School Nutrition Training Conference 2026

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has issued a Request for Quote (RFQ) for comprehensive event services to support the FY26 School Nutrition Programs Annual Training Conference scheduled for June 24-25, 2026, in Central Illinois. The procurement seeks a single vendor to serve as the exclusive provider of venue space, lodging accommodations, catering services, and audiovisual equipment for this two-day conference. The event will accommodate approximately 400 participants on Wednesday, June 24th (10:00 AM to 5:00 PM) and up to 500 participants on Thursday, June 25th (7:30 AM to 5:00 PM), with preferred locations in Peoria, Bloomington/Normal, or Springfield. Required physical infrastructure includes registration tables and conference areas for the half-day Wednesday session, plus a 500-person main room with breakout spaces for the full-day Thursday session. All quoted prices must be valid for 30 days from submission, include all charges with no price increases permitted, and ISBE is guaranteed the lowest price if a decrease is negotiated. The RFQ explicitly prohibits third-party bidders and requires only one proposal per event space, with the contract term extending from execution through the conclusion of conference services. The due date for responses is January 9, 2026.

Vendors responding to this procurement must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including General Commercial Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 annual aggregate, Auto Liability of $1,000,000, Worker's Compensation as required by law, and Professional Liability Insurance of $1,000,000 per claim/$1,000,000 annual aggregate. All catering costs must include server and staffing charges as part of the quoted price. Vendors are encouraged to register as Small Businesses with the State of Illinois, though no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are indicated in the available documentation. Respondents must complete and submit the Standard Illinois Certifications form and the Vendor Disclosure and Certification form if they maintain active Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG) registration, certifying compliance with 30 statutory requirements including drug-free workplace policies, equal employment opportunity standards, sexual harassment policies, environmental compliance, and cybersecurity clearance. The specific budget range or award value is not identified in the available RFQ documentation. ISBE reserves the right to reject any or all offers and waive minor defects in submissions.