RFP 2024_020 Master Planning Services for Spa.pdf

REQUEST FOR

2024-020

MASTER PLANNING SERVICES

for the

SPALDING COUNTY

PARKS AND LEISURE SERVICES

MASTER PLAN

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

2024-020

MASTER PLANNING SERVICES

SPALDING COUNTY PARKS AND LEISURE SERVICES MASTER PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION PAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

INVITATION 3

INSTRUCTIONS 4

A. PROPOSAL SCHEDULE 6

B. PLANNING SERVICES 7

C. TECHNICAL PROPOSALS 12

D. ASSURANCES & AFFIDAVIT 19

Spalding County will receive sealed proposals from qualified firms for master planning services in the Purchasing Officer’s Office, until 2 p.m. March 15, 2024.

Spalding County anticipates making a single award. Such an award, if any, is projected to be accomplished within sixty (60) days from the proposal deadline. Evaluation of proposals will be based on the following criteria:

1. Staff capacity and experience of similar projects.

2. Staff capacity and availability to perform the work outlined in the scope of services, preliminary designation of available expertise to tasks, and preliminary work program and schedule.

3. Understanding of the project.

4. Experience which indicates an ability to work collaboratively and communicate well with, and facilitate consensus among, a variety of government, neighborhood, and business interests.

5. The overall financial stability of the firm is determined by financial information required by the RFP and/or from other sources.

6. Fee.

A mandatory pre-proposal conference will be held on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at 2 p.m. in the Spalding County Board of Commissioners Meeting Room 108 Annex building located at 119 East Solomon Street, Griffin, GA 30223

Any questions arising from this proposal should be submitted in writing and forwarded to the Purchasing Officer before this conference. Answers to such questions that materially change the conditions and specifications of this request for proposal will be posted. Any discussions or documents will be considered non-binding unless incorporated in an addendum.

When addenda are required, the proposal opening date may be extended. Parties responding to this Request for Proposals must attend this briefing session for their submittal to be considered.

Submittal of a proposal indicates acceptance of the conditions contained in the RFP.

Spalding County reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted. All proposals are public records to the extent required by the Georgia Open Records Act. Spalding County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, to waive informalities, to negotiate changes in the scope of work or services to be provided, and to otherwise waive any technicalities.

For additional information, contact Erica Dye, Director of Accounting and Finance Edye@spaldingcounty.com 770-467-4283 for the

SPALDING COUNTY, GEORGIA

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Intent: These Instructions and the Schedules shall define and describe the complete services to be provided. All addenda, notices, additional information, etc. will be posted to Spalding County’s website at www.spaldingcounty.com under the Purchasing Department's bid opportunities.

2. Examination: Firms are advised to examine all documents and current descriptions of the services to become fully informed as to their conditions. This includes conformity with specific standards and the character, quality, and quantity of the services provided. Failure to examine these areas will not relieve the firm(s) of its obligation to furnish all products and services necessary to carry out the contract's provisions.

3. Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference: A conference will be held. Any questions and/or misunderstandings arising from this proposal should be submitted, in writing, and forwarded to the County Purchasing Officer before this conference. Answers to such questions that materially change the conditions and specifications of this Request for Proposals (RFP) will be sent to all attendees as an addendum. Any discussions or documents will be considered non-binding unless incorporated in an addendum. When addenda are required, the proposal opening date may be extended. Parties responding to this RFP must attend this briefing session for their submittal to be considered.

4. Selection of Planning Team: The contract will be awarded to the firm or team that in the County’s opinion is the most responsive and responsible according to the criteria provided in Section C of this RFP.

5. Responsiveness: The County will consider the degree to which each firm has submitted a complete proposal without irregularities, exclusions, special conditions, or alternative proposals for any item unless specifically requested in the RFP.

6. Submission of Proposals: It is the firm’s responsibility to have its sealed proposal at the Purchasing Officer’s Office by the deadline for submission. Proposals received after the deadline will remain unopened and will not be considered. The following address should be used on the outside of the envelope containing the proposal:

Spalding County Courthouse Annex Attn: Procurement Agent

119 E Solomon Street, Griffin, GA 30223

7. Proposals: An original and four printed copies of the proposal shall be submitted. Fewer copies of extensive materials covering the firm’s work are acceptable. Proposals should be limited to no more than 20 single-sided pages (or 10 double-sided pages) and should be in an 8½" x 11" format. In addition to printed copies, please submit the proposal in a PDF file format on a USB flash drive.

