Open Forum

Hello!

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA will be tackling interpretive planning in the new year.  We will be seeking external support through this process.  If your organization has undertaken a similar process utilizing an RFP process to source an external service provider, we'd be most grateful if you'd be willing to share your RFP as a reference.

I can be reached at bergrenr@tmmc.org.

Thank you for your consideration,
Rachel 

-------------------------------------------
Rachel Bergren
Director, Education and Guest Experience
The Marine Mammal Center
Sausalito CA
-------------------------------------------

Dear Rachel,
There is a general resource on RFPs from the Journal of the National Association of Museum Exhibition (an AAM professional interest group) at http://name-aam.org/resources/exhibitionist/back-issues-and-online-archive 


Great question and I hope you get some good examples. It definitely helpful to read a few of them to determine what it is that you're looking for--someone to work with internal folks to develop the whole process from goals to installation or just design and design through what phase, etc.

-------------------------------------------
Jenny Sayre Ramberg
NAME Program Co-Chair
Dir. Planning & Design, Exhibits & Design
National Aquarium
Baltimore MD
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-06-2015 12:45 PM
From: Rachel Bergren
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Hello!

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA will be tackling interpretive planning in the new year.  We will be seeking external support through this process.  If your organization has undertaken a similar process utilizing an RFP process to source an external service provider, we'd be most grateful if you'd be willing to share your RFP as a reference.

I can be reached at bergrenr@tmmc.org.

Thank you for your consideration,
Rachel 

-------------------------------------------
Rachel Bergren
Director, Education and Guest Experience
The Marine Mammal Center
Sausalito CA
-------------------------------------------

Dear Rachel,

I've written numerous RFPs as a project management consultant and have an article in the RFP issue which Jenny Sayre referred to in her post. While I can't share specific RFPs with you (they are proprietary works for my clients), I can share some general terms and things to consider which can guide you:

1) Put the important information up front  

• List the due dates for items (such as the last date you'll accept questions, when the proposal is due,) 
• Who to contact for questions
• Where additional information can be obtained (e.g. on the museum website, other file server locations, etc.)
• In what format you want the proposal (usually X printed copies as well as a digital version)
• The maximum number of pages per submission, and the minimum type size which can be used (don't laugh, you'd be surprised what I get sometimes!)
• Where the proposal should be sent, as well as to whom it should be addressed
• The dates you'll be announcing a shortlist, conducting interviews, will make a final decision, and anything else relevant to your vendor selection process

2) Suggest prospective respondents to register their interest, and provide incentive for them to do so

• This lets you know if you have enough viable respondents to make the selection process productive or if you need to change something to entice more vendors
• Indicate you will be sending all questions, all answers, and all project updates solely to those who have registered 

2) Be extremely precise and clear  

• Don't just ask for information from comparable projects; list what makes them comparable.  For example, are you interested in the type of exhibit (such as artifact-based), and/or the size of the exhibit, and/or the budget for exhibit, and/or exhibits which have been done in the past X number of years?
• When asking for budget comps, list what you want the budget to cover so you get apples-to-apples figures for you to analyze.  It's helpful to know the cost of the exhibit design as well as everything that went into implementing it (such as case and interactive fabrication, media production and hardware, label writing and editing, image licensing fees, graphics production, installation, warranty, staff training, etc.).
• Ask the year the project opened.  (That way you can use inflation factors to compare budgets from different projects and different vendors to see if their experience is relevant to your project).

3) Include subjective questions on matters which are important to your institution and which reveal something about the vendor's philosophy or work habits

• If sustainable design is important to your institution, ask how the vendor operates a sustainable workplace themselves
• Find out what makes a project worthwhile to them (their answer reveals something about their working style)
• Ask what makes a project difficult for them (ditto)

4) Be a responsible partner in the process

• Meet the deadlines you've published, or send out an email to update registered respondents if things change
• Let firms know whether they've made the shortlist, or have been chosen to be interviewed.  It's rude not to let vendors know their proposal has been received or what their standing is.
• Don't make deadlines impossible to meet.  Factor in things such as conference and holiday schedules, sufficient time after the Q/A period has ended for them to write their proposals, and sufficient lead time to book flights after candidates have been alerted they will be interviewed.  Setting up the vendor selection process so it's convenient for your timetable but a sprint for theirs both shortchanges the quality of the input you'll get and lets them know you might be a very unreasonable client (which will affect their pricing structure).
• Understand the tremendous resources which go into writing proposals and be respectful to those who have chosen to invest those resources in your project.

