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Public commenter alleges pre-RFP vendor contact at Blackbird Museum exhibit project
Summary
During public comment, Taylor Dwiki urged the council to investigate the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society’s procurement for the Blackbird exhibit, saying staff met with vendors and obtained quotes before issuing a public RFP—a practice he described as vendorshaped procurement that risks procurement failure.
Taylor Dwiki, a resident who identified his address as Walker Drive, told the council that the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society’s handling of procurement for the Blackbird exhibit raised red flags.
"When you're dealing with public money, there is no wiggle room. Everything must be fair and open and transparent," Taylor said, adding that society staff had told the council both that an RFP had not yet been issued and that they had already been meeting with exhibit designers and had quotes. "Meeting with vendors and obtaining quotes before a public RFP is issued is what auditors call vendorshaped procurement. Once vendors help define the scope or pricing, the process is compromised."
The allegation prompted a brief public rebuttal from Bill Moulder, who said informal vendor conversations are common practice: "You talk to your vendors all the time. You get their best ideas, you learn about trends in the industry," Moulder said, characterizing Taylor’s phrasing as "way overblown." He urged the council to hear what the historical society brings forward.
Council members did not take formal action during public comment on Taylor’s specific accusation. Later in the meeting, staff and historical-society representatives described a competitive process in which three bids were solicited and presented for council approval of a recommended vendor. Council members said staff would handle procurement questions; the historical society said it had solicited multiple qualified bids and recommended awarding the exhibit contract to Intentional Design Studio based on expertise and tribal relationships.
The council did vote to approve the museum exhibit contract later in the agenda; Taylor’s public-comment allegation did not prompt an immediate motion to reopen procurement or to direct an audit during this meeting. The record shows the complaint, a defense by another resident, and a staff explanation that three bids were solicited and reviewed.
The matter remains a point of record in the meeting minutes; the council or staff may clarify procurement documentation on request or in subsequent packets.
