Audio/Visual Services for Main Library Opening Events

Request for Proposals
Audio/Visual Services for Main Library Opening Events
Issued September 23, 2026
Proposals Will Be Received Until
2:00 PM EST October 23, 2026
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Table of Contents
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................................3
Scope .........................................................................................................................................................................7
Project Overview ..................................................................................................................................................7
Scope of Services .................................................................................................................................................7
Event-Specific Requirements .............................................................................................................................8
Staff Celebration & Preview ................................................................................................................................8
Press Preview & Media Event .............................................................................................................................8
Donor Recognition & Celebration Event .............................................................................................................8
Ribbon Cutting ....................................................................................................................................................8
Public Opening Day .............................................................................................................................................9
Ancillary Pricing Options ....................................................................................................................................9
Contract Term ......................................................................................................................................................9
Notice to Proposers............................................................................................................................................... 10
Request for Proposal Process .............................................................................................................................. 12
Schedule ............................................................................................................................................................. 12
Proposer Questions and Inquiries .................................................................................................................. 12
Optional Site Visit of Main Library .................................................................................................................. 12
Submission of Responses ................................................................................................................................ 13
Evaluation Criteria ............................................................................................................................................ 13
Rejection of the Proposal.................................................................................................................................. 14
Proposal Format .................................................................................................................................................... 15
Section A: Firm Overview and Relevant Experience ..................................................................................... 15
Section B: Comparable Projects ...................................................................................................................... 15
Section C: Approach and Project Team .......................................................................................................... 15
Section D: References....................................................................................................................................... 15
Section E: Pricing ............................................................................................................................................... 15
Acknowledgement of Addenda............................................................................................................................ 17
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Introduction
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (the "Library" or "CML") is seeking an experienced Audio/Visual
company to serve as the technical team for the new Main Library opening events in spring 2027.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is ushering in a new era of improving lives and building a
stronger community. This includes opening a new Main Library that will be an architecturally
distinct information and technology hub, and a welcoming accessible destination for all. CML is
committed to being a welcoming space for engagement and learning in all 21 of our locations.
The Library supports information access, intellectual freedom, and cultural and civic growth in
our community.
The successful firm will provide comprehensive audio-visual production for the opening of a
new building. We are looking for an experienced partner to provide the right equipment and
technical approach, manage installation and testing, and provide on-site support throughout the
series of weeklong events. The selected firm should deliver reliable, high-quality sound, lighting,
video, and capabilities that support the program and enhance the guest experience. Some
Library equipment will be used.
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CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG LIBRARY
About
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is a diverse, innovative system that spans a county of 1.2 million
residents. The Library is made up of:
* 21 stationary branch locations reflective of their diverse communities, including:
Main Library in the center of Uptown, scheduled to open in spring 2027;
ImaginOn, a nationally-recognized innovative children's library and family
destination;
* Two mobile libraries, MoLi (Mobile Library) and MiLa (Mobile Internet Lab); and
* More than 450 dedicated staff members serving as librarians, outreach coordinators,
program associates and more.
Throughout the system, the Library provides free and open access to more than 800,000 items
ranging from physical and electronic collections and information, as well as a range of programs
and services for people of all ages. In FY2025, the Library had a total circulation of more than 9.5
million items, saw more than 2.6 million visitors, and hosted 26,061 programs with over 540,000
in-person attendees.
Mission, Vision, Values & More
Our mission is to improve lives and build a stronger community. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
envisions itself as the essential connector of a thriving community of readers, leaders and
learners. We value learning, openness, respect, inclusion and leadership. Our brand promise is
to be accessible and welcoming to all while celebrating and supporting the joy of reading and
learning, fostering exploration and personal growth, and connecting individuals to each other,
the community and the world.
We believe in intellectual freedom. The Library is committed to protecting the First
Amendment's guarantee of free and open access to information and ideas-a principle vital to
our democracy and to each individual's search for knowledge. We seek to provide our diverse
community with a comprehensive collection of materials and programs providing a wide range
of knowledge and perspectives.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's New Main Library
The new Main Library, anticipated to open in spring 2027, will be a free, open, and accessible
hub of information and activities and a major regional destination in Uptown Charlotte. This
115,000 square foot, five-story facility within the city's North Tryon Vision Plan and incorporates
the historic Spirit Square space. As Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's flagship location, it will be
an architecturally distinctive, state-of-the-art, technologically advanced knowledge center, and
a free, open, and accessible hub of information and activities where everyone in the community
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can access the resources of a 21st century library. In addition to traditional Library programs
and services, the new Main Library will introduce a new innovative model for Library services,
offering a platform for programs created and delivered with community partners.
