1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
for
COMMUNITY CULTURAL EQUITY PLAN CONSULTANT
AUGUST 2025
City of Culver City
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
9770 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232-0507
2 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS for Community Cultural Equity Plan with Public Art Master Plan Component
RFP # 2640 August 2025
City of Culver City Cultural Affairs Division 9770 Culver Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232-0507 I. REQUEST SUMMARY
The City of Culver City is soliciting written proposals from qualified consultancies or individuals for professional consulting services to develop a Community Cultural Equity Plan which will include a comprehensive Public Art Master Plan component. This plan will serve as a long-term strategy to support arts and culture sectors to improve quality of life, enhance community sense of place, foster collaboration, and encourage creative expression, specifically through a lens of equity and inclusion.
The project scope, content of proposal, and vendor selection process are summarized in this RFP. Proposers may not take advantage of omissions or oversights in this document but must supply products and services that meet or exceed the requirements of this RFP. In the event of a dispute over installation or performance, the needs of Culver City will govern.
II. INTRODUCTION
A. Community Profile
The City of Culver City (City) is a charter city incorporated in 1917. It is governed by a five- member City Council whose members are elected at large and operates under a Council/City Manager form of government. Culver City is a full-service city located in the western area of Los Angeles County, generally situated north of Los Angeles International Airport, southeast of Santa Monica, south of Beverly Hills and southwest of West Hollywood. The city is approximately five square miles with a residential population of approximately 40,000.
B. Background
Culver City, California, is known for its rich history in the film industry, a distinguished creative sector, and vibrant community life. The City recognizes the crucial role of arts, culture, and creativity in its economic health, livability, and well-being. The City has a long- standing commitment to supporting arts and culture, reflected in past investments and policy commitments. The city's creative identity has expanded beyond film to include a robust presence of artists, nonprofit arts organizations, the design community, and major digital media, entertainment, and technology companies.
The City’s Cultural Affairs Division, part of the Office of Economic & Cultural Development, oversees investments in arts and culture that reflect and enrich Culver City’s diverse 3 community. This includes the long-standing Art in Public Places Program, established in 1988, which enhances the urban landscape with over 100 permanent and temporary public artworks. In addition to visual arts, the City is deeply committed to supporting the performing arts. Through its Performing Arts Grant Program, Culver City provides funding to local artists, nonprofit organizations, and performing arts groups to present accessible, high-quality performances throughout the community. These efforts are supported by the City’s Cultural Trust Fund, which, in collaboration with the Culver City Arts Foundation, helps sustain local arts organizations and cultural programs across disciplines.
The development of this Community Cultural Equity Plan is guided by the overarching vision and goals articulated in recently adopted plans:
• Culver City General Plan 2045: Adopted on August 26, 2024, and effective October 9, 2024. This plan applies a holistic equity lens, acknowledging that present-day disparities are related to historic policies and practices. It explicitly includes an Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy Element, aiming for Culver City to become a more equitable, resilient, healthy, and compassionate city. It emphasizes centering equity in decision-making and operations. The General Plan identifies the need for developing a new citywide cultural plan and a public art master plan. It outlines goals for affordable working and living spaces for the creative sector (AC-1), connected creatives (AC-2), a thriving creative sector (AC-3), inclusive arts and cultural programming (AC-4), sufficient resources (AC-5), strong City leadership (AC-6), and branding Culver City as a center for innovation and creativity (AC-7).
The General Plan also recognizes "SB 1000 Priority Neighborhoods" as disadvantaged communities where investments should be prioritized.
• Culver City Parks Plan: Completed in February 2025. This plan is rooted in accessibility, equity, and meeting people where they are, underscoring the importance of arts and culture. It involved extensive community engagement and supports strengthening recreational, arts, and cultural programming for all ages, integrating arts and cultural elements into parks and public spaces, developing signature art gateways for wayfinding and identity, and recognizing that arts and culture are connected to community safety, public health, and mental well-being. The Parks Plan recommends incorporating visual art into existing and proposed park spaces and constructing new performance spaces within the parks system.
• Creative Economy Report (2017) and Creative Economy Connect (2020): These reports recognized the significant contributions of creative industries to Culver City’s economic vitality, highlighting high growth in entertainment and digital media sectors. They identified the need for support, connectivity, and opportunity for the creative ecosystem, noting concerns such as rising rents and competition impacting small non-profit organizations and artists.
