How to Write a Commercial Christmas Decor RFP (Template)
A good holiday decor RFP describes the result the city needs, the site it has to work on, and the standard every bidder must meet. It does not describe a product from a catalog. Most weak RFPs fail in one of two ways: they are so vague that the cheapest bid wins and turns out to be residential decor, or they are copied from one supplier's brochure and only that supplier can answer them.
Below is a template you can copy and adapt, followed by current price ranges so the budget line is realistic before the RFP goes out, and a calendar for when each step needs to happen.
What an RFP for holiday decor has to cover
Every section of the template exists because leaving it out causes a specific problem later.
- Scope and quantities, so bids can be compared line by line instead of as totals.
- Site conditions: pole heights and types, power at each location, anchoring points, and who owns the poles.
- Construction standard, which is what separates commercial decor from seasonal retail decor.
- Lighting standard, so every bidder prices the same thing.
- Warranty, split by component, because frames, wiring and bulbs wear out at different rates.
- Delivery date, freight terms and who installs.
- Storage and reuse, because commercial decor is bought for several seasons.
- How bids will be scored.
A template you can copy
Replace everything in square brackets. Delete any line that does not apply to your program.
1. PROJECT OVERVIEW
[City / organization] invites proposals for the supply of commercial
holiday decor for [downtown district / town square / civic center].
Decor must be installed and lit by [date]. Proposals are due [date].
2. SCOPE AND QUANTITIES
Price each line separately.
a. Centerpiece tree: [height] ft, [indoor / outdoor], [prelit / unlit],
[decorated / undecorated], topper included: [yes / no]
b. Pole mounted decor: [quantity] pieces, [size range] ft,
for poles [height] ft tall, [pole type / diameter]
c. Garland: [total linear feet], [diameter] in, [prelit / unlit]
d. Wreaths: [quantity] at [diameter] in
e. Photo op or walk through display: [description]
f. Spare parts and replacement bulbs: [quantity or percentage]
3. SITE CONDITIONS
a. Pole owner: [city / utility]. Permission status: [confirmed / pending]
b. Power available at: [list locations]. Power not available at: [list]
c. Anchoring for freestanding pieces: [surface type]
d. Delivery access and storage location: [details]
4. CONSTRUCTION STANDARD
a. Rated for outdoor commercial use
b. Frames of powder-coated steel or aluminum, suitable for repeated
installation, removal and storage
c. UV-inhibited materials on all foliage and exterior finishes
d. Bidder to state weight and dimensions of every piece, for
engineering review of mounting and wind load
5. LIGHTING STANDARD
a. Commercial-grade LED
b. Color: [warm white / pure white / multicolor / RGB programmable]
c. Bidder to state wattage and power requirement per piece
6. WARRANTY
State coverage separately for:
a. Frames and garland
b. Electrical wiring
c. Other parts and accessories
d. Bulbs and strands
State what the warranty excludes and who it covers.
7. DELIVERY, FREIGHT AND INSTALLATION
a. Required delivery date: [date]
b. Freight: bidder to quote delivered cost to [address]
c. Installation by: [city crew / bidder / third party]
d. Bidder to state production lead time for each line
8. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
[W-9, certificate of insurance, references, vendor registration,
any forms your purchasing department requires]
9. EVALUATION
Price [ ]%, construction and warranty [ ]%, lead time and delivery
certainty [ ]%, references [ ]%
Two lines in that template do most of the work. Pricing each line separately (section 2) is what lets you compare bids honestly. Asking for weights and dimensions (section 4d) is what lets an engineer sign off the mounting, which your risk and insurance people will ask for anyway.
What to budget before the RFP goes out
An RFP with an unrealistic budget line gets either no bids or bids that quietly cut the specification. These are list prices from our own catalog in September 2026, for the product only. Freight and installation are extra and depend on the site.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Tower tree, 14 to 18 ft | $5,300 to about $45,000 |
| Tower tree, 20 to 24 ft | $12,290 to about $70,600 |
| Tower tree, 26 to 32 ft | $20,880 to about $122,000 |
| Tower tree, 34 to 40 ft | $39,150 to about $184,000 |
| Lit pole mounted decor, per pole | $793 to $1,754 |
| Illuminated arch or walk through display | $6,495 to $24,728 |
The spread inside each height band comes from decoration and from lighting options such as animated RGB. The low end of each band is a lit tree with no ornamentation. The high end is a fully decorated tree with a base surround, or an animated RGB tree. Deciding which one the site needs before writing section 2 keeps bids comparable.
Pole decor is where quantity decides the budget. Twenty poles at around $1,000 each is a $20,000 line before brackets and freight, and choosing every other pole on the approach streets roughly halves it. Our guide on how many pole decorations a Main Street needs covers the count.
When each step needs to happen
| When | Step |
|---|---|
| March to May | Agree scope, walk the route, get the budget into the approval cycle |
| May to June | Issue the RFP |
| June to July | Evaluate bids and award |
| July to August | Production for custom and large pieces, which need 3 to 6 months |
| October | Delivery, engineering sign off, install crew booked |
| November | Install and light |
An RFP issued in September for a November lighting leaves no production time for anything custom. At that point the realistic choice is what is in stock, which can ship as quickly as the next business day. The full calendar is in when a city should order Christmas decorations.
Mistakes that cost cities a season
- Scoring on price alone. Residential decor can meet a vague specification, and it is not built for repeated installation and storage.
- Leaving out site conditions. Bids then assume power and brackets that are not there, and the difference shows up as a change order.
- One warranty line. A single "two year warranty" hides the fact that frames, wiring and bulbs have very different lives.
- No lead time requirement. A low bid that cannot deliver before the lighting date is not a low bid.
- Nobody owns the mounting sign off. For anything elevated, spanning a street or large enough to catch wind, confirm mounting and wind load with a qualified engineer. Our article on wind rating explains why no single rating covers every site.
How our products answer the template
For bidders' reference, this is how we would fill in sections 4, 6 and 7. Our decor is built on powder-coated steel frames with UV-inhibited commercial-grade materials, and some pole mounted pieces use aluminum framing. Our warranty covers five seasons on steel frames and garlands, three seasons on electrical wiring, and one season on other parts and accessories, excluding bulbs and strands. Oversize decor ships by LTL freight, quoted for the specific order. Purchase order payment terms are available to government municipalities and qualifying businesses, and we work with vendor registration and the documentation purchasing departments require.
Common questions about holiday decor RFPs
What should a Christmas decor RFP include?
Scope and quantities priced line by line, site conditions, a construction standard, a lighting standard, a warranty split by component, delivery and installation terms, required documents, and how bids will be scored.
How much does a commercial Christmas tree cost?
In our catalog, a 14 to 18 foot tower tree runs from $5,300 to about $45,000, and a 34 to 40 foot tree from $39,150 to about $184,000, before freight and installation. The spread inside each height comes from decoration and from lighting options such as animated RGB.
When should a city issue a holiday decor RFP?
For a late November lighting, issue it in May or June. Custom and large pieces need 3 to 6 months of production after the award.
Should an RFP name a specific product?
No. Describe the performance you need: size, construction, lighting, warranty and delivery date. Naming one supplier's product limits the bids you receive.
Who is responsible for wind load and mounting?
The party installing the decor, working to a qualified engineer's sign off where one is required. Ask every bidder for weights and dimensions so that review can happen before the order.