What to ask an event supplier about subcontractors
The proposal names one company, but you suspect some of the work on the day will be done by someone you have never heard of.
The short answer
Ask every supplier to list which parts of the work they will subcontract, who the subcontractors are, what the subcontractor will be responsible for, and how you will be told if that changes. Record the answers before you appoint, so the disclosure is part of the evidence you scored.
Subcontracting is common in events and is not a problem in itself. The risk is not knowing, because responsibility and accountability on the day become unclear.
Why disclosure matters before appointment
If you learn about a subcontractor after appointment, you have less room to ask questions or change your mind. Asking at proposal stage lets you compare suppliers on the full delivery chain, not only the name on the cover.
Contract wording on subcontracting, liability and approval is for your legal adviser. This page covers the organiser's questions and records.
What to ask
Put these questions to each supplier in writing. The last column shows what a complete answer looks like.
| Topic | Question | A complete answer contains |
|---|---|---|
| Which work | Which parts of the scope will be done by someone other than your own staff? | A list tied to proposal line items. |
| Who | Who are the subcontractors and what is their role? | Company names and the task each performs. |
| Responsibility | Who manages and answers for the subcontractor's work on the day? | A named person from the supplier. |
| Approval | Will you tell us before changing or adding a subcontractor, and how? | A stated notice step before any change. |
| Insurance and permits | What does the subcontractor hold that is relevant to the work? | A request to share evidence, passed to your adviser for checking. |
| Information shared | Will our attendee or speaker information be passed to the subcontractor? | A yes or no, and what is shared. Ask your privacy adviser to review. |
Sequence
- Add the subcontracting questions to the request for proposal or send them as a follow-up.
- Compare answers with the proposal line items to see which lines depend on others.
- Treat an unnamed subcontractor as a gap and ask again in a short call.
- Record the disclosed subcontractors on a disclosure sheet and keep it with the proposal.
- Ask the supplier to inform you in writing of any later change, and log it in the decision log.
Points that need a second look
- A large share of the proposal depends on subcontractors who are not named.
- The supplier cannot say who manages the subcontractor on the day.
- The subcontractor is the same company as another supplier on your shortlist.
- The subcontractor will receive personal data and no one has confirmed how it is protected.
Worked example · Fictional example
A translation and interpretation supplier for a regional summit
Fictional organisation and figures, for illustration only.
Sidang Puncak Fiktif Perdagangan Serantau needs simultaneous interpretation in three languages for two days. The proposal names a single company.
In reply to the disclosure questions, the supplier says the interpreters are freelancers engaged for the event and the booth equipment is hired from another company. The secretariat asks who manages the interpreters on the day, and the supplier names its event manager. The committee records both disclosures, asks the supplier to share equipment and insurance evidence for the committee's adviser to check, and logs the agreement that any change of equipment company will be notified in writing.
Use this yourself
Subcontractor disclosure sheet
Copy this table once per supplier. Fill it from the supplier's written answers, and ask for corrections before appointment.
| Work item (from proposal) | Subcontracted? (yes or no) | Subcontractor name and role | Who manages on the day | Evidence to be shared | Change notice agreed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- The supplier is a small team and says it does the work itself.
- The scope is simple and the subcontracted element is minor.
- You can ask your adviser about evidence yourself.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Several suppliers rely on the same subcontractors or hired equipment.
- The event handles personal data or specialist work through a chain of parties.
- Nobody on your side can say who is accountable for which part on the day.
Want the delivery chain mapped before you appoint?
A conference project lead can send the disclosure questions, build the sheet from the replies, and flag unnamed or unmanaged subcontractors for your committee and advisers. Legal and insurance review stay with your qualified advisers.
Questions organisers ask
Is it a problem if a supplier subcontracts?
No. It is common. What matters is that you know which parts are subcontracted, who does them and who answers for them on the day.
Can I refuse a subcontractor?
That depends on the terms agreed with the supplier. Ask your legal adviser how approval rights should be written, and see the subcontract approval process.
What if the supplier will not name a subcontractor?
Record it as not stated, treat it as a gap, and weigh it in the scoring matrix. You can also ask why.
How does this relate to capacity checks?
Capacity asks whether the supplier can deliver your dates. Disclosure asks who actually delivers. See capacity checks.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.