Grosse Ile BPAC Wayfinding Design RFP.pdf

Request for Proposal:

Trail, Pathway and Natural Areas Wayfinding System

Township of Grosse Ile 9601 Groh Road Grosse Ile, MI 48138

Bids Due: 6/13/25 at 4:30 pm.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1 | INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE

1.1 PURPOSE

1.2 RFP POINT OF CONTACT

1.3 PRESENTATION & CLARIFICATION OF TOWNSHIP INTENTIONS

1.4 TIMELINE

SECTION 2 | BACKGROUND & SCOPE OF WORK

2.1 BACKGROUND

2.2 SCOPE OF WORK

2.3 PROPOSAL INFORMATION

2.4 REQUIREMENTS

2.5 EVALUATION CRITERIA

SECTION 3 | SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS & GENERAL

INFORMATION FOR RESPONDENTS

3.1 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

3.2 EXAMINATION AND PROCUREMENT OF DOCUMENTS

3.3 MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWL OF BID

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SECTION 1 | INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE

1.1 PURPOSE

The Township of Grosse Ile (“the Township”) is seeking proposals from qualified urban design firms to lead the design of a trail, pathway and natural areas wayfinding system. This project is a Township-wide initiative led by the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), in partnership with the Greenways and Open Space Committee and the Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy (GINLC). Once completed, the plan will provide a blueprint for the Township to implement a comprehensive wayfinding system that is both intuitive and visually appealing while also reflecting the Island’s character and modern needs.

Respondents must offer a proposal that will meet the scope of services, requests and general description of work activities identified in this Request for Proposal (RFP), while adding what the Respondent would have to offer.

1.2 RFP POINT OF CONTACT

The RFP is issued for the Township. The Community Development Director is the point of contact regarding this RFP from the date of distribution until the selection of the successful Respondent.

Ross Querro Community Development Director Township of Grosse Ile 9601 Groh Road Grosse Ile, MI 48138 rossq@grosseile.com

1.3 PRESENTATION AND CLARIFICATION OF THE TOWNSHIP’S

INTENTIONS

As a result of this RFP, the Township intends to enter into a contract with the selected Respondent to supply the services described below in this RFP. However, this intent does not commit the Township to award a contract to any Respondent, or pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the proposal in response to this request, or to procure or contract for any services. The Township reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to accept or reject, in part or in its entirety, any proposal received if it is in the best interest of the Township. The Township also reserves the right to request additional information or clarification from any Respondent at any stage of the procurement process to ensure that proposals meet the Township’s requirements.

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SECTION 1 | INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE

There will be no mandatory pre-bid meeting, however Respondents are expected to visit Grosse Ile to familiarize themselves with existing conditions.

The Township reserves the right to reject any or all proposals for this service.

1.4 TIMELINE

Please note that the following timeline is tentative and may change:

EVENT DATE

Release RFP 5/16/25

Request for Information Deadline 5/30/25

RFP Deadline 6/13/25

Public Bid Opening 6/16/25

Staff Review 6/17/25-6/18/25

Present on Submissions/BPAC Board Vote 6/19/25

Award Notification 7/2/25

Final Professional Services Agreement 7/3/25-7/16/25

BPAC Approval of Final Professional Services Agreement 7/17/25

Township Board Approval of Final Professional Services Agreement 7/24/25

Notice to Proceed 7/25/25

Work Completion Deadline TBD

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SECTION 2 | BACKGROUND & SCOPE OF WORK

2.1 BACKGROUND

Location Grosse Ile Township is within Wayne County, the most populous county in the State of Michigan with more than 1.75 million residents. Wayne County, in Southeastern Michigan, includes the city of Detroit and numerous suburban communities to the west and south of Detroit.

Grosse Ile Township is considered part of metropolitan Detroit. However, as an island within the Detroit River, Grosse Ile Township is physically “separated” from the mainland portion of Wayne County. Vehicular access to Grosse Ile Township is may possible by two bridges: the toll bridge (northern-most) and the free bridge (southern-most). These bridges provide access to the neighboring communities of Gibraltar, Riverview, Trenton, Woodhaven and Wyandotte. Access to the remainder of metropolitan Detroit is provided by key transportation routes including Interstate 75 and Fort Street

Bike Paths There are approximately 10+ miles of 8 foot shared-use paths throughout the Township which connect the north and south ends of the Island.

Natural Areas & Trails Grosse Ile residents are delighted to live in an area surrounded by an abundance of Michigan’s natural heritage treasures. These natural areas include marshes, woodlands, meadows and trails which have been protected to remain in their natural state, free from development. As a result, the small town, semi-rural natural ambiance of our community is maintained.

The total protected area includes 601 acres of Grosse Ile Open Space, all on the main island, the GINLC’s 35 acres and 121 acres of marsh land and stewarded easements, nearly 365 acres of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources islands and 80 acres owned by the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.

Within these natural areas, there are approximately four miles of trails consisting of wood chips, desire paths and unofficial trails.

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2.1 BACKGROUND (CONT.)

Partners

Downriver Linked Greenways Iron Belle Trail Great Lakes Way US Bike Routes The Detroit International Wildlife Refuge Michigan Pure Trail Towns & Pure Trails Destination Downriver

Challenges Though Grosse Ile is home to a plethora of natural beauty, access is limited. Only 6 of the 23 parks and open spaces on the Island have some kind of recreation or trail component. Furthermore, very few of our open spaces have barrier-free access for those with mobility challenges. According to the 2025 Master Plan, none of the Township’s open spaces were evaluated above a 2 from a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the greatest access).

Furthermore, according to a 2024 survey, an overwhelming majority of Islanders wish to see improvements to recreation areas with an increase in connectivity through enhanced paths and trails.

