RFP
RFP Shaping Legacy Community Engagement Consultant
SFAC is seeking five Community Engagement Consultants that will work under the supervision of the Monuments and Memorials Program Manager to plan and lead the community engagement and artists activations for selected case studies as part of the project Shaping Legacy: San Francisco Monuments and Memorials.
Project Overview
RFP is issued by the City: December 13, 2024
Deadline for questions: January 23, 2025
Proposals due: January 27, 2025, by 12:00 p.m.
Consultant selection and award notification: Anticipated by February 3, 2025
Protest period end: 5 business days after award notification
Projects begin: March 1, 2025
Term: March 2025 to March 2026 (12 months)
Budget: $91,000
Project Description
Organizational Overview
The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is a local government agency that champions the arts as essential to daily life by investing in a vibrant arts community, enlivening the urban environment and shaping innovative cultural policy. SFAC commits to addressing the systemic inequities within our agency, the City and County of San Francisco and the broader arts and culture sector. Since the toppling and removal of public statues in 2020 in relation to their racist and colonial histories, SFAC began an intentional assessment of commemorative works in our Civic Art Collection through the Monuments and Memorials Advisory Committee (MMAC). The formation of the MMAC was a critical intervention in how we needed to re-imagine the monuments and memorials in the Civic Art Collection.
The MMAC process and Final Report recommends that San Francisco actively work with diverse communities to reimagine monuments and memorials through the development of public engagement opportunities that build awareness and explore the creation of new temporary arts projects that explore the possibilities of what future commemorative art may look like in San Francisco.
In January 2024, SFAC launched the Shaping Legacy initiative, a multi-year grant-funded commitment to critically examine the monuments and memorials in San Francisco’s Civic Art collection. Key outcomes of the initiative are to:
- Engage communities that have historically been excluded from discussions;
- Create opportunities for artist-led activations in public space and support temporary installations that reimagine future monuments and memorials in our city;
- Produce an Equity Audit report of the existing Monuments & Memorials in the Civic Art Collection.
Proposal Overview
SFAC is seeking five Community Engagement Consultants that will work under the supervision of the Monuments and Memorials Program Manager to plan and lead the community engagement and artists activations for selected case studies as part of the project Shaping Legacy: San Francisco Monuments and Memorials.
The selected consultants will be responsible for working with SFAC, artists and community members to develop detailed plans for community engagement gatherings and activities that support the activation and discussion of narratives and histories that should be included in existing and new monuments that represent San Francisco.
The Shaping Legacy project is guided by SFAC’s agency-wide racial equity commitment of creating a city where all artists and cultural workers have the freedom, resources and platform to share their stories, art and culture and where race does not predetermine one’s success in life. This work requires that we focus on race as we confront inequities of the past, reveal inequities of the present and develop effective strategies to move all of us towards an equitable future.
Key components of the Community Engagement will include:
- Repair & Reckoning: Publicly acknowledge pain that monuments and memorials imposed on communities and confront the complexities through a trauma informed lens.
- Education & Awareness: Outreach and engagement that will build more understanding of what the Civic Art Collection is and how community can participate in the process.
- Representation & Power: Engage underrepresented communities and general public to reimagine what monuments and memorials can do and be.
Shaping Legacy Grounding Principles in action:
- POWER - Actively work to rectify the power imbalance embodied through monuments and memorials that have caused harm and disempowerment to communities that have been gentrified, historically marginalized and underrepresented, people of color, and the American Indian and African American communities.
- COMPLEXITY - Surface truth and create space for the complexity of many perspectives of histories through honest, rigorous, and corrective history.
- JUSTICE - Intentionally create opportunities for historically oppressed groups to tell their stories from their perspectives.
- REPRESENTATION – Involve diverse communities in processes related to monuments and memorials.
Case Studies Overview
The Consultant’s community engagement plan should apply the findings, research and analysis from the Monuments & Memorials Advisory Committee’s Final Report (May 2023) and the Shaping Legacy Equity Audit Report (March 2025) and be guided by the Shaping Legacy engagement and storytelling methodology (outlined below).
Engagement & Storytelling
Reflecting on the past:
- What stories does this monument tell? What stories are missing?
- What are the untold stories and histories of this place?
