Celebration Seeking a Event Management/Marketing Firm

Transcription

1 Celebration Seeking a Event Management/Marketing Firm The Illinois Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects (ILASLA) is seeking proposals from qualified marketing and event management companies (Consultant) to manage and assist in the coordination of the ILASLA Annual Celebration Award ceremony (Celebration) for This event is to celebrate ILASLA outstanding works of landscape architecture in 2012 with an award ceremony and reception, and event size is typically between attendees. The goal of the event is to bring together Chapter members, non members, allied professionals, and local communities in the name of landscape architecture. Additional goals include: raising the awareness of landscape architecture and providing networking opportunities for event attendees. Listed below are some general suggestions of what may be included in the proposal based on how the event has been managed in previous years. However, ILASLA is ultimately looking for recommendations from the Consultant on how this event should be coordinated and advertised, how the awards should be presented, and what should be offered to event attendees. The chosen company will work closely with the ILASLA Celebration Event Committee of volunteers and an ILASLA Publication Committee (Folio) in the design and development of the annual award booklet. The ILASLA will also be seeking proposals from separate Consultants for the design and development of Folio. Consultants may submit proposals for both the Celebration and Folio but must clearly identify any potential overlap, efficiencies, economies of scale, coordination benefits, etc. in order for the ILASLA Executive Committee (Ex Com) to evaluate the proposals or combination of proposals. Pre Event Deliverables: 01/Marketing Event marketing Conduct outreach to various community and regional news outlets/venues to help promote the event, raise awareness of landscape architecture, the Chapter, and the award winners. Also, leverage event to encourage those in the profession that are not members of the Chapter to attend event with the ultimate goal to join the Chapter. Pre Event Advertising and Marketing Prepare recommendations for potential pre event advertising and marketing outlets to promote Celebration and the Awards Ceremony, include media outlets to receive potential press releases regarding the upcoming event. Work with Celebration committee to develop pre event publicity and deliver to selected media outlets for pre event publicity. Marketing and Invitation Draft and Final Deliverables The Celebration theme will coordinate with Folio design being developed by the Folio Committee or Consultant. The Celebration Consultant will provide input to the Folio Committee relating to possible marketing and advertising opportunities to coordinate with the Celebration. 1

2 02/Timeline and Budget Event Budget To include income, expenses, and targeted net income. We are expecting the event budget to be within $25,000 $40,000. Budget income should include, but not necessarily be limited to, all income sources and support by Chapter, planned ticket sales, sponsorship donations and support. Expenses should include, but not necessarily limited to, all expenses including event management (Consultant fees), speaker fees, speaker travel & lodging expenses, invitation and publicity printing and reproduction costs, insurance (liability and dram shop), food and beverage, room or venue fees and charges, audio visual expenses etc. An Event Budget must be submitted to Ex Com for review and acceptance. The Consultant will submit bi weekly updates to the accepted budget during the course of the assignment, specifically noting line items that are over and under the accepted budgeted line items. Schedule Consultant will work with the Celebration Committee to develop an Event Schedule (Schedule) for the overall planning of the event with target milestones that includes the period from the authorization to proceed until a minimum of 2 weeks beyond the actual event date. 03/Venue and Event Structure Venue selection Assist in researching and securing a venue for event. Venue coordination Based on venue selection, coordinate requirements for deposit, scheduling, access, catering and caterer, communication, floor plan and setup for event, etc. Day of event timeline Develop a detailed Day of Event timeline (Timeline) from set up to tear down. 04/Event Emcee and Entertainment Emcee coordination Develop recommendations for Emcee for the event. Ex Com will select emcee from recommendations. Once an emcee is chosen, assist in coordinating with emcee agreements and confirmations necessary for event. Agreements with emcee will be directly with ILASLA. (Emcee to act as host for ceremonial portion of event. Emcee will potentially provide a short speech at the beginning of the ceremony, present important members of the Chapter, and present the award winners. Emcee would ideally be relative to the topic of landscape architecture, but preferably not a landscape architect.) Speaker or other entertainment agreement/confirmation (Program inclusion at the discretion of ILASLA) Develop recommendations for a speaker or other entertainment for the event. Ex Com will select final speaker/entertainer from the recommendations provided. Once chosen, coordinate and confirm speaker or other entertainment agreements and confirmations. Agreements with speaker or other entertainment will be directly with ILASLA. (If a speaker is chosen, this person should preferably be relative to the topic of landscape architecture, but not a landscape architect.) Travel arrangement itinerary Coordinate travel arrangements for speaker/emcee as necessary. Travel expenses will be paid/reimbursed directly by ILASLA to speaker/emcee. 2

