GRAIS Pool Mgmt RFP.pdf

Freetown Lakeville Regional School District

Request for Proposals Pool at the George R. Austin Intermediate School

112Howland Road Lakeville, MA 02347

Issued: 4/16/2026 Due date: 5/1/2026

General

The Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District requests proposals which are subject to the provisions of M.G.L., Chapter 30B, Section 6, from qualified proposers to manage and operate the before and after school programs within the swimming pool at George R. Austin Intermediate School, 112 Howland Rd, Lakeville, MA, 02347, for a term of 2 years (11 months) with an option for year 3. The possible start of an agreement is to be determined.

Requests for Proposal documents may be obtained through the Central Office at, 98 Howland Rd., Lakeville, MA 02347, by emailing jhiggins@freelake.org, or on the district website at https://www.freelake.org/page/financial-operations

Key Dates For Proposal

● 4/16/2026 Solicitation of Requests for Proposals @ 2:00 PM

● 4/23/2026 Mandatory walkthrough of pool area @ 11:00 AM

● 5/1/2026 Proposals Due to the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District by 2:00 PM

● 5/4/26 – 5/8/2026 Evaluation Period (estimated)

● 5/13/2026 Contract Award by School Committee (estimated)

Proposal/Process and Evaluation Criteria

1. This Request for Proposals (RFP) is governed by the requirements of Massachusetts General Law (M.G.L.) Chapter 30B, Section 6. Proposals must be submitted in two separate sealed envelopes. One envelope shall contain the proposer’s price proposal and it shall be clearly marked “PRICE PROPOSAL”, as outlined in Exhibit 2. The other envelope shall contain all the “NON-PRICE PROPOSAL” information required by the RFP, as outlined in Exhibit 1. Included with the non-price information must be executed copies of Exhibit 3, “Certificate of Non-Collusion and Certificate of Tax Compliance”, and Exhibit 4, “Certificate of Corporate Authority”.

The Proposal Evaluation Team shall review, evaluate, and rate each proposer’s non-price information. The Team shall also interview each Proposer and make a final recommendation to the School Committee on the preferred Proposal using the following determinant weight:

Price Proposal: 50% Non-Price Proposal: 30% Interview: 20%

The School Committee shall consider those non-price components together with the price submissions and shall award the proposal that is in the overall best interests of the School District.

2. The Proposal Evaluation Team will consider all non-price proposals based on minimum and comparative criteria.

Minimum Evaluation Criteria

Proposals must meet the following minimum requirements in order to be considered for award of the contract:

● Proposer must have at least five years of experience operating a community swim program.

● Proposer must have Certified Pool Operator on staff when needed.

● Proposers must agree to work with the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District’s

Director of Finance and Operations to ensure the proposer’s programs will not conflict with the aquatics needs of the district.

● Proposer must demonstrate capacity to obtain general liability and property insurance coverage as specified by the District ($1M/$2M limits) and name the District as an additional insured (Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District).

● Proposer must submit signed copies of Exhibit 3, “Certificate of Non-Collusion and Certificate of Tax Compliance”, and Exhibit 4, “Certificate of Corporate Authority” with the Non-Price Proposal.

Comparative Evaluation Criteria

The following ratings will be used to measure the merits of each non-price proposal that has met the Minimum Evaluation Criteria as described above. Those proposals that do not meet the Minimum Evaluation Criteria will be deemed non-advantageous or unacceptable and will not continue to be considered for this proposal. Those proposals that meet all of the minimum requirements, and are determined to be both responsive and responsible, will be further reviewed using the following comparative evaluation measures. The comparative criteria (b and c) are regarding the proposed future swim program at the George R. Austin Intermediate School.

A. Proposer’s experience in the field of community and adult aquatics.

Highly Advantageous Advantageous Not Advantageous

More than ten (10) years of experience

Five (5) to ten (10) years of experience

Fewer than five (5) years of experience:

B. Number and diversity of aquatics programs offered and scheduled to meet the

Freetown-Lakeville’s community needs.

