RFQ
SFPUC Millbrae Operations Center Improvements: Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The San Francisco Arts Commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone. We affirm the sovereign rights of their community as First Peoples and are committed to supporting the traditional and contemporary evolution of the American Indian community and uplifting contemporary indigenous voices.
RACIAL EQUITY STATEMENT
The San Francisco Arts Commission is committed to creating a city where all artists and cultural workers have the freedom, resources and platform to share their stories, art and culture and where race does not predetermine one’s success in life. We also acknowledge that we occupy traditional and unceded Ohlone land. Fueled by these beliefs, we commit to addressing the systemic inequities within our agency, the City and County of San Francisco and the broader arts and culture sector. This work requires that we focus on race as we confront inequities of the past, reveal inequities of the present and develop effective strategies to move all of us towards an equitable future.
Project Overview
The San Francisco Arts Commission invites artists and artist teams residing in the United States to submit qualifications for the Millbrae Operations Center Improvements Public Art Project. Two art opportunities are located along the western edge of the site, defined by the curb of El Camino Real and a 10-foot fence where a landscaped area meets the site border. The Arts Commission intends to select one artist/artist team for the Exterior Large Sculpture and a different artist/artist team for the Series of Pedestrian-Scaled Artworks.
1. Exterior Large Sculpture
Located at the main entrance of the site, at the southeast corner of the intersection of El Camino Real and Meadow Glen Avenue, this site is suited for a monumental artwork that serves as a visual landmark. The sculpture may occupy a footprint of up to approximately 275 square feet.
The artist contract budget for the exterior large sculpture opportunity is $1,300,000, inclusive of all artist fees and associated expenses for artwork design, engineering, fabrication, insurance, transportation, and consultation during installation.
A separate set-aside budget for site work, installation, and lighting—managed by SFAC under a separate contract—is $375,000. The City will provide power to the site and will incorporate basic, standard uplighting for the exterior large sculpture. If more substantial lighting is determined to be necessary or desirable, the additional cost must be covered by the artist contract budget.
2. Series of Pedestrian-Scaled Artworks
A series of pedestrian-scale artworks (number of placements pending size and scale of artworks) along the western edge of the site between the north and south driveways. This tree-lined frontage is approximately 990 feet long and averages 30 feet wide.
The artist contract budget for the series of pedestrian-scaled artworks is $1,100,000, inclusive of all artist fees and associated expenses for artwork design, engineering, fabrication, insurance, transportation, consultation during installation, and educational programming.
A separate set-aside budget for site work, installation, and lighting—managed by SFAC under a separate contract—is $250,000. The City will incorporate basic, standard pathway lighting. If more substantial lighting is determined to be necessary or desirable, the additional cost must be covered by the artist contract budget.
The goals of the Millbrae Operations Center Improvements Public Art Project are as follows:
- Artwork reflects, evokes or is inspired by water, the activities of the Millbrae Operations Center, the operations of the SFPUC’s Water Enterprise Division, and/or SFPUC’s mission to provide high quality, efficient and reliable water in a manner that is inclusive of environmental and community interests, and that sustains the resources entrusted to their care.
- Artwork is made of durable and maintainable materials, suitable for an exterior location along a publicly accessible, pedestrian right-of-way.
- Artwork expresses the design identity of the new center, which is rooted in a regional and site-specific sense of place. This expression may highlight the ecological and cultural contexts of the San Francisco Bay Peninsula.
Additionally, each of the two art opportunities have supplemental goals:
- Exterior Large Sculpture: Serves as a landmark that integrates the Millbrae Operations Center into the neighborhood context, visually communicates the presence of SFPUC, and meets the project goals above.
- Series of Pedestrian-Scaled Artworks: Creates variety and rhythm to the pedestrian experience, offering multiple points of interaction; Interprets SFPUC’s water operations and services in ways that are creative, accessible, and engaging for the public and provides opportunities for education and storytelling to foster a greater understanding of the importance and history of the SFPUC’s stewardship of water resources.
Project Description
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) has launched a capital improvement program for its Millbrae Operations Center. At over 17 acres, the new facility combines the existing Millbrae Administrative Building with the Water Enterprise staff and equipment from the Rollins Road Facility. Millbrae Operations Center is the administrative, maintenance and water quality testing hub of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Peninsula Water Division. Its engineers, machinists, biologists, watershed keepers, plumbers, and chemists ensure high quality water flows to SFPUC’s customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They also respond to emergencies throughout the water system.
