Travel Agency / Management Services Providers

The Naples Children Foundation (NCF), founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF), seeks professional, concierge travel and management services. The Naples Winter Wine Festival is the largest international charity wine auction in the world, generating between $20 and $30 million dollars each year at auction.

Background:

The Naples Children Foundation, the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, creates transformational change and improves educational, emotional and health outcomes for vulnerable children in Collier County. Through its annual grants and strategic initiatives, NCF has impacted nearly 90 of the most effective nonprofits in the local community, providing 385,000 children with the services and resources they need to succeed.

NCF operates through a grant making process in which needs are identified, and a rigorous vetting process awards charities funds raised each year through the Naples Winter Wine Festival. These grants are awarded to 501(c)3 organizations that help fulfill children’s needs for child advocacy, early learning, education, healthcare and other services.

Since its founding in 2000, NCF has raised more than $366 million, making a profound difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in Collier County. With no independent tax-based support for children’s services, NCF and our fundraiser, the Naples Winter Wine Festival ensure children receive the services they need to excel.

Purpose:

We seek professional travel planning and administration services to manage and execute donated Auction Lot travel packages and experiences to include travel excursions, stays in private homes and luxury yacht experiences. Agencies must be experienced in travel planning and management services to execute several (approximately 3-5) high-end, luxury, global travel experiences for attendees of the 2027 Naples Winter Wine Festival, to be held January 29- January 31, 2027 in Naples, FL. Travel experiences may occur in domestic and international locations, with considerations for the safety of the location, and will emphasize luxury accommodations for a number of persons to range from 2 to 8, spanning from 5 to 10 days in length, uniqueness and exclusivity of the location, and inclusive, to the extent possible, of related high-end activities, excursions and meals.

Additionally, we seek professional travel planning in scheduling and executing airline travel for all celebrity chefs, sommeliers, participating vintners and select special guests to and from Southwest Florida in early January 2027. Maintaining records of all travelers including itineraries, excel spreadsheets, etc. Communicating with travelers, vendors and the NCF office.

Services will include: assistance with vetting and support with travel planning of donated excursions; planning of the travel experiences, close collaboration with NCF staff to ensure travel experiences meet the standards and timelines required, work closely with the winning bidders to plan travel, and execution of the travel plans, including providing assistance to travelers in the event of travel disruption or other extenuating circumstances and a 24-hour concierge program for airline reservations, any included VIP arrival, Customs, or departure services and ground transportation. Travel partner will need to be able to maintain records of communication with winning bidders and donors during the fulfillment process.

Qualifications: The selected agency shall have:

• Over 10 years of relevant experience, including any required certifications or credentials.

• Experience working with similar organizations in terms of service offerings.

• Experience planning, coordinating and executing complex, high-end, global travel.

• Evidence that the submitted proposal encompassed adequate effort and care; Demonstrated consideration in planning and in budgeting that this auction is tailored to a discerning and exclusive audience, but that all proceeds from the auction are earmarked for charity; as such, particular favor will be given to proposals that adequately reflect this charitable objective in their budgets.

• Ability to select the best option and prices:

• Provide the best overall solution to travel needs

• Ability to provide multiple/various quotes on ticketing

• Assistance in proposal development

• Ability to deliver the following services:

• Make bookings on short notice

• Provide current health protocol information to travelers

• Ability to provide worldwide 24/7 support service to NCF and travelers as needed.

Minimum Requirements:

Agencies wishing to submit a final proposal shall provide notice of intent to submit within one week of receipt of the Request for Proposal. Final proposals shall include the following:

Organizational background, resources and capacity

• Brief background and history about your agency including your company’s global presence.

• Brief outline of your company’s infrastructure and organizational chart for the proposed service and staff configuration.

• Brief explanation as to what differentiates you from your competition and why should we select your company.

• Communication process with travelers including advisement of last minute changes, delays, cancellations, etc.

• Description of services provided by your international team.

• What traveler security/alert programs/tools do you offer for domestic and international travelers?

• Describe how your firm tracks and measures quality and performance measurements.

• Please provide a copy of your written Quality Program.

• Describe the role and experience of the account manager and anyone else who will provide account management services to NCF with anticipation that this person will initiate contact with the NCF Festival Support staff three months following the 2027 Naples Winter Wine Festival, unless specifically instructed otherwise.

• Relevant relationships with vendors that would contribute to or somehow benefit the travel plan.

• Any other benefits that your agency contributes that would-be material to NCF’s decision.

Provide two sample travel packages you would offer our organization to be auctioned.

• Proposed travel experiences, including location, suggested accommodations, suggested itinerary, including local activities, restaurants, etc. Note: Because of the nature of this auction, particular favor will be given to experiences that are considered “one-of-a-kind” and that are unavailable on a routine basis, including but not limited to, access to behind-the-scenes, private, guided tours of historical or geographic locations and museums, VIP event tickets, access to notable personalities, etc.

• Detailed budget, including precise itemization of all costs, charges, and fees, as well as discounts offered.

o Itemization shall specifically and separately be detailed as such:

• Vendor charges, e.g., hotel, airline, and related discounts.

• Agency charges, e.g., additional booking fees, and related discounts.

• Ideal suggested time of year for each travel experience, to coincide with best weather, specific activities/events, etc.; agency may be asked to provide a “soft” commitment of dates, with discretion at the part of winning bidders to schedule at a different time depending on schedule allowances.

• Relevant relationships with vendors that would contribute to or somehow benefit the travel plan.

• Stipulation as who within the agency, to be a specific named person, will be responsible for coordinating travel with winning bidders and the NCF Festival Support staff and SVP, NWWF & Event Production.

• Within one week following the 2027 Festival, your assigned staff member will contact the SVP, NWWF & Event Production and Festival Support staff to begin planning itineraries.

• Ability to participate in initial travel meeting with the traveler. All travel arrangements will begin with an in-person meeting at NCF or travel firm and will be scheduled one to two weeks after the Naples Winter Wine Festival.

• Any other benefits that your agency contributes that would be material to NCF’s decision.

Performance weighting:

NCF advises that proposals will be weighted in connection with the following criteria as determined by NCF:

• 30% Qualifications

• 30% Uniqueness of proposed experiences

• 25% Discounts negotiated by Agency on the Vendor charges, compared to normal trade discounts

• 15% Discounts offered by the Agency

Referrals:

Submitting agencies shall provide 2-3 references for similar services rendered.

Terms: The selected agency consents to enter into a written agreement with NCF stipulating the scope of the work expected. All submissions and communications shall be treated as confidential and all parties agree not to disclose any such information unless specifically authorized. NCF reserves the right to accept or deny any proposal at its discretion.

In return for substantive discounts, donated accommodations, special experiences, etc., NCF will acknowledge such support at the Naples Winter Wine Festival, by listing the agency as a Corporate Partner in printed materials, listing and recognizing the agency in the auction catalog, on our website and in numerous other ways for their contributions to the community in supporting our world-renowned charitable efforts.

Submission:

Proposals may be submitted in hard copy to the Naples Children Foundation Attn: Lisa Juliano, SVP, NWWF & Event Production 2590 Goodlette-Frank Road Naples, FL 34103 or electronically via pdf file to lisa@napleswinefestival.com by June 15, 2026. NCF may contact agencies to request additional information or clarification in considering all submissions. The selected agency shall be notified no later than June 30, 2026.