Call for Sign Designers: Request for Qualifications (RFQ) City Hall Monument Sign Replacement Project City of Brooklyn Park Community Development The City of Brooklyn Park and the Economic Development Authority (collectively, the City ) invite sign designers to apply to design a replacement monument sign for City Hall. Located on the corner of 85 th Avenue North and Regent Avenue North, City Hall will be the first building to feature permanent use of the City s new branding elements. This monument sign will set a design standard that will be incorporated into future signage changes at City facilities. Application deadline: Sunday, May 8, 2016, 11:59 p.m. 1
A. The City of Brooklyn Park & the Branding Initiative The City of Brooklyn Park is a huburb a tremendous hub of activity, filled with diverse closeknit neighborhoods and an outstanding business community, offering a superior suburban quality of life. Located 15 minutes from downtown Minneapolis and 20 minutes from downtown St. Paul, Brooklyn Park is the 6 th largest city in Minnesota/4 th largest in the metro area. Our 27 square miles are home to 79,000 residents, over half of whom identify as people of color and 20% of which are immigrants. In 2015, 91% of residents said they were proud to live in Brooklyn Park, and there is much to be proud of: 31 self-defined, close-knit neighborhoods 85 restaurants, including a wide range of ethnic cuisines and award-winning venues 1,300 businesses, including 28 Fortune 500 companies, employing 27,000 people 3 school districts and 3 colleges Nationally recognized youth programs and recreational opportunities, including: o Zanewood Rec Center o 100-plus ponds o Footgolf at Brookland Golf Park o Edinburgh USA, the world-class public golf course o One of our 85 parks and recreational facilities within walking distance of every home in Brooklyn Park o The Mississippi River National Park, nestled in our 6 miles of Mississippi River shoreline The City embarked on a rebranding initiative in 2013 to reinforce the excellent quality of life enjoyed by our residents and booming business community and to promote the narrative of this reality beyond the city limits. Research showed that the key core branding idea most true to the current identity of the city is that this is a place of unexpected vitality and opportunity. This core branding idea is reflected in our tagline: Unique. United. Undiscovered. and in our mission statement: Brooklyn Park, a thriving community, inspiring pride where opportunities exist for all. While the branding research work was led by professional consultants and City staff, the involvement of the community was essential in its development. Community engagement is incorporated into virtually all City initiatives, including the replacement of this monument sign. B. The Design Project: City Hall Monument Sign, $60,000 (See section D for details on compensation.) The City seeks a sign designer to work with the City Hall Monument Sign Replacement Project Task Force ( Project Task Force ) and the community-at-large to develop a modern concept 2
that includes branding elements for the new City Hall monument sign. While the existing sign has deteriorated over the past 25 years, the sign base/foundation and the electrical/lighting setup are both in solid shape and are expected to be preserved for reuse in the new sign. The concept design envisions a transformative landmark for the City that reflects the experience of our residents and stakeholders. This sign will also set the design standard for future signage changes at City facilities. The goals of this project include a final product that effectively: Identifies City Hall as a public location Engages the community throughout the design and planning process Incorporates modern design and branding elements Is managed to remain within budget Uses durable materials and quality construction that can be maintained in our climate with reasonable maintenance expenses C. Sign Designer Eligibility Please read the eligibility requirements over carefully before applying. All designers applying must meet the eligibility requirements. 1. Eligible Applicants Designers applying must be readily available during the timeline (see section F below). Designers must have experience in completing permanent monuments or signs that incorporate lighting. Designers must have completed at least one public or private signage project (managed by the applying designer) of $30,000 or more. For teams, this requirement only applies to one designer. 2. Other Desirable Experience The City encourages persons from all cultures and ethnic backgrounds to apply. Designers who have a strong knowledge of and experience in working in cities with diverse communities, including communities of color. Designers who have experience creating durable works in climates similar to Brooklyn Park. Designers with experience incorporating readerboards into designs. Designers with experience in sustainable energy practices, including solar power. 3. Ineligible Applicants Current City and EDA staff and elected officials Members of the City Hall Monument Sign Replacement Task Force 3
D. Compensation for Selected Design Services The selected designer/design team will submit a budget not to exceed $60,000 to cover design, materials, fabrication, and installation costs. This budget should cover any and all of the costs and expenses associated with fulfilling the Project Tasks outlined in section E below. A contract between the designer/design team and the City of Brooklyn Park or the Economic Development Authority or both will define stages of completion and a payment schedule. E. Project Tasks Designer/design teams will collaborate with the Project Task Force. The designer/design team s responsibilities include: 1. Developing and refining concepts and designs that reflect the City s branding elements. 2. Developing designs that comply with all applicable codes and functional requirements, are constructed of durable materials, and require little repair or reasonable maintenance. 3. Developing designs with elements that are secure and tamperproof. 4. Developing final drawings, models, presentation materials, and other visual and written items. 5. Presenting concepts and designs to the Project Task Force, community groups, and the City. 6. Providing documents for the purpose of City approvals. Installation of the sign must meet all licensing and permitting requirements. 7. Participating in an ongoing design review and modification process with input from the Project Task Force. 8. Providing ongoing updates to City staff. 9. Developing cost estimates and a final budget. 10. Developing a maintenance plan for the sign. 11. Fabricating the sign or overseeing fabrication by others. 12. Delivering and installing the sign in coordination with City staff. 13. Sub-contracting with professionals to provide all necessary engineering. 14. Providing signed engineering drawings for the sign, including mechanical and/or electrical portions of the work that are not part of overall construction project. 15. Carrying insurance coverage for the project that is acceptable to the City. 16. Work with staff and contractors to coordinate the installation within the overall construction budget and timeline. 17. Providing the City with all records, information, materials, and other work products, including, but not limited to the completed reports, drawings, plans, and specifications on all fabricators, subcontractors, and materials used, prepared, and developed in connection with the Project, which shall become the property of the City. Two-dimensional reproductions of the final work product in whole or in part may be retained by the designer/design team. 4
