IRFP 902793 Signage and Wayfinding Master Planning Services

It is the intent of these specifications, terms, and conditions to describe signage and wayfinding master planning services for the Alco Park Garage being requested by the County.

The County intends to award a three-year contract (with the option to renew for two years) to the Bidder selected as the most responsive and responsible Bidder whose response conforms to the IRFP and meets the County’s requirements.

The Alameda County General Services Agency - Building Maintenance Department (GSA-BMD) intends to procure professional consulting services to assess existing conditions and develop a comprehensive signage and wayfinding master plan for the Alco Park Garage, located at 165 13th Street in Oakland, California.

The Alco Park Garage is a multi-level public parking facility maintained by GSA-BMD that serves the public and County employees. The facility contains multiple vehicle entrances and exits, pedestrian access points, elevators, stairwells, parking levels, service areas, and operational spaces. A clear, consistent, and accessible signage system is necessary to support safe and efficient navigation throughout the facility.

Alco Park Garage is an approximately 406,528-square-foot, nine-level parking facility with 732 parking stalls, two elevators, three stairwells, one ramp, two vehicle entrances, and two vehicle exits.

Over time, signage throughout the garage has been installed incrementally by various County departments to address evolving operational, regulatory, and safety requirements. As a result, the existing signage system lacks consistency in appearance, messaging, materials, placement, and branding. Existing signs vary significantly in age, condition, design, and purpose. Some signs are outdated, redundant, damaged, difficult to locate, or no longer meet current operational requirements or accessibility standards. County departments have also identified additional signage needs to improve wayfinding, parking operations, safety, accessibility, and the overall user experience.

The County seeks to develop a comprehensive signage and wayfinding master plan that establishes a cohesive, functional, accessible, and code-compliant signage system for the Alco Park Garage. The selected Contractor shall evaluate existing conditions, identify deficiencies and opportunities for improvement, and develop recommendations for a unified signage and wayfinding program that supports current and future facility operations. The resulting master plan will establish standards and serve as the foundation for future signage design, fabrication, and installation projects.

Scope clarification: The selected Contractor will provide assessment, planning, design development, bidding support, and implementation support services only. Sign fabrication, procurement, and installation are not included in this contract.

Site Access: Alco Park Garage is open to the public during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Bidders may, at their discretion, visit the facility during business hours to observe existing site conditions and familiarize themselves with the garage and its existing signage and wayfinding conditions. A site visit is optional and is not required to submit a proposal.

The Contractor shall deliver a County-accepted, implementation-ready signage and wayfinding master plan that accurately inventories all existing signs; identifies traceable accessibility, regulatory, safety, operational, and navigation deficiencies; establishes coordinated design, location, messaging, and technical standards; supports competitive procurement of future fabrication and installation services; and enables the County to verify that installed signage conforms to the approved documents.