biddoc.pdf

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR CONSULTING SERVICES

Project: Hudson Gardens and Event Center: Grounds and Facilities Master Plan Address: 6115 S. Santa Fe Dr. Littleton, CO 80120 Issued: September 8, 2026 Due: September 27, 2026

I. Project Overview: The South Suburban Park and Recreation District solicits Statements of Qualifications and Proposals from highly qualified consultant teams to perform a Grounds and Facilities Master Plan (‘master plan’) to guide the growth and development of The Hudson Gardens and Event Center over the next ten years. The foundation of the Grounds and Facilities Master Plan will be Hudson Gardens' commitment to serving as a recreational, educational, and cultural hub for the community and a destination of choice for personal and corporate celebrations and events. The plan will build upon the Hudson Gardens Vision Plan to enhance the property’s offerings and ensure its long-term sustainability.

In addition to the master plan, the consultant team will develop conceptual design plans for the Welcome Center. At the main entry to Hudson Gardens, this area will be studied to understand how redevelopment can accommodate events and groups more effectively. Additionally, the Welcome Center design will be an opportunity to establish and reinforce the aesthetic character of the overall Hudson Gardens property.

II. Background:

South Suburban Parks and Recreation South Suburban Park and Recreation District (“South Suburban” or “District”), a special district, quasi-municipality and political subdivision of the State of Colorado, which was formed in 1959 pursuant to state law, for the purpose of providing recreational facilities and services for District residents. The District currently serves nearly 151,000 residents. The 46-square-mile District includes the Town of Bow Mar, Town of Columbine Valley, City of Littleton, City of Sheridan, City of Centennial west of I-25 and City of Lone Tree west of I-25, and unincorporated portions of Douglas County, Jefferson County and Arapahoe County.

In January 2023, South Suburban assumed operational responsibility of Hudson Gardens to advance the shared commitment to preserve the Gardens as a regional attraction.

Hudson Gardens Hudson Gardens is highly visible with adjacency to S. Santa Fe Drive (average daily traffic count exceeding 53,000 vehicles), the South Platte River, and the Mary Carter Greenway (average of approximately 20,000 users per month and a high of 1,000 users per day). A trailhead parking lot is at the north end of the Gardens with access from W. Maplewood Avenue. A food & beverage concessionaire operates out of a building along the Mary Carter Greenway and is a popular destination on weekends. The Denver Seminary and Arapahoe Community College share access via the signalized intersection at S. Santa Fe Drive, with the seminary granted an access easement through the garden’s parking lot. For large events, off-site parking is negotiated with the seminary and college.

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City of Littleton Hudson Gardens is a community amenity and regional attraction that adds to the economic viability of the City of Littleton and is eligible for funding from the city’s Lodger’s Tax. Funding is received annually from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) for programs provided at Hudson Gardens and other South Suburban facilities. Maintaining eligibility for SCFD funding is required.

Hudson Gardens Comprehensive Vision, Strategic and Facility Plan (‘Vision Plan’) In 2025, South Suburban completed the Hudson Gardens Vision Plan. The purpose of the plan is to align Hudson Gardens’ operations, infrastructure, and offerings with the community’s vision and South Suburban’s Master and Strategic goals, ensuring long-term sustainability and relevance. The Vision Plan prioritizes several focus areas to ensure Hudson Gardens’ continued success, including:

• Keep current breadth of services and offerings but seek enhancements.

• Improve the core infrastructure before adding new amenities.

• Invest in security, accessibility, and visitor experience.

• Continue embracing flexibility while defining clearer visitor pathways.

• Strengthen partnerships and funding to sustain diverse offerings.

• Align with South Suburban guiding principles.

Refer to the Capital Improvements Recommendations (included in the Vision Plan) for area-specific objectives.

One of the most important findings of the Vision Plan is the need for the Grounds and Facilities Master Plan, the subject of this RFQ. The master plan will effectively advance the Capital Improvements Recommendations to a more detailed level of design and facility planning . The Grounds and Facilities Master Plan will be a comprehensive master plan for the gardens including, but not limited to, site planning, priority projects, phasing, and cost estimates (see project scope below). Key factors in developing the master plan will be to 1) maximize event usage, 2) provide flexible space for both public use and private events, and 3) design the site to limit user conflicts/impacts.

III. Consultant Team: The selected firm will consist of an architect/landscape architect team with demonstrated experience in: 1) facility planning and design for large groups and events, 2) overall planning and design of public garden spaces, and 3) master plan preparation for public-sector clients. Other consultants on the team to complete the scope of work may include: civil engineer, MEP, structural engineer, A/V consultant.

IV. Scope of Work: The scope includes the development of a unified, comprehensive Grounds and Facilities Master Plan, as well as conceptual design for the Welcome Center. The following are the baseline services to be provided.

A. Due Diligence / Analysis Phase

• Kickoff meeting

• Stakeholder engagement: establish a contact list and initiate meetings.

