REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. The Women s Building Comprehensive Brand and Identity Strategy

Transcription

1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS The Women s Building Comprehensive Brand and Identity Strategy 1

2 PROJECT SUMMARY NoVo Foundation, a New York City- based philanthropy founded by Jennifer and Peter Buffett, in collaboration with Goren Group, a WBE woman- owned and operated real estate development company, is creating The Women s Building, a new global hub for the girls and women s rights movement in New York City. NoVo and Goren are redeveloping the former Bayview Correctional Facility women s prison (a 100, ,000 square foot building located at 550 West 20 th Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City), transforming a site of women s confinement and oppression into a space that is dedicated to equality, liberation and justice for girls and women everywhere. The Women s Building is expected to open in Consistent with all of its work, NoVo has believed very deeply that it should begin The Women s Building journey by listening to and learning from others, especially communities the building aspires to serve. Since the project was announced in October 2015, the foundation has engaged over 600 advocates, community leaders and many others, including formerly incarcerated women, to gather their ideas for the future of the space. Guided by these insights, NoVo Foundation now seeks proposals from experienced, thoughtful and collaborative consultants and firms who can develop a comprehensive brand and identity strategy for The Women s Building, and to fully capture and communicate the unique global potential of this space and the growing community it represents. A Women s Building in New York has been a dream of activists for decades and now that vision is being realized. This is a once- in- a- lifetime opportunity to help co- create its future, and to join a committed and creative team of leaders who are working to demonstrate what is possible when the potential of girls and women is nurtured rather than locked away. In keeping with the goals and mission of the project, we encourage a strong emphasis on women s involvement and leadership in all phases of the project. In your RFP response, please indicate how your team structure will support this mission. 2

3 ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND NoVo Foundation is dedicated to building a more just and balanced world. Founded in 2006 by Jennifer and Peter Buffett, NoVo has become one of the largest private foundations in the world to support initiatives focused explicitly on girls and women. It also works to advance social and emotional learning, support Indigenous communities in North America, and promote local living economies. Across all of its work, the NoVo Foundation supports the development of capacities in people individually and collectively to help create a world based on mutual respect, collaboration, and love. Goren Group is a registered WBE woman- owned and operated real estate development and investment company devoted to making buildings that create change and foster community. Founded in 2007 by Lela Goren, Goren Group develops complex, significant and historic buildings with entrepreneurial finesse and an unwavering commitment to social engagement. THE WOMEN S BUILDING MISSION, VALUES AND VISION Mission The Women s Building provides nurturing and transformative space, community, and resources for activists and organizations working to advance liberation, equality, and justice for all girls and women cis, trans, and gender nonconforming everywhere. Values The values of the Women s Building are rooted in those of NoVo Foundation: Equality and Social Justice Human rights Partnership, collaboration, and mutual respect Love Participation Respect for lived experience Radical hope Vision and Program The Women s Building will serve as a home and meeting space for organizations and activists working to ensure that all girls and women can live free from violence and 3

4 discrimination. It will connect leaders working at the local, national and global levels, serving as a hub for the global girls and women s rights movement. The final program for the building is being developed in collaboration with girls and women s advocates and other social justice leaders in New York, nationwide, and globally. The voices, experiences, leadership, and participation of girls and women, including currently and formerly incarcerated women, are integral to the project at every stage, from conception to construction. When it opens in 2020, The Women s Building will house a range of advocacy and social change organizations working in the girls and women s rights movement. The building will likely also include shared meeting space, gallery or performance space, a cafe, wellness center, garden, and childcare facilities. BACKGROUND AND CURRENT STATUS On October 26, 2015, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that Empire State Development had awarded NoVo Foundation, in collaboration with Goren Group, rights to restore and redevelop the former Bayview Correctional Facility into The Women s Building, a global hub for the girls and women s rights movement. Since then, through a series of town halls, focus groups and online engagement, NoVo has engaged over 600 advocates, community leaders and many others, including formerly incarcerated women, to gather their ideas for the future of the space. These consultations and conversations will continue. For short video highlights, visit NoVo has also assembled advisory teams to guide the project, including an eight- person architecture selection committee composed of leading architects, girls and women s rights activists, and other industry professionals; and an Advisory Circle of nearly 20 leaders from across the girls and women s and related social justice movements to offer ongoing insights and guidance across all aspects of the project as it evolves. In July 2016, NoVo and Goren Group announced that Deborah Berke Partners had been selected as the winner of The Women s Building International Design Competition. Berke, who has promoted the advancement of women in the field of architecture throughout her career, will lead a diverse team of designers and architects to transform the space. NoVo has believed very deeply that it should begin The Women s Building journey by listening to and learning from others, especially communities the building aspires to 4

