I. OVERVIEW.
The Corita Art Center (“CAC”) is seeking a qualified and experienced fundraising event planner (“Event Planner”) to manage the execution of Corita Day (“Corita Day”), to be held at 5515 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles on Saturday, November 19, 2022, The Event Coordinator’s services include, but not limited to concept development, planning, assistance with sponsorship, event production, and overall event management coordination, including day-of-event coordination, budget management, programming, and implementation. For more detailed information, see SECTION IV. SCOPE OF WORK of this Request for Proposal (“RFP”) below.
II. ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION.
The Corita Art Center, a project of the Immaculate Heart Community (a 501c3) preserves and promotes Corita Kent’s art, teaching, and passion for social justice. Today, the Corita Art Center supports exhibition loans and public programs, oversees image and merchandising rights, sells Corita’s original prints, and serves as a resource of information about her life and work.
III. EVENT DESCRIPTION.
In 2019, both the City and County of Los Angeles declared November 20, Corita Day. A day to remember and honor the legacy of artist, educator, and social justice advocate, Corita Kent. The Corita Art Center has since marked this day as a day to gather for collective change and as an annual fundraiser for the work of CAC. In 2020 and 2021 this was done as a virtual event. With the opportunity to gather in person once more, CAC intends to host a large community event as a day of service, and a celebration in community. The funds raised from this support the ongoing support of CAC and programming throughout the year.
Primarily hosted on the co-located field of the Immaculate Heart High School. "Corita Day 2022: Celebration in Community" will harken back to the 1964 Mary’s Day of Immaculate Heart College. The 3-hour event will also serve to highlight the Immaculate Heart Community and its 50+ years of service to the Los Angeles region. In addition to raising awareness of Corita and the Center, the event will embody her message by bringing diverse groups of people together in a day of service and appreciation of collective action for positive social change.
The team of Corita Art Center views this event as an opportunity to bring together a larger community of friends new and old to participate in a “day of service” in honor of Corita. With that, Corita Day 2022 will be open to the public and accessible through affordable, low-cost tickets. Children and Opportunity Youth under the age of 20 will receive free admission.
Ongoing activities at a glance
The event will strengthen the Corita Art Center as a Hollywood institution and vital resource for the history of the region, and will bolster the Center's ongoing efforts to build an inclusive and equitable community through the Corita-inspired practice of art.
Ceremony at a glance (4:30pm-5pm)
Logistics at a glance
Event support at a glance
IV. SCOPE OF WORK.
The Event Coordinator will be expected to provide all services necessary and appropriate to manage and execute Corita Day 2022, including but not limited to the services (“Services”) detailed herein.
The Services outlined herein are not intended to be exhaustive. The selected Event Coordinator will be expected to be, among other needed skills: organized; detailed oriented; flexible; an effective verbal and written communicator; calm under pressure; and a negotiator in the best interest of the Immaculate Heart Community and Corita Art Center.
A. EVENT MANAGEMENT.
B. DELIVERABLES.
A. Develop and update a detailed project plan dashboard for CAC with estimated delivery dates and agreed upon budget, which details anticipated tasks and required expenses;
B. Maintain a budget spreadsheet of vendor costs related to Corita Day;
C. Secure the best possible pricing for all expenditures relating to Corita Day, providing documentation (unless waived by CAC) showing that a competitive, fair and transparent Request for Quotations process was used and followed, where at least three vendors were considered and details supporting the reasoning as to why the selected vendor is ultimately recommended;
D. Oversee and manage all approved vendor relationships and ensure vendor deliverables are delivered on-time, and maintain a vendor list as vendors are confirmed;
E. Manage submission of all invoices to CAC to ensure payments can be made in a timely manner;
F. Meet and act as primary point of contact for related vendors, including but not limited to the following:
G. Liaise with security as needed
H. Provide CAC with regular updates of CAC progress on timeline;
I. Maintain, manage, and distribute a complete run of show and production work-back schedule for the event, including setup, rehearsals, tech rehearsals and strike to all parties, including but not limited to CAC, IHC, Neighbors and Vendors;
J. Collaborate with CAC to develop a script outline for remarks
K. Provide timing cues to CAC team members, volunteer leadership to keep event on time and on message;
L. Participate in weekly client meetings (or conference calls through any electronic means) or any additional meetings and/or calls as needed, or reasonably requested by CAC, including scheduling and walk-throughs;
M. Submit a post-event evaluation report with recommendations to CAC;
N. Assist CAC Development Coordinator and Curator of Public Programs with final expense report for budget reconciliation to include in-kind donations, discounts, and actual costs;
