Interactive Exhibit Design and Fabrication

The State Historical Society of North Dakota is soliciting proposals for interactive exhibit design and fabrication services for the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck, Burleigh County. The procurement seeks two specific interactive exhibits: a farming simulator for the Inspiration Gallery and an interactive vehicle exhibit for the Governors Gallery. The farming simulator must replace an outdated unit with modern, durable, and ADA-compliant design targeting children ages 3-10, featuring engaging visuals and educational content about North Dakota's agricultural history. The vehicle exhibit requires a hands-on experience with a vehicle prop, dashboard, windshield screen displaying local main street videos, touchscreen interface, and accessible seating. Offerors may propose for one or both exhibits, with mandatory qualifications including a minimum of three years of experience designing interactive exhibits for museums, science centers, or educational institutions, and proven project experience installing custom hardware/software integration for public-facing installations. The RFP establishes a comprehensive evaluation process using a 100-point scale, with technical proposals weighted at 80 points (50 points for Scope of Work Strategy and 30 points for Experience and Qualifications) and cost proposals weighted at 20 points. Key deadlines include January 26, 2026, for questions and objections, February 6, 2026, for proposal submission, and anticipated demonstration dates of February 16-20, 2026.

The procurement does not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The exhibits have specific budget parameters: the farming simulator is budgeted between $60,000 and $85,000, with proposals exceeding $85,000 subject to rejection, while the interactive vehicle exhibit has a budget of $100,000. The contract will be firm fixed-price, with no advance payments permitted, and will commence approximately March 2, 2026, continuing through March 1, 2029. Delivery timelines are specific: the interactive vehicle exhibit must be installed by May 31, 2026, and the farming simulator by November 2026. The State reserves the right to award contracts to multiple offerors and may request best and final offers. The contract requires comprehensive insurance coverage, including commercial general liability of $2,000,000 per occurrence, automobile liability of $500,000 per person and $2,000,000 per occurrence, and workers compensation coverage. All work products, software, and materials developed will become the sole property of the State of North Dakota, with intellectual property rights and patent/copyright indemnification assigned to the contractor.