26Q0024 - Questions Answer.pdf

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Embassy of the United States of America

Bangkok, Thailand

May 1, 2026

Solicitation No. 19TH2026Q0024 – American Fair: Freedom 250 Bangkok

Questions and Answers

Q 1. Could you kindly advise whether the U.S. Embassy Bangkok is able to share an estimated budget range or government estimate for this requirement, for offerors’ reference during quotation preparation?

A. We have prepared an Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) for this project.

We would prefer to see your cost proposal based on the requirement outlined in the solicitation.

Q 2. Proposal-Stage Technical Submission; Section 3 requests a strategic framework / plan / presentation for the Bangkok Freedom 250 project, while the Statement of Work also lists later deliverables, including the event concept proposal, site master plan, detailed programming schedule, staffing plan, and others. See response to question 2.

Q 3. Could you kindly confirm what level of technical detail is expected at the quotation stage? Specifically, would a high-level strategic framework/concept direction be sufficient, or is a more fully developed concept and site planning package expected as part of the initial quotation?

A. For Question 2 and 3

At the quotation stage, offerors must submit a strategic framework, plan, or presentation that includes:

(a) A work plan addressing all elements in the Statement of Work

(b) Identification of types and quantities of equipment, supplies, and materials required.

(c) A plan for ensuring quality of services, including contract administration and oversight.

This initial submission should demonstrate your understanding of the project scope and your proposed approach. It should be sufficiently detailed for the evaluation committee to assess your technical capability and concept direction.

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The more detailed deliverables listed in STATEMENT OF WORK, 8. DELIVERABLES (such as event concept proposal, site master plan map, detailed programming schedule, staffing plan and organizational chart, risk mitigation and contingency plan, and communications and social media plans) will be developed and submitted post-award in close consultation with the U.S.

Embassy Bangkok.

In summary: your quotation should include a comprehensive strategic framework showing your approach and capability, while the fully developed operational plans will be refined and finalized after contract award.

Q 4 Venue Rental Exclusion

The Statement of Work notes that venue rental fees are excluded, but that other venue-related costs may be included. Could you kindly confirm whether the venue is handled separately by the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok and clarify which venue-related costs, if any, should still be included in the offeror’s price?

A. The U.S. Embassy Bangkok will handle the base venue rental separately. Offerors should include in their pricing all other venue-related costs necessary for event execution, including:

- Security Deposit – THB120,000 (No VAT) Fully refundable within 30 working days after the event concludes, pending a site inspection

- Staff (Cleaning & Security) o Cleaning Service: 964.90 THB / person / 8-hour shift (Inc. VAT) o Security Service: 1,284 THB / officer / 12-hour shift (Inc. VAT)

- Venue & Operational Fees o Rooftop Fee: THB400,000 for 4 Days (Exclude VAT) o Set-up Fee: THB10,000/day o Event Day Fee: THB30,000/day

Below is the information on space size and venue restrictions and electricity:

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Q 5. Award criteria. Could you please clarify the evaluation methodology and weighting, if any, for concept, technical acceptability, past performance, and price? Also, please confirm whether the resulting contract will be firm-fixed-price or whether any adjustment mechanism may apply.

A. Award will be made to the lowest priced, acceptable, responsible offeror. The evaluation is based on:

• Lowest price: Lowest price wins among acceptable offers

• Acceptability: Your concept, work plan, and approach must comply with Section 3 requirements

• Responsibility: Must meet FAR 9.1 requirements, including adequate past performance and organizational capability

The contract type is firm fixed price as stated in the Performance Work Statement in Section 1.

Prices must remain valid for 12 months and throughout performance.

Q 6. Anticipated attendance. Could you please share the estimated total attendance across the 3-day event, as well as the anticipated peak-day attendance? Will attendance be ticketed, invitation-based, or open to walk-in participants? Are there any target audience demographics?

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A. The American Fair in Bangkok will be open to the public with walk-in access without ticketing requirements. Offerors should plan for a large-scale, family and youth-friendly public event in their proposal. It is difficult to estimate the attendance because there are factors such as weather that could influence foot traffic.

Q 7. Venue – Parc Paragon. The SOW notes that venue rental is excluded from the contractor’s price, but also indicates that other venue-related costs may be included. Could you please clarify what specific venue-related costs the Embassy expects the contractor to cover under this line item, such as utilities, deposits, overtime access, cleaning bonds, or similar charges? If available, a site layout and venue point of contact would also be appreciated.

