Event production: briefing one AV and staging supplier

Suppliers price from the brief, and a thin brief produces a quote padded with assumptions. Give the venue name or site, the room or area, audience size and layout, the running order, and the kind of content: speeches only, a panel with microphones, video playback, a live band, hybrid streaming. Say what the venue provides in-house and whether the venue insists on its own AV contractor or charges a fee for outside suppliers.

Timing drives cost as much as kit. Load-in and rehearsal time, overnight crew, a get-out after midnight and parking for trucks all appear on the invoice. Ask the venue for its access times, loading dock details and rigging plan before you ask for quotes.

• venue, room dimensions, ceiling height and available rigging points
• audience numbers and layout: theatre, cabaret, standing, outdoor
• running order, rehearsal needs and technical contacts on the day
• content: presenters, presentations, video, music, streaming or recording
• power available at the venue or site, and whether generators are needed
• branding, set design and staging requirements
• load-in, show and get-out times

Two quotes for the same conference can differ because one includes a vision mixer, a confidence monitor for the speaker, radio microphone spares and a dedicated technician for each discipline, while the other does not. Ask for an itemised equipment list with quantities and models, crew roles with hours, and transport. That makes it possible to compare like with like and to remove items you do not need.

For LED screens, ask about pixel pitch in relation to the viewing distance and whether the screen is ground-stacked or flown. For sound, ask how the system will cover the whole room evenly. For staging, ask about load ratings, edge protection and access steps. A good supplier explains these choices in plain language.

Temporary power at events is one of the areas HSE highlights. Organisers have to ensure that electrical installations and equipment are properly selected, installed and maintained so as not to cause death or injury. The recognised code of practice is BS 7909, which covers temporary electrical systems for entertainment. Ask the supplier who designs and signs off the temporary installation, how generators are earthed, and how cables are routed away from public walkways.

Portable appliance testing is often requested by venues, but HSE is clear that the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 do not make annual PAT testing a legal requirement. What the law requires is that equipment is maintained so it is safe, and a documented inspection and testing regime is the usual way to show that. Ask for the supplier's records. For the venue's fixed wiring, the venue itself is responsible, typically through periodic inspection reports.

Source: legislation.gov.uk

Marquees, stages, grandstands and towers are temporary demountable structures, and the risks include wind loading, ground conditions and incorrect assembly. The supplier should provide design information, a method statement for building and dismantling, and a plan for weather, including the wind speed at which the structure is evacuated or taken down. Structures should be checked by a competent person after erection and before the public is allowed in.

MUTA, the Made-Up Textiles Association, is the UK trade association for marquees, tents and structures; ask a hire company whether it is a member and which industry guidance it works to. Many larger outdoor events also follow the Purple Guide. For outdoor events with significant crowds, the local authority may convene a Safety Advisory Group; bring the production supplier into those discussions early.

On unlicensed premises in England and Wales, live or recorded music, dancing, alcohol sales and late-night hot food can require a premises licence or a temporary event notice. A notice covers events with fewer than 500 people at all times, including staff, and has to be served on the council at least 10 clear working days in advance. Noise limits may also be set by the venue or the council, so share them with the sound supplier.

In the contract, set out the scope, the delivery and collection times, cancellation terms, who insures the equipment while it is at the venue, and the supplier's public liability insurance. Ask for risk assessments and method statements in time for the venue's own deadlines.

Enter the date, venue, audience size and the services you need. After we have verified your mobile number by text code and your email by link, the brief is offered without your company name or contact details to event production suppliers in the region. The first to buy it becomes the one supplier who receives it; it pays Offrano, and the brief is taken down. Using Offrano costs your organisation nothing.

We email you that supplier's name, address and phone number before it sees your details. Offrano confirms it is a registered business but does not audit its kit or safety records, so ask for them. You are under no obligation to accept the proposal and can invite other suppliers.