2026 Central Business Forum & Awards Dinner (Toronto)
Request for Proposals: Audio-Visual (AV) Services
Event Date: February 25-26, 2026
Event Location: Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto, ON
Submission Deadline: December 15, 2025, 5:00 p.m. EST
- STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (“CCIB”) is seeking proposals from Audio-Visual (AV) suppliers (“Bidder”) who have demonstrated professional competence and experience in providing full-service AV production and management for multi-day, multi-room corporate conferences and awards dinners.
The purpose of this Request for Proposal (“RFP”) is to secure a qualified AV partner for the CCIB 2026 Central Business Forum & Awards Dinner in Toronto.
- BACKGROUND INFORMATION
CCIB is a national member-based organization dedicated to economic reconciliation and growing the Indigenous economy. We are a non-partisan/non-profit organization with a mission to promote, strengthen and enhance a prosperous Indigenous economy. The theme of our 2026 events is: Rooted in Purpose. Growing through Connection.
The Central Business Forum & Awards Dinner is a flagship event bringing together Indigenous businesses, corporations, and community leaders for networking, education, and celebration.
- PROJECT OVERVIEW & SCOPE OF SERVICES
CCIB requires a full-service AV partner to manage all technical aspects for the two-day event, from initial pre-production through to on-site execution and post-event delivery of footage and debrief.
CCIB has a maximum budget of $60,000, excluding tax, power & rigging services.
Event Details
| Detail | Description |
| Event Name | 2026 Central Business Forum & Awards Dinner |
| Dates | February 25-26, 2026 |
| Venue | Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto |
| Anticipated Attendees | 400 – 500 seated in rounds of 8-10 |
| Primary Rooms | Frontenac Ballroom, Frontenac Foyer, Queens Quay, Bay |
| AV Move-In | Feb 25: 6 am EST to Frontenac, Bay, Queens Quay |
| Preliminary Schedule | Feb 25: Networking Reception (5:00 PM EST, Frontenac Foyer) |
| Feb 26: Central Business Forum (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST, Frontenac & Breakouts) | |
| Feb 26: Awards Dinner (6:00 PM – 9:30 PM EST, Frontenac & Foyer Cocktail) |
Core Services & Deliverables
The successful Bidder will be responsible for the following:
- Pre-Production
- Attend a pre-production briefing and manage email correspondence with the CCIB team.
- Confirm and manage all venue AV requirements, including power and rigging.
- Act as the primary point of contact and manage the account.
- Provide a quote and manage negotiations with the in-house supplier (Encore) for power and rigging services to obtain the best cost for CCIB. CCIB will sign off on the estimate after the AV team’s recommendation.
- If available, host an in-person pre-event run-through at the Bidder’s Toronto studio.
- On-Site Production (Detailed AV Needs)
The Bidder must provide all necessary equipment, crew, and technical support for the following room setups:
| Location | Category | AV Requirements |
| Frontenac Foyer (Reception/Cocktail) | Audio | * Speakers for reception, music and announcements. |
| Other | * Setup for a DJ (Feb 24 pre-event reception). | |
|
Breakout Rooms (Bay, Queens Quay, Piers 2&3, Frontenac: 3-4 breakouts total) Breakouts set theatre style with small riser in front. |
Audio | * Speakers and wireless mic kit (lavs or headsets) for up to four speakers per room (3-4 rooms total), with one breakout potentially taking place in the Frontenac Ballroom. |
| Setup | * Rooms to be set in theatre style seating. | |
| Frontenac Ballroom (Forum/Dinner) | Staging & Lighting | * 42’ x 16’ stage (venue provided but needs AV integration). |
| * Provide some backdrop options for the stage. | ||
| * Uplights. | ||
| * Pipe & Drape behind screens. | ||
| * Pillars/display for the 2 drum awards on stage for evening. | ||
| Visuals & Screens | * 2 x Screens (on either side of the stage) for running presentations, IMAG, and video. Please recommend appropriate size. | |
| * 1 x Screen (center stage) to display a static image/backdrop. Please recommend the appropriate size based on the 42′ stage. See examples from previous events for reference. | ||
| * Comfort monitor with timer in front of the stage. | ||
| Presentation Content |
All content will be provided by the Client. Forum (Feb 26 Daytime): Bidder must manage: 1 looping deck for breaks, 1 primary PowerPoint deck for the main show, plus potentially a keynote/workshop presentation, and anything else that may come up. Dinner (Feb 26 Evening): Bidder must manage: 1 looping deck for breaks, 1 primary PowerPoint deck for the show, and playback of 2 awards videos. |
|
| Audio & Mics | * Podium (digital customization preferred; preferably with internal shelf) with microphone. | |
| * Wireless mic kit (lavs or headsets) for on-stage panelists (up to 5). | ||
| * Capability to play music during breaks. | ||
| Feb. 26 evening: A band setup. Exact specifications to be determined. | ||
| Management | * Wireless headset for communication with stage manager and show caller. | |
| * Slide advancer/clicker. | ||
| * Show Caller (available for pre-production briefing and correspondence) – for Feb. 26. | ||
| Content | * Approximately 10-15 Voice-overs. | |
| Camera | * Run IMAG during the events on Feb. 26. | |
| * Deliver raw footage of event recording to the Client post-event within 7 business days. |
Setup & Visual Reference: For guidance on the stage aesthetic, awards display (pillars), sample floorplans, suggested room layout, and preferred agenda flow, please review the photos and materials from previous events at the following link. These examples illustrate the overall look and feel we are aiming to achieve, including screen backdrop positioning, stage design, and general event setup expectations.
