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BUSINESS CONNECT SUPPLIER PORTAL

WELCOME TO THE SUPER BOWL LVII BUSINESS CONNECT SUPPLIER PORTAL

The Super Bowl LVII Business Connect program is a supplier diversity initiative designed to promote equitable and inclusive procurement practices at NFL events. In partnership with the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee, the program will connect experienced, event-ready businesses in Arizona with opportunities to compete for contracts related to Super Bowl LVII. 

 

The Business Connect program is committed to supporting minority, women, LGBTQ+, and veteran-owned businesses through professional development workshops, networking, and contract opportunities. Certified businesses selected for the program will be profiled in the Business Connect Resource Guide, which NFL vendors and event producers use to identify and select local suppliers to fulfill their Super Bowl LVII sub-contracting needs.

BUSINESS CONNECT MISSION STATEMENT

To promote equitable and inclusive procurement practices by creating contract opportunities between Business Connects’ experienced, event-ready suppliers and League vendors for NFL events. Business Connect is committed to supporting its member companies through professional development workshops, building strong community relationships and fostering economic growth in NFL event markets. It is the commitment of Business Connect to help shape the forward action required to Inspire Change.

The Business Connect program is committed to supporting minority, women, LGBTQ+, and veteran-owned businesses through professional development workshops, networking, and contract opportunities. Certified businesses selected for the program will be profiled in the Business Connect Resource Guide, which NFL vendors and event producers use to identify and select local suppliers to fulfill their Super Bowl LVII sub-contracting needs.

NEWSLETTERS

SEPTEMBER
JULY

SUPER BOWL LVII BUSINESS CONNECT WORKSHOPS

MEET SOME OF THE SUPPLIERS

PHOTO GALLERY

AUGUST 24 WORKSHOP APRIL 20 WORKSHOP

August 24 photos courtesy of Alexys Brandon Photography. 

April 20 photos courtesy of Slingshot Photography.

Instagram

SHARING YOUR GOOD NEWS…

Below is preapproved language for your company press releases, newsletters and LinkedIn posts:


(Your Company Name) has been designated as an approved supplier of the Super Bowl LVII Business Connect program. We are one of over 220 local, diverse businesses in Arizona identified as a certified, experienced company approved to compete for contracts related to the Super Bowl.

Facebook

LET’S GET SOCIAL

The Super Bowl LVII Business Connect Supplier logo is released to member companies to be used with the preapproved language.

Accepted uses include:


Use on social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook
Use on your company website or newsletter
 

The Super Bowl LVII Business Connect Supplier logo may not be shared with others, reproduced on merchandise or used on personal (non-business) communications.

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PRO TIPS

NFL vendors utilize caterers for a wide variety of food service needs, including talent and event guest meals, crew feeds, and boxed lunches. The smallest events are luncheons for 50 or up to 200 guests, and NFL Tailgate which hires 20-40 caterers to provide food items for their 11,000 guests.

 

 

The Bidding Process: 

Timeline

  • Invitations to Bid (ITB’s) are slated to go out this summer, followed by interviews and tastings
  • Most NFL vendors will use the next two months (June & July) to look at your websites and to make calls to gauge your interest in participating in their projects
  • The RFP process takes about 2-4 weeks. Contracts are typically locked-in by early Fall

 

Documents

  • Invitation to Bid (ITB) documents are confidentiality agreements that give details of a job and seek to determine which supliers are interested in bidding on available work. This also includes a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
  • Request for Proposal (RFP) documents from NFL vendors will contain detailed information about the job, deadlines, requirements, and deliverables
  • DocuSign – Most NFL vendors ask that suppliers use DocuSign to sign acceptance of ITBs or RFPs

 

What NFL vendors are looking for from catering companies:

  • Catering experience
  • Unique food options that offer a taste of Arizona
  • Knowledge of your product
  • Up to date health department inspections and regulations
  • High-quality of food
  • Clear and timely correspondence
  • Attention to detail
  • Transparency

 

 

Essentials of a successful RFP bid proposal: 

  • Read the RFP carefully and answer thoughtfully 
  • Pay attention to pricing, including any and all costs that are relevant 
  • Provide well-written descriptions and pictures of food that are helpful (i.e. serving size)
  • Get your bid in on time – deadlines are critically important to NFL vendors
  • Know your capacity – only bid on the portion of a project you can successfully complete

 

Reading through the RFP:

  • RFPs will contain all the detail you need to craft a winning proposal. You will find specifics on the number of servings needed, insurance requirements, deadlines, tastings, venue walk-throughs, when to submit your Health Department certificates, etc. 

