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ProfileAWARD PENDING

Call for Artists: Davis Avenue Bridge

Request for Proposal
City Planning
 93000000
Project ID:  2021-RFP-065
Release Date: Wednesday, December 22, 2021
 · Due Date: Monday, January 31, 2022 3:00pm 
Posted Wednesday, December 22, 2021 6:30pm
All dates & times in Eastern Time
  • Project Documents
  • Downloads
  • Addenda & Notices
  • Question & Answer
  • Results
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Instructions to Bidders
  • 3. Scope of Work
  • 4. Proposal Format Requirements
  • 5. Evaluation Phases
  • 6. Award and Contract
  • 7. General Terms & Conditions
  • 8. Miscellaneous Requirements
  • 9. Vendor Questionnaire
  • 10. Attachments
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Post Information

Posted At:
Wed, Dec 22, 2021 6:30 PM
Sealed Bid Process:
Yes (Bids Unsealed / Pricing Unsealed)
Private Bid:
No

1. Introduction

1. Summary

The City of Pittsburgh is soliciting qualifications of artists and artist teams to realize public artwork(s) as part of the design of the new Davis Avenue Bridge, anticipated in 2023. The community is looking for artwork(s) that celebrate the rebuilding of a bridge, originally constructed in 1898 and demolished in 2009. This project is made possible by the City of Pittsburgh’s Percent for Art Program. The budget is $30,000.

2. Contact Information

Joshua Lamonde
Sourcing Specialist
414 Grant Street
Suite 502
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (412) 255-0807

Department:
City Planning

3. Timeline

The following represents the tentative schedule for this project. Any change in the scheduled dates for the Pre Proposal Conference (if applicable), Deadline for Submission of Written Questions, or Proposal Submission Deadline will be advertised in the form of an addendum to this RFP. The schedule for the evaluation process and other future dates may be adjusted without notice.

RFP Released:
December 22, 2021
Artist Information Session 1 (Non-Mandatory):
January 14, 2022, 11:00am
Zoom link will be sent once Artist has RSVP'd.
Artist Information Session 2:
January 19, 2022, 5:00pm
Zoom link will be sent once Artist has RSVP'd.
Question Submission Deadline:
January 14, 2022, 3:00pm
Proposal Submission Deadline:
January 31, 2022, 3:00pm
Proposal Review and Supplier Scoring:
February 2022
Contract Award:
February 2022

2. Instructions to Bidders

1. Submittal Requirements

All proposals must be submitted electronically. No proposal shall be accepted in person, by U.S. Mail, by private courier service, via oral or email communication, telephone or fax transmission.

Respondents are required to provide one (1) electronic copy of their proposal in either MS Word or PDF by the submission deadline.

2. Additional submission considerations:

Late proposals will not be accepted or considered. Respondents should allow enough time to register company on the City's e-Procurement Portal, search the solicitation they wish to respond to and complete the submission process online before the deadline.

The City of Pittsburgh shall not be responsible for proposals delivered to a person or location other than that specified herein.

All submittals, whether selected or rejected, shall become the property of the City of Pittsburgh and will not be returned.

All costs associated with proposal preparation shall be borne by the applicant.

3. Scope of Work

1. About the Project

The Davis Avenue Bridge, previously demolished in 2009 due to deterioration of the structure and potential safety concerns of the original 1898 design, is to be rebuilt as a multi- use/pedestrian bridge to reconnect Brighton Heights to Riverview Park. The prior structure, which featured state of the art concepts and materials for its time and had been rehabbed in 1986, had finally exceeded its design life. The proposed bridge will seek to emulate its predecessor while embracing new technology to minimize construction costs and impacts the adjacent communities. For more information on the project, see Appendix A. For project design renderings, see Appendix B.

The selected applicant is expected to collaborate with the City of Pittsburgh to:

• Engage in a planning process including internal project design sessions, community planning meetings, and outside engagement as necessary for their strategic approach.

