Request for Qualifications

PROFESSIONAL EXHIBIT / DESIGN-BUILD SERVICES FOR JIM CROW MUSEUM OF RACIST MEMORABILIA

RFQ BID #21-011

ISSUED February 2, 2021

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT 420 Oak Street, Big Rapids, MI 49307-2000 Phone 231 591-2165 Fax 231 591-3902 INDEX Request for Qualifications Information ...... 3 Request for Qualifications Timeline ...... 4 Request for Proposals Timeline ...... 4 Anticipated Project Schedule ...... 4 SECTION 1: GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1 - Purpose ...... 5 1.2 - Project Background & Information………………………………………………...... 5-6 1.3 - Project Budget……….………………………………………………………………… 6 1.4 - Project Scope..……….………………………………………………………………… 6-9 1.5 - Selection Process …………………………………………………………………….. 9-10 1.6 – Rejection of Responses ……………………………………………………………... . 10 1.7 – Incurring Costs …………………………………………………………………...... 10 1.8 – Inquires ……………………………………………………………………………… 10 1.9 – Changes in the RFQ ………………………………………………………………… . 10 1.10 – Attachments and Links ……………………………………………………………... 10 SECTION 2: INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING RFQ RESPONSE 2.1 – Obtaining RFQ Documents…………………………………………………………… 11 2.2 – Submit RFQ Responses To ...... 11 2.3 – Economy of Preparation ...... 11-12 2.4 – Format for Responses………………………………………………………………… 12

Professional Museum Exhibit Design/Build Services P21-009 – Jim Crow Museum 2 REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS INFORMATION PROJECT: Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia SERVICES REQUESTED: Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Design-Build Services PHASE OF SERVICES: Request for Qualifications ISSUED BY: Ferris State University Purchasing Office & Physical Plant PROJECT COORDINATOR: Joseph Haupt, Sr. Project Manager General Services Building 114C 111 W. Knollview Drive Big Rapids, MI. 49307 [email protected] Ph: 231-349-4742

PURCHASING CONTACT: Cindee Wilcox, Procurement Manager, Purchasing Office Prakken Building 250 420 Oak Street Big Rapids, MI. 49307 [email protected] Ph: 231-591-3900

SELECTION COMMITTEE: David Pilgrim Robert Murray Michael Hughes Cindee Wilcox Joseph Haupt Joel Smith Josh Spencer

RFQ BID NUMBER: Bid #21-011

Professional Museum Exhibit Design/Build Services P21-009 – Jim Crow Museum 3 REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) TIMELINE ISSUE DATE: Tuesday, February 2, 2021 RFQ DUE DATE: Tuesday, February 9, 2021 @ 2:00 PM FSU INTERNAL REVIEW: February 10, 2021 thru February 19, 2021 RFQ APPROVAL NOTIFICATION: Monday, February 22, 2021

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) TIMELINE ISSUE DATE: Tuesday, February 23, 2021 RFP DUE DATE: Tuesday, March 2, 2021 @ 2:00 PM INTERNAL REVIEW: March 3, 2021 thru March 15, 2021 SHORTLIST NOTIFICATION: Tuesday, March 16, 2021 SHORT LIST INTERVIEWS: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 ANTICIPATED AWARD: Tuesday, March 30, 2021

ANTICIPATED PROJECT SCHEDULE PHASE ONE –DESIGN/DESIGN-BUILD START: Monday, April 5, 2021 PHASE ONE –DESIGN/DESIGN-BUILD FINISH: Friday, December 31, 2021 PHASE TWO –DESIGN/DESIGN-BUILD START: Monday, January 3, 2022 PHASE TWO –DESIGN/DESIGN-BUILD FINISH: Friday, December 29, 2023

Note: Project finish dates are contingent upon construction authorization by Ferris State University Board of Trustees.

Professional Museum Exhibit Design/Build Services P21-009 – Jim Crow Museum 4 SECTION 1 – GENERAL INFORMATION SECTION 1.1 - PURPOSE: Ferris State University (FSU) is seeking responses from Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) to a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to provide museum exhibit design, development, construction documentation, and construction services for the following: • A new 10,000 square foot exhibition gallery to house the nationally acclaimed Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia on the Big Rapids campus of Ferris State University; • A new 3,000 to 4,000 square foot travelling exhibit which will mirror the storylines of the main exhibition gallery; and • A new publicly accessible 4,000 square foot archive with visible storage that allows the public to view artifacts in the archive while also protecting and preserving the items. SECTION 1.2 – PROJECT BACKGROUND & INFORMATION: The Jim Crow Museum is currently housed in the FLITE library on the Big Rapids campus. Originally composed of approximately 4,000 items consisting of photographs, objects, and printed material, the collection has grown to over 14,000 items. The collection consists of artifacts documenting the Jim Crow period from the 1870s to the 1960s. Several objects in the collection pre-date the Jim Crow period with origins as early as the 1830s. The Museum also collects contemporary objects depicting anti-black caricatures, such as objects made as recently as 2020.

