Council of Georgist Organizations RFP – May and Williams, Ltd.

Request for Proposal (Modified APEX)

Council of Georgist Organizations, Inc. Annual Conference
Event Name : ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Event Host Organization: COUNCIL OF GEORGIST ORGANIZATIONS, INC
Event Organizer (if different from Host Organization): May and Williams, Ltd.
Key Contact People: Sue & Scott Walton Job Title: Co-Owners
E-mail Address: sns@swwalton.com
Web Address: www.swwalton.com
Preferred Method of Communication: Email
Event Organizer/Host Organization Billing Address: same above address

Background:

Type of Association: Umbrella group of over 50 International Educational/Public Economic Policy Groups who believe that a land tax should be the only tax.
(They are the followers of Henry George, author of the 1879 best seller–”Progress & Poverty”.)

Event Objectives: annual business meeting; network with like minded people; to share educational methods and public policy successes

Typical Event Start Date: Tuesday-pre-conference; Formal Start Day: Wednesday evening Event End Date: Sunday afternoon HOWEVER, GROUP IS TOTALLY FLEXIBLE! We can start on a Sunday and end on a Friday. The group likes to do 3.5 to 4.5 day events with some preconference meetings.

Attendee Profile:
Expected Total Event Attendance: 50-60 if normal; could be 50% of historical attendance in 2022
Attendee Demographics Profile: Mainly Males who are university professors, public policy analysts
Mostly older adults with some young families mainly from the Metro New City area,
but also from Mid-Atlantic corridor, Chicago, St. Louis, Portland, Oregon, Canada, Great Britain, & Australia; amount of fly-ins/drive-ins depends on location selected. Accessibility/Special Needs: one or two accessible rooms.

PRICE: Value conscience clientele; group rate can not be higher than any promotional rate. Rate to be determined by location and economic conditions. Group composed of 75% retirees plus some families with young children. Mostly double/doubles. Need location which is handicapped accessible and which has convenient/low cost airport shuttle service, as well as free parking. Stores & Restaurants within a short walk a definite plus. Public Transit or accessible by expressway a plus as well. Rate needs to be under $125.00 commissionable-please see recent rate history below.

Overall Food & Beverage Budget: $10,000-12,000 USD Gross
Includes Tax: Yes Includes Service Charges: Yes Includes Gratuity: Yes
Other Function Space and Food & Beverage Requirements Comments: all meals served buffet style with vegetarian & vegan options.

Guest Room Requirements:
The following chart outlines guest room requirements for the event. It begins with the first day of attendee/staff arrival and ends with the final departure day:

Day	Single Bedded Rooms	Double Bedded Rooms	Suites
1	0	5	1
2	6	10	1
3	11	22	1
4	14	21	1
5	14	21	1
6	12	18	1
7	1	5	1
Total	26	116	6

Total Room Nights: 145-based on 2017 attendance
The planner uses a suite plus there is sometimes a hospitality room or suite. In 2017, we used a function room as our hospitality room because the hotel did not have alot of suites and what suites they did have were tiny.
Occupancy: mainly 2 people to a room, However do have some participants who bring their families with them. May have some quads. Prefer run of the house room blocks.

Next Open Year: 2022 (2021-Virtual)

Event Profile Comments: Totally flexible; excluding July 1-5. Also Totally flexible as to Days of the week. Please give us your best rares/dates
Number of days/hours needed in advance of published event dates for set-up and move-in:= 1 day for pre-meetings ( 3 pm the day precon meetings occur)
Number of days/hours needed post-event for tear-down and move-out:= 4 hours (5 pm on last day)

Location Requirements: The event does not need to take place in a specific location.
Must be accessible by car, train, bus and air. Prefer second, third & fourth tier markets
with good airlift; venues within easy walking distance of family style restaurants and shops-can be
airport, suburban, center city or rural

Facility Preferences: Mid-Level Hotel with food and beverage, conference centers attached to
hotels and college campus with nearby hotels

Exhibits: 2-4 table tops
Exhibitor Demographics Profile: subgroups/like minded groups promoting causes; selling books,.
Need power & phone line for organization’s credit card terminal.
Secured Exhibition area preferably in the general session room in the rear and along the sides.

