Chicago Issues Government Relations RFP

The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority in Chicago, Illinois is a political subdivision, unit of local government, body politic and municipal corporation established to promote, operate and maintain fairs, expositions, meetings and conventions in Cook County, Illinois.

The Authority owns McCormick Place®, an exhibition and convention center located at 23rd Street and Martin Luther King Drive in the City of Chicago, which is managed and operated by SMG, a private convention management company. McCormick Place® is North America’s premier convention facility that generates 66,000 jobs and $10 billion in annual economic activity for the City and State. The McCormick Place Complex (“MPC”) comprises four state-of-the-art buildings, the South, West, North buildings and the Lakeside Center. These buildings have a combined total of more than 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space, and over 600,000 square feet of meeting rooms, making it the nation’s largest convention center. The Authority also owns the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, a recently renovated and expanded 1,258- room hotel and conference center located adjacent to McCormick Place.

The Authority seeks to retain a firm with at least five (5) years of experience in providing legislative and intergovernmental services, and the proven expertise to represent the interests of the Authority in the legislative and executive branches of state government and to enhance overall the Authority’s governmental relationships.

SCOPE OF SERVICES include:

MONITOR LEGISLATION

• Monitor legislation and identify bills that could have an impact on MPEA policy or operations
• Evaluate which proposals are real and likely to move, based on internal analysis and discussions with legislative staff
• Identify motives initiating legislation
• Compile and send weekly legislative tracking reports, and end-of-session comprehensive analysis
• Attend committee hearings and advocate on MPEA’s behalf as necessary
• Gather information on potential legislation from staff, legislators and third party interests
• Monitor agencies and propose regulations in MPEA’s interests
• Identify potential allies and coalitions that could support MPEA objectives

DEFEND AGAINST ADVERSE LEGISLATION

• Evaluate possibility of adverse legislation
• Identify actual adverse legislation
• Develop and recommend legislative strategy to defend against adverse legislation
• Implement approved legislative strategy, and adjust/adapt when necessary

APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS

• Engage staff and legislators in the appropriations process
• Monitor appropriation numbers to ensure accuracy
• Arrange for pre-committee meetings with committee chairs, other legislators or staff as needed
• Canvass appropriation committee chairs and members before appropriation hearings

NEW PROPOSALS

• Review and evaluate MPEA legislative proposals
• Oversee drafting of legislation
• Develop and recommend legislative strategy to pass new MPEA sponsored legislation
• Implement approved legislative strategy, including education and advocacy as necessary

GENERAL ACTIVITY

• Facilitate a schedule of visits for MPEA officials with various members of the legislative and executive branches
• Lobby the state government and administrative agencies as necessary to pursue MPEA interests and objectives

Proposal due by August 26^th

Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority
Attn: Procurement Department
301 East Cermak Road
Chicago, Illinois 60616

Major PR firms in Chicago include Walker Sands, SS PR, Edelman and Zeno Group.