SECTION A

RFP SCHEDULE

Anticipated Timeline

1. List RFP on County and State websites: Tuesday, February 6, 2024

2. Pre-Proposal Conference: Thursday, February 21, 2024 @ 2 pm

3. Deadline for receipt of Proposals: Friday, March 15, 2024 @ 2 pm

4. Presentations by selected firms: Monday, March 25, 2024

5. Parks and Leisure Advisory Commission Review at the called meeting: Thursday, March 28, 2024

6. The County Manager makes a recommendation to the County Commission: Monday, April 1, 2024

7. County Commission takes formal award/rejection action: Monday, April 1, 2024

8. Notice of award and contract documents sent to the successful firm: Tuesday, April 2,

9. Firm returns executed agreement: Friday, April 5, 2024

10. Issue Notice to Proceed with effective date of agreement: Monday, April 8, 2024

SECTION B

PLANNING SERVICES

The County is seeking the services of a firm, partnership, joint venture, or team to provide consulting services for the preparation of the Parks and Leisure Services Master Plan, to include elements of our Public Grounds Operations. Services shall include all referenced below and shall be consistent with the Spalding County Comprehensive Plan 2042, Transit Master Plan, Community Work Plan, Capital Improvement Elements, additional long-range planning as designated and approved by the Spalding County Board of Commissioners.

Detailed inventory and current condition assessment of the County’s current parks and facilities

Assessment of current active and passive recreation offerings, to include recommendations for current programming and future programming opportunities.

Recommendations for capital development (5-year plans)

Long-term capital improvement (10-year plans)

Maintenance plan to include addressing deferred maintenance. To include Public Grounds Facilities.

Assessment of current staffing and operations to include recommendations of a sustainable staffing plan for future operations. To include Public Grounds Operations.

Assess current methods used for revenue generation and funding and develop a future financial sustainability plan.

Assess current Capital Improvement Elements plans and make recommendations for future projects.

Create a dashboard of deferred maintenance.

Meetings with stakeholders and innovative public engagement

Create concept plans of recommended projects.

Plan development.

Preparation of deliverables.

Assess and recommend the need and locations for any new facilities to serve a population not currently served, including consideration of future population trends.

Assess and develop a private/public partnership policy to be utilized for parks in new subdivisions and commercial developments.

Identify any existing intergovernmental opportunities that can be used for land use and/or programming space.

Access all current trail and greenway plans. Provide a master concept for a cohesive greenway system, to include connections with all current cities in Spalding County.

GENERAL

Qualified firms must demonstrate competence and experience in all areas of expertise required by the scope of services, including but not limited to master planning, park planning and development, urban design, environmental impact assessment, recreation programming and operations management. Qualified firms must also demonstrate competence and expertise in graphic and oral communications to diverse groups and expertise in facilitating consensus from multiple public and private interests related to the project. The consultant will report to the Spalding County Manager or their designated representative during the contract term.

Firms or teams must comply with all applicable regulations and best practices of Spalding County.

BACKGROUND

Spalding County owns 743.4 acres of parkland in 22 parks. The amenities include 25 playgrounds, 24 walking tracks and trails, three 18-hole disc golf courses, one 9-hole disc golf course, two football fields, eight softball fields, seven soccer fields, ten baseball fields, 18 pickleball courts, five tennis courts, a senior center, three community centers, a mountain bike trail, 21 pavilions, one dog park, two lakes, a skate park, and community garden. An aquatic center and an African American History Museum are currently under construction.

Spalding County operates a Public Grounds operation within the scope of the current

Parks Division. These two divisions operate as one and factors for this scenario will need to be considered as specified in the proposal.