Gross Space Required: 500-750 Square Feet to be included in general session

Venue History-2021–2010 with recent paid rates.

2021-Twelve plus sessions done via zoom

2020-Thirtern plus sessions done via zoom

*Please note that each year there are local participants who do not stay in the headquarters hotel.

July 23-27, 2019 (Tuesday evening to Saturday morning)-Sheraton Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA; 140 rooms; blocked 137; 55 participants; sleeping room rate: $129 commissionable; Pick Up: 7/21-1; 7/22-5; 7/23-32; 7/24-34;7/25-34;7/26-30;7/26-3; 7/28-1; peak nights: Wednesday & Thursday-7/24 & 7/25 F&B=$14,300 gross

August 25-September 1, 2018-Holitday Inn Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD; 181 room nights gross; $14,000 in food & beverage; room rate: $119; 60 participants

July 26-July 31, 2017-Hilton Garden Inn St. Louis Shiloh O’Fallon, with Connection to Regency Conference Center O’Fallon, IL; 55 participants; Sleeping Room Rate: $109 commissionable; used 160 room nights; 150 blocked.

Date	7/25-Tues	7/26-Wed	7/27-Thurs	7/28-Fri	7/29-Sat	7/30-Sun	7/21-Mon	Total per type
King Suite	0	3	4	5	5	4	0	21
King		3	7	9	9	8	1	37
Queen Suite	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	7
Dble/Dbled	4	9	21	20	20	17	4	95
Total	5	16	33	35	35	30	6	160

made $10,000 guarantee in F&B

August 15-20, 2016,Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort located near Disney Springs, Orlando, FL; 60 participants; Sleeping Room Rate: $89-commissionable

Group Pick Up vs Block

Date	8/12-Fri	8/13-Sat	8/14-Sun	8/15-Mon	8/16-Tues	8/17-Wed	8/19-Thurs	8/20-Fri	8/21-Sat	8/22-Sun	8/23-Mon
Pick Up	1	6	17	34	37	36	12	10	5	4	2
Blocked	0	0	20	27	39	54	34	0	0	0	0

Total: 221 picked up vs 166 blocked; food & beverage minimum of $7600 met

———————————————————————

August 2-9, 2015-Embassy Suites by Hilton, Southfield, MI; 68 participants; Sleeping Room Rate: $99

Group Pick Up vs Block

Date	8/2-Sun	8/3-Mon	8/4-Tues	8/5-Wed	8/6-Thurs	8/7-Fri	8/8-Sat	8/9-Sun
Pick Up	11	20	37	39	39	38	36	7
Blocked	6	12	25	30	35	38	36	5

total – 227 used vs 192 blocked

$10,000 in Food & Beverage minimum met

—-

July 7-11, 2014-Radisson Newport Beach, Newport Beach, CA; 85 participants-$105-rate

Date	7/4-Fri	7/5-Sat	6-Jul-Sun	7/7-Mon	7/8-Tues	7/9-Wed	7/10-Thurs	7/11-Fri	7/12-Sat	7/13-Sun	Total
Blocked	—	—	13	26	37	52	12	12	—	—	152
Pick-up	1	5	21	41	43	42	41	37	9	4	244

$13,000 food & beverage minimum met; First time back to the West Coast since 1998 and California since 1993

*Please note that each year there are local participants who do not stay in the headquarter’s hotel.

—-

August 5-August 10, 2013-Four Points by Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport (flag changed to Wyndham, Fall of 2013), Pittsburgh, PA-60 participants-$95 rate-full American Breakfast included

Group was bumped from the Pittsburgh Holiday Inn Airport, after that hotel was converted into dormitory space for Robert Morris University on 5/1/13.

