Paris 2024 Summer Paralympics Tender
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Since 2012 Channel 4 has been the exclusive UK broadcaster of the Paralympic Games. With the help of our independent production partners, we have built an unrivalled reputation as world leaders in television and digital delivery of this amazing event.
This award-winning Paralympic track record means coverage of the 2024 Paris Games must be noisier, more ambitious, and more innovative than ever before – and Channel 4 is on the lookout for a production partner!
COVERAGE AND PROGRAMME PRODUCTION
As the exclusive UK Television Broadcaster of the 2024 Paralympic Games, it’s our mission to make sure tens of millions of people experience all of the best live, recorded and digital footage of the Games: every day, every sport.
We want to continue to raise the bar and wow our audiences, which means Channel 4’s production partner must be capable of exceptional output that is:
OFF THE SCALE
The 2024 Games last for 12 days, commencing on August 28th and concluding on September 8th. With 22 sports, 549 events, and 182 nations competing, we’re looking for Producers equipped to provide hundreds of hours of coverage, including bespoke outside broadcasts for Channel 4 as well as a wraparound of the Olympic Broadcast Services’ (OBS) world feed. Every minute of British success should reach our audiences in true Channel 4 style, with colour and flair.
As the world opens up, Paris will provide an opportunity to expand on possibilities for filming – creating real potential to think outside of the box and produce something off the scale.
COLLABORATIVE
We need a Producer who embraces the challenge of working as part of a truly collaborative operation, able to work closely with several departments across the channel if required. The producer will also need to maintain excellent relations with external stakeholders such as the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Olympic Broadcast Services (OBS).
REPRESENTATIVE
Channel 4 leads the way in terms of the progression of disabled talent in front of the camera, but for these next games we’re looking for the same level of diversity and disabled representation behind the scenes too. We want to see Producers creating pathways for disabled production staff to reach more senior positions by the time Paris rolls around, and also thinking of the progression of that talent beyond the Paralympics. Whichever company we partner with should share Channel 4’s values and demonstrate plans to continue to grow this aspect of our coverage from the outset.
CREATIVE
We want unique, innovative, and ground-breaking ideas. Producers should submit a proposal that demonstrates this creative flair but also proves they have the technical know-how to put those plans into action.
PLANET-FRIENDLY
Paris 2024 is set to become the first climate positive Paralympic Games, and we think it’s only right that we should follow suit. We’re looking for proposals that incorporate a sustainable mentality into their ideas.
SUBMITTING PROPOSALS
We get it – everyone wants a shot at producing the Paralympics, but unfortunately given its scale and complexity we can only accept proposals to partner with C4 for the 2024 Paris Games from companies with a proven track record in broadcasting major sporting events to large audiences.
If you think you fit the bill, then the three-stage process for one of Channel 4’s most important undertakings starts here!
This is an invitation to submit proposals for the first stage only.
STAGE ONE
Please submit two documents to us, both should be no more than one sheet of A4 paper each.
DOCUMENT ONE
Outline your Live Sport production credentials, with particular reference to major international events for a leading UK TV channel.
DOCUMENT TWO
Prepare your press release for Channel 4’s coverage of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
- Outline the talent you will use and how
- Demonstrate what makes the coverage unique
- Detail any innovative approach that you will bring to Paris 2024 and how this represents a step forward from C4’s previous coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Please indicate in your submission whether this production could classify as national or regional under the Ofcom regional production definition.
Budgets and delivery will be covered in the next stages of the proposals process. However, if you have any questions about anticipated cost and/or daily structure of broadcast hours ahead of your Stage One submission you can contact Bruce Salisbury and Pete Andrews.
NOTE: This tender will mainly focus on the television delivery of the event so while we welcome digital ideas we will be focused on the linear coverage. We would expect both Channel 4 and More4 to be on-air for the hours when sport is live.
It is expected that the Last Leg programme will form a big part of the evening schedule on Channel 4 once the live sport has finished. This programme is not within the scope of this tender.
