Commencement Staging & Labor Services

The University of Texas at Austin is soliciting responses for Commencement Staging & Labor Services (RFP 721-26056) to provide production supplemental staging components and associated labor services for the university-wide Commencement ceremony at Darrell K Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium, scheduled for May 9, 2026. Required deliverables include stage deck risers and systems for musician, presentation, and performance platforms; scaffold and shoring structure systems in black finish to support technical components such as cameras and LED displays; comprehensive labor services in support of staging and production needs; and training and certification for G2 Structures K2i staging systems and industry-standard safety operations. Qualified vendors must demonstrate experience with tier 1 research institutions or similarly complex organizations, provide at least three client references from work completed within the past three years, and document any prior work completed for the University of Texas at Austin during the past three years. Proposals will be evaluated on a best-value basis using weighted criteria: Respondents' Qualifications, Abilities, and Reputation (25 percent); Quality of Proposed Services including methodology and approach (30 percent); Ability to meet University needs (20 percent); and Price Proposal and long-term cost (25 percent). The proposal and VetHUB Subcontracting Plan submittal deadline is Friday, March 6, 2026 at 2:30 PM Central Standard Time via the University Bonfire portal, with questions due by Friday, February 20, 2026 at 2:00 PM. The anticipated contract term is three years, beginning April 2026 and expiring March 2029, with options to renew for up to two additional one-year terms.

This procurement includes a mandatory VetHUB Subcontracting Plan requirement, as the University has determined that subcontracting opportunities are probable and contractors must demonstrate good faith efforts in soliciting service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprises with a minimum 20 percent service disability rating. Responses that do not include a completed VetHUB Subcontracting Plan will be rejected as material failures to comply with advertised specifications. Contractors must either self-perform the entire contract or identify specific subcontracting opportunities and maintain documentation of outreach efforts to at least two VetHUB centers and three or more State of Texas certified VetHUB vendors with at least seven working days' notice. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified in the solicitation materials, and no specific budget range is disclosed; however, pricing must be submitted via the BidTable (BT-18JR) in the Bonfire portal with pre-show estimates provided in advance of each event and invoices processed monthly after service completion. The University will not reimburse contractors for expenses and will not recognize or accept any additional charges or fees beyond the all-inclusive rates proposed. Contractors must comply with accessibility requirements under 1 TAC Chapter 213 and 1 TAC 206.70, submit the Texas Ethics Commission Form 1295 Certificate of Interested Parties concurrent with the signed agreement, and execute all required certifications regarding tax compliance, antitrust compliance, equal employment opportunity compliance, non-engagement with Iran or sanctioned entities, and various other Texas-specific statutory certifications.