5 serve. Since its community conversations and work with advisory teams began in 2015, NoVo has engaged videography, photography, digital and design teams to capture voices from these conversations and to develop an interim visual identity for the project overall. Now, guided by insights and input from leaders across the world, and with a strong architectural team in place, we are ready to engage with an expert team to build a comprehensive brand and identity strategy to fully capture and communicate the unique global potential of this space and the growing community it represents. PROJECT SCOPE The following is offered as a suggested guide rather than a rigid list. We are open to recommendations. Discovery Review key findings and insights from the community consultation processes and advisory team meetings Review existing digital and print communications, messaging, and media coverage Conduct interviews with project audiences, leaders, advisors, partners Development Develop a comprehensive brand strategy that captures the Women s Building s primary audiences, brand values, position, story, personality, and promise Establish a new visual identity for The Women s Building, including a logo, and related guidelines Create a tagline and sharpen key messaging Develop a brand book that captures the above elements and governs their use Building branding and design 5

6 Serve as a thought partner to architectural teams and advisory committee as they begin to explore schematic design and plans for memorialization and exhibition spaces. NOTE: The scope of this project focuses on a fundamental first phase: developing a core brand and identity for The Women s Building overall. A second phase will focus on expression of that brand in the building through such elements as wayfinding, room signage, digital display, exhibition spaces, storytelling etc. At the conclusion of the first phase, we will assess whether to continue with the selected firm or to work with another partner that brings specialized skills in these areas. In the first phase, the selected firm will act as a general thought partner with architectural and advisory teams, to share insights as they emerge and to guide their initial work and planning. Brand Launch and Execution Develop and execute a plan for the brand launch, including related enhancements to The Women s Building website Develop templates for print and digital materials REQUIRED DELIVERABLES Brand Strategy Key Messages and Tagline Visual Identity, including logo files saved in EPS format Brand Book and Visual Identity Standards Manual Website enhancement plan Print and digital templates PROPOSED TIMELINE Discovery October December 2016 Development January March 2017 Brand Launch April

7 PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS Firm Information Provide agency s name, address, URL, telephone and fax numbers. Include name, title and e- mail address of the individual who will serve as agency s primary contact. Include a brief description and history of your firm. List all services provided in- house and services provided by any outside consultants. If any services are to be provided by outside consultants, please provide a brief description of the firm, its role, and capabilities. In keeping with the goals and mission of the project, we encourage a strong emphasis on women s involvement and leadership in all phases of the project. Please indicate how your team structure will support this mission. Project Approach and Assessment Please explain your expected approach, style and process, and why they are a fit for this project. Include a short overview of expected key challenges and opportunities to address. Provide biographies of key staff Introduce your proposed project team, including consultants. Provide resumes of all personnel assigned to the project including specific experience that each team member would contribute to the project. Identify and define their individual roles. Experience Proposals should include a list describing projects that are similar in scale that your firm has completed. Please include at least one in- depth case study that includes a limited number of creative samples. Where possible, highlight work for analogous projects. Schedule and Timeline Proposals should include the proposed work schedule, timeline, and deliverables. Cost / Budget Proposals must include the estimated cost for all work related to tasks and deliverables outlined above. 7

8 References Supply at least three (3) references that have used your professional services for a similar project. Include a contact name, address, and a contact phone number. DEADLINE Please submit your proposal by September 21, CONTACT FOR QUESTIONS AND SUBMISSION Joe Voeller Director of Communications, NoVo Foundation (212) jvoeller@novofoundation.org 535 Fifth Ave, 33rd Floor New York, NY Addendum OVERVIEW OF 550 WEST 20 th STREET AND PROPOSED PROJECT Existing Building The existing building was constructed in 1931 and is comprised of an 8- story main building of approximately 80,000 square feet ( Historic Building ) and an adjacent 6- story annex of approximately 30,000 square feet ( Laundry Building ). Proposed Project The proposed project involves renovation of the main building, a potential addition atop the main building, and a new construction building on the footprint of the old annex building. The project s program, which will be verified during the Program Verification phase, includes approximately 130,000 gross square feet, based on maximum allowable zoning square feet of 118,500, and includes the following likely uses: Office Space Childcare Facilities Operations/Mechanical (HVAC)/Circulation/Storage/BOH Gardens and Roof 8

9 Self- care Space (pool, sauna, fitness) Auditorium, performance, film screening, events Atrium & Lobby (for both buildings) potentially incorporating museum and exhibition space Retail Spaces (TBD tenants eg. bookstore/library, thrift/donation center, fair trade, etc.) Art Gallery Restaurant Café THE WOMEN S BUILDING WEBSITE 9