The Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of the American Latino (NMA L), is seeking proposals for the design of its inaugural museum experience. This federal contract requires a single prime contractor to develop the initial concept plan and design for exhibitions. The contract is expected to be awarded by the end of September 2026, with options for exhibition design services through final design and fabrication administration. Offerors must demonstrate the capacity to design a multimillion-dollar museum exhibition experience, with prior experience in designing at least three complex museum exhibits within the last seven years. Each example must involve a total exhibition footprint of at least 35,000 sq. ft. , with at least one exceeding 45,000 sq. ft. Proposals must be submitted via email by May 18, 2026, 9:00 AM EST. The estimated total exhibition budget, including fabrication and installation, ranges from $100,000,000 to $130,000,000. The contract will be a firm-fixed-price contract for concept design services, with priced options for additional design phases. Offerors are encouraged to include non-typical creative partners on their teams. All materials created for the Smithsonian must be work made for hire or assigned to the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian reserves the right to determine the extent to which comparable projects meet the minimum requirements.
Proposals are due via email on May 18, 2026, 9:00 AM EST. The contract is expected to be awarded at the end of September 2026.
The bid notice does not explicitly detail payment terms for contractors, but it mentions that invoices will be paid within thirty days from the Smithsonian's receipt of a proper invoice approved by the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR).
The bid notice includes a Warranty of Services clause (FAR ****) stating that all services performed under the contract will be free from defects in workmanship and conform to contract requirements at the time of acceptance. Additionally, deliverables are warranted for a minimum of one calendar year from final acceptance.
The contract will be awarded to the offeror the Smithsonian Institution determines best meets the identified requirements based upon the offeror's proposal. The technical evaluation factors (approach to exhibit design, management plan, firm profile and key personnel, and past performance) are considered significantly more important than cost or price.
Offerors must demonstrate the capacity to design a multimillion-dollar museum exhibition experience of similar size and scope, with prior experience in designing at least three complete museum or very complex museum exhibits within the past seven years. Each example must involve a total exhibition footprint of at least 35,000 sq. ft. , with at least one exceeding 45,000 sq. ft. Subcontractor performance cannot satisfy the prime contractor's minimum requirement.
The bid notice does not explicitly detail penalties for non-compliance, but it does state that failure to meet minimum requirements will result in the proposal not being evaluated. It also mentions that if the contractor fails to correct or reperform defective services, the Contracting Officer may correct or replace them and charge the contractor the cost, or make an equitable adjustment in the contract price.
The bid notice explicitly states o preproposal site visit.
The bid notice does not mention any requirement for sample submissions.
The bid notice does not specify a deadline for challenging the bid or its terms.
The Smithsonian Institution has estimated the total exhibition budget for this project, to include all exhibition fabrication and installation, to be in the range of one hundred million ($100,000,000) to one hundred and thirty million ($130,000,000).
