Race World Offshore Earns Highest Score In Bid For Key West Contests

The competition for the contract to produce offshore powerboat races in Key West, Fla., in early November for the next five years moved a lot closer to resolution with today’s release of scores on Requests For Proposal—in essence bid sheets—for Race World Offshore, the Offshore Powerboat Association/Powerboat P1 and Super Boat International. With 87 points out of a possible 100 awarded by the Key West City Commission’s ranking committee, RWO earned the highest score, while OPA/P1 and SBI tied with scores of 82.4 points.

Offshore powerboat racing will return to Key West during the first week of November, and with the highest-scoring RFP, Race World Offshore leads the pack for the five-year contract to produce the event. Photo courtesy/copyright Andy Newman.

“We just did a really good RFP on what we want to do with this event, which has not been done before, and showcase Key West as a world-class, world championship race,” said Larry Bleil, the founder of Key West-based Race World Offshore. “It has been stagnant for so long. We need to bring the glamour back.”

Bids/RFPs were scored on a 100-point system that broke 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.

While the ranking committee has completed its work and, via the scoring, made its recommendation, the final step is for the Key West City Planning Commission to makes its final decision and award the contract. That likely will not happen until the commission’s first meeting in early May. At that time, representatives from each bidder will have the opportunity to speak before the commissioners before they make their final determination.

Bleil said the he feels confident the commisioners will follow the ranking committee’s recommendation.

“I feel that way because we did a good RFP with a good plan to benefit the city,” said Bleil.

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