Llandudno Museum Heritage Project: Contract for Exhibition Designers Services

Descriptions

‘Dadeni’ Llandudno Museum Community Heritage ProjectTender Specification for the Consultancy Services Relating to Interpretative Planning.1. Introduction & Background.2. Project Proposal3. Physical elements of the project.4. Context.5. Purpose of the Commission6. Audiences7. Interpretative Plan8. Exhibition Fit –Out9. Budget10. Timescale11. Reporting Process12. Further Information13. Payment of Fees14. Award Criteria15. Contractual Arrangements16. Timetable for Submission17. SubmissionAppendicesA Architects Design Report & DrawingsB Form of TenderC Canvassing and Whistle-blowing CertificateD Project Business PlanE Interpretation PlanF. Retail Studies Llandudno Museum 2010G. Diversity PolicyH. Welsh Language Policy‘Dadeni’ Llandudno Museum Community Heritage Project1.Introduction and Background1.1 Llandudno Museum is based on 17-19 Gloddaeth Street, Llandudno, Conwy, North Wales. The Museum opened on 22nd June 1927 and was founded on a bequest from Francis Edouard Chardon for the benefit of the inhabitants of, and visitors to, the town of Llandudno. The Museum is an independent Charity managed by a Board of nine Trustees. The museum is currently operated by two members of staff with the support of volunteers. Visitor numbers have been static at around 4,000 to 5,000 for the last ten years.1.2As a result of the feedback from recent consultation exercises and organisational review, the Board of Trustees now wishes to undertake a programme of physical and technical improvements to Llandudno Museum, and the programmes and services that it offers. The total budget for the design and fit out is £100,000 exclusive of VAT. The overall project is £1.7million redevelopment of the Museum. In order to be selected we require the following:•Contractors must be able to provide 3 case studies of projects similar in scale, scope and complexity to this contract completed over the past 5 years. Please provide the following as part of your submission:•CVs of your team members (1 x A4 page per CV)•Approach to museum / exhibition design and maintaining of quality throughout (2 x A4 page)•Added value you can bring to the project and relevant (last 5 years) experience (maximum of 3 X A4 pages in total)The Museum will require all the interpretation to be bilingual and reference should by made to the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Bilingual Design Guide: http://www.comisiynyddygymraeg.cymru/English/Publications%20List/CYG1754%20Canllaw%20Dylunio%20ENGLISH.pdf1.3 The project will establish Llandudno Museum as a dynamic all year all weather heritage attraction in Wales’ premier seaside holiday resort, and to enable more people from Wales and beyond to learn about and be inspired by our collections. We wish to tell the story of how the unique resort Llandudno, its community, and special landscape of regional significance came into being. In particular we will focus on audience development and delivering a programme of activities that will engage children, families, and people with disabilities.‘Dadeni’ Llandudno Museum Community Heritage Project1.4The project will develop our volunteer cohort so that a more diverse range and greater number of people directly interact with Llandudno Museum: as part of our volunteer development programme. We will provide opportunities for individual skills development and training.1.5The desired outcomes for the project are:•A more effective, resilient and sustainable future is created for Llandudno Museum. In particular the financial health of the organisation will be robust and our environmental impact minimised;•A greater and more diverse number of people use the Museum and engage with the heritage of Llandudno, Wales, and the different cultures that the museum collections represent;•The Museum makes a greater contribution to cultural tourism and the local economy, in particular as a key heritage-based ‘all weather all year attraction’ in the centre of Wales’ premier seaside holiday resort;•People have more opportunities to directly interact with their heritage and one another as volunteers;•The number of people of all ages and abilities who use our collections for learning and creative inspiration is increased•Established partnerships are strengthened and new partnership forged;•More of our collections are accessible to visitors, both actual and virtual. In particular we want to improve physical and intellectual access by way of increased gallery space (allowing us to display more from our ‘reserve’ collections) and install interpretative displays that are interactive and engaging to our audience;•Our capacity to preserve local heritage is increased by improved and more efficient use of the Museum storage space, thereby allowing us to expand our collection in line with our Acquisitions policy;•Our customers receive a higher quality experience and visitor welcome during their visit.2The project