RFP 0122 Package - DDA

M:\Economic Development\Hiawassee\DDA\Art Plan\0122 - Request for Proposal.docx

Request for Proposal (RFP) Public Art Master Plan Consultant Services

RFP# - 0122

Proposals Due: Friday, July 15, 2022, by 3:00 PM (EST) Electronic submissions: DDA@hiawasseega.gov

Hiawassee Downtown Development Authority 50 River Street

Hiawassee, GA 30546 706.896.2202

The Downtown Development Authority of the City of Hiawassee, Georgia (“DDA”) is seeking the services of a qualified firm or individual(s) to develop a Public Art Strategic Plan for the City of Hiawassee, Georgia.

Proposals are due no later than 3:00 PM (EST) on Friday, July 15, 2022.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Project Purpose/Overview The DDA has a desire to implement public art in a cohesive, coordinated effort where the art aligns with its rural, lake, and mountain character, honors the Appalachian history, and traditions while embracing our future, celebrates our cultural resources, is easily accessible and creates rich experiences for residents and visitors. Thus, the DDA is seeking the services of a qualified firm or individual(s) to develop a Public Art Strategic Plan.

The Hiawassee DDA plans to work with an experienced consultant to create a Public Art Strategic Plan. It is the hope that with a clear and focused plan, the Hiawassee Public Art Strategic Plan will be representative of the values and identity of Hiawassee and the Appalachian region.

Scope of Work The selected Proposer shall complete the execution of the items listed below, and as described throughout this RFP. This effort involves the creation of a Public Art Strategic Plan, the process and product of which is to include, but not be limited to the following:

• Produce a written Master Plan that is a detailed narrative and illustrative document that include:

o A vision statement and 10-year strategic plan for Public Art in Hiawassee o Potential locations and opportunities for Public Art o Process for commissioning, selecting and acquiring artwork o Standards for donated artwork o Recommendations for administration, maintenance, and de-acquisition of artwork o Identify best practices for funding sources in cities of comparable size

• Plan, develop, and lead efforts to engage community cultural stakeholders in input sessions to influence the creation of the Master Plan. The selected Proposer will develop surveys and other tools to gather data; tools and responses will be provided as an appendix to the final document. DDA staff will assist in meeting coordination, invitations, and marketing of community input sessions.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

CONSULTANT SERVICES – PUBLIC ART STRATEGIC PLAN

• Perform an assessment of the DDA of Hiawassee’s assets and opportunities for Public Art, including potential locations.

Content of the Proposal Proposals shall adhere to the following criteria and limitations:

Proposers shall submit a written proposal that presents their qualifications and understanding of the work to be performed. Submittals shall be limited to a maximum of 20 pages (2-sided pages, excluding cover letter, front and back cover, and attachments). Proposals shall provide in detail all the information the Proposer considers pertinent to its qualifications for this project as requested in this RFP.

• Proposers shall submit one electronic version (PDF file) via email to DDA@Hiawasseega.gov and/or an electronic version (PDF file) on a thumb drive with three printed copies to:

Hiawassee DDA 50 River Street, Hiawassee, GA 30546

• Each Proposer shall include in its proposal the following:

o Cover Letter. On company letterhead, signed by a person with the corporate authority to enter into contracts in the amount of the cost proposal.

o Business Information. Provide information about the Proposer’s firm, areas of expertise, length of time in business, and any other information that would be helpful in characterizing the Proposer’s experience.

o Project Team. Provide professional information about the consulting team.

Identify a proposed project manager responsible for day-to-day tasks and their experience with projects of a similar nature and scope.

o Project Experience. Discuss three examples of projects reflective of the subject of this RFP that represent the project team’s experience, with at least one project of similar scale and complexity. Attach samples of these projects to be submitted with the proposal.

o Public Engagement Experience. Discuss experience with projects that required significant public engagement. Identify the type of project, the specific public engagement elements and how the information gathered was used in a final report.

o Project Approach. Outline the specific approach to a project of this nature, and the overall understanding of what, why and how a Public Art Master Plan can benefit a small DDA like Hiawassee DDA.

mailto:DDA@Hiawasseega.gov o Schedule. Provide a proposed schedule for the project, including a timeline of elements and final product delivery.

o References. Provide references from the last three projects completed, regardless of size and scope.

o Price Proposal. Provide a proposal of fees including specific breakdown of costs for each individual element, service and task. Include hourly billing rates for all team members. Total project cost cannot exceed $10,000.

o Other Relevant Information.

