REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES FOR FREEDOM TRAIL PHASE II Board of Park Commissioners Metro Parks, Serving Summit County Roland H. Bauer Chairman Frances S. Buchholzer Vice Chairman Carol M. Curtis Vice Chairman Keith D. Shy - Director-Secretary November 2012
2 Issue date: November 6, 2012 Contracting agent: Board of Park Commissioners Metro Parks, Serving Summit County 975 Treaty Line Road, Akron, Ohio 44313-5898 Attn: Paul Wilkerson, P.E., Chief of Planning & Development METRO PARKS, SERVING SUMMIT COUNTY AGENCY PROFILE Governance and Staffing Metro Parks, Serving Summit County was organized under Chapter 1545 of the Ohio Revised Code as a metropolitan park district in 1921. Metro Parks is not part of any other local, county, state or Federal government. Metro Parks is governed by a volunteer three-member Board of Commissioners appointed by the Summit County Probate Judge. The Board serves as a policymaking body to establish and guide the overall direction of the Park District. The Park Board appoints a Director-Secretary who serves as the Chief Executive and Financial Officer and a nonvoting member of the Board as its Secretary. There are approximately 100 full-time employees working for Metro Parks in diverse roles as maintenance; construction; law enforcement; interpretive programming; public relations; marketing; planning; civil engineering; landscape architecture; resource management; customer support and financial support and administrative services. Agency Mission The mission of Metro Parks, Serving Summit County is to acquire, conserve, and sustainably manage natural resources to provide the public with passive outdoor recreation and educational opportunities through a system of regional natural area parks. Funding Sources Funding for the Park District is derived primarily from a small real estate property tax levy, which voters periodically are asked to approve, and from some earned income from swimming operations and reservable facilities. Supplemental funding may be provided by State, Federal and local grant sources. Additional information can be found at www.summitmetroparks.org. Purpose Metro Parks, Serving Summit County is accepting statements of qualification for engineering firms to provide engineering design services for the proposed Freedom Trail Phase II located in Akron and Tallmadge Ohio. Metro Parks has a year-round full time professional planning staff including one landscape architect, two civil engineers, and one project manager. The planning staff supervises the services of outside firms that assist in designing, engineering and preparing construction drawings for Metro Parks capital improvement projects.
It is the intent of Metro Parks to review qualifications and rank at least 3 engineering firms. Metro Parks will negotiate the scope of work and proposed fees, beginning with the firm ranked most highly qualified. Evaluation of Qualifications Metro Parks staff will review qualifications from interested firms and select the most qualified firms based on but not limited to the following: 3 Competence of the firm as indicated by the technical training, education, and experience of the firm s personnel, especially the technical training, education, and experience of the employees of the firm who would be assigned to perform the services; Ability of the firm in terms of its workload and the availability of qualified personnel, equipment and facilities to perform the required professional design services competently and expeditiously; Past performance of the firm as reflected by the evaluations of previous clients with respect to such factors as control of costs, quality of work, and meeting deadlines; Previous experience with projects of a similar nature and similar scale; A qualified employee serving in a decision making capacity as primary contact and project manager; Past experience with this agency; Experience with sustainable design, material selection, and construction. Consultant Notification Metro Parks staff will present the final recommendation to the Board of Park Commissioners for approval. Once Board authorization is received the successful firm will be notified in writing. SCOPE OF WORK Introduction The purpose of the Freedom Trail is to provide a safe multi-purpose trail that connects the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Northside Station to the City of Kent and provides access to the surrounding neighborhoods. The Freedom trail is located within the former Freedom Secondary rail corridor now owned by METRO RTA. The Phase I construction limits begin at Southwest Ave in Tallmadge Ohio and terminate at Middlebury Rd in Kent Ohio, near the Summit County/Portage County border. Construction of Phase I was completed in 2012. Phase II project limits begin on the east right of way of Eastwood Ave. in Akron Ohio and terminates at the west end of Phase I on the east right-of-way of Southwest Ave. in Tallmadge Ohio. Phase II is approximately 2.03 miles. Trailheads and parking are not anticipated within the Phase II project limits. A feasibility study was completed in August of 2009 by DLZ Ohio Inc. That study is available to download at ftp://ftp.dlz.com/. Use the following username and password to access the study: Username: freedomtrail Password: password