Proposal includes a thoughtful analysis of community-based needs and offers a broad and rich array of offerings, including swim lessons for youth, adult lap swim, masters swim, water aerobics/exercise program, lifeguard training, dive instruction, and competitive swim opportunities. Programs are offered on a variety of days.

Proposal includes a variety of community-based offerings, including a swim lessons for youth, adult lap swim, masters swim, water aerobics/exercise program,and competitive swim opportunities. There is some variety in the scheduling of programs for community access.

Proposal does not include a variety of programs to meet the community’s needs and is focused only on one or two emphases, e.g., swim lessons and or competitive swim teams. there is little, if any, variety in scheduling programs and as a result, the community cannot access certain program.

C. Number of certified lifeguards and certified aquatics instructors employed by proposer.

More than five (5) Two (2) to five (5) Fewer than two (2)

D. Favorable references relating to the operation of similar aquatics programs:

Proposal includes more than five (5) compelling references citing successful business operations, active community involvement and engagement, a child-centered approach to swim instruction and competitive swim, and a collaborative partnership with families.

Proposal includes two (2) to five (5) references citing successful business operations, active community involvement and engagement, a child-centered approach to swim instruction and competitive swim, and a partnership with families.

Proposal includes fewer than two (2) references citing successful business operations, active community involvement and engagement, a child-centered approach to swim instruction and competitive swim, and a partnership with families.

E. Interview

The Proposal Evaluation Team will interview Proposers meeting the minimum evaluation criteria. The Proposer’s presentation and performance during the interview will be one of the selection criteria. Interviews will occur after the Proposal due date of March 27, 2026.

A member of the Proposal Evaluation Team will reach out to schedule an interview after submission of the Proposal.

Submission Requirements

Proposers shall submit five (5) hard copies of their proposal addressed to the Office of the Superintendent, Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District, 98 Howland Rd., Lakeville, MA 02347, no later than Friday, March 27th at 2:00 p.m. The proposals must be submitted in two (2) sealed envelopes; one containing price information and the other containing non-price information. Included with the non-price information must be executed copies of Exhibit 3, “Certificate of Non-Collusion and Certificate of Tax Compliance”, and Exhibit 4, “Certificate of Corporate Vote” (if applicable). Proposals shall provide all the information required in the RFP and the attached proposal form, and may include additional information, such as narrative summaries, business brochures, menus, and letters of recommendation.

Price proposals shall not be publicly opened and shall remain confidential until such time as the decision on award has been made by the School Committee of Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District. Price proposal is based on a 11 month year for each year of the contract with a mandatory August closure for cleaning and repairs each year. Price Proposal should incorporate custodial, maintenance and utility fees.

The School Committee reserves the right to reject any and all proposals if it is in the interest of the Regional School District to do so. The School Committee also reserves the right to waive any errors and/or omissions in the proposals and may request proposers to provide supplementary information or clarification information after proposals have been received, if such information is requested to correct an omission in the proposal or to otherwise assist the School Committee in understanding the proposal.

Background Information

The Freetown-Lakeville Regional School Pool is located in George R. Austin Intermediate School. It is 25 yards long and 36 feet wide. The pool ranges from 4-11 feet deep. The pool facility includes separate men and women's locker rooms. The entrance is located at the north side of the intermediate school. The School Committee is looking for a Proposer to operate a swim program consisting of youth swim lessons, a developmental swim team, adult water exercise, masters swim instruction, and community adult swim programming. The days and times of the swim program may be extended throughout the year if mutually agreeable to both the Proposer and the Director of Finance or his/her designee.

The Proposer must also cover the cost of $45/hr for a school custodian during hours of operation above scheduled times. Proposer shall be responsible for all associated costs of running these programs including but not limited to: marketing, advertising and promotion for the swim program. This contract only covers the use of the pool, pool deck and locker rooms. All other areas are subject to facilities use fees. Requests for use should be submitted to the finance department at least two (2) weeks prior to the event.