Evaluation The DDA will set up a panel to review the submitted Proposals. The panel will be comprised of DDA Program Manager, the Director of Economic Development, and some members of the DDA Board of Directors. The panel will rank the qualified proposers based on the following criteria:

• Project Understanding and Approach – 30%

• Project Experience – 20%

• Public Engagement Experience and Proposal – 20%

• Price Proposal – 30%

Interview The evaluation panel may elect to conduct interviews of some or all proposers, at its sole discretion.

Selection The DDA Program Manager will negotiate a contract with the top-ranked proposer. If the DDA and proposer cannot reach terms on a contract, the DDA reserves the right to negotiate with the next ranked proposer, and so on.

Schedule The following is the anticipated timeline for receiving and evaluating proposals and awarding a contract to the most qualified proposer. This schedule is subject to change. Time identified is Eastern Time

Advertise Request for Proposals: Wednesday, June 15, 2022, 3:00 p.m.

RFP Question Submission Deadline: Monday, June 20, 2022, 2:00 p.m.

Addenda Issuance Deadline: Thursday, June 23, 2022, 2:00 p.m.

Proposals Due: Friday, July 15, 2022, 3:00 p.m.

Opening of Proposals: Tuesday, July 18, 2022, 1:30 p.m.

Potential Interview Date of Proposers: Tuesday, July 26, 2022 Evaluation Proposals Complete: Thursday, July 28, 2022 Notice of Award: Friday, July 29, 2022

DDA Project Managers The DDA’s project managers are Denise McKay Director of Economic Development and Steven Harper, Program Manager of the Hiawassee DDA. The project managers will work closely with the selected proposer and respond with the provision of needed information and feedback as well as assist in the coordination of the delivery of any product as necessary. Contact information for Denise McKay is as follows: phone (706) 896-2202; email dmckay@hiawasseega.gov and Steven Harper is as follows: phone (706) 896-2202; email sharper@hiawasseega.gov

Proposal Submittal The deadline and format for the submittal of proposals are specified above. Proposals will be accepted via email, personal delivery or U.S. mail as follows:

Address to: Hiawassee DDA 50 River Street, Hiawassee, GA 30546

Deadline: 3:00 p.m., Friday, July 15, 2022

Electronically mailed: PDF file

Format: Email: Subject line to read: Request for Proposals – Public Art Strategic Plan

In person or mail: Secure thumb drive and three copies in an opaque sealed envelope, stating the name and address of the Proposer, and labeled: Request for Proposals - Public Art Master Plan

The entire submittal package must be received by or before the time and date indicated above.

Delays due to mail and/or delivery handling, including but not limited to delays within the DDA’s internal distribution systems, do not excuse the Proposer's responsibility for submitting the proposal to the correct location by the proposal due date. Late proposals will be returned unopened and without review. Time and date deadlines for submittal will not be waived;

however, the DDA reserves the right to extend the submittal deadline by written addendum.

Rejection of Proposals The DDA reserves the right to reject any or all irregularities in proposals submitted in response to this RFP. Furthermore, the DDA reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or portions thereof, submitted in response to this RFP. Proposals may be rejected for reasons including, but not limited to:

1. Failure of the Proposer to adhere to one or more of the provisions established in the RFP.

2. Failure of the Proposer to submit a proposal in the format specified herein.

3. Failure of the Proposer to submit a proposal within the time requirements established herein.

4. Failure of the Proposer to adhere to ethical and professional standards before, during, or following the proposal process.

5. Failure to provide information that is specifically requested in this RFP.

mailto:dmckay@hiawasseega.gov mailto:sharper@hiawasseega.gov

The DDA may reject any proposal not in compliance with all prescribed public procurement procedures and requirements, and may reject for good cause any or all proposals upon a finding by the DDA that it is in the public interest to do so.

Waiver The DDA reserves the right to waive minor informalities or discrepancies contained in any proposal.

Disputes In case of any doubt or differences of opinion as to the items or services to be furnished hereunder, or the interpretation of the provisions of the RFP, the decision of the DDA shall be final and binding upon all parties.