Feel free to contact me offline if you have any questions or would like to hear more about the vendor selection process.

Cheers,

Barbara

-------------------------------------------
Barbara Punt
President
Punt Consulting Group
Redondo Beach CA
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-07-2015 09:00 AM
From: Jenny Sayre Ramberg
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Dear Rachel,
There is a general resource on RFPs from the Journal of the National Association of Museum Exhibition (an AAM professional interest group) at http://name-aam.org/resources/exhibitionist/back-issues-and-online-archive 


Great question and I hope you get some good examples. It definitely helpful to read a few of them to determine what it is that you're looking for--someone to work with internal folks to develop the whole process from goals to installation or just design and design through what phase, etc.

-------------------------------------------
Jenny Sayre Ramberg
NAME Program Co-Chair
Dir. Planning & Design, Exhibits & Design
National Aquarium
Baltimore MD
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-06-2015 12:45 PM
From: Rachel Bergren
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Hello!

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA will be tackling interpretive planning in the new year.  We will be seeking external support through this process.  If your organization has undertaken a similar process utilizing an RFP process to source an external service provider, we'd be most grateful if you'd be willing to share your RFP as a reference.

I can be reached at bergrenr@tmmc.org.

Thank you for your consideration,
Rachel 

-------------------------------------------
Rachel Bergren
Director, Education and Guest Experience
The Marine Mammal Center
Sausalito CA
-------------------------------------------

As someone who works for an organization that responds to RFP's, I can't thank you enough, Barbara, for all of the excellent guidelines you have shared. And I echo Jenny Sayre's advice to get the Exhibitionist RFP issue. Lots of good information for you there, Rachel.

All the best, Kathy

-------------------------------------------
Kathy Gustafson Hilton
Senior Developer
Hands On Inc.
Saint Petersburg FL
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-08-2015 02:57 PM
From: Barbara Punt
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Dear Rachel,

I've written numerous RFPs as a project management consultant and have an article in the RFP issue which Jenny Sayre referred to in her post. While I can't share specific RFPs with you (they are proprietary works for my clients), I can share some general terms and things to consider which can guide you:

1) Put the important information up front  

• List the due dates for items (such as the last date you'll accept questions, when the proposal is due,) 
• Who to contact for questions
• Where additional information can be obtained (e.g. on the museum website, other file server locations, etc.)
• In what format you want the proposal (usually X printed copies as well as a digital version)
• The maximum number of pages per submission, and the minimum type size which can be used (don't laugh, you'd be surprised what I get sometimes!)
• Where the proposal should be sent, as well as to whom it should be addressed
• The dates you'll be announcing a shortlist, conducting interviews, will make a final decision, and anything else relevant to your vendor selection process

2) Suggest prospective respondents to register their interest, and provide incentive for them to do so

• This lets you know if you have enough viable respondents to make the selection process productive or if you need to change something to entice more vendors
• Indicate you will be sending all questions, all answers, and all project updates solely to those who have registered 

2) Be extremely precise and clear  

• Don't just ask for information from comparable projects; list what makes them comparable.  For example, are you interested in the type of exhibit (such as artifact-based), and/or the size of the exhibit, and/or the budget for exhibit, and/or exhibits which have been done in the past X number of years?
• When asking for budget comps, list what you want the budget to cover so you get apples-to-apples figures for you to analyze.  It's helpful to know the cost of the exhibit design as well as everything that went into implementing it (such as case and interactive fabrication, media production and hardware, label writing and editing, image licensing fees, graphics production, installation, warranty, staff training, etc.).
• Ask the year the project opened.  (That way you can use inflation factors to compare budgets from different projects and different vendors to see if their experience is relevant to your project).

3) Include subjective questions on matters which are important to your institution and which reveal something about the vendor's philosophy or work habits

• If sustainable design is important to your institution, ask how the vendor operates a sustainable workplace themselves
• Find out what makes a project worthwhile to them (their answer reveals something about their working style)
• Ask what makes a project difficult for them (ditto)

4) Be a responsible partner in the process

• Meet the deadlines you've published, or send out an email to update registered respondents if things change
• Let firms know whether they've made the shortlist, or have been chosen to be interviewed.  It's rude not to let vendors know their proposal has been received or what their standing is.
• Don't make deadlines impossible to meet.  Factor in things such as conference and holiday schedules, sufficient time after the Q/A period has ended for them to write their proposals, and sufficient lead time to book flights after candidates have been alerted they will be interviewed.  Setting up the vendor selection process so it's convenient for your timetable but a sprint for theirs both shortchanges the quality of the input you'll get and lets them know you might be a very unreasonable client (which will affect their pricing structure).
• Understand the tremendous resources which go into writing proposals and be respectful to those who have chosen to invest those resources in your project.

