Hotels willing to provide meeting space, lodging, and meals in the Minneapolis, MN area

The purpose of this "sources sought" is to identify hotels willing to provide meeting space, lodging, and meals in the Minneapolis, MN area, in light of new guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs. Two of the new requirements prescribe limits for meals and refreshments served at breaks. Regarding meals, the new guideline states that the cost of any meal provided, plus any hotel service costs, cannot exceed 150 percent of the locality M&IE per meal. For example, if breakfast is provided, in a locality with a $64.00 per day meal incidental expense M&IE rate, the breakfast rate in the locality is $12.00 per breakfast. Therefore, the cost of the breakfast provided at the conference cannot exceed $18.00 ($12.00 X 150%) per person. If lunch will be provided in a locality with a $64.00 per day meal incidental expense M&IE rate, the lunch rate in the locality is $18.00 per lunch. Therefore, the cost of the lunch provided at the conference cannot exceed $27.00 ($18.00 X 150%) per person. The new guideline defines refreshments as light food and drinks served at breaks and include such items as coffee, tea, milk, juice, soft drinks, donuts, bagels, fruit, pretzels, cookies, chips, or muffins. Under the new guidelines the cost of these items, plus any hotel service costs, cannot exceed 23 percent of the locality (M&IE) for both morning and afternoon breaks. For the Minneapolis, MN area, the M&IE rate is $64.00 per person. Therefore, the cost of the refreshments cannot exceed $14.72 ($64.00 X 23%) per person per day. Any hotel source interested and capable of providing lodging at the Federal per diem rates and meeting the new guideline requirements should submit a statement of capabilities, to include sleeping and meeting capacity, floor charts, and food and beverage menus, to the point of contact identified. The food and beverage menus should support the pricing mentioned above, including hotel service costs: breakfast, $18.00 per person; lunch, $27.00 per person; and refreshments for both morning and afternoon breaks, $14.72 per person. Interested hotels should respond by 3:00 p.m., Monday, June 15, 2009.