Issued By: Junior League of Orange County, NY

Date: April 9, 2026

Orange County Children’s Museum – Satellite Location RFP

Overview

The Junior League of Orange County, NY (JLOCNY) is launching the Orange County Children’s Museum initiative. This initiative will establish four satellite children’s museum locations across Orange County as a phased approach toward a permanent, centrally located children’s museum facility.

This Request for Proposals seeks a partner to host the first of four satellite locations. Following a countywide feasibility process confirming strong community demand, JLOCNY is inviting municipalities, property owners, developers, and institutions within Orange County to submit proposals for donated or deeply discounted space that is secured and available for occupancy.

JLOCNY is committed to advancing women’s leadership and to equitable access for children and families across Orange County, including historically underserved communities.

Purpose

JLOCNY seeks approximately 2,500–6,000 square feet of flexible indoor space to house interactive exhibits and family programming for the first satellite location. The proposed space must be under the applicant’s control (owned or leased) and available for a minimum 3–5-year term.

This site will:

• Provide hands-on learning experiences for children ages 0–12
• Serve families in its immediate region and surrounding communities
• Support school and community partnerships
• Demonstrate operational readiness and program demand
• Activate space with consistent family foot traffic
• Serve as a model for three additional satellite locations

This RFP is not a construction bid. It is a site and partnership solicitation.

Anticipated Operating Profile

To assist prospective partners in planning, the following represents JLOCNY’s anticipated operating expectations for the first satellite location. These figures are projections and will be refined during the MOU negotiation process.

• Days of operation: Anticipated 5–6 days per week, including all weekends and most school/federal holidays
• Operating hours: Typically 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; occasional evening programming or special events anticipated
• Anticipated annual visitation: 10,000–20,000 family visitors in year one, scaling as the program matures
• Foot traffic character: Family-focused, stroller-accessible; moderate continuous pedestrian activity during open hours
• Noise level: Active, child-friendly environment with interactive exhibits; consistent with a public library or recreational facility

Operational Responsibility

The Junior League of Orange County will provide all staffing, volunteer coordination, exhibit oversight, programming, and day-to-day operational management of the satellite location. The selected partner will not be responsible for museum operations.

The space must be accessible for public operating hours, including:

• Weekends
• School holidays
• Federal holidays
• Occasional evening programming or special events

Applicants must confirm that the building’s operating policies allow for consistent public access during these times.

Memorandum of Understanding

The selection of a host site will result in the negotiation and execution of a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between JLOCNY and the selected partner. The MOU will outline, at a minimum:

• Term of occupancy
• Access requirements, including weekends and holidays
• Lease or donation structure
• Utilities and operating cost responsibilities
• Insurance and indemnification provisions
• Maintenance and custodial responsibilities
• Signage and recognition terms
• Termination provisions

No occupancy will occur until a mutually executed MOU is in place.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Have legal control of the proposed space (ownership or authorized long-term lease)
• Confirm the space is secured and available for a minimum 3–5-year term
• Demonstrate zoning compatibility for public assembly and educational use
• Confirm weekend and holiday accessibility

Speculative proposals for unidentified or unsecured sites will not be considered.

Desired Space Characteristics

Location

• Within Orange County, NY
• Safe and family-friendly setting
• Strong visibility and accessibility

Size

• Preferred: 3,000–6,000 square feet
• Minimum: 2,500 square feet
• Open, flexible floor plan suitable for interactive exhibits

Infrastructure

• Utilities in place (electric, water, Wi-Fi capability)
• HVAC appropriate for year-round use
• Storage area preferred

Parking and Access

• Free on-site parking or proximate public parking
• Clear pedestrian access
• Proximity to public transportation is a plus

Accessibility Requirements

The space must meet ADA accessibility requirements for public accommodation or be capable of achieving compliance before opening. Proposals should confirm:

• Accessible entrance and path of travel
• ADA-compliant restroom access
• Accessible parking or a compliant route from parking to the entrance

JLOCNY is committed to inclusive access for all families.

