Youth Sports League Program

The Gila River Indian Community's Tribal Recreation and Wellness department is seeking a professional services contractor to administer youth sports league programs through Request for Proposals RFP-0632-TRW. The comprehensive program encompasses multiple sports leagues including NFL Flag Football, Jr. Suns Basketball, and MLS Go Soccer, targeting participants from ages 3 to adults during summer and fall 2026 seasons. Key administrative responsibilities include establishing registration sites, providing customer support, schedule building, coach selection and training, conducting background checks for officials, and managing on-site representation for league games at reservation locations like the Sacaton Fairgrounds Multi-Use Sports Fields. Proposals must be submitted through the Bonfire e-procurement platform by January 22, 2026, at 11:00 AM, with a selection committee review scheduled for January 28, 2026, and anticipated selection date of January 29, 2026. The evaluation criteria totals 135 points, distributed across vendor qualifications and experience (50 points), technical approach and schedule (40 points), competitive cost (30 points), and Native American preference (5-15 points).

The solicitation includes specific preferences for Native American vendors and comprehensive insurance requirements, including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), Excess Liability ($2,000,000 per occurrence), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000), and Sexual Abuse/Molestation Liability ($500,000 per claim). While no specific contract value is explicitly stated, historical participation data indicates 328 participants in 2025 winter leagues and projected 880 participants in summer leagues across flag football, basketball, and soccer programs. The contract includes potential two-year renewal options, creating a possible three-year agreement term. The Gila River Indian Community is tax-exempt and requires contractors to comply with community laws, ordinances, and business licensing requirements. Billing will be processed within 30 calendar days following invoice approval, with invoices submitted to Accounts Payable in Sacaton, and the Community maintains the right to negotiate costs for 2027 and 2028 seasons.