INTERNATIONAL CALL TO ARTISTS- REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
KVB Roundabout Project RFQ #12.523

I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

A. Project Summary
The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County (hereinafter Metro) through the Metro Nashville Arts Commission (Metro Arts) Public Art Committee is soliciting Statements of Qualifications/ SOQ from interested and qualified Respondents (artists) to design, fabricate and install artwork(s) at a newly constructed roundabout located at 8th Avenue, Lafayette Avenue and Korean Veterans Boulevard.

B. Project Budget

Total artwork budget: $750,000
The project budget allocates $750,000 for one artwork or multiple, related artworks. These figures represent the total artist budget, to include artists’ fees, overhead and operating costs, fabrication costs, all project-related travel, installation costs, and site preparation costs, plus insurance, contingency, and any other artist-related costs.

Submission deadline: Materials must be submitted via callforentry.org not later than:

**** 12 a.m., Friday May 4, 2012, Mountain Standard Time ****
(1 a.m. Central Standard Time - per www.callforentry.org system)

C. Eligibility
The public art project is open to established professional artists with a minimum of two years professional experience and experience with commissioned work budgets of at least $500,000. Artists with conflicts of interest as outlined in the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County’s Public Art Guidelines are ineligible for public art commissions or projects. Artists may reference section VII of the Public Art Guidelines online at www.artsnashville.org/pubartprogram/pubartguide.php.

D. Scope of Work
This International Call to Artists will result in a short list of approximately three to five semi-finalists, who will each receive a commission of $5,000, which includes travel expenses for the following:
• A site visit to Nashville, which will include learning more about the history/current developments of the area and artwork location;
• Development of a concept proposal for the project;
• Returning to Nashville to present the proposal to the selection committee.
To see a site plan and other related images, refer to Metro Art’s website at www.artsnashville.org/pubartprojects/ for the online version of this call.

E. Project Goals
Semi-finalist artists are encouraged to consider the following:
The artworks should:
• engage pedestrian and vehicular viewers, both day and night
• consider the elevation of the landscape, the vistas
• broadly relate to Nashville
• reflect the industrial and/or cultural history of the corridor
• consider the eclectic mix of old and new, history/future of the area
• consider the context of the overall site (Music City Center, SoBro, etc.)
• resonate with people of all ages and backgrounds
• be captivating, encourage exploration, stimulate imagination
• help define this major gateway into downtown
• become a symbol of, or icon for, the SoBro/Lafayette/Gulch corridor
• include detail that is relatable and offers additional rewards to those on foot or bike
• support and echo the city’s commitment to complete streets and green infrastructure

F. Site/Community History
Korean Veterans Boulevard delivers motorists over the Cumberland River and into the heart of downtown. The KVB extension will feature a broad median marked by plantings of trees and grass, culminating in a roundabout at 8th Avenue. The roundabout itself is approximately 160 feet in diameter. The KVB road project includes significant landscaping and hardscaping, rain gardens, lighting and stormwater design.

The roundabout artwork will serve as a significant landmark within the heart of downtown Nashville and the rapidly changing SoBro (South of Broadway) area. Steeped in rich history, no other landscape in the city is transforming more quickly than this location. Bordering the site will be a newly constructed 1.2 million square foot Music City (Convention) Center (MCC) that features a four acre green roof and LEED certification. The roundabout also sits adjacent to a new 800 room hotel with restaurants and retail.

Just blocks from the historic Lower Broadway honky tonks, the sacred Ryman Auditorium (former home of the Grand Ole Opry); the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and world-class Nashville Symphony, the roundabout will be experienced by motorists and pedestrians; visitors and long-time residents alike. The artwork should compliment Nashville’s growing reputation as home to world-class restaurants, music, sports, science, healthcare and higher-education in addition to the friendly feel of our city. Bridging technology, innovation and the future, this artwork should also address a human tactile, pedestrian experience, while possibly encouraging the city’s green initiatives such as walking, biking and mass transit as preference to vehicular transportation.

II. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

A. Response Format and Sending Submittals
All submissions must be received via an online entry found at www.callforentry.org. No hand-delivered or mailed submissions will be reviewed. This RFQ requires the following materials to be submitted via callforentry.org:
1. A brief one-page letter of interest addressing selection criteria and highlighting particular qualifications for the position and perceptions about the project.
2. Up to ten (10) digital images of recent work according to the instructions found at https://www.callforentry.org/image_prep.phtml. Submit only one artwork per image; do not submit mosaics of images. More than one image per file is not seen adequately by the selection panel.
3. Each image upload should include the following descriptive information, where applicable:
a. title of artwork or project
b. media
c. dimensions (H x W x D)
d. project budget
e. date of artwork or project completion
f. project/artwork description (300 character limit): include project location, if applicable
4. Answer to a question about public art experience and project budget range.
5. Current résumé, not to exceed four printed single-sided pages or 2MB.
6. References:
a. list three people with whom you have worked on a art project who can describe your participation.
b. include name, title, address, e-mail and current daytime telephone for each reference
7. Submission deadline: All submittals must be received no later than

**** May 4, 2012, 12 a.m. Mountain Standard Time ****
(1 a.m. Central Standard Time - per Call For Entry/www.callforentry.org System)

The following projected timetable should be used as a working guide for planning purposes. Metro reserves the right to adjust this timetable as required during the course of this Request for Qualifications process.

EVENT DATE DAY
Request for Qualifications Announced: March 13/Tuesday
Request for Qualifications due: May 4/ Friday
Selection panel: May 14 – May 25/ M-F
Site visit for semi-finalists: July 16 - 20/M-F
Semi-finalists’ presentation to selection panel: Sept 3 - 7/M-F
Artist Selection Notification: Sept 24 – 28/M-F
Installation Date:TBD*

*Contracting with artist will not take place until approvals are obtained by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) regarding land access.

B. Selection Criteria
Artists will be selected on the basis of the following criteria (in order of priority):
• artistic merit
• broad experience as a professional artist (experience with budgets of similar size)
• experience applicable to this project (experience with engineers, architects, contractors)
• references regarding ability to perform according to schedule and budget
• expressed interest in and understanding of the project

C. Inquiries
Direct all questions related to this RFQ/International Call to Artists to the Metro Purchasing staff via e-mail only: angie.mcdonald@nashville.gov. Deadline for Questions: April 27, 2012.

D. Compliance with the RFQ
Submissions must be in strict compliance with this Request for Qualifications. Failure to comply with all provisions of the RFQ may result in disqualification.

The Contract Specialist at the Metro Division of Purchasing & Contract Management will ensure that only submissions received by the deadline will be accepted.

Incomplete or ineligible submissions will not be reviewed. Every effort will be made to insure the safe handling of submitted materials; however, the Metro Nashville Arts Commission will not be responsible for any loss or damage.

III. SELECTION PROCESS

A. Method of Source Selection
The Department is using the Competitive Sealed Proposals method of source selection, as authorized by Section 4.12.040 of the Metropolitan Procurement Code, for this procurement.

B. Selection/ Evaluation Committee
The Metro Purchasing Agent will appoint an evaluation committee (hereinafter referred to as selection committee) to evaluate the submissions. That selection committee will be proposed by Metro Arts staff for each project and recommended to the Purchasing Agent by the Public Art Committee (PAC).

The selection committee for this project will have five to nine members including at least one visual artist and a representative of the site sponsor. The chairperson of the selection committee will be the public art committee chair or designee, serving as an ex-officio, non-voting committee member. The Purchasing staff assigned to each project will serve as a non-voting advisory member of the selection committee and be charged with the responsibility of monitoring the process.

C. Selection process
Responses to this Request for Qualifications will be evaluated by the selection committee according to the project selection criteria to develop a short list of three to five semi-finalists. Artists will receive a commission of $5,000 to visit the project site, develop final proposals and present them to the selection committee. The selection committee will recommend artist for award of this project to the PAC for their action and referral to the Metro Arts, for final approval and issuance of an Intent to Award Letter based upon successful contract negotiation.

IV. RULES AND GUIDELINES

A. Requests for Clarification of Submission
Metro Arts may check references to assist in the evaluation of any submission.

B. Submissions, RFQs and Presentation Costs
The Metropolitan Government will not be liable in any way for any costs incurred by any artist in the preparation of its proposal in response to this RFQ, nor for the presentation of its submission and/or participation in any discussions.

C. Validity of Submissions
All proposals shall be valid for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days from the due date of the Request for Qualifications.

D. Rejection of Submission
The Purchasing Agent or designee reserves the right to accept or reject in whole or in part any or all proposals submitted.

