Entertainment Services

Delaware State University is seeking qualified vendors to provide comprehensive entertainment services under Contract No. DSU260407-ENTERTAINM through a Request for Proposal process. The procurement encompasses turnkey entertainment and stage production services for major campus events, including Homecoming concerts, Spring concerts, Speaker Series, Convocation, Commencement ceremonies, New Student Orientation, and other special events for both indoor and outdoor venues. Vendors must provide complete event management services encompassing talent support, technical design, equipment provision, staffing, rehearsals, show execution, and post-event closeout, with detailed pricing structured across four tiered event models: Tier 1 for large arena/field concerts, Tier 2 for spring concerts, Tier 3 for ceremonial events, and Tier 4 for lectures. The proposal submission deadline is 3:00 PM on March 31, 2026, with proposals to be submitted electronically via email to contracts@desu.edu as a single PDF file not exceeding 5 megabytes. A non-mandatory site visit is scheduled for February 24, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the Martin Luther King Building in Dover, Delaware, and the deadline for submitting written questions is February 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM, with responses to be posted by March 18, 2026. The contract term is three years with options to renew for two additional one-year extensions by negotiation, with a projected start date of April 15, 2026. Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: 20 points for meeting specifications and requirements, 20 points for experience in providing such services, and 60 points for pricing and related costs. Vendors must submit comprehensive bid pricing sheets including all-inclusive event pricing, labor rates for straight time, overtime, and double time, equipment rental or ownership costs, and any applicable markups capped at specified percentages, along with mandatory Commercial General Liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence/$3,000,000 per aggregate, Worker's Compensation, and Automotive Liability Insurance.

The RFP is open to all qualified vendors without mandatory set-asides; however, Minority Business Enterprises, Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, Women-Owned Business Enterprises, and Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises will receive full consideration in the bidding process. All bidders must maintain current Delaware business licenses and comply with all state procurement laws, background check requirements for staff accessing University property, cyber security standards, and prevailing wage requirements where applicable. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents. The RFP is funded through non-State funds and does not utilize federal appropriations, and no specific budget range or award values are disclosed in the available documentation. The University reserves the right to reject any or all bids, and bidders will not be subject to discrimination based on race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.