4 The General Plan and Parks Plan highlight key challenges and opportunities, including the need for affordable working and living spaces for the creative sector, ensuring inclusive and accessible programming, supporting the sustainability of arts districts, addressing funding needs, and leveraging the creative sector for economic prosperity and community identity.
This RFP seeks a qualified consultant to develop a comprehensive plan that builds upon these foundations, aligns with the General Plan and Parks Plan goals, explicitly addresses equity and historical inequities, and includes a detailed plan for the future of public and performing art in the city.
C. General RFP Submittal Information
The City’s designated staff will evaluate proposals received. During the review process, the City reserves the right, where it may serve the City’s best interest, to request additional information or clarification from those that submit proposals, or allow clarifications, corrections of errors, or omissions. Any changes in the RFP will be made by written addendum, which shall be posted on the City’s Community Cultural Equity Plan 2025 webpage (https://www.culvercity.gov/Explore/Arts-Culture/Cultural-Plan-2025). It is the vendor’s responsibility to check this site for answers.
The City reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted. Submission of a proposal indicates the Proposer’s acceptance of the conditions contained in this RFP, unless clearly and specifically noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in the contract between the City and the Proposer selected.
The preparation of the proposal will be at the total expense of the Proposer. There is no expressed or implied obligation for the City to reimburse responding Proposers for any expense incurred in the preparation of proposals in response to this request. All proposals submitted to the City shall become properties of the City and will not be returned. If any information in your proposal is confidential and/or proprietary, please further submit a separate, redacted copy for servicing public records requests.
The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, in whole or part, to waive any informality in any proposal, and to accept the proposal which, in its discretion, is in the best interest of the City. The City reserves the right to reject any proposal not accompanied with all data or information required. Any proposer may withdraw his proposal, without obligation, at any time prior to the scheduled closing time for receipt of proposals. A withdrawal will not be effective unless emailed prior to the closing date. Proposals may later be referred to the City Council for appropriate action. The City retains the right to award all or parts of this contract to several bidders, to not select any bidders, and/or to re- solicit proposals.
Proposals must be submitted electronically as outlined in this RFP and described below.
Proposals must be received no later than September 18, 2025, 3:00 PM PT. Proposals are to 5 be sent via email with “Specification No. 2640: Community Cultural Equity Plan” clearly indicated in the subject line of the email. Please submit one (1) PDF of the Proposal with the filename saved as, “Proposal: Vendor Name - Specification No. 2640: Community Cultural Equity Plan”. Included in PDF should be all items outlined Sections IV and V below.
Hard copy proposals will not be accepted. Proposals will not be accepted after the stated date and time. Incomplete proposals or proposals that do not conform to the requirements specified herein will not be considered.
D. RFP Questions
For questions concerning the anticipated work or scope of the project, please contact Sally Unsworth, Cultural Affairs Manager via email at no later than Thursday, September 4, 2025 by 3:00 pm PT. Questions must be submitted to Culver City Cultural Affairs Division c/o Sally Unsworth, Cultural Affairs Manager, at [email protected]. No questions via telephone will be provided. Answers to all questions or any addenda will be posted on the City of Culver City’s Cultural Affairs main webpage at https://www.culvercity.gov/Explore/Arts-Culture/Cultural-Plan-2025. It is the vendor’s responsibility to check this site for answers. Responses to questions will be available through the Cultural Affairs Division c/o Sally Unsworth, Cultural Affairs Manager, at [email protected] at least a week before the bid due date.
E. Schedule
The City reserves the right to make changes to the below schedule, but plans to adhere to the implementation of this RFP process as follows:
• RFP released: Thursday, August 21, 2025
• Deadline for receiving questions: Thursday, September 4, 2025 by 3:00 pm PT • Response to questions posted: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 • Proposals due: Thursday, September 18, 2025, 3:00 PM PT • Finalists notified: Friday, September 26, 2025
• Presentations/Interviews (if necessary): Week of September 29 – October 3, 2025 • Vendor selected: October 2025 (Cultural Affairs Commission Recommendation) • City Council Approval of Contract: November 2025
• Award of Contract: December 2025
• Sign and Process Contract: December 2025
• Notice to Proceed: December 2025
• Target Plan Completion for City Approval: Within 8-10 months of Notice to Proceed.
Approximately two (2) weeks prior to the anticipated City Council meeting awarding a contract because of the RFP, the Cultural Affairs Division will notify all proposers of its intent to award.