To view past event setup, please click here.
- RFP SUBMISSION & TIMELINE
| Activity | Date |
| RFP Distribution to Bidders | December 1, 2025 |
| Proposal Submission Due | December 15, 2025, 5:00 p.m. EST |
| Proposal Review Period | Week of December 15, 2025 |
| Final AV Partner Selection & Notification | Week of December 15, 2025 |
- GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSAL PREPARATION
All proposals must be submitted in PDF format. The proposal must include the following sections (Appendices):
- Appendix A – Company Profile, Experience & References
- Appendix B – Detailed Budget & Costing
- Appendix C – Technical Approach, Floorplan & Value-Added Enhancements
- EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals will be evaluated based on the best overall value, not solely the lowest bid.
| Criteria | Weight (Points) |
| Detailed Budget & Costing (Appendix B) | 45 |
| Company Experience & Relevant Samples (Appendix A) | 30 |
| Technical Approach & AV Solution (Appendix C) | 15 |
| References (Appendix A) | 5 |
| Value-Added Enhancements (Appendix C) | 5 |
| TOTAL | 100 points |
- APPENDICES FOR PROPOSAL RESPONSE
APPENDIX A – Company Profile, Experience & References (35 pts)
- Contact Information: Company Name, Submitted By, Position, Telephone, Email, Website.
- Company Biography/Resume: A brief summary highlighting experience with similar high-profile, multi-day, corporate/awards events in large Toronto venues.
- Portfolio / Work Samples: Provide 3-5 links to videos or detailed case studies demonstrating your AV work, specifically showing stage design, screen usage, and event recording.
- References: Provide details for 2 relevant clients (Name, Company, Position, Telephone, Email, Project Description).
- Declaration: A signed declaration acknowledging the RFP requirements.
APPENDIX B – Detailed Budget & Costing (45 pts)
CCIB has established a maximum budget of $60,000 CAD for the total AV services outlined in this RFP, exclusive of tax and the power & rigging costs negotiated with the venue. Proposals exceeding this amount will be subject to immediate disqualification unless a detailed justification for the increased scope is provided.
Please provide an all-inclusive, fixed-fee quote for the entire event, covering all labor, equipment rental, production management, and show calling for February 25-26, 2026.
Overall Fixed-Fee Quote:
-
- Total AV Services (Equipment, Labor, Management): $_________ CAD
- Detailed Breakdown: Provide a line-by-line cost breakdown covering:
- Labor: Crew roles and hours (e.g., Lead Technician, Audio, Video, Camera Operator, Show Caller).
- Equipment Rental: Categorized by room (Frontenac, Foyer, Breakouts). Include items like screens, projectors, lighting, microphones, etc.
- Show Caller Fee: A separate line item for the Show Caller (including pre-production).
- Voice-overs: Quote for 10-15 voice-overs.
- Power & Rigging Estimate:
- Rough Estimate: $_________ CAD
- Explanation: Briefly explain how this estimate was calculated and your planned approach to negotiating these costs with the venue’s in-house supplier (Encore).
APPENDIX C – Technical Approach & Value-Added Enhancements (20 pts)
- Screen Recommendation: Based on a 42’ x 16’ stage, and reviewing the past event setup photos (linked in Section 3), what size screen do you recommend for the center stage backdrop?
- Backdrop & Staging: Please provide some photos for stage design including backdrop suggestions and anything else, such as pillars for the drum awards.
- In-House Pre-Run-Through: Do you have a studio in Toronto where CCIB can do an in-person pre-event run-through? (YES / NO)
- If YES, please add the address the facility.
- Value-Added Enhancements:
- Charitable Discount: Do you offer a charitable discount? (YES / NO) If yes, describe.
- CCIB Membership: Are you a current CCIB Member or a Certified Indigenous Business?
CCIB CONTACT:
Please submit proposals in PDF format with the subject line:
RFP Submission: 2026 Toronto Event AV Services
Any questions concerning requirements must be directed to the contact person listed below.
Teri Campbell
Director, Events & Awards
Canadian Council for Indigenous Business
Email: events@ccib.ca