• Create a concept for the artwork that clearly demonstrates functionality and constructability.

• Outline methods of fabrication and installation for the artwork.

• Present a detailed proposal of the final design for approval by the project team and Art Commission.

• Manage the site prep, fabrication, and installation of the approved artwork by the project deadline.

• Draft the maintenance plan for the life of the artwork.

Artworks must be appropriate, accessible, and safe for all ages and ability levels. All artworks must comply with City safety and permitting regulations. The interventions should be created to last at least ten years. Projects that require ongoing maintenance (beyond routine cleaning and area upkeep) without a plan for this upkeep will not be given final approval.

2. Budget

The selected Applicant will be responsible for incorporating all relevant costs within the overall project budget, including but not limited to travel, administrative costs (such as shop or construction drawings), design development, fabrication, delivery, and installation of the artwork. The budget for the entire project is $30,000, and up to 20% ($6,000) may be allocated as an artist fee.

3. Eligibility and Criteria

All applications must be submitted by a lead artist. The lead artist may apply individually or with an artist team. If the lead artist is working with an artist team, all artist team members must provide a statement of interest in the project.

Lead artists must have successfully completed at least one prior project of significant impact and scale, and who have proven experience working collaboratively on project execution. Selected artists will be expected to fabricate their own work or directly subcontract for the fabrication.

Applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Aesthetic quality of previous work (30%)

• Experience working collaboratively (30%)

• Readiness to work in public space (30%)

• Quality and completeness of application materials (10%)

4. How to Apply

Please submit the following:

1. A narrative that is no more than 1500 words, including a statement of interest in the project and applicable experience.

2. Work samples. Up to 10 images or videos that display relative and representative experience with work similar to the scope of this project. For each work sample please provide the title of the project, location of the project, date when it was completed, the project budget, and list any collaborators if relevant.

3. An artist resume or CV.

4. The name, title, address, email address and phone numbers for three professional references.

Award will be based on previous work and experience. Proposals for specific artworks will not be reviewed at this time. The selected applicant will work closely with the City of Pittsburgh to develop the artwork.

5. Artist Information Sessions

PACD will hold two Artist Information Sessions, which interested applicants are invited to attend. These sessions will review the steps necessary to register and submit an application on the City's procurement platform, as well go over the scope and details of two public art projects: Davis Avenue Bridge and Arsenal Park. Artists will have the opportunity to participate in a live Q&A regarding the artist calls and the application process.

Artists should RSVP for one (or both) of the Information Sessions by clicking the white and blue "RSVP" button in the top left side of the screen when viewing the Solicitation.

Artist Information Session 1

Friday, January 14, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Artist Information Session 2

Wednesday, January 19, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

4. Proposal Format Requirements

1. Response Format

All submitted responses shall follow the formatting below, and all proposals will need to be provided electronically through the City's e-Procurement Portal. If hard copies of submissions are required, each numbered section shall be a removable tab. Document pages shall be 8-1/2 inches by 11 inches in size or folded to such a size.

A. Artist Narrative

Narrative that is no more than 1500 words, including a statement of interest in the project and applicable experience. All artist team members must sign the submitted narrative or provide a separate statement of interest.

B. Work Samples

Up to 10 images or videos that display relative and representative experience with work similar to the scope of this project. For each work sample please provide the title of the project, location of the project, date it was completed, the project budget, and list any collaborators if relevant.

C. Artist resume(s) or CV

D. References

Name, title, address, email address and phone numbers for three professional references

Failure to include all of the elements specified may be cause for rejection. Additional information may be provided, but should be succinct and relevant to the goals of this RFP. Excessive information will not be considered favorably.

5. Evaluation Phases

Selection Procedure

Your Proposal will be evaluated by a Proposal Committee comprised of the Director or other supervisor of the Using Department, one or more members of the Director’s staff, at least one member of the Office of Management & Budget and any other department representatives as deemed necessary.

