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

Branding 

• Your brand is your presence in the marketplace. It should be consistent throughout all of your touchpoints

• • It is important to develop a consistent brand
  • Use text and copy to reinforce the tone of voice of your company
  • Your brand goes beyond just your logo and tag line, it is an integrated theme that represents your company
  • Your brand is the experience you leave behind
  • All content should refer back to your brand 
• Create a visual identity – use color, photos, and images that represent your brand 
• The voice of your brand is created with the words you use and how they represent your tone
  • In your copy, remember to talk about what your customers need to know, not what you think you need to say
  • Create a voice that helps clients instantly know - 

• • • Where do you fit on the scales below: 

• • • Serious or funny 
    • Formal or serious 
    • Respectful or irreverent 
    • Matter of fact or Enthusiastic 

• Solidify what your brand is and what your brand promise is. Your promise to your customers is what experience they will have with your company or product, goods, or services
• Every presence in the digital space has to be intentional and aligned with your brand
• Understand who your audience is 
• Match your content to the platforms you use – Twitter, Website, LinkedIn 

Content 

• Understand who your audience is, who are you trying to reach, and which platform allows you to reach them
• Content brings your customer into the experience of your business

• Keep your web presence up to date, it is often the first impression a potential customer has of your business 
• Your content should mirror what you are doing in your business – products, services, pivots 
• Tell the story of what makes your business different, unique, and special
• Ease of use is critical to customers. Make digital functions painless – always provide links 
• Document what you’re doing and share it with your audience. Behind the scene stories of how you provide services are interesting to customers and help them invest & engage with you
• Set a schedule for when you update your website and social presence online. Make sure you are accurately represented
• Use the About Us section of a website to make your story personal

Social Media Playbook 

Understanding and crafting an impactful visual brand is important because you literally have only a few seconds to make an impression via social media. 

There are 10 key ways to use social media to promote your brand - 

1. Inform – Use social media to let your clients know what you are doing that is new, different
2. Entertain – Use photos and reels to draw attention to your company 
3. Invite – Invite your clients to participate in something that involves your store, goods, product 
4. Listen – Pay attention to what your customers are saying in their feedback to you
5. Share -Use social to share posts others make to say how great you are
6. Celebrate – Celebrate random holidays 
7. Remind – Remind customers why they ‘love’ your products or services. Remind clients of your history
8. Inspire – Let your customers know what the heart of your business is
9. Monetize – use the platform to show off new products or offer special deals
10. Thank – Thank your clients, staff, or others for something