 

How to provide added value: 

  • If you are asked to bid on a project and you have suggestions on how to make something work more efficiently, have a product that can beautify a tablescape, or have a food truck that offers options for crew feeds, share that information with your vendor

NFL RFPs often have a lot of legal language and high insurance premiums:

  1. Don’t let the legal language scare you. If you are concerned about something you read In an RFP, reach out to your Business Connect team. We understand the RFP language and can help put information in context for you
  2. Super Bowl insurance requirements are often higher than other large events you might have worked. Reach out to your insurance carrier to ask them for their rates for ‘short-term event insurance.’ You should be able to secure reasonably priced coverage that meets NFL’s insurance recommendations for the 30 – 60 days you will need the higher level of coverage
  3. Credentials – everyone working an official Super Bowl event must be credentialed.
    1. NFL background checks are very thorough. Inevitably, some candidates will be rejected
    2. Start working on your staffing model as soon as you receive an RFP
    3. The deadline for submitting applications for NFL Credentials is in early Dec or late Nov. BE VERY AWARE OF THIS DEADLINE. Late submissions will not be accepted
    4. Appoint one person in your organization to collect and submit credential information and to work with the NFL vendor’s credentialling POC

NFL vendors have the Business Connect Resource Guide. They will use the information you submitted to the Resource Guide to determine who they would like to discuss their events with. NFL vendors will reach out to YOU! They ask that you do not solicit them. NFL vendors are looking for partners who can provide high-quality event décor, entertainment, products, and services

 

The Bidding Process: 

Timeline

  • Invitations to Bid (ITBs) are slated to go out this summer

 

Documents

  • Invitation to Bid (ITB) documents are confidentiality agreements that give details of a job and seek to determine which subs are interested in bidding on available work. This also includes a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
  • DocuSign – Most NFL vendors ask that suppliers use DocuSign to sign acceptance of ITBs or RFPs
  • Request for Proposal (RFP) documents from NFL vendors will contain detailed information about the job, deadlines, requirements, and deliverables
    • Read the RFP thoroughly and respond carefully
  • Return all bids according to the timeline in the bid documents. Failure to meet the deadlines will result in your company losing the contract
  • It’s fine to ask NFL vendors questions about something you’ve read in the RFP, however, make sure you’ve read every page of the RFP before you start asking questions. Often your initial questions are answered somewhere in the document

 

What NFL vendors are looking for from Event Production companies:

  • Experience
  • Professional Staffing & personnel
  • Inventory Quality
  • Can-do attitude
  • Meeting all deadlines
  • Transparent about capabilities
  • Pricing
  • Accessibility
  • Business Connect rules state that YOU must be the primary supplier of the goods and services you provide. Sub-contracting is not recommended. If you do need to bring in another company to fulfill a contract, full disclosure is mandatory

 

Essentials of a successful RFP bid proposal: 

  • Read the RFP carefully and answer thoughtfully 
  • Pay attention to pricing, including any and all costs that are relevant 
  • Provide well-written descriptions and pictures, if applicable
  • Get your bid in on time – deadlines are critically important to NFL vendors
  • Know your capacity – only bid on the portion of a project you can successfully complete

 

 

NFL RFPs often have a lot of legal language and high insurance premiums:

  1. Don’t let the legal language scare you. If you are concerned about something you read In an RFP, reach out to your Business Connect team. We understand the RFP language and can help put information in context for you
  2. Super Bowl insurance requirements are often higher than other large events you might have worked. Reach out to your insurance carrier to ask them for their rates for ‘short-term event insurance.’ You should be able to secure reasonably priced coverage that meets NFL’s insurance recommendations for the 30 – 60 days you will need the higher level of coverage
  3. Credentials – everyone working an official Super Bowl event must be credentialed.
    1. NFL background checks are very thorough. Inevitably, some candidates will be rejected
    2. Start working on your staffing model as soon as you receive an RFP
    3. The deadline for submitting applications for NFL Credentials is in early Dec or late Nov. BE VERY AWARE OF THIS DEADLINE. Late submissions will not be accepted
    4. Appoint one person in your organization to collect and submit credential information and to work with the NFL vendor’s credentialling POC

NFL vendors hire GC subcontractors for a wide variety of jobs, including stadium/venue retrofits, building activations from the ground up, turning parking lots into venues, and back-of-house operations. 

