REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Transcription

1 Issued: November 19, 2015 Ah Nab Awen Park - Photo courtesy of Blaine Courts REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Professional Planning Services City of Grand Rapids Parks & Recreation Strategic Master Plan Requested by: City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department 201 Market Ave SW Grand Rapids, MI Phone: Proposals due: December 14, 2015 by 5:00 p.m. New and Innovative Strategies for Providing Recreation and Open Space Opportunities

2 I. INTRODUCTION The City of Grand Rapids Parks & Recreation Department is in a distinct position of stabilization after years of reductions and mergers. Now, the department is poised for sustainable and fiscally responsible future growth and program development and is at a point of needing to establish a strong mission and vision plan for the future. Grand Rapids park acreage per resident is below national standards and recreational opportunities are looking much different today than they have in the past. The city s focus is on delivering quality, easily accessible, and amenity-rich park and recreation spaces that will serve today s citizens and visitors of Grand Rapids. With continued population growth and changing demands and needs of residents, a cohesive plan for Grand Rapids valuable public spaces is critical and must also make recommendations for programs and spaces that are both flexible and adaptable to a wide variety of park and recreational interests. Folded into these spaces is a need for environmental sustainability and sustainable maintenance and operations. Grand Rapids is also interested in continually elevating the importance that investments in parks are investments in our local economy through new development and increased local property values. Coupled with this is the city s desire to continually stress the wide range of ecosystem benefits stemming from sustainable park design, plantings, and use of green infrastructure. More importantly, given Grand Rapids reputation for strong medical care, Grand Rapids would like to continue to promote the value urban parks contribute to improving the health of our community s citizens. II. GOALS & OBJECTIVES The City of Grand Rapids Parks & Recreation Department is soliciting professional consulting services in the creation of an updated, comprehensive Strategic Master Plan for This project is intended to serve as a guide for policy decisions; prioritizing and balancing demands and opportunities; and providing a framework for evaluating future land acquisitions, park improvements, and other expenditures of public funds for parks and recreational activities. The outcomes of the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan will be a long-range plan for park improvements that will enable multi-year planning for capital investments to occur. The plan will also guide development of shared programming and educational opportunities and identify new and expanded locations for providing services in partnership with the educational community and the arts community. All outcomes will align new investments with a strong community-driven mission and vision that integrates Grand Rapids strong pursuit of parks, recreation, the arts, and environmental education. Parks and Recreation s Strategic Master Plan should be developed under working knowledge of several other plans completed within the city, including: the 2010 Parks and Recreation Master Plan, the 2002 City Master Plan, Kent County and regional plans, Michigan Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan, as well as the Green Grand Rapids and GR Forward initiatives. Moreover, regional concerns of watershed management, sprawling development, green infrastructure, and other matters of environmental impact will be considered. 2

3 Specifically, the Parks and Recreation Strategic Master Plan should incorporate: Development of departmental identification for the Department of Parks and Recreation through mission statement development and vision development based on values and priorities identified. The desire is for a sub-consultant, specializing in organizational mission and vision work, to lead some of this strategic thinking and direction-setting through input from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, internal departmental staff and other key stakeholders. Specifically, consideration of business models, market awareness (trends, competition), competitive advantage, opportunities, and strategies is desired. These elements should help to shape a new mission and vison and should be used to guide the final plan and recommendations. Development of context in changing demographics, population growth, changes in youth population and changes in patterns of recreation. Uncover trends and conditions and identify new uses and new users and demands that will set the context for plan recommendations. Identification of new directions for Parks and Recreation based on the values and priorities determined from citizen engagement. Determination of a department action plan, including suggested future asset investments and roles in annual capital investment planning documents and costs. Addressing creation of recreational opportunities to better engage all ages, including inclusive play and adaptive recreation (according to ADA standards) and expanding indoor recreational opportunities. Consideration of how to create stronger connection through development of corridors and beltways to connect parks physically. Consideration of how to develop better partnerships to strengthen offerings in the community. How to grow the quality of the park and recreation system through creation of high-design standards. Strategies for stretching into new and innovative places through acquisition recommendations, programming recommendations, facility upgrade recommendations, and ensuring that these recommendations will set Grand Rapids apart as a leader among cities delivering recreation and open space opportunities. III. CONSULTANT RESPONSIBILITIES The following tasks and categories of work are anticipated areas of focus: Mission, Culture and Community Alignment; Inventory and Analysis; Anticipating Needs of Future Generations and Vision Plan and; Recommendations and Action Plan. The task areas below are a starting point. Consultant teams are encouraged to tailor these work areas and add any work areas based on their teams experiences with these types of planning efforts and delivery of final products. The final plan must incorporate structural elements from the Michigan DNR 5-year plan in order for the City of Grand Rapids to be eligible for important State of Michigan grant funds. The DNR Recreation Plan Guidelines Booklet is located here: ANTICIPATED TASK AREA 1: MISSION, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY ALIGNMENT Task 1.1: Public Participation Plan and Creation of Stakeholder Groups Task 1.2: Stakeholder Interviews Task 1.3: Department and Community Mission Workshops 3

