The selected artist/team will be a sub-contractor to the design-build contractor, not BART. Additionally this project will be on a very aggressive design & delivery schedule. Please see the full RFQ for more information: https://www.bart.gov/about/planning/art-program/projects

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

This RFQ is open only to artists or artist teams who meet the minimum eligibility requirements and are residents of the United States at the time of application, and for the duration of the implementation of the art elements of the project. All applicants must be U.S. citizens or have legal working status in the United States at the date of application and for the duration of the project. Applications will be accepted directly from artists or artist teams whose work is being submitted in response to this RFQ only. Applications submitted by third parties, such as galleries, art consultants or representatives, etc. will not be considered.

Bay Area artists, particularly those working or residing in the five counties served by BART, that meet the eligibility requirements set forth above and following are strongly encouraged to apply.

BACKGROUND & PROJECT SCOPE

A. Project Description

The future BART Police Headquarters, located at 2000 Broadway in Oakland, California, is in a prominent location of Uptown Oakland, adjacent to some of the most historic buildings in downtown, and is directly adjacent to BART 19th St station. The project is the renovation of an existing building, built in 1982, to accommodate a 21st century police department. The building will be reconfigured and renovated through a progressive design build process. The selected artist/team will be a contractor to the design-build team, not BART.

The BART Police Department (BART PD) endeavors to be the leader in innovative policing by establishing BART as the safest transit system in the nation. BART PD strives to ensure a safe environment within the transit system by increasing safety and reducing crime through highly visible sworn and civilian police presence, proactive enforcement of the law, and by partnering with BART’s stakeholders and communities to promote public confidence. BART PD believes in five core values: Integrity, Service, Accountability, Professionalism and Diversity. 

The BART Police Department has committed to progressive policing and community engagement models to better serve the BART District and its communities. BART PD uses sworn police officers and unarmed uniformed civilian personnel to provide a visible presence in the system to promote safety and security. Police officers, Crisis Intervention Specialists, Community Service Officers, Fare Inspection Officers, and Transit Ambassadors work as a team to increase the visibility of uniformed police personnel in the system, address crime, and help people by connecting those in need of social services.        

B. Scope of Art Project

The BART Art Program is seeking an artist or artist team to create original, architecturally integrated artwork for the facility. A selection panel of community and neighborhood representatives, arts and culture professionals, BART and BART Police representatives and civic leaders will be assembled to select and recommend an artist or artist team for this project. 

Several opportunities for art integration are under consideration, including street-level exterior hardening (e.g. artist designed metal panels), enhancement of the parking perimeter fencing, and creating elements on the building skin – including replacing existing architectural panels with ones that have been enhanced by an artist. This aspect of the art and design program is seen as an opportunity for a visual dialogue between the work and values of BART PD, the diverse community and area architecture. Additionally, opportunities may exist for the first-floor interior public spaces of the building that may more directly reflect the important work of the BART Police Department, and to create a space that is inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to all. There are minimal, if any, opportunities for stand-alone sculpture on the exterior or interior.

Maintenance & Durability: the project must consider the issues of long-term conservation and maintenance of public art, along with time and budget. These projects are in the public realm and may therefore be exposed to weather and physical stresses, as well as be subject to vandalism. Public art projects must be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials. The selected artist will be expected to consult with a professional conservator prior to the submission of a final proposal. 

After the project artist is selected, BART will contract with the artist with an up to $4,500 stipend (from the total project design fee) to initiate review of the project opportunities; implement initial collaboration with BART police staff to better understand the mission, values and outcomes of their work; and begin community outreach for the project in advance of the scope of work to be provided under contract to the design-build contractor team. The selected artist will work with BART to identify and to implement an appropriate engagement strategy as part of the initial design work.

Following this initial work, the artist will be contracted by the design-build contractor for the duration of the project to develop the art design, materials, and vendors, and integrate the artwork into the design-build project delivery. The BART Art Program Manager will be directly involved in all aspects of the development of the artwork in support of the artist and design-build team. 

