3202700005 2027 Texas Rising Star Early Educator Conference Keynote Speaker

The Texas Workforce Commission is procuring a single qualified keynote speaker to deliver presentations at three Texas Rising Star Early Educator Conferences in 2027, scheduled for January 14 and July 13 in Houston, and August 5 in Grapevine. Each event will host up to 900 early childhood professionals, and the speaker must provide a compelling, relevant, and practical keynote aligned with the professional development needs of this audience. The speaker’s fee is capped at $12,500 per presentation, totaling an estimated contract value of $37,500, with travel expenses to be covered within this amount. The selection will be based on a best-value trade-off approach, prioritizing cost/price at 40% weight, followed by past performance and qualifications at 30%, and the quality of the proposed presentation at 30%. The speaker must demonstrate direct experience working with early childhood educators, an engaging presentation style, and the ability to inspire and deliver actionable insights. Submission requires a detailed narrative proposal including an executive summary, project work plan, speaker bio, video samples, and references, all structured in strict compliance with required forms and formatting guidelines. All responses must be submitted electronically via the TWC Procurement Portal by 10:00 AM Central Time on July 14, 2026, with no hard copies accepted. Vendors must comply with Texas-specific statutory requirements, including prohibitions against discrimination in contracting based on firearm industry participation or boycotts of certain energy companies, mandatory use of E-Verify for all employees, and adherence to the Texas Buy Texas policy. Criminal background checks are required for key personnel within 15 days of award, and no purchase order will issue until cleared. The speaker is prohibited from using TWC’s name or logo in marketing without prior written approval, and must disclose any former state executive employment. The contract is fixed-price, with no option periods or guaranteed volume, and may be terminated for cause without penalty or for convenience with 30 days’ notice, paying only for completed, accepted work. All obligations, including confidentiality, indemnification, and warranty, survive contract termination, and any changes in state or federal law automatically become part of the contract. No federal FAR clauses apply; instead, the agreement is governed by Texas Government Code and administrative rules, with all submissions subject to rejection if non-compliant with mandated formats or missing required documentation.