Contract A copy of Hiawassee DDA’s Standard Professional Services Contract is attached.

Confidentiality and Public Records All information submitted by a Proposer shall become and remain the property of the DDA and is considered public information and subject to disclosure pursuant to the Georgia Public Records Law, except such portions of the proposal which are exempt from disclosure consistent with Georgia law. If a proposal contains any information that the Proposer believes is exempt from disclosure under the various grounds specified in the Georgia Public Records Law, the Proposer must clearly designate each such portion of its proposal as exempt at the time of proposal submission, along with a justification and citation to the legal authority relied upon. Identifying the proposal, in whole, as exempt from disclosure is not acceptable. Failure to identify specific portions of the proposal as exempt shall be deemed a waiver of any future claim of that information as exempt.

The DDA will make available to any person requesting information, through the DDA processes for disclosure of public records, any and all information submitted as a result of this RFP not exempted from disclosure, without obtaining permission from any Proposer to do so. DDA may also, in its sole discretion, elect to publish all such information at any time, regardless of whether or not a public records request has been received. However, if a public records request is made for material marked by the Proposer as exempt, the DDA will attempt to notify the impacted Proposer prior to any release of the material. Application of the Georgia Public Records Law by the DDA will determine whether any information is actually exempt from disclosure. The DDA accepts no liability for the release of any information submitted.

Proposer Certifications and Acknowledgements By the act of submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, the Proposer certifies that:

Proposer has carefully examined all RFP documents, all addenda (if applicable), and all other attachments, fully understands the RFP intent, is able to perform all tasks as described, and its Proposal is made in accordance therewith. Except as otherwise noted as part of its Proposal, Proposer certifies as follows:

1. Proposer is familiar with the local conditions under which the work will be performed.

2. The Proposal is based upon the requirements described in the RFP, without exception, unless clearly stated in the Proposal.

3. To the best of Proposer's knowledge and belief, and in the case of sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation, each party thereto certifies as to its own organization, under penalty of perjury, that, no elected official, employee, or person whose salary is payable in whole or part by the DDA has a direct or indirect financial interest in the Proposal, or in the services to which it relates, or in any of the profits thereof, other than as fully described in the Proposal.

4. Proposer has examined all parts (including addenda) of the RFP, including all requirements and contract terms and conditions thereof, and if its Proposal is accepted, Proposer shall accept contract documents conforming thereto.

5. Proposer, if an individual, is of lawful age, is the only one interested in this Proposal, and no person, firm, or corporation, other than that named, has any interest in the Proposal, or in the proposed contract.

6. Proposer has quality experience providing the types of services and duties as described within the Scope of Services of this RFP.

7. Proposer shall also certify whether Proposer is a Georgia Proposer or a non-resident

Proposer.

The Proposer must acknowledge in its proposal the following:

1. The Proposer agrees with all stipulations and requirements, as presented in this RFP.

2. The Proposer acknowledges that, if selected as the successful proposer, such selection is contingent upon successful negotiation of a contract with the DDA.

Nondiscrimination By the act of submitting a Proposal in response to this RFP, Proposer certifies, under penalty of perjury, that Proposer has not discriminated against minorities, women, or emerging small business enterprises in obtaining any required subcontracts.

Competition Prospective Proposers are encouraged to comment, in writing, on any specification or requirement within this RFP that the Proposer believes will inordinately limit competition. DDA will consider all Proposals equally and shall not favor any particular Proposer over another in analyzing the Proposals to encourage fair competition.

RFP Questions

Interested Proposers shall direct all questions regarding RFP documents by email to DDA’s project managers at dmckay@hiawasseega.gov and sharper@hiawasseega.gov

All questions shall include " Public Art Strategic Plan – RFP Questions” in the subject line and must be submitted by Monday, June 20, 2022, 2:00 p.m. ET. Questions and answers will be provided to all Proposers and public on the bid webpage. Questions submitted after the deadline will not be addressed.

For the sake of fairness, Proposers are not to contact any DDA Board Member or staff, other than the project managers, concerning this RFP. Contact with any other DDA Board Member or staff concerning this RFP will be grounds for disqualification.

Proposers are hereby notified that verbal communication may not be relied upon as official communication concerning the RFP. Only answers to those questions responded to by the DDA's project managers via email or posted on the DDA’s website may be relied upon. Proposers should also check the City of Hiawassee website frequently at www.Hiawasseega.gov to look for any addenda to the RFP.

