How to choose an exhibition stand contractor in Kenya

1. Ask for work you can verify, not just a gallery

Ask each bidder to identify the event, year, stand size and its exact role in the examples it presents. A project designed by an agency and built by another business is useful evidence only when that distinction is clear. Separate completed installation photographs from design renders.

For your project, request the proposed production location, the party responsible for manufacture and the installation lead. If a local partner will carry out part of the work, agree its role and who remains accountable to you. A correspondence address alone does not demonstrate workshop capacity.

• Ask for examples comparable in materials, complexity and visitor use—not only similar floor area.
• Request permission-based client references where appropriate.
• Confirm how progress photographs, material samples and pre-installation checks will be shared.
• For an international exhibitor, agree the working language, time zone for approvals and onsite contact arrangements.

View the VAV Grup project examples on Kenya Stands. Ask which capabilities and delivery arrangements apply to your particular event before appointing the team.

2. Compare what will be delivered, not just the total

Send every bidder the same brief. If one price includes graphics, furniture and dismantling while another covers the structure only, the totals cannot tell you which offer is better value.

• Structure and finishes: dimensions, open sides, wall finishes, flooring, storage and any reusable elements.
• Branding: print sizes, artwork preparation, production, fitting and responsibility for final colour approval.
• Lighting and equipment: the specified lighting, screens, furniture, demonstration requirements and any separately ordered venue services.
• Logistics: transport, unloading, access equipment, storage and the responsibilities for imported items where applicable.
• Site work: installation, snagging, handover, onsite support and dismantling.
• Commercial terms: currency, taxes, exclusions, payment milestones, cancellation terms and the process for pricing changes.

Ask the bidder to label each item “included”, “excluded” or “provisional”. For provisional items, request the assumption behind the allowance and when it becomes a confirmed price. Do not rely on an unexplained price per square metre for a custom stand.

3. Put the Nairobi venue requirements into the programme

The organiser's current exhibitor manual and your allocated stand plan are the project-specific sources. Obtain them before approving a final design. Ask who will check the applicable height, structural, electrical, fire-safety, access and submission requirements, and who will submit each required document.

Build a short approval schedule around the event: brief approval, concept sign-off, material and artwork approval, technical submission, production release, installation and handover. Put an owner and date against each step. Venue approval should not be presented as guaranteed before the relevant review is complete.

For overseas teams, also decide who supplies product dimensions, handling instructions and any shipping documentation. Do not leave these tasks hidden inside the phrase “turnkey stand”. Specific event rules and deadlines must be confirmed with the organiser; this guide does not replace them.

4. Define what “finished” means

Agree the acceptance checklist before manufacture. At handover, check the approved layout, visible finishes, fitted graphics, furniture, lockable storage and the operation of included lighting or AV. Record any outstanding items, the responsible person and the agreed correction time.

Confirm who is reachable during the show, what support is included and how urgent changes are authorised. For dismantling, agree ownership of reusable components, collection arrangements and responsibility for waste or storage. These details matter even when the stand will be used once.

Five questions to send with your quotation request

Copy these into your supplier email alongside the Kenya exhibition stand brief checklist.

1. Which completed projects best match our stand, and what was your role?
2. Where will our stand be made, who will install it, and who is accountable for delivery?
3. Can you itemise inclusions, exclusions and provisional allowances against our brief?
4. Who handles technical submissions, and which approvals are needed before production?
5. What are the handover checks, show-time support and dismantling arrangements?

A strong response is specific enough to become part of the agreed scope. If a point remains unanswered, resolve it before signing rather than assuming it is covered.