Travel Information Center and Gift Shop Operations

The Kansas Department of Commerce, Office of Procurement and Contracts, is issuing a Request for Proposal to solicit competitive bids for the operation of the Belle Plaine Travel Information Center (TIC) and Gift Shop located at milepost 26 on Interstate 35 near Belle Plaine in Butler County, Kansas. Qualified vendors may propose to manage the TIC operations, gift shop operations, or both services under this procurement. The TIC comprises approximately 5,000 square feet and serves over 100,000 visitors annually, operating 361 days per year with seasonal hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (September 16 through May 14) and 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (May 15 through September 15), while the gift shop occupies approximately 500 square feet. For TIC management (Option 1), the contractor must provide all staffing costs, janitorial services, equipment maintenance, and visitor data collection, while Kansas Tourism covers utilities, furniture acquisition, and capital improvements. For gift shop operations (Option 2), the contractor assumes all inventory purchasing, staffing, and operational costs, with a requirement that at least 75 percent of inventory comprise Kansas-made or Kansas-themed products. The contract term runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, with options to renew for three additional twelve-month periods at price adjustments not exceeding five percent. Contractors must maintain general liability insurance of at least one million dollars per occurrence, naming the Kansas Department of Commerce as additional insured, and must attend the annual Kansas Tourism Conference with reimbursement for registration and hotel costs. Proposals must be electronically submitted or delivered by courier to the Kansas Department of Administration, Procurement and Contracts office at 900 SW Jackson Suite 451-South, Topeka, KS 66612-1286 by April 29, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. CST. Questions requesting clarification must be submitted via email in Microsoft Word format to Procurement Officer Lara J. Williams by close of business on April 13, 2026. Prospective bidders must request an official invitation from the Procurement Officer at least 24 hours before the bid deadline, and no pre-proposal conference is scheduled.

Bidders must submit a current Tax Clearance Certificate from the Kansas Department of Revenue with their proposal and comply with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. All bid responses must include completed certifications regarding the Boycott of Israel, Sexual Harassment, and Immigration Reform and Control, and bidders must confirm acceptance of the State of Kansas terms and conditions. Eligible vendors may claim preference under the Disabled Veteran Owned Business or Certified Business Bidder categories by including appropriate supporting documentation. The State of Kansas reserves the right to accept or reject any bid responses, waive minor deviations, confirm tax status of potential contractors prior to award, and conduct negotiations with selected bidders before the Procurement Negotiation Committee. All bid responses become property of the State of Kansas and are subject to disclosure under the Kansas Open Records Act upon conclusion of the selection process. While no specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the available documents, the solicitation indicates that Kansas Tourism will request specific items for resale not exceeding $5,000 annually, and pricing must be guaranteed for the initial two-year contract period with written notification of any adjustments four months prior to renewal.