AMERICAS – The Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority (PCCA) has voted to issue a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) for private operations management services at the venue.
The RFP solicits responses from facility operators and managers that will enhance the competitiveness of the Pennsylvania Convention Center in attracting new conventions, meetings, and trade shows to the facility.
“Our goal is to ensure the newly-expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center meets its full potential as an economic driver for the City of Philadelphia, the region, and the state,” said Gregory J. Fox, Chairman of the PCCA Board of Directors. “We look forward to reviewing proposals from the industry’s leading building managers on how they would improve cost and service issues and place the Center in a position where we will compete more effectively for major shows, meetings, and conventions.”
Fox noted that the decision to issue the RFP was preceded by a thoughtful, bipartisan, and deliberate process by the Center’s Board of Directors in consultation with an independent firm that assisted with the evaluation of responses to a Request for Qualifications that was issued in August 2012.
“The RFQ was a testing of the waters, so to speak, to determine the level of interest of facility operators that may want to manage the operations of the Center,” said Fox. “The Board has done its due diligence and looks forward to reviewing specific proposals that will improve our competitiveness and the efficiency of our operations. We are looking for a professional building management firm that will have the experience, analytical knowledge, and depth to manage the day-to-day operations of the Center, while implementing industry best practices that will drive new future bookings and improve the overall customer experience.”
It is the Board’s expectation that certain functions would be retained by the PCCA, including oversight of an operations management contract. He also noted that the RFP, when issued, would direct respondents to outline plans for recruiting and retaining current qualified members of the PCCA staff in order to maintain continuity of service and communications with customers and show managers.
Fox also expressed “particularly concern” at lagging bookings for 2014 and 2015, as well as future years. “We need to look to the future and fulfill the economic promise of the newly-expanded Center for our industry partners, stakeholders, and taxpayers,” said Fox.
Deadline for the submission of proposals will be early May, with the Board expected to make its decision on the award of the RFP in early June.
The Pennsylvania Convention Center is located in Philadelphia, and in 2011 completed a US$787m renovation and expansion, increasing the size of the Center by 62 per cent. The Center is now the 14th largest facility in the nation and features the largest exhibit space and ballroom in the Northeast.
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