MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released the Request for Proposal (RFP) for Indian Premier League for the right to be appointed as a media agency in relation to the IPL. 

The proposal documents in sealed envelopes shall be delivered in person by an authorised representative of the interested party by 3pm on 2 March 2017 to The Cricket Centre, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai 400 020. 

This document -- the “RFP” -- constitutes a request for proposal from persons who consider that they have the desire, competence and expertise to be appointed to take on the right and obligation to be appointed as a media agency in relation to the IPL in accordance with and as contemplated by this RFP and the Services Agreement. The successful Interested party shall be obliged to provide the Services in respect of the 2017 and 2018 Seasons and, if the BCCI exercises its right to renew the Services Agreement, in respect of the 2019 Season. The attention of interested parties is drawn to Section 7 which sets out the deadline for the submission of Proposals.

BCCI is seeking proposals from reputed third parties to acquire the right to be appointed as BCCI’s exclusive media agency in relation to the League in the manner described in and contemplated by this RFP and the Services Agreement. No proposal from any party who intends to re-sell the right to provide the Services will be accepted.

Requisite Experience
 
Each proposal must be from  an  interested  party  which  can  demonstrate  the  following,  supplying  evidence thereof as part of its proposal:
 
(a) extensive and relevant experience in providing services which are the same as or similar to the Services;

(b) significant experience of dealing with vendors of TV, print and OOH advertising throughout India and of purchasing such advertising on behalf of “blue chip” companies;

(c) Global and India wide presence;

(d) a strong financial background (in relation to which the attention of Interested

(e) sufficient human and other resources to provide the Services as contemplated in this  RFP  and  as  is  reflected  in  the  Services  Agreement  including  without limitation a sufficient number of suitably qualified employees who will be involved in providing the Services and one person who will act as the prime account  manager  and  the  point  person  between  BCCI  and  the  successful

(f) Sufficient contacts, expertise and resources in order to provide the Services; and

(g) References satisfactory to BCCI from entities for which the Interested party has supplied services which are the same as or similar to the Services.

Proposals will be evaluated on their overall merits to include, without limitation, the proposed Fee, the Media Plan, the standard of delivery of the services.

BCCI reserves the right, to be exercised in its sole discretion, to waive each and any of the conditions and requirements in relation to any Interested party.

Guarantees

Depending upon the financial strength and/or depth of other resources available to the successful interested party, BCCI reserves the right to insist upon a parent company guarantee in the manner contemplated by the Services Agreement. The failure to provide such a parent company guarantee (if requested) shall constitute a material breach of the Services Agreement and may lead to its termination.

Eligibility requirement

For the purpose of this RFP, any entity in the world (which expression includes,  as  regards  corporate  entities,  each  Interested  Party  and/or  its  parent  or subsidiary companies), which satisfy the following requirements as at the date of this RFP (or such other specific date as is specified in this RFP in relation to any individual criteria) is eligible to participate in this process.

Financial strength

The most recent audited annual turnover of each Interested party must have exceeded Rs. 30 crore and, for these purposes, only the annual turnover for the financial year of the Interested party is relevant and turnover from any company in the same Group as the Interested party may not be consolidated with or  otherwise added to the Interested party’s turnover for the purposes of satisfying this threshold.

Proposal rejection

Any proposal submitted by a person which fails to satisfy the eligibility requirements set out in this RFP may be accepted or rejected by BCCI in its absolute discretion. BCCI shall not pre-judge or advise an interested party whether it is qualified or not. The interested party must submit its proposal in accordance with the process specified in this RFP and enable BCCI to then evaluate its proposal. 

BCCI reserves the right not to accept or to reject any proposal.

Providing services

Details of the Services are set out in Schedule 1 to the Services Agreement. The Services are to be delivered and invoiced to BCCI in the manner which is contemplated in this RFP and as is set out in the Services Agreement. The Services to be provided for the 2018 Season and, if the Services Agreement is renewed by BCCI, for the 2019 Season will remain as they were for the 2017 Season unless BCCI, it its sole discretion, decides to change them to any material extent in which case the BCCI and the successful Interested party will discuss and agree any necessary change to the fee.

BCCI will countersign  the  Services  Agreement  within five days  of  announcing  the successful interested party.

Requests from interested parties for clarification and/or further information relating to this RFP must be addressed to BCCI and marked for the attention of Hemang Amin and received by  BCCI by  6.00  pm  IST on  or  before 22 February 2017  by  way  of electronic mail (e-mail) sent in .doc or .docx format to rfp@bcci.tv. Any clarification issued  by  BCCI  will  automatically  become  part  of  this  RFP.

BCCI intends to ask each relevant Interested party (being Interested parties whose documents in Envelopes A, B and C conform with the requirements of this RFP) to make a presentation to the BCCI on the day on which the proposals are submitted, being 2 March 2017.