SLCC RFP FOR MANAGEMENT SERVICES
- Jul 2
- 11 min read
SUN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB
HOA, GOLF and DINING OPERATIONS
RFP FOR MANAGEMENT SERVICES
SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW
RFP# 08282025-1
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The Sun Lakes Country Club Board of Directors is requesting proposals from companies who are both qualified and interested in providing on-site management of our large-scale HOA operations, including golf course and dining amenities, for a 1-year renewable annual term starting January 1, 2026.
We are excited to receive your proposal for management services and look forward to hearing your thoughts on how a partnership would benefit our two companies.
Please include a draft management contract and fee schedule with your proposal. Five copies of your proposal shall be in writing, signed by your company’s decision-maker, and received in double-sealed envelopes, referencing the above RFP#, on or before September 19, 2025 by 5pm at the below address, and one electronic pdf copy sent to the below emails.
We appreciate the time and effort your company will devote to preparing this proposal. Please contact Sandra Gutknecht, Secretary at sandra.gutknecht@sunlakescc.com, or Mary Jo McElwain, Director-at-Large at maryjo.mcelwain@sunlakescc.com with any questions you have or to schedule an on-site walk-through of the property. Thank you for your interest.
Sun Lakes Country Club
Attention: Sandra Gutknecht – SLCC Secretary
850 Country Club Dr.
Banning, California 92220
Sincerely,
Sun Lakes Country Club Board of Directors
Joe Ganino – President Bob Walter – Vice President Gary Burkel – Treasurer Sandra Gutknecht – Secretary Mary Jo McElwain – Director-at-Large
SUN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB REQUEST FOR MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL
RELEVANT DATES FOR THE PROPOSAL PROCESS
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL OPENS Aug 28, 2025
Please reach out to Sandra Gutknecht or Mary Jo McElwain with any questions or to schedule an on-site walk-through during this period
PROPOSAL PERIOD CLOSES Sep 19, 2025 PROPOSAL REVIEW Sep 20-30, 2025 CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS Oct 1-31, 2025 AWARD CONTRACT Nov 1, 2025 CONTRACT GO-LIVE Jan 1, 2026
RFP 08212025-1 for HOA, Golf, Food & Beverage Operations 2
SUN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB REQUEST FOR MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL
ABOUT SUN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB
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LOCATION
Sun Lakes Country Club is a gated active adult community in the San Gorgonio Pass area of Riverside County. The 55+ community includes 3,327 homes and patio homes and 3 sub-associations of condominiums. We have two private 18-hole golf courses spread across 1,000 gently rolling acres. Sun Lakes is located 30 miles west of Palm Springs, but at an elevation of 2,349 feet, the area is approximately 15 degrees cooler in the summer. The community is divided into a south side of 3,060 homes and condos, and the north side of 267 homes with the Sun Lakes Blvd between them.
THE COMMUNITY
The community is governed by an elected 5-member board of directors who serve 2- year terms.
Facilities:
Sun Lakes includes three clubhouses. The Main Clubhouse hosts a large outdoor pool and spa, veranda, fitness center, two libraries, billiards room, arts and crafts studio, restrooms with showers, administrative offices, multipurpose meeting room and a grand ballroom. Just outside of the clubhouse is the primary golf shop and administrative building as well as pickleball and pop tennis courts. The Sun Lakes restaurant in the Main Clubhouse is purposed for fine dining and includes a commercial kitchen with recently upgraded equipment. The Lounge, adjacent to the restaurant, was fully remodeled and enlarged in 2024 and offers live music and entertainment weekly. In the summer months this is expanded to the outdoor veranda. The Sandwedge Sports Bar and Grill is a casual dining alternative open 7 days a week with indoor and outdoor seating.
The North Clubhouse includes a pool, fitness center, meeting room and smaller golf shop. Adjacent to the clubhouse are pickleball courts, bocce ball courts and a dog park.
The South Clubhouse has an indoor lap pool, fitness center and meeting room along with a spacious patio that overlooks six lighted tennis courts with stadium seating for tournament play.
Golf:
On the south side is the larger, 18-hole Championship golf course that is 7,000 yards, par 72 and a double-sided driving range. The fairways meander through the Sun Lakes neighborhoods and offer golfers breathtaking views of the San Gorgonio and San Jacinto Mountains.
On the northside is the 18-hole Executive Course that is 3,000 yards, par 59 with nearly all homes facing the fairways.
There are multiple practice putting greens adjacent to each course. Only residents of Sun Lakes Country Club and their guests are permitted to play on these courses. Revenue is currently structured with annual memberships for each course and daily play for residents and guests.
RFP 08212025-1 for HOA, Golf, Food & Beverage Operations 3
SUN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB REQUEST FOR MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL
Security:
There are 6 gated entries to the community with one 24-hour manned gate for each of the south and north sides, a vendor gate for additional access manned during business hours, and all 6 gates offer resident entry through a car-mounted transponder to operate an arm and gate entry system. The Association currently contracts for day and night patrol.
RV Storage:
The community owns a storage lot for up to XX Recreational Vehicles of various lengths. Storage fees align with vehicle size and the HOA maintains the lot and covers security of it.
