Mercer County Cass Street Prison Mural Project 

Submission Deadline:                                              12/8/2023

The County of Mercer, New Jersey, is issuing a Request for Qualifications (Phase 1), inviting artists/artist teams who wish to be considered to submit their interest and qualifications for the creation of a public mural. This mural is to be installed on an exterior 319 ft (w) x 19 ft (h) wall (located at 600 Cass Street, Trenton, NJ) on the New Jersey State Prison. This project is known as the Mercer County Cass Street Prison Mural Project, and this document is a Request for Qualifications (RFQ).

Qualification submittals will be evaluated by the Mercer County Cass Street Prison Mural Project Committee (MCCSPMP) who will review all submissions and will invite up to five qualified candidates to submit a full proposal for the design and fabrication of a mural. It is expected that the initial phase of the design installation will take place sometime in mid-spring of 2024.  

The Project

One (1), 319 ft (w) x 19 ft (h) decorative mural is sought for the exterior of the New Jersey State Prison on Cass Street. Sculptors, artists or artist teams are invited to submit their professional and artistic qualifications for a public art project of this type, and an expression of interest in being considered for this project. Traditionally, Trenton’s South Ward has been a multicultural entryway for diverse groups of people. Those finalists selected by the Committee to submit a full proposal for the project will be expected to incorporate, in some way, the following key words/phrases into their final design:

-          Vibrant & Welcoming

-          Inclusive & Aspirational

-          Iconic & Eye-catching

-          Embracing Community

Materials used must be weather resistant and the final artwork must adhere to the concrete wall. The total project budget, including installation costs, is $150,000.

Any applicant interested in viewing the site location in advance must contact the Mercer County Division of Culture & Heritage 48 hours in advanced at (609) 278-2712 or at cultureandheritage@mercercounty.org.

Eligibility:

This RFQ is open to professional, practicing artists and artist teams living or working within the tri-state area (New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania). Artists with positive public art installation experiences and/or who have partnered with architects in art installation are strongly preferred. Finalists invited to develop full proposals will be required to be registered as a vendor with the County and must agree to comply with non-discrimination provisions and all other laws and regulations applicable to the performance of services there under. The final contract entered into between the artist/contractor and the County must be in accordance with, and subject to, compliance by both parties with the New Jersey Local Public Contracts Law.

Siting for Artwork: 

This artwork will be displayed on one main wall of the New Jersey State Prison, located at 600 Cass Street between Route 129 and 2nd Street in the city’s South Ward. This is a highly visible and prestigious site for public art, located on a major access road in the State’s capital, with maximum public visibility.

The 319 ft. (w) x 19 ft. (h) wall is constructed from concrete and has been cleaned, repaired, and prepped for a mural display. As part of the preparation, the wall has been power washed and treated with two complete coats of Loxon Masonry coating (flat finish). Additionally, the wall’s expansion joints have been caulked and the concrete has been treated with a bonding agent and type S mortar.

Project Budget: 

A maximum budget of $150,000 is allocated for this project. Those funds shall be used for the design, materials, fabrication, transportation, insurance and installation costs for the art, as well as the artist’s compensation (including any travel expenses, etc.).

RFQ Process: 

Responses to this RFQ must be submitted online using the Call For Entries (CaFE) artist site. (See submission requirements, below.) The Mercer County Cass Street Prison Mural Project Committee (MCCSPMP) comprised of a public art expert, arts administrator, a NJ State Prison Constituent, and The Mercer County Department of Culture & Heritage (MCDC&H). The Judiciary will review the qualifications submitted and will invite up to five (5) artists or artist teams to prepare and submit a full proposal. Those artists (or artist teams) invited to proceed to Phase 2, who agree to develop a full proposal under the terms of a subsequent RFP for this project, will receive a $350 stipend.  

Project Timeline (dates are subject to change):

Deadline for response to Phase 1/RFQ:             December 8, 2023

Selected artists notified:                                   week of 12/11/2023

Site visit/Q&A session:                                   TBA

Phase 2/RFP concept presentations made:        week of 1/22/2024

Final artist selection announced:                      Late January/Early February 2024

Artist contract executed:                                   February 2024

Project start date:                                            Late March/ Early April 2024

Project installation/work completed:           Late Summer/ Early Fall 2024 as scheduled by County 

Overview: This project is made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and is being administered by the Mercer County Division of Culture & Heritage on behalf of County Executive Brian M. Hughes and the Mercer County Board of Commissioners.

This project provides an opportunity for an artist or artist team to create one, large public mural to be installed on the exterior wall of the New Jersey State Prison building on Cass Street in Trenton, NJ. The artist/artist team with the winning design will receive monetary compensation (as established in their contract with the County), will be featured in an edition of the Culture & Heritage newsletter, will be presented in a Press Release by the County Communications Office, and will have the opportunity to address their work, if they choose, at a Mercer County Commissioner meeting.

To Apply:

All application materials in response to this RFQ must be submitted online via the CaFE (“Call for Entry”) website at www.callforentry.org by December 8, 2023. Collaborative applications from artists working together as a team are welcome.

