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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
Specification No. 25-11686-C
MLK JR. YOUTH SERVICES CENTER / YOUNG ADULT PROJECT PUBLIC ART COMMISSION
PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE OPENED AND READ PUBLICLY
RFQ Issue Date: November 25, 2024
Applicant Questions Due: December 31, 2024 (by 5:00pm PT)
Responses to Questions Posted: January 8, 2025
Application Deadline: January 31, 2025 (by 5:00pm PT)
Applications Accepted Through Submittable: https://cityofberkeleyoed.submittable.com/submit
Proposals will not be accepted after the date and time stated above. Incomplete proposal or proposals that do not conform to the requirements specified herein will not be considered. Issuance of the RFQ does not obligate the City of Berkeley (the “City”) to award a contract, nor is the City liable for any costs incurred by the proposer in the preparation and submittal of proposals for the subject work. The act of submitting a proposal is a declaration that the proposer has read the RFQ and understands all the requirements and conditions.
I. PROJECT SUMMARY
SITE DESCRIPTION
Located next to Grove Park at 1730 Oregon Street, the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Services Center/Young Adult Project houses various afterschool and summer recreation programs such as tutoring, violence prevention, and leadership development for teens and young adults. As a community center, the Parks, Recreation, Waterfront Department provides recreational programming and services for residents of all ages here, but this is the only community center with a particular focus on young adults and teens, located in an area that was formerly redlined by the mortgage industry. It is home to the City’s only teen-focused recreational programming and offers free, low-cost, or affordable programming for the City’s residents, in particular our at-risk youth. In addition, the MLK Jr. Youth Services Center/Y.A.P. has been designated as one of the City's care and shelter facilities identified in the City's Resilience Strategy.
The City is using funding from T1 bonds for a seismic retrofit of this 1950s building, as well as various interior and exterior upgrades to create a more modern and flexible recreation center that is safe and accessible to the community it serves.
In 2022, the City developed a conceptual design for this upgrade through a public process including feedback from community meetings, focus groups workshops, park canvassing, and an online survey. Public feedback included the desire for public art to enhance the project and site.
PUBLIC ART PROJECT
Alongside project stakeholders, an opportunity area has been identified for a large-scale tile or mosaic application upon the East wall (exterior) wrapping onto the North wall and Lobby (exterior and interior). The total combined square footage is approximately 885 square feet.
Click here to view and download three architectural renderings of the installation site:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/182423535@N08/
PROJECT GOALS
- Provide an enriching welcome to teens, young adults, visitors, staff, and community members.
- Promote neighborhood connections, a sense of belonging, inclusivity, and play.
- Relate in a meaningful way to the project site, such as complementing the youth center programming; responding to the building’s architecture; celebrating or reflecting the youth center and surrounding community, culture, or lifestyle; referencing the park’s history; and/or harmonizing with the natural environment.
PROJECT BUDGET
The total project amount is $442,000 and includes all associated costs including, but not limited to, artist design fee, fabrication, transportation, and installation. Artist will observe and comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations of governmental agencies, including federal, state, municipal and local governing bodies having jurisdiction over any or all of the scope of artwork services.
ARTIST ELIGIBILITY
Professional practicing artists and creative teams residing in the United States and its Territories are eligible to apply. Artists who belong to a historically underrepresented population are strongly encouraged to apply.
II. SCOPE OF SERVICES
a. Artist will enter into a Personal Services Agreement with the City of Berkeley. The anticipated agreement term is from December 2025 to December 2027.
b. Artist will be responsible for the design, fabrication, transportation, and installation of a large-scale tile mosaic application at Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Services Center/Young Adult Project for an amount not to exceed $442,000.
c. Artist will attend scheduled in-person and remote convenings such as meetings and site visits. Artist will supply shop drawing, renderings, and material samples as needed to complete the project.
d. Artist will provide a cleaning and maintenance plan for the artwork.
III. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
RFQ submissions will be collected through the online portal, Submittable. RFQ submissions that are mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand-delivered will not be reviewed or considered.
Letter of Interest and Experience
What interests you about this project, and what makes you uniquely qualified for it? In the planning, designing, and fabricating of this public artwork, what will be important considerations?
One-page maximum. Acceptable file types: .doc, .docx, .pdf.
Resume and/or Biography
If you are applying as a team, please combine into one document.
One-page maximum. Acceptable file types: .doc, .docx, .pdf.
