REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FREEDOM SUITS MEMORIAL SCULPTURE PROJECT DESCRIPTION The judges of the 22 nd Judicial Circuit, sitting en banc, have approved a plan for a monument on the east side of the Civil Courts Building. This monument would commemorate the sued for their freedom in court by filing freedom suits which were civil lawsuits filed by slaves seeking freedom under Missouri s once free always free laws. These laws provided that if a slave was taken into a free state for a period long enough for the slave owner to have residency, then the slave was automatically free and remained so when returned to Missouri. If a slave owner refused to recognize this right, the slave could sue the owner in court for their freedom. This was the basis of the historic Dred Scott Case. Although Scott eventually lost in the US Supreme Court, many slaves actually won their freedom. These plaintiffs, who merely sought their legally due freedom, faced a horrible vengeance from their slave masters if they lost in court. This vengeance often included being sold down the river to plantations in Mississippi and Louisiana where conditions for slaves were far more brutal and tortuous than in St. Louis. These slaves had absolutely no money to pay a lawyer or any of the expenses of litigation. Several abolition minded lawyers took up the cause of these slaves and went to court for them before white male jurors who often owned slave themselves. Moreover, this was not necessarily a popular cause as there were many slave owners in St. Louis and the citizens were split on the issue. Given the risk faced by the courageous slaves who went court and the heroic lawyers representing these slaves in the face of difficult odds, it is appropriate that the City of St. Louis should have a fitting monument to honor these trial lawyers and their clients who contributed so directly to the movement against slavery. These lawyers were early exemplars of pro bono publico service by the trial bar. The slave litigants were exemplars of oppressed citizens using the law to seek redress of a terrible grievance from their government. Moreover, this year and the next few years the nation will honor the 50 th anniversary of several civil rights milestones. There is no better time to honor these original civil rights fighters and lawyers. They are truly deserving of a Freedom Suits Memorial that honors this unique St. Louis era. DESIGN REQUIREMENTS -The sculpture will be installed in the center of the pedestrian plaza adjacent to the east entrance of the Civil Courts Building 1010 North Tucker. This area is noted on the attached diagram as area 1. -The sculpture shall give the viewer an image that will memorialize the courage of both the oppressed, disenfranchised and enslaved litigants and their trial lawyers in working for the their freedom by prosecuting their claim in a Missouri court of law. This image can be literal or abstract. -The sculpture must be made of a material capable of withstanding the historical extremes of weather in the City of St. Louis and is reasonably expected to maintain its original size and appearance more than one hundred years.
-The sculpture is required to incorporate in the design of the sculpture a base that will allow for the name of the sculpture, the name of the artist, a brief statement of dedication and donor recognition information. -The sculpture shall have a circumference of no more than 20 feet and a height of no more than ten feet. SCOPE OF WORK The scope of work requires designing, constructing and installing the sculpture. Ordering and purchasing materials for the sculpture. Obtaining a site for the development, completion and storage of the sculpture shall be the responsibility of the artist until the sculpture is placed in the area described above. The sculpture must be the original artwork of the artist and depict the intended memorial purpose of the sculpture consistent with the Project Description as noted above. The Artist will be required to consult with the City s designees as necessary for completion and placement of the sculpture. PROJECT BUDGET: $200,000 (All Inclusive) This amount is inclusive of all cost associated with this public art project including, but not limited to, artists fees, other consultant fees, and insurance to cover the scope of the project, materials, fabrication, transportation and installation. COMMISSION REQUIREMENTS: If commissioned the successful artist shall be responsible for the following: 1. Performing all services and furnishing all supplies, material and equipment as necessary for the design, execution, fabrication, transportation, and installation of the Work at the Site. 2. Submitting to the Freedom Suits Memorial Committee detailed working drawings of the commissioned Work in order to permit the Committee, in conjunction with the City of St. Louis and the 22 nd Judicial Circuit of Missouri to carry out related architectural and engineering design reviews ant to certify the compliance of the work with applicable statutes and ordinances. 3. Strictly adhering to and managing the approved project, budget, and schedule, including the submission of regularly scheduled written Progress Reports to the Committee. 4. Performing all related work regarding the sculpture consistent with the scope of work and the intended memorial purpose of the sculpture including, but not limited to, choice of tools, choice of materials, acquisition of materials, choice and acquisition of supplies, choice and acquisition of equipment, maintenance of materials, supplies and equipment and creative decisions as an independent contractor pursuant to Missouri law. 5. Bearing the entire risk of loss or damage to the sculpture during design, fabrication, packing, storage, shipping (or any movement of the sculpture in whole or in part from place to place) and installation. 6. Providing and maintaining reasonable levels of insurance to cover claims for damages arising from personal injury, bodily injury (including wrongful death), and property damage. The artist shall require all subcontractors, if any, to provide and maintain similar insurance.