6 III. SCOPE OF SERVICES
The City of Culver City intends to obtain the services of a qualified consultant with experience in cultural planning, public art planning, strategic planning, and deep community engagement, especially with a focus on equity and diverse communities. The selected consultant will lead a stakeholder engagement and planning process to produce a Community Cultural Equity Plan that integrates a Public Art Master Plan. This Plan will serve as a tool for intentionally influencing positive changes, focusing on key areas for improvement, and guiding future public art programming and overall cultural investment.
Best industry practices and/or best management practices may require additional services not explicitly enumerated. The proposer should identify any additional services required, price them, and explain them in their response.
The resulting Plan must align with the vision articulated in the City’s adopted General Plan 2045 and Parks Plan. The plan should explicitly address equity and historical inequities.
Background on Culver City’s Commitment to Equity and Addressing Historical Inequality
Culver City’s history includes racially restrictive covenants, redlining, and the exclusion of Black, Latino, and other communities of color—legacies of inequality that shaped access to housing, education, and cultural participation. An arts equity plan offers an opportunity to confront these histories by centering historically marginalized voices and ensuring that arts resources are distributed equitably. This plan must also include a balanced and inclusive approach to outreach—accounting for geography, gender, age, mobility, and accessibility—to ensure that all residents see themselves reflected and supported in the city’s cultural landscape. By embedding equity into arts policy and practice, Culver City can begin to repair historical harm and foster a more inclusive, representative, and vibrant creative community.
The Community Cultural Equity Plan for Culver City has three main goals:
Goal 1: Establish a robust and inclusive process to assess community needs and aspirations for arts and culture in Culver City and define strategic uses for the Cultural Trust Fund and other potential revenue streams to support those goals over the next ten years.
Goal 2: Create a strategic advocacy and visibility framework to elevate Culver City’s unique role in shaping the regional cultural landscape and champion support for artists, the Cultural Affairs Commission, and civic arts leadership.
Goal 3: Develop a visionary Public Art Master Plan that outlines a phased and equitable strategy for commissioning and placing public art citywide, ensuring thoughtful pacing and geographic distribution over the next decade.
7 A. Scope of Services / Anticipated Tasks for the Consultant
1. Stakeholder and Community Engagement (Critical for Community Needs & Cultural Trust Goal 1):
a. Design and implement a comprehensive, inclusive, and equitable stakeholder engagement process. This process must actively reach diverse communities, including those historically underserved or underrepresented in planning processes and residents of SB 1000 Priority Neighborhoods. Engagement methods should be suitable and inclusive for public meetings and consider various demographics, ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
b. Identify and engage a broad and diverse range of stakeholders, including local artists (individual and organizations, covering various disciplines such as dance, theater, music, performance, digital arts, multi-media arts, and visual arts), cultural organizations (non-profit and for-profit), City officials, residents (all ages, backgrounds, abilities, income levels, diverse racial/ethnic communities, historically underserved communities), business owners, and community leaders. Engagement should explore community members' needs, aspirations, and priorities related to arts, culture, history, and public art.
c. Employ a mixed-method research approach utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including surveys (online and paper, tailored for specific demographics), individual interviews, small group meetings, and at least three (3) in-person community input sessions (including specific cultural communities). These sessions should be held at various locations and times to ensure broad accessibility, with provisions for Spanish language translation and ADA accessibility. Provide food, childcare, and language translation services as needed for public gatherings. d. Conduct at least two (2) in-person focus or advisory group meetings, in addition to individual or small group interviews with City staff from partnering departments (e.g., Public Works, Parks, Recreation & Community Services, Planning, and Economic Development).
e. Host, lead, facilitate, and attend regular working sessions with the relevant Cultural Affairs Commission Subcommittee and staff, preparing meeting agendas and summaries to provide progress reports and collective planning.
f. Ensure participatory and co-creation approaches, particularly involving historically unsupported communities, to inform the design and implementation of arts programming.