Term of Contract

The term of the contract shall be 11-months, for two years. Year 3 will be an 11-month option if approved by the School Committee per this agreement. The District shall reserve the right to close the pool for the month of August for the purpose of cleaning and maintenance.

Security Deposit:

The Proposer shall be responsible for a $1000 security deposit. Said deposit shall be held by the School District in a separate account as security for the Operator’s performance under the contract and shall be refunded to the Operator at the expiration of the Contract, less any deductions made by the School District in accordance with the Contract.

Site Walkthrough:

A formal pre-proposal site inspection is required. A site walkthrough is planned for April 23rd at 11:00 AM. Please contact the Director of Finance and Operations, John Higgins at jhiggins@freelake.org with any questions. Please be aware that this is a required walkthrough and Proposers that are not present will be disqualified from submission.

Questions:

Any questions pertaining to the this RFP shall be submitted in writing to John Higgins, Director of Finance and Operations, jhiggins@freelake.org. These questions will be displayed on the district website for all proposers to view.

mailto:jhiggins@freelake.org mailto:jhiggins@freelake.org

LIST OF RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

Request for Proposals

● EXHIBIT 1: Non-Price Proposal (Must be submitted)

● EXHIBIT 2: Price Proposal (Must be submitted)

● EXHIBIT 3: Certificate of Non-Collusion and Certificate of Tax Compliance (Must be submitted)

● EXHIBIT 4: Certificate of Corporate Authority (Must be submitted, if applicable)

● EXHIBIT 5: Lease Agreement (draft)

EXHIBIT 1

NON-PRICE PROPOSAL

1. Name of Proposer. State the precise name and address of the Proposer and legal business.

Include copies of appropriate documents (i.e., Articles of Incorporation or Partnership/Joint Agreements.)

2. Qualifications and Experience. Provide narrative attachments, letters of recommendation, etc.

3. Plan for Swim Program. Proposers must submit a detailed narrative statement describing the nature of their planned swim program and how specifically they will be offering adult swim and community usage based upon community request and availability of the pool. Proposals should include a schedule (days of the week and times) of these offerings. For the purpose of schedule development, the potential availability of pool for adult swim and community usage is the following:

Months Time of Day

● Mornings: (Monday through Friday)

○ September - July

■ 6:00 - 7:30 am (Monday-Friday)

● Evenings (Monday through Friday)

○ September through November and March through July

■ 4:00 - 10:00 pm (Monday-Friday),

○ December through February

■ 7:00 - 10:00 pm*

● 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (Saturday & Sunday)*

*Subject to change for an occasional MIAA meets during HS Swim/Dive season (December, January & February)

4. Lifeguard and Aquatic Instructor Plan . Proposer must submit a detailed plan for the number of certified lifeguards and Aquatic Instructors they intend to employ for the swim program at Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District.

The undersigned certifies under the pains and penalties of perjury that this bid or proposal has been made and submitted in good faith and without collusion or fraud with any other person. As used in this certification, the word “person” shall mean any natural person, business, partnership, corporation, union, committee, club, or other organization, entity, or group of individuals.

PROPOSER

By: _________________________________

Its: _________________________________

Address: _____________________________

City: ___________________ State: ______

Phone: ______________________________

EXHIBIT 2

PRICE PROPOSAL

Proposers are advised that price will be a significant, although not the sole, criteria for selection. The Awarding Authority reserves the right to award the contract based on the payment proposal it deems will best serve the interests of the School District. THE

COMPENSATION FORM MUST BE SUBMITTED IN A SEPARATE ENVELOPE AND

CLEARLY MARKED “PRICE PROPOSAL”.”Proposers must fill out the entire form.

