1. Procurement Context and Purpose

This Expression of Interest (EOI) is issued by the Tobago Festivals Commission Limited (TFCL) as a pre-qualification and market engagement exercise to identify suitably qualified suppliers for the provision of branding and marketing materials.

This EOI does not constitute a solicitation for bids or a commitment to award a contract. Responses received will be used to inform a subsequent procurement process, which may include, but is not limited to, a Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Quotations (RFQ), or other procurement method in accordance with applicable procurement legislation and internal policies.

This EOI is issued in accordance with the procurement governance framework of the Tobago Festivals Commission Limited.

2. Purpose & Strategic Intent                           

This Expression of Interest seeks to identify and pre-qualify suitably qualified suppliers to design, produce, and deliver high-quality, brand-aligned merchandise to support TFCL’s year-round events, activations, promotions, and sponsorship engagements.

The initiative is positioned not only as a procurement exercise, but as a strategic marketing tool to:

• Enhance brand visibility and recall
• Support audience engagement and experience
• Drive revenue generation (sale items)
• Encourage item retention and use

While this activity is mainly for events and activities taking place in 2026, special consideration will be given to the Tobago Heritage Festival 2027 (40th Anniversary), requiring elevated, commemorative merchandise.

3. Marketing Objectives

The merchandise programme must:

• Reinforce Tobago Festivals’ brand identity
• Support event-specific storytelling and themes
• Create interactive and memorable audience experiences
• Provide high-quality retail opportunities
• Extend brand presence beyond the event lifecycle

4. Scope of Merchandise Requirements

A. Event-Specific Merchandise

Tailored to key festivals and activations:

• Tobago Heritage Festival 2026 (and 2027 for 40th year milestone)
• Tobago Blue Food Festival (2026)
• Tobago Carnival (2026 – 5th year milestone)
• Roadshows, pop-ups, and promotional activations (local, regional and international)

Examples:

• Apparel (event-branded)
• Cultural/heritage inspired items
• Festival-specific collectables
• Utilitarian value

B. General TFCL Branded Merchandise and Branding

For year-round use:

• Corporate/branded apparel
• Everyday promotional items
• Corporate gifts and stakeholder tokens
• Utilitarian value
• Small and large-scale branding (e.g. banners, stands, and related branding materials)

C. Giveaway & Promotional Items

For engagement and visibility:

• Small branded items (e.g. fans, tote bags, notebooks)
• Travel-friendly items (e.g. pens, luggage tags, keychains)
• Interactive giveaway items tied to activities/games

D. Retail Merchandise (Revenue-Generating)

• Premium apparel lines
• Limited edition collections
• Uniquely designed materials specific to events, and the festival’s brand

5. Experience & Engagement Integration (KEY MARKETING FOCUS)

Suppliers are encouraged to think beyond products and contribute to experience-driven merchandising. While examples of items and numbers will be provided, suppliers are encouraged to present items not specifically requested but that fall in line with stated requirements.

Interactive Concepts May Include:

• Game-based giveaways (spin wheels, trivia prizes, cultural games)
• Customisation stations (e.g. on-site printing, personalisation)
• Collectable series across multiple events
• Bundled merchandise experiences (kits, themed packages)

Merchandise should enhance the event experience, not just exist within it.

6. Brand & Creative Direction

All merchandise must align with TFCL’s established brand identity.

Key Requirements:

• Adherence to brand guidelines (logos, colours, typography)
• Strong visual storytelling and cultural authenticity
• Adaptability across different event themes
• Approval will be required for all designs (if conceptualised externally)

7. Supplier Expectations

Suppliers responding to the EOI should demonstrate:

A.   Design Capability

• Ability to propose creative, innovative concepts
• Experience with event/festival merchandise

B.    Production Capacity

• Ability to handle large-scale and phased orders
• Flexibility for multiple activations across the year
• Shared storage may be an element of consideration, based on TFCL’s needs and capacity.

C.   Quality Assurance

• High production standards
• Durable and market-ready products
• Ability to provide samples or prototypes for items

D.   Innovation & Sustainability

• Use of eco-friendly materials (where possible). This should be clearly stated within the product description.
• Unique, culturally relevant product ideas

E. Legal and Compliance Requirements 

Suppliers must:

• be legally registered entities in their jurisdiction of operation;
• be in good standing with statutory authorities;
• comply with applicable tax and regulatory requirements; and
• disclose any conflicts of interest that may arise in relation to this procurement process.

