RFP no. 27-16 dvlmt of statewide hawaiʻi agritourism study

The Hawai'i Tourism Authority is requesting proposals to conduct and develop a Statewide Hawai'i Agritourism Study and Plan under RFP No. 27-16, with proposals due November 6, 2026 at 2:00 PM Hawaii Standard Time, questions due October 8, 2026 at 2:00 PM HST, and notice of intent to offer encouraged by October 22, 2026 at 2:00 PM HST.

The scope requires building upon existing agritourism research, updating or supplementing prior findings, and translating existing research into a concise, implementation-oriented statewide framework. Deliverables include a comprehensive Hawaii Agritourism Study synthesizing existing research and identifying implementation gaps; a Hawaii Agritourism Plan translating findings into a practical statewide implementation framework; stakeholder engagement and working group facilitation; policy recommendations; and final presentation materials suitable for state and county policymakers. The study must address agritourism's potential to support local farmers, strengthen regional economies, diversify visitor experiences, and increase direct farm-to-consumer connections while preserving Hawai'i's agricultural and rural character, ensuring appropriate agricultural land use, protecting natural and cultural resources, and addressing community concerns related to traffic, infrastructure, visitor impacts, and neighborhood compatibility.

The fixed-price contract carries a maximum compensation of $140,000 USD, tax-inclusive, funded entirely through U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) funds under Federal Award Number 07-79-07800. A mandatory 0.75% transaction fee (not to exceed $5,000 for the total contract term) is payable to Tyler Technologies for HIePRO administration. Contract performance runs from November 2026 through May 31, 2027 (six months). Estimated notice of award is the week of November 16, 2026.

Minimum qualifications require at least ten years of professional experience in research, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, and policy development, preferably in tourism, agriculture, and government sectors, and proven expertise working with governmental agencies and developing research studies and policy documents. Proposals are evaluated on experience and qualifications (20 points), proposed approach (40 points), past performance and case studies (20 points), references (5 points), and price (15 points), totaling 100 points. Offerors must provide at least three professional references as prime contractors on similar projects. The successful offeror must obtain and maintain commercial general liability insurance with a minimum of $1,000,000 per occurrence and automobile liability insurance of $1,000,000, provide a Certificate of Vendor Compliance prior to award, and comply with all applicable federal requirements governing EDA funds, including equal employment opportunity, debarment, and domestic preference requirements. All material developed under the contract is considered "works made for hire" with complete ownership vesting in the State.