SUBMISSION DEADLINE
5:00 PM CST, MARCH 10, 2023
RFP TITLE: North Carolina Commodities Conference Meeting Planner
RFP CONTACT:
Name: Charles Hall
Phone: 919-309-5491
Email: chall@ncsoy.org
PROPOSAL DEADLINE: March 10, 2023
INTRODUCTION:
The North Carolina Commodities Conference is the annual conference of the North Carolina Corn Growers Association, the North Carolina Cotton Producers Association, the North Carolina Small Grain Growers Association, and the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association. The four associations organize the annual conference jointly for 400 to 600 participants from the farm industry, agricultural technology companies, the university and government. The official host duty rotates between the associations annually. The 2024 conference, to be held at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham / RTP, will be the 34th annual conference.
PURPOSE OF RFP:
The conference organizers seek a contractor to plan the 2024 North Carolina Commodities Conference, January 10-12, 2024. The contractor duties will include attending planning meetings, managing vendors, conference registration, conference speakers, VIPs, event schedule, room bookings for guests, on-site registration, and other duties as detailed below.
BACKGROUND & PURPOSE OF NORTH CAROLINA COMMODITY CONFERENCE:
The North Carolina Commodity Conference is the premier conference for row crop growers, agricultural technology company employees, university agricultural researchers and North Carolina Extension specialists, and governmental and non-governmental employees involved in the promotion and marketing of agricultural products. The conference combines crop production meetings and seminars with economic outlooks and marketing meetings and seminars. Vendors of agricultural products meet with customers and clients in a trade show area that is provided, while in separate ball rooms, guest speakers, agricultural experts and state leaders present seminars and conduct awards ceremonies.
The conference has been held for many years in Raleigh / Durham / RTP, and less frequently in other North Carolina cities and locations. The 2024 conference will be held at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel on Emperor Blvd. in Durham / RTP. Future conferences may be held at other locations with sufficient accommodations.
Through this conference, the four associations seek to educate growers on production agriculture technologies and techniques, to provide market information for economic decision-making at the farm
level, to provide an opportunity for growers to meet with vendors and with research scientists from various universities and companies, and to allow the volunteer farmer leaders who govern each of the four associations to interact.
TARGET AUDIENCE: The direct audience for the conference is North Carolina farmers who plant corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat, and other crops in rotation. An important audience are members of the directly related agricultural industry including seed and genetics company employees, crop protection company employees, marketers, brokers and purchasers, and processors of agricultural products. A substantial number of university researchers and agricultural Extension specialists attend the conference, as do association staff from the four host organizations and other trade & commodity associations.
SCOPE OF WORK (SERVICES):
• Attend initial and monthly planning meetings, more frequently as needed.
• Manage vendors and departments (AV, catering, housing / rooming, trade show area).
• Registration including digital registration tools or platforms.
• Produce a conference schedule and agenda for digital and print media.
• Communications to prospects, registrants, and VIPs.
• Speakers (work with speakers selected by the planning committee).
• Book travel for speakers and VIP guests.
• Run on-site registration and provide staff for registration.
• Book rooms for registrants (all accommodation charges to guest account or association account.)
• Recommend, evaluate, and consult on site options & selection for the 2025 conference.
• Review the venue contract for the 2025 conference.
DELIVERABLES:
Note: The following deliverables and completion dates are illustrative. Applicants may propose alternative deliverable schedules provided that all work is completed by no later than January 31, 2024.
Within 10 business days of contract start date:
• Conduct a kick-off call with the N.C. Commodity Conference stakeholders to discuss
• the scope/objectives of the 2024 North Carolina Commodity Conference.
• Review the venue contract with the Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center.
Within 30 days of the contract start date:
• Conduct an initial planning meeting with the conference stakeholders.
• Provide a timeline for completing the tasks outlined in the Scope of Services (above).
• Produce a preliminary conference program and agenda.
• Arrange for a vendor trade show and communicate to vendor participants.
Within 90 days of the contract start date:
• Provide a contract registration tool or platform for digital registrations.
• Engage potential speakers as identified on availability and ability to attend.
• Meet with vendor to plan space, menus, schedules, and other conference on-site requirements.
• Communicate conference information to prospects and registrants.
• Initiate online registration process.
• Initiate room bookings for registrants, speakers and other guests.
• Maintain a regular schedule of meetings with the conference stakeholders.
• Continue to contact vendors and arrange for their participation in vendor trade show area.
During the conference:
• Provide on-site registration & staffing, and other on-site services as identified.
• Provide name badges and conference programs.
• Maintain a final list of all participants, speakers and guests on-site.
PROJECT TIMELINE:
The estimated contract dates are April 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024. The contract may be renewed at the discretion of the stakeholders.
RFP TIMELINE:
• RFP Distribution date: February 17, 2023.
• Last Day to Submit Questions: March 8, 2023.
• Proposals Due: March 10, 2023, by 5:00PM Eastern Time.
• Selections Made By: April 1, 2023.
• Prospective Contractors Notified By: April 1, 2023.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Proposals must contain at a minimum the specific criteria listed below:
- Please email the proposal to chall@ncsoy.org by 5:00PM Central Time on March 10, 2023.
- A description of Prospective Contractor’s capabilities, resources, and experience. Emphasis
should be placed on experience related to this RFP. - A thorough proposal outlining Prospective Contractors planned work, deliverables and
timeline to complete the work. - Resumes for each of the Prospective Contractor’s personnel assigned to work directly on the
implementation of the contract. - Provide a minimum of two names and contact information for other similarly sized clients
for reference purposes. - Proposals should be no longer than 10 pages (8 ½” x 11”).
- Detailed Budget
- All bids for services must provide a breakout of how the fee was derived.
including but not limited to a breakdown of hourly rate and the amount of
effort anticipated to complete the work.
- NOTES:
- Prospective Contractors are hereby notified that proposals will be duplicated for internal review only. Every effort will be made to maintain confidentiality of all information presented. The appropriate representatives from staff and legal counsel will review proposals. Proposals will not be returned.
- The conference stakeholders reserve the right to retain all proposals submitted. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the submitter of the conditions contained in the request for proposal, unless clearly and specifically noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in the contract between the stakeholders and the contractor selected.
- Confidentiality – Without the stakeholders’ prior written consent, Prospective Contractors and officers, employees, agents, representatives, affiliates, and subcontractors shall not disclose to any third party any documents, materials or information that the Prospective Contractors learns from or is provided in relation to the RFP request.
- During the evaluation process, the stakeholders reserve the right to request additional information or clarifications from proposers, or to allow corrections of errors and omissions.
- The stakeholders reserve the right to reject any proposal that is in any way inconsistent or irregular. The stakeholders also reserve the right to waive proposal defects or deficiencies, to request additional information, and/or to negotiate with the Prospective Contractor regarding the proposal.
- Prospective Contractor agrees that Fees are in lieu of any and all other benefits, including, but not limited to, repayment of any and all taxes related to contractor service fees, health and life insurance, administrative costs, and vacation.
- Prospective Contractor agrees that any income taxes, value added taxes or any other form of direct or indirect taxes on compensation paid under the contract shall be paid by Contractor and not by the stakeholders or their funding sources.
- The stakeholders and Prospective Contractor agree to comply with the provisions of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO). NCSPA provides EEO to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.
- Prior to any payment to a Contractor, a contractor must provide a W-9, W-8, or W-8BEN upon agreement signature.
