Request for Expression of Interest (EOI) Event Management Firm to Deliver the 7th AfricaSan Conference

Details

1.0.        ABOUT THE AFRICAN MINISTERS’COUNCIL ON WATER

The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) is an intergovernmental institution formed in 2002 in Abuja, Nigeria. AMCOW’s structure and organs serve as the working group on water and sanitation for the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) of the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARWE) of the African Union (AU). Our mission is to provide political leadership, policy direction and advocacy in the provision, use and management of water resources for sustainable social and economic development and maintenance of African ecosystems. For more information, visit https://amcow-online.org/  

2.0.        BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The AfricaSan Conference is convened by the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) in conjunction with the African Union Commission and organized with other development partners. It represents a political commitment at the highest level. The conference draws at least 1,000 participants from governments, regional institutions, international partners, the private sector, the scientific community, civil society, and the media from all over the world. The AfricaSan Conference offers a platform for stakeholders in Africa’s sanitation and hygiene services delivery to collectively share lessons and formulate solutions to the sector’s challenges.

 Held biennially, the AfricaSan Conference has been institutionalized as one of AMCOW’s flagship platforms to accelerate the achievement of sanitation and hygiene goals in Africa. The other is the Africa Water Week. The two knowledge-sharing and accountability platforms are within the framework of motivating action to achieve the targets of the Ngor commitments, the SDGs; the Africa Water Vision 2025; and related goals of Africa’s Agenda 2063.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

AfricaSan Conference

The 7th AfricaSan conference is scheduled to take place on 12 – 16 June 2023 under the auspices of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) in conjunction with the African Union Commission and supported by several partners. The overall aim of the conference is to

facilitate dialogue and sharing of knowledge and enhance the path towards achieving Sanitation and hygiene targets in Africa.

Specific objectives of the conference

The specific objective of the conference is to contribute to the overall goal:

• To accelerate action to ensure adequate and equitable, safely managed sanitation and hygiene service provision for all, including women and girls and eliminate open defecation by 2030.

The conference is structured based on the following components:

• Online registration and payment platform
• Mobile application for dynamic event management
• Registration Management
• Protocol and reception
• Transportation management (vehicles)
• Accommodation
• Ceremonies management (Opening, closing, awards, evening eve of conference networking and gala dinner)
• Room and accessory management
• Simultaneous translation system (equipment and translators)
• Management of technical and tourist visits
• Secretariat management
• Paramedics services
• Media management and journalists
• Exhibition
• Communications
• Management of consumer events
• Financial and accounting management

The conference target is tentatively planned to include the following:

To this end, expressions of Interest (EOIs) are invited from professional Events Management Firms of international repute to support AMCOW and the Local Organising Committee in the delivery of the AfricaSan7 conference.

2.1. Objectives of the Expression of Interest

This EOI aims to identify a plan to provide the best overall value to the 7^th AfricaSan Conference. While price is a significant factor, more so now than in the past, other criteria will form the basis of the final decision.

Specifically, the selected firm will build on the achievements of AfricaSan5 in Cape Town, South Africa, to:

• increase the AfricaSan Conference’s footprint and visibility;
• develop and grow the conference exhibition component;
• introduce an accountability element in the Conference’s overall format; and,
• facilitate an increased amount of networking and relationship cultivation amongst actors in the sanitation and hygiene sector.

The Event Management firm will be responsible for delivering the entire conference, whose scope includes but is not limited to designing, branding, and overall event management.

2.2      Specific tasks for this assignment include:

2.2.1. Design and organise all streams of the conference:

• Effectively plan and manage the arrangements of plenary sessions, country dialogue, sector dialogue, thematic sessions, ministerial dialogue, side events, exhibitions, award segments and field trips.
• Participate in meetings as part of the preparatory process for the conference. This will include but not be limited to AITF meetings.
• Engage support staff to ensure accurate timing of session transitions as well as provide general assistance during the conference period.
• Attract sponsorship, exhibitors and continental and global participants to the conference
• Contribute to the development and review of contents before upload as at and when necessary.

2.2.2. Information Technology (IT) Related services

• Provide a portal for abstract collection and evaluation
• Create and manage the conference website and app.
• Provision and management of a seamless registration portal.
• Provision of name tags with barcode scanners.
• Establish a secretariat to manage all IT-related activities, including collation of presentations, ensuring rich and constant internet connectivity, provision of monitors, sound systems, etc
• Rooms must be equipped for simultaneous interpretation in English and French.

2.2.3     Securing and managing the venue and accommodation

• Secure conference venue. Ensure venue proximity to suitable accommodation, airport, and tourism sites.
•  Ensure the conference facility has a hall suited for 1000 people, about seven (7) rooms that can accomodate100 – 200 people for parallel sessions, three (3) smaller rooms for secretariat services, meetings, and convenience facilities with walkways for tea/coffee dispensers
• Ensure conference and meeting rooms are arranged before and after every session.
• Arrange security and safety measures for a successful event.
• Brand conference rooms and premises with information signs to aid identification and navigation within the conference vicinity and airports.

2.2.4      Hotel and restaurant:

• The hotel/accommodation category must vary from 3 to 5 stars with preferential rates.
• Recommended hotels must be listed on the conference website with pre-arranged pickups and drop-offs to and from hotels and conference venues.

2.2.5. Conference souvenirs:

• Provide branded souvenirs for all registered delegates
• Gift items should include branded note pads, pens, bags and other items fit for an event of such magnitude.

2.2.6. Exhibition Area

• The conference venue should accommodate an exhibition area of 2000 M² which will run in parallel with the main conference activities.
• Water, coffee, and tea must be organized within the exhibition area throughout the conference period.

2.2.7. Communication and marketing

• Provide a Communication Plan
• Distribute a daily newsletter of event updates
• Ensuring Communication for the general public

2.2.8.    Welcoming participants

• Have access to the participants’ flight plan
• Greeting new arrivals at the Airport
• Integrate the delivery of a “Welcome kit” (including a refreshment) to arrivals (luggage area of the airport)
• Organize the Airport/Hotel Transfer via shuttle to be handled by the hotel.
• Ensure the transfer of participants to their different hotels

2.2.9.   Health management

• Ensuring the COVID-19 system
• Ensure the health system throughout the event
• Ensure the relationship with selected hospitals
• Provide the list of pharmacies/health centres in the vicinity (hotels & conference venue)
• Set up a PCR test centre on the Conference site for the duration of the conference, especially near departures.

2.2.10. Catering services

• Provisioning tickets on electronic badges of all participants, including exhibitors
• Establish a list of surrounding restaurants and shopping malls  
• Arrange a meal for technical field visits
• Provide two tea breaks and lunch during the conference. Water and coffee must be available at the strategic location within the event premises.

2.2.11.  Printing services:

• Management of all conference-related printing in line with AMCOW’s in-house style and brand guidelines.

Applications for this assignment close on 23 January 2023.