Feel free to contact me offline if you have any questions or would like to hear more about the vendor selection process.

Cheers,

Barbara

-------------------------------------------
Barbara Punt
President
Punt Consulting Group
Redondo Beach CA
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-07-2015 09:00 AM
From: Jenny Sayre Ramberg
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Dear Rachel,
There is a general resource on RFPs from the Journal of the National Association of Museum Exhibition (an AAM professional interest group) at http://name-aam.org/resources/exhibitionist/back-issues-and-online-archive 


Great question and I hope you get some good examples. It definitely helpful to read a few of them to determine what it is that you're looking for--someone to work with internal folks to develop the whole process from goals to installation or just design and design through what phase, etc.

-------------------------------------------
Jenny Sayre Ramberg
NAME Program Co-Chair
Dir. Planning & Design, Exhibits & Design
National Aquarium
Baltimore MD
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-06-2015 12:45 PM
From: Rachel Bergren
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Hello!

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA will be tackling interpretive planning in the new year.  We will be seeking external support through this process.  If your organization has undertaken a similar process utilizing an RFP process to source an external service provider, we'd be most grateful if you'd be willing to share your RFP as a reference.

I can be reached at bergrenr@tmmc.org.

Thank you for your consideration,
Rachel 

-------------------------------------------
Rachel Bergren
Director, Education and Guest Experience
The Marine Mammal Center
Sausalito CA
-------------------------------------------

Dear Colleagues,

The Valdez Museum is beginning a facilty planning phase and one of our first tasks is to recruit a Master Interpretive Planner.  We too would be most grateful if anyone would be interested in sharing your RFP as reference.

-------------------------------------------
Patricia Relay
Executive Director
Valdez Museum & Historical Archive
Valdez AK
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-06-2015 12:45 PM
From: Rachel Bergren
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Hello!

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA will be tackling interpretive planning in the new year.  We will be seeking external support through this process.  If your organization has undertaken a similar process utilizing an RFP process to source an external service provider, we'd be most grateful if you'd be willing to share your RFP as a reference.

I can be reached at bergrenr@tmmc.org.

Thank you for your consideration,
Rachel 

-------------------------------------------
Rachel Bergren
Director, Education and Guest Experience
The Marine Mammal Center
Sausalito CA
-------------------------------------------

Well, you got a bunch of strong responses!  Another way to approach the whole thing, which is easier for everyone and I think more likely to result in meaningful working relationships is to create a list of 5 or so potential people/firms who fit the bill. You can create that list with an open call for qualifications (requesting company information, list of previous clients, already existing marketing material).  Then invite them for a conversation with your team, ideally f2f, but remotely is workable if necessary.  The conversation can be as structured or open ended as your team wants it to be.

I guarantee that you will glean richer and more useful information than you would from a 30 page RFP response.  Particularly in the creative services that you are asking about, face to face discussions are essential.  The atmospherics will turn out to be as important as the documented differences between firms (assuming some high base level of experience, like you would get from the respondents to these questions.)  

This is the system NYSCI employs, which we call "falling in love."  It has worked pretty well for the past several projects, though not perfectly (just like falling in love!)

If, for funding reasons or internal policies, you need three bids, then after these discussions you will have a better sense of the scope of work and can send a more concrete bidding document to three vendors who know they have a hope of getting the gig since they know they are already on a short list.

-------------------------------------------
Eric Siegel
Director & Chief Content Officer
New York Hall of Science
Queens NY
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-07-2015 01:51 PM
From: Patricia Relay
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Dear Colleagues,

The Valdez Museum is beginning a facilty planning phase and one of our first tasks is to recruit a Master Interpretive Planner.  We too would be most grateful if anyone would be interested in sharing your RFP as reference.

-------------------------------------------
Patricia Relay
Executive Director
Valdez Museum & Historical Archive
Valdez AK
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-06-2015 12:45 PM
From: Rachel Bergren
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Hello!

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA will be tackling interpretive planning in the new year.  We will be seeking external support through this process.  If your organization has undertaken a similar process utilizing an RFP process to source an external service provider, we'd be most grateful if you'd be willing to share your RFP as a reference.

I can be reached at bergrenr@tmmc.org.