 

Temporary build trades include power distribution, generators, barricades, waste management, carpentry, dumpsters, portable restrooms, platforming, cable management, floor covering (both carpet and turf), tents, drilling, etc. 

 

The Bidding Process: 

Timeline

  • Initial documents to determine interest in contract opportunities are being circulated now (ITBs)
  • Interviews, research on potential suppliers, and phone calls will take place throughout the next few months
  • RFPs are typically due within 2-3 weeks of receipt 

 

Documents

  • Invitation to Bid (ITB) documents are confidentiality agreements that give details of a job and seek to determine which suppliers are interested in bidding on available work 
  • Request for Proposal (RFP) documents from NFL vendors will contain detailed information about the job, deadlines, requirements, and deliverables
  • All contracts go through NFL vendors, not Business Connect

 

Things to Remember: 

Most NFL vendors rank or score each supplier bidding on a project on the following: 

  • Responsiveness 
  • Fully complete RFP/bid 
  • Experience 
  • Price 
  • Good fit 

 

What works against you:

  • Submitting an incomplete bid 
  • Submitting an RFP late, after the deadline
  • Not returning phone calls

 

Traits that work in your favor:

  • Transparency – bid on whatever piece of a job you can successfully complete, be flexible, and be ready to work
  • Read everything carefully - RFPs sometimes contain multiple deliverables. Ask questions and provide professional, well-thought-out responses  
  • Honest bids – contractors know the cost of doing business in Phoeni Do not try to price gouge
  • Full disclosure – if you are partnering with someone to complete work, tell your NFL vendor upfront
  • Credentials - requirements will be spelled out in the RFP. Have one point of contact in your company to help facilitate collecting & completing data entry of employee’s personal information and uploading photos to the credentialing website
  • Insurance minimums - Insurance premiums required by the NFL are high,e. liability $5-10 million. Do not contact your broker until you have won the bid

 

How to provide added value:

  • If you are asked to bid on a project and you have suggestions on how to make something work more efficiently or have a product that can beautify a space, share that information with your vendor

 

NFL RFPs often have a lot of legal language and high insurance premiums:

  1. Don’t let the legal language scare you. If you are concerned about something you read in an RFP, reach out to your Business Connect team. We understand the RFP language and can help put information in context for you.
  2. Super Bowl insurance requirements are often higher than other large events you might have worked. Reach out to your insurance carrier to ask them for their rates for ‘short-term event insurance.’ You should be able to secure reasonably priced coverage that meets the NFL’s insurance recommendations for the 30 – 60 days you will need the higher level of coverage.
  3. Credentials – everyone working an official Super Bowl event must be credentialed.
    1. NFL background checks are very thorough and inevitably some candidates will be rejected
    2. Start working on building your staffing model as soon as you receive an RFP
    3. The deadline for submitting applications for NFL Credentials is in early Dec or late N BE VERY AWARE OF THIS DEADLINE. Late submissions will not be accepted
    4. Appoint one person in your organization to collect and submit credential information and to work with the NFL vendor’s credentialling POC

NFL vendors contract security firms and employment agencies for a wide variety of jobs. This includes screeners, guards, escorts, event staff, talent wranglers, people movers, fan experience, game assistance, etc.

