Exhibit Design, Fabrication, and Installation Services IDIQ Smithsonian-Wide

The due date for receipt of proposals in response to Solicitation F14SOL10050 is hereby extended until November 6, 2014. A formal Amendment No. 5 will be issued on the morning of October 16, 2014. 

Due to confusion caused over the original due date for receipt of questions, the deadline for receipt of questions is hereby extended to the close of business on Tuesday, August 12, 2014.

The Smithsonian Institution hereby releases Solicitation Number F14SOL10050 for Smithsonian-wide IDIQ contracts for exhibit design, fabrication, and design/fabrication services.

The due date for receipt of proposal is Friday August 29, 2014 at 3pm local Washington DC time. Significant questions pertaining to this request for proposals (RFP) must be submitted to Jennifer L. Kroan at kroanj@si.edu by no later than close of business on Tuseday August 11, 2014.

The Smithsonian Institution is in the process of reevaluating the structure of the IDIQ contracts to be awarded under the anticipated RFP, with the goal of better meeting the varying needs of the Institution from very small temporary exhibitions to large, permanent exhibitions. Given this shift, the release of the RFP has been delayed with the "estimated" date of release changed to June 27, 2014. This date is of course an estimate and is subject to change.  

The date for release of the above referenced Request for Proposals (RFP) has been delayed. The Smithsonian Institution now anticipates releasing the RFP by no later than Friday, June 6, 2014.

The RFP will be posted here. 

Thank you for your continued interest in the Smithsonian Institution and this RFP.

The Smithsonian Institution is the largest museum and research complex in the world, with 19 museums and galleries, 20 libraries, numerous research centers, and the National Zoological Park. Its museums are primarily located in the Washington metropolitan area, with two museums located in New York City. It is a vast enterprise that encompasses-in addition to exhibition halls and art galleries-laboratories, libraries, observatories, field stations, scientific expeditions, classrooms, performing arts events, publications, affiliate museums, the world's largest traveling exhibition service, a cable television channel, numerous web sites, blogs, and much more. Its mission is "the increase and diffusion of knowledge. The Smithsonian has over 140 million collection objects, and it is estimated that more than 30 million people from around the world visit the Smithsonian's museums and the National Zoo annually.

The Smithsonian Institution seeks the services of exhibition design, fabrication, and installation firms to provide such services to the Smithsonian's many museums, galleries, and the National Zoo. The Smithsonian anticipates issuing a request for proposals ("RFP") through which it intends to contract for three types of exhibition services, 1) design, 2) fabrication, and 3) design/fabrication. Through the RFP process, the Smithsonian intends to award multiple Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts in each of these three areas. It is anticipated that the base IDIQ contracts will be for an initial term of one (1) year, with nine (9) one-year options. Specific work efforts will be identified and executed via individual task orders issued under the base IDIQ contracts. There is no guaranteed minimum or maximum task order or contract amount; and the Smithsonian is not in any way obligated to issue any task orders under the resultant contract.

All firms responding to this solicitation will be required to submit a business and technical proposal for purposes of evaluation. Awards will be made to the Offerors providing the best value, based on the evaluation factors outlined in the RFP. It is anticipated that proposals will be evaluated using the following weighted factors, subject to change, as described in greater detail in the forthcoming RFP: 1) Technical/Creative Approach, Philosophy and Methodology; 2) Past Performance; 3) Management Plan; and 4) Contract Price. All evaluation factors other than contract price, when combined, will be granted more weight than contract price.

This is a full and open competition. Minority businesses, Small businesses, Small disadvantaged businesses, Women-owned small businesses, Hub-zone small businesses, Veteran-owned small businesses, and Service Disabled Veteran owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply. Contractors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) prior to award. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 712110.

The Solicitation documents will be available through FedBizOpps on or about the week of May 19, 2014. Prospective Offerors are encouraged to notify the Smithsonian Institution Office of Contracting, Jennifer L. Kroan, Esq. (kroanj@si.edu), by June 2, 2014 indicating whether or not they intend to submit a proposal in response to this RFP (said letter of intent is not compulsory and in no way will disqualify Offerors). Letters of intent must also provide the complete mailing address, telephone numbers, email address, and name of the appropriate company representative for each potential Offeror.

Jennifer L. Kroan, Esq. shall serve as the exclusive Smithsonian point of contact for this RFP. She may be contacted via email at kroanj@si.edu or phone 202-633-7275.

The Smithsonian Institution expressly reserves the right in its sole discretion to not proceed with the solicitation or any subsequent negotiations or contract. This presolicitation notice shall not commit the Smithsonian to pay any proposal preparation costs nor to provide reimbursements for any costs associated with a response to the same.