Event AV Quoting: Tech Packs, Change Fees, and Smarter Budgeting

Producing a seamless live event requires more than just high-quality audiovisual equipment. Behind every polished keynote, panel discussion, or gala lies careful planning, detailed technical specifications, and an airtight quote. The most effective way to manage costs, reduce last-minute surprises, and build client confidence is to start with a detailed AV tech pack and enforce clear change-fee structures. This article explores why building the tech pack first is crucial, how to protect the budget, and where modern tools like TIBR fit into the process.

Why the Tech Pack Comes First

A tech pack is the backbone of any event AV quote. It transforms vague creative ideas into concrete specifications by listing equipment, labor, and logistical requirements in detail. Without it, quotes are little more than estimates that leave room for dispute and unexpected cost escalation.

What a Tech Pack Includes

• Audio: Microphones, consoles, speakers, and monitoring systems.
• Lighting: Fixtures, dimmers, controllers, and power requirements.
• Video: Cameras, switchers, LED walls, projection, and streaming equipment.
• Staging: Risers, backdrops, drapery, and podiums.
• Power Distribution: Circuits, tie-ins, and distribution systems by room and by day.

Room-by-Day Breakdowns

Instead of treating the event as one lump package, best practice is to break the tech pack down by room and day. This approach clarifies which spaces need which equipment at what time, minimizing unnecessary rentals and clarifying logistical needs.

Factoring in Labor

Labor often represents one of the largest portions of the AV budget. Crew calls, per-diems, and overtime rules must be detailed upfront to avoid unexpected costs later.

Defining Crew Mix

A tech pack should list the exact mix of labor needed—audio engineers, lighting technicians, camera operators, stagehands, riggers—along with scheduled call times. This allows both sides to compare labor needs against the show schedule.

Accounting for Per-Diems and Overtime

Union rules and labor laws can drastically affect costs. By defining per-diems, overtime thresholds, and premium hours in the tech pack, planners and clients avoid misunderstandings about labor charges on show day.

Rigging, Unions, and Venue Exclusives

Every venue has its own rules. Some require union labor for load-in and load-out. Others mandate exclusive contracts for rigging or power distribution. These hidden costs can derail a budget if not captured in the tech pack and quote.

Rigging Points and Constraints

Listing rigging points and load capacities early prevents last-minute redesigns. It also ensures that the production team doesn’t overspecify gear that the venue physically cannot support.

Venue Exclusive Contracts

Exclusives for AV, internet, or catering often come with higher fees. Documenting them in the tech pack allows for a true apples-to-apples comparison of venue costs and ensures that clients understand these non-negotiables.

Protecting the Budget

A well-structured AV quote isn’t just about providing numbers—it’s about protecting both the client’s budget and the vendor’s profitability. Clarity is key.

Content Deadlines

Creative content drives much of the technical design. Locking deadlines for videos, graphics, and presentations prevents scope creep. If content is delivered late, the quote should shift to a unit pricing model where every change is billed transparently.

Change Fees as Unit Items

Instead of vague “change fees,” unit-based pricing assigns a clear cost to each modification—adding a camera, extending rehearsal hours, upgrading an LED wall. This method builds trust while ensuring vendors are fairly compensated.

Insurance and Responsibility

AV gear represents a major investment. Protecting it during transit, load-in, and event operation requires clear terms in the quote and contract.

Gear Insurance

Vendors should specify whether gear is insured by the rental company or if the client must provide additional coverage. Damage, theft, or loss-in-transit clauses should be unambiguous to prevent disputes.

Shared Responsibility

For multi-day events, responsibility for equipment security often shifts between vendor, venue, and client. Defining those handoffs in writing prevents costly finger-pointing.

Travel and Freight Costs

For events requiring out-of-town crews or large shipments of gear, travel and freight can rival equipment costs. These must be handled transparently.

Allowances with True-Up

Rather than guessing at final costs, travel and freight can be quoted as allowances with true-up after the event. This gives the client predictability while ensuring the vendor isn’t left holding unexpected expenses.

Reducing Uncertainty

Booking freight early, negotiating hotel rates, and clarifying travel class policies for crew members all contribute to keeping the budget predictable and fair.

Where TIBR Fits Into the Process

Modern quoting platforms like TIBR streamline the process of building AV quotes, enforcing change tracking, and creating client-friendly documents.

Prompt Templates for Tech Builds

TIBR provides prompt templates that automatically generate room-by-day tech builds. Instead of manually compiling spreadsheets, planners can produce detailed, accurate packages in minutes.

Alternates for Flexibility

Clients often ask for options—two versus three cameras, different LED wall sizes, or hybrid streaming kits. TIBR allows these alternates to be priced and documented cleanly, avoiding confusion down the road.

Change Logs for Transparency

Every adjustment in TIBR is tracked in a clean change-log. This builds client trust and provides a defensible record when discussing additional costs.

Case Study: Preventing Overruns with Tech Packs

Consider a three-day conference with multiple breakout rooms and a general session ballroom. Without a tech pack, planners might assume six cameras are needed. In reality, breakout sessions could be captured with simpler two-camera kits, while the ballroom demands higher production. By breaking out gear room-by-room and day-by-day, the client saves thousands while still meeting production goals.

Best Practices for Event AV Quoting

• Always build a tech pack before issuing a quote.
• Define labor rules, per-diems, and overtime thresholds upfront.
• Document union requirements, rigging constraints, and venue exclusives.
• Protect budgets by enforcing content deadlines and pricing changes as unit items.
• Clarify insurance, security, and responsibility for gear.
• Quote travel and freight as allowances with true-up after the event.
• Leverage modern tools like TIBR for structured, transparent quotes.

Conclusion: Control Through Clarity

Event AV quoting is as much about managing expectations as it is about managing gear and crew. By building the tech pack first, setting clear change-fee rules, and using tools like TIBR, planners and vendors can protect budgets, reduce disputes, and deliver outstanding events. Clarity upfront leads to smoother productions and stronger client relationships.