Council of Georgist Organizations RFP
Request for Proposal
last updated 06/14/2021-copyright 2021 by May and Williams, Ltd.
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; Council Administrators
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
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
Attendee Profile: Expected Total Event Attendance: 50-60 pre-pandemic Approximately 50% of historical attendance expected for 2022
99% Males who are university professors, public policy analysts & activists.
75% older adults with some young families mainly from the Metro New City area,
Attendees also come from Mid-Atlantic corridor; Chicago,;St. Louis; Portland, Oregon; Canada, Great Britain, and Australia; amount of fly-ins/drive-ins varies with location selected
Cost: Value conscience clientele; group rate can not be higher than any promotional rate. Rate to be determined by location and economic conditions. Mostly double/doubles. Need a location which has convenient/low cost airport shuttle service, as well as free parking. Stores & Restaurants within a short walk a definite must. Breakfast included in the rate is strongly preferred Public Transit or accessible by nearby expressway a plus as well. Commissionable rate to Planner (May and Williams, Ltd.)
Event Profile Comments: Totally flexible; excluding July 1-5. Due to the current rapidly changing restriction and capacity conditions, please provide a proposal for both post pandemic and anticipated post pandemic requirements,. Group history attached for reference.
| Requirement | Pre-Pandemic | Post Pandemic |
| Attendance | 50-60 | 20-30 |
| # of Rooms per night | Bell curve 25 on peak | 10-15 |
| Single/Double | Mix:50:50 | Mix; 50:50 |
| ADA Rooms | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Total Room Nights | 145+ | 30-45 |
| Planner Room | Suite with 2 beds/Comped or discounted | Suite with 2 beds/Comped or discounted |
| Function Rooms: complete detail to be provided to finalists | 1 for eating; 1 for sessions; 1 small office | 1 for sessions & exhibits; 1 for office, |
| Primary Function Room Style & Exhibits | Classroom with raised center podium and riser for camera and space for 2-4 table tops | Classroom: 2 per 6 foot table with raised center podium and riser for camera and space for 2-4 table tops |
| Meal Style | 2 sided buffets | To be determined mainly off site/on your own except for opening & closing events |
| AV Needs | Bringing our own sound systems and projectors; do need a screen and strong band width free internet | Bringing our own; sound system and projectors do need a screen and strong band width free internet |
| Breaks | Coffee & Water | Coffee & Water |
| Office/Registration | Locked Room | Locked Room |
| Event Hours | 8 am to 10 pm daily | 9 am to 10 pm first full day; 9 am to 6 pm second day |
| Office Hours | 7 am to 8 pm daily; including set up day; check out day add: 4 hours | 7 am to 8 pm daily; including set up day; check out day add: 4 hours |
| Budget | Comp meeting space; F&B=$17,000 | To be determined |
| Reservations; history to provided upon request | Rooming list for staff to the master; otherwise individual | Rooming list for staff to the master; otherwise individual |
| Billing | Direct Bill | Direct Bill with deposits |
| Rate | Commissionable to May and Williams, Ltd. | Commisionable to May and Williams, Ltd. |
Totally Flexible as to Days of the week. Please give us your best rates/dates.
Venue History-2021–2014 with recent paid rates.
September, 2020- December, 2021-monthly zoom webinars plus brainstorming sessions and annual business meeting and Friendship Gathering
May-July 2020-Thirteen plus sessions done via zoom plus annual business meeting and annual Friendship Gathering.
*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
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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.
Contract Terms: Sliding Scale/flexible with progress dates in the contract which will be empathetic to both vendor and group.
Insurance: NA
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):
Accepted Formats for Responses: Email with either a pdf or word attachment
Proposal Content
( Each proposal responding to this RFP must include the following information (in the order presented here). 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:-please provide menu or names & contact info of outside vendors
Per Gallon price of Ice Tea: Per Gallon price of Coffee
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:
Stores/Malls/Restaurants within walking distance (less than 1/4 mile): Within 5 miles
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?
copyright 2021 by May and Williams, Ltd.