 

The Bidding Process: 

Timeline

  • Some staffing ITBs are currently out. Others will follow over the next three months
  • The process for event and support staff can take up to 1 ½ months - this includes internal reviews, supplier interviews, and evaluation of all written bids

 

Documents

  • Invitation to Bid (ITB) documents are confidentiality agreements that give details of a job and seek to determine which suppliers are interested in bidding on available work. This also includes a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
  • Request for Proposal (RFP) documents from NFL vendors will contain detailed information about the job, deadlines, requirements, and deliverables

 

Staffing for Success:

  • Be honest about your numbers – know how many security personnel you can realistically supply 
  • Know your staff’s personality strengths and position them where they will succeed
  • Disclose if you are bidding on work that conflicts with the dates or staff numbers you are committing to a specific NFL vendor
  • Plan for no shows, attrition – it is always smart to credential more people than you think you will need 
  • Navigate Logistics - As an organization, start virtual training webinars, practice rules, go over uniforms, and perform walkthroughs prior to the event

 

Things to Remember: 

What NFL vendors are looking for in security hires

  • Dependable 
  • Hospitality-focused 
  • Fan-friendly 
  • Willing to help
  • Many positions require good mobility, working outside, or the ability to work long shifts
  • No selfies with credentials
  • Don’t expect to see the game/event

 

Most NFL vendors rank or score each supplier bidding on a project on the following:

  • Responsiveness 
  • Fully complete RFP/bid 
  • Experience 
  • Price 
  • Good fit 

 

Traits that work in your favor

  • Transparency – bid on whatever piece of a job you can successfully complete
  • Realistic numbers
  • Read everything carefully - RFPs sometimes contain multiple deliverables 
  • Honest bids – contractors know the cost of doing business in Phoenix

 

NFL RFPs often have a lot of legal language and high insurance premiums:

  1. Don’t let the legal language scare you. If you are concerned about something you read In an RFP, reach out to your Business Connect team. We understand the RFP language and can help put information in context for you
  2. Super Bowl insurance requirements are often higher than other large events you might have worked. Reach out to your insurance carrier to ask them for their rates for ‘short-term event insurance.’ You should be able to secure reasonably priced coverage that meets NFL’s insurance recommendations for the 30 – 60 days you will need the higher level of coverage
  3. Credentials – everyone working an official Super Bowl event must be credentialed.
    1. NFL background checks are very thorough. Inevitably, some candidates will be rejected
    2. Start working on your staffing model as soon as you receive an RFP
    3. The deadline for submitting applications for NFL Credentials is in early Dec or late Nov. BE VERY AWARE OF THIS DEADLINE. Late submissions will not be accepted
    4. Appoint one person in your organization to collect and submit credential information and to work with the NFL vendor’s credentialling POC

NFL vendors contract signage companies for media, static graphics, shareable moments, and engagements with Super Bowl brand. Large-scale, large-format printing, retail signage, direction signage, etc. 

 

The Bidding Process: 

Timeline

  • Some staffing ITBs are currently out. Others will follow in the weeks leading up to the event dates. These will include raw budget, rough estimates,
  • RFPs will be presented closer to the event dates - 2-3 weeks prior is when there is usually a big rush and need for signage

 

Documents

  • Invitation to Bid (ITB) documents are confidentiality agreements that give details of the job and seek to determine which suppliers are interested in bidding on available work. This also includes a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
  • Request for Proposal (RFP) documents from NFL vendors will contain detailed information about the job, deadlines, requirements, and deliverables

 

Staffing for Success:

  • Be honest about your scope of work – know what you can realistically supply 
  • Know your staff’s strengths – manage your time and expectations
  • Disclose if you are bidding on work that conflicts with the dates to a specific NFL vendor
  • Plan for no shows, attrition – it is always smart to credential more people than you think you will need 
  • Credentials - One credential per person. If they are working for multiple companies, they will receive one credential for one company only
  • Navigate Logistics - As an organization, do virtual training webinars, practice rules, go over uniforms, and perform walkthroughs prior to the event

 

Things to Remember: 

What NFL vendors are looking for in signage suppliers

  • Dependable 
  • Willing to help
  • Accessible for rush deadlines and 24hr communication
  • Many positions require good mobility, working outside, or the ability to work long shifts
  • No selfies with credentials

 

 

Most NFL vendors rank or score each supplier bidding on a project on the following:

  • Responsiveness 
  • Fully complete RFP/bid 
  • Experience 
  • Price 
  • Good fit 

 

