The Stafford City Council approved an agreement with Venue Solutions Group LLC to assist the city in drafting a request for proposals (RFP) for the Stafford Center management contract.

Staff reported it received two bids to prepare the RFP. Venue Solutions Group’s proposal totaled $40,000; the competing bid was higher, at $59,000 plus hourly fees. Staff said Venue Solutions Group had previously prepared an RFP for the city in 2015 and revised the current contract language after legal review; a revised version of the agreement was included in the council packet.

The consultant will work with council, the Stafford Center Committee or a special council committee to define scope and timeline. Staff recommended that the city hold a kickoff with the consultant to identify required changes to the previous RFP and to confirm the schedule; because Venue Solutions Group is not local, kickoff work may be done by Zoom, a city representative said. Council members recommended including committee members with industry experience in the RFP drafting process so the document reflects venue‑management norms.

Staff also reported that funding for the consultant is not currently budgeted and that the recommended funding source could either be hotel occupancy tax (HOT) funds or general fund. Staff said the council would formally designate the funding source in a later action if the agreement is finalized.

Council action: motion to approve the Venue Solutions Group LLC agreement carried on a council vote.

Quote: “If this is approved, Mr. Williams has stated that he would need a kickoff meeting so that the city of Stafford could put what they want into this RFP,” a staff member said.

Next steps: appoint a review committee or schedule a special council meeting to work with the consultant on RFP language and timeline. Staff noted the current management contract expires in September and the RFP process is time‑sensitive.