About This Opportunity

Translated

The Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) is seeking proposals for conference venue and accommodation services in Helsinki for its annual international conference. This event convenes experts, policymakers, and influencers in foreign and security policy from Finland and abroad. The procured services will encompass venue facilities, catering, and accommodation for speakers.

The contract covers the events of 2026, 2027, and 2028. A primary contract will be established for the 2026 event, with 2027 and 2028 serving as optional years, subject to separate procurement decisions annually. The conference dates are set for October 1-4, 2026, with optional dates of September 30-October 3, 2027, and September 28-October 1, 2028.

The venue must be located in or near the city center of Helsinki and be connected to a hotel where conference participants can stay. The facilities should align with the event's nature, supporting its atmosphere, program structure, technical execution, and participant experience. Meeting and catering spaces must be for the exclusive use of the client. An estimated maximum of 300 participants will be present concurrently.

Required venue spaces include a high-quality, impressive main conference room with flexible seating for at least 200 in cabaret style and an additional 100 seats in rows. Adjacent to this, at least nine breakout rooms are needed: three for parallel sessions (approx. 50 persons each), three meeting rooms (approx. 10 persons each), one media workspace (approx. 20 persons), one organizer workspace (approx. 10 persons), and one break room for assistants (approx. 10 persons). Additionally, space for standing breaks and lunch catering near the meeting rooms, a lobby for registration and potential security screening, and cloakroom services are required. Catering should be primarily standing service.

This is a services contract in the security and defense, media and communication and general supplies sectors. Located in Finland, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums, with an estimated budget of EUR 200,000.

Published through Hilma Finland, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for services in the security and defense sector. Service contracts are typically evaluated on both technical quality and price, and may require bidders to demonstrate relevant experience and qualified personnel. This contract has already been awarded. The information is published for transparency and market intelligence purposes.

Description

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Conference venues and accommodation services - Helsinki The Finnish Institute of International Affairs annually organizes an international conference that brings together foreign and security policy experts, decision-makers, and influencers from Finland and abroad. The service to be procured covers venue services, catering, and accommodation for speakers related to the event.

The procurement concerns the events of 2026, 2027, and 2028. A formal contract will be made for the 2026 event. The years 2027 and 2028 are option years, for which a separate procurement decision will be made annually.

Event dates:
2026: Thu 1 – Sun 4 Oct 2026
2027: Thu 30 Sep – Sun 3 Oct 2027 (option)
2028: Thu 28 Sep – Sun 1 Oct 2028 (option)

The event venues must be located in or near the center of Helsinki and be associated with a hotel where participants can stay during the conference. The venues must be suitable for the nature of the event, supporting its atmosphere, program structure, technical implementation, and participant experience. The rooms used for meetings and catering must be for the client's exclusive use. The estimated number of participants present at the same time will be a maximum of approximately 300 people.

Required event venues:
- A high-quality and impressive single conference room, with furniture possible in a cabaret setup for at least 200 people and 100 additional seats in rows
- At least 9 meeting rooms in the immediate vicinity of the conference room as follows:
- 3 halls for parallel sessions (approx. 50 people/hall)
- 3 meeting rooms (approx. 10 people/room)
- 1 media workspace (approx. 20 people/room)
- 1 workspace for organizers (approx. 10 people)
- 1 break room for assistants (approx. 10 people)

Additionally required:
- A space in the immediate vicinity of the meeting rooms for break and lunch catering. Catering is preferably enjoyed standing.
- A lobby area for registration and a possible security check point (screening)
- Cloakroom service

Catering should consider the following:
- Meeting catering is preferably enjoyed standing in the vicinity of the meeting room.
- Catering must be healthy, fresh, and responsibly produced, emphasizing locally produced food. Unnecessary food waste must be avoided.
- Coffee and water must be available to participants throughout the event (Fri-Sun)
- A large portion of the participants will stay at the hotel, so breakfast is not needed. For morning and afternoon coffee breaks, something small should be offered alongside coffee, e.g., berry pie or biscuits and fruit.
- Saturday's lunch will be "take away" style, which can be quickly and easily taken for lunch discussions. This could be, for example, a hearty salad lunch.
- The conference ends with a closing lunch on Sunday.
- Daily catering quantities are in the attachment "Request for Proposals for the Finnish Institute of International Affairs Conference 2026-2028".

The Finnish Institute of International Affairs will provide standard-class or equivalent accommodation for conference speakers in single rooms.
Accommodation capacity needs:
- Thursday-Friday: 15 rooms/night
- Friday-Saturday: 35 rooms/night
- Saturday-Sunday: 35 rooms/night

The accommodation capacity required for conference participants is approximately 50–100 rooms. Conference participants will book and pay for their own accommodation according to their needs and room availability.

The full request for proposals can be found in the attachment "Request for Proposals for the Finnish Institute of International Affairs Conference 2026-2028".

Lot 1: Conference venues and accommodation services - Helsinki
The Finnish Institute of International Affairs annually organizes an international conference that brings together foreign and security policy experts, decision-makers, and influencers from Finland and abroad. The service to be procured covers venue services, catering, and accommodation for speakers related to the event.