RFQ 25-D03-MSMB-002.pdf

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 1 of 13

Request For Qualifications for Digital Media Production Washington State History Museum

Tacoma, WA Project Budget: $207,000 DUE DATE: April 12, 2024

Introduction The Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) is issuing a Request for Qualification (RFQ) to solicit qualifications for digital media production for three existing exhibits that are scheduled to be upgraded in January, 2025.

The Washington State Historical Society (hereinafter called “AGENCY” or “WSHS”) is initiating this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to solicit proposal from CONTRACTORS interested in participating providing digital media and audiovisual production for the for the Washington State History Museum’s Great Hall in the museum’s permanent exhibition gallery located at 1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, Washington.

This project involves replacing content from two digital interactives within the museum, and upgrading one audio experience. These digital interactives have been in place since the museum opened in 1996. The interactives were created with Flash animation. They often shut down and they no longer feel contemporary. The media players that run these interactives are past their recommended service life, and these digital interactives require near-constant maintenance.

The two existing digital interactive exhibits are Titled “Conversations with Washington” and “Encyclopedia Washingtonia.” There are a total of eight screens in Conversations with Washington. Each of the eight screens feature the same interactive experience for the visitor. There are a total of seven screens in Encyclopedia Washingtonia. Each of these seven screens also feature the same interactive experience. Please see the Appendix for photographs of these two digital interactives.

In addition to these two digital interactives, WSHS wishes to upgrade an existing audio experience. This audio experience within the museum’s “Hooverville Shack” and will feature a two-minute audio production with people speaking and the sound of rain in the background. WSHS will provide a script for this audio production.

The work that will result from this RFQ is part of a larger project to upgrade many of the older audiovisual exhibits within the museum, and an audiovisual integrator has been chosen under a separate RFQQ. The CONTRACTOR chosen from this RFQ will be expected to work closely and collaboratively with the audiovisual integrator.

We have chosen Brightsign HD1025 Media Players for these interactive displays. The media produced under this upcoming contract should be compatible with these new media players.

Objective

The objective of this project is to create new interactive experiences that are more contemporary and more compelling.

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 2 of 13

At a minimum, the CONTRACTOR Shall provide:

• An AV Program Concept Treatment

• An AV Program Production Treatment

• Media Production – Drafts, Rough Cuts, and per diem for those being filmed

• Media Production – Final Cuts

• Delivery with Open Captions

• Deliver all assets to audiovisual integrator for loading on to Brightsign players.

Minimum Qualifications The selected Contractor or team must be licensed to do business in Washington State or provide a commitment that they will become licensed within thirty (30) calendar days of being selected as the Apparent Successful Contractor. The opportunity to compete for this project is open to established professional multimedia producers United States or British Columbia. The Washington State Historical Society does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, or gender identity.

The contractor must also demonstrate a minimum of five multimedia projects for museums or visitor centers with budgets over $200,000.

Bidders who do not meet these minimum qualifications will be rejected as non-responsive and will not receive further consideration. Any proposal that is rejected as non-responsive will not be evaluated or scored.

Upon selection, the CONTRACTOR will be expected to:

• Become familiar with the goals and objectives the project.

• Research, design, and propose concept treatments for review and approval by museum staff.

• Consult with audiovisual integrator and museum staff.

• Create new multimedia experiences for the Encyclopedia Washingtonia, Conversations with

Washington, and Hooverville exhibits.

• As appropriate, periodic travel to the project site during proposal/design process to meet with museum staff. Travel throughout the state of Washington to interview subjects will also be required.

• Work within the fixed budget.

• Maintain registration as a Washington State vendor.

• Enter into contracts with WSHS and fulfill those contractual obligations/requirements, including paying applicable taxes.

Budget/Time Frame The overall budget for this project is $207,000. The budget must also include an allowance for all expenses related travel and per diem for those subjects being interviewed.

The period of performance of any contract(s) resulting from this RFQ is tentatively scheduled to begin on or about April 26, 2024 and to end on January 31, 2025.

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 3 of 13

RFQ Coordinator / Museum Contact The RFQ Coordinator is the sole point of contact for this RFQ. All communication between the prospective contractors and the museum shall be with the RFQ Coordinator. When communicating via email, please use the RFQ number in the subject line.

MaryMikel Stump Washington State History Museum 1911 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402 Phone: (253) 798-5878 / (253)961-6554 Email: marymikel.stump@wshs.wa.gov

Media Producers are to rely on written statements issued by the RFQ Coordinator. Any other communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding.