Submission Requirements:

Application materials for this preliminary Phase 1/Request for Qualifications (RFQ) must include:

-          6 – 10 high resolution images of artwork by artist in jpg format

-          Numbered image list identifying title and materials of work in images

-          Artist vitae or resume including previous commissions and collection acquisitions

-          Brief (1000 word max) statement regarding preliminary design concepts for Mercer County Cass Street Prison Mural Project: theme/s, materials, inspiration, process

** Notes for Phase 2/RFP

At a minimum, those artists invited by the MCCSPMP Committee to submit full proposals (under the terms of a subsequent RFP) will be asked to present:

1.          Detailed sketch (and/or model) presentation, along with a narrative describing the mural you are proposing for this project. In your narrative, be sure to include all necessary supplemental information (research or process information; fabrication steps; installation concerns, etc.) for the project.

2.          Include a project timeline outlining projected dates for completion of project steps, including research, community outreach component, design, and installation of project.

3.          Materials and surface treatment: provide a detailed description of materials and processes to be used in painting the mural, including documentation of weather resistance in typical central New Jersey climate, as well as any safety and security issues relevant to art location in a heavily trafficked urban environment. Include detailed description of your installation preparations and methods.

4.          Complete project Budget

5.         Required support materials:

            a. three references

            b. proof of insurance

Total costs (including materials, artist time, travel, rentals or any other cost occurred in the planning and creation of this mural) may not exceed $150,000.

6. The awarded artist will be required to provide Professional Service Contract documentation to Mercer County’s Department of Purchasing. (Required documents will be proved to awardee).

Selection Criteria:

In reviewing applications received through the initial RFQ process, the following criteria will be considered by the Mercer County Cass Street Prison Mural Project Committee: 

-          Relevance and appropriateness of their artwork to Mercer County’s Cass Street and site

-          Quality of artwork submitted

-          Examples of proven ability of artist/s to meet project deadlines and perform work in a timely and professional manner.

-          Completeness and relevance to the project of application materials submitted

-          Timeliness: are all materials requested submitted by the application deadline 

In addition, those artists invited to move on to Phase 2/RFP to prepare a full submission in accordance with the project RFP will also have their final proposal evaluated on the following qualifications:

• Originality and aesthetic relationship of design elements to Cass Street and the city of Trenton.
• Artistic quality of the proposed artwork(s)
• Appropriateness of the proposed artwork(s) to the site and to the objectives of the project
• Practicality of materials and techniques
• Performance, durability, maintainability, and use of high-quality materials
• Absence of hazards to the public
• Willingness of the artist to carry out the project in coordination with the project team
• Ability of the artist to create and install the artwork(s) within the proposed timeframe and budget
• Recommended measures for ease of maintenance
• All costs within budget

Expectations and Limitations:

1.      Artists awarded the contract is required to engage members of the immediate community for suggestions prior to presenting final design for approval

2.      Materials used must be appropriate for outdoor installation

3.      Art must be welcoming and appropriate for a well-traveled public avenue

Selection Process: 

All application materials that meet initial eligibility requirements will be reviewed by the Mercer County Cass Street Prison Mural Project Committee. The Committee will select up to five (5) finalists and invite them to prepare a full proposal.

RFQ As Exclusive Basis for Application

As part of the process leading to the selection of the applicant, the MCDC&H may request additions or clarifications to the application.

Commitment

The MCDC&H will reach a decision regarding the most appropriate applications for the project.  However, this RFQ does not commit the MCDC&H to select any of the applications that have been received by the deadline, or to pay any costs incurred by the applicant in the preparation of the application to the RFQ. The MCDC&H reserves the right to reject any and all applications and to waive informalities and irregularities in applications received.

The MCDC&H may choose to request additional information or submissions from some or all of the applicants as a part of its review process. And, it may choose to issue another RFQ in the event that it cannot select five finalists in this submission until appropriate applications for the project are received and approved.  Award of an Agreement is subject to funding availability. The MCDC&H reserves the right to cancel in whole or in part, this RFQ.  All artists will be formally advised of the art selection committee’s decision.

In the event that the MCDC&H decides to suspend or terminate this RFQ, or any subsequent negotiations with applicants, it is specifically understood that the MCDC&H will not be responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by the applicant in connection with the preparations and submission in response to the RFQ.

Information Session:

Finalists interested in a Q & A session to view the artwork site and ask questions must contact the Mercer County Division of Culture & Heritage at (609) 278-2712 or cultureandheritage@mercercounty.org to arrange an appointment.

For Questions regarding the RFQ/RFP:

Contact the Mercer County Division of Culture and Heritage by email at cultureandheritage@mercercounty.org. All questions and answers related to the project will be collated and shared with all applicants.

Application Requirements

Application materials for this preliminary Phase 1/Request for Qualifications (RFQ) must include:

-          6 – 10 high resolution images of artwork by artist in jpg format

-          Numbered image list identifying title and materials of work in images

-          Artist vitae or resume including previous commissions and collection acquisitions

-          Brief (1000 word max) statement regarding preliminary design concepts for Mercer County Cass Street Prison Mural Project: theme/s, materials, inspiration, process

Eligibility Criteria

This RFQ is open to professional, practicing artists and artist teams living or working within the tri-state area (New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania). Artists with positive public art installation experiences and/or who have partnered with architects in art installation are strongly preferred. Finalists invited to develop full proposals will be required to be registered as a vendor with the County and must agree to comply with non-discrimination provisions and all other laws and regulations applicable to the performance of services there under. The final contract entered into between the artist/contractor and the County must be in accordance with, and subject to, compliance by both parties with the New Jersey Local Public Contracts Law.