Date	8/4-Sun	8/5-Mon	8/6-Tues	8/7-Wed	8/8-Thurs	8/9-Fri	8/10-Sat	Total
Blocked	0	12	25	35	40	45	0	157
Pick Up	3	20	28	31	31	28	6	147

—

July 30-August 3, 2012-Camp Hill-Harrisburg, PA Radisson-50 participants-$99 commissionable rate

149 room nights used vs 173 blocked (includes 3 comps per night)

Date	7/27-Fri	7/28-Sat	7/29-Sun	7/30-Mon	7/31-Tues	8/1-Wed	8/2-Thurs	Total
Blocked	0	9	13	28	38	32	8	173
Pick Up	1	2	18	31	33	43	3	149

—

August 2-6, 2011-Bloomington, MN-Doubletree by Hilton Bloomington=60 participants-$99.00 commissionable rate

Total blocked: 185 vs total picked up 172

Date	Sat-7/30	Sun-7/31	Mon-8/1	Tues-8/2	Wed-8/3	Thurs-8/4	Fri-8/5	Sat-8/6	Total
Blocked	0	0	22	41	43	38	37	3	185
Picked Up	1	1	19	38	40	38	35	2	172

July 11-16, 2010-Albany, NY-Best Western Sovereign Hotel-68 participants-$79.99 with full American Breakfast-commissionable

Total: 130 blocked vs 162 picked up

Date	7/10-Sat	7/11-Sun	7/12-Mon	7/13-Tues	7/14-Wed	7/15-Thurs	7/16-Fri	Total
Blocked	0	10	25	30	30	30	5
Picked Up	1	18	35	36	34	35	3

Please note that history dating back to 1993 can supplied upon request

Location Requirements:The event does not need to take place in a specific location.
Must be accessible by car, train, bus and air. Prefer second, third & fourth tier markets
with good airlift; venues within easy walking distance of family style restaurants and shops-can be
airport, suburban, center city or rural

Facility Preferences: Mid-Level Hotel with food and beverage, conference centers attached to
hotels and college campus with nearby hotels

Food & Beverage, Audio Visual & Function Room Requirements:
Largest Function Space: Minimum Square Footage: 2000

Set-up Type Required: front table with lectern microphone and 2 side tables with microphones on risers; prefer theater with 2 rows in the front and two in the back set classroom with center aisle and microphone & stand (love tiered amphitheater/classroom set) Exhibits in rear. Clear view for 2 camera video shoot (camera need to be on Risers)

Minimum Capacity: 60 Minimum Ceiling Height: 10 preferred

Prefer Indoor Pool

Ability to use own AV equipment

Special Event: May go off site one day for bus trip-may be full or partial. Exact day to be determined on a year by year basis no less than 6 months prior to the start of the event.

Exhibit Hall/Area used for coffee breaks as well – 24 hour hold-locked when not in use. Exhibits can also be along sides and in the back of the general session room. If the general session room is used, it must be lockable. Gross Space Required: 800-1000 Square Feet

Office & Pre-Conference Sessions

Also need the following: Lockable Office on 24 hour hold beginning 4 pm on Day 1 until 5 pm on Day 6; office needs to be close to general session room

One Breakout for Board Meetings-8 am to 5 pm with coffee breaks, roll in lunch & afternoon break set conference style for 20-25 people (Day 2)

Conference Breakout Rooms: (Optional depending on the conference theme)
Maximum Number Required Simultaneously: 2 rooms set theater Days 3, 4 & 5 : 9 am -6 pm : Day 6: 8 am -12 noon. Dates & Day of the week patterns are highly flexible.

Complimentary Conference Office AND meeting planner’s suite provided for meeting tasks-24 hour hold. Registration Table in hall-Days 2-6

FOOD & BEVERAGE:

Morning Coffee Breaks & Afternoon Ice Tea Breaks; Catered Lunch/Brunch each day. Lunches may have a speaker. Day 4 or Day 5 Night Banquet with speaker. May go off-site for touring one day.