Key Dates There will be an optional onsite pre-bid meeting for those media producers who may like more information about this project on March 25, 2024 at 9AM to see the existing digital interactives that the WSHS is replacing. All interested parties are encouraged to attend.

The cut-off date for questions is Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Answers to questions will be posted on the state of Washington’s WEBS platform and on the museum’s website at https://www.washingtonhistory.org/about/career-opportunities/contracts/ not later than April 1, 2024.

Qualification Packets are due Friday, April 12, 2024.

Submittal Requirements Media producers are required to submit four (4) copies of their qualifications packet, plus a digital PDF copy, transmitted via a secure server (WeTransfer, Dropbox, etc.). The proposal, whether mailed or hand delivered, must arrive at the museum no later than 4:00 p.m., on April 12, 2024. In order to avoid technical problems, artists are encouraged to submit well in advance of the deadline. Late submittals will not be accepted. The proposal is to be sent to the RFQ Coordinator at the address noted above.

The envelope should be clearly marked to the attention of the RFQ Coordinator.

Qualifications Packet Contents Qualifications Packets must be submitted on eight and one-half by eleven-inch (8 ½” x 11”) paper. The five major sections of the proposal are to be submitted in the order noted below:

1) A letter of interest outlining your approach to a project of this scale and budget, well as providing WSHS’ Selection Committee with insights regarding your interest in this project; what you bring to the project as multimedia producer; experience with other projects with a similar scope and budget; and any other comments that might help to differentiate you as a candidate for this project. Please also provide your name, address, phone number and e-mail address. This letter of interest should not exceed two pages.

2) A professional resume/CV for your team members (limit 2 pages). Companies working collaboratively must submit a resume/CV for each member of the team. Please provide a resume for your Content Developer.

mailto:marymikel.stump@wshs.wa.gov https://www.washingtonhistory.org/about/career-opportunities/contracts/

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 4 of 13

3) 5 images examples of past projects for museums and interpretive centers, preferably created within the past 5 years. Please show projects with similar budgets. Please list project budget. If including examples by way of YouTube of Vimeo, please do not exceed 7-10 minutes per sample.

4) Examples of past projects showcasing Washington State History, limit eight. Please list project budget for each project. If including examples by way of YouTube of Vimeo, please do not exceed 7-10 minutes per sample. Please provide your approach to this project. This project is on a tight timeframe; provide a narrative of your work plan to complete the project on time. Also please describe your experience on projects which are loaded on to BrightSign media players.

5) References: A list of at least three professional references. This must include physical address, phone number, and email address.

Evaluation Criteria The criteria used by the museum’s Selection Committee will include:

• Qualifications of project team.

• Evidence of projects of similar size and scale.

• Examples of projects showcasing Washington State History.

• Examples of oral history projects.

Each of the criteria will be equally weighted.

CONTRACT AND GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

The apparent successful proposer will be expected to enter into a WSHS standard vendor contract. Failure to mutually agree to contract terms within a reasonable �me may result in WSHS rescinding the designa�on as the Apparent Successful Contractor and choosing another qualified applicant.

COSTS TO PROPOSE

WSHS will not be liable for any costs incurred by the proposer in prepara�on of a proposal submited in response to this solicita�on, in conduc�ng a presenta�on, or any other ac�vi�es related to responding to this solicita�on.

ERRORS AND OMISSIONS IN PROPOSAL

WSHS will not be liable for any errors or omissions in proposals. Proposers will not be allowed to alter or supplement their proposal documents a�er the proposal due date.

NO OBLIGATION TO CONTRACT

This RFQ does not obligate the State of Washington or WSHS to contract for services specified herein.

RESPONSIVENESS

All proposals will be reviewed by the RFQ Coordinator to determine compliance with administra�ve requirements and instruc�ons specified in this solicita�on. Failure to comply with any part of the solicita�on may result in rejec�on of the proposal as nonresponsive.

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 5 of 13

WSHS reserves the right to require clarifica�on, addi�onal informa�on, and materials in any form rela�ve to any or all of the provisions or condi�ons of this solicita�on. WSHS also reserves the right, at its sole discre�on, to waive minor irregulari�es.

PROPOSAL REJECTION

Solely, WSHS will make a determina�on of clarity and completeness in the responses to any of the provisions in this solicita�on. WSHS reserves the right, at its sole discre�on, to reject any and all proposals received without penalty and not to issue a contract as a result of this solicita�on.

CONTRACT FORMATION

A submited proposal is an offer to contract with the State. All proposals submited and any documents or correspondence related to this solicita�on become the property of the State and WSHS and may be deemed public records and subject to disclosure as defined in Chapter 42.56 RCW.

