Year-round Carnival Provider for Oregon State Fair and Exposition Center

The Oregon State Fair and Exposition Center (OSFEC), a public corporation created by the State of Oregon, is requesting proposals for year-round carnival operations and midway services including rides, games, food concessions, ticketing, staffing, and safety management for the eleven-day annual Oregon State Fair (serving over 400,000 guests) and designated Signature Events (Fourth of July Spectacular, Scare at the Fair, Holiday Village, and future events), with proposals due October 22, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

The scope requires a minimum of 41 rides (25 Major, 6 Spectacular, 10 Kiddie) with at least 75% contractor ownership, a minimum of 30 carnival games, and no more than 15 food concession stands unless OSFEC approves otherwise. The contractor must provide comprehensive ticketing systems, guest services, and safety management aligned with fair operations.

The financial structure obligates the contractor to pay OSFEC the greater of $750,000 annual Guaranteed Minimum Payment or 40% of Gross Receipts from rides and shows, plus a $198,000 annual flat fee for concessions, games, food, and direct sales. For Signature Events, the contractor pays 30% revenue share (Fourth of July Spectacular) or 25% (Scare at the Fair and Holiday Village). The contractor must commit to a minimum $60,000 annual marketing and promotional contribution. Gross Receipts include all revenue from rides, shows, games, and concessions regardless of sales channel, with deductions limited to documented customer refunds and expressly authorized items. The initial contract term is three years with one optional two-year renewal contingent on performance review and OSFEC approval, with a January 1, 2027 anticipated start date.

OSFEC will evaluate proposals using Best Value criteria weighting company qualifications and experience (10 points), ride portfolio and attraction quality (15 points), operations and safety management (15 points), guest experience and accessibility (10 points), technology and ticketing (5 points), capital investment and innovation (10 points), marketing and community engagement (5 points), Signature Events partnership approach (5 points), sustainability practices (5 points), and financial proposal (20 points). Written questions are due October 1, 2026; responses will be issued by October 8. OSFEC anticipates issuing a Notice of Intent to Award on November 18, 2026, with contract execution expected November–December 2026. The contractor must carry commercial general liability insurance of $5 million per occurrence / $10 million aggregate, automobile liability of $1 million per accident, and applicable Oregon Workers' Compensation coverage, with performance security up to $600,000 potentially required.