Visioning for the future:
- What does the community need to bring healing to this place?
- What stories about your neighborhoods or communities are most important to you?
- How would you want them to be represented or taught?
Storytelling tools:
- New monument or memorial
- Recontextualization of existing monument or memorial
- Relocation or removal of monument or memorial
- Temporary installations and/or performances
Case Studies
Applicants may apply for one or more of the Case Studies but will be only awarded for one.
- Christopher Columbus
- Location: base of Coit Tower
- Location: base of Coit Tower
- Francis Scott Key
- Location: Golden Gate Park
- Location: Golden Gate Park
- Padre Junipero Serra
- Location: Golden Gate Park
- Location: Golden Gate Park
- General Ulysses Simpson Grant
- Location: Golden Gate Park
- Location: Golden Gate Park
- The Dewey Monument
- Union Square
Proposals must detail the engagement team for each Case Study they are applying for that includes:
- Case Study
- 1 lead community-based organization (if different from the applicant)
- 1 community historian, storyteller or memory keeper
- 2 artists with meaningful connections to the community
- Identify 3 community story circle gatherings with proposed location/s
- Identify 1 public gathering, event, celebration or festival for general community engagement and outreach
Selection Criteria for artists are:
- Familiarity and understanding of the local arts and culture community
- Experience working on San Francisco/Bay area public art projects
- Artists that utilize participatory community components in their art practice
- Specialists in arts and culture community engagement
Additional selection considerations:
- Engagement process and creative practice that incorporate intergenerational participation with a focus on youth.
- Community engagement and outreach efforts that connect with monolingual communities.
Consultant Scope of Work & Deliverables
In collaboration and with the approval of the SFAC Senior Program Manager, Consultant will develop and deliver on the following:
- Community Story Circles
- In collaboration with the community historian and artists, facilitate 3 story circle gatherings that meet communities where they are in an accessible location.
- Conduct outreach with identified and potential local community collaborators, including at least one youth focused and/or monolingual serving partner.
- Design gatherings that incorporate the Shaping Legacy storytelling methodology and communication techniques to engage community members.
- Plan logistics, including timing, space, staffing, equipment, hospitality, and other items for successful programs, and outreach materials.
- Work with SFAC staff to develop a documentation plan and identify filming or photo opportunities to document community engagement processes.
- Artist Creative Activations
- Design a timeline for 2-4 artist activations (1-2 per artist) in relation to the case study subject and/or site location.
- Proposed activations at physical site locations must follow SFAC’s Guidelines for Public Artwork Activations with advanced review and approval by SFAC staff.
- Coordinate logistics, staffing and outreach materials.
- Work with SFAC staff to develop a documentation plan and identify filming or photo opportunities to document artist engagement.
- General Public Outreach
- Identify one public event for general community engagement and outreach.
- Outreach may include tabling at a neighborhood festival or celebration, Sunday Streets, Farmer’s Market or other relevant free public gathering that is accessible to and frequented by key communities.
- Design a culturally relevant participatory activity, or adopt an existing one, to provide general education and awareness of the Shaping Legacy initiative.
- Serve as a community liaison for the overall project and key messages.
- Community Reflections and Evaluation
- Synthesize feedback from all activities; produce a written report that summarizes the discussions and processes from the different groups engaged in the story circles and artist activations.
- Provide a written report with data on attendance, feedback from attendees and any photo or video documentation.
- Participate in a reflection and evaluation session of the project with SFAC staff.
Project Deliverables
- Prepare general plans for public programs and events, including a detailed timeline, goals for attendance and outreach to communities of focus.
- Conduct hiring, management, and payment processing for selected artists and consultants.
- Maintain evidence of current General Liability insurance as required by the City.
- Provide a final written summary that provides documentation of public programs, artists and consultant agreements and payments, and specific learnings and recommendations for future collaborations.
Funding
Budget
- $91,000* inclusive of time, materials, travel, and any related expenses.
- *$55,000 of the budget must be allocated to the two selected artists at $20,000 each and one community historian at $15,000.
