The Village of Rochester, located in Racine County, Wisconsin, is seeking a response to this Request for Proposals (RFP) from environmental graphic design consultants for the development of a wayfinding and community identification signage program. Such RFP also includes detailed design drawings with specific details of each type of sign and location – allowing the Village to move forward to the construction phase of this project as funding becomes available.

Bid Specifications

One signed paper or electronic copy of each individual proposal must be submitted by 5:00 P.M. on Thursday, August 24, 2023.

Mail: Village of Rochester
Attn: Betty Novy, Village Administrator
300 W. Spring Street
P.O. Box 65
Rochester, WI 53167

Email: [email protected]

The final selection of the most qualified vendor will be carried out by the Village Board. The Village reserves the right to reject any and all proposals.

 

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION RESPONSES

Posted August 16, 2023:

• Is the Village wanting a rebranding (refresh of the current logo) or a brand new logo designed?   A brand-new logo designed.
• Is there currently a Village flag? Are there other known elements that need to be incorporated into the flag other than the logo?  There is no current flag.  Flag design is an optional bid item.  We are looking to the vendor to guide the village on what elements should be -or are typically- incorporated in flag design.
• Are there certain colors that need to be maintained in the design of the new logo or flag?    There is no adopted color scheme.
• Which signs need to be installed by the manufacturing and installation goal “of one or more portions of the project by early 2024. Has a budget been established for this installation goal?  The portion of the project that gets installed first will be determined by estimated costs and priorities determined by the Village Board.  They desire flexibility built into the plan so they can pick and choose all signs, or individual groups of signs, to install based on priorities they agree on; and then how they collectively agree to assign funds.  There are several different funding sources the Village Board can choose from to allocate towards the project, but no specific budget allocation will be made towards installation until estimated costs are known.
• Is there a need for any community engagement with selection of the logo or flag design?  When this project was introduced to the Village Board, an option was provided was to appoint a citizen committee to the task.  They instead wished to have a professional design firm lead the village through the process.   The bid specifications call for at least three concept graphic styles to be presented early in the process of which one will be selected by the Village Board.  The selection process is not necessarily spelled out, but I do not believe the Village Board is anticipating community meetings or a great deal of community participation.  However, they may choose to solicit citizen input by putting out a couple of design options they agree on in the village newsletter or an online survey, and then asking residents to vote.   In your proposal, you could provide options for community engagement meetings or other means of engagement as specific tasks; and then have certain dollar amounts attached to those line items.
• Is there a need for community engagement during the wayfinding design process?   Same answer as above.
• Can you provide more detail on how the approval process for the logo & wayfinding will occur throughout the project?  I cannot 100% guarantee how the process will unfold.  My suggestion is that the consultant provide examples of design options and request feedback from Village Board members electronically as a way to determine preferences before presenting several conceptual design options to the Village Board.  This part of the process could be enhanced by designing and hosting an online survey soliciting the same feedback from residents as an optional line item in the proposal.  Taking design option feedback into consideration, the consultant could then develop the minimum three concept graphic styles.   Once those minimum three options are presented, the Village Board will either agree on one design themselves or solicit electronic votes from residents on their top two within a short deadline.   If they choose to take a vote, they should be able to choose a design shortly after the vote closes.
• How many presentations should we anticipate throughout the course of the project? 1-2
• Will the Village be handling the bidding of the project or will you need the selected firm to assist?  The Village will handle the bidding.
• Will you need Construction Administration Services as a part of this proposal? Or will this be decided after the construction documentation is delivered?  To be decided after the construction documentation is delivered.
• Are we only designing new vehicular wayfinding signs, village entry signs, and directional signage to recreational and other municipal facilities BUT NOT designing destination identity signage for the locations identified in the RFP? Yes, the RFP does not include designing destination identity signage.