MERCHANDISE RFP

FESTIVAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

REQUEST FOR SERVICES

Development and Sales of Event Promotional Materials.

This Request For Proposal (RFP) seeks interested and qualified bidders who are committed to working with the FMC to create, develop, provide, and sell event promotional merchandise to the public at the several events hosted by the FMC. FMC’s goal is to provide the public with unique event promotional merchandise offerings that are reflective of FMC’s mission, to create a positive consumer buying experience at several events, and to optimize event merchandising sales revenues.

General Information

The mandate of the FMC continues to be the promotion of Caribbean Culture in a Multicultural Environment and to support multiculturalism in Canada. The Festival Management Committee through the staging of various events facilitates a celebration of the cultural heritage of the multi-lingual Caribbean represented by originally composed music, masquerade performance, and culinary presentations representing the diverse language groups. It highlights the Caribbean Cultural Arts including Costumes, Music, and Cuisine. The organization's mandate is to celebrate and raise awareness of the multicultural aspects of our diverse society and the artistic heritage and ethno-cultural traditions of the Caribbean and its Diaspora. Its activities originated in 1967 as a Toronto Street parade, as part of and as a contribution to Canada's Centennial celebration. The now annual event is the only surviving event from the 1967 Centennial Celebrations and has grown to be the largest summer festival in Canada. This speaks to the organization's sustained and relentless effort to promote multiculturalism. The organization unequivocally aligns itself with the Federal government in "recognizing and promoting the understanding that multiculturalism is a fundamental characteristic of the Canadian heritage and identity.”

It should be noted that during the 2022 festival, more than 1.67M people participated in several of the FMC events.

Events and Budgeted Attendees For 2023

July 11 Official Launch, Nathan Phillips Square - 1,200 patrons
July 16 Junior King & Queen Showcase, Scarborough Town Centre - 1000 patrons
July 22 Junior Carnival Parade, Nielson Park, Malvern - 800 patrons
July 30 OCPA Calypso Showcase, Latvian Cultural Centre - 500 patrons
August 3 King and Queen event, Lamport Stadium - 5,000 patrons
August 4 Pan Alive, Lamport Stadium - 2,000 patrons
August 5 Grand Parade, Exhibition Place 1,200,000 patrons
August 6 Food Festival, Ontario Place - 5,000 patrons

Background

By submitting a proposal, the prospective Contractor represents that it thoroughly examined and became familiar with the services required under this RFP and that it can deliver quality merchandise and services to the FMC in a creative, cost-effective and service-oriented manner.

Please direct any questions to our Festival Services Team: keith@torontocarnival.ca adrian@torontocarnival.ca and kerryann@torontocarnival.ca.

Questions must be received by Friday 26 May 2023. All questions received will be responded to by Tuesday 30 May 2023.

Instructions for Submitting Firms/Contractors:

The original proposal must be submitted in a sealed envelope to the Office Manager, Kerry Ann Cunningham, FMC at 716 Gordon Baker Road, Suite 201. North York, Ontario, M2H 3B4
An email copy should be forwarded to all 3 of the Festival Services Team:
1. Treasurer, FMC, Keith Anatol, keith@torontocarnival.ca
2. Festival Manager, FMC, Adrian Charles, adrian@torontocarnival.ca
3. Office Manager, FMC, Kerry Ann Cunningham, kerryann@torontocarnival.ca
Both documents should be received by 4.00 pm on Friday 2 June, 2023.

The successful tenderer(s) will be notified by Monday 12 June, 2023. At that time, FMC may request an audience with the firm for any additional negotiation.

The terms of the RFP and all information provided are to be treated by your company as strictly confidential and proprietary. All data and information are to be used solely for the purpose of responding to this RFP.

Rights of the FMC

The RFP does not commit the FMC to enter into a contract, nor does it obligate the FMC to pay for any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals in anticipation of a contract.

FMC reserves the right to:

Make the selection based on its sole discretion.
Reject any and all proposals without prejudice.
Issue subsequent RFPs
Negotiate with any, all, or none of the prospective firms.
Solicit best and final offers from all or some of the prospective firms.
Accept other than the lowest financial offering.
Waive informalities and irregularities in the proposal process.

