RESOURCE COLLECTION

Request For Proposals: Artist-Designed Artwork Glass Fabrication and Delivery

Arts Commission

SOLICITATION SCHEDULE

  • RFP Issued
  • Artwork Image File Available for Sample Production
    • Friday, May 1, 2026 (available upon registration)
  • Pre-Proposal Conference (non-mandatory)
  • Written Questions and Proposed Changes to Contract Terms Due
    • Friday, May 22, 2026, 5:00 p.m. PST
  • Proposals Due
    • Friday, June 19, 2026, 5:00 p.m. PST
  • Material Samples Due
    • Friday, July 3, 2026, 5:00 p.m. PST
      San Francisco Arts Commission
      401 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 325
      San Francisco, CA 94102
  • Notice of Intent to Award
    • On or around Friday, July 24, 2026
  • Period for Protesting Notice of Intent to Award
    • Within three (3) business days of the City's issuance of a Notice of Intent to Award
  • Contract Administrator
    • Jackie von Treskow, Senior Program Manager
      San Francisco Arts Commission
      401 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 325, San Francisco, CA 94102
      Phone: (415) 819-1055
      Email: jackie.vontreskow@sfgov.org

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

ABOUT THE CAPITAL PROJECT
"Those Who Carry Water" by artist Walter Kitundu is being commissioned as part of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's (SFPUC) San Francisco Water Department Headquarters project at 2000 Marin Street, a major capital infrastructure project currently under construction in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco. The project includes a new administrative building and employee parking garage, which serves as the canvas for the commissioned artwork. Construction is being managed by Clark Construction as General Contractor. The glass support structure (armature) is fabricated and installed under the General Contractor's contract. The artwork glass installation is performed by the General Contractor's glazing subcontractor under a separate contract. SFAC holds the glass fabrication and delivery contract directly through this solicitation.

ARTWORK OVERVIEW
"Those Who Carry Water" is a large-scale permanent artwork comprising ceramic enamel digitally printed laminated glass panels installed on the north, west, and south facades of the SFWD employee parking garage, spanning approximately 16,552 square feet across three facades. Upon completion, the artwork will be permanently accessioned into the SFAC Civic Art Collection.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Walter Kitundu is an interdisciplinary artist, instrument builder, and ornithologist whose work spans sound, sculpture, photography, and public art. His practice is deeply rooted in community, natural systems, and the intrinsic connections between living things. He is a 2008 MacArthur Fellow and director of Kitundu Studio, which focuses on the development and installation of public artworks.

TECHNICAL OVERVIEW
The artwork glass panels are laminated, fully tempered, ultra-clear (low iron) glass with ceramic enamel imagery digitally printed on the interior-facing surface of the outer glass lite and fired to a permanent bond. Panel types include standard four-point and six-point supported panels as well as special curved panels at the base of the north and west facades. The glass support structure (armature) is fabricated and installed by the General Contractor under a separate contract. Fabrication and delivery of the artwork glass panels is procured separately by SFAC through this solicitation.

PROPOSAL OVERVIEW

CONTRACT INFORMATION

Contract Type: Professional Services (P-606)

Sourcing Event ID: 0000011691

Not to Exceed Amount: $2,000,000

Contract Term: Two (2) years, with one (1) year extension option

SCOPE OF WORK
The selected fabricator will be responsible for the fabrication and delivery of all artwork glass panels in accordance with the approved artwork design files, structural drawings, and technical performance specifications. Key scope elements include:

  • Pre-fabrication coordination: review of artwork documentation, field dimension verification, GC shop drawing compatibility review, design file handoff, pre-fabrication coordination meetings, and shop drawing preparation and submission
  • Production material samples: a minimum of five (5) production material samples for SFAC and artist review and approval prior to full production
  • Full-scale field mock-up: fabrication and delivery of a minimum of four (4) full-scale panels for in-place review by SFAC, the artist, and the structural engineer prior to full production
  • Glass structural testing: structural performance testing of a minimum of three (3) G6 panels to failure per the technical performance specifications
  • Fabrication: all artwork glass panels across three facades per approved design files, shop drawings, and technical performance specifications
  • Quality control: QC Plan, production inspections, non-conforming panel reporting, and pre-packing certification
  • Packaging and delivery: engineered crating, phased delivery coordinated with the General Contractor's installation schedule, and joint delivery inspection
  • Conservation documentation: a complete conservation documentation package for permanent accessioning into the SFAC Civic Art Collection, as a condition of final payment

Full scope requirements, technical specifications, and submission instructions are provided in the RFP and attachments available for download below. Proposers are strongly encouraged to review all documents thoroughly before submitting a Proposal.