Traits that work in your favor

  • Transparency – bid on whatever piece of a job you can successfully complete, with realistic numbers
  • Subcontracting - Is allowed but the vendor needs to be informed
  • Read everything carefully - RFPs sometimes contain multiple deliverables 
  • Honest bids – contractors know the cost of doing business in Phoenix
  • Problem Solver - Troubleshoot issues, think differently
  • Must be available - available nights, weekends, etc. weeks leading up to the Super Bowl

 

NFL RFPs often have a lot of legal language and high insurance premiums:

  1. Don’t let the legal language scare you. If you are concerned about something you read In an RFP, reach out to your Business Connect team. We understand the RFP language and can help put information in context for you
  2. Super Bowl insurance requirements are often higher than other large events you might have worked. Reach out to your insurance carrier to ask them for their rates for ‘short-term event insurance.’ You should be able to secure reasonably priced coverage that meets NFL’s insurance recommendations for the 30 – 60 days you will need the higher level of coverage
  3. Credentials – everyone working an official Super Bowl event must be credentialed.
    1. NFL background checks are very thorough. Inevitably, some candidates will be rejected
    2. Start working on your staffing model as soon as you receive an RFP
    3. The deadline for submitting applications for NFL Credentials is in early Dec or late Nov. BE VERY AWARE OF THIS DEADLINE. Late submissions will not be accepted
    4. Appoint one person in your organization to collect and submit credential information and to work with the NFL vendor’s credentialling POC

NFL vendors contract staffing firms and employment agencies for a wide variety of jobs. This includes wayfinding, guest services, mobility assistance, event staff, PA’s, runners, talent wranglers, people movers, fan experience, game assistance, hanging fence signage, etc.

 

The Bidding Process: 

Timeline

  • Some staffing ITBs are currently out. Others will follow over the next three months
  • The process for event and support staff can take up to 1 ½ months - this includes internal reviews, supplier interviews, and evaluation of all written bids

 

Documents

  • Invitation to Bid (ITB) documents are confidentiality agreements that give the details of the job and seek to determine which suppliers are interested in bidding on available work. This also includes an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement)
  • Request for Proposal (RFP) documents from NFL vendors will contain detailed information about the job, deadlines, requirements, and deliverables

 

Staffing for Success:

  • Be honest about your numbers – know how many staff you can realistically supply 
  • Know your staff’s strengths – are they friendly and great greeters? Or are they energetic and would enjoy directing kids through interactive games? 
  • Disclose if you are bidding on work that conflicts with the dates or staff numbers you are committing to a specific NFL vendor
  • Plan for no shows, attrition – it is always smart to credential more people than you think you will need 
  • Navigate Logistics - As an organization, do virtual training webinars, practice rules, go over uniforms, and perform walkthroughs prior to the event

 

Things to Remember: 

What NFL vendors are looking for in staffing hires

  • Dependable 
  • Hospitality-focused 
  • Fan-friendly 
  • Willing to help
  • Many positions require good mobility, working outside, or the ability to work long shifts on your feet

 

Most NFL vendors rank or score each supplier bidding on a project on the following:

  • Responsiveness 
  • Fully complete RFP/bid 
  • Experience 
  • Price 
  • Good fit 

 

Traits that work in your favor

  • Transparency – bid on whatever piece of a job you can successfully complete
  • Realistic numbers
  • Read everything carefully - RFPs sometimes contain multiple deliverables 
  • Honest bids – contractors know the cost of doing business in Phoenix

 

NFL RFPs often have a lot of legal language and high insurance premiums:

  1. Don’t let the legal language scare you. If you are concerned about something you read In an RFP, reach out to your Business Connect team. We understand the RFP language and can help put information in context for you
  2. Super Bowl insurance requirements are often higher than other large events you might have worked. Take time to reach out to your insurance carrier to ask them for their rates for ‘short-term event insurance.’ You should be able to secure reasonably priced coverage that meets the NFL’s insurance recommendations for the 30 – 60 days you will need the higher level of coverage
  3. Credentials – everyone working an official Super Bowl event must be credentialed.
    1. NFL background checks are very thorough. Inevitably, some candidates will be rejected
    2. Start working on your staffing model as soon as you receive an RFP
    3. The deadline for submitting applications for NFL Credentials is in early Dec or late Nov. BE VERY AWARE OF THIS DEADLINE. Late submissions will not be accepted
    4. Appoint one person in your organization to collect and submit credential information and to work with the NFL vendor’s credentialling POC