PROJECT BUDGET

The maximum budget for the project will be $500,000 (inclusive of the $4,500 initial fee with BART described above) which will be allocated as an allowance in the design-build contractor agreement. Artist will have responsibility for developing artwork that is within budget in coordination with design-build contractor, identification of fabrication sub-contractors as needed, and specialty installers as necessary.  

Budget will cover:

Costs related to the artist’s design and project management fees, overhead, material samples, presentation materials, artwork fabrication, art transportation, delivery and installation of artwork, subcontractors including engineers, contingency, potential conservation review as required by BART, subcontracted laborers, project documentation, insurance, all applicable taxes, and all other costs associated with the project. All installation will be contracted through the design-build contractor or their identified sub-contractor(s). Artist’s proposed budget will be reviewed and approved by BART. Artist design and project management fee is expected to be approximately 15% of the overall budget, or as determined in coordination with BART and the design-build contractor.

ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATIONS

Geographic Eligibility

This RFQ is open only to professional visual artists or artist teams who meet the minimum eligibility requirements below and are residents of the United States at the time of application, and for the duration of the project. All applicant artists must be U.S. citizens or have legal working status in the United States at the date of application and for the duration of the project. 

Qualifications:

The program actively seeks to work with artists of all backgrounds and to inclusively engage the talents of historically underrepresented peoples.

This project is open to artists who have demonstrated experience in the successful design and delivery of artwork integrated to architectural elements of a project. Selected artists must be available to work collaboratively with project teams consisting of BART staff and BART Police, project architects, engineers, and trade sub-contractors, and community representatives. 

Applicants must demonstrate a history of professional activity as an artist and must demonstrate appropriate skills or experience in designing and managing an art project relative to the scale and complexity of the art project described above. 

Artist Teams: Two or more persons may apply together as a team however, a person with demonstrated history of professional activity as an artist must lead a team. You may not submit to be a member of more than one team, and if you are applying with a team, you may not apply as an individual (and vice versa) – one person/one application.

Qualifications used to evaluate the applications in the Artist Selection Process  are as follows:

Minimum Qualifications: 

-A minimum of five years of work as a practicing artist as evidenced by resume and professional recognition (awards, honors, exhibition record, etc.). 
-Demonstrated successful experience collaborating with design professionals as part of a team to deliver a comprehensive approach to integrating art and design. 
-Available to work collaboratively, both remotely and on-site in Oakland, California, with project teams consisting of BART staff, BART Police, project architects and engineers, and community representatives on the project schedule.
-Experience engaging communities to define objectives and inform scope of designs.
-Experience delivering designs/artwork that successfully integrates to a project of similar scale to the BPDHQ project. At least one project must have a fabrication and installation budget of $100,000. 
-Demonstrated ability to comply with project deadlines and budgets. 

Desired Qualifications:

-Past work that demonstrates the artist/team’s overall approach to making art and perceived ability to create artwork that would be relevant to the BPDHQ and the adjacent communities. 
-Experience developing and implementing projects with first responders or government agency as clients.
-Successful completion of at least three permanent, site-specific projects similar in scope to the work being considered for BPDHQ. 
-A minimum of 2 years of professional experience that illustrates the applicant’s ability to design and manage the project as required (i.e. past experience with public art projects, project management, public art administration, studio experience, related work skills or experience, etc). Desired skills may include budgeting, scheduling, communications with clients, and collaborating with third parties completing implementation, construction, or fabrication. 
-Past public art projects utilizing a variety of materials and methods with minimal long-term maintenance needs. 
-Aesthetic excellence in the design and execution of completed projects that shows a sensitivity to site integration (community, neighborhood, architecture, building function)
-Experience in identifying appropriate materials, fabricators, and suppliers for delivered projects.
-Additionally, BART seeks to develop a collection by a breadth of artists. Artists who have artwork already represented in the BART collection may apply for this project, however their prior inclusion in the collection will be noted during the jury review.