proposal•Purchase and connect the adjacent residential property•Provide a dedicated multi-purpose facility for education / community use‘Dadeni’ Llandudno Museum Community Heritage Project•unify and improve the Museum frontage and main entrance approach so that it has greater presence and impact on the street, and creates an environment in which people feel welcome and encouraged to visit;•increase the size of our galleries so that the Museum is able to display more of its own collections and those of other museums, including from national collections;•increase the size and visibility of our museum shop and introduce a wider range of product so that we can encourage a higher level of visitor spend and promote a “sense of place”;•increase and improve ancillary facilities (e.g. toilets) that will improve the quality of our visitor experience and which meet the expectations of users and non-users.•To improve physical access to the Museum through provision of a lift in the building to enable visitors, staff, and volunteers with mobility impairment or in wheelchairs to access all areas of the Museum and improve circulation around the building for all users.•To develop and install new displays to show more of our collections in an interpretative context, to be more interactive/engaging, and meet the needs of a wider range of visitors, especially children and their families, and people with specific needs;•To implement an audience development programme that will raise awareness of the Museum, diversify and significantly increase the number of people who visit and interact with Llandudno Museum, its collection and the heritage of Wales;•To provide a programme of formal and informal learning opportunities. In particular the provision of a dedicated space at the Museum for teaching and a Community Learning Officer to provide activities for pupils, students and out-of-school groups, and family-friendly activities;•To implement a training and skills development programme for our workforce (paid and voluntary)‘Dadeni’ Llandudno Museum Community Heritage Project3.Physical elements of the projectThe Architect’s Design Report for RIBA Stage 4 and drawings (in response to the Initial Design Brief) are attached as Appendices. To summarise, the physical improvements will deliver:•improved physical access and visitor circulation both from outside and throughout the building;•enhanced exterior appearance for greater ‘kerb appeal’;•greater number of accessible toilets;•more space for main galleries, temporary exhibition programmes and an introductory ‘experience’;•dedicated spaces for teaching and meetings which can also be used for other activities and available for hire by the community;•increased space for reception and retail functions;•improved collections management.•better functionality and efficiency from an operational perspective.AreaNew Floor spaceGround FloorGallery 62m²Education – 48m²Shop/Café 34m²WC – 2m²Accessible Unisex Toilets – 5m²First FloorGallery – 148m²WC’s – 6m²Second FloorKitchenette/ Staff Room – 14m²Office – 19m²Store Room – 9m²Meeting Room – 19m²Temporary Exhibition Space 64m²1 lift now covers all floors.Current museum floor space 684m²Additional space from adjacent building 230m²Total new floor space 914m²‘Dadeni’ Llandudno Museum Community Heritage Project4.ContextThe Consultant will be expected to consider the following documents while undertaking the commission:•Project Architect’s Design Report and Drawings RIBA Stage 4;•Interpretation plan for key objects and storyline for the Llandudno Museum galleries;•Dadeni: Llandudno Museum Community Heritage Project Business Plan.•Physical and Access Audits undertaken for Llandudno Museum by T Handcock, 2012;•Retail Studies for Llandudno Museum by “Retail Thinking” (2010) and “Retail Matters” (2014);•Consultation Feedback from user and non-user during the development phase.•Llandudno Museum Diversity Policy5.Purpose of the Commission5.1 The purpose of this commission is to appoint an Exhibition and Interpretive Designer to lead the production of an interpretive plan, research, script, design and implement the re-display of the Llandudno Museum collection. This includes content for Apps and digital downloads.5.2The Exhibition Design Team should comprise all the necessary design and build services including interpretive planner, photography and script-writers. To procure any equipment required for the implementation of the commission.6. AudiencesThe Market Appraisal in Chapter 3 of the Llandudno Museum Business Plan sets out the profile of the local County Borough community and current audiences. The target audiences that the Museum wishes to engage with the project:•Tourists•Schools•Families•Younger People•Disabled People•Minority Groups•Senior Groups‘Dadeni’ Llandudno Museum Community Heritage ProjectThe target number of people that the museum wishes to attract as visitors to Llandudno Museum and participants in the museum lifelong learning programmes is 24,000 people per