RFP - heritage site interpretation at the Western Front and Gallipoli

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage, on behalf of the First World War Centenary Programme Office, is seeking proposals for services relating to delivery of improved heritage site interpretation at the Western Front and Gallipoli.

Why are we doing this?
Gallipoli is a place of special significance to New Zealand. It was here that New Zealanders, in April 1915, first stepped onto the world stage, taking a minor role in the clash of empires that had erupted in Europe the previous August.
The date of the landing, 25 April, has become Anzac Day – a crucial part of the fabric of national life. But from a New Zealand perspective our story is lightly told on the Gallipoli Peninsula. It is possible to see most of the sites with New Zealand relevance in a few days, but discovering the part that New Zealand, and individual New Zealanders, played in the history of the Gallipoli campaign can be difficult.
While most New Zealanders associate the First World War with the devastating loss of life at Gallipoli, few are aware that the fighting on the Western Front was far more deadly. Yet from a New Zealand perspective our story is unevenly told on the Western Front. Some individual locations provide a lot of detail on the New Zealand involvement, but there is no coherent experience that could take a visitor (whether a New Zealander or someone from overseas) through the full scope or even parts of New Zealand’s engagement from 1916 to 1919 across the UK, France and Belgium.
In many cases New Zealand is invisible, particularly at places that receive the largest visitor numbers – numbers we expect to increase even further during the First World War centenary commemorative period (2014–2018). New Zealanders visiting the Western Front may struggle to find any guidance to sites of significance to New Zealand, in a space crowded with information about other nations.
As part of the official First World War centenary programme (WW100), the New Zealand Government seeks to enhance information about New Zealand’s contributions to the First World War. We want to ensure that those interested in, or unaware of, New Zealand stories have opportunities for an enhanced visitor and learning experience, whether virtually or in the respective locations that are significant in New Zealand’s history.

What are we looking for?
In July 2013, the Ministry issued RFPs for heritage trails at the Western Front and Gallipoli. These were for phase I of the project — strategy, scope refinement, and business planning. As a result of this process, a concept of a series of zones for each heritage trail has been developed, using various content types to tell the New Zealand story, and a range of media for delivery. This forms the basis for phase II of the project: detailed design and delivery of the heritage trails.
The WW100 Programme Office within the Ministry for Culture and Heritage is seeking a company or independent contractor to turn the concept into reality. This means heritage interpretation that integrates content and media to form a coherent narrative of New Zealand’s role at the Western Front and Gallipoli. This will provide experiences and activities that cater to a range of visitors to Gallipoli and the Western Front, and guide them through significant locations. It includes design of all elements, content production in association with the Ministry, technical build for digital media, production of maps, signage and museum displays, and installation of all components.
As this project marks the centenary of historical events, there are some critical deadlines. The Gallipoli heritage trail is to be completed by 27 February 2015, and the Western Front heritage trail is to be completed by 31 March 2016. You will be capable of managing a complex heritage interpretation project across multiple locations and multiple media to meet these deadlines.
You may be based offshore, with the ability to connect easily with stakeholders in New Zealand and overseas; or in New Zealand. You will be aware of the sensitivities of working with local authorities in foreign countries, and experienced at working in a foreign-language environment.

Submit a proposal
We invite you to submit a proposal for phase II of this project to improve heritage site interpretation associated at the Western Front and Gallipoli, or to share this invitation with those in your network who may have relevant skills and experience for delivering projects of this nature.
An RFP has been placed on GETS: the New Zealand Government Electronic Tenders with the closing date being 21 February 2014. For further information, please contact [email protected]