Submittals will be reviewed for responsiveness, and responsive submittals will further be screened by a selection committee in accordance with the criteria listed below. The applicant(s) submitting the highest rated proposal may be invited for interviews.

  • 1. Aesthetic Quality of Previous Work

    Do the Applicant’s visual samples show an impactful creative viewpoint and the achievement of their stated artistic intentions?

    Scoring Method:
    Points Based
    Weight (Points):
    30  (30% of Total)
  • 2. Experience Working Collaboratively

    Has the Applicant successfully worked with others to achieve planned outcomes?

    Scoring Method:
    Points Based
    Weight (Points):
    30  (30% of Total)
  • 3. Readiness to Work In Public Space

    Do the Applicant’s previous work experiences indicate that the artist is poised to be successful at this public art opportunity?

    Scoring Method:
    Points Based
    Weight (Points):
    30  (30% of Total)
  • 4. Quality and Completeness of Application Materials

    Has the Applicant thoughtfully supplied all necessary materials?

    Scoring Method:
    Points Based
    Weight (Points):
    10  (10% of Total)

6. Award and Contract

1. Award

After the City has received all Proposals and conducted its initial Evaluation, described above, the Proposal Committee may invite one or more Respondents to a follow-up interview to further discuss their Proposal(s).

The Proposal Committee may decide to accept the Proposal of one or more Respondents. It may decide to reject all proposals. Once a Proposal is accepted, the contract negotiation process will commence. This RFP and your response to it, in the form of your entire Proposal, will become part of the Contract. If a real or apparent conflict should arise between this RFP/Proposal and other language contained in the final Contract, the language of the final Contract shall control.

2. Contracting Process

Successful Respondents will be required to enter into a Contract with the City of Pittsburgh, contingent upon the approval of City Council. This Contract will be directed and managed by the issuing department and the Office of Management & Budget.

Work cannot commence on the Scope of the RFP until a contract is fully executed. The City cannot process invoices nor approve payments until this Contract has been fully executed by the Respondent and all required City signatories, including the issuing department, the Law Department, and the City Controller.

City laws and policies mandate the incorporation of various custom terms and conditions into all City contracts. For this reason the City will not sign any standard contract proffered by the respondent.

An agreement shall not be binding or valid with the City unless and until it is fully executed by authorized representatives of the City and of the Proposer. Once the Contract is fully executed the City will notify Respondent in writing and give the order to proceed.

7. General Terms & Conditions

1. Examination of Proposal Documents

  1. The submission of a proposal shall be deemed a representation and certification by the Respondent that they:
    1. Have carefully read and fully understand the information that was provided by the City to serve as the basis for submission of the proposal.
    2. Have the capability to successfully undertake and complete the responsibilities and obligations of the proposal being submitted.
    3. Represent that all information contained in the proposal is true and correct.
    4. Did not, in any way, collude; conspire to agree, directly or indirectly, with any person, firm, corporation or other proposer in regard to the amount, terms or conditions of this proposal.
    5. Acknowledge that the City has the right to make any inquiry it deems appropriate to substantiate or supplement information supplied by a proposer, and proposer hereby grants the City permission to make these inquiries, and to provide any and all related documentation in a timely manner.
  2. No request for modification of the proposal shall be considered after its submission on the grounds that the proposer was not fully informed to any fact or condition.

2. RFP Term

Respondent’s proposal shall remain firm and effective, subject to the City’s review and approval, for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days from the closing date for the receipt of proposals.

The City may enter into negotiations with one or more Respondents during the one hundred twenty (120) day period during which all proposals will stay effective. The purpose of such negotiations will be to address questions and identify issues as the parties move towards the execution of a final contract or contracts.

3. RFP Communications

Unauthorized contact regarding this RFP with employees or officials of the City of Pittsburgh other than the RFP Coordinator named in the header section of this solicitation may result in disqualification from this procurement process.

