Key West Opens Request For Proposal For 2019-2024 Races

The process for determining who will organize and produce the annual offshore championship powerboat races in Key West, Fla., for the next five years began today with the City Manager office’s much-anticipated Request For Proposal for the November 2019-2024 events. As previously reported on speedonthewater.com, local Key West businesspeople Larry Bleil of Race World Offshore and John and Deana Carbonell of Super Boat International, which produced the Key West races for the past five years, will be vying for the title of “Race Promoter” as outlined in the bid invite.

Bidding for the five-year Key West race production contract opens today. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

The submission period closes Mar. 6 at 3:30 p.m. On Feb. 22 at 2 p.m., a pre-proposal meeting will be held in the City Manager’s conference room at 1300 White Street. Per the RFP, attendance in person or via teleconference is mandatory for potential race producers submitting proposals.

While the list of requirements and conditions for simply submitting a proposal is extensive and complicated, selection criteria for would-be races promoters is not. Bidders will be scored on a 100-point system that breaks down to:

• Proposed Methodology and Approach to Administrative and Financial Management Plan for Annual Power Boat Championship Race—30 points.
• Financial Impact to the City—30 points.
• Race Promoter Experience and Qualifications of Firm—30 points.
• Representative Race Promoter Client References—10 points.

Although a final date for awarding the contract has not been released, members of the city’s evaluation panel for the event will receive a copy of each bidder’s proposal within two weeks after the RFP period closes. Panel members will have one week to individually score each proposal before they meet collectively to make the final determination. That meeting date has not been announced.

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