The primary objective of the new wayfinding system is to simplify the navigation process throughout the Township so that residents and visitors are informed of our community’s assets. By integrating clear and consistent signage across the Island, this initiative aims to make our natural areas, businesses and attractions more visible and accessible.

2.2 SCOPE OF WORK

The project should encompass a comprehensive approach, involving key phases and collaboration with local stakeholders to ensure the project aligns with the community’s needs and vision. The scope of work should include, but not be limited to:

Assessment Needs Assessment: Conduct a thorough needs assessment to identify key destinations, decision points and current navigational challenges. This phase will also include gathering input from community stakeholders such as the BPAC and Greenways and Open Space Committee, as well as GINLC and other relevant boards and commissions to ensure comprehensive community involvement.

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Existing Conditions: Provide a thorough analysis of existing “bike route” “bike route ends” “stop” and other signs that do not add value; that should be removed or replaced with more informative signs such as name branded bike routes and safety signs.

Best Practices: Provide an assessment and recommendation for all signage along our paths and roads, especially at intersections, meeting best practices by AASHTO, NACTO, and the MMUTCD where applicable.

Design Strategy Development: Develop a cohesive wayfinding and signage strategy that caters to vehicular, pedestrian and bicyclist navigation. The strategy will integrate both physical and digital navigation aids to enhance overall accessibility and user experience.

Pavement Markings: Locate areas and pavement marking types for paths and roads like high visibility crosswalks.

Traffic Calming Measures: Provide areas that are in need of traffic calming features to design for right use, such as mini-islands on paths, flex posts, curb extensions, etc.

Digital Components Natural Area Directory: Provide methods on designing and deploying a user-friendly online natural area directory. This will be integrated with physical signage through digital markers or QR codes, facilitating easy access to information.

Website Integration: Provide methods to ensure that all digital components are seamlessly integrated with the Grosse Ile website, enhancing functionality and user-friendliness of the digital wayfinding elements.

Fabrication and Materials Material Selection: Propose durable materials suitable for the local weather conditions This will involve selecting materials that are consistent with the character of Grosse Ile.

Materials for Various Uses: Provide an example of possible signage/markings for sharing paths between people walking, running, walking dogs, biking, electric scooters/bikes, as well as mile markers or other confidence markers.

Cost of Construction Cost Projections: Provide a cost estimate of materials and cost of construction.

Installation Implementation Planning: Plan and execute the installation of both physical and digital wayfinding elements, including gateway features for open spaces.

Maintenance Plan Sustainability and Upkeep: Provide a maintenance manual and a detailed schedule for the long-term upkeep of signage. This should include cost estimates as well as breakdown by responsible party. This plan will aim to ensure the continued effectiveness of the wayfinding system.

Collaboration Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborating closely with BPAC and Greenways and Open Space Committee, as well as the Downtown Development Authority, GINLC and other relevant boards and commissions to ensure comprehensive community involvement. More regional collaboration with the Wayne County Roads and Parks may be necessary as well.

2.3 PROPOSAL INFORMATION

It is the intent of the Community Development Director, BPAC, Greenways and Open Space Committee, after receipt of bids, to review available funding and proceed with awarding of the contract pending approval from relevant boards and committees.

If multiple respondents meet the evaluation criteria as set forth in Section 2.5 of this RFP, the Township will conduct interviews with top qualifying respondents.

Respondents selected for interviews will be notified accordingly and provided with details on the interview process.

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2.4 REQUIREMENTS

Respondents should provide the following:

Firm Overview: Background information, firm history, team composition and experience.

Project Approach: Detailed methodology for project execution, timelines, project phases and major deliverables.

Previous Work: Case studies or examples of similar projects completed by the firm.

Project Team: Qualifications and roles of key team members. Include the team leader and primary contact for the project.

Budget Estimate: Preliminary cost estimates for the design phase of the project. Include all staffing necessary to complete the project according to the Scope of Work, a standard rate sheet for your organizations and the costs of any additional recommendations submitted in the proposal. All reimbursable expenses should be identified and included.

References: Contact information for at least three client references with similar project scopes within the last five years. Include name, phone number and email address for the primary contact. List services provided to each client.

2.5 EVALUATION CRITERIA

The following criteria will be applied to the proposal:

Relevant Experience (25 Points): Demonstrated experience in streetscape design Reliability, Skill & Qualifications (30 Points): Quality of previous project examples and design approach.

References (25 Points): Demonstrated good communication, compliance with bid requirements set forth in the specifications from previous clients.

Cost (20 Points): Competitiveness of budget proposal relative to scope.

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SECTION 3 | SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS & GENERAL

INFORMATION FOR RESPONDENTS

3.1 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Both electronic & physical response shall be submitted no later than Friday, June 13 2025 at 4:30 pm. th

Electronic responses shall be emailed to Ross Querro, Community Development Director:

Email to: rossq@grosseile.com Subject: (Firm Name), Trail, Pathway and Natural Areas Wayfinding System

Please copy, bind and provide three (3) physical copies and mail to:

Township of Grosse Ile Attn: Ross Querro 9601 Groh Road Grosse Ile, Mi, 48138

3.2 EXAMINATION AND PROCUREMENT OF DOCUMENTS

The Community Development Director will open bids publicly and in the presence of the Township Clerk on Monday, June 16th at 3:00 pm. The public, as well as all respondents are invited to view the opening of bids at Township Hall located at 9601 Groh Road, Grosse Ile, MI 48138.

3.3 MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWL OF BID

Once submitted, a bid may not be modified, withdrawn, or canceled for a period of one hundred twenty (120) calendar days following the designated time and date for the receipt of bids. This ensures the integrity and fairness of the bidding process, maintaining all bids as final and binding during this period.