KET Lighting Technicians (Grips)

Kentucky Educational Television (KET) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking up to three professional lighting technicians (grips) for studio lighting projects at their Network Center in Lexington, Kentucky. The procurement targets highly skilled professionals to assist in hanging, aiming, and focusing television studio lights across Studio A and Studio B, involving the installation of approximately 280 lighting fixtures. Qualified candidates must possess extensive experience with contemporary LED television lighting equipment, DMX wiring, and industry best practices, with a minimum requirement of five years of professional television lighting experience. The RFP was released on June 23, 2025, with proposals due by 4:30 PM EDT on July 28, 2025, for a contract period running from September 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, with potential for a two-year renewal. Evaluation criteria will assess candidates based on professional experience, project history, industry references, and potential oral presentations, with a maximum of 1,800 possible points. The daily compensation rate is $650 for a ten-hour workday or $325 for a half-day, with travel expenses reimbursed according to state employee travel policy and limited to $3,500 per person for the contract duration.

The contract requires technicians to be capable of lifting up to 50 pounds while working on elevated personnel lifts and ladders, and will be subject to approval by the Finance and Administration Cabinet and the Legislative Research Commission's Government Contract Review Committee. No specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned in the RFP documents. The total estimated work period is 17 days, with Studio A's lighting installation planned for November 2025 and Studio B's for July 2026. While no incumbent vendors were identified, the project involves integrating contemporary LED lighting equipment with existing DMX wiring infrastructure. Travel reimbursement will follow state guidelines, including mileage at $0.42 per mile and standard per diem rates for meals. The procurement appears to be an open competitive solicitation for individual lighting technicians rather than being limited to specific types of organizations or businesses.