Thank you for your consideration,
Rachel 

-------------------------------------------
Rachel Bergren
Director, Education and Guest Experience
The Marine Mammal Center
Sausalito CA
-------------------------------------------

What an interesting coincidence, Eric! We advocate for something similar and call it, "dating." Really gives both parties a chance to get to know one another and their work styles and fall in love with each other's thinking.  We think it is a great idea before agreeing to do a project together, which is kind of like getting married!
-------------------------------------------
Kathy Gustafson Hilton
Senior Developer
Hands On Inc.
Saint Petersburg FL
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-12-2015 09:12 AM
From: Eric Siegel
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Well, you got a bunch of strong responses!  Another way to approach the whole thing, which is easier for everyone and I think more likely to result in meaningful working relationships is to create a list of 5 or so potential people/firms who fit the bill. You can create that list with an open call for qualifications (requesting company information, list of previous clients, already existing marketing material).  Then invite them for a conversation with your team, ideally f2f, but remotely is workable if necessary.  The conversation can be as structured or open ended as your team wants it to be.

I guarantee that you will glean richer and more useful information than you would from a 30 page RFP response.  Particularly in the creative services that you are asking about, face to face discussions are essential.  The atmospherics will turn out to be as important as the documented differences between firms (assuming some high base level of experience, like you would get from the respondents to these questions.)  

This is the system NYSCI employs, which we call "falling in love."  It has worked pretty well for the past several projects, though not perfectly (just like falling in love!)

If, for funding reasons or internal policies, you need three bids, then after these discussions you will have a better sense of the scope of work and can send a more concrete bidding document to three vendors who know they have a hope of getting the gig since they know they are already on a short list.

-------------------------------------------
Eric Siegel
Director & Chief Content Officer
New York Hall of Science
Queens NY
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-07-2015 01:51 PM
From: Patricia Relay
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Dear Colleagues,

The Valdez Museum is beginning a facilty planning phase and one of our first tasks is to recruit a Master Interpretive Planner.  We too would be most grateful if anyone would be interested in sharing your RFP as reference.

-------------------------------------------
Patricia Relay
Executive Director
Valdez Museum & Historical Archive
Valdez AK
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-06-2015 12:45 PM
From: Rachel Bergren
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Hello!

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA will be tackling interpretive planning in the new year.  We will be seeking external support through this process.  If your organization has undertaken a similar process utilizing an RFP process to source an external service provider, we'd be most grateful if you'd be willing to share your RFP as a reference.

I can be reached at bergrenr@tmmc.org.

Thank you for your consideration,
Rachel 

-------------------------------------------
Rachel Bergren
Director, Education and Guest Experience
The Marine Mammal Center
Sausalito CA
-------------------------------------------

I suggest adding three important points to Barbara's great list:

Do NOT send out an RFP unless you have both the money and the authority in hand to award the bid. If you are seeking an RFP response in order to raise $$ or get the permission to proceed, then you must disclose that to the proposers, as you may be wasting their time. I can't tell you how furious we have been at museums who have wasted thousands of hours of vendor time on such snipe hunts. Conversely, it is OK to do RFQs pre-funding and permissions, as they do not take as much time and are part of routine marketing.

Unless you are very specific about scope (which no one is able to be on creative work), please include your budget limit, unless the sky is the only limit (it never is). We see many RFPs that ask for the moon but that balk at giving budgets, claiming "we want to see what comes in." BAH! This is a lose/lose game: If we waste our time (and yours) pricing the moon, we lose the bid; if we get creative and redefine the scope to a low cost, then you don't get what may be important to you.

On a larger point, I think RFPs are a horrible way to select creative and interpretive services. No other popular medium selects its talents using RFPs -- Hollywood, music, game design, magazines and publishing, TV, sports, etc. use different selection methods. Museums do it because we are trapped in bureaucracy from a legacy of governmental restrictions and/or under the illusion that RFPs are more fair and save us money -- neither of which are true. But this point is controversial and deserves fuller analysis in more peer-reviewed contexts.

-------------------------------------------
John Jacobsen
CEO
White Oak
Marblehead MA
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-06-2015 12:45 PM
From: Rachel Bergren
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Hello!

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA will be tackling interpretive planning in the new year.  We will be seeking external support through this process.  If your organization has undertaken a similar process utilizing an RFP process to source an external service provider, we'd be most grateful if you'd be willing to share your RFP as a reference.

I can be reached at bergrenr@tmmc.org.

