How to Write an LED Event Lighting RFQ

An LED event lighting RFQ should describe the job, not only a product name. A clear brief helps suppliers judge fit early and gives your team quotes that can be compared. It also gives the producer, venue contact and purchasing team one document to work from.

## Start with the event moment

State the event type, venue, dates, audience areas and moments that need light. An entrance, sponsor reveal and final song may need different effects. Add a venue plan if distribution zones matter. Mark any area where staff need to hand out, collect or replace items, because that affects the working plan.

## Describe the items and quantities

List the categories you are considering, such as **LED wristbands**, **LED glow sticks** or **LED lanyards**. Give a working quantity, reserve quantity and any artwork or colour requirements. If the brief is open, say so. Suppliers can offer options rather than assume a finished specification. Include who will receive each item and when. A festival gate, a sponsor table and a seated audience may need different packing or distribution plans.

## Explain the control expectation

Describe what the operator needs to achieve: one shared colour change, cues by audience zone, or a show-linked sequence. Do not name a control method as a requirement unless your production team has confirmed it. Ask what is included, what needs separate equipment and what must be tested on site. Give the supplier the relevant production contact, so control questions do not pass through several people during a busy build.

## Set approval and delivery checkpoints

Include dates for artwork approval, samples, final quantity confirmation and venue arrival. Name the person who can approve changes. This stops a quotation looking complete while key decisions are still moving. If the design depends on sponsor artwork, add the required file format and the final approval deadline. Keep a record of any change that affects quantity, printing or the show sequence.

## Ask for a quote you can compare

Request a line-by-line quotation, lead-time assumptions, packing details and exclusions. Use the same RFQ for each supplier, then review answers with the producer and venue team. Ask each supplier to state what information is still needed before the order can move forward. A useful quote makes the open questions visible instead of burying them in a long product list.