Production Services for Norwalk Summer Concert Series

The City of Norwalk, Connecticut is issuing a Request for Proposals to procure comprehensive production services for the 2026 Summer Concert Series at Calf Pasture Beach in Fairfield County. The procurement seeks qualified firms to provide sound equipment, technical support, and labor for ten outdoor special events scheduled for Wednesday evenings from June 24 through August 26, 2026, each with a designated rain date on the following Thursday. Key deliverables include sound system installation and operation, lighting coordination, emcee services, setup and breakdown logistics, and operational management of the City-provided Wenger Showmobile, with events anticipated to attract 200-500 attendees per concert. Contractors must demonstrate operational expertise with the Wenger Showmobile, possess technical proficiency in outdoor event production, and provide proof of comprehensive insurance coverage including Workers' Compensation, Commercial General Liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, Automobile Liability, and Umbrella/Excess Liability coverage with the City named as additional insured. Electronic sealed proposals must be submitted through the City's BONFIRE portal by February 26, 2026, at 2:00 PM, with a deadline for submitting questions by February 13, 2026, at 2:00 PM. The evaluation criteria weight cost proposals at 40 percent, qualifications and experience at 30 percent, overall proposal impression at 20 percent, and interview/presentation at 10 percent. The City intends to award a two-year initial contract with an option for one additional one-year extension, potentially extending the agreement through 2028.

The RFP does not specify any set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or preferential treatment for particular organization types. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are referenced in the procurement documents, and there are no identified restrictions limiting who may respond beyond the standard qualification and insurance requirements. The City provides the Wenger Showmobile as existing infrastructure that contractors must be capable of operating and integrating into their production services; no other technology or vendor integrations are specified. No mandatory site walkthrough or RFP deposit is required. While the specific contract value or budget range is not detailed in the available documentation, pricing proposals must include individual concert production fees and total lump-sum amounts for all ten concerts for Year 1, Year 2, and the optional year extension to enable cost comparison. Contract award is contingent upon fund availability and requires approval by the Norwalk City Council, with anticipated selection completion targeted for March 2026.