DDA Requests for Clarification, Additional Research and Revisions The DDA reserves the right to obtain clarification of any portion of a Proposal or to obtain additional information necessary to properly evaluate a particular Proposal. Failure of a Proposer to timely respond to such a request for additional information or clarification may result in a finding that the Proposer is non-responsive and consequent rejection of the Proposal.

The DDA may obtain information from any legal source for clarification of any Proposal. The DDA need not inform the Proposer of any intent to perform additional research in this respect or of any information thereby received.

The DDA may perform, at its sole option, investigations of any Proposer. Information obtained may include, but shall not necessarily be limited to, current litigation and contracting references.

All such information, if requested by the DDA, becomes part of the public record and may be disclosed accordingly.

The DDA reserves the right to request revisions of any Proposal after the date and time due and before award for the purpose of obtaining best and final offers.

RFP Addenda The DDA reserves the right to make changes to the RFP by written addendum, which shall be issued by email to all those who have obtained the RFP documents by contacting the DDA, and will be made available for download at www.Hiawasseega.gov under "Business & Bid Opportunities”.

All addenda shall have the same binding effect as though contained in the main body of the RFP documents.

mailto:dmckay@hiawasseega.gov mailto:sharper@hiawasseega.gov

No addenda will be issued later than Monday, June 20, 2022, 2:00 p.m., except by an addendum, if necessary, postponing the date for receipt of proposals or canceling the RFP altogether.

Each Proposer is responsible for obtaining all addenda prior to submitting a proposal and shall acknowledge in the proposal receipt of each addendum as part of the proposal. Failure to acknowledge receipt of all addenda as part of the proposal may result in rejection of the proposal.

Modification or Withdrawal of Proposal by Proposer Any Proposer may modify its Proposal at any time, in writing, prior to the scheduled closing time for receipt of proposals, provided communication of such is received by the DDA prior to the closing time. Any modification of a proposal must include a statement that the modification amends and supersedes the prior proposal. All such communication shall be so worded as not to reveal the contents of the original Proposal. Withdrawn Proposals may be resubmitted prior to the time and date the Proposals are due, provided that they are then fully in conformance with the RFP.

Duration of Proposal Proposal prices, terms, and conditions shall be firm for a period of at least one-hundred eighty

(180) days from June 15, 2022. Proposals shall not be subject to future price escalation or changes of terms during that period.

Proposal Costs Proposers responding to this RFP do so solely at their expense, and the DDA is not responsible for any Proposer expenses associated with responding to the RFP. Proposers invited to participate in interviews are responsible for scheduling and paying for their own travel arrangements. The DDA is not liable for any cost incurred by a Proposer in protesting any portion of the RFP documents or the DDA's selection decision.

Local and Federal Requirements The selected organization shall comply with all federal, state, and local laws, regulations, executive orders, and ordinances applicable to the work under this contract, including, without limitation, the provisions of: (i) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; (ii) Section V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; (iii) the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; (iv) all applicable state and federal wage and hour laws; (v) all regulations and administrative rules established pursuant to the foregoing laws; and (vi) all other applicable requirements of federal and state civil rights and rehabilitation statutes, rules, and regulations.

Proposer is subject to the Georgia Workers Compensation Law and shall fully comply with O.C.G.A. Title 34, Chapter 9, which requires the provision of Workers Compensation coverage for all employees working under this contract. The DDA’s programs, services, employment opportunities, and volunteer positions are open to all persons without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, or political affiliation.

APPENDIX A

MINIMUM INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Indemnity - Standard of Care

Contractor

1.1. Contractor acknowledges responsibility for liability arising out of the performance of this Contract and shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless DDA and its officers, agents, volunteers, and employees against any and all liability, settlements, loss, damage, costs, and expenses arising from or in connection with any action, suit, demand, or claim resulting or allegedly resulting from, attributable in whole or in part to, or in any way connected with Contractor’s and Contractor’s officers’, agents’, volunteers’, and employees’ acts, omissions, activities, or services in the course of performing this Contract. Contractor’s activities are deemed to include those of Contractor’s subcontractors. This section will survive the termination or revocation of this Contract, regardless of cause.