A cohesive design maximizes the best attributes of the site and creates a unified departmental vision; improves efficiency in workflow, circulation, safety and collaboration; enhances resilience through seismic design and new site power and building systems; and creates a new Water Quality Laboratory Building. The identity for the new facility is rooted in a regional and site-specific sense of place, inspired by Northern California Redwood forests, rock outcrops of the San Francisco Bay Peninsula watershed, as well as the history of both timber and masonry construction throughout the region and the site, itself.
The Millbrae Operations Center is situated in the City of Millbrae, just west of San Francisco International Airport, south of the City of San Francisco, and north of Silicon Valley. The western edge of the site runs along El Camino Real (State Route 82), which is a central transportation spine of the South Bay’s San Mateo County. El Camino Real originates from the early networks of indigenous Ohlone trails and trade routes that follow the peninsula’s flat, inland ridge. These routes were later adapted into a network of caminos reales, “royal roads”, connecting the Spanish Missions of California.
Selection Process
Artist Qualification Panel: The applications will be reviewed by an Artist Qualification Panel consisting of representatives from Arts Commission staff and arts professionals to identify a list of the most qualified artists to be considered for the project opportunity. SFAC may consider artists in the qualified pool for other opportunities at the project site or any other site, as determined by SFAC and consistent with contracting rules.
Artist Review Panel: The list of the most qualified artists will be presented to an Artist Review Panel consisting of four (4) arts professionals, one (1) client representative, one (1) design team representative, and one (1) community representative. After considering the artists’ qualifications, the Artist Review Panel will identify finalists. The finalists will be invited to develop conceptual proposals after attending an orientation session with the project team and key stakeholders. Each finalist will be paid an honorarium of $4,000 for development of a conceptual design proposal, plus the reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses, approved by the Arts Commission prior to travel arrangements being made for the orientation and panel interview.
The proposals shall be displayed at the Millbrae Operations Center, and posted on the Arts Commission website for written public comment prior to the final review panel meeting.
The Artist Review Panel will reconvene to consider the finalists’ concepts in an interview format along with any community input and will recommend one artist for each of the two opportunities to the Arts Commission.
Arts Commission Approval: The Artist Review Panel’s recommendation will be submitted first to the Visual Arts Committee (VAC), a subcommittee of the Arts Commission and then to the full Arts Commission for approval. All Artist Review Panel recommendations are subject to the Visual Arts Committee and Full Arts Commission.
All Arts Commission meetings and Public Art Review Panel meetings are open to the public and are posted on the Arts Commission website at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. To check the meeting schedule for public art projects, please go to our calendar.
ARTIST SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS
Selection Criteria for Artists and Artwork: Artists and artwork will be selected in accordance with the Mission and Goals of the Civic Art Collection and in accordance with the criteria below. Criteria to be used when considering when scoring an artist’s application for a commission and/or acquisition of artwork by either purchase or commission shall include, but not be limited to the following considerations. Per City contracting requirements, artist applicants who are registered as a Local Business Enterprise will be given a rating bonus of 10% relative to other applicants.
- Artistic Merit: Artistic Merit may be judged by such measures as originality of concept and artistic vision; the degree to which the work engages the viewer emotionally, intellectually, spiritually; the qualify of craftsmanship or mastery of skills and techniques. Artistic merit may also be credited to artwork that reflects a significant or direct relationship between the artist and distinct racial or cultural communities.
- Relevant Skills & Experience: Review Panels and the Commission shall consider the assessed ability of an artist to successfully implement a proposed project, such as the ability to work constructively with other project stakeholders, meet deadlines, willingness to resolve issues as they arise, and generally manage the demands of the project. Cultural competency and/or significant connection between the artist and the project constituency, or experience that may particularly qualify an artist to meet project goals may also be considered.
- Meet Project Goals: The assessed ability of an artist to develop a proposal that meets thegoals of the project as defined in this RFQ and in the Project Plan approved by the Commission.
- The Artwork is Appropriate to the Site: The artwork or proposed artwork is appropriate for its intended display location in terms of scale, media, design or imagery and is judged to be relevant within the context of the surrounding community, and is compatible with the mission and operations of the client department.
- Feasibility, maintainability: Proposed objects shall be evaluated relative to their feasibility and evidence of the artist’s ability to successfully complete the work as proposed. Factors to be considered include, but are not limited to: project budget, timeline, and the artist’s experience. Due consideration shall be given to the structural and surface soundness, and to inherent resistance to theft, vandalism and weathering, and to the cost and amount of ongoing maintenance and/or repair anticipated.
