Ontario, Canada Issues Event Management And Communications RFP

About The Discovery Ontario Center of Excellence

The Discovery Ontario Center of Excellence has issued an event management RFP. Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Inc. drives the commercialization of cutting-edge research across key market sectors to build the economy of tomorrow and secure Ontario’s global competitiveness.

In doing this, OCE fosters the training and development of the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs and is a key partner with Ontario’s industry, universities, colleges, research hospitals, investors and governments. A champion of leading-edge technologies, best practices and research, OCE invests in sectors such as advanced health, digital media and information and communication technologies, advanced manufacturing and materials, and cleantech including energy, environment and water. OCE is a key partner in delivering Ontario’s Innovation Agenda as a member of the province’s Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE). Funded by the Government of Ontario, the ONE is made up of regional and sector-focused organizations and helps Ontario-based entrepreneurs rapidly grow their company and create jobs.

Discovery is Canada’s leading innovation-to-commercialization conference, showcase and tradeshow. Hosted by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), Discovery brings together key players from industry, academia, government and the investment community as well as entrepreneurs, students and international representatives to pursue collaboration and business opportunities, meet employers and source talent. Garnering over 3,400 attendees and 500 exhibitors in 2016, Discovery is a showcase of leading-edge technologies, best practices and research from sectors including cleantech, (energy, environment and water), health, manufacturing, robotics, aerospace, agri-food, mining, and digital media/mobile/ICT.

Objectives

• Build profile for OCE and the innovation community in Ontario along with its stakeholders to maximize networking opportunities and help build partnership opportunities for entrepreneurs, industry, researchers and others
• Provide a forum for collaboration and exchanging new ideas and critical information among government, researchers, academia, industry, entrepreneurs, students and investors
• Showcase Ontario’s world-class research and innovative technologies, including those currently being developed with OCE support, to a diverse range of potential partners including small, medium and large companies, governments and academia as well as foreign markets and media
• Support Ontario’s industrial growth, expansion of markets and the creation of Ontario- based employment in OCE-supported sectors
• Showcase entrepreneurs to investors, other companies and academia

Target Audience

• Industry (Owners, Presidents/CEOs, heads/members of corporate R&D teams)
• Entrepreneurs
• Investment community (Angels, VC, Financial Institutions)
• Regional Innovation Centres
• Provincial, federal government
• University leadership Procurement officials
• Academic researchers
• Post-secondary students
• Media

The audience is primarily Canadian, with most attendees residing in Ontario.

Key Messages/Themes

• Canada’s leading innovation-to-commercialization conference
• A showcase of Ontario’s innovative products and services
• A destination for the brightest minds in research, innovation, business and technology transfer
• A forum for collaboration – exchanging new ideas and critical information among researchers, academia and industry
• As host of Discovery, OCE is a champion and key facilitator of Ontario’s culture of innovation
• The conference supports and showcases the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs (ONE)
• Key themes being explored as the focus and content of the event include:
  • Innovation
  • Collaboration
  • Commercialization
  • Research
  • Talent
  • Competitiveness o Entrepreneurship o Convergence

OCE’s Role

OCE will retain primary responsibility for the following roles:

• Conference programming
• Maintenance of conference website (www.ocediscovery.com), and updates on corporate website (www.oce-ontario.org)
• Marketing and communications for the conference
• Media relations
• Speaker selection and contracts
• Invitation and confirmation of dignitaries and VIP’s
• Negotiation of all supplier contracts
• Issuing RFP for additional suppliers (i.e. AV, Show Services)

Event Management Role

The following scope of services will form the basis of proposed event management fees:

• Logistical planning and onsite management
  • Development and maintenance of critical path, incorporating OCE and event manager responsibilities, including MTCC venue and catering requirements
  • Complete management of the work plan logistics for the event
  • Provision of run-sheet and OCE staff orientation guide
  • Event meetings on a bi-weekly basis throughout planning cycle
  • Record and distribute minutes of meetings including action items
  • Manage onsite catering, events, meetings and rehearsals, including room preparation, AV, décor, signage and event execution
  • Coordinate all rehearsals, sound and lighting checks
  • Set up and maintain green room, VIP room, staff room (with equipment as required, i.e. printers, copiers), media room
• Sourcing and coordinating suppliers
  • Source and coordinate suppliers as needed
• Suppliers subject to OCE approval
• Coordinate supplier contracts (for suppliers who may be required in addition to OCE pre-contracted suppliers) and liaise with other Discovery suppliers to ensure timely and accurate delivery of services
• Ensure venue and hotel contract terms are fulfilled
• Speaker and VIP support, including:
  • Co-ordination of speaker and panel conference calls
  • Co-ordination of travel, transportation, hotel and onsite activity (green room, rehearsals and events)
  • With OCE, prepare materials for presenters and brief them before event
  • Registration processing (for attendees, VIPs, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors)

• Sponsor support
  • Together with OCE, solicit and contract sponsors for the conference and establish terms of sponsorship
  • Invoice and process payments
  • Registration assistance
  • Ensure that the terms of sponsorship are executed at the conference

• Exhibitor support
  • Update Exhibitor Handbook
  • Together with OCE, assign exhibitor booth numbers

• Financial management and reporting
  • Provision of quotes and pre-approval for anticipated expenses
  • Reporting on registration and finances

Registration Support

• Manage the online registration system and the relationship with the supplier including:
  • Regular, accurate reporting
  • Payment processing and reporting capability for delegates and exhibitors, with the ability to offer periodic discounts

• Work with OCE to register staff, speakers, sponsors and their guests, VIPs and other attendees for Discovery related meetings and workshops
• Provide onsite registration for attendees, exhibitors and VIPs
  • Onsite delivery of attendee, exhibitor and speaker conference materials, badges, tickets, and parking passes (exhibitors only)

Registration Services

• Recommend supplier(s) to provide registration services linked to the Discovery website (www.ocediscovery.com) for selection and approval by OCE

Proposal due by July 13^th to:

Ontario Centres of Excellence
156 Front Street West, Suite 200
Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2L6

With the acquisition of Shift Communications by a Canadian held communications company (National PR), expect Canada to be an increased focus for communications companies.