TIMELINES
STAGE ONE
Your Stage One submission should be emailed to Aimée Lowrie by no later than 4pm on Wednesday 4th May. We will notify all interested parties in writing on the outcome of their submission by Thursday 12th May.
STAGE TWO & THREE
If your proposal ticks all our boxes then we will invite you to move forward to Stages Two and Three of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games tender process.
- Stage Two: An in-depth presentation of costed proposals, to be submitted by 4pm on Monday 20th June with budget discussions scheduled the week beginning Monday 27th June.
- Stage Three: A presentation for production companies to showcase their vision of a full days’ coverage of the Paris Games on Channel 4. These will take place the week commencing Monday 4th July.
A small assistance budget will be available for all Producers selected to progress to Stages Two and Three of the process.
Any changes to deadline dates will be posted on the Channel 4 website and communicated via email.
CONTACTS
Editorial, Channel 4, Pete Andrews (pandrews@channel4.co.uk) 0113 512 6208
Finance, Channel 4, Bruce Salisbury (bsalisbury@channel4.co.uk) 0113 512 6364
Legal and Business Affairs, Channel 4, Penny Mills (pmills@channel4.co.uk) 0207 306 5184
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The contract for the production work will be with Channel 4 on a producer for hire all rights assignment basis subject always to any rights, terms and conditions of Channel 4’s agreement with the rights holder. Producer shall not in any event acquire any right, title or interest in or to the programmes or any event footage.
Producers will be responsible for and bear all of their own costs, liabilities and expenses which may be incurred in the preparation of their proposal responses regardless of whether a producer is shortlisted and selected to proceed to the next stage.
All information provided by Channel 4 and correspondence in relation to the process should be treated as “commercial in confidence” by producers. No announcement or disclosure in relation to this process or the contents of any proposal shall be made without the prior written consent of Channel 4. The information contained in this notice is in summary form only and does not purport to contain a complete description of the relevant subject matter.
All intellectual property rights in this document and all materials provided by Channel 4, its business partners or its professional advisors in connection with this project/process (the “Channel 4 Materials”) are and shall remain the property of Channel 4 and/or its business partners and/or professional advisors and the producer is only permitted to use the Channel 4 Material solely for the purpose of preparing a proposal and not further use or otherwise.
Due to the nature of the work (namely a live sport production of a major international sporting event) you acknowledge that Channel 4 may receive proposals which resemble your proposal and that in some cases similar or identical ideas may be generated independently. Please note that Channel 4 reserves the right to use the information included in a producer’s proposal for any reasonable purpose connected with this process.
Channel 4 reserves the right to:
(a) Amend the process for submitting proposals at any time and Channel 4 may (at its discretion) extend the submission deadline;
(b) Cancel this project at any time;
(c) Accept or reject any producer proposal at any time prior to the notification of the award and completion of contracts, without incurring any liability to the affected producers.
Nothing contained in this document or any other communication made between the Producer and Channel 4 or its representatives (including submission of a proposal) shall constitute an agreement, contract or representation between Channel 4 and any other party (except for a formal award of contract made in writing by Channel 4). Receipt by Channel 4 of a proposal document does not imply the existence of a contract or commitment by or with Channel 4 for any purpose and producers should note that submitting a proposal may not result in the award of any business.
Producer must not hold itself out as being associated with the International Paralympic Committee (“IPC”) the Paris Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (“Paris OCOG”) or the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in any manner as a result of this process. Producers must not use Channel 4, IPC, Paris OCOG or Games trade-marks or logos or Channel 4 Materials without Channel 4’s prior written permission.
Producers may modify their proposal by giving written notice at any time before the submission deadline. Producers may withdraw their proposal by giving written notice at any time prior to the notification of contract award.
Producers who have been found to be in breach of confidentiality or intellectual property rights with respect to this project or who directly or indirectly canvass any employee of Channel 4 concerning the award of the contract will be disqualified and Channel 4 may pursue any remedy or take any other action for breach as it considers appropriate. Channel 4’s decision will be final.
These terms and conditions shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales.