Project Information

Bid Title

Drone Show

Issuing Agency

Town of Westerly

Location

Rhode Island

Published Date

Jan 22, 2026

Closing Date

Jan 29, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

26-41

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Number:	26-41
Bid Title:	Drone Show
Category:	Services (Professional, Support, Consulting and Misc. Services)
Status:	Open

Publication Date/Time: 1/22/2026 1:35 PM Closing Date/Time: 1/29/2026 2:00 PM Related Documents: 26-41 RFQ Drone Show

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TOWN OF WESTERLY / WESTERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP Description: Drone Show

RFP Number: 26-41

Date: January 22, 2026

The Town of Westerly/Westerly Public Schools, Westerly, RI, acting through its

Purchasing Agent, is hereby soliciting sealed bids for the above referenced RFP and you

are hereby invited to submit a lump sum for the Specifications described in this Request

for Proposal, in strict accordance with the Bid Documents.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Bids shall be based on the Terms and Conditions as referenced in this Request for

Proposal.

BID DUE DATE/SUBMITTING INSTRUCTIONS

BIDS ARE DUE and MUST BE SUBMITTED on the attached BID FORM, Attachments B, NO LATER

THAN 2:00 p.m. on January 29, 2026. A Bid submitted on other than the attached BID

BREAKDOWN FORM may be rejected. Envelopes containing bids must be sealed and

addressed to the undersigned, at the Purchasing Department, Town of Westerly, 45 Broad Street,

Westerly, RI 02891 and must be clearly marked with the Name and Address of Bidder, Bid Due

Date and Time, and RFP Number and Title. Bidders must include one original plus a Public copy

on a flash drive as defined in the Instruction to Bidders.

BIDDER’S QUESTIONS

Questions regarding this solicitation must be emailed and received by the Purchasing Dept.

at ecardillo@westerlyri.gov no later than 12:00 p.m. January 26, 2026, in a Microsoft Word

attachment with the corresponding solicitation number. Questions, if any, and responses

will be posted on the www.westerlyri.gov website as an addendum to this solicitation.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

1. Bidder shall base the Bid on providing all materials and equipment, FOB jobsite.

2. Bidder’s prices shall include all Permits/Fees, if applicable.

3. Proposal must be firm for a minimum of 120 days from date of submission.

4. Bid Completeness - Pricing submitted on this project must be an all-inclusive price. The

intent of an all-inclusive Price is such that no Adds or Change Orders will be necessary.

5. If the Bidder submits a supporting/additional document with their bid, that document must

include page numbers.

6. This project is Tax exempt for Rhode Island Sales Tax and Federal Excise Taxes.

RFQ BID DOCUMENTS

Attachment A – Introduction and Specifications, Pages 4-7

Attachment B – Bid Form, Pages 8-9

Attachment C – Instruction to Bidders, Pages 10-14

APPENDIX A – Bidder Certification, Pages 15-19

APPENDIX A: Bidders must submit Forms with each bid proposal.

1

TOWN OF WESTERLY / WESTERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

This solicitation is available at www.westerlyri.gov. The Town of Westerly/Westerly Public

Schools reserves the right to reject any/all bids, waive any informalities in the bids received

and to accept and award the bid to the lowest qualified bid deemed most favorable to the

interest of the Town/School. The Town/School does not discriminate based on age, color,

gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or disability in accordance with

applicable laws and regulations.

