Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB)
Pre-Qualified AV Company Vendor List 2026 through 2028
Submission Deadline: Feb. 23, 2026, 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 establish a pre-qualified vendor list for AV services at CCIB events across the country over a three-year period (2026-2028). Please note that this list may be used for other AV projects by CCIB.
Please note: This RFP does not guarantee a project or volume of work. It is intended to create a comprehensive list of approved vendors that CCIB will use throughout 2026, 2027, and 2028. CCIB will prioritize selecting Certified Indigenous Businesses and local or regional suppliers when necessary and practical.
Once a need is determined, CCIB will reach out to vendors selected according to priority and location on this list for a formal, project-specific quote.
- 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.
Events bring together Indigenous businesses, corporations, and community leaders for networking, education, and celebration.
- PROJECT OVERVIEW & SCOPE OF SERVICES
CCIB often requires a full-service AV partner to manage all technical aspects its events, from initial pre-production through to on-site execution and post-event delivery of footage and debrief.
CCIB typically has a maximum budget of $60,000 CAD per signature event (250 to 500 attendees) OR $25,000 to $40,000 CAD for simpler events (100 to 350 attendees), excluding tax, power & rigging services.
Core Services & Deliverables
The successful Bidder will be responsible for the following:
A. 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.
B. On-Site Production
The Bidder must provide all necessary equipment, crew, and technical support for room setups, which will vary from event to event, but event-specific details will always be provided.
Day 1. Pre-event Reception, 7 pm – 9 pm
Day 2 (daytime). Forum, 9 am – 4 pm
Day 2 (evening). Awards Dinner, 6 pm – 9:30 pm
C. Description of Needs (Detailed AV Needs)
The Bidder must provide all necessary equipment, crew, and technical support for the following room setups:
| Location | Category | AV Requirements |
| Cocktail Reception | Audio | * Speakers for reception, music and announcements. |
| Other | * Setup for a DJ or acoustic player. | |
| Breakout Rooms (3 rooms) | 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. | |
| 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 (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 (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. | ||
| 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 forum/dinner. | ||
| Content | * Approximately 10-15 Voice-overs. | |
| Camera | * Run IMAG during the forum and dinner. | |
| * 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), 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 | Jan. 12, 2026 |
| Proposal Submission Due | Feb. 23, 2026, 5:00 p.m. EST |
| Proposal Review Period | Week of Mar. 2, 2026 |
| Final AV Partner Selection & Notification | Week of Mar. 2, 2026 |
- 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 venues and an overview of the provinces/regions where services have been provided.
- 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 typically has a maximum budget of $60,000 CAD for the total AV services per signature event in a major Canadian city or $25,000 to $40,000 CAD for simpler events, exclusive of tax and the power & rigging costs negotiated with the venue.
Please provide an all-inclusive, fixed-fee quote for a sample event, covering all labor, equipment rental, production management, and show calling.
- Overall Fixed-Fee Quote:
-
- Total AV Services (Equipment, Labor, Management): $_________ CAD
- Detailed Breakdown: Provide a line-by-line breakdown covering:
- Labor: Crew roles and hours (e.g., Lead Technician, Audio, Video, Camera Operator, Show Caller).
- Equipment Rental: Categorized by room (Ballroom, Breakouts (3), Reception (1)). 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.
APPENDIX C – Value-Added Enhancements (20 pts)
-
- 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: 2026-2028 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