Committees and Clubs:
There are 13 board advisory committees and over 70 clubs and interest groups in the community that include everything from sports and fitness groups to cards and craft clubs. The Recreation Department offers travel and entertainment for all residents.
SCOPE OF WORK:
We are seeking a management company to assume full management responsibility of Sun Lakes Country Club including HOA operations, golf course operations and maintenance and food and beverage operations in accordance with board approved guidelines.
MANAGEMENT COMPANY OVERVIEW:
▪ Provide company vision, mission and guiding principles regarding hospitality, service metrics, managing HOA rules and governance, and financial performance across the HOA community as well as the amenities.
▪ Describe why your company is right for Sun Lakes Country Club and what differentiates your company among other HOA management providers with golf and food and beverage amenities.
▪ Provide number of properties managed including large-scale HOAs, private clubs, golf courses, other hospitality services; list these by types.
▪ Essential profile information: business name, headquarters address, years in business, private or publicly traded, holding company name (if any). ▪ Describe your culture of working with the Board of Directors to administer the Board's standard of expectations, routine communications, evaluation of performance and mechanisms used.
▪ Provide organization charts of the company and biographical information for key leaders of the company.
▪ Describe how your organization promotes the common good of an HOA community and enforces board decisions and the community’s governing documents.
▪ What service metrics does your company target to measure staff performance and client satisfaction, and what technology is used to track and report?
RFP 08212025-1 for HOA, Golf, Food & Beverage Operations 4
SUN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB REQUEST FOR MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL
▪ How does your management company conduct strategic planning and goal setting for current and future years with the board. Are there separate fees for this? ▪ We are looking to hear about technology solutions you employ to improve processes, exceed performance standards, enhance security, ensure financial integrity, track work orders, etc. This question is asked in several of the specific areas listed below.
▪ Do you have your own corporate Information Technology Department to serve the needs of clients and your on-site staff, or do you contract for IT support? What are the fees related to IT support?
▪ Describe how you track and report monthly and annual spending from Reserves, completing and updating the reserves study and managing and reporting the status of specific reserves projects. Describe any technology used in this process.
TRANSITION OVERVIEW:
▪ Describe transition team and timeline to achieve a successful turnover of the management company
▪ SLCC’s two current management companies (HOA with golf, and Food and Beverage) employ about 100 employees. Describe your approach to handling these employees in the transition.
▪ Outline roles and expected board participation in the transition. ▪ Provide fees (and detailed method of calculation) for management services. ▪ Provide a list of any additional charges associated with duties performed by management for the HOA.
▪ List separately any additional payroll fees and special services fees that apply. ▪ What structures do you put in place as financial incentives to perform, both downside risk and upside benefit?
▪ Provide proposed organization charts for the Sun Lakes leadership team including on-site personnel and off-site positions (such as corporate offices)
▪ Describe the corporate expertise and resources available to augment the on-site staff and leadership, specifically in HOA operations including finance, golf operations and dining operations.
▪ Provide high-level job descriptions for each key position noting responsibilities ▪ Include documentation of insurance coverage carried by your company
MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS:
▪ Lifestyle/Recreation: What staff and level of service do you provide to organize special events, entertainment, holiday celebrations, and travel excursions for the benefit of residents?
o What technology do you use to sell tickets, schedule and track events? ▪ Compliance: Outline your team that enforces architectural standards, rules, violations. What technology do you use to track compliance and assist the Master Architectural Committee, and to track violations.
▪ Security: How would you recommend structuring perimeter control, gate access, community patrol and call center functions leveraging a combination of technology and trained labor to achieve excellent safety and protection of the community?
RFP 08212025-1 for HOA, Golf, Food & Beverage Operations 5
SUN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB REQUEST FOR MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL
▪ Marketing: Describe how you would create a plan for differentiating and marketing the community externally to position it for rapid home sales within a target market especially in golf, and an approach to marketing internally for growth regarding the use of amenities like golf, and food and beverage, and entertainment events.
▪ Financials
• How many full-time equivalent staff would be dedicated for all financial related operations both on-site and off-site
• Provide a summary of positions proposed to handle all financial-related activities with organization chart and statement of credentials for staff • How and by whom are financial statements reviewed prior to submission to the board?
• How do you segregate duties and prevent fraud?
• List all accounting software used in financial operations.
• Do you provide your own point of sale (POS) system for use in golf course, pro shop, recreation and in food and beverage operations?
• Do you provide owners with traditional and electronic payment options for the monthly assessments?
• What vendors and processes do you use for handling delinquent accounts? • Describe budget preparation process and timeline; Sun Lakes Country Club currently operates on a calendar year as the fiscal year
• How are vendors and other service providers screened and approved? • What is your procurement workflow regarding placing orders, receiving goods, verifying work completed and approving invoices for payment that accommodates checks and balances to ensure integrity
LEADERSHIP AND STAFFING
▪ How are your leaders incentivized to perform and how do you set goals and measure performance of leaders?
