-debarment status, and affirm independent pricing determination without collusion per Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 84.