Stakeholders include, but are not limited to, City of Littleton, Hudson Gardens Maintenance Staff, Hudson Gardens Event Planning Staff

• Review existing planning documents

• Review site conditions: both on-site review with Hudson Gardens manager, and thorough review of the site survey (provided by owner)

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• Prepare electronic base files

• Analyze existing event data and logistics

• Meet with Hudson Gardens and SSPRD management to determine a clear set of priorities

B. Alternatives Phase

• Develop program alternatives (overall site and welcome center area). Options shall consider: utilities, facility and parking capacity, drainage, grading and accessibility, access and circulation site security. Additionally, additional structures may be considered. Alternatives shall include Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM)

• Consultant shall present alternatives to SSPRD technical advisory team

• Make revisions as needed and prepare final/composite plan

• Consultant shall present final plan to SSPRD Board

C. Grounds & Facilities Master Plan

• Develop first draft of the master plan

• Refine design based on public input and SSPRD direction

• Prepare final master plan & Opinion of Probable Cost (OPC)

• Prepare Phasing Plan

• Note: plan may include areas with detailed design information. For example, consultant may be requested to provide plant palettes by area, as needed

D. Conceptual Design of Welcome Center

• Design shall be concurrent with master plan

• Develop floor plan and associated event data summary: capacity, room sizes, utility requirements, event staging area requirements, access and accessibility, plan for shared us (multiple events), etc.

• Prepare renderings: plan and supporting illustrative drawings

E. Meetings / General

• Bi-weekly coordination meetings with South Suburban’s technical advisory team

• Weekly coordination with the project manager on project status and needs

• Consultant shall present final plan to SSPRD Board at project completion

V. Deliverables: For the Grounds & Facilities Master Plan, the main final deliverable will be a pdf report including a concise executive summary, followed by descriptive text and information related to facility planning, illustrative plans, sketches, and graphics to convey the message. It is anticipated that appendices will include more detailed data collection and analysis and other components supporting the master plan, as well as the OPC. For the conceptual design of the Welcome Center, deliverables shall be a plan rendering and other supportive illustrative drawings (such as sections, vignette sketches). The final deliverables must be compliant with the State of Colorado and federal ADA requirements.

VI. Relevant Documents: The following documents are provided for the preparation of qualifications and proposals. Unless otherwise noted, the following documents are available at ssprd.org:

• 2025 Hudson Gardens Comprehensive Vision, Strategic and Facility Plan (‘Vision Plan’)

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• 2022 South Suburban Parks & Recreation Master Plan

• 2025 South Suburban Parks & Recreation Strategic Plan

VII. Schedule: Below is the tentative project schedule. The final schedule will be negotiated with the selected consultant.

RFQ Available September 8, 2026 Pre-proposal meeting September 14, 2026 Questions Due September 17, 2026 Qualifications Submission Deadline September 27, 2026 Notify shortlisted firms & Issue Request for Proposals October 2, 2026 Request for Proposals Submittal Deadline October 30, 2026 Consultant Interviews November 2-6, 2026 Notify selected consultant team November 9, 2026 Notice to Proceed November 16, 2026 Final Project Completion (projected 6 months) May 2027

VIII. Pre-proposal Meeting: A mandatory on-site pre-proposal meeting will be held on September 14, 2026 from 11 am – noon. Please email Maria Schanhals, Planning Analyst, at mschanhals@ssprd.org if you are planning to attend the meeting.

IX. Site Visits: Hudson Gardens is open to the public year-round and generally from 8 am to dusk.

Consultants are encouraged to visit the Gardens prior to submitting a SOQ/Proposal. To avoid disruption of operations, Consultants should not engage in discussions with staff or volunteers about operations, the RFQ/RFP, or the proposed Plan.

X. Statement of Qualifications/Proposals: Provide the following information in the format below.

A. Cover Letter: Provide background and history of the firm, list subconsultants, other introductory information, and provide contact information for the main point of contact.

B. Team Qualifications: Provide resumes for each team member and highlight the team's expertise in architecture/engineering, landscape architecture, and public garden/event space design and implementation, including specific roles.

C. Relevant Experience: Provide descriptions of similar projects completed by the consultant team, including the year completed.

D. Project Approach: Provide a discussion of the consultant team’s general approach to master planning, conceptual design, and overall project management.

E. References: Include a list of at least three professional references from similar facility planning projects, providing contact information and a brief description of each project's scope and outcome.

XI. Procedure for Submitting SOQs: Interested Consultants are invited to email SOQs/Proposals no later than September 25, 2026, by 3 pm. Late submittals or submittals delivered to the wrong address will not be accepted. For consideration, responders must submit one (1) digital copy by email to: Maria Schanhals (MSchanhals@ssprd.org).

mailto:mschanhals@ssprd.org mailto:MSchanhals@ssprd.org

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XII. Evaluation Criteria and Selection Process: The process will include the review of written proposals, potential interviews with shortlisted firms, and a final selection by a committee comprising South Suburban management and staff representatives from the City of Littleton. Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Understanding of the objectives outlined in the Hudson Gardens Vision Plan (10%)

• Project approach (as described above) (25%)

• Proven success in facility evaluation and similar master plan projects (25%)

• Proven success in conceptual design of event spaces (25%)

• Budget & Schedule (to be evaluated during the RFP process) (15%)

XIII. Questions and Addenda: Please submit all questions concerning this RFQ in writing to Maria Schanhals, Planning Analyst, at mschanhals@ssprd.org. Deadline for questions is September 17, 2026. Responses to questions will be issued by addenda via Rocky Mountain E Purchasing System at www.bidnetdirect.com//south-suburban-park-and-recreation-district and on the District’s website at https://gameplan.ssprd.org/bids-proposals. It is the Consultant's responsibility to log in to Rocky Mountain E Purchasing System or the District’s website on a regular basis to acquire addenda.

XIV. Legal Notice: South Suburban expects to award a professional services agreement to the consultant who submits a SOQ and Proposal which, in the District’s estimation, represents the best value. The District reserves the right to act in its best interest and may terminate, modify or suspend the process, reject any or all proposals, modify the terms and conditions of this selection process and/or waive informalities of any submission. The District will not provide compensation for the costs incurred by anyone for the submittal of a SOQ or Proposal.

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