MATERIAL SAMPLE REQUIREMENT
As part of the proposal submission, each Proposer must produce and submit a physical 24" x 24" material sample fabricated from a SFAC-provided composite image file. The image file will be made available to all registered Proposers at the time of RFP issuance. Material samples are due one week after the proposal deadline. See Section IX of the RFP for full sample requirements.

SELECTION PROCESS

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Minimum Qualifications: Pass/Fail

Written Proposal: Firm and Team Qualifications: 30 Points

Written Proposal: Project Approach and Schedule: 20 Points

Written Proposal: Understanding of the Artwork: 10 Points

Price Proposal: 20 Points

Material Sample: 20 Points

Proposer's Acceptance of City Contract Terms: 5 Points

TOTAL: 100 Points

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
To be considered for this contract, Proposers must demonstrate:

  • A completed Written Proposal addressing all required sections
  • A completed Price Proposal with all required line items
  • A minimum of three (3) comparable fabrication projects completed within the last ten (10) years involving the fabrication of artist-designed architectural glass incorporating ceramic frit or enamel digitally printed imagery for permanent installation in a public, civic, or institutional setting
  • Status as a US-based business entity eligible to contract with the City and County of San Francisco

HOW TO APPLY

REGISTRATION
Registration is required to receive the artwork image file for material sample production and to receive addenda and project updates. To register, email Jackie von Treskow at jackie.vontreskow@sfgov.org with the following information: firm name, primary contact name and title, email address, phone number, and country or location of operations. SFAC will provide the image file via a secure download link within two (2) business days of a complete registration request. Proposers are encouraged to register as early as possible to allow maximum time for material sample production.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Proposals must be submitted by email to jackie.vontreskow@sfgov.org no later than Friday, June 19, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. PST. The full RFP and all attachments are available for download below.

  • Written Proposal
  • Price Proposal
  • Proposed Changes to City Contract Terms, if any
  • Material Sample
    • Friday, July 3, 2026, 5:00 p.m. PST
    • Physical delivery to SFAC, 401 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 325, San Francisco, CA 94102

The full RFP and all attachments, including the artwork glass fabrication specification and GLS drawings, are available for download below. Receipt of the artwork image file for material sample production requires separate registration as described above.

QUESTIONS
Written questions regarding this Solicitation must be submitted by email to jackie.vontreskow@sfgov.org no later than Friday, May 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. PST. Questions and responses will be issued as an addendum to all registered Proposers.

Timeline

Issue Date: Friday, May 1, 2026
Proposals Due: Friday, June 19, 2026, 5:00 p.m. PST
Material Samples Due: Friday, July 3, 2026, 5:00 p.m. PST
Notice of Intent to Award: On or around Friday, July 17, 2026

About the Commission

The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is the City agency that champions the arts as essential to daily life by investing in a vibrant arts community, enlivening the urban environment, and shaping innovative cultural policy. SFAC's Public Art Program commissions permanent public artworks for City-owned properties, which are accessioned into the Civic Art Collection upon completion.

Art Enrichment Ordinance

This commission is funded through the City's Art Enrichment Ordinance (San Francisco Administrative Code Section 3.19), which requires that a percentage of the construction budget for eligible City capital projects be allocated to the commissioning of permanent public art. The selected artwork will be permanently accessioned into the SFAC Civic Art Collection upon completion.

Documents

Attachment 1_City's Contract Terms (P-606 Professional Services Agreement)
Published
Attachment 2_HCAO and MCO Declaration Forms
Published
Attachment 3_First Source Hiring Form
Published
Attachment 4_Artwork Glass Fabrication Specification
Published
Attachment 5_Artwork Glass Panel Drawings (GLS Bid Set)
Published
Attachment 6a_Artwork Support Structure Drawings (ART Bid Set)
Published
Attachment 6b_Artwork Glass Installation Specification
Published
Attachment 7_Those Who Carry Water Artwork Design Renderings
2000 Marin Artist Designed Glass Fabrication RFP
Published