Neither Respondent(s) nor any person acting on Respondent(s)’s behalf shall attempt to influence the outcome of the award by the offer, presentation or promise of gratuities, favors, or anything of value to any appointed or elected official or employee of the City of Pittsburgh, their families or staff members. All inquiries regarding the solicitation are to be directed to the designated RFP Coordinator. Outside of pertinent RFP questions directed to the City of Pittsburgh as specified above, any other attempts to contact any City of Pittsburgh personnel regarding this RFP, without prior approval by the RFP Coordinator will be considered grounds for dismissal and immediate disqualification from the RFP process. This includes, but is not limited to, all verbal, voice, text, e-mail, and social media (e.g. – LinkedIn) contact.

Please note the following:

  1. The City shall not be responsible for nor bound by any oral instructions, interpretations or explanations issued by the City or its representatives.
  2. Each proposer shall assume the risk of the method of dispatching any communication or proposal. •The RFP Coordinator must receive all written comments, including questions and requests for clarification, no later than the Deadline for Submission Questions listed in the tentative project schedule.
  3. The City reserves the right to determine, at its sole discretion, the appropriate and adequate responses to written comments, questions, and requests for clarification. The City’s official responses and other official communications pursuant to this RFP shall constitute an addendum of this RFP.
  4. The City will publish all official responses and communications pursuant to this RFP to the City of Pittsburgh procurement website. It is the responsibility of each proposer to check the site and incorporate all addenda into their response.
  5. All addenda for this RFP will be distributed via the City of Pittsburgh procurement website at procurement.pittsburghpa.gov/beacon/opportunities
  6. Only the City’s official, written responses and communications shall be considered binding with regard to this RFP.

4. Addenda/Clarifications

Should discrepancies or omissions be found in this RFP or should there be a need to clarify this RFP, questions or comments regarding this RFP must be put in writing and received by the RFP Coordinator within the Question and Answer tab.

5. Withdrawal of Proposals

A proposer may withdraw its proposal at any time before the expiration of the time for submission of proposals as provided in this RFP by delivering a written request for withdrawal signed by, or on behalf of, the proposer.

6. Public Record

Respondent, by submittal of a proposal, acknowledges that all proposals may be considered public information in accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Right to Know laws. Subject to award of this RFP, all or part of any submittal may be released to any person or firm who may request it. Therefore, proposers shall specify in their proposal response if any portion of their submittal should be treated as proprietary and not releasable as public information. Proposers should be aware that all such requests may be subject to legal review and challenge.

Any information considered proprietary should be indicated as such or not included in the response.

7. Non-Conforming Proposal

A proposal shall be prepared and submitted in accordance with the provisions of these RFP instructions and specifications. Any alteration, omission, addition, variance, or limitation of, from or to a proposal may be sufficient grounds for non-acceptance of the proposal, at the sole discretion of the City.

8. Disqualification

Factors such as, but not limited to, any of the following may be considered just cause to disqualify a proposal without further consideration:

  1. Evidence of collusion, directly or indirectly, among proposers in regard to the amount, terms or conditions of this proposal;
  2. Any attempt to improperly influence any member of the evaluation team;
  3. Existence of any lawsuit, unresolved contractual claim, or dispute between the proposer and the City; •Evidence of incorrect information submitted as part of the proposal;
  4. Evidence of proposer’s inability to successfully complete the responsibilities and obligation of the proposal; and
  5. Proposer’s default under any previous agreement with the City, which results in termination of the agreement.

9. Restrictions on Gifts & Activities

The City of Pittsburgh Ethics Code and Chapter 198 of the City Code (Code of Conduct) was established to promote public confidence in the proper operation of our local government. These resources outline the requirements for disclosure of interests and restricted activities as related to public procurement processes. Proposers are responsible to determine the applicability of these requirements to their activities and to comply with its requirements.