8 2. Research and Assessment:
a. Benchmark best practices and promising practices from comparable cities/municipal arts agencies with similar populations, demographics, budget, programming, staffing, funding, and government structure, considering data collection, funding models, and support structures. San Diego's "Creative City" plan should be reviewed as a key benchmark for the desired outcome document structure and approach.
b. Review and assess existing relevant City of Culver City plans and documents, including but not limited to: the General Plan 2045 (specifically the Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy Element), the Parks Plan, existing Public Art policies and procedures (Art in Public Places Program), the city's acknowledged racial history and commitment to racial equity, and any reports or plans related to the creative economy, cultural facilities, or community demographics. The analysis should provide a clear picture of participation and needs related to public art and arts/culture throughout Culver City.
c. Collaborate with Cultural Affairs staff to analyze and evaluate current policies, practices, resources, capacities, and shortcomings, aiming to develop Cultural Affairs processes that are clear, practical, prioritized, and support sustainable programmatic growth.
d. Analyze the current arts, culture, and creative economy landscape in Culver City, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Assess participation levels, unmet needs, and missed opportunities related to arts and culture throughout the city.
e. Conduct a cultural asset inventory/mapping, going beyond major institutions to include less obvious spaces where cultural heritage is "naturally occurring" and cultivated within local communities, with a focus on low-income communities and communities of color.
f. Perform a landscape analysis to characterize cultural assets, contextualize arts and culture impacts in local economies, document development patterns and population shifts, and identify key barriers to participation in arts and culture programming.
g. Conduct a needs assessment considering demographic trends, community needs, infrastructure requirements, funding constraints, and opportunities to address underserved communities and marginalized groups. This should explicitly consider the unique needs and compounded health risks identified in SB 1000 Priority Neighborhoods. h. Research and analyze past, present, and future funding and staffing needs, limitations, and opportunities for the Cultural Affairs Division.
9 3. Strategic Planning and Goal Development:
a. Collaboratively develop a comprehensive strategic plan framework with a vision, goals, strategies, and actionable steps for arts, culture, and creativity in Culver City.
b. The plan must align with and incorporate key arts, cultural, and historic goals outlined in the Culver City General Plan 2045 and the Culver City Parks Plan. Specific areas to address include:
i. Promoting access to and participation in arts and cultural programming for all segments of the population.
ii. Supporting and sustaining the creative sector, including non-profit organizations, artists, and businesses.
iii. Addressing the need for affordable working and living spaces for creatives.
iv. Promoting and facilitating the sustainability of Culver City’s creative corridor and arts district.
v. Integrating arts and cultural programming into City parks, facilities, and public spaces.
vi. Protecting and enhancing cultural and historical resources. vii. Leveraging arts and culture to create a cohesive city identity and wayfinding system.
viii. Identifying sustainable funding sources and increasing resources for the arts and culture sector.
ix. The plan should embed equity and inclusion as guiding principles throughout its recommendations. It must propose strategies that explicitly address historical inequities and aim to reduce future community health disparities through creative means and improved access to cultural resources and programming.
4. Draft Report and Plan Development:
a. Community Needs (Addressing Goal 1: Establish a robust and inclusive process to assess community needs and aspirations for arts and culture in Culver City and define strategic uses for the Cultural Trust Fund and other potential revenue streams to support those goals over the next ten years.):
i. Based on comprehensive community input, identify specific needs and gaps in arts and culture programming across all disciplines (dance, theater, music, performance, digital and multi- media arts, and visual arts).
ii. Develop strategies and recommendations for utilizing the Cultural Trust Fund to achieve identified community goals, including potential for new revenue streams, public-private partnerships, and streamlined grant processes.
10 iii. Recommend policies and programs for future capital investments in arts and culture facilities, including new performance spaces, maker spaces, exhibition spaces, and affordable live/workspaces for artists, ensuring an equitable balance across all arts disciplines.
i. Identify and recommend sustainable funding sources for supplementing Performing Arts programming
ii. Propose strategies to expand support and partnership with the Culver City Unified School District and other educational institutions.
iii. Address equitable access to funding and resources for arts organizations and artists, particularly those from historically underserved communities, by streamlining grant application processes and providing technical assistance.
iv. Develop and recommend a mechanism to support community- initiated public art projects in alignment with City's values and vision.
b. Advocacy and Profile Raising (Addressing Goal 2: Create a strategic advocacy and visibility framework to elevate Culver City’s unique role in shaping the regional cultural landscape and champion support for artists, the Cultural Affairs Commission, and civic arts leadership):
i. Develop strategies for enhancing Culver City’s regional, national, and international profile as a center for innovation and creativity, and a unique destination for arts and culture in Los Angeles. This includes recommendations for marketing, branding, and cultural tourism initiatives.
ii. Propose ways to ensure deep, meaningful engagement at the local level, integrating arts into civic life and community identity, and fostering a sense of belonging.
iii. Outline specific advocacy efforts for artists, arts organizations, and the Cultural Affairs Commission to ensure sustained support and recognition.
iv. Articulate the economic and social cohesion role of arts and culture in the city, providing supporting data and arguments for continued and increased investment.