A. Please see response to Question 4.

Q 8. Technology/innovation partners. Has the Embassy already identified specific U.S.

technology partners, exhibitors, corporate participants, or universities for the event, or is the contractor expected to propose a partner mix for Embassy review and approval? Are there any themes, sectors, or organizations that should be prioritized or avoided?

A. The Embassy has not confirmed most partners for the Fair. Currently confirmed partners which will be present at the Fair are American vehicles and selected U.S. government agencies.

The contractor is expected to propose a partner mix (U.S. technology companies, universities, corporate participants, alumni associations) for Embassy approval. The Embassy has engaged with some U.S. technology partners previously, but participation is not confirmed. The contractor will work closely with the Embassy on the final partner list before contacting any potential partners. The theme “Technology and Innovation” should be emphasized. There are no specific areas to avoid. All partnerships require Embassy approval.

Scope Clarifications

Q 9. Promotion. Could you please clarify the level of promotion expected by the Embassy, including influencer/KOL level, paid media expectations, production value, and social media cadence? Is paid media placement within the contractor’s scope, and is there an approved list of KOLs or partners to be considered?

A. The contractor must develop and execute a communications plan to achieve substantial visibility with target audience.

Promotion Requirements:

- Influencer/KOL marketing and paid media strategies with substantial reach (suggested coverage across 5-10+ platforms and costs within contractor’s budget)

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- Monitor and report media/influencer coverage to the Embassy

- All content must comply with Freedom 250 Brand Guidelines

There is no pre-approved list. All KOLs and paid media require Embassy approval and must be included in the total proposed budget.

Specific metrics and targets will be refined with the selected contractor during planning.

Q 10. Power supply. Could you please confirm the on-site electrical capacity available at Parc Paragon, including amperage, phases, and distribution points? Are generators expected as the primary source of power, or only as contingency backup?

A. Below in the information on space size and venue restrictions and electricity:

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Q 11. Rain contingency. In the event of adverse weather, does the Embassy expect full weather protection across the entire event footprint, or only over key areas such as the stage and food & beverage zones, with delay protocols for the remainder? Also, please clarify how weather-related cancellation risk is intended to be handled.

A. Weather protection (rain cover) is required at minimum for the main stage, food and beverage zones, and critical operational areas. Full coverage across the entire footprint is not required but is encouraged depending on what is practicable.

Schedule delays due to rain or extreme weather are acceptable. Offerors should plan for weather contingencies to minimize the risk of cancellation and include protocols in their risk mitigation plan for temporary delays, crowd management, and severe weather response.

Q 12. Medical support. Could you please confirm the expected medical coverage for the event, including the required team composition and whether an ambulance on standby is mandatory?

A. The Embassy will not be responsible for any medical cost resulting from accidental injuries at the fair. The contractor should include first-aid response team and ambulance on standby for the event. If the Embassy has additional partnerships on medical support, the contractor will be informed.

Q 13. DBA insurance. We are currently assuming that Defense Base Act insurance is required and will include this in our pricing unless advised otherwise. We would appreciate your confirmation on whether DBA coverage is in fact required for this requirement.

A. DBA insurance is required per SECTION 1, 2. PRICING.

Pricing and Contractual

Q 14. Payment milestones. Could you please clarify whether the Embassy has a preferred payment milestone structure across the three phases, or whether bidders may propose their own? In particular, what would constitute “design approval” for purposes of triggering any planning-phase payment?

A. The Embassy has established a three-phase payment milestone structure:

1. Planning Phase: Payment upon successful approval of the fair design, including event concept proposal, site master plan, programming schedule, staffing plan, vendor curation plan, risk mitigation plan, and/or communications plan

2. Execution Phase: Payment upon successful execution of the Fair (October 23-25, 2026)

3. Post-Event Phase: Payment upon submission and approval of wrap-up video, photo album, and final report

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Offerors may propose the payment percentage split across these three milestones in their financial proposal, but the milestone structure itself is fixed. All deliverables must be approved by the U.S. Embassy Bangkok before payment is released.

Offerors should comply with the terms of payment, 30 days credit. The Financial Section will transfer the payment to the vendor within 30 days after invoices are received at each phase.

