CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD - REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Public Art Consultant

8300 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069

25th Anniversary Capital Project

Plummer Park Master Plan Implementation

Section 1.  PURPOSE AND INVITATION TO PROVIDE QUALIFICATIONS AND PROPOSE PROGRAM

The City of West Hollywood is seeking written proposals from qualified individuals and firms to work as a Public Art Consultant/Project Coordinator to provide administration and management of the public art project for the Plummer Park Master Plan Implementation.

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to provide the City with a qualified consultant who has the experience and capability to perform the tasks described in the Scope of Work. The successful candidate will possess a proven record and have demonstrated abilities in administering, planning and managing dynamic public art projects. The candidate should have experience organizing public art installations of similar scope and magnitude. 

The term of the proposed contract is expected to begin in October 2010 and shall run concurrently with the project schedule which is estimated to conclude winter 2013.

The selected Public Art Consultant will work in conjunction with City staff, the architect and design team, the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission and its Urban Art Subcommittee, and the Plummer Park Art Process Team, a group of stakeholders selected by City Council to provide recommendations to Council in the early stages of the art selection process.

The funding for civic art is based on one percent of a project's construction cost.  At this time, the construction budget for the 25th Anniversary Capital Project – Plummer Park Master Plan Implementation is estimated at $34 million.  As such, the budget for the Project's civic art is estimated at $340,000 but will be finalized and ultimately determined at the time of the construction contract award.

Section 2.  BACKGROUND

City of West Hollywood

The City of West Hollywood, known as the "Creative City," was incorporated in 1984.  It is 1.9 square miles in area and is bounded by Beverly Hills to the west, Hollywood to the east, and Los Angeles to the north and south.  West Hollywood is home to approximately 37,000 residents and over 3,500 businesses.  Sixty percent (60%) of adults are college-educated, and 54% are employed in managerial and professional occupations.  Approximately 40% of the City's residents are gay or lesbian, 10% are Russian-speaking immigrants, and close to 20% are senior citizens.

Plummer Park

Plummer Park is an approximately 8.5-acre City-owned and operated park. The project site is located in the eastern portion of the City, on the north side of Santa Monica Boulevard, on the south side of Fountain Avenue, on the west side of Vista Street, and on the east side of Fuller Avenue. The project site address is 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard. Plummer Park is located within a developed urban area and is surrounded by residential development on three sides and by Santa Monica Boulevard and commercial development on the south side.

The City has evaluated enhancements and upgrades to the existing Plummer Park facility to better serve the recreational needs of the community. The City prepared a Plummer Park Master Plan, which was approved/adopted by the City Council in 1994. In 2004, the City reevaluated the recreational needs of the community and identified additional opportunities provided by Plummer Park. The Master Plan Re-Visit was adopted by the City Council in 2004. The City is currently moving forward with certain components of the Master Plan, identified below, and analyzed in the EIR on the basis of project construction details known at this time. The current project components would:

•    Remodel and expand Fiesta Hall to provide an improved multipurpose performance venue;

•    Remove the Great Hall/Long Hall to develop an additional 14,000 square feet of open/green space within the park, referred to as the "Great Lawn";

•    Replace the southern surface parking lot with a subterranean parking structure entering from Santa Monica Boulevard that would provide an additional 33,000 square feet of open space within the park; and

•    Provide new on-site amenities including: walking paths, a promenade area, interactive water feature, landscaped garden areas, benches, tables, new playground, new basketball court, and architectural signage.

Art Process Team

In March 2010, the City adopted an Art Selection Process for City Capital Projects.  When implementing this process for City projects, an Art Process Team is established to help guide the early stages of the process.  Generally, the Art Process Team develops a case statement for the project which includes goals, parameters, and location recommendations.  The Art Process Team also recommends the process for selecting the artist – either a single finalist or a group of semi-finalists who are asked to prepare specific proposals.  These recommendations are forwarded to City Council for input and approval of the process.  Once Council approves the recommendations and process, the Art Process Team is dissolved and oversight of the remaining steps for design, fabrication and installation fall under the purview of the Urban Art Subcommittee of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission.  The Art Process Team is generally comprised of the three members of the Urban Art Subcommittee, a Public Facilities Commissioner, representatives of the architect and design teams, the City's Cultural Affairs Administrator, the senior City staff member responsible for project oversight, and other representatives as appropriate.

Urban Arts Subcommittee

Generally, the Urban Arts Subcommittee of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission (ACAC) oversees the implementation of the City's Urban Art Program pursuant to Chapter 19.38 of the City's Municipal Code that requires developers of certain projects to contribute one percent of the development valuation to public art. The Subcommittee takes the lead in making recommendations with respect to artist selection, schematic plan, final art plan and installation of the art. The Subcommittee also studies, develops and recommends policies, procedures and implementation strategies relative to public art conservation, the percent for art ordinance and other projects within its purview as determined by the Commission. 

Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission

Through its Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, the City of West Hollywood encourages broad participation in the arts by residents and visitors.  The mission of the Commission is to promote and nurture the arts and cultural life of the City of West Hollywood by providing accessible arts and cultural programming for all residents; supporting quality arts and cultural organizations in the City; promoting arts and cultural activities; advising City Council on policies affecting the arts and cultural life of the City, its residents and the organizations that provide such services to the City.

Section 3:  SCOPE OF WORK

The selected firm/individual will be responsible for managing the public art component of the Plummer Park Master Plan Implementation Project as follows:

1.   Work closely with City staff and the designated Plummer Park Art Process Team to facilitate and implement the City's Art Selection Process for City Capital Projects, to include:

a.   The development of a case statement for the project to include parameters, goals and objectives for the art selection.

b.   Identification of potential location(s) for siting art.

c.   A recommendation to City Council for the use of a single artist finalist or a group of semi-finalists to submit specific proposals for review by the Art Process Team.

2.   Administer the selection process and/or a call for artists.

3.   Attend meetings of the Art Process Team, the Urban Arts Subcommittee and the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission as needed.

4.   Work with City staff to implement communication strategies to ensure involvement of the City's diverse communities.

5.   Assist in preparation of and participation in City Council meeting presentations as needed.

6.   Organize site visits and briefings for artists and other participants as well as provide background and other relative information materials.

7.   Coordinate with City staff and provide oversight of all activities associated with artists' work including installation of artwork.

8.   Identify, as needed or required, company(ies) or individual(s) that will provide technical assistance, equipment, applications and support.

Section 4.  SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

All proposals shall include the following information, organized as separate sections of the proposal.  The proposal should be concise and to the point.

1. Consultant Identification:

Provide the name of the individual or firm, the individual or firm's principal place of business, and the name and telephone number of the contact person as well as a brief narrative description of the consultant or consulting team, organization and general experience.

2. Project Understanding:

Briefly state your firm's project understanding and a list of the project's critical elements.

3. Related Project Information:

List at least three (3) comparable projects completed for municipalities or other public agencies within the past five years and that best represent your experience listed under the scope of services.  Include specific project name and location, client name and contact person together with title, organization, address and telephone number(s).

4. Individual Staff Experience:

Provide a listing of the project manager and, if applicable, key staff members who will be assigned to the project, and a brief description of their abilities, qualifications, professional registrations, and licenses and experience.

5. Sub-Contractors:

List anticipated sub-contractors and their qualifications as well as a description of the role they will perform and the monetary percentage of the award they will receive, if applicable.

6. Cost Proposal:

Include all services and associated fees including public art consultant/project coordinator fee.  The proposal shall itemize all services including hourly rates for all professional, technical and support personnel, and other charges related to completion of the work.  The fee proposal must apply over the entire term of the contract.  The proposer is advised to consider any inflation expected during the term of the contract.

Section 5.  SELECTION PROCESS

Criteria used in evaluating proposals will be:

•    Experience in working with municipalities in structuring and  managing large-scale public art projects.

•    Proven project management skills.

•    Experience in administering artist selection processes.

•    Ability to guide/create innovative public art programs.

•    Knowledge of current trends and opportunities in Public Art.

•    Evidence of ability to work collaboratively with architects and/or design teams.

•    Knowledge of the West Hollywood Community, its core values and overriding principles. 

It is the City's intention that within four to six weeks following receipt of the submittals, notification will be given to each respondent as to the status of their proposal. Following review of the submittals, the City may elect to interview some or all of the respondents.  The interview will be for the purpose of presenting the project team, discussion of the scope of work, and review of factors considered in the preparation of the proposal.  The proposer may also provide clarification of submitted materials.

Section 6.  SUBMISSION DEADLINE

All proposals must be received by the City of West Hollywood no later than August 31, 2010 at 5 pm in order to be considered. 

An original and five (5) unbound copies of the proposal are requested with each submittal.

Interested parties should send their completed proposals to the following address:

Andrew Campbell
Cultural Affairs Administrator
City of West Hollywood
Phone:  323-848-6883
Fax:  323-848-6561
acampbell@weho.org

Section 7.  ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION OF PROPOSALS

The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals when such rejection is in the best interest of the City or the proposal contains major irregularities.  Minor irregularities of the proposal may be waived by the City.  The City also reserves the right to cancel this RFP at any time and/or to solicit and re-advertise for other proposals.  The cost of preparing any responses to the RFP shall be borne by the respondents and shall not be reimbursed by the City.

Deadline: August, 31, 2010