Hawaii Tourism Authority requests for qualification for consulting services for the center of Hawaiian Music and Dance

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), the state's tourism agency, has released a request for qualifications (RFQ) to seek a contractor to provide consulting services for the development of a Center for Hawaiian Music and Dance that will be located in the Hawaii Convention Center. The selected contractor may provide consulting and curatorial services, including planning, community outreach, content development, facility design, and governance and management services for the Center for Hawaiian Music and Dance.

Consistent with HTA's Hawaiian Cultural Initiative, the Center for Hawaiian Music and Dance aims to create an organization to preserve, promote and highlight the richness of music and dance in the state's island heritage, and connect Hawaii's host culture with the visitor and local community. The Center will also curate a collection of artifacts and recordings to document the legacy of Hawaiian music and dance, while stimulating a renewed interest through education, performance and career development, enrich cultural offerings to the community, and generate revenue to allow the Center to be self-sustaining.

The HTA will select a contractor determined to be the most qualified to efficiently provide services for this program. The HTA will take into consideration multiple factors including applicant qualifications and management plan. The HTA's evaluation committee will take these and other factors into consideration in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in the RFQ.

The HTA intends to award the contract for this RFQ in March 2014. The period of performance under this new contract runs from April 2014 through March 2015, with four available option years.

The written proposals are due no later than Feb. 27, 2014 at 4:30 p.m., HAST (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time) and in the manner described in the RFQ. 

The RFQ will be available beginning Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014 online at www.hawaiitourismauthority.org (click on the link to "Request for Proposals"). The HTA will not accept any requests for the RFQ to be received through the mail.        

Inquiries regarding this RFQ should be directed to the HTA contracts specialist, Ms. Marisa Blancarte, either in person at 1801 Kalakaua Avenue; Honolulu, HI 96815, by telephone at (808) 973-2251, or via e-mail at marisa@gohta.net.

Established in 1998, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the state's tourism agency, is responsible for strategically managing tourism to optimize benefits for Hawaii that integrates the interest of visitors, the community and visitor industry. Tourism is our state's leading economic driver and largest employer and the HTA continually works to ensure its sustainability well into the future. For more information on the HTA, please visit www.hawaiitourismauthority.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (@HawaiiHTA).