School of Choral Studies: Request for Information for Host Campus

New York State Summer School of the Arts

Request for Information (RFI) 21-001A for Host Campus for the School of Choral Studies

New York State Summer School of the Arts
222 Madison Avenue, 10D79

Albany, NY 12230

NYSSSA@nysed.gov

Background

The New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA) is a State-sponsored program administered by the New York State Education Department. Founded in 1970, the program assists young artists in planning professional careers in the visual and performing arts. Intensive work and interaction with internationally acclaimed artists and performing arts companies, such as the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra, give students a unique opportunity to experience the rigors of their chosen arts field. Every summer, approximately 400 NYSSSA students earn the unique opportunity to experience daily life with professional artists and receive intensive instruction and mentoring from some of the world's greatest artists and artistic companies. They spend the summer studying with some of the world’s leading artists in the creative and performing arts.

The School of Choral Studies is one of the seven (7) schools comprising the New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA).  Through online portfolio application, students apply for the opportunity to be one of 75-100 high school students selected to attend an intensive pre-professional summer conservatory.  Students will be housed in college dormitories and take classes from outstanding professionals and educators who also live on campus for the two (2) to four (4) week program.

 

Purpose/Goal

NYSSSA provides advanced artistic training to young performers. Students in the Choral Studies program vary in age. Students entering 8th grade to students who have just finished 12th grade are eligible to apply for the program. NYSSSA seeks a campus in New York State that is able to host the program as early as Summer 2022. The ideal campus is easily accessible (within 30-minute drive) from public transportation, such as bus stations, train stations, or airports.

NYSSSA is soliciting feedback from colleges and institutions of higher education (IHEs) regarding resources available and interest in hosting NYSSSA’s School of Choral Studies.

Please note, this is not a request for proposals. A contract will not be awarded based on submissions.  NYSSSA anticipates issuing a request for proposals in the future.

 

RFI Contact Information, Timeline, and Submission Instructions

Interested entities are encouraged to submit a response according to the guidelines outlined below.

All questions regarding the RFI must be submitted in writing to Molly Hennighausen at NYSSSA@nysed.gov by August 11, 2021. Please use “School of Choral Studies RFI Questions” in the subject field. Answers will be posted by August 18, 2021 to the NYSSSA website.

 

RFI responses are due by September 8, 2021. Please send by email to NYSSSA@nysed.gov. Responses should be labeled as “School of Choral Studies RFI” in the subject line of the email.

Respondents should submit their responses to the prompts as a single .pdf or .docx file. Please place page numbers in the footers and the responding organization’s name in the headers of the document.

 

Information Requested

NYSSSA is seeking the following information from potential vendors. Respondents are encouraged to respond as fully as possible to the prompts below.

1. Cover letter

Each respondent should provide a cover letter (limited to no more than two pages in length) that includes the following information:

• Organization Name
• Contact Name
• Title
• Phone Number
• Email Address
• Mailing Address
• A brief description of the organization

2. Organization Information

• The organization should review NYSSSA’s needs outlined below. Describe how the organization is able to meet those needs and provide NYSSSA students and staff with an environment that fosters artistic growth.
• Provide estimated itemized costs for dormitory use, faculty housing, board, and academic/classroom needs as described in this RFI. Note the time period of this program will be two to four weeks; therefore, a range of estimated itemized costs is also acceptable.
• If applicable, the organization should provide examples of successfully hosting outside summer programming.

 

Deliverables / Project Description

Host campuses must be able to provide:

Dormitory

1. Student dormitory for up to 100 students for sixteen (16) to thirty (30) days, one student per room; air conditioning preferred. Students may arrive two (2) days prior to the start date.
2. Sufficient room on the same floor/wing of student dormitory for up to ten (10) NYSSSA residential life staff for twenty (20) to thirty-four (34) days in single rooms. Residential staff arrive five (5) days prior to the start date and remain one (1) day after end date of program.
3. Office space within the dormitory to serve as NYSSSA headquarters. Must include two (2) desks and two (2) dressers. Must have internet connection.

