GL-2026-19-Americas 250th Anniversary Drone Show- Bid Opening.pdf

This Bid Opening document pertains to the Town of Glastonbury, Connecticut Parks and Recreation Department's procurement of drone light show services for America's 250th Anniversary celebration. The Town is soliciting bids for a 15-20 minute drone light show performance scheduled for September 26, 2026, at Riverfront Park (252 Welles Street, Glastonbury, Connecticut), with a rain date of September 27, 2026, commencing at approximately 7:15 p.m. Qualified vendors must possess substantial prior experience with drone light shows for municipal clients, all required FAA approvals and federal, state, and local licenses and permits, and maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate), Drone Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), and Aviation Liability ($5,000,000 per occurrence). Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Bonfire Hub e-procurement portal at https://glastonburyct.bonfirehub.com/ by March 12, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. EST. Critical milestones include a mandatory site walk-through two days prior to the event, Town approval of drone show design and choreography by July 26, 2026, final music selection approval by September 17, 2026, and equipment setup completion by 1:30 p.m. on the event date.

All bid prices must be all-inclusive of drones, licenses, permits, staff, vehicles, setup, teardown, storage, and equipment, with payment terms set at Net 30 following show completion. The Town has not designated set-aside provisions or restrictions limiting bidder eligibility, indicating this is an open competition available to all qualified vendors with no incumbent identified. Bidders must provide three municipal references from the past three years and submit comprehensive proposals including company profile, cost breakdown, safety protocols, drone specifications, and licensing documentation. All vendor operations must comply with FAA Part 107 regulations, and the vendor assumes full responsibility for facility damage repairs, grounds restoration, and legal debris disposal at its own expense. No estimated budget or award value range has been publicly disclosed. The procurement is contingent upon successful fundraising, and the Town reserves the right to negotiate a modified or smaller-scale presentation, waive informalities and defects, reject any or all bids, or terminate the contract if available funding proves insufficient. Inquiries should be directed to Nicole Melquist, Procurement Officer, at 860-652-7588 or Nicole.Melquist@glastonbury-ct.gov.