E. Americans with Disabilities Act
The successful contractor (artist or team) shall assure to Metro that all services (including but not limited to the design services, as well as any construction, repair, or other infrastructure improvements) made through this contract, if an award is made, shall be completed in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA") and Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, Federal Register 36 CFR Parts 1190 and 1191, Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities; Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Guidelines; proposed rule published in the Federal Register on July 23, 2004, as has been adopted by Metro.

Questions, concerns, complaints, requests for accommodation, or requests for additional information regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act may be forwarded Metro Arts’ ADA Compliance Coordinator: Leigh Patton, 800 2nd Ave. South, 4th Floor, P.O. Box 196300, Nashville, TN 37219-6300, Phone: (615) 862-6720/TTY Relay Service 800-848-0298.

Individuals who need auxiliary aids for effective communication in the programs, services or activities of the Metro Nashville Arts Commission are invited to make their needs and preferences known to the ADA Compliance Coordinator. This notice can be made available in alternative formats through the office of the ADA Compliance Coordinator, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

F. Non-Discrimination
The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed or disability in admission to, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. Discrimination against any person in recruitment, examination, appointment, training, promotion, retention, discipline or any other employment practices because of non-merit factors shall be prohibited.
With regard to all aspects of this Contract, the artist or artist team certifies and warrants it will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, color, national origin or disability in its hiring and employment practices, or in admission to, access to, or operation of its programs, services and activities.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Contract, no person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, be discriminated against in the admission or access to, or be discriminated against in treatment or employment in Metro's contracted programs or activities, on the grounds of handicap and/or disability, age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other classification protected by federal or Tennessee State Constitutional or statutory law; nor shall they be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination in the performance of contracts with Metro or in the employment practices of Metro's Artists/Contractors.

Accordingly, all artists/contractors entering into contracts with Metro shall, upon request, be required to show proof of such nondiscrimination and to post in conspicuous places that are available to all employees and applicants, notices of nondiscrimination.

Inquiries concerning non-discrimination policies other than ADA compliance should be forwarded to: Jane Madden, Department of Human Resources, 222 Third Avenue, Suite 200, Nashville TN 37201, (615) 862-6640.

G. Metro Nashville Arts Commission and Public Art Program
The Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission (Metro Arts) is a department of the Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County created in 1978 for the purpose of promoting, preserving and expanding the cultural and artistic interests of the general public. Metro Arts public art program was established in June 2000, with the passage of a public art ordinance. The ordinance dedicates one percent (1%) of the net proceeds of general obligation bonds issued for construction projects to fund public art. Metro Arts established guidelines, available online at www.artsnashville.org, and named a Public Art Committee (PAC) as a standing committee to oversee the public art program.

H. Call to Artists & Presentation Costs
Metro will not be liable in any way for any costs incurred by the artist in the initial response to the Request for Qualifications. Metro will commission the semi-finalist artists for presentation of their proposal to the selection committee.

I. Public disclosure
All submissions are considered public and subject to review upon request after an intent to award has been made.


J. Insurance
The Artists, who are selected for this project, shall, at their sole expense, obtain and maintain in full force and effect for the duration of the Agreement and any extension hereof the types and amounts of insurance identified below. Once the proposals are approved, we will be better able to determine which coverage’s are applicable:
A. Products Liability Insurance in the amount of one million ($1,000,000.00) dollars (If the vendor will be shipping to a receiving department of METRO)
B. General Liability Insurance in the amount of one million ($1,000,000.00) dollars
C. Professional Liability Insurance in the amount of one million ($1,000,000.00) dollars
D. Automobile Liability Insurance in the amount of one million ($1,000,000.00) dollars (if vendor will be making on-site deliveries)
E. Worker’s Compensation Insurance with statutory limits required by the State of Tennessee or other applicable laws and Employer’s Liability Insurance with limits of no less than one hundred thousand ($100,000.00) dollars, as required by the laws of Tennessee. (Not required for companies with fewer than five (5) employees.)
F. Contain or be endorsed to contain a provision that includes Metro, its officials, officers, employees, and volunteers as additional insured with respect to liability arising out of work or operations performed by or on behalf of the Artist including materials, parts, or equipment furnished in connection with such work or operations. The coverage shall contain no special limitations on the scope of its protection afforded to the above-listed insured.
G. For any claims related to this agreement, Artist’s insurance coverage shall be primary insurance as respects Metro, its officers, officials, employees, and volunteers. Any insurance or self-insurance programs covering Metro, its officials, officers, employees, and volunteers shall be in excess of Artist’s insurance and shall not contribute with it.


END OF RFQ # 12.523

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria

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