Thank you for your consideration,
Rachel 

-------------------------------------------
Rachel Bergren
Director, Education and Guest Experience
The Marine Mammal Center
Sausalito CA
-------------------------------------------

I found Barbara's and John's comments so on target. Responding to an RFP with no guidelines for budget is totally a lose/lose proposition. Either you go too high trying to be creative, or you bid too low and appear incompetent. It may be difficult for exhibit or program developers to budget for evaluation of a project, but think how difficult it is to propose meaningful outcomes analysis with no knowledge of available resources. This resembles a phishing expedition rather than a well thought out approach. ------------------------------------------- Ellen Giusti Independent Consultant New York NY -------------------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 01-10-2015 09:08 AM From: John Jacobsen Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services? I suggest adding three important points to Barbara's great list: Do NOT send out an RFP unless you have both the money and the authority in hand to award the bid. If you are seeking an RFP response in order to raise $$ or get the permission to proceed, then you must disclose that to the proposers, as you may be wasting their time. I can't tell you how furious we have been at museums who have wasted thousands of hours of vendor time on such snipe hunts. Conversely, it is OK to do RFQs pre-funding and permissions, as they do not take as much time and are part of routine marketing. Unless you are very specific about scope (which no one is able to be on creative work), please include your budget limit, unless the sky is the only limit (it never is). We see many RFPs that ask for the moon but that balk at giving budgets, claiming "we want to see what comes in." BAH! This is a lose/lose game: If we waste our time (and yours) pricing the moon, we lose the bid; if we get creative and redefine the scope to a low cost, then you don't get what may be important to you. On a larger point, I think RFPs are a horrible way to select creative and interpretive services. No other popular medium selects its talents using RFPs -- Hollywood, music, game design, magazines and publishing, TV, sports, etc. use different selection methods. Museums do it because we are trapped in bureaucracy from a legacy of governmental restrictions and/or under the illusion that RFPs are more fair and save us money -- neither of which are true. But this point is controversial and deserves fuller analysis in more peer-reviewed contexts. ------------------------------------------- John Jacobsen CEO White Oak Marblehead MA -------------------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 01-06-2015 12:45 PM From: Rachel Bergren Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services? Hello! The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA will be tackling interpretive planning in the new year. We will be seeking external support through this process. If your organization has undertaken a similar process utilizing an RFP process to source an external service provider, we'd be most grateful if you'd be willing to share your RFP as a reference. I can be reached at bergrenr@tmmc.org. Thank you for your consideration, Rachel ------------------------------------------- Rachel Bergren Director, Education and Guest Experience The Marine Mammal Center Sausalito CA -------------------------------------------

Hi Ellen,

Thanks for the compliment!  Hope you are doing well.  Happy new year to you,
Barbara

-------------------------------------------
Barbara Punt
President
Punt Consulting Group
Redondo Beach CA
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-11-2015 10:35 AM
From: Ellen Giusti
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

I found Barbara's and John's comments so on target. Responding to an RFP with no guidelines for budget is totally a lose/lose proposition. Either you go too high trying to be creative, or you bid too low and appear incompetent. It may be difficult for exhibit or program developers to budget for evaluation of a project, but think how difficult it is to propose meaningful outcomes analysis with no knowledge of available resources. This resembles a phishing expedition rather than a well thought out approach.

-------------------------------------------
Ellen Giusti
Independent Consultant
New York NY
-------------------------------------------

We started our exhibit replacement project with an RFQ getting company names from the AAM on-line directory. Of the 30 companies I sent RFQ requests, 13 responded. I sent RFPs to those and eventually (through a scoring rubric) selected five companies. Through a grant, those five companies were paid a specific fee and they came in (from across the country) to present their vision for the new exhibits. The finalist company was selected by vote by the selection committee. We expect our new exhibits to be installed over the summer and a fall opening.

-------------------------------------------
Alan Goldstein
Interpretive Naturalist
Falls of The Ohio State Park Interpretive Center
Clarksville IN
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-10-2015 09:08 AM
From: John Jacobsen
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

I suggest adding three important points to Barbara's great list:

Do NOT send out an RFP unless you have both the money and the authority in hand to award the bid. If you are seeking an RFP response in order to raise $$ or get the permission to proceed, then you must disclose that to the proposers, as you may be wasting their time. I can't tell you how furious we have been at museums who have wasted thousands of hours of vendor time on such snipe hunts. Conversely, it is OK to do RFQs pre-funding and permissions, as they do not take as much time and are part of routine marketing.

