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Request for Proposal: Awards Gala AV Production

Web Posted:

6 February 2026

INTRODUCTION

The Northern Lights Aero Foundation (NLAF) was established in 2009 and incorporated in 2012. Our mission is to attract and inspire women to succeed in careers in aviation and aerospace through engaging in outreach, facilitating mentorship, providing scholarship opportunities, recognizing and celebrating their accomplishments at our annual “Elsie” awards gala.

NLAF requests offers, with this RFP, to fulfill our annual “Elsie” awards gala AV production requirements.

Currently, the overall producer of this event is the NLAF Board of Directors. It is responsible for specific elements of the event outside the scope of this RFP. Overall production decisions made by the NLAF Board that affect AV production will be shared with the chosen individual or team throughout the TERM of this RFP. A description of the scope of work is set out below with detailed requirements in subsequent sections. If interested and able to meet the requirements, the NLAF appreciates and welcomes an offer.

TERM

The period of this offer is June 1,2026 to October 5, 2026, with the option to extend for two (2) one-year periods.

OFFER REQUIREMENTS

Obtain clarification from Joy Parker Blackwood, if needed, necessary to submit an offer.

Provide enough detail, including all pricing details.

OFFER SUBMISSION

Offer to be submitted to Joy Parker Blackwood at email: jparkerblackwood@gmail.com or by mail: 11 Whooping Crane Drive, Laguna Vista, Texas  78578 USA

Applicants will receive confirmation of receipt.

  1. OFFER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
  2. Individual name or Business name and BIN number (if applicable)
  3. Offer period, as outlined above.
  4. Language – Our event is primarily in English, but if you have French translation capabilities, please advise.
  5. Joint venture? Is your offer based on a single business team or would you be managing and hiring independent suppliers to work with you to complete the production.
  6. Communication: Please identify modes of communication by which we may contact you – Name, title, email, cell phone/other, physical business address, etc.
  7. Two(2) client references.
  8. Submission DEADLINE is Monday, March 1, 2026.

SCOPE OF WORK and TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

Scope of Work:

  1. Work with independent artist providing hard copy creative (event poster, event program and various other print related elements in order to establish a common artistic theme for the AV production.
  2. Incorporating the supplied NLAF branding – logo and tag lines
  3. VISUAL ELEMENTS:
    1. Creating from award recipient-supplied and researched internet visuals (photo stills, video and text), 8 digital tribute modules highlighting the careers of eight exceptional Canadian women in aviation and aerospace, who will receive recognition from the stage at the gala. 
    1. Each tribute to be approximately 3 minutes in length.
    1. Video editing
  4. BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT:
    1. Writing 8 recipient biographical stories provided by nomination questionnaires, and directly from the recipients. These tribute scripts are narrated live from the stage. After which the recipients are individually recognized and awarded a trophy. 
    1. Provide each recipient with draft script to check for accuracy and omissions. Update scripts as recipients respond to drafts.
    1. Coordinate with NLAF President and event Emcee who provides the master gala script, excluding the recipient tribute modules. Cue master script for all visual appearances.
    1. AV Producer is introduced, via email and phone, to award recipients. Producer establishes rapport with them and provides guidance for supplying personal biographies. 

The nomination forms submitted to NLAF in early Spring, and forwarded to the producer, answer a limited series of questions for the purpose of scoring by a panel of judges, but by itself is not detailed enough to write comprehensive        tribute scripts.

  • Producer to explain to award recipients the importance of receiving their bios and photographic materials in a timely manner, monitor receipt of materials and provide follow-up reminders if necessary. Explain the importance of identifying each photograph/video supplies.
  • AV SCOPE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL GALA ELEMENTS:
    • Independent of the eight award recipient modules, the AV producer must incorporate photographic and video elements provided by various organizations and corporations that sponsor special awards, scholarships and bursaries. These presentations are made on-stage with appropriate visual backup which must be produced and incorporated into the overall program.
    • In addition, major sponsors of the event often have video segments that must be incorporated into the program.  Some video editing may be required.
    • The various levels of event sponsorship (Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze), as well as others, are recognized on screen with their official logos.  Great care must be taken to ensure the logo used is accurate and current.  This is coordinated with a member of the NLAF team.
    • Cocktail reception the night before the gala event, in a separate function area. Material for this AV module is determined by the NLAF board members. Some video can be acquired early, but some from sponsors sometimes is provided only hours before the actual reception. This requires that time on-site be made available for the inclusion of this material into the event programming. Care is to be taken to ensure this does not conflict with the gala rehearsal schedule in the main presentation room.
  • The AV producer and assigned production assistants, if any, will be responsible for attending the setup on-site, and conducting at least two rehearsals prior to the event evening. These rehearsals include the Emcee, the tribute narrator, sound and lighting technicians, and any other available special presentation speakers. 
  • Additional meetings with NLAF personnel, on and off-site, in person and digitally, will be required to review AV production progress, review the event facility for staging and technical setups, and meeting other event and facility personnel.

Technical Requirements:

  1. PowerPoint, or other suitable software
    1. Applicant to provide own computer to create visuals and scripts
    1. Projection screens provided by the event facility
    1. Coordinate with sound, lighting and staging personnel, at pre-event meetings and on-site for rehearsals, the Friday night reception and the next night for the gala.
    1. A Tech booth will be set up by the facility as required by the AV producer, lighting and sound personnel.
    1. Audience size for the gala is around 600 people
    1. Audience size for the Friday reception is around 150 people

PRODUCTION TIMELINE:

  1. May: award winners are determined after the judging process has been completed and winners are notified.
  2. June through August: Receipt of winner materials (visuals and biographies). As stated earlier, some visuals may need to be sourced from the net.
  3. July: on-site production meeting with AV producer, sound, lighting and staging technician.
  4. September: online run-through with NLAF President/event Emcee.
  5. September: meetings with NLAF team, and on-site/in-person production and technical run-throughs. A room layout will be drawn up for stage, audience tables and tech booth positioning. General time is about 2 hours.
  6. Mid-September: gala script written by NLAF President/event Emcee.
  7. Late September: script editing, as more information from all sources are provided (sponsors, scholarship personnel, etc.) which will be included in the AV production.
  8. October 2: Evening cocktail reception begins at 6pm. AV Producer on-site earlier in the day (time to be determined later) to add any last minute elements to the video module and rehearse.
  9. October 3: Evening cocktail reception and gala dinner/awards presentations that begin at 5pm. AV producer and team on-site earlier in the day to check technical setup, rehearse with stage presenters and Emcee.  Evening ends at approximately 10pm.

QUOTATION:

  1. Include personnel travel expenses.  NLAF will cover cost of hotel rooms from October 2 through 4.
  2. Up to this point we have used a separate company for staging, sound and lighting, but if you wish to quote separately on this, you may.
  3. We have been using the facility’s podium but if you have one, or can access one of a better “look”, we would be interested in discussing with you.

EVENT LOCATON:

Pearson Convention Centre

2638 Steeles Ave. East, Brampton, ON  L6T 4L7

HOTEL:

2648 Steeles Ave. East, Brampton, ON  L6S 6J9

(Next to the convention centre)

We look forward to your submission.

Joy Parker Blackwood

NLAF Director

jparkerblackwood@gmail.com

(Mobile) 956-404-9274

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