8. Commercial & Financial Considerations

• Competitive pricing structures
• Cost breakdowns per category
• Options for bulk production and scalability
• Value-for-money assessment

9. Clarifications

All requests for clarification must be submitted in writing to the Procurement Unit by no later than three (3) business days prior to the submission deadline.

Responses to clarification requests will be issued in writing and shared with all prospective respondents to ensure fairness and transparency.

10. Procurement & Submission Framework

Submission Requirements
Interested parties are required to submit:

1. Company Profile
2. Relevant Experience / Portfolio
3. Proposal
4. Proposed Timeline
5. Team Composition and Expertise
6. Indicative Cost Range (optional at EOI stage)
7. References from Similar Projects

Submissions shall be received and evaluated by an Evaluation Committee established by TFCL in accordance with applicable procurement legislation and internal procurement procedures.

The Evaluation Committee shall assess submissions based on the criteria outlined below and may recommend a shortlist of suitably qualified suppliers.

Shortlisted suppliers may be invited to participate in a subsequent procurement process.

All submissions shall be treated fairly and evaluated in accordance with the established criteria and procedures.

The procurement process shall be conducted in accordance with applicable procurement legislation and the internal policies of the Commission.

Decisions of the Evaluation Committee shall be documented and maintained as part of the procurement record in accordance with applicable procurement requirements.

The evaluation criteria and methodology applied shall not be modified after the issuance of this EOI.

No respondent shall be given preferential treatment at any stage of this procurement process.

11. Evaluation Criteria 

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria, which shall be applied using a structured evaluation methodology:

• Technical capability and innovation
• Relevant experience
• Understanding of TFCL’s requirements
• Scalability and sustainability of proposed solutions
• Value for money (where applicable)

• Timeline
  • Monday 18th May,2026 – EOI Issuance
  • Monday 8th June,2026 – Submission Deadline
  • Monday 15th June,2026 – Shortlisting and NotificationContact Information

12. Contact Information

Submissions and queries should be directed to:

Procurement Unit
Tobago Festivals Commission Limited (TFCL)
GNV Building, Wilson Road, Scarborough, Tobago.
Email: tfclprocurement@gmail.com │ Tel: (868) 660-4441

13. Submission Method

Submissions must be submitted electronically to the email address provided above by the stated deadline.

Late submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances.

All submissions shall be treated as confidential and shall be used solely for the purposes of this procurement process.

TFCL shall acknowledge receipt of submissions; however, the responsibility for ensuring timely delivery rests solely with the respondent.

14. Success Measures (Marketing KPIs)

• Audience engagement levels
• Merchandise uptake (sales and distribution)
• Brand visibility and recall
• Social media and content integration
• Stakeholder satisfaction

15. Strategic Considerations

This initiative should be treated as a year-round merchandising ecosystem, not isolated purchases.

Key focus areas:

• Consistency across all events
• Scalability and repeatability
• Integration with marketing campaigns
• Creation of signature TFCL merchandise identity.

16. Disclaimer

This EOI does not constitute a contract or commitment to award.

TFCL, in accordance with THA procurement rules, reserves the right to:

TFCL shall not be bound to shortlist any respondent and reserves the right to discontinue the process at its sole discretion.

TFCL shall not be liable for any costs incurred by respondents in the preparation or submission of responses to this EOI.

TFCL reserves the right to verify any information provided by respondents and to disqualify any respondent providing false or misleading information.

Respondents shall not engage in any collusive, fraudulent, or corrupt practices in relation to this EOI process. Any such conduct may result in disqualification.

17. Confidentiality 

All submissions shall be treated as confidential, subject to applicable laws governing public procurement and disclosure.

18. Conclusion

This EOI forms part of TFCL’s broader procurement governance framework and supports the Commission’s commitment to accountable and transparent procurement practices.

The EOI aims to secure partners who can contribute to a holistic merchandising programme that enhances TFCL’s brand, supports its events, and delivers meaningful engagement with audiences locally, regionally and internationally.

This procurement process is conducted in accordance with the principles of transparency, fairness, competition, and value for money.