v. Identify opportunities for cross-departmental and community partnerships (e.g., Parks and Recreation, Planning and
Development, Public Works, Economic Development, Culver City Unified School District, Public Library) to amplify the impact of arts and culture in achieving citywide goals.
c. Public Art Master Plan Component (Addressing Goal 3: Develop a visionary Public Art Master Plan that outlines a phased and equitable 11 strategy for commissioning and placing public art citywide, ensuring thoughtful pacing and geographic distribution over the next decade.):
i. Assess the existing Art in Public Places Program.
ii. Develop a vision, goals, strategies, and a multi-year action plan for the public art program. This plan should outline clear strategies and actions for the next five to ten years, determining the "who, what, where, and when" for public art acquisition, commissioning, selection, and placement across all areas of Culver City, with a focus on equitable distribution, including underserved
neighborhoods.
iii. Include recommendations for policy updates, program structure, and staffing levels.
iv. Provide guidelines for integrating public art into City projects, private development, and community spaces, including parks and facilities. Address incorporating visual art into existing and proposed park spaces, aligning with the Culver City Parks Plan. v. Propose strategies for the equitable distribution of public art throughout the city, prioritizing areas with current deficits or historical underrepresentation.
vi. Address the maintenance and conservation of the City's public art collection and the existing Art in Public Places Program collection.
vii. Propose strategies for creating signature art gateways at entry thresholds throughout Culver City to build awareness of the city's boundaries and cultural identity.
viii. Develop a final Culver City Community Cultural Equity Plan and Public Art Master Plan that includes images, text, maps, and other pertinent studies or comparable information.
ix. The Plan will include updated and consolidated public art policies and administrative procedures aligned with a unified vision and framework.
B. Project Requirements / Key Priorities
Project requirements shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Plan Framework & Economic/Cultural Frameworks:
a. Develop a comprehensive strategic plan that outlines actionable strategies, initiatives, and projects for the next decade, with short-, medium-, and long-term priorities.
b. Incorporate economic, developmental, and cultural asset frameworks into the overarching methodologies, including Cultural Asset Mapping, 12 Landscape Analysis (ex. SWOT Analysis), and Economic Impact Analysis, to highlight community impact.
c. Staffing analysis and recommendations for the Cultural Affairs Division. d. The final Plan should fully investigate strategies based on research and input from City staff and public art program stakeholders. e. The Plan should include recognition and expansion of existing resources, cost-benefit analysis of current program structure, and a multi-year action plan with operational projections and appropriate metrics.
2. Implementation Strategy and Action Plan:
a. Develop a clear, actionable and realistic implementation strategy for the entire Community Cultural Equity Plan, including the Public Art Master Plan component. This should include recommended best practices, policy updates, and project prioritization.
b. A multi-year action plan with recommended metrics and deliverables for tracking progress.
c. Strategies for funding and implementation, including exploring dedicated revenue sources and partnerships.
d. Recommendations for organizational structure and staffing within the Cultural Affairs Division to support plan implementation. e. Recommendations for coordination and collaboration between City departments and other community partners.
3. Presentations and Reporting:
a. Prepare presentation documents and materials suitable and inclusive for public meetings, the Cultural Affairs Commission, and other legislative bodies (such as the City Council). This will include a presentation of a draft to City staff, and then the final document for the Cultural Affairs Commission to recommend for approval to the City Council. b. Present research findings, draft plans, and the final plan for feedback and approval.
c. Document the entire process, findings, recommendations, and outcomes in a comprehensive final report.
d. The consulting team will prepare and make public presentations to the Public Art Subcommittee, Cultural Affairs Commission, and other legislative bodies, as necessary, to accomplish support for and successful adoption of the Plan.
e. Revise drafts of the Plan based on feedback and approval from City staff.
13 The City of Culver City has the following key priorities for this project that must be addressed:
1. Centering Equity: The planning process and resulting plan must be deeply grounded in equity and inclusion, actively seeking and incorporating input from all segments of the community, particularly those historically marginalized or underserved, including residents of SB 1000 Priority Neighborhoods. The plan should propose strategies to address historical inequities and promote equitable outcomes.
2. Comprehensive Stakeholder Engagement: A robust, diverse, and inclusive engagement process is critical to the success and community ownership of the plan.
3. Alignment with Existing Plans: The plan must build upon and align with the vision, goals, and relevant strategies of the Culver City General Plan 2045 and the Culver City Parks Plan.