Q 15. Bid validity. The solicitation indicates a 12-month bid validity period, which would require prices to remain valid through April 2027. Could you please confirm whether there is any mechanism for adjustment in the event of significant adverse cost movement, or whether pricing must remain fully fixed for the entire validity period?

A. Pricing must remain fully fixed for the entire 12-month bid validity period and throughout contract performance. This is a firm fixed price contract as stated in Section 1, and the solicitation does not provide any mechanism for price adjustment due to cost movements, currency fluctuations, or other economic factors.

Offerors should account for potential cost escalation risks when preparing their pricing, as prices submitted with the quotation will remain binding through the 12-month bid validity period (through April 2027) and the entire period of performance (May 2026 through November 2026, if awarded).

Technical Scope and Implementation

Q 16. Could you kindly clarify the expected scale of the event, including the estimated number of visitors per day and the anticipated number of booths or participating partners?

A. The American Fair in Bangkok will be open to the public with walk-in access without ticketing requirements. Offerors should plan for a large-scale, family and youth-friendly public event and include their attendance assumptions in their proposal.

The Fair will be comprised of multiple zones at the Parc Paragon, including educational exhibits (American history and culture, American Innovation, and Thai-U.S. Relations); U.S. Mission agencies (5-10 booths); partners and American companies (5-10 booths); areas for activities and games; food vendor area (5-10 vendors); and main stage for performances and programming. The overall ambience should be festive. The contractor will propose a zone layout and work with the Embassy to finalize the configuration. In addition, the offerors should include the use of SCBX area on the 4th floor for indoor activities.

Below are suggested activities and programming for each area/zone:

Educational Exhibits A250 exhibition - American History

A250 exhibition - American Innovations A250 exhibition - Thai-US relations

U.S. Mission Thailand Zone 5-10 booths

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Partners and American Companies

5-10 booths

Areas for Activities and Games American trivia Basketball shooting Bingo Face painting Interviews with Amb Line/Swing/hip hop dance workshops Period costumes Photo walls/backdrops Ring toss Stamp rally with postcards

Food Vendor Zone (5-10 vendors)

American street food/fair food Food trucks Local food vendors

SCBX DIY Corner Speaker programs Workshop with partners

Q 17. To what extent is the contractor expected to support program and content development (e.g., sourcing speakers, performers, and exhibitors), versus executing pre-defined content?

A. The contractor is expected to support program and content development, including:

- Sourcing performers for the main stage

- Providing sound system and audio equipment suitable for outdoor fairs and performance of 5-10 instrument band at the Parc Paragon and basic audio visual for SCBX space

- Coordinating logistics for activities and contests

- Developing main stage programming (exhibitor presentations, interactive activities, cultural performances)

- Design and produce exhibition panels with provided information and content by the

U.S. Embassy Bangkok

Pre-defined content: The U.S. Embassy Bangkok has secured a U.S. jazz band performing daily on the main stage, including traditional upbeat jazz and jazz renditions of popular songs. The contractor is encouraged to create complementary activities (e.g., jazz swing dance lessons) that enhance these performances. If the Embassy has additional partnerships on performers, the Contractor will be informed.

Q 18. Could you please confirm the division of responsibilities between the Embassy and the contractor, particularly regarding VIP coordination, partner engagement, and on-site management?

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A. The division of responsibilities between the Embassy and the contractor is as follows:

Embassy Responsibilities:

- VIP and Partner Coordination: Embassy staff will handle VIP, partner, and guest coordination and relations

- Booths for Partners and Exhibitors: Embassy will provide a list of partners who will have their booths at the fair. Contractors may suggest exhibitors for Embassy approval.

- Program Oversight: Embassy will provide program oversight

- Branding & Messaging: Embassy will provide Freedom 250 branding guidelines, logos, approved messaging, and opening ceremony content

- Security Direction: Embassy security may advise on security requirements as needed.

Contractor Responsibilities:

- Partner Engagement: Coordinate with Embassy-selected partners on booth setup and decoration

- On-Site Management: Oversee all event operations, logistics, production, setup, breakdown, staffing, emcees, and troubleshooting

- Vendor Coordination: Manage all vendors, suppliers, and subcontractors

- Event Execution: Ensure smooth operations and high-quality delivery throughout the

Fair

- Technical & Operational Support: Provide all event infrastructure, equipment, and on-site support

The contractor remains responsible for all other aspects of Fair planning, production, and execution as outlined in the Statement of Work.

