Exhibition Design Services with Significant Media and Web Components for National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian Institution ("Smithsonian"), on behalf of its National Museum of Natural History ("NMNH" )located in Washington, DC, seeks proposals from creative, innovative, and highly-talented firms ("Potential Offeror") to assist it in the design of the Center for Natural History Learning ("The Center").

The Center is to be located in a 12,000+ square foot, LEED-certified space, readily accessible to the public and located in NMNH. It will be an environment, rich in people, objects, and technology, in which to explore the world. It will offer the following features and resources:
• Artifacts and specimens from the collections of the Museum in both physical and digital form
• Access to the museum's scientific and expert staff, onsite and via various media and technologies
• An array of tools and equipment to support scientific investigations from simple devices such hand lenses to advanced technologies such as confocal and scanning electron microscopes
• A regularly changing set of opportunities for self-guided and mediated experiences and conversations for individuals, families, and small groups
• State-of-the-art technology and media infrastructure that will provide visitors to the space with the capacity to access data, images and two-way interactions worldwide
• A lab, convertible classroom, seminar space, learning lounge, and one hundred seat theater for more formal and large group programs and intensive investigations.

In addition to the physical space, the design will include a related and equally engaging online presence for the Center on its website. The "virtual" Center will provide ready access to the Museum's scientific and educational assets with an emphasis on making the collections accessible (well beyond the Museum's physical teaching collections) and providing opportunities for the online public to interact with scientists and to engage with research and current scientific questions in a variety of ways. Thus the design will incorporate significant media and web components.

This announcement is open to all businesses regardless of size. The contract awarded will be firm-fixed-price. 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. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) for this procurement is 712110.

If your company is interested in providing the exhibit design services referenced above, please review the attached RFP package and submit your response in accordance with the attached instructions and conditions. To be considered, you must submit one (1) original and seven (7) copies of your Technical Proposal and one (1) original and two (2) copies of your cost proposal as detailed in the RFP by no later than 3:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, on July 28, 2010. Requested materials must be received by this deadline in order to be considered.
Contractors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) prior to award.