NWC2023 Invitation to Tender: Ticketing

Netball World Cup 2023 – Ticketing Tender

1. Background

Netball World Cup 2023 (NWC2023)

Netball South Africa is excited to be hosting the 2023 Netball Word Cup and the South Africa company that has been set up to manage the 2023 World Cup (NWC2023) is in the process of securing suppliers and service providers to assist in achieving its goals. We are looking to work with agencies or individuals to provide a travel office service for the event ensuring the highest level of customer service for both South Africa based and oversees travelling fans.

The successful agency or individual will positively contribute to the achievement of the ticketing and fan package commercial targets for the event.

Held every four years the Netball World Cup is the pinnacle event for the sport, with 16 international teams competing across 10 days of competition.   The event not only brings together some of the most dynamic female athletes in the world, competing to be the greatest team in their sport, it is an event that celebrates women and girls the world over.

Netball has a large fan following in both the South Africa and internationally, predominantly within the Australian and New Zealand and UK markets; however, there is scope to sell packages to other competing nations.  NWC2023 are already aware of several organisations and individuals with an interest in purchasing tickets for the event and we are looking to provide package options that will maximise the experience of the attendee throughout their stay in Cape Town.  Our fans and our players are at the heart of what we do, and we have a real passion to make the Netball World Cup 2023 the ‘Best World Cup in Female Sport’.

The NWC2023 central travel office service will work with travel agents in key markets including the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.  The role of the travel office will be to create a shopping list of experiences and services that are available to travel agents’ package to sell to traveling fans in their local markets.  We are looking for the successful agency to be creative with the options available to purchases but note that ‘shopping list’ items will/may include the following:

• Event Tickets
• Accommodation
• Pre-paid merchandise
• Bespoke NWC2023 functions
• ‘Money can’t buy experiences’ i.e. meeting legends of the game
• Access to local Cape Town attractions
• Local transport options

Key statistics linked to the event are as follows:

• Event date: 28 July – 6 August 2023
• +20 sessions of netball over 10 days with an opening and closing ceremony – Teams likely to play 7 or 8 out of 10 days.
• Potential launch dates
  • 1^st phase of ticket sales – October 2022
  • 2^nd phase of ticket sales – December 2022 (after final draw)
  • 3^rd phase of ticket sales – April 2023

2. Scope of Tender

The successful agency will work with the NWC2023 to create a strategy and package options that will appeal to fans both from the South Africa and internationally and will develop and manage experiences on the ground at the event.  The travel office will become an extension of NWC2023 and be the one stop shop for all travel agent queries regarding NWC2023. 

Objectives

The outcomes associated with this work stream are:

• Creation of a travel office to manage fan packages creation, overseas and South Africa travel agents and create unique experiences for fans.
• Develop a fan package strategy to maximise reach and exceed defined sales (volume) targets for fan packages.
• Balance the demands of the UK, Australian and New Zealand audiences with providing suitable opportunities for the South Africa netball audience.
• To source and manage appropriate travel agents in key markets – operators to be approved by NWC2023.
• To ensure a high level of customer service is delivered to all fan package purchasers from all nations and ensure parity of offering for purchasers wherever possible.
• Exceed financial targets in terms of commission revenues generated for NWC2023.
• To create products to be sold as part of the packages which meet customer need and capture the essence of NWC2023.

Other items of note

• NWC2023 already hold a substantial amount of accommodation in the vicinity of the venue; however, the provider may need to further negotiate accommodation availability for travelling fans.
• We are not looking to arrange travel for fan packages as this will be the responsibility of the local travel agents or individuals themselves.
• We need to keep the price competitive so that our fan package offer is attractive to both travel agents and the eventual purchaser.
• It is very important that we enable the South African Netball Family to access the tournament – this concept may be new to this audience and NWC2023 want to ensure that they do not miss out on the prime sessions because of a focus on the overseas travel market.
• We need to minimise the financial risk to the organising committee.

Additional areas outside of this scope but open to discussion:

• Creation and management of the hospitality programme
• Delegate accommodation and travel
• Other attendee accommodation and travel management
• Merchandise programme

3. Tender Timings

NWC2023 will determine at its sole discretion which agency to appoint.  Costs and revenue models will be important factors but equally so will be demonstrating an understanding of the event, a knowledge of the sport and an understanding of how to create an innovative and engaging customer experience for our attendees.

Tender Process and Requirements

Applicants should submit their complete proposals electronically to: tenders@nwc2023.org.za

In order to support the appointment of an agency or individual (or multiple) to develop the insight and ticketing strategies, the following should be provided as part of your proposal:

• Demonstration of understanding of the requirements, including its context and deliverables
• A summary on how the bidder would approach this project such as key management, production and technical elements of the proposal (including timescales)
• Clear identification of the services that the bidder is submitting a proposal for
• A step by step programme of how the work would be undertaken
• The financial model proposed to include an estimate of potential costs, revenues and risk factors.
• Demonstration of how financial risk to the Organising Committee will be managed and minimised.
• Statement on the bidder team i.e. who would be working on this project and should include experience and which areas of the project they will work on
• A demonstration of technical quality and expertise by providing at least three previous examples of relevant and similar work
• The agency/individual should also recommend any other elements of the commercial delivery process that they feel they can offer NWC2023.
• Details of South African and overseas travel agents that you have worked with and other partners who may be interested in working with NWC2023.
• 2 x references
• Identify any exclusions or non-conformance with NWC2023’s requirements

4. Selection Process

The tender panel will have a selection criterion against which they will evaluate the applicants.  The selection criteria will be based on:

• Applicants ability to satisfy NWC2023’s requirements
• Commercial terms of the bid based on the financial model proposed
• Experience with similar work, specifically other NGBs or high-profile sports events
• Referees
• Capability/Capacity

General Comments and Disclaimers

• All queries relating to the information contained in this document or the tender process should be directed to tenders@nwc2023.org.za
• If an organisation is successful it will be required to enter into a formal agreement with Netball World Cup 2023.
• All costs and expenses associated with the preparation of this proposal and the tender process are the responsibility of the applicant, irrespective of whether the tender process is successful or completed.
• The tender documentation is an indication of NWC2023’s need. It should not be seen as an exhaustive list of requirements.  NWC2023 expects the successful applicant to work with NWC2023 to further define NWC2023’s requirements and provide additional support as and when required.
• All information supplied by NWC2023 in connection with this tender shall be treated as confidential by prospective tenderers, except that such information may be disclosed so far as is necessary for the purpose of obtaining referees and information necessary for the preparation and submission of the tender.
• NWC2023 must be made aware of any potential conflicts of interest at the time of submitting a proposal.
• By submitting the tender, NWC2023 will assume that the tenderer has sufficient authority to enter into an agreement on behalf of the organisation and work in South Africa on behalf of NWC2023.
• Documentation provided by the tenderer during this process will be held on file for three years (as evidence of the tender) and/or disposed of in a secure manner.
• The Tender is issued on the basis that nothing contained in it shall constitute an inducement or incentive, nor shall have in any other way persuaded a Tenderer to submit a Tender or any other contractual agreement.
• NWC2023 reserves the right to:
  • Amend the terms and conditions of the invitation to tender process,
  • Cancel the evaluation process at any stage;
  • Require the applicant to clarify its tender in writing and/or provide additional information. (Failure to respond adequately may result in the tender application not being selected or proceeding to the next stage)
  • Annul the tender process completely
  • Reject all quotes and tenders