Drupal Developer and Themer | Media Leaders

PROJECT PROFILE

We are an event company that is looking for a Drupal 5.x or 6.x developer build a website at www.MediaLeaders.TV using the Drupal platform. We want to make a very simple site that has room to grow.

Media Leaders hosts about 10-15 events a year. Each event requires users to RSVP for the event and pay a separate $10 entrance fee via paypal (or perhaps Authorize.net). We would like each user to be able to RSVP individually for one event in their area or pay a larger sum and have an "annual pass" that let's them RSVP for free to all events. This payment would use Ubercart or Ecommerce modules. There would be some sort of messaging and blogging around each of the events pages so users can comment (just like facebook).

1) Installation, configuration and interfacing of modules to activate required site features. MediaLeaders has initially identified these existing Drupal modules:

Ubercart
RSVP Module
Image Module
Calendar & Event Module
Profile module
Views Module
Invite a friend module
Google Analytics Module
Email Blast Module For All Users
Youtube or Video Module
Private messaging module
Buddylist module (Or relationship module)

2) Configuration and customization of the above mentioned modules to achieve the functions to be laid out in the Project Specification. Create custom modules and use custom PHP Mysql coding if necessary. The developer can recommend additional modules as necessary.

THEME
3) The Developer can modify the ZEN or Tapestry theme to make it patterned after (or an improved version ) of the current MediaLeaders.TV website. Create custom node and page templates if necessary. The theme shall be cross-browser compatible, CSS-based, and be W3C compliant

4) Optimize the Drupal for best performance in terms of page load, server usage and SEO best practices.

Please provide for us:
1) What sites have you built?
Provide url's and tell about the code YOU contributed (Not your company)
2) Please offer 2 or 3 references that we can call.
3) What version of Drupal do you recommend for this project? 5.x or 6.x?
4) Are there any areas that we can do to keep it as light as possible (low on hours) for phase 1?

Thanks.