Hello Tammy,

When Norfolk first started the public art program, our Purchasing Director did not think we could manage fair and open competitions for artists.  Ultimately, we had him and the attorneys review how other Virginia programs managed and ultimately others around the country.  Virginia is a Dylan Law state and state law rules. I am sure you have lots of great public art program examples in Texas.

 

Karen Rudd
Manager Norfolk Arts
Slover Library, 235 E. Plume Street, Norfolk, VA 23510 
757-664-6883 cell 757-284-8445

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From: public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com [mailto:public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com] On Behalf Of Tammy Chan
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2018 11:17 AM
To: public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com
Subject: RE: Hiring artists directly without proposals?

 

I could really use some help from all on this question.  It might be a state-by-state thing.

 

The City of Grand Prairie’s Accounting Department interprets state law to say that artists are not exempt from competitive processes, so if your project costs more than $3,000, you must have a competitive process.  You are allowed to select the winner based on best value which includes an evaluation of qualifications. 

 

Section 2254 of the Government Code lists the professions that are exempt from a competitive process.  The professions the list are those that have a certification.  Here is the list:

 

(2)  "Professional services" means services:

  (A)  within the scope of the practice, as defined by state law, of:

       (i)  accounting;

       (ii)  architecture;

       (iii)  landscape architecture;

       (iv)  land surveying;

       (v)  medicine;

       (vi)  optometry;

       (vii)  professional engineering;

       (viii)  real estate appraising;  or

       (ix)  professional nursing;  or

  (B)  provided in connection with the professional employment or practice of a person who is licensed or registered as:

       (i)  a certified public accountant;

       (ii)  an architect;

       (iii)  a landscape architect;

       (iv)  a land surveyor;

       (v)  a physician, including a surgeon;

       (vi)  an optometrist;

       (vii)  a professional engineer;

       (viii)  a state certified or state licensed real estate appraiser;  or

       (ix)  a registered nurse.

 

Artists are not on that list, because there’s no state-recognized certification or license. 

 

So, according to our Accounting Department, our Public Art Program cannot select an artist directly.  We must host a competitive Call to Artists process.  An open call is better, but if we do a closed call, I have to get three quotes and attempt to find artists on the HUB list, which is hard.  I usually do the open call and still send it to HUBs who show up when I search “artist” on the commodity list and then the certified master bidders list – just to be safe.   

 

One good thing about this, is I believe it is more inclusive, giving other, less experienced artists a chance to at least decide if they want to compete.

 

I know other cities have a “training” process for emerging and experienced artist to develop an approved list.  I think, but I’m not sure, that they go through a competitive process to select the artists who will go through the training. 

 

As far as when the artist is hired, I’ve been working with our departments, especially as related to our Percent for Art program, to please give me enough notice to develop a Call to host a competition to get them on the project as early as possible. 

 

I hope some of my Texas counterparts and any others on PAN who have government purchasing laws can help me with this.  If the Accounting Department is interpreting the law wrong, I would sure like to know how to tell them.

 

Tammy Chan

Public Art Coordinator

1102 MacArthur Blvd.

Grand Prairie, TX  75050

972-237-8159 Office

214-212-7958 Cell

tchan@gptx.org

 

From: public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com [mailto:public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Bowman
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2018 4:06 PM
To: public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com
Subject: Hiring artists directly without proposals?

 

Hello Art Admins;

 

Have you ever sent out an RFQ and hired the artist directly from there without them developing a proposal?  I’m thinking you are missing a big piece of the process by eliminating the selection panel on the final process by doing so.  Would appreciate your thoughts and opinions please.

 

 

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Elizabeth Bowman

Public Art Administrator

Architecture Division

General Services Department

City of Kansas City, Mo.

414 East 12th Street

Kansas City, MO 64106

Email: Elizabeth.Bowman@kcmo.org

Phone: 816-513-3422            

Fax: 816-513-2727

 

 

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