▪ Describe your process for resolving turnover of key persons
▪ What continuing education is provided to managers and other staff members? ▪ How do you on-board new board members and do you offer on-going training and/or client symposiums
GOLF OPERATIONS & GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE:
▪ Describe your subject area expertise related to golf events and golf course management designed to improve member experience and grow participation and enhance pro shop golf retail merchandising
▪ What technology solutions do you use to monitor irrigation efficiency, etc. ▪ What policies & practices do the company and staff administer and enforce related to golf operations and course management?
▪ Describe the revenue model for golf in terms of memberships, daily fees, driving range, lessons, special events
▪ Describe golf course maintenance operations specifically around environmental advantages in a residential setting (homes surrounding the fairways) including staffing model inclusive of number of employees
RFP 08212025-1 for HOA, Golf, Food & Beverage Operations 6
SUN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB REQUEST FOR MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL
▪ Describe any purchasing power benefits you will provide to Sun Lakes Country Club related to pro shop merchandise and course maintenance materials ▪ What corporate resources exist with golf course operations and maintenance expertise to support and evaluate on-site staff?
FOOD & BEVERAGE:
▪ Currently, Food and Beverage operations are managed by a third party ▪ Please describe your capabilities and experience managing full-service restaurant and entertainment venues in similar gated communities
▪ Describe your approach to hospitality that will create a great service experience from seating through paying and departure.
▪ Describe tactics and offerings to promote and attract higher participation from residents at all venues
▪ Describe technology solutions such as a POS system for orders and payments and inventory system for food and alcohol. Do these systems accommodate House Accounts?
▪ How do you model staffing that accommodates fluctuations in volume? ▪ Provide a statement regarding your interest and ability to provide catering for resident groups and clubs, golf events outside the main clubhouse restaurant ▪ How will you monitor resident satisfaction?
▪ Describe purchasing power benefits that you can leverage for the benefit of Sun Lakes related to food and alcohol purchases
▪ What corporate resources exist with food and beverage operational expertise to support and evaluate on-site staff?
SPECIAL TERMS & CONDITIONS:
▪ Term of Contract:
The term of the contract shall be 12 months with a renewal option for a term not to exceed 12 months. The Contract start date is TBD
▪ References:
Please provide a minimum of three (3) customer references for properties of similar size and scope of work in HOA, Food and Beverage, and Golf ▪ Qualifications and Competency:
Each responding management company shall demonstrate that satisfactory arrangements have been made for the necessary amount of labor and equipment required to carry out and complete the work
▪ Subcontracted Labor:
Management company shall provide the company names of any subcontractors used to provide services under this proposed management agreement. ▪ Insurance:
During the entire time that the management company provides services, you shall maintain as the management company, and shall ensure that all subcontractors maintain the following insurance:
o Commercial General Liability insurance including broad form contractual insurance and completed operations coverage in limits not less than $1
RFP 08212025-1 for HOA, Golf, Food & Beverage Operations 7
SUN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB REQUEST FOR MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL
million per occurrence. Sun Lakes Country Club Homeowners Association is to be named as an additional insured for the operations of the contractor. o Automobile Liability Insurance in limits of not less than $1 million per occurrence.
o Statutory Workers Compensation Insurance with employers’ liability limits of not less than$500,000 per occurrence and a waiver of subrogation for the work or job performed. Before beginning the initial start of work, Contractor shall deliver to Association copies of all required insurance policies and periodically thereafter all required renewals.
▪ Incurred Expenses:
All costs incurred in the preparation of your company’s RFP response shall be at your company’s sole expense.
▪ Confidentiality / Intellectual Property:
All specifications, drawings, logos, sketches, data, or documentation or other technical or business information furnished or disclosed by Sun Lakes Country Club to your company hereunder shall be considered confidential Information and the exclusive property of Sun Lakes Country Club.
(i) Documentation, concepts, and ideas submitted by your company in response to this RFP (“Firm Materials”) will become the property of Sun Lakes Country Club unless:
a. otherwise expressly requested and identified with particularity by your company in writing at the time of submission and
b. agreed to in writing by Sun Lakes Country Club upon receipt. (ii) Your company acknowledges and agrees that it is NOT submitting any trade secret information to Sun Lakes Country Club in connection with this RFP.
(iii) The Association, at its discretion, may require the execution of a written non-disclosure agreement by vendors prior to providing requested information in connection with this Request for Proposal
▪ Publicity:
No publicity or news releases pertaining to this RFP, responses to this RFP, and discussions of any kind related to this RFP, or the award or negotiation of any contract related to the bid document, may be publicly disclosed, or released without the prior written approval of Sun Lakes Country Club in its sole discretion.
▪ Other:
This RFP is not a contract offer. Acceptance of a proposal does not commit Sun Lakes Country Club to award a contract to any firm, even if the RFP meets all requirements stated in this RFP, nor limits our right to negotiate in our best interest. Sun Lakes Country Club reserves the right to contract with a firm for reasons other than price. Failure to answer any question in this RFP may subject the proposal to disqualification. Failure to meet qualifications and requirements will not necessarily subject a proposal to disqualification.
RFP 08212025-1 for HOA, Golf, Food & Beverage Operations