3 Emcee gift Recommend and supply appropriate level/price range of emcee gift. Emcee gift will be paid for directly by ILASLA (if gift is appropriate). 05/Event Collateral Registration list Prepare name badges and participant identification tags for award winners, sponsors, guests, Ex Com members and other dignitaries based on registration list coordinated by ILASLA. Directional signage Coordinate development of (as needed) directional signage; theme to coordinate with Folio design. Presentation materials from speakers If a speaker is chosen, coordinate receipt of speaker presentation materials review, edit, coordinate, deliver materials for audio visual presentation etc. (as necessary). Presentation of Project Awards Create a PowerPoint presentation or other type of formal presentation that allows for viewing by a large group. Prepare and present draft presentation to Celebration committee minimum of 10 days prior to event for review and comment. Make required revisions based on Celebration committee comments and submit final presentation to Celebration committee 2 days prior to event. Award presenter script Draft presenter script from award winner submissions and submit to Celebration committee for editing, include phonetic spellings of all uncommon names, places and locations; prepare final script for presenter and deliver to presenter minimum 5 days prior to event. Coordinate on script with Emcee. Program materials Format TBD to coordinate with design of Folio. Prepare and submit draft program materials including but not necessarily limited to award winner posters, event program, table tents, advertising banners, table skirts, etc. to Celebration committee for review and approval, based on committee input integrate edits and prepare final materials and coordinate production and printing of all approved program materials. Event Day Deliverables: Event day coordination of schedule Facilitate and ensure timing and schedule of event Event day setup, coordination and teardown Coordinate and provide necessary staff to ensure directional signage is in place, setup award winner posters, and setup ILASLA or nonvenue provided materials and equipment prior to the event; coordinate teardown and cleanup of venue as required by venue agreement. Deliveries Coordinate delivery of Folio, programs, banners, etc., to venue for distribution to registrants at time of sign in. Registration table Coordinate setup of registration table including name tag display, manning of table during event, collection of walk in registrants, and production of supplemental name tags. Awards delivery Coordinate with ILASLA Awards Committee for delivery of award certificates to ceremony. Arrange, stage, and queue awards based on audio visual presentation. 3

4 Coordination of award winners and process for winners to accept awards during ceremony coordinate and assist in queuing award winners for award presentation on stage Photography Coordinate photography of award winners and miscellaneous candid action photos throughout the event including, pre event, awards ceremony, and post event reception. Provide digital photos taken during event to ILASLA Marketing Committee and Chapter Association Manager no later than 7 days post event. Post Event Deliverables: Post Event Publicity and Press Releases Develop press releases including photographs for distribution to media outlets identified during the pre event media identification and marketing. Distribute press releases to identified media outlets. Event Status Report Prepare and present to the ILASLA Ex Com and Celebration committee a memorandum covering event activities identifying successes and issues. This should be an effective post mortem of the event recapping issues with but not necessarily limited to catering, vendors, attendees, venue, marketing, publicity, etc. Event marketing Post photos of event to ILASLA Facebook and ILASLA webpage. Budget Develop and present Final event income and expense report with plan versus actual, and variances identified with an explanation and rationale for any variance greater than 5%. Wrap Up Meeting Make presentation to Ex Com and Celebration committee recapping the event with written recommendations on changes or revisions for subsequent years. General: In addition to the event proposal: o Provide a minimum of 3 references of non profit organizations you have worked with in the past 3 years on events and public relations activities. o Provide at least 2 brief profiles of previous event engagements of similar scope and scale ( attendees). o Provide copies, either hard or digital of marketing and program materials you designed, developed or prepared for similar type events of 200+ people where the event was conducted within the last 3 years. o Be prepared if short listed to make a brief presentation minutes with minutes of Q/A about your approach and strategies for the 2013 ILASLA Celebration and Awards Ceremony. o Provide submittals to Mary Walton at celebration@il asla.org for submissions or additional information. Any questions must me in writing and submitted via . Answers to questions will be distributed via . All questions must be in before September 20,

5 Schedule: Below is a general timeline of for the proposal process and event: o August 13, 2012: RFP publication o September 21, 2012: All questions about RFP must be answered o September 27, 2012: RFP submittals due no later than 5:00 pm o September 2012: Ex Com to review RFP submittals o November 2012: Firm to be selected o December 2012 March 2013: Event to be coordinated o April 2013: Event to be scheduled 5