Event Planning and Production Services for Hayward Amplified 2.0 Program

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that the City of Hayward invites sealed proposals for 27-015 Event Planning and Production Services for Hayward Amplified 2.0 Program . Each proposal shall be in accordance with the general provisions for purchase of work and services on file in the office of the CMO , 777 B Street , Hayward , CA 94541-5114 . All proposals must be submitted to the City's eProcurement Portal by 12:00 pm on Wednesday, December 9, 2026 and clearly identified with RFP title, number, company name and due date. It is the sole responsibility of the proposing firm to ensure that proposals are received prior to the closing time, as late bids will not be accepted and deemed nonresponsive.

The City of Hayward seeks proposals from qualified firms or consultant teams to provide comprehensive event planning, coordination, marketing, and production services for Hayward Amplified 2.0. The selected consultant will work under the direction of the City’s Economic Development Division and in partnership with local businesses, property owners, community organizations, performers, vendors, and other stakeholders.

The project will consist of a coordinated series of approximately six to ten smaller-scale public events and activations in Hayward’s commercial areas during spring and summer 2027. The event series is intended to create consistent activity throughout the season, increase foot traffic, encourage repeat visitation, strengthen collaboration among local partners, and provide engaging experiences for residents and visitors. The consultant will support the full event lifecycle, including program planning, concept development, partner coordination, permitting and logistics, marketing, vendor management, event-day production, evaluation, and reporting.

Hayward Amplified launched in 2026 as a business-led activation program designed to support local businesses while creating new events, activities, and experiences throughout Hayward. Through the program, the City provided grants and technical assistance to help businesses develop public-facing activations that increased foot traffic, encouraged community engagement, and gave residents and visitors new reasons to experience Hayward’s commercial areas.

The first phase supported a mix of FIFA World Cup watch parties and larger business-led events held throughout the summer and early fall. Programming included live entertainment, local vendors, family-friendly activities, fitness and wellness events, arts and cultural experiences, and community celebrations. Economic Development staff also assisted participating businesses with event planning, marketing, promotion, permitting coordination, and the development of digital content.

The initial program demonstrated the value of events as both an economic development tool and a community benefit. Participating businesses gained exposure, connected with new and returning customers, and developed firsthand experience hosting public events. Grant funding also supported investments in equipment such as televisions, projectors, and sound systems that businesses can continue using for future activities.

The first phase also identified challenges with the business-led model. Producing successful public events required significant time, coordination, and specialized knowledge from both participating businesses and City staff. Businesses had varying levels of experience and capacity to manage vendors, performers, permits, marketing, logistics, staffing, and event-day operations. These demands sometimes limited the scale of an event or shifted the business owner’s attention away from operating and promoting the business itself.

Hayward Amplified 2.0 builds on these lessons by transitioning to a more coordinated City- and consultant-led delivery model. Under the proposed approach, local businesses and community organizations will remain central partners in shaping and benefiting from each activation, while the selected consultant will provide the professional planning, marketing, coordination, and production capacity needed to deliver the events.

The City anticipates producing a distributed series of approximately six to ten smaller-scale events during spring and summer 2027. This approach is intended to create consistent activity throughout the season, encourage repeat visitation, strengthen collaboration among neighboring businesses and community partners, and extend the benefits of each event beyond a single participating business to the surrounding commercial area.