Location
The new Main Library is being built on the same site as the previous main library: the 300 block
of North Tryon Street, also known as the corner of 6th & N. Tryon Streets. It is the same site
where the original Carnegie Library - the first free library in Mecklenburg County - stood in
1903. Work on the new Main Library began August 2023 with the demolition of the old Uptown
library.
The facility is designed to welcome and celebrate the Charlotte Mecklenburg community, and it
will feature indoor/outdoor spaces over five themed floors spiraling up to a skylight.
Inside the New Main Library
The new facility, which will serve as the main branch of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
system, will include a variety of resources including: 15 meeting rooms; an event space; an
immersive theater; a digital visualization lab with a 270-degree screen for creative projects and
technology classes; a cafe, and a new Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room for history and
genealogy research. The building will have five floors each tailored to a specific theme.
* Level One - Community (Knight Hall, the dynamic grand lobby; open air courtyard, forum
for new, innovative programming; popular collection showcase including NYT bestsellers
and latest releases; Morris Family immersive theater area for information sharing, digital
art, and more; and the cafe.)
* Level Two - Opportunity and Innovation
Bank of America Opportunity Center; Katherine Belk Social Services Office, Gambrell
innovation lab supports the conception and development of new ideas; Lowe's technology
hub; Honeywell digital visualization lab provides resources and support for discovering,
analyzing, and visualizing information; and a wrap-around outdoor terrace
* Level Three - Reference and Research
Collections; study carrels; Philip Van Every Foundation multi-purpose classroom;
reference hub; community "living room" for open, salon-style conversations
* Level Four - History and Genealogy
Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room; one of the largest genealogy and N.C. history
collections in the state
* Level Five - Destination
Dr. Joyce Davis Waddell Event Space; Reading Room; catering kitchen; Nucor Terrace)
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Construction Partners
* Snhetta (design architects)
* Clark Nexsen (architects of record)
* Rodgers Leeper (construction)
* Mecklenburg County Asset and Facility Management (project management)
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Scope
Project Overview
The New Main Library Grand Opening will include five events during the week of April 26, 2027.
Dates, times, attendance estimates, program elements, and technical requirements are
preliminary and may change as planning continues.
1. Staff Celebration & Preview - April 26, 2027, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
2. Press Preview & Media Event - April 27, 2027, 10:00 a.m.
3. Donor Recognition & Celebration Event - April 29, 2027, 5:00-9:00 p.m.
4. Ribbon Cutting - May 1, 2027, 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
5. Public Opening Day - May 1, 2027, 10:00-3:00 p.m.
The selected firm will serve as the Library's audio-visual production partner for all five events.
The final scope will be developed collaboratively after award, following site access, confirmation
of event programs, and review of the Library's in-house technical systems. Library-owned
equipment should be used when practical, compatible, and cost-effective. List attached.
Scope of Services
The selected firm will be expected to:
* Participate in planning meetings with event planner and site walk-throughs and
recommend a practical, scalable technical approach for each event.
* Develop an event-by-event production plan, equipment schedule, labor plan,
installation schedule, and changeover plan, identifying equipment that can be shared
across events.
* Provide and manage the audio, video/presentation, lighting, staging and lectern
support, power distribution, cabling, media feeds, and related production equipment
not supplied by the Library.
* Evaluate, integrate, and test available Library systems and equipment and promptly
identify any gaps or compatibility concerns.
* Deliver, install, program, test, operate, and remove all vendor-provided equipment. All
work must protect finished surfaces, preserve safe and accessible public paths, and
comply with applicable building and life-safety requirements.
* Provide qualified production leads and technicians for rehearsals and events,
coordinate program cues with the Library and its event team and provide real-time
troubleshooting.
* Provide appropriate backup or redundancy for critical systems and communicate
promptly about changes that may affect cost, schedule, or performance.
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Event-Specific Requirements
Staff Celebration & Preview
A celebration for approximately 500 Library staff members and retirees, including remarks,
music and entertainment, activities, tours, and lunch.
Anticipated AV needs include:
* Speech microphones, and lectern support
* Stage wash
* Music and entertainment audio support
* Distributed sound in the primary event area and other selected building zones
Press Preview & Media Event
An invitation-only media event featuring guided tours and pre-arranged interviews.