annum once the Museum has been redeveloped and operated for a further three years.7.Interpretive Plan7.1Consultants are required to consult the Dadani Interpretation Plan and produce a detailed themes and storylines plan.7.2The overarching concept for the redisplay of the collections should be based, broadly, upon the ground floor Gallery 1 being dedicated to the development of Llandudno from the19th century as a Victorian seaside resort through to today. The first floor 5 x gallery spaces will be dedicated to the chronological periods from the Palaeolithic -Neolithic, Bronze Age-Romano-British; Early Historic-Medieval Period; Post Medieval; WW1 &WW, and the Chardon Collection. The second floor Temporary Exhibition Gallery will need to be designed with maximum flexibility as we envisage up to 4 temporary exhibitions per year using a variety of media. Film and video art will figure strongly in our portfolio of temporary exhibitions. The Museum is also an art gallery and the display of fine art in our collection needs to be considered.7.3This chronological treatment on the 1st floor should facilitate the visitors’ understanding and experience, but should not be too rigid or compartmentalised. As the visitor will start and finish their experience via the ground floor Gallery 1 (Llandudno Resort) the interpretive plan will tease out over-arching or universal themes, for example, Visitors, Holidays and the Sea, Collecting, Connections with the Wider World, and Then & Now images to bring us up to date, and will weave through the chronological stories being told.7.4Feedback and visitor participation are crucial, and interactive and engaging methods for measuring the effectiveness of the exhibitions should be built into the exhibitions.7.5The exhibitions and interpretation should be imaginative, innovative and interactive, making appropriate use of new and emerging technologies where appropriate. Practicality and the cost of future maintenance are a consideration. Therefore, we expect a mix of low and hi-tech interpretation.7.6This is a community project, and as such the development of the interpretive themes and content is a reflexive process that must include dialogue with project stakeholders. The consultant should factor in adequate time for discussion with community groups and individuals to ensure that proposals are fit for purpose and meet the needs of potential users.‘Dadeni’ Llandudno Museum Community Heritage Project8. Exhibition Fit -Out8.1 The Drawings in APPENDIX A show the proposed layout of the new museum space.8.3The exhibition designer will be required to work closely with the Project Architect and architectural design team.8.4The contractor will be required to provide a full hand over service to museum staff and provide a handover manual for client post installation and staff training where required.8.5General Principles:•Fully bilingual interpretation, with English to the left or on top: provision for this must be considered within the space allocated or when designing and developing media.•Fully DDA compliant and inclusive approach to enable visitors with different mobility and sensory impairments to interact with the exhibition;•Layered interpretation with additional information provided to those who want it and reflecting different learning styles and abilities;•Mixture of types of interactive from high to low tech;•Different heights of displays for all ages;•Enough space for push chair/wheelchair or small scooter access;•Possibly provide spaces for very young visitors to play;•Interior of display cases capable of environmental control and lighting systems capable of achieving levels of 50 Lux or less;•The designers should consider re-use of pre-existing museum quality cases. A specification is available on request.•Case interpretation system designed to allow content to change and new interpretation done in-house.•Minimal noise pollution.9.Budget9.1 A total estimated budget of £100,000 is available for the fit out of the exhibition exclusive of VAT.9.2Consultants are asked to provide a breakdown of the cost for the following:-•Production of a detailed Interpretive plan•Consultation and revision•The design, build and installation of exhibitions which shall include all elements, e.g. research, script etc.