4. Actionable Strategies: The final plan should provide clear, practical, and actionable strategies with identified responsibilities, timelines, and potential funding mechanisms.
5. Integration of Public Art: The Public Art Master Plan component must be fully integrated into the overall Community Cultural Equity Plan, reflecting how public art contributes to broader cultural equity goals.
6. Addressing Affordability and Space: The plan should propose concrete strategies to address the challenges of rising costs and the need for affordable spaces for artists and creative enterprises.
IV. PROPOSAL OUTLINE TO BE SUBMITTED
The proposal shall be organized and submitted with the following elements:
A. Cover Page
B. Table of Contents
C. Executive Summary
Provide a brief summary describing the proposer’s ability to perform the work requested, a history of the proposer’s background and experience providing services, the qualifications of the proposer’s personnel to be assigned to this project, any subcontractor, sub consultants, and/or suppliers and a brief history of their background and experience, and any other information called for by this request for proposal which the proposer deems relevant, including restating any exceptions to this request for proposal. This summary should be brief and concise to apprise the reader of the basic services offered, experience and qualifications of the proposer, staff, subcontractors, and/or suppliers.
D. Questionnaire/Response to Scope of Services
14 Proposer shall provide responses and information to fully satisfy each item in the Questionnaire. Each question item should be presented before the proposer’s response. See below.
V. QUESTIONNAIRE
A. Company and General Information
1. Company name and address. Also, include A/P remit address, contact names, emails and phone numbers.
2. Letter of transmittal signed by an individual authorized to bind the respondent, stating that the respondent has read and will comply with all terms and conditions of the RFP.
3. General information about the primary contact who would be able to answer questions about the proposal. Include name, title, telephone number and email address of the individual.
B. Qualifications and Experience of the Consultancy
1. Describe your consultancy’s history and organizational structure.
Include the size of the consultancy, location of offices, years in business, organizational chart, name(s) of owner(s) and principal parties, and number and position titles of staff.
2. Which office(s) of your organization will have primary responsibility for managing this account? List the members of your team who will be responsible for providing the services and for ongoing support.
3. What is your organization’s experience conducting the services requested, specifically in cultural planning, public art planning, strategic planning, and equity-centered community engagement? Describe comparable projects performed by your consultancy in the last five years, including the number of projects, scope of service, and status of projects.
4. Comment on other areas that may make your consultancy unique.
C. Qualifications and Experience of Proposed Project Team
1. Describe the qualifications of staff proposed for the assignment, position(s) in the consultancy, and types and amount of equivalent experience. This should include recent experience, diversity, equity, and/or inclusion training or education, familiarity with public art in or around Culver City and the Los Angeles area, examples of completing similar projects on time and within budget and demonstrated experience researching and overseeing sub-contractors. Be sure to include any municipal agencies they have worked with in the past three years and their level of involvement. A description of how overall supervision will be provided should be included.
2. Identify and provide the resume(s) of the personnel who will be assigned to this project (4-page maximum per principal). If subcontractors will be 15 hired, include their names, contact information, and a resume and/or list of past projects for each (4-page maximum per subcontractor listed).
D. Fees
1. Provide your fees for the proposed services. Fee quotes should be detailed by service and the breakdown of all fees itemized. Proposals should include a competitive bid for the anticipated scope of work and the hourly billable rates which will be applied to the project.
2. Outline billing and payment expectations, including timing and method of payment.
3. Describe any remaining fees not previously detailed in the above.
4. The estimated total funding available for this RFP is an amount not to exceed $175,000. Proposers must submit a separate pricing proposal detailing costs by task, type of service, and personnel. Proposers should note that the cost to the City will carry significant weight in the evaluation. Proposers submitting relatively high-cost proposals will need to demonstrate a compelling understanding of the project, a well- developed methodology that supports it, and an approach that precludes amendments and change orders. Conversely, proposers submitting relatively low-cost proposals will need to demonstrate their ability to deliver all aspects of the scope of work at the high level of quality expected by the City.
5. Provide an explanation of any assumptions made in calculating the project costs. The proposal must stipulate that the proposal price will be valid for a period of at least 180 days.
E. References
List the company, contact name, address, e-mail address and telephone number of references from at least three (3) recent similar projects. Include a brief description of the work provided for each reference. California municipal or county projects are preferred. You may offer more than three recent similar projects if desired. The references should include the start date of the project and the date of completion for each project.
F. Implementation Schedule
Include a detailed implementation schedule with an estimated project start date in December 2025 and note key project milestones and timelines for deliverables. Identify any assumptions used in developing the schedule.
