Due Date: May 31
CITY OF JOLIET, IL
Request for Proposals
City Square Sculpture
All communications related to this RFP must be in writing and directed to the following contact:
rheitner@joliet.gov. The deadline to submit questions via email is 2:00 PM, CST, on Tuesday, May 28,
Questions will be answered in the form of an addendum and posted on the City of Joliet’s website at the link below for the listed RFP #:
https://www.joliet.gov/bids
City Square Sculpture
Project Overview
The City of Joliet announces a request for proposals (RFP) for a signature sculpture installation at City Square, which is a new 1.3-acre urban park located within the 100 block of N. Chicago Street, directly across from the Rialto Square Theatre. City Square will be a catalytic transformation of underutilized, publicly owned space into a vibrant gathering place to the heart of downtown Joliet. We are seeking a unique sculpture that will act as a centerpiece to the City’s much anticipated public square. The sculpture should be reflective of Joliet’s culture and diversity.
Background Information
Downtown Joliet
Joliet is the third-largest city in Illinois, with approximately 150,000 residents. Joliet has long been a regional center, with the downtown being the chosen location for the Will County Courthouse and its subsequent replacements since the County was established in 1836. Multiple railroad lines, the Des Plaines River, and state highways have shaped downtown Joliet’s historical and physical development. As a result, downtown Joliet was and continues to be the “Crossroads of Mid-America.”
Downtown Joliet is a truly unique place with a tremendous amount of assets, including: rich heritage, solid architectural character, regionally significant uses, major entertainment and cultural attractions, and a vital rail and bus transportation network. The downtown is a tourism mecca and attracts regional, national, and international visitors traveling the Historic Route 66. America’s first national highway, the Lincoln Highway, which runs through downtown Joliet along Cass Street, crosses Route 66 at the intersection of Chicago Street and Cass Street. The downtown also includes entertainment venues such as the historic Rialto Theater, Forge Music Hall, Duly Health and Care Field, Joliet Area Historical Museum, Joliet Public Library, and coming soon, the upcoming Illinois Rock ‘n Roll Museum. Downtown Joliet has a very successful special events program, directed by the Joliet City Center Partnership, which draws thousands of visitors for events scattered throughout the year. Downtown Joliet is an urban place with a city’s size, scale, and character. New appeal, new attractions, and new investments are required that align with what people want from a downtown area. The characteristics of downtown Joliet make it an ideal candidate to be reinvented in a meaningful and impactful way to become a very successful authentic urban center for the southwest suburban region. With the completion of both the Chicago Street reconstruction and City Square projects, the Chicago Street corridor is poised to become once again one of the southwest suburban region’s most vibrant urban spaces, well-loved by the community, and a memorable destination for tourists.
City Square
City Square will transform an underutilized 1.3-acre, publicly owned space into a vibrant gathering area in the heart of Downtown Joliet along the historic Chicago Street corridor. The City Council approved conceptual design for City Square in September 2023 and this design includes a central green space, a main stage, “red carpet” pavement connecting the Square to the Rialto Square Theatre, a family gathering area with smaller stage, water features, unique lighting, seating nooks, and space for large–scale public art.
https://www.joliet.gov/citysquare for additional information and images.
Sculpture Requirements
Eligibility
The RFP is open on a national level to all professional sculptors. Interested artists should have demonstrated the capacity to create and install three-dimensional artworks that are innovative, unique, and highly visual.
Sculpture Design Specifications
The sculpture shall be installed at the location identified on Attachment B. The designated area for this sculpture is 20 feet wide in diameter. The City will install a 20-foot wide in diameter concrete pad upon which the sculpture will rest. The City will provide lighting to illuminate the sculpture. The City may have the ability to provide customized lighting for the winning design. Water will not be available at this designated location.
The proposed design shall meet the following specifications:
• The top of the sculpture may extend outside of the designated area; however, it shall not in anyway be closer than 10 feet from the Holiday Tree, the location of which is also shown on
Attachment B.
• The view of the sculpture must be dynamic from 360 degrees, both up close and from a distance.
• Due to its high visibility and easy public access, the sculpture must be fabricated with no
dangerous edges or protrusions, be inaccessible for climbing, and have a coating that protects it
from graffiti vandalism.
• The sculpture shall not include water features.
• All media and materials must be durable and suitable for Illinois’ variable climate (including salt
and ice melt).
The artist will need to work closely with the City of Joliet staff to further conceptualize the project,
including determining preparation of the site, lighting needs, structural capabilities, city code adherence,
and the method in which work will be installed.
Project Budget
The City’s budget for the sculpture is $200,000.00. The project and budget are all-inclusive of artist’s fees and materials including but not limited to, design; engineering; insurance; permits; fabrication; labor; recognition signage; shipping/storage; travel; and installation. Lighting and landscaping needs will be addressed by the City’s Public Works department.
