REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO MANAGE, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN THE MOBILE CONVENTION CENTER IN MOBILE, ALABAMA DEADLINE: August 1, 2008 City of MOBILE Government Plaza 205 Government Street Mobile, Alabama 36602 May 2008 1
PUBLIC NOTICE The City of Mobile ( City ) is seeking competitive proposals from qualified companies to provide management services for the day-to-day operation of the Mobile Convention Center (MCC). The initial term of this management contract will terminate on September 30, 2011, with options to renew. Sealed proposals will be received until 5:00 p.m. on August 1, 2008 at the following address: City of Mobile Mobile Government Plaza 9 th Floor 250 Government Street Mobile, AL 36602 Please send a letter of intent to respond to this RFP by June 1, 2008 to: Robert O. Bostwick, Jr. Director, Cultural and Civic Development City of Mobile 205 Government Plaza South Tower Mobile, AL 36602 A pre-proposal submission meeting is scheduled for June 20, 2008 at 10.a.m., at the following address: Mobile Convention Center Conference Room Water Street Mobile, AL 36602 Attendance at the pre-proposal meeting is encouraged, but is not mandatory. Please contact the following person for questions concerning this RFP or to arrange a site visit: Robert O. Bostwick, Jr. Director, Cultural and Civic Development City of Mobile 205 Government Plaza South Tower Mobile, AL 36602 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Scope of Services II. MCC Goals for Responses to RFP IV. Selection Process and Schedule IV. Format for Responses III. Selection Criteria VI. Reservation of rights 3
1. Scope of Services The Mobile Convention Center ( MCC ) has successfully functioned as a convention, trade show, and multi-purpose facility since 1993. The MCC features a 100,000-square foot Exhibit Hall, 15,000-square foot Grand Ballroom, sixteen meeting rooms, two and three-storey glass-enclosed atria, and outdoor terraces overlooking the Mobile River. The MCC is a distinctive and beautiful structure perfectly sited in the heart of Mobile s downtown area and thriving portside. Mobile has an expanding economy and population and has recently attracted major new employers, including the Thyssen Krupp carbon and stainless steel manufacturing processing facility to be located in north Mobile County, and the manufacturing site for the Northrup Grumman EADS air tanker refueling $40 billion contract awarded by the U.S. Air Force. These developments and an expansion of Mobile s existing maritime and aerospace industries should dramatically impact MCC bookings and events, creating increased demand for the facility and the need to adapt and grow to a new business climate. MCC intends to grow with Mobile and is seeking a management company with the skills and institutional insight that will intelligently support its growth. This RFP has been intentionally written as an open-ended solicitation of proposals. The criteria are deliberately broad so that respondents have a license to add information, perhaps not specifically requested, that will help the City evaluate how they will successfully address the realities of managing, operating, and maintaining a mid-sized convention center. Rather than dictate the specific elements that would be incorporated into the contract with the successful respondent, the City wishes to draw on the respondents expertise by allowing each to propose a management plan and a compensation proposal which best meets the City s goal of providing a professionally-run Convention Center in a costeffective manner. Creative and innovative proposals are encouraged. 4
II. MCC Goals THE MCC seeks a company who will operate the MCC in a cost-effective, professional manner, consistent with the standards employed by major U.S. convention centers. Specific goals are as follows: Management professional management for all aspects of MCC operations. MCC resources should be expended efficiently and effectively and its assets well maintained, in good order, clean, safe and secure. Marketing aggressive marketing and promotion of the MCC in a manner that will maximize use of the facility, area hotels and destinations. MCC has a strong working relationship with the Mobile Bay Convention and Visitors Center (MCVC), a non-profit corporation under contract with the City of Mobile, charged with promoting Mobile and its convention business. MCC seeks a management company that will work closely with the MCVC to optimize marketing results. Because food and beverage service and pricing should be an integral part of the management and marketing of the convention facility, proposals for food service, alone, will not be considered. A food service provider may participate, however, as a subcontractor to a Base Proponent or as a joint proponent under an Alternate Joint Proposal. Customer Service high quality service to MCC clients, exhibitors, and patrons, based on operational policies and vendor contracts which address and satisfy event-related requirements. Quality Control policies and procedures that ensure that management and subcontractors provide high quality services. Fiscal Services ongoing maintenance of records and accounts and preparation of operational reports and budgets in industry-accepted accounting formats. Reporting and Accountability maintenance of an MCC calendar of all booked business accessible to all stakeholders and a monthly sales report on all leads and booked business. Operational Services efficient performance of all the following o Event coordination, production, staffing, and servicing o Facility operation, maintenance, security and parking services Food Service provision of food, beverage and catering services which balances high quality and value 5