10. Rights of the City of Pittsburgh

This RFP does not commit the City to enter into a contract, nor does it obligate the City to pay for any costs incurred in preparation and submission of proposals or in anticipation of a contract.

The City reserves the right to:

  1. Reject any and all proposals;
  2. Issue subsequent Requests for Proposals;
  3. Cancel this RFP with or without issuing another RFP;
  4. Remedy technical errors in the Request for Proposals process;
  5. Approve or disapprove the use of particular sub-consultants;
  6. Make an award without further discussion of the submittal with the proposer (therefore, the proposal should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms that the firm or individual might propose);
  7. Meet with select proposers at any time to gather additional information;
  8. Make adjustments to the scope of services at any time if deemed by the Office of Management and Budget to be in the best interest of the City;
  9. Accept other than the lowest offer.
  10. Waive any informality, defect, non-responsiveness, or deviation from this RFP that is not material to the Respondent’s proposal;
  11. Reject the proposal of any Respondent who, in the City’s sole judgment, has been delinquent or unfaithful in the performance of any contract with the City;
  12. Reject the proposal of any Respondent who, in the City’s sole judgment, is financially or technically incapable of performing in accordance with this RFP;
  13. Negotiate with any, all, or none of the Offerors and to enter into an agreement with another Offeror in the event that the originally selected finalist defaults or fails to execute an agreement with the City.
  14. Award a contract to the firm(s) that presents the best qualifications and whose proposal best accomplishes the desired results; and/or
  15. Enter into an agreement with another proposer in the event the originally selected proposer defaults or fails to execute an agreement with the City.
  16. Require a performance bond and/or other “failure to deliver” agreement by the awardee at time of contracting.

8. Miscellaneous Requirements

1. Acknowledgements

  1. Conflict of Interest - By submission of a proposal to this solicitation, Respondent agrees that it presently has no interest and shall not have any interest, direct or indirect, which would conflict in any manner with the performance of the services required under this RFP.
  2. Code of Ethics - By submission of a proposal to this solicitation, Respondent agrees to abide by the Code of Ethics of The City of Pittsburgh. The full Ethics Handbook can be found here:http://pittsburghpa.gov/humanresources/files/policies/10_Ethics_Handbook.pdf
  3. Fair Trade Certification - By responding to this solicitation, the Respondent certifies that no attempt has been made, or will be made, by the Respondent to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a submission for the purpose of restricting competition.
  4. Non-Disclosure - By responding to this solicitation, the Respondent acknowledges they may be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement during the contracting process if they are the successful respondent.
  5. Debarment - This solicitation is also subject to Section 161.22 of the City of Pittsburgh Code related to debarment from bidding on and participating in City contracts.
  6. Financial Interest - No proposal shall be accepted from, or contract awarded to, any individual or firm in which any City employee, director, or official has a direct or indirect financial interest in violation of applicable City and State ethics rules. Entities that are legally related to each other or to a common entity which seek to submit separate and competing proposals must disclose the nature of their relatedness.
  7. Full Fee Disclosure - Pursuant to Section 161.36 of the Pittsburgh City Code, a Respondent must include a disclosure of any finder’s fees, fee splitting, firm affiliation or relationship with any broker-dealer, payments to consultants, lobbyists, or commissioned representatives or other contractual arrangements of the firm that could present a real or perceived conflict of interest.

9. Vendor Questionnaire

Please upload your Response to Scope detailed in Proposal Format Requirements

Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

  • Blank_Vendor_Contact_Sheet.pdf
*Response required

Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

  • Blank_Vendor_Registration_Form.pdf
*Response required

Provide the name, title, & email address of the authorized signor for your company (for details on who is considered an authorized signor, please look at our terms & conditions section)

*Response required

10. Attachments

  • A - Appendix A-Davis Avenue Bridge Fact Sheet
  • B - Appendix B-Davis Avenue Bridge Renderings