Unless you are very specific about scope (which no one is able to be on creative work), please include your budget limit, unless the sky is the only limit (it never is). We see many RFPs that ask for the moon but that balk at giving budgets, claiming "we want to see what comes in." BAH! This is a lose/lose game: If we waste our time (and yours) pricing the moon, we lose the bid; if we get creative and redefine the scope to a low cost, then you don't get what may be important to you.

On a larger point, I think RFPs are a horrible way to select creative and interpretive services. No other popular medium selects its talents using RFPs -- Hollywood, music, game design, magazines and publishing, TV, sports, etc. use different selection methods. Museums do it because we are trapped in bureaucracy from a legacy of governmental restrictions and/or under the illusion that RFPs are more fair and save us money -- neither of which are true. But this point is controversial and deserves fuller analysis in more peer-reviewed contexts.

-------------------------------------------
John Jacobsen
CEO
White Oak
Marblehead MA
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-06-2015 12:45 PM
From: Rachel Bergren
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Hello!

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA will be tackling interpretive planning in the new year.  We will be seeking external support through this process.  If your organization has undertaken a similar process utilizing an RFP process to source an external service provider, we'd be most grateful if you'd be willing to share your RFP as a reference.

I can be reached at bergrenr@tmmc.org.

Thank you for your consideration,
Rachel 

-------------------------------------------
Rachel Bergren
Director, Education and Guest Experience
The Marine Mammal Center
Sausalito CA
-------------------------------------------

Alan,

The process you described below sounds both productive and fair.  Kudos to getting it right and being able to pay firms to see you (instead of them paying for their time and travel on spec).

Many thanks to John, Eric, and Kathy, and everyone else for adding good suggestions to a growing list.  I hope others contribute to the cause!  As John pointed out, some funding sources require this process and it behooves us al to make it a useful one and not just another box to check off on a form.

Cheers,
Barbara

-------------------------------------------
Barbara Punt
President
Punt Consulting Group
Redondo Beach CA
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-12-2015 03:03 PM
From: Alan Goldstein
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

We started our exhibit replacement project with an RFQ getting company names from the AAM on-line directory. Of the 30 companies I sent RFQ requests, 13 responded. I sent RFPs to those and eventually (through a scoring rubric) selected five companies. Through a grant, those five companies were paid a specific fee and they came in (from across the country) to present their vision for the new exhibits. The finalist company was selected by vote by the selection committee. We expect our new exhibits to be installed over the summer and a fall opening.

-------------------------------------------
Alan Goldstein
Interpretive Naturalist
Falls of The Ohio State Park Interpretive Center
Clarksville IN
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-10-2015 09:08 AM
From: John Jacobsen
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

I suggest adding three important points to Barbara's great list:

Do NOT send out an RFP unless you have both the money and the authority in hand to award the bid. If you are seeking an RFP response in order to raise $$ or get the permission to proceed, then you must disclose that to the proposers, as you may be wasting their time. I can't tell you how furious we have been at museums who have wasted thousands of hours of vendor time on such snipe hunts. Conversely, it is OK to do RFQs pre-funding and permissions, as they do not take as much time and are part of routine marketing.

Unless you are very specific about scope (which no one is able to be on creative work), please include your budget limit, unless the sky is the only limit (it never is). We see many RFPs that ask for the moon but that balk at giving budgets, claiming "we want to see what comes in." BAH! This is a lose/lose game: If we waste our time (and yours) pricing the moon, we lose the bid; if we get creative and redefine the scope to a low cost, then you don't get what may be important to you.

On a larger point, I think RFPs are a horrible way to select creative and interpretive services. No other popular medium selects its talents using RFPs -- Hollywood, music, game design, magazines and publishing, TV, sports, etc. use different selection methods. Museums do it because we are trapped in bureaucracy from a legacy of governmental restrictions and/or under the illusion that RFPs are more fair and save us money -- neither of which are true. But this point is controversial and deserves fuller analysis in more peer-reviewed contexts.

-------------------------------------------
John Jacobsen
CEO
White Oak
Marblehead MA
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-06-2015 12:45 PM
From: Rachel Bergren
Subject: Sample RFPs for interpretive design services?

Hello!

The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA will be tackling interpretive planning in the new year.  We will be seeking external support through this process.  If your organization has undertaken a similar process utilizing an RFP process to source an external service provider, we'd be most grateful if you'd be willing to share your RFP as a reference.

I can be reached at bergrenr@tmmc.org.

Thank you for your consideration,
Rachel 

-------------------------------------------
Rachel Bergren
Director, Education and Guest Experience
The Marine Mammal Center
Sausalito CA
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