Proposers should provide a proposed project schedule in their response.
VI. ADDITIONAL CITY REQUIREMENTS IF SELECTED AS CONSULTANT A. Certificate(s) of Insurance
The City will require the successful Consultant to provide Certificates of Insurance evidencing required coverage types and the minimum limits. No 16 work shall begin until evidence of these financial guarantees is delivered as directed. Selected contractors will be required to comply with various City of Culver City ordinances and policies, which may include, but are not limited to, Commercial General and Automobile Liability Endorsements and Certificates of Insurance.
B. Business Tax Certificate
The proposing consultant does not require a Culver City Business Tax Certificate to respond to this RFP. However, the successful consultant will be required to acquire a Culver City Business tax certificate during the contracting process and maintain an active certificate throughout the contracted period.
C. Standard City Professional Services Agreement
The City will require the successful consultant to execute a professional services agreement with the city.
D. Waiver of Subrogation
The City will require the successful consultant to execute a waiver of subrogation with the City. Evidence of such waiver shall be provided to the City in the form of an endorsement or policy language satisfactory to the City, prior to commencement of any work.
VII. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS
Proposals will be judged on the Proposer’s ability to provide services that meet the requirements set forth in this document. The City reserves the right to make such investigations as it deems necessary to determine the ability of the Proposer to provide services meeting a satisfactory level of performance in accordance with the City’s requirements. Interviews and presentations by one, several, or all the Proposers may be requested by evaluators if deemed necessary to fully understand and compare the Proposer’s capabilities and qualifications. The adequacy, depth, and clarity of the proposal will influence, to a considerable degree, its evaluation.
Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Understanding of the Project and Methodology equals 25 maximum points.
This includes depth of Proposer’s understanding of the City’s requirements, overall quality of work plan, logic, clarity, and specificity of work plan, appropriateness of labor distribution among the tasks, ability to meet the project deadline, reasonableness of proposed schedule, utility of suggested technical or procedural innovations.
Experience and Qualifications of the consultancy and its individual team members equals 30 maximum points.
17 This includes cultural planning, public art planning, strategic planning, equity-centered community engagement, recent experience, diversity, equity, and/or inclusion training or education, familiarity with public art in or around Culver City, examples of completing similar projects on time and within budget and demonstrated experience researching and overseeing sub-contractors.
Proposed Cost/Budget equals 30 maximum points.
This considers detailed breakdown and justification for all fees and expenses; evaluated using methodology where the lowest quote earns maximum points.
Proposed Staffing and Project Organization equals 10 maximum points.
This includes qualifications of project staff, particularly key personnel and especially the Project Manager; key personnel’s level of involvement in performing related work; logic of project organization; adequacy of labor commitment; concurrence in the restrictions on changes in key personnel.
References equal 5 maximum points
This includes an assessment of client references.
The maximum total score for all criteria is 100 points.
As reflected above, contract award will not be based solely on price, but on a combination of factors as determined to be in the best interest of the City. After evaluating the proposals and discussing them further with the finalists or the tentatively selected vendor, the City reserves the right to further negotiate the proposed work and/or method and amount of compensation.
18 SUPPLEMENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
I. Submission of a proposal shall be deemed a binding offer to enter into a contract with the City. Any proposed modifications to the agreement shall be signed by the successful Proposer and returned, together with the certificate of insurance required pursuant to said Section of the Agreement within ten (10) days after the Notice of Award.
II. All Proposers shall be presumed to understand all of the terms, conditions and requirements of the agreement as stated in the specifications and to be thoroughly familiar with the project.
III. The selected Proposer shall be required to obtain all applicable Culver City permits and business tax certificate. The Business Support Center (HdL) may be reached at (310) 594-7847. The cost of these items shall be included in the total proposal price.
IV. Any proposal may be withdrawn prior to the RFP opening time provided that the request is in writing and signed by the authorized representative. The withdrawal of a proposal shall not prejudice the right of the Proposer to file a new proposal to the time and date set for the opening of proposals. No proposal received after the time fixed for the RFP opening will be considered.
V. Subsequent to the RFP opening, a Proposer shall be relieved of a proposal due to mistakes only if the Proposer can establish to the satisfaction of the City that all of the following circumstances exist:
a. A mistake was made.
b. The Proposer gave the City written notice within five (5) days after the opening of the proposals of the mistake; specifying in the notice, in detail, how the mistake occurred.
c. The mistake made the proposal materially different than the Proposer intended it to be.
d. The mistake was made filling out the proposal and not due to error in judgment or to carelessness in reviewing the scope of service or specifications as stated in the RFP.