The objectives of the Museum are as follows:

• Collect, exhibit, archive, and preserve objects and collections related to racial segregation, anti-black caricatures, civil rights, and African American achievement; • Promote the scholarly examination of historical and contemporary expressions of racism; • Serve as a teaching resource for Ferris State University courses which deal, directly or indirectly, with the issues of race and ethnicity; • Serve as an educational resource for scholars, teachers, government officials, police departments, and corporations at the state, national, and international levels; • Promote racial understanding and healing; and • Serve as a resource for civil rights and human rights organizations.

Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) interested in responding to this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) are required to tour the Jim Crow Museum virtually by visiting the museum’s website: https://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/.

The scope of work will be broken into two separate phases:

Professional Museum Exhibit Design/Build Services P21-009 – Jim Crow Museum 5 • Phase One will include the Development, Exhibit Design Development, Construction Documentation, and Cost Estimating phase. Throughout Phase One, the Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) selected will be required to conduct order of magnitude cost monitoring to ensure the project aspects stay within budget. • Phase Two will include construction/fabrication and installation. The construction work will be awarded after confirmation that the project scope and budget meet the University’s expectations and the completion of the building related design and construction documents by Neumann/Smith as well as the completion of the exhibit design documentation. It is the University’s intent to award the exhibit design, fabrication and installation to Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) selected through this RFQ & RFP process. Respondents must indicate how long they can maintain their proposal to complete the project. In the event the decision to proceed exceeds the time limit established by the Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) for maintaining their fee proposal, the University shall have the option of either negotiating with the Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) selected or otherwise soliciting competitive bids.

SECTION 1.3 – PROJECT BUDGET Construction Construction $ 11,026,540 Exhibit Construction, Design & Curation $ 1,250,000 Architecture/ $ 992,389 Sub-total Construction $ 13,268,929 Non-Construction Furnishings & Fixtures $ 1,300,000 Travelling Exhibit Development $ 500,000 Program/Staffing Ramp-up $ 480,000 Sub-total Non-Construction $ 2,280,000 TOTAL $ 15,548,929 Total project budget includes, but is not limited to, design, construction, testing & quality control, furniture, fixtures and equipment, contingency, owner soft costs and any other project related costs.

SECTION 1.4 – PROJECT SCOPE Ferris State University is pursuing the design and construction of a new 33,113 square foot Museum, Archive, and Research Center on its main campus in Big Rapids, Michigan to house, preserve, and share the expanding Jim Crow Museum collections, physically and

Professional Museum Exhibit Design/Build Services P21-009 – Jim Crow Museum 6 virtually. The new Center will create more accessible, engaging, and robust experiences for students, educators, researchers, and the public.

The University collaborated with Neumann/Smith Architecture and its engineering partner in developing a program and preliminary design (Attachment B). The preliminary design will form the basis upon which the design team will proceed in developing a final project design for the new facility. This plan has been approved and adopted by the University as the basic design solution. However, additional thematic areas will be incorporated. The preliminary design accompanies this RFQ for reference and orientation. The selected firm will be responsible for developing from these plan specific technologies, assemblies and finishes to complete the design of the Exhibit , Reflection Space, Visitor Recording Capture Space, and Artifact Storage Space. The Exhibit Space will include the story lines within the existing museum: Who and what is Jim Crow, Jim Crow Violence, Jim Crow and Anti-Black Imagery, Battling Jim Crow Imagery, Attacking Jim Crow Segregation, and Beyond Jim Crow. Additionally, the new Exhibit Space will include two new storylines: 1) Jim Crow and Civil Rights in Michigan, and 2) Racial Conciliation/Building a More Just Society.

