2006 Kansas Code - 74-9005

      74-9005.   State tourism study; request for proposals; selection of consultant; funding. (a) The division of travel and tourism of the Kansas department of commerce shall prepare, with review and input from the travel industry association of Kansas, a request for proposals for a consultant to do a large scale study of public and private tourism efforts in Kansas.

      (b)   A notice of the request for proposals shall be published once each week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the community at least 30 days before any action thereon. The request for proposals shall also be posted on readily accessible bulletin boards in all offices of the department of commerce and sent elsewhere as the director of travel and tourism development deems best.

      (c)   The request for proposals shall provide performance specifications, terms, conditions and other information as deemed advisable to facilitate the submission of a comprehensive proposal, including, but not limited to, the fact that the study will:

      (1)   Analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that face development of Kansas tourism;

      (2)   address the interrelationship between public and private sector efforts in developing Kansas tourism;

      (3)   address the interrelationship between state and local interests in developing Kansas tourism;

      (4)   make specific recommendations for the attraction, development and improvement of tourism in Kansas; and

      (5)   be completed by January 1, 1998, with a report on the study's results and recommendations derived therefrom to be presented to the legislature, house committee on tourism, senate committee on transportation and tourism and to the governor during the 1998 legislative session.

      (d)   Once the requested proposals are submitted, it shall be the duty of the council on travel and tourism, established under K.S.A. 74-9001, and amendments thereto, to review the proposals and participate in the interviewing process and final selection of a consultant.

      (e)   Following negotiations and development of the proposed agreement, the council on travel and tourism shall approve the final contract.

      (f)   Once the consultant is selected and the contract approved under this section, the selected plan's implementation shall be subject to oversight, review and approval by the council on travel and tourism.

      (g)   For the purposes of this section, the funds required to pay for the study shall come from state funds taken from the economic development initiatives fund under K.S.A. 79-4804, and amendments thereto which are appropriated to the department of commerce.

      History:   L. 1997, ch. 171, § 3; L. 2003, ch. 154, § 88; July 1.