VI. The City reserves the right to seek supplemental information from any proposer at any time between the dates of proposal submission and the RFP award. Such information will be limited to clarification or amplification of questions asked in the original proposal. Any proposer may be subject to personal interview and inspection of their business premises prior to award.
VII. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received and to accept any portion of proposal or all items of proposal if deemed in the best interest of the City. In addition, the City reserves the right to do any, or all, of the following:
a. Reject any or all proposals or make no award.
b. Issue subsequent RFP.
c. Cancel the RFP.
19 d. Remedy technical errors in the request for proposals. e. Modify any requirements contained within the RFP and request revised submittals from Proposers determined to be within the competitive range. f. Award a contract to one or more Proposers.
g. Accept the written proposal as an offer, without negotiation and issue a notice to proceed, if applicable.
VIII. The City reserves the right to contract with any of the organizations responding to this RFP based solely upon its judgment of the qualifications and capabilities of that organization.
IX. All materials submitted regarding this RFP become the property of the City.
Responses may be reviewed by any person at RFP opening time and thereafter. The City has the right to use any or all information presented in reply to this request, subject to the limitations outlined in Proprietary Information below. Disqualification of a proposer does not eliminate this right.
a. Proprietary Information – Any restrictions on the use of data contained within a proposal must be clearly stated in the proposal itself. Proprietary information submitted in response to this RFP will be handled in accordance with applicable City Procurement Regulations and the California Public Records Act.
X. The City is not liable for any cost incurred by proposer prior to issuance of an agreement, contract, or purchase order.
20 LEGAL STATEMENTS
All proposers must meet the following contractual and legal requirements in order to enter into a contractual agreement with the City:
I. PROHIBITED INTERESTS
a. Contractor warrants that it has not employed or retained any company or person, other than a bonafide employee working solely for Contractor, to solicit or secure this contract and that it has not paid or agreed to pay any company or person, other than a bonafide employee working solely for Contractor, any fee, percentage, brokerage fee, gifts or any other consideration, contingent upon or resulting from the award or making of this contract. For violation of this warranty, the City shall have the right to annul this contract without liability.
b. Contractor agrees that, for the term of this Contract no member, officer, or employee of the City, or of a local public body during his/her employment for one (1) year thereafter, shall have any interest, direct or indirect, in this contract, or to any benefit arising thereof.
c. The employment by Contractor of personnel on the City’s payroll will not be permitted in the execution of this contract, even though such employment may be outside of the employee's regular working hours or on Saturdays, holidays, or vacation time; further, the employment by the Contractor of personnel who have been on the City’s payroll within one (1) year prior to the date of contract award, where such employment is caused by and/or dependent upon Contractor securing this or related contract with the City, is also prohibited.
II. ANTI-LOBBYING PROVISION
a. During the period between proposal submission date and the contract award, proposers, including their agents and representatives, shall not directly discuss or promote their proposal with any member of the City of Culver City City Council or City staff except in the course of City-Sponsored inquiries, briefings, interviews, or presentations, unless requested by the City.
b. This provision is not meant to preclude offerors from discussing other matters with City Council members or City staff. This policy is intended to create a level playing field for all potential offerors, assure that contract decisions are made in public, and to protect the integrity of the RFP / Bid Evaluation process. Violation of this provision may result in rejection of the offeror’s proposal.
III. NON-DISCRIMINATION PROVISION: The City of Culver City encourages the participation of Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) in its procurement and contracting activities. The City reaffirms 21 its commitment to award its contracts and purchase orders in a non-discriminatory manner regardless of the individual’s or entity’s ancestry, age, color, physical and/or mental disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, familial status, marital status, medical condition, military and/or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex/gender, or sexual orientation.
IV. PROTECTION OF RESIDENT WORKERS: The City of Culver City actively supports the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) which includes provisions addressing employment eligibility, employment verification, and nondiscrimination. Under the INA, employers may hire only persons who may legally work in the United States (i.e., citizens and nationals of the U.S.) and persons authorized to work in the U.S.
The employer must verify the identity and employment eligibility of anyone to be hired, which includes completing the Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9).
The Contractor shall establish appropriate procedures and controls so no services or products under the Contract Documents will be performed or manufactured by any worker who is not legally eligible to perform such services or employment.