Following a year-long independent evaluation of the current management of the organization, the Convention Industry Council’s (CIC) executive committee has voted to distribute a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the future shared management and staffing of the organization.

The RFP process will be open to any qualified bidder, including the current management company, Association Management Group (AMG) of McLean, VA, and will commence early in 2006.

The decision to re-bid the management contract was made after a volunteer taskforce of CIC board members, which has been evaluating the current management processes, practices, roles and responsibilities of the organization over the past year, relayed its findings to the executive committee.

“The CIC board believes periodic evaluation of management options is healthy, advisable and in the best interests of CIC. We commend the staff of AMG, led by Bruce Wardle, CAE, and CIC President and CEO Mary Power, CAE, for their leadership and professionalism during the evaluation process,” said 2005-2006 CIC Chair Thomas M. Mobley, Jr., general manager and CEO of Washington Convention Center.

“We look forward to working together as a volunteer board and staff to best position CIC for its continued role supporting the meetings, conventions, and exhibitions industry.”

During the RFP process, the executive committee has entered into interim contracts with AMG for day-to-day administration and staffing, and with CIC President and CEO Mary Power to continue the management of the strategic direction of CIC and its programs, including the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Program and the APEX (Accepted Practices Exchange) initiative.

The CIC board hopes to have a new management contract in place by May 2006.