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The file is a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) issued by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) for an exhibit design and build project at the Natchez Tribal History Center (NTHC) in Natchez, Mississippi. The procurement seeks an exhibit firm to comprehensively research, design, fabricate, and install exhibits across 4,420 sq ft of exhibition space, including an 830 sq ft introductory media space and a 3,590 sq ft exhibit gallery. The project requires an all-inclusive design/build contract encompassing content research, image research, copyright permissions, exhibit design, A/V development, scriptwriting, label development, lighting, fabrication, and installation. The RFQ response is due by May 21, 2025, with the project scheduled to begin in August 2025 and a contract end date of December 31, 2027, targeting a 2027 opening.

The total project budget is $3.5 million, with the primary objective of preserving and presenting the history of the Natchez Indians and the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians site, a National Historic Landmark. The evaluation process will utilize a 100-point scale, with 40 points for technical factors, 25 points for cost factors, 20 points for management factors, and 15 points for an interview. Minimum qualifications mandate that offerors have 7 years in business and provide 3 reference projects similar in scope or size. The RFQ does not explicitly specify set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The successful contractor will need to demonstrate significant experience in museum exhibit design, cultural interpretation, and collaborative historical storytelling, working closely with MDAH staff, Tribal partners, and the project architect, Eley Guild Hardy Architects.