FAQ

There are a number of ways local businesses can get involved in the Super Bowl procurement process, the first of which is Business Connect – the NFL’s special event supplier diversity program. The Business Connect program creates opportunities for local diverse business owners to compete for Super Bowl contracts.
The program will identify 200+ local diverse businesses, suppliers, and service providers from our area to participate in the program. Accepted businesses will be profiled in the online Business Connect Resource Guide, allowing NFL Super Bowl vendors to quickly identify qualified and experienced providers of goods and services.
Participants in the Business Connect program are also eligible to participate in professional development workshops and networking events designed to increase the capacity of local businesses to succeed in their local markets post-Super Bowl.

  • All Business Connect suppliers are required to be certified as minority, women, disabled, veteran or LGBT-owned businesses
  • The minority owner must hold 51% of the company
  • The company must have been in business and have had an established office in the county hosting the Super Bowl for at least three years
  • Businesses must be the direct source for work they are competing for
  • The company must offer services that match those requested by NFL contractor
Being a member of the Business Connect Resource Guide means your company was selected as one of the best local, diverse providers of goods and services in your specific business category. You and other Resource Guide suppliers are eligible to compete for contracts related to Super Bowl events.
We do not use titles such as ‘exclusive’ or ‘preferred’ suppliers to describe companies listed in the Business Connect Resource Guide. Businesses included in the Business Connect Resource Guide (BCRG) are considered “approved” suppliers because they have met the eligibility criteria of the Business Connect program. As such, your business is a part of an exclusive listing of businesses utilized by event producers from the Host Committee and NFL vendors who are sourcing experienced, qualified local suppliers with the capacity to help complete their Super Bowl contracts.
The Super Bowl Business Connect Resource Guide (BCRG) is a resource for NFL, its affiliates, vendors, the Host Committee, or other interested parties for the Super Bowl. The contact information and profile information will not be sold.  At the end of the Business Connect program in your city, the Business Connect Resource Guide will be uploaded to the NFL’s National Supplier Diversity Database which is utilized by NFL staff, teams, sponsors and others affiliated with the NFL. We will also gift the resource guide to the NFL team in your city, the mayor’s office, corporate procurement partners and any major sporting event contracted to work in your city after Super Bowl.
Upon acceptance into the Business Connect Resource Guide, member businesses are asked to send in a profile that spotlights your company and showcases what product or service best represents your work.  You should include information that will help buyers during their selection process, including:
  • Primary business contact person and their cell phone number
  • Website address
  • Business Profile description (one paragraph), highlight event experience and any work completed with local sports teams, the convention center, large event groups
  • Business Capability Document
  • Company Logo
  • Pictures that showcase your body of work (Optional, no more than 5)
Yes, the Business Connect team will assist you in making any edits you need to make to your profile. However, once the Resource Guide is printed in MAY, no additional corrections can be made to the Guide.
The Business Connect Resource Guide is a resource for vendors and event producers associated with Super Bowl. The NFL, its affiliates, vendors and the Super Bowl Host Committee staff are not exclusively limited or mandated to using the companies listed in the Super Bowl Business Connect Resource Guide. However, they are asked to aggressively utilize the “Guide.” The Business Connect program creates opportunities for local diverse businesses to compete for Super Bowl contracts.
The Super Bowl Business Connect program will provide guidelines for how and when you may message your inclusion in the program. All logos, brands, marks and images associated with the National Football League, the Business Connect Program, the Arizona Host Committee, Super Bowl and the stadium are copyright protected.  

Business Connect member companies do NOT have rights or permission to use any of copyright protected logos when referring to your inclusion into the Super Bowl Business Connect program.
 
Upon completion of your Business Connect program paperwork suppliers will be given approved language to use on your website or in social media posts. You will also be given a “Business Connect Supplier Logo” and a “We’re In” tile that can be used on social platforms.
If your company is listed in the Business Connect Resource Guide, you can promote that information on your web page or company newsletters, and share your designation as a Business Connect Resource Guide member in a press release. The Business Connect team will provide specific approved language you can use when referencing Business Connect and your acceptance into the program.
 
