These are the initial questions that have been asked by Proposers. The responses are in order of the sections of the RFP. There are some questions that don’t fit into specific categories, those are listed at the end of the document under Miscellaneous.
2. OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEW VISION OF BUMBERSHOOT
- Can we present more than one option for the Festival?
Response—Yes.
c. Sustainable Business Model
- Are the prospective bidders responsible – 100% - for the financing, budget, and event deficit coverage? Including all Festival expenses? Or is there underwriting available from the city, state, Seattle Center, etc. to cover any deficit?
Response—It’s the proposer’s responsibility for the financing, budget, and any event deficit. The City of Seattle and Seattle Center will not be underwriting any of the financing.
- If the prospective bidder is 100% responsible for financing and all Festival losses should there be any, will the bidder have an ownership stake in the Festival? Or will the Seattle Center and City of Seattle own the Festival outright? The proposer will have ownership in the Festival.
Response—The City/Seattle Center retains the trademark/ownership. But we could sublicense or create a partnership with an entity for the use/ownership through an agreement.
- Is the City of Seattle offering any financial assistance to the Festival?
Response—The City of Seattle and Seattle Center are looking for a Festival that is financially sustainable for the costs associated with producing a Festival of this size and scope. Seattle Center may offer free or discounted rent for facilities, reduced rate for Seattle Center labor, in-kind marketing, and a dedicated Event Manager.
- “Festival is budgeted by Seattle Center to break even annually, excluding City-purchased artistic services and programming.” - Can you offer any more information on that? Would those be fees that the City provides for Seattle artists at the Festival? What City department provides? Is there already a process for distributing those funds? Is there a pre-determined dollar amount for that line item?
Response—Seattle Center has a balanced/breakeven budget for Bumbershoot. Seattle Center’s contribution to the Festival is not a cash but rather in-kind services to support the Festival. For example, we may offer free rent for Seattle Center grounds and most buildings. We promote Bumbershoot in our marketing and promotions. We may offer a reduced rate for Stage, Sound, Labor, Guest Services, and equipment to help produce the Festival, as well as personnel that is not charged to the Festival, such as Event Managers. In the past the Festival has applied for grants from the City of Seattle Arts & Culture.
4. FESTIVAL FACILITIES & POSSIBLE EXPANSION
- Why was Memorial Stadium left off the RFP?
Response—Memorial Stadium is owned and operated by Seattle Public Schools. Contract and available dates must be worked with SPS directly.
- Is the Upper NW Courtyard available as a programming space?
Response—NW Courtyard is available as a programmable space for the Festival. The selected proposer will need to work with Seattle Center, Climate Pledge Arena and KEXP for emergency exits from their facilities.
- What is the non-compete clause with CPA?
Response—Please refer to the RFP, Section 4, page 6 that states: Additionally, the Climate Pledge Arena (“CPA”) shall provide up to six consecutive use days during Labor Day weekend for Bumbershoot, including one day immediately preceding the first gated Festival Day for move-in purposes. Dates of availability are contingent upon priority calendar holds required by the NHL, WNBA, or NBA. Proposer will enter into a separate agreement governing the Festival’s use of the Arena. CPA also agrees not to book competing music events if the Arena is not used for the Bumbershoot Festival (unless written permission is given by the Seattle Center Director). Should Bumbershoot dates be modified away from the Labor Day weekend pattern, Community Event dates reserved for Bumbershoot may possibly be modified to alternate dates acceptable to CPA; modifications must be made no less than 12 months in advance of the proposed modified dates.
- Are there currently any teams that would have games over Labor Day weekend? It is possible the Strom will have playoff over Labor Day weekend 2022?
Response—Climate Pledge Arena certain dates for professional sporting events take precedence over the Festival on Labor Day weekend. Currently for Labor Day of 2022, the Seattle Storm could possibly have playoff dates. Please refer to the RFP, Section 4, page 6 that states: Additionally, the Climate Pledge Arena (“CPA”) shall provide up to six consecutive use days during Labor Day weekend for Bumbershoot, including one day immediately preceding the first gated Festival Day for move-in purposes. Dates of availability are contingent upon priority calendar holds required by the NHL, WNBA, or NBA. Proposer will enter into a separate agreement governing the Festival’s use of the Arena. CPA also agrees not to book competing music events if the Arena is not used for the Bumbershoot Festival (unless written permission is given by the Seattle Center Director). Should Bumbershoot dates be modified away from the Labor Day weekend pattern, Community Event dates reserved for Bumbershoot may possibly be modified to alternate dates acceptable to CPA; modifications must be made no less than 12 months in advance of the proposed modified dates.
7. OPERATION & USE RIGHTS
- Do proposers need to work with local IATSE for stage calls?
Response—Seattle Center is a union property with our own operating agreements with IASTE, SEIU, and other unions. Seattle Center will facilitate the union calls for facilities owned and operated by the City of Seattle. Seattle Rep/ Bagley Wright Theatre, Cornish Playhouse, Seattle Children’s Theatre, use Seattle Center agreements regarding union labor during any City use dates. Other Resident Organizations have their own IASTE or SEIU contracts that must be followed.
- Do you have maps of the power and water locations on Seattle Center?
Response—See attached maps as of January 2021. As construction of Climate Pledge Arena comes to a close we will have an updated map of available utilities. The Festival is responsible for distribution of shore power to the necessary locations. An electrical vendor will need to be contracted for additional power needs.
- Seattle Center Water and Waste Map
- Seattle Center Quick Coupler Map
- Seattle Center Power Connections Map
- Can golf carts and scooters be used on Seattle Center grounds?