Overall Food & Beverage Budget: $10,000-12,000 USD approximately
Includes Tax: Yes Includes Service Charges: Yes Includes Gratuity: Yes
Other Function Space and Food & Beverage Requirements Comments: all meals served buffet style with vegetarian & vegan options.

Function Room Outline:

Day 1: Office opens 4 pm-24 hour hold lockable with at least one work table, waste basket, 4-6 chairs and wi-fi access. until 8 pm on Day 6

Day 2: Office continues

Day 2: Exhibits move in 5 pm (5-7 table tops)

Day 2: 7 10 pm reception for 40-45 people with speaker & registration-need podium

Day 3 : Office continues

Day 3: General Session: 60 Sandwich style (first & last rows classroom style; middle theater). Podium microphone plus panel set up with microphones on raised platform. Overhead Screen available for use in front of room (client has its own projector and some of its own microphones) 8 am to 10 pm

Day 3: 5 Exhibit tables set up in rear of general session room. 8 am to 10 pm

Day 3: Catered buffet lunch with speaker so need private room with microphone & podium.

Day 4 Office continues

Day 4: General Session: 60 participants. Overhead Screen available for use in front of room (client has its own projector) 8 am to 10 pm

Day 4: 5 Exhibit tables set up in rear of general session room. 8 am to 10 pm

Day 4: Catered buffet lunch with speaker so need private room with microphone & podium.

Day 5: Office continues

Day 5: General Session: 60 participants. Overhead Screen available for use in front of room (client has its own projector). 8 am to 6 pm

Day 5: 5 Exhibit tables set up in rear of general session room. 8 am to 10 pm

Day 5: Catered buffet lunch with speaker so need private room with microphone & podium.

Day 5: Buffet Banquet for 60-65 people with speaker (and podium microphone) 6:30 cash bar; 7-10 pm dinner; do not place next to another group without getting the written permission of the planner.

Day 6: Office continues until 8 pm maximum

Day 6: General Session from 8 am -10 am

Day 6: Possible Farewell champagne brunch with speaker 10 am-12 noon for 40-50;

Day 6: exhibits open 8 am to 12 noon

Other Guest Room Block & Food & Beverage Requirements Comments and Concessions

Occupancy: mainly 2 people to a room, However the group does have some participants who bring their families with them. May have some quads. Prefer run of the house room blocks.
Description of Accessible Rooms Requirement: at least one with rollin shower; several rooms on lower floors

Room Rate must reflect the location and the economy.
Government Per Diem Rates Required: No
Rebates, Assessments, or Commissions Will Be Paid on Room Rates: Yes
Describe rebate, assessment or commission requirements associated with this RFP: 10% Commissionable to May and Williams, Ltd.
Method of Reservations: Rooming List for VIP’s and Staff all others Individual Reservation

Concessions Desired
Guest Rooms: free suite for planner (to be used as a “pocket meeting room”); upgraded rooms for staff and president (total 5) Also Need a hospitality suite at conference rate.
Food & Beverage: free meeting space
Other: free parking, shuttle and internet
Contract Terms: Sliding Scale/flexible
Insurance: NA

Proposal Specifications
The RFP issuer expects that all work will be performed in a professional manner. All information provided in this RFP is proprietary for this purpose only. Information cannot be released without written permission from the contact person named above and below. Questions: Direct all questions and requests for additional information regarding this RFP to Sue or Scott Walton.