F. Desired Project Timeline April 19, 2016 April 28, 2016, 4:00 p.m. May 3, 2016, 3:00 p.m. May 8, 2016, 11:59 p.m. May 12, 2016 5:00 p.m. May 19, 2016 4:00 p.m. Mid-June 2016 End June 2016 July 2016 August 2016 September-November 2016* Call for Designers Distributed Deadline for Questions Posting of Answers Call for Designers Deadline Designer Selected Designer meets with Project Task Force to launch design process Designer presents at least 2 preliminary designs to Project Task Force Design concept finalization Community review and approval sought from City Council or Economic Development Authority, or both Procurement of engineering, materials, and construction Delivery, installation, and quality check of sign *Project end depending on weather; spring 2017 is alternate installation goal G. Application Due Date and Location The submittal shall be made at or before 11:59 P.M. (Central Daylight Time), May 8, 2016 Applications must be sent by email to BPSign@brooklynpark.org. Please note that this mailbox has a storage limit and you will need to email a link to your full application at a document storage website, such Dropbox or Adobe Send & Track. Applications must be emailed. Applications that are mailed, faxed, incomplete, or late may not be accepted. No telephone calls, please. Designers will be notified of Project Task Force decisions by email. H. Contact for More Information All questions regarding this project must be submitted in writing by email by April 28, 2016 at or before 4:00 p.m. to: Angelica Klebsch, Project Facilitator BPSign@brooklynpark.org 5
I. Application Format and Submission Materials Submit one PDF file in 8 ½ x 11 format that includes: 1. Cover Sheet: A completed copy of the attached cover sheet. 2. Narrative Description: A narrative description of your approach to the Scope of Services addressing the tasks defined in section E above. Include other commitments, time frames during which you would be unavailable and other limitations on your schedule. Indicate the types of deliverables that you would provide, including sketches, technical drawings, models, Power Points, and other visual and written products. Not to exceed two pages. 3. Experience and Capacity: The current resume(s) of all of the designers involved, including information on background and ability to conduct the tasks listed. Not to exceed two pages per designer. 4. Images Images of a maximum of ten recent projects that demonstrate that the designer/design team meets the eligibility criteria of completing permanent monuments or signs that incorporate lighting with budgets (managed by the applying designer/design team) of $30,000 or more. Images should be no smaller than ¼ page in size for maximum readability/image quality. Explanatory text should accompany each image but not be within the image itself. Please limit to one project and accompanying explanatory text per page, for a maximum of ten pages for ten work examples. 5. References: The names, addresses, and daytime phone numbers of three professional references from past projects. Send by email to BPSign@brooklynpark.org. Please note that this mailbox has a storage limit and you will need to email a link to your full application at a document storage website, such Dropbox or Adobe Send & Track. No submission materials will be returned. J. Designer Selection Criteria The criteria listed below will be used for evaluating designer/design team qualifications. 1. Portfolio of previous work: Is the designer s previous work modern and high quality in concept and construction? Does the designer have a significant or engaging body of work? Does the designer have experience collaborating with contractors and other professionals? 6
Does the designer have experience in comparable projects? 2. Understanding of community identity and place: Is the designer familiar with the community, setting, and characteristics, including history, identity, geography, and cultures? Has the designer s previous work been appropriate to the communities in which the work was carried out, their settings, and their characteristics? 3. Involve a broad range of people/communities: Does the designer have experience working with communities and diverse groups? Does the designer s previous work celebrate one or more cultural communities? 4. Quality and Sustainability: Is the designer s previous work durable, sustainable, secure, and technically feasible? Has the designer s previous work been within a timeline and budget? Is the designer able to work within the City s timeline and budget? Does the designer have experience creating maintenance plans? K. Selection Panel One of the roles of the Project Task Force is to interpret and review the designers previous experience based on the selection criteria. The Project Task Force includes the following representatives: 1. Project Sponsor 2. Project Manager 3. 2 City Council Members 4. 3 Additional City Staff with subject area expertise in planning, maintenance, and community engagement 5. 5 Brooklyn Park Residents 7
Call for Designers: Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Cover Sheet Designer #1 Name: Company (if any): Address: City/State/Zip: Phone: Alternate Phone: Email: Designer #2 (If team) Name: Company (if any): Address: City/State/Zip: Phone: Alternate Phone: Email: Enclosed are the following submission materials: 1) A maximum of 10 JPGs of recent work that best reflects the skills of the designer(s) involved in relation to the guidelines provided in this RFQ. 2) Narrative Description: A narrative description of approach to the Scope of Services. 3) Experience and Capacity: The current resume(s) of all designers involved. 4) Image List: A completed image list. 5) References: The names, addresses, and daytime phone numbers of three professional references. Applications must be sent by email to BPSign@brooklynpark.org. Please note that this mailbox has a storage limit and you will need to email a link to your full application at a document storage website, such Dropbox or Adobe Send & Track. I/We understand that the data we submit are being used to process the submission for which we are seeking to be selected. I/We are not legally required to provide this data, but we understand that the submission cannot be processed without it. The data is subject to classification by under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and will be available to governmental personnel, the Project Task Force, and elected officials whose access is necessary to perform their official duties and may be shared with the public or the media for informational purposes or as otherwise required by the Data Practices Act. Signature of Designer #1 Date Signature of Designer #2 Date 8