Partnership Structure

JLOCNY seeks a partnership model that allows philanthropic dollars to be directed toward exhibits and programming rather than rent. Proposals may include:

• Donated space
• Deeply discounted lease terms
• Long-term lease (3–5-year initial term with renewal options)
• Municipal support through infrastructure or capital participation

Creative partnership models are welcome.

What JLOCNY Brings

• More than 100 years of community leadership
• Trained volunteer members and leadership development programming
• Philanthropic and grant relationships
• Marketing and media outreach
• Professional governance and operational oversight

The selected partner will be recognized publicly as the Founding Host Site for the first Orange County Children’s Museum satellite location.

Submission Requirements

Interested parties should submit a concise proposal (10 pages or fewer) as a single PDF document, using a minimum 11-point font. Proposals must be emailed to president@jlocny.org with the subject line: “Orange County Children’s Museum – Satellite RFP Submission.”

Proposals must be received by 5 pm Eastern Time on Friday, June 12, 2026.

Each proposal must include the following, in order:

1. Letter of Interest from authorized representative
2. Confirmation of site control and availability
3. Confirmation of weekend and holiday accessibility
4. Description of proposed space and location
5. Total square footage and layout description (floor plan or diagram encouraged)
6. Zoning confirmation
7. Description of proposed lease or donation structure
8. Timeline for occupancy
9. Contact information for primary liaison

Evaluation Criteria

JLOCNY will evaluate all responsive proposals using the following criteria. This process will be conducted by an internal review committee. All proposals received before the deadline will receive equal consideration.

• Alignment with the Orange County Children’s Museum’s mission and ability to serve diverse families across Orange County
• Quality, safety, and accessibility of the proposed space
• Strength and creativity of the partnership and financial terms
• Demonstrated potential for community impact and collaboration with local schools and organizations
• Readiness and proposed timeline for occupancy
• Proposer’s track record and capacity to support a long-term public partnership

JLOCNY reserves the right to conduct site visits, request additional information or clarification from any proposer, and to waive minor informalities in proposals. Final selection will be at the sole discretion of JLOCNY.

Questions and Communication Protocol

To ensure a fair and transparent process for all prospective partners, all communications regarding this RFP will follow the protocol below.

Submitting Questions

All questions must be submitted in writing via email:

• Contact: Ginny Townsend, Junior League of Orange County, NY
• Email: president@jlocny.org
• Subject line: “Question – Orange County Children’s Museum Satellite RFP.”
• Question deadline: 5 pm Eastern Time on Friday, May 29, 2026.

Questions received after the deadline may not receive a response. JLOCNY staff, volunteers, Board members, and project committee members are not authorized to respond to individual inquiries outside of this process. Verbal responses or informal conversations will not be binding and should not be relied upon.

Official Responses

JLOCNY will compile all timely questions received and issue written responses without attribution to the submitting organization. Responses will be distributed as a formal Q&A document (or addendum) to all parties who have expressed interest in or received the RFP and will be posted at https://orangecountyny.jl.org/satellite-rfp/ no later than Friday, June 5, 2026.

If, in the judgment of JLOCNY, a question requires a change or clarification to the RFP, JLOCNY may issue a written addendum. All addenda will be distributed in the same manner as the original Q&A.

Proposers are responsible for reviewing all Q&A documents and addenda before submitting their proposals. Proposals submitted without incorporating issued addenda may be deemed non-responsive.

Confidentiality and Publicity

Proposal materials may be shared with JLOCNY leadership and designated advisors for evaluation purposes. Proprietary or sensitive information should be clearly marked as such by the proposer. JLOCNY may publicly acknowledge proposers and the selected partner as part of its communications strategy unless a proposer requests otherwise in writing.

Reservation of Rights

JLOCNY reserves the right to:

• Accept or reject any or all proposals
• Waive informalities or irregularities in any proposal
• Request additional information or clarification from any proposer at any time
• Cancel, modify, or reissue this RFP at any time
• Award to more than one proposer or to no proposer

This RFP does not obligate JLOCNY to select any proposal, enter into an agreement, or reimburse any costs incurred by proposers in preparing and submitting responses.

Timeline

Contact

Ginny Townsend, President
President@jlocny.org
Junior League of Orange County, NY

Advancing women’s leadership for meaningful community impact since 1922.