[CLOSED] RFP: Preservation Maryland Seeks Consultant for Branding Project at South Mountain Battlefield

07/03/2020
By Preservation Maryland

Preservation Maryland is seeking Proposals from a consulting firm with demonstrated expertise in the development of graphic design, branding, design guidelines and branding implementation plans for large landscapes, preferably with experience in historic and battlefield sites.

Update: Out of dozens of interested consultants, Communication Design Inc., a design firm based out of Richmond, Virginia, with extensive experience in heritage and preservation and which also branded Civil War Trails, was selected to lead the effort on behalf of Preservation Maryland in close coordination with key stakeholders, including the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and local and state organizations.

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
P20AP00200
Building a Brand for the South Mountain Battlefield

1.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Preservation Maryland is seeking Proposals from a consulting firm with demonstrated expertise in the development of graphic design, branding, design guidelines and branding implementation plans for large landscapes, preferably with experience in historic and battlefield sites.

DOWNLOAD FULL RFP (PDF)

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS AS OF 7/15/20 (PDF)

Historic Background

The branding project will focus on The Battlefield at South Mountain which was fought on September 14, 1862 as part of the Maryland Campaign of the Civil War. The opposing armies were led by Confederate General Robert E. Lee who commanded the Army of Northern Virginia and Major General George B. McClellan who commanded the Union Army of the Potomac. Three pitched battles were fought principally for possession of three South Mountain passes: Crampton’s, Turner’s, and Fox’s Gap. The Union Army needed to pass through these gaps in their pursuit of the Confederate Army which had been precariously divided in an effort to capture Harper’s Ferry. Although the delay bought at South Mountain would allow Lee to reunite his army and forestall defeat, Lee considered terminating the Maryland Campaign at nightfall. Ultimately the armies would reassemble and reengage on September 17, 1862 at the Battle of Antietam.

Project Need & Opportunity

Because the three battles along the gaps in South Mountain are geographically disparate and the events at Antietam were more decisive than the events at South Mountain, modern battlefield preservation efforts tended to focus on Antietam. As a result the preservation of the South Mountain Battlefield has been fragmented between federal, state, and local governments. This has resulted in a similarly patchy approach to battlefield interpretation.

To address this challenge, the NPS American Battlefield Protection Program funded Preservation Maryland in 2017 to conduct a Public Consensus Building Plan for the South Mountain Battlefield. That plan was completed in 2019 and one of its key recommendations was to better explain and promote the story of the battle through a unified visual “branding” for the battlefield range. This coordinated approach to wayfinding signs and markers is a highly cost-effective way for landowners and heritage tourism programs to unify their efforts. This voluntarily “branding” of South Mountain can be implemented at minimal cost by including the new design on markers, signs, etc. as part of ongoing maintenance efforts in the area.

Details of the project are shown in the scope of work. The project will be developed and deliverables produced during the period of September 2020 through September 2021.

2.0 SERVICES AND SCOPE OF WORK

The contractor, who must document their qualifying experience and ability, will:

3.0 PROPOSAL FORMAT

All submitted proposals shall be complete and prepared in a straightforward and concise manner, including:

4.0 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS SUBMISSION DATE

DOWNLOAD FULL RFP (PDF)

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS AS OF 7/15/20 (PDF)

PUBLIC CONSENSUS BUILDING PLAN 8/14/19 (PDF)

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Preservation Maryland is Maryland’s first and largest organization dedicated to preserving the state’s historic buildings, neighborhoods, landscapes, and archaeological sites.

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