50 Questions to Ask a General Service Contractor Before You Sign

The general service contractor (GSC) is the company that turns an empty hall into a show. It is also the company your exhibitors deal with most, through the service kit, the service desk and the freight dock, so a bad choice shows up in exhibitor complaints, not only in your budget. Bids are hard to compare because each contractor bundles differently, and much of the cost lands on exhibitors rather than on you.

Put the questions below into your event RFP template so every contractor answers the same list, then score the answers with the table further down.

1. What exactly does your show package include for us, item by item?
2. Which services are exclusive to you at this venue, and which can exhibitors buy elsewhere?
3. Which services are exclusive to the venue's in-house providers, and how do you coordinate with them?
4. How many shows of our size and type have you produced in this venue in the last two years?
5. Who will be our account manager, and who runs the show on site?

1. What is the organizer's package price, and what would change it?
2. Can we see last year's exhibitor service kit price list for a similar show?
3. What are the discount deadlines in the service kit, and how much more do exhibitors pay on site?
4. Do you pay the organizer a commission, rebate or credit on exhibitor orders, and how is it calculated?
5. Which items in the package do we pay for if we add booths or change the layout late?
6. How do you invoice us, and when are deposits and the final payment due?

1. What are the local labor rules at this venue, including any union jurisdictions?
2. What can exhibitors set up themselves, and with what tools or time limits?
3. What are your labor rates for straight time, overtime and double time, and when does each apply?
4. What is the minimum labor call, and how are supervision charges added?
5. What does an exhibitor-appointed contractor need to work the show, and what do you charge them?

1. What are your material handling rates per hundredweight, and what are the minimums?
2. Which surcharges apply, such as special handling, overtime or uncrated freight?
3. What are the advance warehouse receiving dates, and what happens to freight that arrives late?
4. How do you handle direct-to-show freight and the marshalling yard?
5. How do exhibitors track their freight and get it released after the show?
6. How are empty crates stored and returned, and how long does that take at move-out?

1. Who keeps the master floor plan, and in what format do you need it?
2. Will you submit the floor plan to the venue and fire marshal, or do we?
3. How do you handle changes after the plan is approved, and how fast can you turn a revision?
4. Can you produce the drawings the venue needs for multi-level booths, rigging and hanging signs?
5. How do you check that island and special booths match their approved drawings on site?

1. What drape colors, heights and fabrics do you offer, and do you have flame certificates for them?
2. What aisle carpet colors are standard, and is carpet required in every booth?
3. What sizes and finishes of booth ID sign are included, and when do you need the exhibitor list?
4. What directional, registration and sponsor signs can you produce, and what are the file deadlines?

1. How many hours do you need for move-in and move-out for our floor size?
2. Will you build targeted move-in times by booth size and area, and who enforces them?
3. How will you keep aisles and exits clear during move-in?
4. What happens to exhibitor materials left in the hall after move-out ends?

1. What insurance do you carry, and can you name us and the venue as additional insured?
2. What is your liability for freight lost or damaged in your care, and how do exhibitors make a claim?
3. What safety program do you run on the show floor during move-in and move-out?
4. What do you need from us for the certificate of insurance and the venue's requirements?

1. How do exhibitors reach you before the show, and what are your response times?
2. How many staff will work the service desk on site, and during which hours?
3. How do you handle disputes over exhibitor invoices or damaged freight?
4. Will you share exhibitor complaints and order data with us after the show?

1. How do exhibitors order services online, and can they see the booth they are ordering for?
2. Which booth details do you need from us, and how often should we send updates?
3. Can exhibitors pay online, and in which currencies and payment methods?

1. Can we speak to two organizers of shows like ours in this venue?
2. Can we speak to an exhibitor or exhibit house that has worked one of your shows recently?
3. What went wrong at a recent show, and what did you change afterwards?
4. Why do organizers leave you for another contractor?

• Can't give a clear answer on which services are exclusive at the venue
• Won't share a sample exhibitor service kit or material handling rate sheet
• A low package price paired with high exhibitor rates or vague surcharges
• Commission or rebate terms that aren't written into the contract
• No named on-site manager, or a team that hasn't worked the venue
• No answer on how floor plan revisions are controlled and sent to the fire marshal
• References only from much smaller or very different shows

Score each bid from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) on each line, multiply by the weight and add the totals. The weights are an example; change them to match what matters most for your show.

1. 1

   Start from the venue drawing

   Draw the floor plan on the venue's own drawing, with booth numbers, sizes, aisle widths, islands and special booths, and every area such as registration, lounges and food. Your event floor plan software is the master; the contractor works from your export.

2. 2

   Version every revision

   Number each revision with a date and a short list of changes. Send only the revision the venue and fire marshal approved; the fire marshal floor plan requirements guide lists what that review checks.

3. 3

   Send the booth list and schedule

   Send the contractor the exhibitor list by booth number for ID signs, the special booth list, and the move-in windows from your exhibitor move-in schedule.

4. 4

   Set an update rhythm and a freeze date

   Agree a weekly update before the show and a cut-off date after which layout changes cost extra. Late changes ripple into signs, carpet orders and freight, which the trade show logistics guide covers in detail.

If you run several shows a year with the same contractor, keeping floor plans, exhibitors and documents in one exhibition management software account makes each handover faster, because the contractor gets the same format every time.