Sole Source Public Review - MX Study Abroad Panama

City Colleges of Chicago is conducting a sole source public review for destination management services for the MX Study Abroad Panama program, with a public hearing scheduled for September 7, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. CDT via Zoom to allow interested parties to contest the sole source determination or present alternative vendor capability statements before contract award.

The proposed awardee is TRI-BAR S.A. (operating as Step by Step Travel), which asserts sole source capability based on Panama Tourism Authority licensure (License No. 751-AV), 15–20 years of combined leadership experience in destination management and educational travel, operational offices in Panama City and Chiriqui Province, and an established network of local partners including hotels, transportation providers, bilingual guides, and cultural organizations. City Colleges determined that no viable alternatives exist due to the requirement for fully integrated on-site service delivery in Panama coordinated with local Panamanian suppliers and institutions operating under Panamanian law.

The program is a 10-day, 11-night study abroad experience in Panama City and Colon scheduled for April 8–17, 2027, accommodating a maximum of 30 paying participants plus up to 2 complimentary chaperones and additional chaperone slots at supplemental cost. The program emphasizes social-emotional learning, cultural competency, and service-learning through tours of the Panama Canal Museum, Casco Antiguo, Panama La Vieja, Fort San Lorenzo, indigenous Embera communities, and exchanges with Panama University officials, supplemented by community service and cultural activities. TRI-BAR provides round-trip transportation, hotel accommodations, nine breakfasts, seven lunches, nine dinners, bilingual guides, museum and cultural site entrance fees, 24/7 group coordination, and on-ground support.

The contract value is $84,025 for the initial term. Per-participant pricing is $2,720 at 30 participants or $2,815 if enrollment falls to 25 or fewer, with an optional $725 supplemental fee for private rooms. A $1,700 contingency allowance covers wire transfer fees, currency exchange, and processing charges. Funding derives from Educational Funds.

Registration to testify or submit competing vendor capability statements must be completed by September 7, 2026, with William Moore, Contracts Administrator, at (773) 487-6958 or Wmoore48@ccc.edu.