- Contributes to the Quality of the Civic Art Collection: The artwork is judged to support and improve the city’s collection in terms of artistic qualify and diversity of artists represented. The Arts Commission is committed to acquiring art works that reflect diversity in style, scale, media, and artistic sources as well as diverse cultural communities and perspectives. The Arts Commission also encourages exploratory types of work as well as established art forms.
- Public Safety and Accessibility: Artwork shall be evaluated to ensure that it does not present a hazard to public safety and complies Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and with all other applicable building codes.
- Duplication: Artists will be asked to warrant, as a condition of their agreement with the City,that the artwork commissioned or purchased is unique and an edition of one, and shall not be duplicated unless it is part of a limited edition or otherwise stated to the contrary in the artist’s contract with the Commission.
How To Apply
Applications are available through SlideRoom (https://sfgov.slideroom.com), an online application system for calls for entry. There is no charge to artists for using SlideRoom. Please be sure to allow adequate time to submit your application as technical difficulties can occur. Applications that are mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand-delivered will not be considered.
Applications will not be accepted after the March 20, 2026, 11:59 p.m. (PST) deadline.
WATCH TECHNICAL WORKSHOP RECORDING HERE
Application materials include:
1. Resume
- 25,000 characters maximum.
- If you are applying as a team, please include your team/studio resume. If that is not available, please combine the individual resumes (one right after the other) of each team member into one document.
2. Letter of Interest
- 5,000 characters maximum.
- Please do not submit a specific proposal for this project. The Letter of Interest should focus on your qualifications, artistic practice, and past experience.
- Opportunity Interest: Please indicate whether you wish to be considered for:
- Exterior Large Sculpture
- Series of Pedestrian-Scaled Artworks
- Both opportunities
- Artistic Practice and Approach: Describe your artistic focus, working methods, and the themes or questions that inform your work.
- Relevant Experience: Describe prior projects that demonstrate your ability to realize complex, durable, and publicly accessible artworks, including any experience working with design teams, agencies, fabricators, or community partners.
- Relationship to Site and Context: Describe your awareness of and interest in the ecological, cultural, and historical contexts of the San Francisco Bay Peninsula and how your artistic practice engages with place, landscape, infrastructure, or public experience.
- Education & Storytelling (Series applicants only): If applying to the Series of Pedestrian-Scaled Artworks opportunity, describe any experience with interpretation, education, storytelling, or creating work that supports public learning or engagement.
3. 10 images of previous work
- Applicants should select work samples that best reflect their qualifications for the opportunity or opportunities they wish to be considered for.
- SlideRoom accepts all image file types up to 5MB. Images should at least 72 dpi and no larger than 1280 x 1280 pixels
- For team application, please indicate the lead artist for each project.
4. Image descriptions
- When you upload your images, SlideRoom will prompt you to fill out image descriptions. Please include the title, medium, dimensions, and year for each work. You may also include a brief statement (2 sentences maximum) about each work.
Check out our "How to Apply to Calls" for helpful tips on how to submit the most competitive application.
Please note that Arts Commission staff will be available to answer questions about this call until 5 p.m. (PST) on the deadline date, March 20, 2026. Please contact Arianne G. Davidian at arianne.davidian@sfgov.org, or 415-310-8012.
SlideRoom technical support is available Monday – Saturday by email, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. (CST) support@slideroom.com.
Project Timeline
Applicant Technical Workshop
February 24, 2026
RFQ Deadline
March 20, 2026
Qualification Panel Meeting
Week of March 23, 2026
Review Panel Meeting 1
Week of April 6, 2026
VAC Approval of Recommended Finalists
April 15, 2026
Applicant Notification via Email
April 17, 2026
Finalist Orientation
Week of April 27,2026
Finalist Proposals Due
June 22, 2026
Public Display of Proposals
July 6 to 17, 2026
Review Panel Meeting 2
Week of July 27, 2026
VAC approval of recommended artist
August 19, 2026
Full Commission approval of recommended artist
September 7, 2026
Artist under contract
October 1, 2026
Questions & Answers
For the first two rounds of review, the Artist Review Panel assesses qualifications, not proposals. Slideroom applications are scored largely based on how the Letter of Interest responses and portfolio images (including captions) demonstrate alignment with the RFQ’s stated goals and selection criteria. Once finalists are identified, those artists/teams are asked to develop a conceptual design proposal over a period of approximately eight weeks. The proposal is comprised of schematic design visuals, a preliminary budget with estimates from subcontractors, and a written narrative. SFAC staff support finalists throughout the proposal phase.