TIMELINE August 2015 November 9, 2015 November 10-20 November 22, 2015 January 4-10 2016 January 15-September 2016 October 1, 2016 RFP Issued Deadline for Receipt of Request for Proposals Selection Committee Reviews Proposals Selection Committee Sends Three Proposals to be Considered by Freedom Suits Memorial Steering Committee. Steering Committee Interviews Artists of Selected Projects and selects an Artist/project for the memorial. Artwork design and development/construction and Installation. Dedication Ceremony. SELECTION PROCESS An Artist Selection Committee comprised of select individuals serving on the Freedom Suits Memorial Committee will review all artists proposals. The Freedom Suits Memorial Committee will make the final decision. An artist will be selected on the basis of: 1. Artistic merit as evidenced by representation of past work and other sample material submitted. 2. Appropriateness of artwork in terms of scale, for, content and materials. 3. Appropriateness of design solution for climate and site. 4. Ease of maintenance and safety. 5. Demonstrated ability to complete the project within the project schedule and resources. ELIGIBILITY The project is open to all sculpture artists throughout the United States. The selection of an artist will be made without regard for race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation or religion. Therefore all artists who fear exclusion are encouraged to apply. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS. All artists responding to the RFP must submit complete responses to the information requested in this section in a clear and concise manner. PROPOSAL: A. Narrative: A narrative description of the proposed sculpture including a proposed schedule, process and method of construction.
B. Illustrations/Conceptual Designs: Additional visual support material and/or illustrations that depict the proposed art creations. Designs should display colors and dimensions of the proposed art. Acceptable formats include: 1. Digital images: Images must be submitted on a PC compatible CD and saved as a jpeg file (72 dpi, maximum 360 x 243 pixels). Each image must include the artists name. 2. Illustration: 8-1/2 x 11 maximum size. Three (3) pages maximum. 3. A miniature representation of the proposed sculpture that is to scale and no taller than 16 inches. C. Proposed Budget: Submit a proposed budget not to exceed $180,000 that specifies how the contract award will be allocated. The budget must cover the production and casting of the sculpture, design and production of the base, packing, shipping and installation, and the artist fee. D. Production of Materials to Support Educational Events/Activities: The Artist will be required to sign a document granting the City of St. Louis Community Relations Commission and the Freedom Suits Steering Committee at no cost, an irrevocable non-exclusive license to produce promotional, educational, historical and tourism-related materials of the Artwork and Art Project. All monies raised would provide continued support for the Freedom Suits Sculpture educational events/activities of a non-profit nature. E. Return of Proposals: "All material submitted in response to this RFP remains the property of the artist submitting the material unless the artist proposal is accepted and commissioned.".f. Ownership: The completed sculpture will be the property of the City of St. Louis and will be installed on property owned by the City. STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS: A. Resume: Current professional resume and biographical information no longer than five (5) pages. B. References: Three (3) professional references. C. Examples of past work: Include up to five (5) images of past work relevant to the current proposal. Please provide a paragraph summarizing the artwork depicted in each image, a brief statement of how the artwork depicted in the images has received recognition and contact information of persons that can verify the information provided is accurate and credible. No other written materials, press releases or articles will be accepted as long as there is source attribution. Instructions for Submittal of Proposals Please submit ten (10) copies of the Proposal and Statement of Qualifications by mail in a single envelope. Submissions must be received by 5:00p.m., Nov. 9, 2015. Proposals received after the submittal deadline, incomplete proposals, or proposals that do not meet the above requirements will not be accepted. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you would like for your materials to be returned. It is understood the artist has copyright of all original materials.
Proposals should be mailed to: David C. Mason, Circuit Judge Secretary, Freedom Suits Memorial Steering Committee Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit Juvenile Court 920 N. Vandeventer St. Louis, MO 63108