Regards,

Eileen Cardillo

Purchasing Agent

Town of Westerly/

Westerly Public Schools

45 Broad Street

Westerly, RI 02891

Tel. (401) 348-2599

ecardillo@westerlyri.gov

www.WesterlyRI.gov

2

TOWN OF WESTERLY / WESTERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section

1.0 Introduction and Specifications/Scope of Services

2.0 Administrative Information and Conditions for Submittal

3.0 Preparation and Submittal of Proposals

4.0 Evaluation Criteria and Factors

5.0 Timeline and Insurance Requirements

6.0 Sample Contract

3

TOWN OF WESTERLY / WESTERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ATTACHMENT "A"

SECTION 1.0 Introduction and Specifications/Scope of

Services

1.1 Introduction and General Background

The Town of Westerly is a historic seaside community located in Washington County. In

2025, the Town Council established a volunteer committee to plan events and activities to

celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the United States. The Semi-Quincentennial committee

produced a calendar of events to take place throughout 2026, including a Renunciation Day

Celebration to take place on Rhode Island Independence Day, May 2, 2026. As part of that

celebration, the committee is proposing a drone light show.

1.2 Scope of Services

This Request for Proposal (“RFP”) is issued by the Town of Westerly (“Town”) to contract

with a qualified and experienced drone light show vendor to design, produce, and execute a

choreographed drone light show to conclude a community event at the Westerly High School

Quad, located at 23 Ward Avenue, Westerly, RI, 02891, or comparable alternate mutually

agreed upon location, on May 2, 2026.The drone show will serve as a signature celebration

recognizing, the 250th Anniversary of the United States.

The selected contractor shall provide all labor, materials, equipment, software, permits, and

coordination necessary to successfully deliver the drone show, including but not limited to the

following:

1.2.1 Creative Design & Programming

• Develop a custom, fully choreographed drone light show appropriate for a civic

celebration.

• Incorporate thematic elements representing the United States 250th anniversary/semi-

quincentennial.

• Include recognizable shapes, symbols, text, or animations relevant to the theme.

•.

• Provide a conceptual storyboard or visual mock-ups for Town review and approval

prior to final programming.

1.2.2 Drone Show Production

• Provide a minimum drone count appropriate to achieve high-visibility effects for a large

outdoor audience.

• Ensure drones are equipped with high-visibility LED lighting suitable for nighttime

viewing.

• Provide for a number of the drones to have pyrotechnic capabilities.

4

TOWN OF WESTERLY / WESTERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

• Program and execute a synchronized drone flight lasting a minimum of 15 minutes

(vendor to propose duration time)..

1.2.3 Site Planning & Coordination

• Conduct a site assessment of Westerly High School Quad, or comparable alternate

mutually agreed upon location, to determine launch, landing, and safety buffer zones.

• Coordinate with Town staff regarding park access, load-in/load-out schedules, and

integration with the event timeline.

• Provide a detailed site plan including:

• Launch and recovery area

• o Safety perimeters

• o Crowd separation distances

• o Emergency procedures

1.2.4 Regulatory Compliance & Permitting

• Obtain all required Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approvals, waivers, and/or

authorizations.

• Comply with all federal, state, and local laws governing unmanned aircraft operations.

• Coordinate with local authorities as required, including public safety and emergency

services.

1.2.5 Safety & Risk Management

• Develop and submit a comprehensive safety plan prior to the event.

• Provide trained and certified drone operators and visual observers.

• Maintain real-time monitoring of weather and environmental conditions.

• Establish contingency plans for weather delays, show modification, or cancellation.

1.2.5 Event Execution

• Provide full on-site staffing for setup, rehearsal (if required), execution, and teardown.

• Coordinate show start time with Town representatives.

• Execute the drone show safely, professionally, and in accordance with the approved

plan.

All expenses, including design, programming, equipment, staffing, travel, permitting, and

insurance, must be included in the proposed fee.

SECTION 3.0 Preparation and Submission of Quotes

3.1 Required Submittals and Proposal

Interested companies or firms shall submit proposals that clearly demonstrate their ability

to provide services as outlined above. Submittals shall be organized in the order listed

below to facilitate fair and equitable evaluation of the responses. The proposal shall be

submitted and include:

1. A plan for the proposed content for the Town. This should include the quality,

content, and variety of the proposed drone show. Include details such as specialty

colors, quantities, variety, special effects, and uniqueness involved in the drone

5

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 336411Aircraft Manufacturing

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