Gospel Festival Event Management Services

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is seeking a competent event management company to plan, organise and execute the Thobela FM Gospel Festival, provisionally scheduled for 5 December 2026 at the Polokwane Cricket Club in Limpopo. The venue has already been secured by the broadcaster, so the successful service provider does not need to book it. The SABC reserves the right to move the event date if circumstances change. This is a once-off, end-to-end engagement covering planning, supplier and stakeholder coordination, build-up, event-day management and breakdown, with a quotation deadline of 16 November 2026 at 12:00. The tender is a Request for Quotation (RFQ) and is evaluated on functionality first, with price and specific goals considered only for bidders who reach the minimum threshold.

The scope is broad and includes artist management, accommodation, production and security. The appointed provider must contract and pay the performing artists, who are planned as a 40% national and 60% regional mix subject to Thobela FM approval, and must manage their hospitality, technical riders, transport and accommodation (around 30 rooms at a four-star guest house or hotel). Production requirements include a 14m x 12m scaffolding stage with roof trussing, a full line-array sound system, professional lighting and rigging, LED walls, HD recording, generators and power distribution, crowd barriers, marquees for VIP and artist areas, and a joint operations centre (JOC). Catering must serve artists, VIP guests, crew and the JOC across lunch, dinner, main meal and late-night sessions for up to 900 people. The provider must also supply sanitation (general, VIP and accessible toilets), three ambulances with ILS, BLS and ALS qualified staff, branded smart wristbands with access control and patron counting for eight guest categories, and comprehensive signage across the venue. Security must be deployed from five days before the event through one day after breakdown, with 250 to 230 guards per shift, 20 bouncers, a PSIRA-registered provider and crowd control certification.

Bidders are evaluated out of 100 points, with 80 points available for functionality. The functionality criteria require at least three years of event management experience, with evidence from online, indoor (minimum 250 people) and outdoor (minimum 2,000 people) events, supported by photographs, video links and at least three signed reference letters on company letterhead. Bidders must also provide CVs for key team members, demonstrate responsiveness in pre- and post-event debriefs, and submit a detailed case study of a past outdoor event covering objectives, outcomes or ROI, media mix, timeframe and budget. Bidders scoring at least 80 out of 100 move on to price and specific goals, scored on an 80/20 preference system. Mandatory documents include CSD registration, a valid BBBEE certificate from a SANAS-accredited agency, company registration documents, certified IDs of directors, and valid TV licence statements for the company and all active directors and shareholders. Tax compliance is also required, and payment is made 60 days after invoicing.

This opportunity is valuable for established event production companies that can manage a large, multi-discipline festival of this size and deliver a compliant, auditable process. It offers a substantial single contract and strong credibility in the faith-based and broadcast-linked entertainment sector. Bidders should be ready to submit a complete, password-protected PDF with pricing in a separate attachment, and to email it at least 30 minutes before the closing deadline. Late submissions are not accepted.