Request for Proposals: Virtual event platform for the 142 Assembly and related meetings

Background

The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded more than 130 years ago as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 179 national Member Parliaments and 13 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes democracy and helps parliaments become stronger, younger, gender-balanced and more diverse. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world. Twice a year, the IPU convenes over 1,500 parliamentary delegates and partners in a world assembly, bringing a parliamentary dimension to global governance, including the work of the United Nations and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The IPU was founded to promote inter-parliamentary dialogue and diplomacy between nations. Today, we continue to provide a platform for the global parliamentary community to come together, exchange good practices and identify avenues for action.  It is in this context that the IPU organizes every six months an Assembly, a global forum of MPs.

The Assembly is the IPU’s main political body through which Member Parliaments adopt resolutions on parliamentary action on world affairs. It plays a pivotal role in addressing the issues that threaten peace, democracy and development, both today and in the future. The participation of the world’s MPs at our Assemblies means the will of citizens across all regions is reflected and represented in Assembly decisions and declarations.  There is a particular focus on peace and security, democracy and human rights. Four of our committees play a particular role in what is decided.

Recent assemblies have addressed an impressive range of social and political issues—ranging from tackling global terrorism to using social media to engage citizens in democracy. 

Purpose

Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, the IPU has had to modify the format of its meetings and Assemblies, which are currently being held virtually.  The Inter-Parliamentary Union is therefore looking to develop a virtual event platform for its 142nd Assembly that will take place from 24 to 27 May 2021. The platform should be live from 10 – 27 May 2021. 

IPU expects the selected vendor to design and provide a virtual event platform, which offers:

•    Event branding in respect of IPU’s visual identity
•    Live video player with international streaming distribution for up to 1,000 participants
•    Delegate questions feature
•    Documents and presentations repository
•    Access to the Simultaneous Interpretation Delivery Platform (SIDP) selected for the 142nd Assembly (8 languages minimum)
•    Latency between the audio and visual feeds will be reduced to a minimum (3 to 6 seconds)
•    Integration with the IPU event registration system, including delegate types and entitlements
•    Restricted access to the plenary sessions (delegates with speaking and voting rights), all other participants will follow proceedings via the event webcast

Services

Live events management
•    Webcast hosting and management of the live stream for all meetings
•    Webcast producer management of the live events
•    Live technical support for meeting participants – speakers and viewers

Speakers’ rehearsal

•    Webcast producer management of technical rehearsals with remote speakers
•    Technical checking and testing of remote speaker IT audio and video set-up
•    Onboarding of remote speakers
•    Active speakers will be given the floor, upon request
•    Guidance on speaker delivery and timing
•    Collection of speaker consent

Remote production

•    Play-in of pre-recorded videos
•    Provision of a Zoom or Webex license for remote speakers

Video services and post-production

•    Pre-event videos to guide end-users
•    Recording of events for VoD

Project management

•    End to end management of the event
•    Prepare, with the IPU event team, a project plan, monitor and report on progress
•    Organize regular meetings with the event team
•    Prepare an event debrief

Miscellaneous

•    Resources’ repository with update functions
•    Q&A function, with auto translate functionality
•    Live chat
•    On demand video library
•    User analytics and daily and post-event reporting

Qualifications and Experience

•   Provide a brief profile of your agency, including how many full-time staff your agency employs, where it is based and in what time zone the team for this project will work.
•    Provide relevant case studies, including project description and timeline. Please be sure to document expertise in:
    Working on similar projects with international organizations
    Virtual event platforms
•    List the project team and their relevant work experience.
•    Describe any subcontractors/outside resources necessary to complete the project.

Miscellaneous

•    Proposals must contain the signature of a duly authorized officer or agent of the company submitting the proposal.
•    IPU must own, have full access to and have the right to customize code and designs.
•    Bidder must disclose any relevant conflicts of interest and/or pending lawsuits.
•    IPU will negotiate contract terms upon selection. All contracts are subject to review by IPU legal counsel, and a project will be awarded upon signing of an agreement or contract, which outlines terms, scope, budget, timeline, and other necessary items.
•    IPU will not cover costs related to preparing or issuing proposals.