Anticipated AV needs include:
* Lighting designated interview areas
* Microphones or portable audio support for brief remarks, if required
* Press audio feed or mult box, if required
Donor Recognition & Celebration Event
An elegant evening event for approximately 1,000 donors and stakeholders, including food
service, live music and entertainment, and a program with brief remarks and acknowledgments.
Anticipated AV needs include:
* Speech reinforcement, microphones, lectern support, and stage wash
* Live music and entertainment audio support
* Distributed sound across all five floors, as programming requires
* Supplemental architectural or decor lighting
* Video or presentation support, if required by the final program
Ribbon Cutting
A public, media-facing event with County officials and Library leadership.
Anticipated AV needs include:
* Outdoor sound coverage for Tryon Street between 6th Street and 7th Street and
Tepper Plaza
* Microphones, lectern, and press mult box
* Stage wash
* Temporary power, if required
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Public Opening Day
A high-energy, community-wide celebration featuring pop-up experiences, music, and
entertainment throughout the building.
Anticipated AV needs include:
* Distributed sound and music support throughout selected building zones
* Audio support for scheduled entertainment and program moments
* Technician coverage appropriate to the active program areas
Ancillary Pricing Options
The items below are optional enhancements and will be considered only if budget permits.
Provide each as a separate alternate, including the equipment, labor, power and data
requirements, installation, programming, operation, removal, and key assumptions.
Exterior lighting would be enhanced on the Tryon Street and 6th Street sides from 7:30 - 11:00pm
Provide a separate not-to-exceed price for each of the following lighting options:
* Monday through Saturday
* Thursday through Saturday
* Thursday only
There may be another event on May 6th in Spirit Square. The event is most likely several
speakers on stage in a soft seating. Assume the time is 6-8pm. Please include a quote for what
would be needed to support:
- 2 lavs or handhelds
- Podium & mic
- IMAG for the 700 person theatre
- Audience Q&A
Contract Term
Initial Term: November 17, 2026-May 6, 2027
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Notice to Proposers
The successful Proposer must comply with all provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. By submitting a proposal, the successful Proposer
agrees to indemnify the Library from and against all claims, suits, damages, costs, losses, and expenses
in any manner arising out of, or connected with, the failure of the Company, its subcontractors, agents,
successors, assigns, officers, or employees to comply with the provisions of the ADA or the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
All proposals must be firm and not subject to increase, unless specified within the provisions of this
Request for Proposals (RFP) and mutually agreed upon by the Library and the Proposer.
No special inducements will be considered that are not a part of the original proposal document.
Library Rights and Options
The Library, at its sole discretion, reserves the following rights:
* To supplement, amend, substitute, or otherwise modify this RFP at any time
* To cancel this RFP with or without the substitution of another RFP
* To take any action affecting this RFP, this RFP process, or the Services subject to this RFP that
would be in the best interests of the Library
* To issue additional requests for information or clarification from Offerors or to allow
corrections of errors or omissions
* To require one or more Service Providers to supplement, clarify, or provide additional
information in order for the Library to evaluate the Responses submitted
* To negotiate an agreement with a Service Provider based on the information provided in
response to this RFP.
* To award one or more contract(s).
Public Records
Any material submitted in response to this RFP will become a "public record" once the Proposer's
document(s) is opened and the Proposer is determined to be a participant in the solicitation process and
shall be subject to public disclosure consistent with Chapter 132, North Carolina Statutes. Proposers
must claim any applicable exemptions to disclosure provided by law in their response to this RFP.
Proposers must identify materials to be protected and must state the reasons why such exclusion from
public disclosure is necessary and legal. The Library reserves the right to make all final determination(s)
of the applicability of North Carolina General Statutes 132-1.2, Confidential Information.
Trade Secrets/Confidentiality
Proposers must claim any material which qualifies as "trade secret" information under N.C.G.S. 66-
152(3) in their response to this RFP and must state the reasons why such exclusion from public
disclosure is necessary and legal.
To properly designate material as trade secret under these circumstances, each Proposer must take the
following precautions: (a) any trade secrets submitted by a Proposer should be submitted in a separate,
sealed envelope marked "Trade Secret - Confidential and Proprietary Information - Do Not Disclose
Except for the Purpose of Evaluating this Proposal," and (b) the same trade secret/confidentiality
designation should be stamped on each page of the trade secret materials contained in the envelope.
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