Request for Qualification RFQL No. 20-10-22 for Design and Fabrication or Presentation of Work Suitable for Art on the plaza of the new Virginia811/E-911 Center at 1830 Blue Hills Circle, NE, Roanoke, VA 24012.

Call for Entry
The City of Roanoke VA is accepting applications from artists or teams of artists who would like to be considered for the offering of a permanent work of art to be placed on the plaza at the City’s new Virginia 811/E-911 Center. The Center will be an innovative facility formed through a unique public/private partnership to house dispatch for both protection of the state’s underground utilities and emergency calls in the city. 

The artwork should respond to or illustrate the themes of “Safety, Care, Service, Communication, and Partnership.” The sculpture should help create a place of inspiration, meditation and rejuvenation for the employees of the 911 and 811 call centers, as well as for the citizens of Roanoke.The City is seeking artwork made of durable materials suitable for outside elements and change in temperature and as impervious to vandalism as possible. The artwork shall require little or no maintenance. This is potentially a two-step qualifications-based competitive negotiation process. The first step of this two-step process is to submit the required application materials through CaFÉ. 

Materials must include the required qualification documents, and can include specific information pertaining to an existing work available for purchase that fulfills the call’s requirements. Up to four Qualified Offerors will be invited to submit proposals for the second step of this process, or an existing piece may be chosen.  

Full qualifications must be received by November 8, 2019.

Eligibility
This project is open to all artists and artist teams, age 18 and over, who are residents of the United States. All applicants, regardless of race, sex, religion, nationality, origin or disability will be considered. 

Site Specifications
A circular pad sizeable to the art up to 20 feet in diameter is planned in the site design in front of the main entrance plaza to the facility. An appropriate height is estimated at 10 to 15 feet above the pad (potentially including a plinth), or massing is approximated at 5 cubic feet. The sculpture will be visible from the vehicular approach, the parking lot, the main entrance plaza, administrative suites, and the exterior break area. Site plans and photographs can be viewed at www.artinroanoke.org under Current Calls to Artists, 811/911 Center.

Budget
The not-to-exceed budget amount is $25,000. The budget includes all artist fees, materials, fabrication, shipping, installations, accommodations and travel. 

The City reserves the right to negotiate a final fee. Up to four finalists may be selected and if there be that many, phone interviews may be required. Those selected will be invited to submit a complete proposal and, if not awarded a contract, will receive a set fee of $1,000.  The selected Artist (of new work only) will be required to present a final design proposal and/or maquette to the Roanoke Arts Commission and Roanoke City Council for review and approval prior to fabrication. 

Installation
The selected artwork is planned to be installed in February 2020. Costs associated with transporting and installing the work will be the responsibility of the artist.  Limited assistance from the Public Works Department is available on a case-by-case basis

Application Materials that Must Be Included

1.  A current résumé.

2. An artist statement to include a brief statement of your vision for this project, relative experience, and how you will assure the work will capture the themes of safety, care, service, and partnership.

3. Up to 10 images of prior work executed within the last seven years. 

4. Descriptive list of images to include dimensions, a short description of the work and total budget. If one or more of the pictured pieces is appropriate and available as a response for the call, please indicate that in the description.

5.  A minimum of two references with complete contact information of individuals you have worked with in the last five years. 

Miscellaneous

1.     Successful Offeror must comply with the nondiscrimination provisions of Virginia Code Section 2.2-4311, which are incorporated herein by reference.

2.    Successful Offeror must comply with drug-free workplace provisions of Virginia Code Section 2.2-4312, which are incorporated herein by reference. 

3.    It is the policy of the City of Roanoke to maximize participation by minority and women owned business enterprises in all aspects of City Contracting opportunities.

Evaluation Criteria

Offerors will be evaluated for selection on the basis of those most qualified to meet the requirements of this RFQ. Major criteria to be considered in the evaluation may include, but shall not necessarily be limited to, the items referred to above and those set forth below:

A. The appropriateness of the proposed materials.

B. The quality of Offeror’s performance in comparable and/or similar projects.

C. The Offeror’s responsiveness and compliance with the RFQ requirements and conditions.

D. Determination that the selected artist has no contractual relationships which would result in a conflict of interest with the City’s contract.

E. The Offeror’s ability, capacity and skill to fully and satisfactorily provide the services and/or items required in this RFQ.

F. Whether the Offeror can provide the services and/or items in a prompt and timely fashion.

G. Submission of required materials 

Notification

You will be notified by email of application status by November 18 and the selected finalists will be invited to submit their proposal at the end of 30 days from notification. 

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria