So a healthy blend of PvE and PvP would make it appeal to more people. Maybe more on the PvE side.

I definitely think that something like this would be a good way for them to introduce new weapon types by that foundry (Hakke Fusion rifles, Omolon Rocket launchers, etc.) by having them be sold (more preferably in the same way that IB used to work) or they could awarded to the people representing their company. I think more people would be looking more to a PvE event so maybe they could have some more prototype weapons and bounties for each of the foundries, something like that.