Faculty Housing

1. Separate faculty housing within 5 miles of the host campus with basic furnishings (outlined below) for up to ten (10) adults for the duration of the program. An Artistic Director and Assistant Artistic Director are included among the ten (10) faculty

Option 1 – in an air-conditioned on-campus grad apartment(s) or suite(s) (separate from the student dormitory). Each faculty member must have a private bedroom. Must have private or shared bathrooms exclusive to our faculty with no more than 3 faculty members to a bathroom. Shared bathrooms must be gender designated.  Must include an exclusive common area for meetings and meals, as well as an exclusive kitchen area with full size refrigerator, sink and stove for preparing meals.  An additional room to be used as the Faculty Office for storing supplies, holding meetings (with capacity for 20 faculty and staff members), and internet and phone connections are required. Artistic Director will be provided with their own private on-campus grad apartment or suite (separate from the student dormitory).

OR

Option 2– in an air-conditioned on-campus grad apartment(s) or suite(s) (separate from the student dormitory) which does not include kitchen facilities. Each faculty member must have a private bedroom. Must have private or shared bathrooms exclusive to our faculty with no more than 3 faculty members to a bathroom. Shared bathrooms must be gender designated.  An additional room to be used as the Faculty Office for storing supplies, holding meetings (with capacity for 20 faculty and staff members), and internet and phone connections are required. Artistic Director will be provided with their own private on-campus grad apartment(s) or suite (separate from the student dormitory).

 

Basic furnishings for Options 1 - 2 above are the following:

• Bed, mattress, pillow, desk & chair, dresser and light (ceiling light or lamp) per individual bedroom.
• Dining room table (conference table size) with 8 to 10 chairs. Living room accommodations should include chairs, desk and internet/phone/TV cable connections.

Board

1. Minimum 19 meals per week meal plan for up to one hundred (100) students for the duration of the program.
2. Minimum 19 meals per week meal plan for up to ten (10) residential life staff for the duration of the program.
3. Minimum 19 meals per week meal plan for up to ten (10) faculty for the duration of the program.
4. Meal plan must be capable of substituting boxed meals in place of regular dining hall services upon advance request (field trips off campus, etc.)
5. Dining hall should provide fresh produce and be able to accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets, as well as food allergies.

 

Academic Needs

1. Daily use of four (4) classrooms for use from 9AM to 5:30PM Monday through Saturday large enough to accommodate twenty to thirty (20-30) students. Each classroom should have a piano, flexible seating to accommodate classroom and open floor plan, and white boards with music staves.
2. Concert Hall facility and seating for use three (3) times a week (twice during the evenings, and once on Saturday late afternoon).
3. During the final week of the program, access to the concert hall throughout the day for rehearsals and final performances.
4. Office for Artistic Director and Assistant Artistic Director with two (2) desks, phone and computer with internet access.
5. Occasional use of a space to hold meetings for twenty (20) faculty and staff (preferably in rehearsal building).
6. Access to campus facilities such as softball fields and volleyball and basketball courts, postal services, bookstore and library.
7. Scheduled use of facilities for holding student activities, such as an end-of-program celebration or dance.

 

OTHER MISCELLANEOUS OPTIONAL NEEDS OF THE PROGRAM

NYSED prefers that the college campus be able to provide the following, but they are not considered part of the mandatory requirements:

• Full cooperative support of campus infirmary;
• Two (2) 12-passenger vans;
• Availability of additional single rooms on an as-needed basis for housing occasional guest artists overnight, schedule to be supplied at the beginning of the program.  These may be single rooms within a suite sharing a common bathroom or single rooms with an attached private bathroom in facilities where faculty are housed;

• It is preferable, though not mandatory, that all classroom facilities be in the same building or proximity allowing for interaction between classes;
• Guest meal cards;
• Rental of additional vans or buses for special trips or events;
• Procurement of fans for facilities in the event of extreme summer heat;
• Use of facilities for special events not yet scheduled;
• Rental of additional equipment not listed in mandatory items;
• Copying and/or print shop fees;
• Rental of photocopy machine;
• Capability of providing food and refreshments for small receptions.  Cost of receptions should not exceed advertised college pricing;
• If available, use of campus pool, sports gym, weight rooms with appropriate supervision.