4 i. Develop a real-time strategic planning cycle for the department addressing: 1. Who we are developing an identity statement to define Parks & Recreation as an organization. 2. Where we are identifying potential competitors and our current market position and trends compared to competitors; development of scenarios and strategies. 3. Where we want to go considering big questions of opportunities and challenges 4. How we will get there formalizing strategy and outlining implementation steps. ii. Unite the following departmental functions to align decision-making: 1. Organizational mission, vision, trends, competitors, partners, and market position 2. Programmatic approaches, programs and activities to achieve specific outcomes related to target audiences 3. Operational enhance administrative and staff efficiencies in each division within the department iii. Strategic action plan will result in a concrete identity statement, mission statement, and vision statement for the department in future planning and decision-making. Task 1.4: Development of Shared Cultural Outcomes for a Diverse Community - Public participation plan - Interview notes and summaries of key issues and findings - Kick-off presentations and outreach exercises and results - Presentations of key findings - Concrete identity and mission statement aligning future planning with cultural desires ANTICIPATED TASK AREA 2: INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS Task 2.1: Assembly of data for property city wide, including school-park shared sites Task 2.2: Spatial and legal review of property data Task 2.3: Analysis of park acreage balance across the city and access to parks, comparison to national trends, identification of gaps in service Task 2.4: Mapping of opportunity sites, shared school-park sites, and priority areas of focus Task 2.5: Survey of key stakeholders on the issues of park access and distribution Task 2.6: Public open house Task 2.7: Coordination meetings Task 2.8: Summary of opportunities and challenges - Summary maps and inventory data - Open house exhibits and displays - Key opportunity maps - Issues, opportunities, and constraints report - GIS database of all city park and shared school-park sites ANTICIPATED TASK AREA 3: ANTICIPATING NEEDS OF FUTURE GENERATIONS AND VISION PLAN Task 3.1: Statement of goals and objectives Task 3.2: Focus group meetings, by wards throughout the city (residents, youth, school groups, key partners) 4

5 Task 3.3: Identification and plan of new directions in creating recreational opportunities to better engage all ages Task 3.4: Identification and plan of new inclusive play and adaptive recreation strategies Task 3.5: Vision and recommendations for indoor recreational opportunities and partners Task 3.6: Park classifications and model plans and recommendations for the city s system Task 3.7: Integrating green infrastructure and best practices, including model plans for recommended park class categories Task 3.8: Vision and recommendations for event types and spaces, representing city wide cultural desires Task 3.9: Design standard recommendations for a nationally-recognized system and for sustainable operations needs Task 3.10: Cost allocations based on park classifications and identified community needs Task 3.11: Coordination meetings Task 3.12: Public open house Task 3.13: Public neighborhood forums - Statement of goals and objectives - Issue specific focus group presentations - Draft recommendations - Open house and forum meeting materials - Plan graphics representing recommendations and design standards - Summary of focus group meetings - Presentations on emerging trends and relevancy to Grand Rapids ANTICIPATED TASK AREA 4: RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION PLAN Task 4.1: Action strategies and timelines for 5-years Task 4.2: Implementation strategies and partners Task 4.3: Implementation cost projections and timelines Task 4.4: Preliminary and final design plans for key classifications and recommendations Task 4.5: Coordination meetings Task 4.6: Public open house - Implementation timeline - Preliminary and final plan documents - GIS layers and digital files for record and on-going database maintenance - All presentation materials and graphics IV. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS Proposals submitted shall include the following: 1. A summary of your firm s understanding of the project including your firm s scope of services necessary to perform and fulfill the objectives and detailed methods of how your firm plans to fulfill those objectives. 5

6 2. A description of your firm s experience in completing work of this type including three (3) specific examples and project references. 3. A description of your proposed work plan for completing this project including the proposed schedule. 4. A description of your proposed staffing including resumes of employees assigned to this project. Provide resumes for the responsible Principal, Project Manager, Public Engagement person, and key support staff. 5. An outline of your professional fees for completing the work as described. Provide an estimate of projected hours and costs for each task outlined above, as well as for any other tasks you feel are necessary to complete the project. This shall be in the form of a Work Breakdown Structure (estimate of projected hours and costs for each task). Professional fees shall be on a NTE basis accrued at standard hourly rates for the time applied to the project. All reimbursable expenses incurred shall be included in the Consultant s NTE fee. The electronic proposal is due, in PDF format, by 5:00 p.m. on December 14, 2015 to Karie Enriquez at kenriquez@grcity.us. In addition, please submit 10 hard copies of the proposal, by December 17, 2015 to: Karie Enriquez City of Grand Rapids Parks & Recreation Department 201 Market Ave SW Grand Rapids, MI V. ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE a. RFP release November 19, 2015 b. Proposals due December 14, 2015 c. Consultant RFP reviews & interviews December 2015 through January 2016 d. Consultant selection and City Commission approval January 26, 2016 e. Project kickoff meeting February 2, 2016 f. Plan development February 2016 through November 2016 g. Plan complete November 2016 h. Plan adoption January 2017 VI. REGISTRATION All interested consultants are encouraged to send an to Parks & Recreation Project Manager, Karie Enriquez (kenriquez@grcity.us) registering their intent to respond to this RFP. All firms expressing interest will be added to an distribution list and will be notified if additional information related to the RFP becomes available. Firms failing to register in this manner may not receive all information relevant to the preparation of their proposals. VII. QUESTION PERIOD Any questions regarding the proposal may be submitted by to Parks & Recreation Project Manager Karie Enriquez (kenriquez@grcity.us). Questions must be submitted by Friday December 4, Responses will be sent to all registered participants no later than Tuesday, December 8,

7 VIII. SELECTION STANDARD Selection will be based on evaluation of the following criteria: 1. Qualifications and Similar Project Experience, Including References (20%) 2. Effectiveness of Proposed Work Plan and Project Understanding (20%) 3. Innovative Engagement Strategy (25%) 4. Strength of Consultant s Team (5%) 5. Professional Fee (20%) 6. Clarity and Responsiveness of Proposal (10%) 7