Flat rate fee based on an 11 month year:

Year 1 of Contract $ _________

Year 2 of Contract $ _________

Year 3 option of Contract $ _________

The undersigned certifies under the pains and penalties of perjury that this bid or proposal has been made and submitted in good faith and without collusion or fraud with any other person. As used in this certification, the word “person” shall mean any natural person, business, partnership, corporation, union, committee, club, or other organization, entity, or group of individuals.

PROPOSER

By: _________________________________

Its: _________________________________

Address: _____________________________

City: ___________________ State: ______

Phone: ______________________________

EXHIBIT 3

CERTIFICATE OF NON-COLLUSION

The undersigned certifies under penalties of perjury that this bid proposal has been made and submitted in good faith and without collusion or fraud with any other person. As used in this certification the word “person” shall mean any natural person, business, partnership, corporation, union, committee, club or ther organization, entity or group of individuals.

Signature of Proposing Party Date

CERTIFICATE OF TAX COMPLIANCE

Pursuant to Chapter 62C of the Massachusetts General Laws, Section 49A(b), I, ______________________________, authorized signatory for

___________________________________, do hereby certify under the pains and penalties (Name of Contractor) of perjury that said contractor has complied with all laws of the Commonwealth of

Massachusetts relating to taxes, reporting of employees and contractors, and withholding and remitting child support.

CONTRACTOR

By: _____________________________________ (Signature of Authorized Representative)

Title: ____________________________________

Date: _____________, 20__

EXHIBIT 4

At a duly authorized meeting of the Board of Directors of _______________________________

- (Name of Corporation) held on ______________________, it was VOTED that ________________________________

- (Date) (Name and Position)

Of this corporation, be and he/she hereby is authorized to execute contracts, deeds and bonds in the name and on behalf of said corporation, affix its corporate seal hereto; and such execution of any contract, deed or obligation in this corporation’s name on it’s behalf under seal of the corporation, shall be valid and binding upon this corporation.

A True Copy, ATTEST:_____________________________________

TITLE:_________________________________________

PLACE OF BUSINESS:_______________________________

DATE OF THIS CERTIFICATE:__________________________

I hereby certify that I am the clerk of the _____________________________ that

____________________ is the duly elected ___________________________ of saif corporation, and that the above vote has not been amended or rescinded and remains in full force and effect as of the date of this contract.

(Clerk Signature)

CORPORATE SEAL

EXHIBIT 5

Draft Contract

LEASE AGREEMENT

The following provisions shall constitute an Agreement between the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District, acting by and through its School Committee, hereinafter referred to as "District," and ______________________, with an address of____________________________ hereinafter referred to as "Contractor", effective as of the day of _____________. In consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein, the parties agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1: SCOPE OF WORK:

The Contractor shall perform all services necessary to provide the District with Community Aquatic Programs. The Contractor shall perform all services in accordance with the specifications contained in the RFP.

ARTICLE 2: TIME OF PERFORMANCE:

The Contractor shall complete all services required hereunder within the

ARTICLE 3: Utilities:

The School Department shall pay all utilities.

ARTICLE 4: Maintenance:

The School Department will be responsible for all regular pool maintenance.

ARTICLE 5: Damages:

The Contractor shall be responsible for all damages that occur to the pool and facility during the contracted time.

ARTICLE 6: Cleaning All cleaning shall be done by a School Department supplied Custodians.

ARTICLE 7: COMPENSATION:

The Contractor shall pay the School Department for the performance of the lease outlined in Exhibit 2 in accordance with the provisions of the specifications, or as set forth in an attachment hereto.

ARTICLE 8: CONTRACT DOCUMENTS:

The following documents form the Contract and all are as fully a part of the Contract as if attached to this Agreement or repeated herein:

1. This Agreement.

2. Amendments, or other changes mutually agreed upon between the parties. 3. All attachments to the Agreement.

In the event of conflicting provisions, those provisions most favorable to the District shall govern