4 Scope of Work The Planning department has prepared a scope of work that will provide the best opportunities for meeting the Metro Parks goals. Provide a topographic survey within the project limits. Contact Ohio Utility Protection Services (O.U.P.S.) and provide utility coordination as required by the Ohio Administrative Code, Section 3781.25. Prepare detailed construction drawings. The drawings shall include, but not be limited to grading, pavement, ditches, drainage structures, storm water management, signage, pavement markings, and connections to local neighborhoods, construction details and general notes. Prepare storm water calculations to adequately design the proposed storm water management and post construction BMPs. Considerations shall be made for the continuation of Freedom Trail west of Eastwood Ave. Calculate quantities and prepare technical specifications. Provide services, drawings and other documentation necessary to obtain approval from local, state and federal agencies such as but not limited to local municipalities, Summit SWCD, US Army Corp of Engineers and Ohio EPA. The firm will provide any wetland delineations or other site assessments necessary for approval. Submit plans, calculations and other required information to reviewing agencies and Metro Parks for review and comment. The firm will satisfactorily address comments from the reviewing agencies and Metro Parks. Attend meetings as directed by the Metro Parks. Provide other negotiated work necessary to meet the Metro Parks goals. Budget and Schedule The preliminary construction cost in the amount of $700,000 has been prepared by the Metro Parks Planning Staff. Proposed Schedule Consultant contracts: January 2013 Construction package complete: May 2013 Begin construction: July 2013
5 STATEMENTS OF QUALIFICATIONS General Notes Each firm shall submit a Statement of Qualifications for Engineering Services accompanied by a letter signed by an authorized officer of the firm. Each Statement of Qualifications must include the following in the order specified: Qualifications will be evaluated by Metro Parks staff based on the following items: Cover letter including the table of contents no more than (2) two pages. Clearly identify who the project manager/primary contact will be, his or her title, and (1) one page resume of his or her relevant qualifications. Identify other key staff members. Include their areas of expertise, and (1) one page resume for each. Please be specific about your qualifications and practical experience with projects of similar size and type- a listing of projects without discussion of the firm s role is inconclusive. No more than (2) two pages. Provide no more than (3) three examples of recent projects including description of work performed and your firm s role in the project. No more than (1) one page per project narrative. Photos may be included on the (1) one page project narrative. Provide no more than (3) three client references preferably including the projects listed above. Text fonts shall be 10 point or larger. Please consider the following when preparing your submittal: Green building and sustainability experience is better exemplified by examples of past performance rather than a general statement of a firm s philosophy.
6 SUBMITTAL PROCEDURE Interested firms wishing to offer their services please submit: TWO (2) - 8 ½ x 11 bound copies; no loose-leaf binders please. Clearly marked on the outside of the envelope: QUALIFICATIONS ENGINEERING FREEDOM TRAIL PH II Mail to the attention of and submit questions to: Charles Hauber, PE, PS Metro Parks, Serving Summit County 975 Treaty Line Road Akron, OH 44313 SUBMISSION MUST BE RECEIVED ON OR BEFORE 12:00 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time) TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2012.
REVIEWER EVALUATION FORM 7 Name of consultant: Discipline: Evaluator: Date/year: Met Submittal Requirements? - Clear identification of PM, title & 1 pg. resume - Other key staff with 1 pg. resumes for each - Project experience clear with firm s role for each - 3 examples of recent projects - 3 client references - Submittal was made on time Competence of the firm as indicated by technical training, education, and experience of personnel, especially those assigned to project Ability of the firm based on workload and availability of qualified personnel, equipment and facilities to perform work competently and expeditiously Past performance of the firm as reflected in reference checks- related to cost control, quality and meeting deadlines Previous experience with projects of similar nature and scale A qualified employee serving in a decision making capacity as primary contact and project manager Past experience with Metro Parks Experience with sustainable design, material selection and construction. Points Possible 15 10 15 25 15 10 10 Yes or No Points Awarded TOTAL POSSIBLE SCORE 100 TOTAL SCORE