Response—Yes, they will need to be covered under the Festival’s insurance and follow the safety guidelines of Seattle Center. In addition, forklifts and heavy equipment rented by the Festival will need to be covered under the Festival’s insurance. The operators of the forklifts and heavy equipment will need to have a current license to operate on Seattle Center grounds.
- Are there any street closures around the Festival?
Response—To apply for street closures and additional street parking, the producer must work directly with the City of Seattle Special Events Committee for application and review. Seattle Center does have limited street parking available for vendors, trailers, and various supplies. See attached Seattle Center street parking.
- SDOT-Seattle Center MOA Event Curbside Management
- Is there an opportunity to buy-out the restaurants in the Armory?
Response—No, vendors in the Armory remain open during the Festival. The vendors have a lease right to be open 365 days a year. If you are interested in proposing a buy-out option please include that as part of your proposal.
- As there now some sponsors, because the new Climate Pledge Arena, who have campus-wide sponsorships, are there any limitations on either of the following activities: asking those same sponsors to extend their sponsorships to the Festival, and/or inviting a sponsor’s competitor to sponsor the Festival. Example: if Coke is a campus-wide sponsor of Seattle Center, can we ask Pepsi to join as a Bumbershoot sponsor?
Response—The proposers are welcome to approach an existing sponsor of Seattle Center for sponsorship opportunities for Bumbershoot. Please reference Section 7 Operations & Use Rights: The City has already granted ArenaCo the right to act as the exclusive sales representative of Seattle Center campus sponsorships, but the selected proposer will have the right to sell sponsorships for the Festival in unlimited categories and scope tied to the Festival, if they do not conflict with either Seattle Center or City guidelines involving tobacco or illegal activity, or with some sponsor agreements made by Seattle Center on a year-round basis that have exclusive rights. Proposer acknowledges that on-site activations for such sponsorships are temporary in nature, specifically limited to the number of days that the Festival will occur. Temporary signage and activations may not interfere with existing on-site signage tied to year-round campus sponsors.
9. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS
- The RFP states drawings and timelines to be part of the RFP, do you need actual CAD drawing of the Festival or just conceptual?
Response—Conceptual designs for how proposer will operate the Festival are acceptable. We understand that there are details that are not available at the time of the proposal (i.e. stages, hours of operations, specific talent), and is not expected. We want the proposer(s) to explain how they will use Seattle Center to move the Festival forward.
10. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE
- When all RFPs are submitted, and the deadline has past. What information will be posted on the website? Executive summary, just company names, entire proposal?
Response—Seattle Center will have a public and transparent process for the RFP. Please mark any items in your RFP that you would like to keep confidential for posting to the RFP web page. If there is a request for a public disclosure, please refer to Section 13, Bullet Point 4 stating: All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the City. Proposers shall retain the copyright to any copyrighted materials; however, by submitting them to the City, each proposer grants the City an irrevocable, unlimited license to copy, distribute, and use the proposal materials for purposes related to this RFP process and negotiation of final agreements. In the event there is a public disclosure request, Seattle Center will notify prospers. The following link is to the public disclosure process for the City of Seattle: www.seattle.gov/public-records
16. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND PROCESS
- Is there are “criteria” a numerical 1-10 ten grading system for the importance of certain aspects of the Festival? Example: Financial Stability—10 General Characteristic, Characteristics of Festival 9.5 ect…?
Response—Final scoring is being developed. Refer to the RFP for the overall aspects Seattle Center is looking to achieve with Bumbershoot.
- Will One Reel be part of the decision-making process?
Response—One Reel requested not to be part of the decision-making process. The decision will be made by a panel of Seattle Center decisionmakers.
- Proposer’s sound financial condition over time, including the proposer’s ability to provide continued balanced budgets and pay back the debt owed to the City of Seattle. What is the amount of debt to be paid? What is the debt proposer is responsible for?
Response—This is referring to Section 16, bullet point 4 on page 11 of the RFP. This is not referring to any debt from past Festivals. Seattle Center expects to be paid by proposer for all additional expenses/income incurred by the production of the Festival to be paid in a timely manner and not to incur debt.
OTHER INQUIRES
- Is there any intellectual property provided from One Reel/AEG...ticketing data, email addresses, social media accounts for the new producer to work with so they are not starting at ground zero?
Response—Seattle Center does not have any intellectual property (ticketing date, email address, certain social media accounts) from One Reel or AEG. Seattle Center does have a large ticket data/email database from Seattle Center produced events, KeyArena, and McCaw Hall for the proposer to access. Seattle Center does own the domain www.bumbershoot.com.
- Could an event proposer use Seattle Center Foundation as their 501c3 for requirements of the Festival?
Response—Jane Zalutsky, Executive Director of the Foundation is having discussions with Foundation’s accountants about having a role as a fiscal sponsor or fiscal agent if the proposer is a for-profit company.
- With the RFP 8 months for the 2022 Labor Day weekend, is it possible to hold off on the 2022 Festival (short time frame and unknowns around COVID) and make 2023 the 50th Anniversary with a big impact?
Response—Seattle Center is aware of the short timeline provided for the implementation of a Festival of this size and scope. Seattle Center will work with proposers on the possibility of the Festival to start in 2023.
- Is the Mayor’s Arts Awards part of Festival?
Response—Yes, the Mayor's Arts Awards is from the City of Seattle’s Arts & Culture, and has been involved with the Festival in the past. The event is funded by a partnership with the Festival and City of Seattle Arts & Culture. Seattle Center supports the event by in-kind equipment rental (i.e. stage, sound equipment and labor) that may be associated with the Mayor’s Arts Awards.