Sample:  Company XYZ has been accepted as an approved supplier of the NFL Business Connect Businesses program.  XYZ will be listed in the NFL’s official Business Connect Resource Guide (BCRG) which is the official sourcing tool for NFL vendors and event producers seeking experienced and certified, local, diverse businesses with the capacity to compete for contract opportunities related to Super Bowl.
 
If your business generates a press release related to your relationship with the Business Connect program, please forward a copy to your Business Connect contact at the Host Committee prior to releasing it so that our team can ensure that your verbiage is compliant with NFL and Host Committee guidelines. 
The products and services listed on the Super Bowl Business Connect website have been provided by the National Football League (NFL) based on prior experience and supplier requests. There is no guarantee that additional products or services will be needed beyond those listed in the application, nor are there any guarantees that goods and services will be purchased from the categories listed. Contact your local Host Committee representative if you have questions related to your business being accepted into the Business Connect program.
NFL vendors do not accept independent sales or marketing pitches from suppliers. As contracting opportunities become available, please respond directly to the buyer with your capabilities.
No, you are not. If your business provides more than one product or service, you should select the items that your business has the most experience providing. Businesses are listed by their primary category in the Resource Guide. The Business Connect team reserves the right to re-classify businesses as deemed more appropriate for the goods and services provided/and or needed.
Super Bowl contracting is a 11-month process – between April and February.  Event producers and vendors use the BCRG as one tool to identify suppliers. All purchasing processes and decisions, however, rest solely with the buyer. There is no centralized site for RFPs and no master calendar of when opportunities are available. Vendors will contact suppliers when they are ready to build their programs and events. Business Connect suppliers are encouraged to always be ready to take ‘the call.’  Keep your BCRG profile up-to-date to ensure that, if utilized, the prospective buyer has as much accurate information about your business as possible.
We encourage business owners to be responsive, honest and flexible when working with parties soliciting requests for the RFPs. Contact your Business Connect team to let them know that you have received an RFP so that we can follow up with the vendor. If you don’t think the RFP matches your skillsets, let your Business Connect team know so that we can help identify other opportunities for your company.
 
Attending Business Connect workshops and networking events help our team to get to know you and your company’s capabilities. It allows us to make recommendations to vendors based on our knowledge of your business. However, please understand that there are no guarantees that contracts will be awarded to individual businesses listed in the Business Connect Resource Guide.
Businesses that are selected for the Business Connect Resource Guide will be contacted directly by buyers. Additionally, RFPs may be distributed to Business Connect businesses, and others in the marketplace that provide products or services in the desired category(ies). The procurement process is at the discretion of each buyer.
Our vendors have shared the following tips with us:

  • Always list your cell phone number on your business card, ever email you send and your website. NFL vendors work nights and weekends. If they call your business, you need to answer the phone and be ready to do business. Return all calls within 24 hours.
  • Know your business capabilities and the cost of your services. NFL event planners know exactly how much goods and services cost in your city. Businesses that attempt to engage in ‘gouging’ practices will be removed from the Business Connect program.
  • UNDERPROMISE AND OVERDELIVER. Come ready to work hard. We have one shot to impress a worldwide audience.
  • Do not hesitate to ask questions about RFPs you receive or the Scope of Work you are being offered. NFL vendors are anxious to work with Business Connect suppliers. If you have an idea to improve the service you’re asked to provide, share that information with the vendor.

The approved language for communicating your participation in the Business Connect program is: (Company Name) has been accepted as an approved supplier of the NFL Business Connect Businesses program.  (Company Name) will be listed in the NFL’s
official Business Connect Resource Guide (BCRG) which is the official sourcing guide for NFL vendors and event producers seeking experienced and certified, local, diverse businesses with the capacity to compete for contract opportunities related to Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl LVII Business Connect program is a partnership between the National Football League and the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee. Business Connect has two primary goals: (1) link diverse Arizona suppliers to contracting opportunities related to Super Bowl LVII and (2) provide professional networking and development programming for all member businesses. Suppliers participating in the Business Connect program are not guaranteed to be awarded work with Super Bowl LVII, the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee, or the NFL. Suppliers are guaranteed full access to the program’s development opportunities.

 

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