RP008-26 Drone Show

The City of Lawrenceville, in partnership with Gwinnett County, Georgia, is issuing a Request for Proposal (RP008-26) for the procurement of aerial drone show services for the America 250 Celebration event. The drone show must be designed, produced, and executed on August 1, 2026, at 9:30 PM at the Gwinnett County Justice & Administration Center (75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, Georgia). The deliverables include a synchronized aerial display consisting of a minimum of 150 drones creating animated formations with 20-23 total animation sequences, including 4-8 customized animations specific to the City and America 250 theme, with a recommended show duration of approximately 15 minutes. The selected contractor will be responsible for all setup, testing, operation, teardown, equipment removal, permitting, FAA authorization, and restoration of the launch area. Prospective bidders must demonstrate at least three years of professional drone light show experience at large public events, provide references from at least three organizations or government agencies for whom similar drone shows have been performed within the past 24 months, and demonstrate FAA compliance expertise. The contractor must provide liability insurance with contractual indemnification coverage in the amount of $5,000,000, naming both the City of Lawrenceville and Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners as additional insureds, along with specified Worker's Compensation Insurance. All permits and FAA approvals must be submitted to the City no later than July 1, 2026, with the finalized animation sequence list and show timeline due at least two weeks before the event. Evaluation criteria include shell count, previous performance, experience, ability to conduct site visits, and creative quality of the proposed show design. Proposals must be submitted by email to purchasing@lawrencevillega.org by 2:00 PM local time on May 26, 2026, with questions directed in writing to Kenneth Morris, Purchasing Director.

No set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types responding to this procurement are indicated in the RFP documentation. No incumbent vendors, current contractors, or existing infrastructure requiring integration have been identified. The City has budgeted $15,000 for the complete drone display as the total not-to-exceed amount for this procurement. Payment terms require the City to pay within 30 days of receipt of approved invoices, with interest accruing at a specified monthly rate if payment is not made within 60 days. The contract may be terminated for cause with 10 days' notice or for convenience with 30 days' notice, in which case the contractor receives compensation only for services actually performed. The City reserves the right to reject any or all quotes, waive technicalities, and award based on best value considerations.