Selection Process
Evaluation
- Applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Background and statement of interest
- Qualifications and experience
- Project Plan and budget
Consultants will need to register as a supplier with the City, enter into a Professional Services Contract, and carry insurance as required by the City. Consultants who are registered Local Business Enterprises (LBEs) are eligible to receive a 10% rating bonus. For more information on LBEs visit https://www.sf.gov/departments/contract-monitoring-division
How To Apply
Submission
All submitted responses should include the following materials:
- Provide company name, mailing address, phone number, and main contact’s email address and direct phone number (no more than 1 page)
- A brief narrative including a statement of interest in the project, consultant’s structure, capabilities, relevant background, recent experience, and the neighborhoods and communities that your organization serves. This section should describe up to 3 previous arts and culture centered events (no more than 2 pages)
- Resume or CV of consultant team, community historian, and two artists (no more than 10 pages)
- Proposed community engagement approach and plan (no more than 1 page)
- Proposed plan must identify and include the following:
- Case Study selection/s
- 3 community story circle gatherings with proposed dates, location/s and community partners
- 1 public gathering/event for general community engagement
- 2-4 proposed artist activations (1-2 per artist) in relation to the case study subject and/or site location.
- Proposed plan must identify and include the following:
- Budget (no more than 1 page)
- Budget must show line items, including but not limited to:
- Artist Fees at $40,000 ($20,000 each for 2 artists)
- Community Historian at $15,000
- Program Staff/Labor
- Translation/Interpretation
- Hospitality
- Outreach Materials/Supplies
- Budget must show line items, including but not limited to:
Please submit the Required information via email by January 27, 2025 by 12:00 p.m. (Noon) PST to: monumentsandmemorials@sfgov.org
Project Timeline
Project Timeline
- March 2025 to March 2026 (12 months)
Questions & Answers
The City reserves the right to not accept any applications, to initiate an alternate Selection Process, or to reissue the RFP for additional pre-qualified artist candidates.
The City and County of San Francisco, in its effort to provide equality of opportunity and equality of benefits, requires that individuals and businesses doing business with the City comply with Sections 12B and 12D of the Administrative Code. This requires that if you are an employer, and if you provide health or other benefits to the spouses of your employees, you must provide equal benefits to the registered domestic partners of your employees. This section also requires demonstration of good faith efforts to hire local disadvantaged business enterprises.
This requirement only pertains to contractors who have over 20 employees. The selected consultant(s) will be required to agree to comply fully with and be bound by the provisions of the Minimum Compensation Ordinance (MCO), as set forth in S.F. Administrative Code Chapter 12P. Generally, this Ordinance requires contractors to provide employees covered by the Ordinance who do work funded under the contract with hourly gross compensation and paid and unpaid time off that meet certain minimum requirements. For the contractual requirements of the MCO, see paragraph 42 of the Ordinance.
This requirement only pertains to contractors who have over 20 employees, or contractors who may subcontract with a company with over 20 employees. The selected consultants(s) will be required to agree to comply fully with and be bound by the provisions of the Health Care Accountability Ordinance, as set forth in S.F. Administrative Code Chapter 12Q. Contractors should consult the San Francisco Administrative Code to determine their compliance obligations under this chapter.
As a part of the City’s contracting process, the contractor(s) selected and approved by the Arts Commission will be required to enter into contract with the City and County of San Francisco for the entire duration of the project. Applicants should review the Arts Commission standard template contract. While some items specific to individual projects such as scope of work, payment schedule, and schedule of deliverables may be negotiated, the terms of the contract will not be changed. Depending upon the specific scope of the project, prior to the issuance and throughout the duration of the contract, the consultant will also be required to maintain a San Francisco business tax license, go through the Vendor set-up process, fill out specific documents from the Human Rights Commission, and will be required to carry various types of insurance, including Automobile Liability, General Liability, and other insurance as required by the City.
All information contained herein does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract, and these provisions are subject to change.
Eligibility
Eligibility Qualifications
SFAC is committed to working with an agency, group, entity or individuals that meet the following criteria:
- A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion demonstrated through past work, leadership, and team composition.
- Familiarity and connection to diverse communities in San Francisco.
- Demonstrated community-centered practice with experience in community engagement and facilitation.
- Knowledge of and experience in public art and community engagement processes.
- Ability to manage consultants, community processes and build collaborative relationships with diverse constituents.
- Facilitation skills and experience conducting community meetings (monolingual or multilingual meetings a plus).