AWARD

Upon award, no�fica�on will be sent by the RFQ Coordinator in wri�ng via e-mail to all par�cipa�ng proposers.

Addi�onal informa�on may be obtained by reviewing the solicita�on file a�er award. Award results will not be given over the phone.

DEBRIEFING OF UNSUCCESSFUL PROPOSERS

Proposers who submited a proposal and were not selected will be given the opportunity for a debriefing conference. The Solicita�on Coordinator must receive a writen request from the unsuccessful proposer for a debriefing conference within three business days a�er the No�fica�on of Unsuccessful Proposer leter is e-mailed.

PROTEST PROCEDURE AND FORMAT

In accordance with RCW 39.26.170 and DES Policy # DES-170-00, this procedure is available to proposers who (1) submited a response to this solicita�on document and (2) have par�cipated in a debriefing conference. Upon comple�ng the debriefing conference, the proposer is allowed five (5) business days to file a protest of the procurement with the RFQ Coordinator. Proposers protes�ng this procurement will follow the procedures described below. Protests that do not follow these procedures will not be considered. This protest procedure cons�tutes the sole administra�ve remedy available to proposers under this procurement.

All protests must be in wri�ng and signed by the protes�ng party or an authorized agent. The protest must state the grounds for the protest with specific facts and complete statements of the ac�on(s) being protested. A descrip�on of the relief or correc�ve ac�on being requested should also be included. All protests will be addressed to the RFQ Coordinator.

Protests not based on procedural maters will not be considered. Protests will be rejected as without merit if they address issues such as: 1) an evaluator’s professional judgment on the quality of a proposal, or 2) WSHS’s assessment of its own and/or other agencies’ needs or requirements.

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 6 of 13

Upon receipt of a protest, a protest review will be performed by Execu�ve Director of WSHS. In the event a protest may affect the interest of another proposer that submited a proposal, such proposer will be given an opportunity to submit its views and any relevant informa�on on the protest to the RFQ Coordinator.

The Director’s final determina�on of the protest will:

• Find the protest lacking in merit and uphold WSHS’s ac�on; or

• Find only technical or harmless errors in WSHS’s acquisi�on process and determine WSHS to be in substan�al compliance and reject the protest; or

• Find merit in the protest and direct agency staff to:

a) Correct the errors and re-evaluate all proposals, and/or

b) Reissue the solicitation document and begin a new process, or

c) Make other findings and determine other courses of action as appropriate.

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 7 of 13

APPENDIX: Photographs and descriptions of existing interactives

“Conversations with Washington” monitors.

Attract screen for “Conversations with Washington.”

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 8 of 13

Once activated, visitors are encouraged to touch one of fourteen icons to learn more about a particular Washingtonian.

Once a person is selected, the visitor then can ask the Washingtonian one of four questions, and the video shows an interview with the subject answering the particular question that was chosen by the museum guest.

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 9 of 13

When the visitor presses the “What are the major changes you have observed in your life?”, the subject provides an answer that is interspersed with stock footage her answer.

For example, as the selected Washingtonian talks about the Grand Coulee Dam and irrigation, the video is combined with stock footage of the dam and a large center-pivot irrigation system.

The museum desires something similar in terms of the visitor experience and the options the visitor has “conversing” with Washingtonians. However, we do not aim to be completely prescriptive if more compelling and engaging stories can be told. The new Washingtonians to be interviewed should represent an equal representation of the different geographical areas of the state and shall represent a diverse background of individuals. The museum must also showcase the rich history of the Columbia River, so it is desired that at least three of people being interviewed have experience living alongside or near the Columbia River, exploring three or more different relationships to the river.

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 10 of 13

The photographs below show the array of screens in the “Encyclopedia Washingtonia” exhibit. The cabinetry that houses these interactives sits near the “Conversation with Washingtonia” exhibit.

The image below shows an attract screen for the “Encyclopedia Washingtonia” exhibit.

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 11 of 13

When the visitor touches the screen, they are presented with 100 questions. Visitors can press a number, do a geographic search, or search by topic.

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 12 of 13

This is an example below (after a number was chosen).

The visitor is then presented with the answer.

WSHS RFQ NUMBER 25-D03-MSMB-002 Page 13 of 13

The two photos below show another selection. As you can see, these are relatively straightforward questions and answers.

The museum desires something similar in terms of the visitor experience. However, since these were implemented in 1997, the state has experienced more historical events, and much of this content is in the distant past. While that is not necessarily bad, we’d like to a mixture of newer and older content for our visitors.

This project will not require 100 questions and answers; however, an “encyclopedic” presentation should be available to the visitor.