Terms of Reference: Request for Proposal - Appointment of Events Management company for Soul City Institute's 30th Anniversary Celebration

Terms of Reference: Request for Proposal - Appointment of Events Management company for Soul City Institute's 30th Anniversary Celebration

The Soul City Institute for Social Justice is a South African feminist organisation that has worked for 30 years to promote gender justice, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and to challenge systemic violence and inequality. As we mark this important milestone, we intend to host a celebratory and impactful event that honours our past, celebrates our present and envisions a bold feminist future.

PURPOSE

The Soul City Institute seeks to appoint a professional and experienced events management
company to plan, coordinate and deliver a high-quality event for its 30th Anniversary
Celebration. The event will serve as both a celebration and a strategic advocacy opportunity to
highlight the organisation’s impact and future vision.

SCOPE OF WORK

The appointed service provider will be required to deliver the following:

Event Planning and Management

  • Develop and manage a detailed event project plan with timelines and deliverables.
  • Conceptualise and deliver two lead up events to the main event.
  • Conceptualise and theme the event, in consultation with Soul City, in line with our feminist identity and strategic goals.
  • Coordinate and manage all logistics including but not limited to:
    • Venue sourcing and setup
    • Stage and technical setup (audio, visual, lighting)
    • Branding and signage
    • Guest management (RSVP, VIP handling, guest list coordination)
    • Catering (with options for dietary requirements and sustainability practices)
    • Event staffing (ushers, security, registration desk, etc.)
    • Health and safety protocols

Creative and Production

  • Develop a strong visual identity for the event, aligned with Soul City’s brand and 30- year legacy.
  • Produce event materials including invitations, programmes, name badges and banners.
  • Coordinate all design, printing and digital elements.
  • Provide a professional MC, technical director and run-of-show management (in consultation with Soul City).
  • Ensure high-quality video and photographic coverage of the event.

Advocacy and Media Integration

  • Ensure the event integrates advocacy messaging aligned to Soul City’s 30-year narrative.
  • Work with Soul City’s Communications and Advocacy Team to ensure alignment with media and social media rollout.
  • Provide live streaming services and ensure hybrid participation options are available.

Post-Event Reporting

  • Submit a full close-out report including photos, videos, guest feedback and event analytics.
  • Debrief session with Soul City to evaluate successes and lessons learnt.


EVENT PROGRAMME (PRELIMINARY)

  • Provisional Date: October 2025
  • Location: Johannesburg (venue to be confirmed in collaboration with service provider)
  • Expected Guests: Approx. 150–200, including stakeholders, donors, activists, media, government and international partners
  • Format: Evening event (3–4 hours) featuring:
    • Short formal programme,
    • Awards or recognitions,
    • 20–30-minute documentary viewing (Note: The documentary will be supplied by Soul City Institute; the service provider is not responsible for producing this)
    • A networking and social engagement segment

DURATION AND TIMELINE

  • The service provider will be contracted from 1 July 2025 for a period of up to 4 months, from appointment to event close-out.
  • Timeline must include key milestones: planning meetings, site visits, approval deadlines and technical rehearsals.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Soul City Institute invites bids from qualified service providers for the planning and management of a milestone event. The evaluation process will be conducted in two phases:

  • Technical Evaluation (60%)
  • Price and B-BBEE Evaluation (40%)

Each bid will first be assessed on its technical merit, with a maximum achievable score of 60 points. Only bidders who score 70% or more (i.e. at least 42 out of 60 points) in the technical evaluation will proceed to the price and B-BBEE evaluation phase.

EVALUATION CRITERIA  WEIGHT
TECHNICAL EVALUATION
Understanding of scope of work and methodology indicating capability in planning and managing milestone events of similar scale and profile 20
Demonstrated capacity to deliver full-service event planning and production 15
Creative proposal and thematic alignment with Soul City’s feminist identity 15
Project management structure 5
References from at least 3 past clients (preferably social justice or nonprofit sector) 5
TOTAL SCORE 60
PRICE & B-BBEE EVALUATION
Budget management & cost-effective solutions 35
B-BBEE Level 1-4 compliance or black-women owned preferred
(Level 1 Black Woman Owned - 5 points; Level 1- 4 points; Level 2 – 3 points; Level 3 – 2 points; Level 4 – 1 point)		 5
TOTAL SCORE  40



PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must submit the following:

  • Company profile
  • Proposal covering of scope of work evaluation criteria and pricing
  • B-BBEE certificate

Submission Deadline

Proposals must be submitted electronically to procurement@soulcity.org.za with the subject title “30th Anniversary Events Company” by 16 June 2025 at 16:00 SAST.

Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.