Portfolio Images
Please include title, medium, dimensions, year, and a brief description. If you are applying as a team, please indicate the lead artist.
Up to ten images of fabricated work. Acceptable file types: .jpg, .jpeg, .png
IV. PANEL REVIEW PROCESS
Qualification Panel
Three Bay Area arts professionals will serve as the Qualification Panel. This panel will identify a pool of Project-qualified applicants. This Panel will screen all applications with the intent to advance approximately twenty percent of total applications received.
Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Services Center/Young Adult Project Panel
The Qualification Panel will convene with representatives from various stakeholder groups - the Civic Arts Commission, the Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Commission, the architect team, and the community - to form the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Services Center/Young Adult Project Panel.
This Panel will identify three finalists who will be invited to the project site for a Q+A session with the project team and key stakeholders. Each finalist will be paid an honorarium of $2000 plus pre-approved travel reimbursement for the development of a site-specific proposal.
The Panel will later reconvene for finalists to present their proposals resulting in one proposal being recommended to the Civic Art Commission.
Civic Art Commission
The recommended proposal will be submitted to the Civic Art Commission’s Public Art Subcommittee for possible approval and then onto the full Civic Arts Commission to consider for final approval. The City of Berkeley reserves the right to reject any and all submissions.
V. QUALIFICATION PANEL SCORING CRITERIA
The Panel’s scoring criteria for submissions include the following considerations.
Creativity (60 points)
Creativity may be assessed by such measures as originality of an idea or thoughtful imagination; the degree to which a work engages the viewer visually, emotionally, intellectually, and/or spiritually; the authentic relationship between the artist and subject matter; and visionary concepts espoused with technical skill or craftsmanship.
Experience (40 points)
Relevant experience can be demonstrated by past works of scope, scale, and/or site context comparable to those required for this project, as well as by completed artworks that successfully relate to their audiences. Past works may also indicate the degree to which an applicant has the professional knowledge or resources required to work in the public sector.
Local Vendor Preference (5 points)
Per City contracting requirements, applicants who live or have a studio in the City of Berkeley and are registered as a City of Berkeley Local Business will be given a bonus of 5 points for a possible total of 105 points
VI. MLK JR. YOUTH SERVICES CENTER / YOUNG ADULT PROJECT PANEL and CIVIC ARTS COMMISSION SELECTION CRITERIA
The Panel and Commission’s selection criteria for submissions and proposals include the following considerations.
Project Goals
The proposal meets the goals of the project and reflects the values of the Civic Arts Commission to advocate, nurture, and sustain arts and culture citywide, ensuring equity, democracy, and inclusion.
Site Specificity
The proposal is appropriate for its site in terms of scale, medium, design, and imagery, and complements the context of the surrounding area.
Feasibility and Maintenance
The proposal demonstrates consideration of planning, coordination, budget, timeline, and minimal maintenance requirements that account for weatherization and vandalism.
Project Management
The artist can work constructively with numerous project stakeholders, community, and staff.
VII. SCHEDULE (All dates are subject to change)
RFQ Posts November 25, 2024
Applicant Questions Due December 31, 2024 (by 5:00pm PT)
Responses posted in Submittable January 8, 2025 (by 5:00pm PT)
RFQ Closes January 31, 2025 (by 5:00pm PT)
Finalists Selected April 2025
Finalists Site Visit May 2025
Finalists Proposals Due July/August 2024
Finalists Presentations September 2025
Civic Arts Commission Decision October 2025
Artist Under Contract December 2025
Design Development Review May 2026
Fabrication June 2026 - June 2027
Installation August/September 2027
VIII. QUESTIONS REGARDING RFQ
For questions concerning the anticipated work, or scope of the project, please contact City of Berkeley Civic Arts civicarts@berkeleyca.gov no later than December 31, 2024 (by 5:00pm PT). Answers to questions will not be provided via email or via phone. Answers to RFQ questions or any RFQ addenda will be posted in City of Berkeley Civic Art Submittable portal at https://cityofberkeleyoed.submittable.com/submit. It is the vendor’s responsibility to check this site.
Note: Answers to questions submitted by the deadline will be posted in this area January 8, 2025.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Submittable technical support is available on their website https://www.submittable.com/help/submitter/ or by emailing support@submittable.com. Their business hours are 9am-5pm MT. They aim to respond within 24 business hours.
Please note: The City Contracting Requirements specified in the Terms of Use below are for the final awarded artist, and not RFQ applicants.