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Talent Buyer

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Request for Proposal to identify a contractor qualified to provide talent buying for the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival.

Talent Buyer RFP Clarification Q&As

Question: Will the Talent Buyer be responsible for booking all local, regional, and national acts for the festival?

Answer: Yes- the Talent Buyer, working along with the BCM Music Committee and BCM Executive Director of Development, is responsible for booking all acts, local, regional, and national, for the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion music festival.

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Question: How long has the current festival buyer been booking the festival?
Answer: This year’s festival will mark 3 years with the current talent buying agency (excluding 2020 due to festival cancellation).

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Question: REG would prefer to FedEx the proposal instead of mailing, is that an acceptable option? If so, can you provide the physical address?

Answer: Yes. The physical address is: 416 State St. Suite A. Bristol, TN 37620

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Question: Is the proposed agreement for one year, one year with the option to renew for additional years, or is it a multiple-year agreement?

Answer: The contract would be for one year with the option to renew for additional years based on the annual evaluation process.

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Question: Regarding the talent budget, are you aiming for one main headliner or multiple co-headliners? If you are aiming for one headliner, what is your budget for that act? If you are going for co-headliners, how many acts are you looking for, and what is their total budget? The same applies to each tier down the lineup- how many acts and what is the budget for each?

Answer: The Festival books 80-100 acts, depending on the number of stages each year, ranging from local bands to multiple headlining artists. The current budget regarding talent is $500,000. Typically, we have one headlining act costing $60,000- $80,000, additional headliners costing $40,000- $60,000, and the remainder of acts range from $500- $40,000.

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Question: On a scale of one to ten, how successful do you think you have been in securing your target headliners for 2023, 2022, and 2021.

Answer: 8. The festival’s volunteer Music Committee keeps a running list of potential headlining acts we would be interested in and then works through budget constraints, scheduling, and etc. to find the right fit each year.

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Question: Would you prefer a flat fee or a percentage of total talent compensations for the talent buyer fee?

Answer: Flat fee.

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Question: Do you have any specific pain points in the booking process or artist contracting?

Answer: Yes. One of the pain points the Festival has with artist contracting is receiving all of the artists’ materials in a timely manner (marketing assets, W-9’s, signed contracts, etc.). One of the pain points in the booking process is handling the dynamics of everyone involved in that process- including the talent buying agency, the volunteer Music Committee, and the BCM staff team.

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Question: Do you have a target award date? The RFP states “July booking begins”- does that mean the first offer is made, or is it the first meeting to discuss your target list?

Answer: The projected award date will be June 1. This will allow a month to finalize contract negotiations and onboarding so that the agency may begin meetings and the booking process in July.

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Question: What is your typical deposit and balance due structure with talent and the talent buyer?

Answer: In regards to talent the deposit/balance due structure is driven by each individual contract. In general, for talent, a deposit is paid once a fully executed contract has been received. The remaining balance will then be paid following their performance at Festival or the day after via ACH. In regards to the talent buyer, a monthly flat fee is paid upon receipt of an invoice.

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Question: What is your typical radius? For headliners in terms of miles, days before, and days after the festival? What is your radius for support acts in terms of miles, days before, and days after the festival?

Answer: Our radius for both headlining and supporting acts is 100 miles of Bristol, 30 days prior to and following Festival, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing.

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Question: Can you share the following: Festival layout with any production and stage size notes for 2023? Artist Schedule per stage per day?

Answer: Official maps and details regarding this year are still being determined. Additionally, our full lineup and artist schedule has yet to be announced but once it is you will be able to access it on our website. For last year’s information please email bids@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.

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Question: Under “Proposal requirements” list “Life Cycle Cost,” can you provide more details about the following:

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QA: Personnel Cost- Are you looking for a billable hourly rate for each different job description that may work on this project? What personnel have you had for this event in the past? Are there specific personnel categories you can provide that you are looking to fill for this event?

AA: This section of the RFP was intended for us to get a better look at your team. Personnel costs do not have to be broken down exactly but we would like an idea of the staff you intend to have working on this project and how those hours, and costs, fold into the total cost billed. In the past our talent buying company has provided an “all hands on deck” approach and provided their entire team, not only for talent buying but for Festival needs throughout the weekend. Ultimately, we want to see who we will be working with from your team.

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QB: Total Hours- Are you asking us to provide you with the number of hours we estimate to complete the task of booking and contracting your event or does this refer to other personnel? Or are you asking us to estimate the total hours each personnel employed by the event might work?

AB: We are looking for an estimated number of total hours the members of your team intend to spend working on all aspects of Festival. This question was posed to help us get a better understanding of how much your team will be available throughout the season, and during the Festival.

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QC: Travel and Subsistence Expenses- Is this the talent buyer’s (REG’s) travel cost to attend in-person required meetings and the festival? Or does this refer to something else?

AC: Travel and subsistence expenses refers to the costs associated with attending in-person meetings and working on site during Festival weekend.