The following mediums are being considered for the 10,000 square foot exhibition space within the new Center: • Dioramas and/or photomurals; • Audio/visual displays incorporating either flat screen technology or front screen projection utilizing closed circuit content; • Interactive computer displays/kiosks accessing digital archival content; • Secure, climate-controlled glass display cases with adjustable shelving; • Miniature and/or life size human and historical artifact reproductions; • Virtual/augmented reality experiences connecting visitors to digital archival content and narratives; and • Furniture and seating.

In addition to the exhibition space, the new Center will also include a 4,000 square foot archive space that will store a majority of the Jim Crow Museum’s 14,000-piece collection, comprised of 3D artifacts, photos, works of art, uniforms/clothing, postcards, books, and other one- dimensional items. Two collections of note, which were donated within the past three years, are the David Levinthal Collection and the Bruce Davidson Collection. The David Levinthal collection was donated to the museum in 2017. Valued at over $2 million, the collection contains 135 large- format photographs primarily from the artist’s acclaimed Blackface series but also

Professional Museum Exhibit Design/Build Services P21-009 – Jim Crow Museum 7 include works from his Barbie and Mein Kampf series. The Bruce Davidson Collection was donated to the museum in 2018. The collection contains 372 original photographs of iconic images, highlighted by those from the civil rights era. From 1961 to 1965, Davidson chronicled the demonstrations, protests, and social and political tumult that accompanied the fight against Jim Crow segregation. The donated collection includes these powerful images as well as heart-rending photographs of a poverty-stricken East Harlem neighborhood in the 1970s and the 1990s.

Specific items need to be stored in a secure and climate-controlled manner; however, all artifacts in the Collection must be accessible. The Jim Crow Museum envisions an archive with open, visible storage, which will allow group tours of the Collection. For items that require more secure storage, the Jim Crow Museum plans to provide digital access through touch-screen kiosks located in the facility.

Finally, as part of the Jim Crow Museum’s new five-year business plan, the organization plans to develop a large 3,000 to 4,000 square foot travelling exhibit which will be leased to , colleges/universities, libraries, and other public facilities around the United States. The travelling exhibit will include the same story lines as the Jim Crow Museum exhibition and incorporate technology to provide access to digital archives and educational materials to provide an engaging visitor experience. The travelling exhibit will allow the Jim Crow Museum to expand its reach across the United States.

Phase One (Projected Timeframe: April 5 - December 31, 2021)

As part of Phase One, the Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Design-Build firm(s) selected will be responsible for detailing all components of the final for the museum and will include the following: • Narrative Development: Facilitate narrative development with the Jim Crow Museum staff leading to completion of an outline and narrative description of museum and travelling exhibit elements, which details the visitor experience. • Exhibit Design: Design placements and arrangements of artifacts in the museum exhibition space, travelling exhibit, and archival storage for display, including appropriate means of mounting, environmental conditions for light and humidity sensitive objects, and general and artifact illumination. • Way-Finding Design: Provide way-finding design for the museum exhibition space and archival storage space as well as the travelling exhibit. • Didactic Display Design: Design didactic displays including composition of text developed with input from the Jim Crow Museum staff. • Didactic Panel Design: Provide for all didactic panels or wall-mounted graphics. • Coordination of Documents: Review of and coordination with Neumann/Smith general construction documents for the Museum, Archive, and Research Center. • Cost Management & Estimates: Provide ongoing order of magnitude cost management to ensure the project elements align with the budget. This should also include estimates for ongoing costs associated with technology selected. • Technology Plan: Develop a technology plan for the museum exhibition space,

Professional Museum Exhibit Design/Build Services P21-009 – Jim Crow Museum 8 travelling exhibit, and archival storage space which details the technology (e.g., audio visual, augmented/virtual reality, touchscreens/kiosks, software, hardware, mobile applications) proposed and how they incorporate into the narrative description of the visitor experience. • Packaging, Storage & Set-up Plan: Develop plan and instructions for packaging, storage, and setup of the travelling exhibit.

Neumann/Smith and their engineering partner will be responsible for general building related design and construction documents for the Museum, Archive, and Research Center, including architectural, electrical, mechanical components, which will be bid separately for construction by a general contractor.

Phase Two (Projected Timeframe: January 3, 2022 – December 29, 2023)

• Construction & Installation of Exhibits: The Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) will be responsible for construction and installation of all architectural, exhibition, electrical, technology, and mechanical components related to the proposed scope of work. Items not included in the general building related design and construction documents for the Museum, Archive, and Research Center (i.e., final connections to utility services/circuits provided through design by Neumann/Smith and the general construction package). All construction must be attractive, durable, and easy to maintain. • Traveling Exhibit Labeling & Packaging: The travelling exhibit must be packaged in durable travel cases and labelled in accordance with the plan and instructions developed in Phase One.