‘Dadeni’ Llandudno Museum Community Heritage Project9.3In submitting a fixed fee price for the work, the consultant shall itemise expenditure in terms of professional fees, reprographic charges, travel, subsistence and out of pocket expenses, and provide a breakdown of the fees in two separate phases (i) to prepare documentation as the basis for a Second Round application to the HLF, and (ii) to implement the exhibition fit-out.10. TimescaleThe successful individual/company will be expected to start on or as soon as possible after the 8th August 2017 for concept design to be submitted with the stage 2 application in December 2017. However, we will require an initial concept by the 12th September 2017 to present to the HLF. It is anticipated that the construction and commissioning phase of the project will be completed by February 2019, and that the fit-out of the exhibitions will be completed by April 2019, with a view to the Museum reopening to the public in May 2019.11. Reporting Process11.1The successful Consultant will be asked to provide regular updates on the progress of the work and to attend meetings with the project client working group every 4-6 weeks.11.2 The Consultant should make available to the client any survey and consultation material gathered for the commission.11.3 Copyright of all research materials and documentation created for this project shall be the property of the Chardon Trust / Llandudno Museum and Gallery.11.4The Client representative and named contact for this commission will be the Llandudno Museum Project Manager.12. Further Information12.1 Although it is essential that the displays provide value for money, the need to secure an imaginative and comprehensive approach to the project will be of paramount importance in selecting the successful consultants.12.2 The tender submission should demonstrate the consultant’s appreciation of the commission and give an outline indication of how they intend to approach the study in terms of programme and methodology.‘Dadeni’ Llandudno Museum Community Heritage Project13.Payment of Fees13.1 Fees will be paid in two phases. The first phase fee will be for the preparation of the interpretative plan and production of tender documentation for procurement of the exhibition fit-out as the basis for a Second Round application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. If the Second Round application to the HLF is not successful, the commission will terminate at this stage. If funding is secured to implement the exhibition fit-out phase, then the balance of the fee will be paid based on the agreed programme of works:Phase 1 Fee•50% on appointment•50% on approval of interpretative plan and tenders as basis for a Second Round application to the HLFPhase 2 Fee•50% at commencement of exhibition fit-out•50% on completion of commissioning and handover to Client13.2Implementation costs will be paid on completion of agreed chargeable costs based on the agreed programme of works.14. Award CriteriaEvaluation of tenders and award of contract will be on the basis of a 60% price and 40% quality evaluation.40% Quality will be evaluated by utilisation of the following sub criteria:•Evidence of your specific ability to meet the brief - 30%•Ability to work to the Clients’ timescale – 5%•Company financial record - 5%Selected tenderers will also be invited for a formal interview in order to elucidate their approach to the commission. Interviews will take place in Llandudno during the week beginning 1st August 201715. Contractual ArrangementsThe successful contractor will be required to comply with the Trust’s Financial Regulations and Code of Conduct. The Chardon Trust will not meet any of the costs involved in preparing or submitting tenders.16. Timetable for SubmissionsTenders should be submitted to the address below no later than noon on 28th July 2017, the design work to commence February 2019.‘Dadeni’ Llandudno Museum Community Heritage Project17. SubmissionsTenders must include the following information and should also include relevant information to address detail listed under 4 (Award Criteria):• Ability to meet the client timetable• A breakdown of Hourly or Daily Rates where applicable• All prices quoted should be net (exclusive of VAT)• Copy of last 3 years Company accounts• The costs should be itemised separately• Evidence of capability to meet the brief – please include contact details of at least four appropriate clients.• Completion of Form of Tender (Appendix B).• Completed and signed copies of the Anti-Collusion and Anti-Canvassing Certificate (Appendix C).• CV’s of your team members (1 x A4 page per CV).• Approach to museum / exhibition design and maintaining of quality throughout (2 x A4 page).• 3 case studies of projects similar in scale, scope and complexity to this contract completed over the past 5 years.Applicants are invited to include anything additional they wish to offer which would contribute to the delivery of the commission.Tenders should be sent in a sealed envelope marked‘Confidential Tender – Appointment of Museum Exhibition Design Contractor’ and addressed to:Dawn LancasterProject ManagerLlandudno Museum17-19 Gloddaeth StreetLlandudnoLLTo be received by no later than 12noon on 28th July 2017Further InformationIf you require any further information, please contact:Dawn LancasterProject ManagerLlandudno Museum17-19 Gloddaeth StreetLlandudnoLL30 2DDTel: 01492 876517E-mail: dawn@llandudnomuseum.co.ukNOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at http://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=68540.The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at http://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.