O. Other duties as assigned.
Schedule at a glance
Budget at a glance
C. GENERAL MANAGEMENT.
A. Provide general administration, management, day-of execution and manage with management of event registration;
B. Create weekly reports for follow-ups and identify who should receive the reports;
C. Assist CAC staff to ensure all VIP guests, government officials, and sponsors are greeted appropriately at event;
D. Ensure all required insurance certificates are obtained;
E. Ensure all required permit applications, if any, are submitted;
F. Assist Curator of Public Programs to train, and supervise all volunteers at event
G. Oversee the design, sound, lighting and construction of an event that is appropriate for the field and the needs of the event;
H. Oversee the design, sound and selection of stage set, including video screens, podium, and furniture;
I. Ensure a full walk-through/rehearsal prior to Corita Day, both the week before event and on November 18th.
D. SPONSORSHIP FULFILLMENT.
A. Work with CAC staff to ensure sponsorship packages are fulfilled appropriately at the event, to include ticket and marketing fulfillment in advance, and day of the event.
B. Assist with sponsorship strategy; and
C. Assist with sponsor fulfillment benefits.
E. ON-SITE MANAGEMENT
F. STAGE MANAGEMENT
A. Provide a Production Assistant to oversee the execution of the program, as detailed herein;
G. ARTIST MANAGEMENT
A. Work with CAC to support all program participants before and during Corita Day (including any contractor performers);
B. Secure and manage air and ground transportation; (to be determined)
C. Secure and manage hotel accommodation; (to be determined)
D. Draft and provide briefing information and transportation confirmations; (to be determined)
E. Provide on-site greetings, assign dressing rooms, and manage hold room, including any rider fulfillment; and (to be determined)
V. VENDOR AGREEMENT.
This RFP does not constitute a contract. CAC will negotiate a Vendor Agreement with the selected Event Coordinator.
The CAC will include customary representations and warranties and confidentiality provisions, including a requirement that the Event Coordinator will ensure that each of its staff, agents, vendors, and other subcontracted third parties sign confidentiality agreements that are at least as protective of CAC’s confidential and proprietary information as those contained in the CAC. In addition, the selected Event Coordinator will perform the duties requested as an independent contractor and not as an employee of CAC.
Once the vendor agreement is fully fulfilled, the Event Coordinator agrees that it will not accrue additional expenses and will remain on budget. The selected Event Planner does not have the authority to incur expenses on CAC’s behalf without CAC’s prior written approval.
VI. RFP FORMAT & GUIDELINES.
A. FORMAT. Proposals must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on August 19 via email to apply@corita.org in a single electronic PDF attachment, with a maximum of 15 pages using 12-point size Times New Roman font with 1” margins. PowerPoints are acceptable with the format restrictions.
B. GUIDELINES. The proposal shall include the following sections:
1. Executive Summary. One-page summary of the Event Coordinator’s background, past experiences similar to the Services expected for Gala, and basic understanding of the Services required, and reasons why the Event Coordinator should be selected.
2. Company Overview. (if applicable) Overview of the Event Coordinator’s business organization structure, including the following:
3. Event Planning Team. (if applicable) Name and short biography of each individual who will be involved with Corita Day and their role before, during and after event.
4. Fees. Provide (1) proposed project based fixed fee, including description of all costs and fees the Event Coordinator proposes to charge CAC, and (2) hourly rates of the event member planning team.
5. References. List of at least three (3) events in Los Angeles, substantially similar to Corita Day, including (1) description of the event (including size of the event, format of the event, type of guests hosted, stage settings built, etc.), and (2) references for each of whom the Event Coordinator has performed similar event planning services (Names, Address, Email, and Contact Number).
6. Client-Related Questions. Do you have any clients that might pose a conflict to managing our account? Please list some clients you have had long-term relationships with and describe why the relationship has been successful.
7. Samples. Sample of previous work related to the Services (e.g. conference final report, event production timeline with pre/during/post deliverables, promotional material, event budgets which includes all anticipated costs and fees, project plans, photos, etc.).
8. Other Information. Any additional information that the Event Coordinator believes will be relevant to the RFP and the Event Coordinator's capability to provide the Services.
VII. PROPOSAL EVALUATION.
CAC reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals, without prior discussions, and grant final acceptance to the proposal that best meets the needs and interests of CAC, in its sole discretion. CAC will be the sole judge of whether a proposal meets the required RFP criteria.
VIII. CONFIDENTIALITY CLAUSE.
Any information disclosed by CAC herein (and any related correspondence and/or attachments) is considered confidential and constitutes the proprietary information of CAC. All submission will become the property of CAC and will be treated as confidential between CAC and the Event Coordinator. CAC will use its commercially reasonable efforts not to disclose the contents of the Event Coordinator’s proposal to other participants or the public. CAC reserves the right to discuss the submissions with its consultants, references provided by the Event Coordinator, and other related parties during the evaluations process.