While prior public art commissions are not required for applicant eligibility, demonstrated experience successfully realizing a physical work—particularly one involving some level of fabrication (even if it’s by the artist in their studio), coordination with clients, budgets, timelines, and subcontractors—is important in terms of demonstrating skills and experience, particularly for the large-scale sculpture opportunity. The panel looks for evidence that the applicant can carry a project through to completion. SFAC staff can support artists in scaling up, but applicants should at minimum demonstrate capacity for execution and follow-through. SFAC also greatly values demonstrated cultural competency, understanding the demographic of the site and neighborhood, and how that might be relevant for the applicant’s proposal.
The format and material for the artwork is open-ended, to be developed during the artist finalists’ proposal phase. The selected artist would be responsible for the complete artwork as proposed, including any supporting structure or attachment systems, if applicable (not just the delivery of a 2D graphic).
Both opportunities are for permanent public artwork.
During the proposal phase of artist selection, it will be up to the artist finalists to determine the format and approach for the education/storytelling component. It may be integrated into the permanent artwork, itself, or it may be a supplementary temporary program, such as a series of workshops, artist-led tours, video/media or printed matter, teaching syllabus, etc., in addition to the permanently installed artwork.
The RFQ is for public art opportunities, and while there may be loose boundaries between different disciplines, consider that the public art commissions will eventually be accessioned into San Francisco’s Civic Art Collection, and thus SFAC will be responsible for maintaining and conserving these artworks. SFAC’s expertise is public art, not landscape material. It is not guaranteed that SFPUC/SFPW will maintain an artist-designed landscape. Should the artist choose to incorporate landscape design, any redesign of the approved project landscape would require coordination with the SF Public Works design team and associated costs for modifications would need to be covered within the artwork budget.
We suggest that applicants conduct their own demographic research. El Camino Real, a local commercial corridor, is a major thoroughfare that links San Francisco to the South Bay. The street is surrounded by residential neighborhoods and industrial zones, adjacent to San Francisco International Airport and Caltrain’s commuter line. The site of the SFPUC capital improvement project is located within a dynamic neighborhood, and the design of the new center references the natural environment of the San Francisco Bay Peninsula.
SFPUC is the project client and worked with SFAC to shape the artwork opportunities, goals, and site parameters. The Artist Review Panel composition follows SFAC’s Public Art Program Guidelines to ensure a balanced and transparent selection process. One SFPUC representative serves on the Artist Review Panel in addition to several other perspectives, including public art professionals, community representatives and design team representatives. An SFPUC representative also participates in supporting finalist proposal development (providing project information, feedback, coordination, etc.), while maintaining the integrity of the panel process.
SFAC anticipates receiving 100+ applicants, but each project is different.
SFAC typically selects three finalists per opportunity; a fourth finalist would be added in the case of a scoring tie or other exceptional circumstance. Artist teams count as one finalist.
Both individual artists and artist teams are eligible to apply. Artist teams are encouraged to apply, as it is a great opportunity for a combined skillset. If applying as a team, please elect one lead team member, who will be the point person for both the application, and if selected, for project implementation (including contract holder and receiving/administering contract payments).
A team application must identify one lead team member, who is the point person for the application. The team lead must reside in the United States and, if selected, would be the sole contract holder. They must be able to receive and administer contract payments to their team members and subcontractors.
Applicants should select work samples that best reflect their qualifications for the opportunity or opportunities they wish to be considered for. If including works in progress, it must be clearly labeled and accompanied by examples of completed work, so that the panel can assess realized outcomes. Below are recommendations for picking images for the application:
- Pick your strongest work and start with a striking image
- Submit only images of work for which you are the original creative artist
- Do not include text in your slides or compile multiple images within one slide
- Do not include more than two images of the same work
- Select work that has been completed; not proposals
- Do not submit a specific proposal for the site
See complete overview of How to Apply to Calls
We recommend simplifying your CV to the most relevant information for this RFQ. For artist teams, please include team/studio resume. If that is not available, please combine the individual resumes (one right after the other) of each team member into one document.
For this specific RFQ, we are not reviewing video media work samples.
Eligibility
Eligibility is open to professional, practicing artists who reside in the United States or have representation from a US based gallery willing to contract with the Arts Commission on the artist’s behalf. Entries not meeting eligibility guidelines will be withdrawn from consideration.