Guidelines for Making a Bid to Host the National High School Mock Trial Championship

STEP 1: LETTER OF INTENT

Prior to presenting a full bid proposal, the applicant must submit a Letter of Intent. No Letters of Intent will be accepted without a completed official cover sheet. To fill out the cover sheet, download or print a form, click here.

Letters of Intent sent by fax, mail, or e-mail should be typed or printed (in an 11-point or larger font size) and should be no longer than three pages in length (plus the official cover sheet). The Letter of Intent must be received by Dee Runaas, chair of the Site Selection Committee, no later than January 15 prior to the April 1st bid proposal deadline. Only one host state is chosen each year which gives a host state a three-year planning period before their event is actually held.

Your Letter of Intent must be on file with the Site Selection Committee before you will receive any assistance from the committee with putting together your bid proposal. You will be contacted within 10 business days after your Letter of Intent has been received.

Submit your Letter of Intent via e-mail to drunaas@wisbar.org, by fax to Dee Runaas at (608) 250-5502, or by mail to:

National Mock Trial Championship Site Selection Chair
Attn: Dee Runaas
State Bar of Wisconsin
P.O. Box 7158
Madison, WI 53707-7158


Letters of Intent should provide the following information:

            1. A description of your organization

  • Current programs and accomplishments
  • Geographic area served
  • Mission Statement
    •
            2. Anticipated Place and Date of Event
  • State, city
  • Month, days, year (The Championship activities always begin on the Thursday preceding Mother’s Day.)
  • Courthouse facilities to be used
    •
            3. A description of the relationship between the sponsoring organization and the person submitting the Letter of Intent.
  • Who will be the person preparing the bid proposal?
  • What is the chain of authority for decision-making about the bid proposal?
    •

 

STEP 2: BID PREPARATION

The Bid

The National High School Mock Trial Championship Board of Directors will accept bids from organizations to host each annual Championship. One Host State is chosen during the May Board meeting during the National Mock Trial Championship. Only one host state is chosen each year which gives a host state a three-year planning period before their event is actually held.

As part of submitting a bid, the bidding organization must have already submitted a Letter of Intent to the Site Selection Chair. The Bid for 2011, including 15 copies must be submitted to the Chair of the Site Selection Committee by April 1st, 2008.

Selection Criteria

One general policy of the National Mock Trial Championship Board of Directors since the inception of the program, has been to try to alternate the host site from "east" to west". While a substantial factor, location alone, however, has never been enough to determine who should host the national championship. In addition to location, the Selection Committee and the Board of Directors looks at a variety of factors when choosing a host site. The following criteria should be addressed when putting your bid together:

    1.    Host State Contract

The Host State shall be familiar with the contents of the Host Agreement and agrees to abide by same. A sample of the host contract was provided to you in the process of putting your bid together. A copy can also be found on-line at www.nationalmocktrial.org. Elements of the contract should be addressed during your bid proposal.

    2.    Bid Outline

The bid shall include the following information:

            A. Contact Information
    • Primary Contact Address
    • Organization Information
    • Organization Name
    • Organization Address
    • Organization Legal Standing (incorporated, tax status, etc?)
    • Proposed Dates for National Mock Trial Championship [Remember, it is always held the Friday and Saturday before Mother’s Day!]
            B. Mock Trial Program Experience
    • Total number of teams in your program
    • Number of teams in your state championship
    • Total number of volunteer judges/attorneys
    • How old is your program?
    • Unique characteristics of your program
    • Your annual budget
            C. Budget
    • Minimum budget of $50,000 is required to host [see host contract on website or click here for a draft copy.]
    • What are your anticipated sources of funding?
    • What are your anticipated expenses?
    • Submit a draft budget
            D. Geography
    • What city are you proposing to host the championship?
    • Why is this city a good location for the Championship?
    • What special advantages does it offer?
    • What disadvantages need to be coped with?
            E. Travel
    • Airports? (Distance to city; number of airlines servicing; ease of access from around the country?)
    • Amtrak service?
    • Driving ease?
    • Costly airfares?
    • Transportation between hotels and courtrooms? (Is it necessary – if so, do you have it?)
            F. Facilities
    • Courtroom Space? (a minimum of 22 courtrooms is needed)
    • Are the courtrooms close to the hotel, food, and airports?
    • Hotel space? (minimum room block of 350 rooms for 4 consecutive nights
    • How many hotels will you need and do you have?
    • Hotel costs? Reasonable for high schools?
    • How many rooms are available for practice rounds?
    • Can you provide an awards banquet or reception for over 900 guests?
    • What other advantages --and disadvantages-- does the hotel have?
            G. Event Planning
    • What do you have in mind for entertainment?
    • Do you have enough staff for your activities?
    • Resources for cultural experiences (both as official activities and event opportunities for visiting teams)
            H. Case Materials
    • The case materials for use in the event competition will be an original case written by Host pursuant to the following general guidelines:

                                    The fictional case materials shall:

A)    Teach significant legal lessons;
B)    Provide an interesting factual context for appropriate age groups;
C)    Possess strong cases on both sides of the dispute that would allow for the case to be decided in favor of either party on the merits depending upon the presentation of the trial team;
D)    Be a "new and original case";
E)    Be an appropriate challenge for the age group without being overly burdensome.
            I. Partnerships/Volunteers
    • Include a letter committing the sponsoring organization to meet the financial obligations of the Host Organization
    • Include letters of support from person/s in your state with authority to commit to support the program
    • Include a commitment of financial backing and administrative support
    • Include a letter of invitation accompanied with verification of authorization from your state’s leading legal, educational, and mock trial organizations (i.e., a Chief Justice, Bar President or Bar Foundation President, Department of Education.)
    • Provide assurances that you have enough attorneys, judges and other volunteers to properly staff the event
    • Provide assurances that you have adequate support staff to assist in organization/administration
            J. Other Things to Consider
    • Why should we choose you, instead of the other potential hosts?
    • Here's some logistics issues to keep in mind, in no particular order. They're meant as fodder for your thinking/planning process.
    • parking
    • handicap accessibility
    • hotel facilities (including practice rooms)
    • food
    • shuttle bus
    • discounts on airlines
    • weather issues
    • volunteer management
    • registration check-in and database management
    • schedule
    • press/media relations
    • entertainment for the evening(s)
    • entertainment available nearby (for family, before/after the event, etc)
    • lists of nearby restaurants and tourist sights
    • area maps (for the courthouse, at least) and driving directions
    • press release
      •

    3.    Responsibility and Obligations

    By submitting a bid and being selected as the Host State, the Host State is entering into a contractual agreement with the Board of Directors to plan and carry out the mock trial championship for the year bid. The Host State has a responsibility and obligation to the Board of Directors to do this in the manner prescribed by the Board. Any actions taken by the Host State in violation of its contract with the Board may result in rescission of the bid award. Actions which may result in rescission of the award may include, but are not limited to, direct violations of the bid agreement without the approval of the board.

    4.    Bid Submission

    Host organizations wishing to bid on hosting the National High School Mock Trial Championship must declare their intention to do so by submitting a Letter of Intent no later than January 15, 2008. This submission may be accomplished by sending electronic mail or snail mail to the Chair of the Site Selection Committee. A reply will be sent upon receipt of the Letter of Intent. If a reply is not received within 24 hours of submission, please contact any Board member directly to determine the notification status.

    Once the Letter of Intent to submit a bid has been received, the Site Selection Chair/Committee will remain in close contact with the "bidders" throughout the remainder of the bid process. It is expected one person on the bid team will become the liaison to the Site Selection Chair during this time. The Board may also arrange a "virtual" meeting with the bid team to discuss specifics of the proposal. This meeting would be via a telephone conference call. Final bids are due on April 1, 2008.

STEP 3: BID SELECTION

Selection Process

The Site Selection Committee of the National High School Mock Trial Championship Board will review each bid and make a recommendation to the Board. Only those bids that meet the criteria listed above will be considered. The Board has the full authority to make the final decision on the Bid.

All competitive bids will be discussed during the annual Board meeting in May. One or two people from each bidding state will be asked to make a presentation to the Board during its May meeting. Each state bidding to host the competition will receive a maximum of 15 minutes for its presentation. [This time could be less depending on the number of presentations.] There will be no Powerpoint®, overhead or videotape demonstrations permitted. One of the people making the presentation for each state should be the person who will serve on the Board, should their state win the bid.

The Board will make the decision based on the presentations and the Site Selection Committee’s recommendation. The state winning the bid will be notified during the National Mock Trial Championship.

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