Grounds Production - Lighting, Staging, Trussing Equipment & Services

The OC Fair & Event Center, operated by the 32nd District Agricultural Association in Costa Mesa, California, is soliciting competitive sealed bids for Grounds Production – Lighting, Staging, Trussing Equipment & Services through Request for Proposal GL-08-26. The procurement encompasses the provision and management of comprehensive lighting fixtures, truss structures, staging equipment, LED screens, and associated rigging supplies, cabling, and power distribution systems across nine primary venues including Country Meadows Stage, Plaza Stage, Main Mall Video Wall, Promenade Stage, Heroes Hall, Baja Stage, Livestock LED Screen, Pig Races LED Screen, Junior Livestock Auction Stage, and Pacific Amphitheatre. The contractor must deliver equipment and personnel services for three operational categories: the annual OC Fair (23 performance days in July/August), the Imaginology event (2-3 performance days in April), and year-round events (1-day operations), with deliverables including full installation, testing, operation, maintenance, and teardown services. Qualified bidders must own a substantial percentage of required equipment, demonstrate five years of documented experience servicing at least four comparable venues with multiple consecutive performance days and a combined minimum of five performance stages, and provide stamped engineering drawings for all truss structures and stages. The contract term extends from April 15, 2026 through April 14, 2028, with three optional one-year renewals at the District's discretion. The proposal deadline is Monday, March 2, 2026 at 11:00 a.m., with submissions required electronically via wetransfer.com to RFP@ocfair.com. Written questions must be submitted by Tuesday, February 23, 2026, with responses provided on February 24, 2026. Award notifications will be posted for five working days beginning Tuesday, March 3, 2026, with a protest deadline of Thursday, March 5, 2026 and Board approval anticipated for Thursday, March 12, 2026.

The District has established a five percent Small Business preference designation for eligible vendors meeting applicable criteria. Additionally, disabled veteran business enterprise (DVBE) incentive participation is available, offering between one and five percent price adjustments based on the level of certified DVBE participation in the contract. All pricing shall be submitted on a not-to-exceed basis with quantities representing approximations only, and the contractor is not guaranteed any specific amount of work. The financial proposal requires all-inclusive flat fee pricing structured to cover equipment rental, labor, delivery, installation, teardown, materials, taxes, and a $25,000 annual contingency allocation for additional equipment and services across the five-year period. Bidders must provide proof of insurance meeting California state requirements, including general liability, automobile liability, and workers' compensation coverage with the State of California listed as an additional insured. No incumbent vendor information or existing infrastructure integration requirements are specified in the procurement documents. The estimated contract value, based on the financial proposal template showing a cumulative five-year contingency total of $125,000, suggests a substantial procurement with final award amounts to be determined by competitive bidding; however, the complete not-to-exceed budget range will be established through the vendor pricing submissions.