RFP Submittal Requirements
Proposal Components
A complete Proposal Response must include the following ten (10) items:
– Submitter Information Page (see page 8 of this RFP)
– Resume/CV of Artist.
– Visual documentation of similar large-scale sculptures that have been created, designed, and
installed by the artist.
– Up to three (3) preliminary sketches of the proposed artwork.
– Artists’ statement based on preliminary sketches.
– Explanation of longevity/protective coatings of artwork and maintenance.
– Estimated budget (please provide proposed itemization for artist fee, materials, foundation,
signage, etc.) and materials anticipated to be used in creation.
– Estimated weight of the sculpture once finalized.
– Estimated time needed for fabrication of the sculpture.
– Proposed schedule of project financing.
Proposal responses shall be in English.
Submittal Information
Proposals must be received by the City of Joliet before 4:00 PM, CST, on Friday, May 31, 2024.
Respondents have two proposal submittal options:
Option 1: Proposal submitted via email in PDF format to Ray Heitner at rheitner@joliet.gov using the subject line: City Square Sculpture – RFP # 2802-1124
Option 2: Proposal submitted via USB drive by mail to Ray Heitner at the following address:
City of Joliet
Attn: City Square Sculpture – RFP # 2802-1124
Ray Heitner, Arts Commission Liaison
150 W. Jefferson Street
Joliet, IL 60432
The City of Joliet will not accept proposals received after the RFP submittal deadline. Neither the Arts
Commission Liaison nor the City of Joliet shall be held responsible for the non-opening of proposals not adequately addressed and identified in accordance with these instructions, except as otherwise provided by law.
The City of Joliet reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and has the right in its sole discretion to accept the proposals it considers the most favorable to the interests of the City of Joliet. In the event that all proposals have been rejected, the City further reserves the right to seek out new proposals when such procedure is deemed reasonable and in the best interest of the City of Joliet. The City of Joliet also reserves the right to terminate the selection process or project at any time without prior notice.
The City of Joliet shall not be liable for any expenses incurred by the applicant, including, but not limited to, expenses associated with the preparation of the submission, any meeting required during the selection process, presentations or interviews, preparation of the cost statement, or final contract negotiations. All responses to the Request for Proposals will become the property of the City of Joliet.
Addenda
Questions will be answered in the form of an addendum and emailed to all vendors registered on the
CONSULTING RSS feed on the City of Joliet website at:
https://www.joliet.gov/government/departments/finance/purchasing/bids-proposals/consulting
Therefore, although you can download these documents at the City of Joliet website, please be sure to register with the RSS to have the addendums emailed to you. Changes and clarifications posted in the form of addenda to the RFP may occur prior to the RFP submission deadline. These will be posted at:
https://www.joliet.gov/bids. Those submitting proposals have sole responsibility to seek, obtain and
properly consider Addendums. Acknowledgement that the Addendums have been reviewed shall be indicated on the Submitter Information Page.
Withdrawal of Proposals
A respondent may withdraw their submission before the final submission date by sending a written
notification of its withdrawal, signed by an agent authorized to represent the agency. In addition, the respondent may submit a new proposal submission before the final submission date or submit a sealed written modification or addition to the proposal submission before the final submission date. Offered changes in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered. Final proposal submissions cannot be changed or withdrawn after the time designated for receipt, except for modifications requested by the City of Joliet after the date of receipt and following oral presentations.
Confidentiality
The content of all proposals will be kept confidential until the finalists are publicly announced. At that time, only the selected finalist proposals will be open for review. After the award of the contract, all proposals will become public information.
Submittal Communications
All questions and communications related to this RFP must be in writing and directed to Ray Heitner, staff liaison to the Joliet Arts Commission, at (815) 724-3913 or by email at rheitner@joliet.gov.
RFP Evaluation and Sculpture Selection Process
Estimated Project Timeline
– Issue Call for Artists RFP: February 7, 2024
– Submittal Deadline: May 31, 2024, at 4:00 p.m., CST
– Proposal Review Completed: June 14, 2024
– Sub-Finalist Selection and Notification: June 21, 2024
– Public Input on Sub-Finalists (Online Review and Comments Open): July 1, 2024 – July 26, 2024
– Finalists Selected and Invited to Submit Formal Conceptual Proposal: August 2, 2024
– Formal Conceptual Proposals Due: September 6, 2024
– Artist Presentation to Arts Commission: September 18, 2024
– Formal Recommendation to the City Council from the full Arts Commission: October 16, 2024
– Mayor and City Council Discussion of Recommended Artist: November 4, 2024
– Mayor and City Council Approval (Artist Selection): November 4, 2024
– Fabrication: TBD
– Project Completion, Installation, and Unveiling: TBD
The City of Joliet reserves the right to amend the project timeline as deemed necessary.
Review and Selection Process
Members from the City of Joliet Arts Commission and City of Joliet staff will serve on the initial review committee to evaluate the submitted proposals.