III. Selection Process and schedule A. Letter of Intent If you wish to submit a response to this RFP, please send a letter of intent to the City. Your letter should include the name of your company, as well as a brief description of your history, and the name, address, telephone number and fax number of the individual designated as your contact. Any clarifications or addenda to the RFP will be sent to your designated contact person. All persons or entities submitting a Letter of Intent will be included on a distribution list for any communications, comments or revisions during the RFP process. Failure to provide a Letter of Intent will not disqualify a respondent from submitting a proposal; however, respondents should be aware that by failing to submit a Letter of Intent, a respondent will not be on the distribution list for any communications, comments, or revisions. Please address both your letter of intent by June 20, 2008 to: Robert O. Bostwick, Jr. Director, Cultural & Civic Development City of Mobile 205 Government Plaza Mobile, AL 36602 B. Comments to RFP The City recognizes that operation of a convention center is a complex undertaking, susceptible to multiple management strategies. This RFP is purposefully nonspecific in order to encourage not only complete answers to the questions posed but creative proposals which will offer the City the best value for quality services. To this end, the City encourages comments to the RFP during the application process. The City reserves the right to amend the RFP in view of comments timely submitted. Comments or criticisms of the RFP submitted to the City after July 1, 2008 will not be considered. Please address all comments by July 1, 2008 to: Robert O. Bostwick, Jr. Director, Cultural & Civic Development City of Mobile 205 Government Plaza Mobile, AL 36602 6
C. Schedule for Review of Responses to RFPs The following schedule applies: 1. June 1, 2008: Deadline for receipt of letters of intent 2. June 20, 2008 Pre-proposal submission meeting 2. July1, 2008: Deadline for optional comments to this RFP 3. August 1, 2008 (5:00 p.m.): Deadline for responses to RFP (please provide 10 copies). Any response received after August 1, 2008 will be returned unopened. Review of submittals will begin immediately after receipt, followed by selection of the winning proposal. 7
IV. Format for Responses (Please provide 10 copies of all of the below) A. Cover Letter to be Submitted with Response to RFP Please identify the partners, consultants, or contractors in your company. Please provide the names of individuals who prepared the RFP response and their relationships to your company. Please confirm that the management company will have sole and complete responsibility for performing the services as defined in the RFP. Please provide a statement signed by the representative who has authority to legally bind the management company, verifying the identification of the company as a corporation or other legal entity. B. Assumptions Assume that a successful respondent will enter into a contract with an initial term, ending (date). Thereafter, at the City s sole option, the contract may be extended for four additional years. Thereafter, the contract may be extended for an additional four years, upon the exercise of this option by both the City and respondent. All options must be exercised in writing no later than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the contract term. C. Response 1. Company Profile Please include your date of incorporation, ownership, corporate office, number of years in business, size of business, services offered, operating philosophy, financial performance and personnel policies. Please list all similar convention centers under contract to the management company and include all appropriate contact information. Please provide a comprehensive list of all contracts that have not been renewed with the management company since January 1, 2003. Include name, physical address, type of facility, and contact information for the client or contract administrator. Please provide your company s most recent audited financial statement. 2. Management Plan Please describe how you meet MCC s goals identified in Section II of this RFP. Please describe the experience your company will provide users of this facility. Please describe the management team you will implement, by providing titles, job descriptions, and organization chart. 8
3. Marketing Please indicate how you intend to measure MCC operational performance. Please describe how you will recruit, organize, and train MCC staff. Indicate the number and titles of full time staff employees who will be put in place and include an organizational chart. Please provide a sample of the rules and regulations you will provide users of the facility. Please provide a suggested use agreement/contract for MCC clients and exhibitors. Please provide suggested booking and scheduling policies and procedures. Please describe your marketing plan to book groups and conventions into the Convention Center. Please describe how you propose to use food and beverage service and pricing as part of your marketing proposal. 4. Operational Services Please describe your approach to event coordination, production, staffing and servicing. Provide a suggested event work order and order form for exhibitor services. Please describe your approach to facility operation, maintenance, housekeeping, parking, electrical services, and security services. Please describe how you will manage human resources and payroll. Include your methods for recording operating revenues and expenses. Please propose a budget approval and internal review process. 5. Food Services Please describe your approach to the provision of food services, paying particular attention to the ever-present issue of balancing quality food service with value. 9
