Managing Music Festival Site External Contractors.

Any large-scale music festival on a remote greenfield site will require a considerable number of external contractors to help build a temporary infrastructure. This is needed to ensure that facilities and services are in place to support the expected number of attendees and performances. How can organisers manage the contractors required to be on a festival site.

It can be a logistical challenge to select, book and manage a wide range of contractors often required to bring a festival site to life. The planning phase uses critical path analysis which determines which contractors need to be on site at a specific time. Any delays can have a significant knock-on impact for site build timelines. Other considerations for organisers may include security, budgetary control along with health and safety compliance.

Contractor Types. 
A large festival site will require a wide range of facilities which require the services of an external contractor and can include waste or sanitation management, toilets, fencing, medical teams and security services. In addition, external contractors are also used for temporary structures like stages, backstage and VIP zones along with support services like sound, lighting and power for example.

Legal Contracts and Agreements. 
Festival organisers usually seek competitive quotes from a variety of contractors before awarding work and decisions are based on the quotes received, capabilities and previous experience. Once a contract has been won a formal legal contract or agreement is made between the organising entity and contractor which details payment terms plus penalties for late delivery or safety breaches for example. Organisers will also require contractors to possess the necessary liability insurance and health and safety certifications where appropriate.  

Scheduling. 
One of the more complex planning tasks conducted by organisers is the scheduling of external contractors where work is phased in line with critical path requirements. This ensures that fencing and security contractors are first on-site followed by sanitation and toilet facilities prior to work commencing on stage builds for example. Contractors will be required to specify the number of personnel and vehicles required plus the time needed to be on site. Organisers can stagger deliveries and contractor on-site times to help avoid on-site vehicle congestion. These estimates need to be as accurate as possible because there is often little room for deviation in timelines. The site build-up phase needs to be carefully managed with a designated site manager who evaluates progress in real time with the ability to alter and change contractor schedules in a dynamic environment. 

Accreditation and Access Control. 
Most organisers now use robust accreditation management software which allows the logging of all contractor personnel and their vehicles. Once specific details have been submitted by each contractor organisers can issue access control passes using QR codes which contain the contractors name, vehicle registration number and the names of individuals. These codes can be scanned by security at entrance gates to confirm that the correct contractor, vehicle and personnel are entering the site at their allocated time and date. Contractors receive confirmation of their access control times and dates with passes prior to the specified work dates which enables them to plan their contracted work. 

Health and Safety. 
Anyone working on a festival site is subject to any prevailing health and safety requirements and organising staff will monitor and check that the work conducted by external contractors is in compliance. In some instances, additional certifications may be required by contractors which may include electrical work or construction of rigging at height. Contractors may also be required to submit their own Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS) for their specific scope of work, demonstrating a plan to mitigate hazards. Other legal requirements can also include CDM Regulations (Construction, Design and Management) fire safety compliance for temporary structures and environmental compliance (waste disposal, water discharge, emissions). 

For festival organisers planning their next event using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics including contractor accreditation. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

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