2025 Commencement Lighting/ Audio Visual

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is seeking a single service provider to manage comprehensive lighting and audio-visual services for their 2025 Commencement ceremonies through Request for Proposal (RFP) HM24006. The procurement covers twelve total ceremonies scheduled over three days (May 16-18, 2025), with each day featuring four ceremony sets accommodating approximately 8,500 guests per ceremony. Required services include venue lighting with eight light towers, stage and building lighting, a 12'x21' LED screen with trussing, ADA closed captioning display, a 200KW generator, and full technical staffing including lighting and video technicians. Proposing vendors must demonstrate at least five years of experience specifically in higher education event production. The evaluation criteria will assess venue lighting capability (20 points), LED screen/tile capabilities (20 points), schedule adherence (20 points), implementation feasibility (10 points), and cost (30 points). Key procurement dates include a proposal submission deadline of December 19, 2024, with virtual site reviews scheduled for December 2-3, 2024. The anticipated contract term spans three years with potential for two additional one-year renewal options, with initial services commencing January 27, 2025.

The procurement includes specific small business and diversity requirements, mandating a minimum 3% Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation. While no incumbent vendor is explicitly identified, the RFP suggests a competitive selection process open to qualified audio-visual and event production companies with substantial higher education experience. The solicitation does not specify a precise budget range, but the complexity of required services—including multiple ceremonies, extensive technical infrastructure, and comprehensive event management—indicates a significant contract value. The university's objective is to secure a vendor capable of delivering a professional, safe, and dignified commencement experience across multiple ceremonies. Proposing organizations must demonstrate technical competence, reliability, and the capacity to manage large-scale, multi-day event production with precise scheduling and high-quality audio-visual support.