6. Proposals a) Base Proposal: If you intend to offer food, beverage, and catering services as part of your services contract, please provide a comprehensive bid for both management and food services. If you intend to subcontract food, beverage, and catering to a third party, you must: Identify that subcontractor; Provide a proposed copy of the subcontract; Explain how the subcontract arrangement will allow the flexibility needed to provide the City with a marketing tool it values, including allowing groups to hire independent caterers, if essential to the booking or using meal and beverage pricing as an incentive to book conventions. b) Alternate Joint Proposal: The City acknowledges that food services providers may wish to contract with the City directly, rather than as a subcontractor. The City cannot accept a food services-only bid, but will accept a joint bid; i.e., a combined bid from a management services provider and a food services provider, with each successful joint responder to enter into a contract with the City for its respective service. If you wish to submit such an alternate bid, you must provide the following: A detailed explanation of the nature and mechanics of the relationship between both providers, including how the providers will work together, and with the City, to achieve the goals identified in this RFP. 10
V. Selection Criteria The City will evaluate each proposal, based on the following criteria: The qualifications and competence of the management company to perform the requested services and achieve MCC s stated goals. Preference will be given to those companies whose personnel have significant experience in managing facilities similar to MCC in size and service requirements. The management company s past performance, as indicated by references from current or past clients. Our perception of the company s ability to provide quality services while meeting financial objectives and its knowledge of how to manage facilities similar in size and type. Consideration will be given to unique approaches, concepts, resources and experiences that will improve and ensure MCC s success. How the company plans to allocate resources, generate revenue and enhance facility utilization. How the company will balance high quality food, beverage and catering services and value pricing. Whether the proposal meets or exceeds the requirements of the RFP and offers innovative and creative methods of achieving high quality service at the best value. The final cost and benefit to the City as demonstrated by pro formas that project any revenue to or expense incurred by the City using realistic and verifiable assumptions. 11
VI. Reservation of Rights The City reserves the right to: Additionally: Amend, modify, or withdraw this RFP Revise any requirements under this RFP Accept any proposal deemed to be in the best interests of the City, and to reject any and all proposals. Require supplemental or clarifying information from any responding party, without having been deemed to have changed the terms of the RFP Extend the deadline for submissions of responses Negotiate or hold discussions with any bidder to correct insufficient responses or responses that do not conform to instructions Waive any nonconformity with this RFP Waive any portion of the selection process to accelerate the selection and negotiation with the top-ranked respondent. The City may exercise all rights at any time without notice and without liability for expenses incurred in responding to any changes in the RFP. Responses are prepared at the sole cost and expense of the respondent. Nothing stated at any time by any City representative will effect a change or addition to the RFP, unless confirmed in writing by the City. All information submitted in response to this RFP shall become the property of the City, and as such, may be subject to public review as public records. Respondents acknowledge and agree that the City will not be liable for any costs, expenses, losses, damages (including damages for loss of anticipated profit) or liability incurred by the respondent as a result of, or arising out of, responding to this RFP. The City shall release all public information concerning this RPF and selection process, including selection announcements and contract awards. Anyone desiring to release information to the public shall receive prior written approval from an authorized agent of the City. Neither the City nor any of its officers, agents, consultants, or employees shall be responsible for the accuracy of any information provided as part of this RFP, including appendices. All respondents are encouraged to independently verify the accuracy of any information provided. The use of this information in the preparation of a response to the RFP is at the risk of the respondent. Respondents shall not collude in any manner or engage in any practices with any other respondent which may restrict or eliminate competition or otherwise restrain trade. Violation of this instruction will cause the City 12
to reject the respondent s submittal. This prohibition is not intended to preclude joint ventures or subcontracts. All responses must be the original work product of the respondent. The copying, paraphrasing, or other use of substantial portions of the work product of another respondent is not permitted. Failure to adhere to this instruction will cause the City to reject the offending response. L:\WPDocs\D005\P001\00013451.DOC 13