1.5 – SELECTION PROCESS Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) interested in participating in this RFQ process are required to submit the following: 1. One-page letter stating your firms interest in the project, and 2. Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) Statement of qualifications for review and consideration by AD-Hoc committee. At the conclusion of the evaluation of the RFQ’s, the Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) best suited for the project will be recommended to submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) associated with this project. Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) will be evaluated by the Ad Hoc Review Committee based on a set of weighted criteria as determined by the Committee. Criteria will include: • Request for qualifications received directly from Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) will be weighted

Professional Museum Exhibit Design/Build Services P21-009 – Jim Crow Museum 9 higher, based on their experience for this specific scope of work, than requests for qualifications received from Professional Service Organizations listing Professional Museum Exhibit Design/Design-Build firms as consultants. • Quality of Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) Statement of Interest • Quality of Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) Qualifications • Related Project Experience • Overall Quality of Proposal 1.6 – REJECTION OF RESPONSES The University reserves the right to reject any and/or all request for qualifications, in whole or in part, received as a result of this RFQ. 1.7 – INCURRING COSTS The University assumes no responsibility or liability for costs incurred by the Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) prior to the signing of any Contract resulting from this RFQ. 1.8 – INQUIRES Questions that arise as result of this RFQ shall be directed to: Cindee Wilcox, Procurement Manager or Joseph Haupt, Sr. Project Manager 231-591-3900 [email protected] 231-349-4742 [email protected] 1.9 – CHANGES IN THE RFQ In the event that it becomes necessary to amend any part of this RFQ, addenda will be provided to all Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) who receive the RFQ. 1.10 – ATTACHMENTS AND LINKS The following links/attachments have been provided for your information and to assist you with this RFQ: . Attachment “A”: FSU Campus Map: http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/ferrisfaq/maps/ . Attachment “B”: Neuman Smith – Jim Crow Museum - Concept Design Development - Dated 7-26-19

Professional Museum Exhibit Design/Build Services P21-009 – Jim Crow Museum 10 SECTION 2.0 – INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING RFQ RESPONSE SECTION 2.1 – OBTAINING RFQ DOCUMENTS Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) interested in this project can obtain RFQ documents from the Ferris State University Purchasing website at http://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/administration/purchase/openbids.htm SECTION 2.2 – SUBMIT RFQ RESPONSES TO To be considered, the Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) must submit a completed response to this RFQ. All responses to this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) should be submitted both electronically and physical as instructed below: Electronic submission: Responses to this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) require electronic submission through Ferris State University’s Page on Public Purchase: http://www.publicpurchase.com/gems/ferrisuniversity,mi/buyer/public/home Physical submission: All Responses to this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) require seven (7) physical copies be submitted, signed, and delivered to: RFQ# 21-011 Ferris State University Purchasing Department 420 Oak Street, PRK 250 Big Rapids, MI 49307-2020 No other distribution of Responses will be made by the Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s). Ferris State University reserves the right to reject any qualifications not submitted to the proper location or on the proper forms. Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) shall be solely responsible for the delivery of their Response; and, under no circumstances will a Response be given consideration if it is received after the said Due Date and Time if caused by a second party courier. The University will not disclose any information derived from proposals submitted or from discussions with other proposers, except as required under the Freedom of Information Act. Approval shall be made to responsible proposer(s) whose qualifications are determined to be the most advantageous to the University taking into consideration the evaluation factors set forth in the solicitation. Any information considered proprietary by the proposer shall be placed in a separate envelope and marked “Proprietary Information”. To the extent the University General Counsel concurs, this information will not be considered public information. The General

Professional Museum Exhibit Design/Build Services P21-009 – Jim Crow Museum 11 Counsel Office is the final authority as to the extent of material, which is considered confidential. Pricing information cannot be considered proprietary. SECTION 2.3 – ECONOMY OF PREPARATION Responses should be prepared simply, providing a straightforward, concise description of the Professional Museum Exhibit Design / Exhibit Design-Build / Exhibit Construction firm(s) ability to meet the requirements of this RFQ. Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity of content. SECTION 2.4 – FORMAT FOR RESPONSES Your qualifications should be submitted bound, tabbed, and labeled: Request for Qualifications Design/Design-Build Professional Exhibit Design/Design-Build Services Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia RFQ Bid #: 21-011

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