The proposals will be reviewed and evaluated based on the following criteria:
– Artist’s consideration of and experience in the creation of large-scale sculptures as demonstrated by visual documentation and resume.
– Ability to understand sense of place and design in a context sensitive manner as demonstrated by visual documentation and artist statement in the preliminary designs.
– Willingness of the artist to consult and work with City of Joliet staff to integrate the work into the site and meet any construction requirements, schedules, and deadlines.
– Assurance that the sculpture is of a permanent nature and does not require extensive maintenance or repair costs.
– Sculpture design is innovative, unique, and highly visual.
Proposals that meet these criteria will be shared with the public for feedback through an online platform.
Finalists
The City will invite no more than five finalists to submit final renderings that will be shared with the public for feedback and through public meetings with the Joliet Arts Commission and City Council. A $2,000 honorarium will be paid to each of the finalists for the full conceptual proposals.
The site-specific conceptual proposals shall convey the artist’s ideas and plans through scale designs and renderings with a statement that describes, in detail, the artwork’s intent, proposed materials, installation methods, project schedule, and an itemized budget.
Artist’s Commissioned Work Agreement
The selected artist will enter into a two-party Agreement between the City of Joliet and the artist to
CITY OF JOLIET, IL
RFP # 2802-1124
https://www.joliet.gov/bids
RFP
Submittal Information
Proposals must be received by the City of Joliet before 4:00 PM, CST, on Friday, May 31, 2024.
Respondents have two proposal submittal options:
Option 1: Proposal submitted via email in PDF format to Ray Heitner at rheitner@joliet.gov using the subject line: City Square Sculpture – RFP # 2802-1124
Option 2: Proposal submitted via USB drive by mail to Ray Heitner at the following address:
City of Joliet
Attn: City Square Sculpture – RFP # 2802-1124
Ray Heitner, Arts Commission Liaison
150 W. Jefferson Street
Joliet, IL 60432
Confidentiality
The content of all proposals will be kept confidential until the finalists are publicly announced. At that time, only the selected finalist proposals will be open for review. After the award of the contract, all proposals will become public information.
Submittal Communications
All questions and communications related to this RFP must be in writing and directed to Ray Heitner, staff liaison to the Joliet Arts Commission, at (815) 724-3913 or by email at rheitner@joliet.gov.
RFP Evaluation and Sculpture Selection Process
Estimated Project Timeline
– Issue Call for Artists RFP: February 7, 2024
– Submittal Deadline: May 31, 2024, at 4:00 p.m., CST
– Proposal Review Completed: June 14, 2024
– Sub-Finalist Selection and Notification: June 21, 2024
– Public Input on Sub-Finalists (Online Review and Comments Open): July 1, 2024 – July 26, 2024
– Finalists Selected and Invited to Submit Formal Conceptual Proposal: August 2, 2024
– Formal Conceptual Proposals Due: September 6, 2024
– Artist Presentation to Arts Commission: September 18, 2024
– Formal Recommendation to the City Council from the full Arts Commission: October 16, 2024
– Mayor and City Council Discussion of Recommended Artist: November 4, 2024
– Mayor and City Council Approval (Artist Selection): November 4, 2024
– Fabrication: TBD
– Project Completion, Installation, and Unveiling: TBD
The City of Joliet reserves the right to amend the project timeline as deemed necessary.
Review and Selection Process
Members from the City of Joliet Arts Commission and City of Joliet staff will serve on the initial review committee to evaluate the submitted proposals.
The proposals will be reviewed and evaluated based on the following criteria:
– Artist’s consideration of and experience in the creation of large-scale sculptures as demonstrated by visual documentation and resume.
– Ability to understand sense of place and design in a context sensitive manner as demonstrated by
visual documentation and artist statement in the preliminary designs.
– Willingness of the artist to consult and work with City of Joliet staff to integrate the work into the
site and meet any construction requirements, schedules, and deadlines.
– Assurance that the sculpture is of a permanent nature and does not require extensive
maintenance or repair costs.
– Sculpture design is innovative, unique, and highly visual.
Proposals that meet these criteria will be shared with the public for feedback through an online platform.
Finalists
The City will invite no more than five finalists to submit final renderings that will be shared with the public for feedback and through public meetings with the Joliet Arts Commission and City Council. A $2,000 honorarium will be paid to each of the finalists for the full conceptual proposals.
The site-specific conceptual proposals shall convey the artist’s ideas and plans through scale designs and renderings with a statement that describes, in detail, the artwork’s intent, proposed materials, installation methods, project schedule, and an itemized budget.
Artist’s Commissioned Work Agreement
The selected artist will enter into a two-party Agreement between the City of Joliet and the artist to complete a transfer of ownership. The selected artist will be required to provide General Liability and other insurance as specified in the Agreement.
CITY SQUARE SCULPTURE | RFP #2802-1124