George M Sullivan Power Plant 2A Expansion Project

MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE                               

Request for Qualifications

George M. Sullivan Power Plant 2A Expansion Project

1% for Art Program /Public Works

PO Box 196650

Anchorage, AK  99519-6650

(907) 343-6473

Deadline for Entries:                         Friday, October 17, 2014 10:00 pm

Contact:                                              Curator of Public Art, 1% for Art, (907) 343-6473

Amount of Commission:                   $250,000

Eligibility:                                           International Call

Code                                                   

In accordance with Municipal Code 7.40, the Municipality of Anchorage is announcing a call for qualified artists to create artwork for the George M. Sullivan Power Plant 2A Expansion Project. 

Project Information

Project construction began in April 2014 and is scheduled to be completed by summer 2016.  The installation of artwork will likely take place in summer 2016.

Site Description

The art selection jury for the project intends to commission one art installation to be permanently installed on the front façade of the power plant located in east Anchorage along the Glenn Highway.  The most prominent location for placement of artwork discussed by the jury is the top 20’ of the front façade of the new plant that measures 232’ long.  The art selection jury will consider other suggested exterior sites. 

The building façade will be constructed of almond-colored insulated metal panels with vertical ridges and will be visible from the Glenn Highway heading north and south.  The installed insulated panels can accept collateral loads of 5 to 20 lbs per square foot, so any art installation that exceeds that load will require engineered drawings and a supplemental plan for adding structural strength.  The plant expansion project is located adjacent to the Glenn Highway; consequently the artwork should not distract drivers by resembling traffic control devices or by being extremely bright. 

The new plant will be a 120 megawatt, combined-cycle, natural-gas-fired power generator that will consist of two GE LM6000 PF Combustion Turbine Generators and one steam unit (the two aero-derivative turbines are basically jet engines).

Themes

Municipal Light & Power has been providing positive energy to Anchorage with safe, reliable and affordable electric service for more than 80 years. Today, the utility is building what will be one of the world’s most energy-efficient, thermal generation power plants. This highly fuel-efficient plant replaces 1970’s-vintage generation, significantly cleaning the air while saving fuel. The plant is beside the city’s water supply, which will provide other benefits to the community, including heating city water. This ensures that the water utility and residents will save money and energy in preventing water pipe freeze-ups.

Efficiency upgrades will produce fewer emissions including 97 percent less nitrogen oxides; 80 percent less carbon monoxide, and about 30 percent less carbon dioxide (equivalent to taking approximately 125,000 mid-sized vehicles off of the road).  The reduction in nitrogen oxide emission will affect Alaska’s overall nitrogen oxide emissions by 7 percent (1,200 tons per year).

The efficiencies made will mean overall natural gas use will be reduced by about 15 percent which equals about $13 million annually at $5/MCF bulk rate.  The new expansion plant will be 35 percent more efficient than ML & P’s current turbines.

Requirements

There are no restrictions on style or the design of the artwork, but the proposal must provide assurance the artwork will be durable and routine maintenance requirements must be minimal.  Also, surplus materials (2%) will be required for future maintenance needs, if appropriate.  The installation must be permanent and must be designed to last the life of the building.  This is an earthquake area and needs to meet standards in the IBC 2009 building code as amended by the Municipality of Anchorage. 

Sculptures taller than 6’ must be engineered and permitted through the MOA system set up for works of art. 

Budget

The total budget for the artwork during this addition to the building is $250,000 which includes all costs of design, fabrication, installation, photographic documentation, catalog documentation and an identifying plaque.  State laws related to public construction, including licensing, insurance, bonding, and payment of prevailing wage rates, may apply.

Selection Criteria:

Artists will be selected to develop proposals with the project team based on:

1. Artistic Merit as evidenced by representation of relevant past work in images. 
2. Appropriateness of the artist’s medium, style and previous experience in relation to the project goals and setting.
3. Experience with projects of a similar scale and scope including familiarity with the public art process, the public review approval process, and/or collaboration with public utilities, and design agencies; and art selection juries. 
4. Artists must have good communication skills and be able to work with diverse community members.
5. Diversity of artists and media reflects the overall program goals to strive for diversity in style, scale, media and artists in new and traditional art forms. Artists with no prior public art experience will be seriously considered.  Artists with strong bodies of work, with little public art background are encouraged to apply and will be given equal consideration.  

Artists are required to submit the following items:

1. Six digital images of past work should be loaded into CaFE (callforentry.org) following the guidelines on that site.

2. Each image should be identified with title, materials, dimensions, and value;

3. Current 1-2 page resume.

4. Your artist statement should include a description of why you are interested or particularly qualified for this project.  It should also address any experience or work sample deficiencies in relation to your chosen medium.

5.  Answers to required questions about medium and commission level.

ART SELECTION JURY

The art selection jury for this facility includes facility representative Ronnie Dent; design representative Jerry Pesce from Jerry Pesce Architect; Garry Kaulitz is a local, professional artist; Isobel Roy and Ralph Rentz represent the Municipality Of Anchorage, and Pat Wolf represents the community.