Opportunities

Business Opportunities.

Below you will find information on the Business Opportunities available with the LSED. Details on Bid Procedures, Price Quotes, Purchases and Capital Projects & Services are outlined below all current advertisements. You will also find information on the LSED's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program.

Current Bid Advertisements & Specifications

A summary of current bids/specifications and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) is shown below.

Purchases

Bid/Proposal	Latest Addendum	Available	Response Due

Capital Program & Services

Bid/Proposal	Latest Addendum	Available	Response Due

Bid Procedures

A summary of outstanding bid specifications and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) is shown above.

The Board may reject any and all bids if they are deemed not in the best interest of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District.

You may contact SMG via e-mail to be included on the list of vendors surveyed for price quotes and purchase or request additional specifications for capital projects and services. You may also contact the LSED to provide a notification of good and services that your firm can provide.

Email address for Price Quotes & Purchase - purchases@smgneworleans.com
Email address for Capital Projects & Services - capitalprojects@smgneworleans.com

SMG’s distribution list will include its existing list of vendors, those applicable vendors’ registered with the City of New Orleans SLBDE directory and those vendors that provide a written request to be included.

Common Errors Made When Submitting Bids

Prices must be written in words and numbers (like writing a check). Bids that do not have the prices written in words can be rejected.
The specifications and all attachments must be attached. If you do not attach the specifications to the bid or proposal, it can be rejected.
When requested, DBE participation should include proper SLDBE certification. Bids that do not include proper DBE certification, does not include a description of the scope of services, or do not show the percentage of the total contract may be rejected.

The Board may reject any and all bids if they are deemed not in the best interest of the Louisiana Stadium and & Exposition District.

Price Quotes

Small goods, products and service purchases are made by obtaining price quotes from at least three different vendors. The vendor who has the items available at the lowest price receives a purchase order.

The firms contacted are selected from a list of vendors who can provide the items. Firms are rotated on the list so each firm has the same chance of being contacted.

If you would like to be included on the list of firms available for price quotes, please contact SMG to provide notification of productions your can provide.

Purchases

SMG, on behalf of the LSED, uses four different methods for procurement of goods, products and service contracts at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Smoothie King Center, Champions Square and the Shrine on Airline. The methods listed below are the most common forms of purchases that are made using funds from the annual operating budgets of the facilities. However, individual purchases may use stricter methods, such as formal bids or RFP’s when appropriate:

Purchases from $1,000 - $5,000: Depending on the product or service, three or more price quotes are obtained in writing, or a bid request is issued. A purchase order is sent to the lowest qualified vendor capable of providing the product or service to meet the specifications and needs of the facility’s operation.
Purchases over $5,000: A bid request is written and transmitted to known qualified vendors. The vendor with the lowest qualifying bid is recommended for award. Consideration will be given to those vendors that have a performance history and demonstrated ability to meet the operating needs of the facilities.
Professional Service and Maintenance Contracts: A Request for Qualifications (RFQ), or Request for Proposals (RFP) is written and provided to known qualified vendors and service providers. The RFQ and RFP documents will specify the type of service desired. Proposals are then evaluated using criteria described in the RFQ or RFP. The evaluation of the proposals may consider price, level of services offered, ability to meet the requirements, qualifications of bidder, team-related sponsorships, DBE participation and other factors. One or more vendors may be recommended for the award of the bid. SMG, acting in its capacity as manager on behalf of the LSED shall have discretion as to the final award of such proposals.

Capital Projects and Services

SMG, on behalf of the LSED, manages capital repair, replacement and improvement projects at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Smoothie King Center, Champions Square, Zephyr Field, Alario Center and TPC Louisiana. Construction work is usually time sensitive and demanding from a scheduling standpoint due to the active event calendar in the various facilities. Therefore, contractors and vendors providing these services must be prepared to provide evidence of their credentials and capabilities to meet such demands, as well as the specifications and bidding guidelines in order to qualify for consideration.

The specifications for capital improvements normally include extensive technical information such as large scale architectural and engineering drawings, which are not easily viewed or analyzed in electronic form. Capital program Request for Proposals (RFP’s), or bid request are delivered to contractors who have a demonstrated capability to perform. The evaluation of each proposal may consider price, ability to meet the requirements, qualifications of bidder, history with similar projects, project team, approach and methodology, DBE participation and other factors.

Professional services relating to capital repair, replacement and construction such as, architectural and engineering services, may be solicited by means of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). In such cases, professional service providers must be prepared to demonstrate their credentials and provide evidence of their capability to meet the project needs to qualify for consideration. The evaluation of each proposal will include credentials of the firm and its principals, history with similar projects, ability to meet schedule demands, proposed approach to the project, strength of third-party sub-contractors, DBE participation and other factors.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program

SMG, on behalf of the LSED, is committed to achieving inclusion of minority and women-owned business with respect to the procurement of goods, products and services required for the operation, maintenance and repair at the SMG-managed facilities. Through this program, it is our intention to remove any barriers which may impede participation by DBE-certified firm. The DBE program will be administered in accordance with applicable state and locals laws.

While we will not mandate any specific DBE percentage participation, prospective business partners will be encouraged to include information on participation of DBE companies in bids and proposals submitted to SMG and, when applicable, DBE participation will be evaluated by SMG in its selection process along with all other factors applicable to the selection of a business partner. The goal of this program is to offer opportunities to a broader range of service providers and vendors.

For purposes of confirmation of DBE certification, SMG will use the City of New Orleans SLDBE directory. We strongly encourage all of our business partners to register with these directories if their ownership structure meets the criteria for DBE certification. For all future price quotes, solicitation for services and request for qualification/proposals, SMG will request that; if applicable, respondent provide their SLDBE credentials to confirm DBE status.

City of New Orleans SLDBE Certification
http://www.nola.gov/economic-development/supplier-diversity/certification/

City of New Orleans SLDBE Directory
http://www.nola.gov/economic-development/supplier-diversity/directory/