Decision Making Process:

Final Decision Makers: Board of Directors after Staff has reviewed proposals. Staff’s recommendations are heavily weighted. There will be a preliminary cut with a second and third review of finalists. Decision Notification Method via email and phone call

Timeline:

Proposals submitted
Top 2-3 cites selected
Site Inspections Done
Second Proposals requested from top 2-3 venues
Top venues submitted to board for approval
Contract requested
Contract negotiated (2nd and 3rd choices told to wait in the wings, until contract is fully negotiated)

Key Decision Factors:

Price, Contract Terms, Availability, Flexibility and Does venue meet our overall needs

Required Attachments:

May and Williams Database and simple 2-3 paragraph note stating rates and dates.(select all that apply):
Instructions for Responding:
· Expenses related to the preparation and completion of a response to this RFP are the sole responsibility of the vendor.
· The proposal with the lowest dollar amount will not necessarily be considered as the best proposal.
· Incomplete and/or late responses will not be considered.
· Accepted Formats for Responses: Email with either a pdf or word attachmentor sent via Mail

Proposal Content

( Each proposal responding to this RFP must include the following information (in the order presented here). Colleges please use college database form found elsewhere on this website. Proposals submitted without the following database form will not be considered.

MAY AND WILLIAMS, LTD.
sns@swwalton.com-email
INSTRUCTIONS: This form must be copied and pasted into a word processing document and then completed. Please answer all questions. Please do not attach menus. Please do not send standard collateral at this time.

Date Completed:
Facility Name:
Mailing Address Line 1:
Mailing Address Line 2:
City: State/Province: Zip/Postal Code:
Country: Web Site:

Owners’ name and corporate address:

Name of Management firm and Corporate Address:

The Names of Organizations which ‘rep’ my facility are: (cvb’s, national sales offices & 3rd party rep firms):

Name of Organization making the referral:

Primary Sales Contact:
Name
Phone:
Fax:
Email:

Response to Requirements:
Sleeping Room Price Range: Sunday-Thursday: Friday/Saturday:

F&B Price Ranges:
Per Gallon price of Ice Tea: Per Gallon price of Coffee

Appetizer Price Range: Themed Break Price Range:

Plated Breakfast Buffet Breakfast

Continental Breakfast Brunch

Hot Plated Lunch Cold Plated Lunch Buffet Lunch

Plated Dinner Buffet Dinner

Please provide us with a list of Vegan and Vegetarian entrees which are available for all meals.

Bar Tender Fee:__________ per hour

Currency Type: __________ Standard Tax %: _________________%

Standard Service Charge %: _________________%
Concessions Offered:
Guest Rooms: _________________ Food & Beverage: _________________Other Concessions: _________________

New 2020 question: Please briefly state your guidelines for Sanitation/Cleaning/Food Service & Social Distancing.

Do sleeping rooms have: thermopane windows wall thermostats?

When were your sleeping rooms last renovated? Total # of Rooms:

Total # of King/Singles. Double/Doubles: Suites: ADA Rooms:
Do your King Rooms have sofa sleepers?

# of On-Site Restaurants: When is your low season?
Can you do quads and b) how would they be configured. Do your double doubles allow for at lease one roll-a-way bed?

Stores/Malls/Restaurants within walking distance (less than 1/4 mile): Within 5 mile’s

Hotel Parking Cost: Cost of Airport Transfers: Distance in Time & Miles from Airport:

If applicable, where is the nearest public transit located in relationship to the hotel?

Please list all nearby hotels:

Age of Hotel: When was the meeting space last renovated?

How thick are your air walls? Total Sq Ft of Meeting Space:

# of Meeting Rooms: Sq. Ft. of Largest Meeting Room:

Please provide a function room list with name of room dimensions: ceiling height; are walls hard or divisible

Average Meeting Rental: Is Meeting Room Rental Sliding or Fixed:

What items are built into your meeting rooms ( ie white boards/screens)

Do you have high speed internet available in your sleeping rooms and in your function rooms if so at what charge?

Do you have the following:

self serve business ,copy, computer center (list hours & cost)

in room refrigerators in room microwaves wireless internet & cost

self-serve laundry facilities honor/business floors

swimming pool: indoor or outdoor or both

exercise facilities free shuttle to area attractions

Where is the nearest copy store?