Information to be Submitted

The respondents are expected to expand on this scope in their submitted proposal, incorporating their expertise and proposed method or approach.

Project Management/Implementation Plan.

Respondents must provide a detailed summary of their company’s plan for implementing and delivering the requirements as outlined in the Scope of Services, that includes at least the following.

Approach to Implementing services. Describe your policies and procedures for implementing projects, quality control, project management, response time, program support and reporting, the approach to overcoming obstacles, if any, and troubleshooting to resolve problems.

An organization chart to show the relationships between the Contractor, manufacturers, suppliers, and subcontractors, if any. The generic titles and responsibilities of the key personnel to be involved. The specific role of each of the firms in a team or partnership for each task/work activity must be described.

A proposal summary section
Profile of Proposing contractor and references
Describe the personnel, applicable technologies, equipment, and other resources available for implementing the services.
Proposed yearly fixed fee, proposed percentage fees to FMC for gross sales over a proposed annual amount, and proposed percentage license fee for the gross retail wholesale sales. Also, payment dates to FMC.
The accounting and procedure for calculating FMC proposed revenues by each or for all events.

Cost Proposal and Event Merchandising Plan

Cost Proposal

Proposed yearly fixed fee of $..........per season. The Selected Respondent will be required to pay this fee prior to the festival season.

Proposed …..% license fee of the gross retail and wholesale sales of all event merchandising items sold by respondents and its vendors, at its retail stores, website, or to other retailers. Payment for each year of the agreement is due on December 31.

For clarification, “gross sales” means the revenue derived by the Selected respondent from the sale of the event promotional merchandise, without adjustment by any amount for any reason.

Conceptual Plan

Describe the type of merchandise your company proposes for the Toronto Caribbean Carnival. The plan must detail all branded and or universal merchandise including wearables, convenience items and general merchandise. Items should reflect the festival atmosphere, FMC, and Toronto, or meet the unanticipated needs of the festival attendees. Items may not include food or beverage.

Outline all available outlets for marketing and sales of merchandise.

Scope Of Services

Product offerings and designs

The Contractor must provide exceptional event merchandise designs. The contractor shall engage local artists and organizations to create original merchandise designs that reflect FMC’s mission and events. The contractor must also agree to use designs and event slogans produced by FMC event sponsors or partnering artists on merchandise mutually agreed upon.

The Contractor must submit a comprehensive merchandising plan utilizing designs and a wide variety of products that reflect the proposed events. FMC will look to the contractor for expertise on merchandise trends in the marketplace including style, colour and material variety.

The Contractor may only sell products and merchandise that FMC has approved in writing.

Product/Stock

The Contractor may choose any manufacturer, distributor and printer that can offer the best price and a quality product. The Contractor must keep sufficient stock of all items for the duration of the festival. If a particular product sells out, the Contractor must be able to place a reorder and have it delivered and have it delivered before the event concludes. If a product does not sell out; FMC is not obligated to purchase the remaining quantity.

The Contractor must be able to guarantee flexibility with last-minute orders and reorders. As such, the Contractor is encouraged to utilize print-on-demand or on-site screen printing.

On-site Merchandising Booths

FMC will provide the Contractor with at least 1 booth/tent at all the festival events. The Contractor shall operate these booths during all days and all hours of the events. The Contractor is responsible for the storing and security of all its products.

The Contractor may sell all FMC approved items at retail outlets, wholesale or online, before the events begin and after the event concludes at locations mutually agreed by the two parties. Monthly sales reports of items sold must be submitted to FMC.

Reporting and Payment

The Contractor must submit on-site gross sales report for each event, 7 days after the individual event. A final gross sales on-site report will be submitted 15 days after the close of the event. Monthly sales reports of items sold at non-events must be submitted to FMC on the last day of each month.

Each month, a final report detailing all Event gross sales amounts with percentages of goods sold will be forwarded to FMC. The report will provide information for the reporting month as well as cumulative information for the period ended.

Payments to FMC will be on the dates and times listed above.

FMC personnel must be permitted to review the procedures and processes for the accounting for all sales and inventories and suggest any adjustments required to secure its interest.

FMC is committed to the principles of employment equity. Proposals from all qualified firms are welcomed. Applications are encouraged from racialized people, indigenous people, disabled people, queer and trans people, and women.