Q 19. Are there any specific branding guidelines and how many rounds of review and approval should be anticipated for key deliverables?

A. The Embassy will provide branding guidelines to ensure a harmonized look across all Freedom 250 fairs. These include:

• Broad visual guidelines for Freedom 250 campaign

• Thailand-specific key visual package (including central fair logos for adaptation, design vectors, and fonts).

The fair design, promotional material, and design-related key deliverables should undergo three rounds of review and approval. All designs, plans, and activities must be approved by the U.S.

Embassy Bangkok prior to implementation.

Venue and Logistics

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Q 20. Are there any known venue restrictions or operational limitations (e.g., installation timelines, sound regulations, branding constraints)?

A. Contractors will have two days, October 21-22, 2026, for installation at Parc Pargon, Siam Paragon. The Embassy will provide additional information on installation timeline once award is announced.

Communications and Outreach

Q 21. Are there specific targets or expectations for media outreach and digital engagement, including influencer involvement or paid media?

A. Media Outreach: The U.S. Embassy will directly engage its media network (unpaid), conduct press activities (conferences, briefing, tours), and issue press release. The contractor is responsible for paid media and influencer engagement, providing logistical support for Embassy press activities, and amplifying Embassy communications through their networks. Contractors with established press contacts are encouraged to leverage these relationships.

Digital Engagement: Offerors should propose KOLs/influencers and paid media strategies for Embassy approval as part of their communications plan. All KOLs and paid media require Embassy approval and must be included in the total proposed budget.

Budget and Financial Considerations

Q 22. Should the financial proposal be submitted as a lump sum, or with a detailed cost breakdown by category?

A. Offerors must submit pricing in the format provided in Section 1, with separate line items for American Fair: Freedom 250 in Bangkok (total project price) and DBA Insurance.

A detailed cost breakdown is not required but may be included to support price reasonableness (e.g., planning and coordination, fair design and execution, promotion and communications, event management and staffing, logistics and operations). All prices must be in Thai Baht, excluding VAT. DBA insurance costs must be included within the cost proposal.

Q 23. Could you kindly confirm whether costs such as venue rental, utilities, permits, security, and insurance should be fully included in the contractor’s budget?

A. The U.S. Embassy Bangkok will handle the base venue rental separately. Offerors should include in their pricing all other venue-related costs necessary for event execution, including:

- Security Deposit – THB120,000 (No VAT) Fully refundable within 30 working days after the event concludes, pending a site inspection

- Staff (Cleaning & Security) o Cleaning Service: 964.90 THB / person / 8-hour shift (Inc. VAT) o Security Service: 1,284 THB / officer / 12-hour shift (Inc. VAT)

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- Venue & Operational Fees o Rooftop Fee: THB400,000 for 4 Days (Exclude VAT) o Set-up Fee: THB10,000/day o Event Day Fee: THB30,000/day

Below is the information on space size and venue restrictions and electricity

Q 24. Is there any flexibility in the payment schedule, particularly regarding an initial mobilization payment?

A. The Embassy has established a three-phase payment milestone structure:

1. Planning Phase: Payment upon successful approval of the fair design, including event concept proposal, site master plan, programming schedule, staffing plan, vendor curation plan, risk mitigation plan, and/or communications plan

2. Execution Phase: Payment upon successful execution of the Fair (October 23-25, 2026)

3. Post-Event Phase: Payment upon submission and approval of wrap-up video, photo album, and final report

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Offerors may propose the payment percentage split across these three milestones in their financial proposal, but the milestone structure itself is fixed. All deliverables must be approved by the U.S. Embassy Bangkok before payment is released.

Offerors should comply with the terms of payment, 30 days credit. The Financial Section will transfer the payment to the vendor within 30 days after invoices are received at each phase.

Compliance and Reporting

Q 25. Are there specific insurance coverage requirements (e.g., minimum liability levels) that the contractor must meet?

A. We require DBA (Defense Base Act) Insurance.

Q 26. Could you provide further guidance on the expected post-event reporting format and level of detail?

A. Post-event deliverables include a short highlight video, photo album, and post-event report with attendance estimates, media reach, participant demographics (if feasible), and survey results. Survey questions will be provided by the Embassy. All photos and videos become public domain. Deliverables are due in November 2026 and must be approved before final payment. The Embassy does not have specific templates for reporting.

(End of Questions)

Embassy of the United States of America