Kenai Visitor Center Issues Travel Marketing RFP
The City of Kenai, Alaska is seeking proposals from qualified Proposers for Kenai Visitor Center Management Services and/or Kenai Tourism and Marketing Services. The successful proposal(s) will provide
The City of Kenai incorporated as a home-rule city in 1960, and today is an All-America City with moderate population growth and an economy that provides a high quality of life for residents with abundant natural and cultural assets to attract visitors. Overlooking the mouth of the Kenai River, Kenai has views of Cook Inlet as well as miles of beaches, two mountain ranges and four active volcanoes. The Kenai Municipal Airport serves as the transportation hub for air travel to the Kenai Peninsula and Cook Inlet. The City’s location, services, and natural attributes provide opportunities for growth as a center for the visitor industry. The Kenai Visitor and Cultural Center is the first stop made by visitors to find information about the Kenai area.
Scope of Work:
The City of Kenai requires the following Visitor Center Management and/or Kenai Tourism and Marketing Services to manage the Kenai Visitor and Cultural Center and/or market Kenai:
A. Schedule A
Visitor Center Management:
a. The City provides non-exclusive access to the City-owned Kenai Visitor and Cultural Center. Located at 402 Overland Street, the facility was constructed in 1992 and is approximately 9,340 square feet, including a 1,980-square-foot Cultural Exhibition Area, which houses the City’s permanent collection of natural history objects, archeological material, native artifacts, and contemporary art. The facility also includes a conference room, reception, boardroom, two offices, loading area, copy room, kitchen, storage, bathrooms, and basement. The Proposer may charge City-approved fees and rent for portions of the center upon written consent, as well as sell merchandise at the facility to defray costs associated with facility management.
b. The City provides maintenance, grounds keeping, snow removal, security monitoring, and utilities (water, sewer, electrical, and natural gas) at no cost to the Proposer. The Proposer must keep the facility in a clean and sanitary condition and is responsible
c. The Proposer maintains adequate staffing during operating hours to provide service to the public. As the first stop made by visitors to find information about the Kenai area, the Proposer must provide information on community and visitor programs, events,
d. The Proposer provides an agreed upon annual plan of operations for management of the Kenai Visitor and Cultural Center facility to include but not be limited to proposed staffing, hours of operations, scheduling and managing use of the facility, and rental fees with high standards commensurate to a high-visibility structure and to ensure operations run efficiently and maintain the safety, appearance, and the efficient/effective use of the facility to host community and visitor programs, events, and exhibits without favoritism or discrimination.
e. The Proposer manages and creates and maintains displays of the City of Kenai’s permanent collection of natural history objects, archeological material, native artifacts and contemporary art and encourages use of the facility for events and exhibits that promote Kenai’s abundant natural resources and diverse community and provides an annual inventory of all items in the City’s collection.
f. The Proposer tracks and provides an annual report on the number and nature of visitors to the Center, facility rentals, and participants at events and exhibits.
and/or;
B. Schedule B
Tourism and Marketing Services:
a. The Proposer provides an agreed upon annual marketing plan that promotes Kenai as a year-round visitor destination, center for cultural and outdoor events and activities, and hub for economic and business opportunities that enrich Kenai’s tourism industry and the community’s overall quality of life.
b. The Proposer partners with the City of Kenai on event promotion and planning to attract visitors and business to Kenai, including but not limited to the Silver Salmon Derby, Eagle Cam, Personal Use Fishery and regular and new community events.
c. The Proposer
d. The Proposer markets, solicits, advertises, and provides information to prospective businesses and residents of the City of Kenai.
e. The Proposer performs all responsibilities of tourism and marketing, including but not limited to destination marketing, press releases, print and online media, and visitor guides.
f. The Proposer tracks and reports hotel bookings, events, and leads and provides a quarterly report on the Proposer ’s performance under the Agreement.
Due Date:
March 29th, 2019.
Address:
City of Kenai Administration
210 Fidalgo Avenue
Kenai, AK 99611
Agencies worth considering for this assignment includes Spark PR and W2O group.