The Parks and Leisure Services Master Plan offers a unique opportunity for Spalding

County to expand recreational facilities, protect additional greenspace, assess sustainability, and consider community needs through its programming. The County is open to exploring opportunities to collaborate with community organizations to respond to as many of the community’s goals as possible. Because of a growing population with a diverse set of interests and the need to continue to deliver the highest level of service, there is considerable community interest in the future of the County’s parks and leisure services. Spalding County intends to utilize the Parks and Recreation Master Plan for the following purposes: economic development and redevelopment, land acquisition criteria, greenspace conservation, enhancement of quality of life, and additional priorities as identified within the County’s adopted plans.

GOAL

The goal of this planning process is to create a master plan for all parks and leisure services in Spalding County that creates a long-range, community-supported vision for how the County will move forward. It is critical that the planning process actively engages with the community, including such stakeholders as residents, children and youth, community organizations with joint use of facilities, and groups that have reached out to the County to identify a broad range of ideas, needs, and uses for parks and leisure services. This process will include an inventory and assessment of the current parks and leisure services programming to see how many of the community’s ideas can be included. Done well, this master planning process has the potential to incorporate a wide range of recreational programs and recommendations for growing parks to create a plan that encourages interaction and collaboration and builds community. The planning process should identify partner organizations interested in and capable of implementing specific components of the plan and where possible develop an implementation timeline. All services and tasks and the final invoice shall be completed and submitted on or before 8 months from the issuing of the Notice to Proceed.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The professional services sought in this request include the comprehensive design of all project elements to the 100% level of master planning, including a detailed assessment of conditions, coordination with stakeholders, public involvement, goals and recommendations, coordination with other local and regional plans, implementation schedule, budget estimates, and document development. The scope of services does not include contract administration.

Proposals may include additional action items in the proposal that, in the proposer's opinion, will help achieve the goals and intent of the tasks not listed in this RFP or the related documents. These should be identified in the proposal. The work to be accomplished under this contract is divided into the following tasks:

Task 1 – Assessment Research and prepare an analysis of existing parks and facilities conditions, along with existing programming for each to include the following:

a. Progress report on recommendations from previous plan(s).

b. Inventory of park and building improvements.

c. Compliance of existing parks, facilities, and programming using national and state professional standards for evaluation (ADA, CPSI, and others with considerations as adopted by NRPA where applicable and designated by staff).

d. Spalding County planning documents and policies influencing parks, recreation, and programming.

e. Evaluate current management and operations practices, including departmental staffing and park/facility maintenance.

f. To include Spalding County's Comprehensive plan, Spalding County CTP, past Parks master plans, Spalding County 2042, Spalding County CIE program, Community Work Plan and other appropriate plans as approved by the Spalding County Board of Commissioners. Appropriate City of Griffin Master Plans and Trail plans.

g. Inventory of Public Grounds Operation locations.

Task 2 – Community Engagement & Outreach Develop, schedule, conduct, and facilitate a local planning outreach process that promotes the involvement of all current and future stakeholders.

Develop, conduct, facilitate, and promote an interactive, web-based survey for stakeholders to be posted at all current facilities.

It is anticipated that a minimum of six public workshops, design charrettes, pop-ups and/or meetings, as well as a public survey will be necessary to involve the stakeholders in the plan development process to meet the needs of the study and engage a broad cross-section of stakeholders. At least one in-person session should be held with each Parks and Leisure Services Advisory Commission and the Board of Commissioners.

The locations must include:

1. City Hall, City of Orchard Hill (2972 Macon Rd, Griffin)

2. Senior Center (885 Memorial Drive, Griffin)

3. Fairmont Community Center (241 Blanton Avenue, Griffin)

4. Blalock Fire Station (5756 Newnan Road, Griffin)

5. Sunny Side Park Community Building (4924 Old Atlanta Road)

6. Cabin Creek Fire Station (3865 Jackson Road, Griffin)

Task 3 – 5- and 10-year Master Plan Development Prepare a detailed master plan with incremental goals. The master plan will identify specific recommendations consistent with the Spalding County Comprehensive Plan 2042, Transit Master Plan, Capital Improvement Elements, and other relevant plans. The components will include, at a minimum, the following:

a. Capital development and long-term capital improvement for recreation facilities, including considerations for environmental impact, with 5- and 10-year goals to include recommended Maintenance & operations for all new facilities.

b. Maintenance schedule, staffing, and projected costs for each park and associated recreation facilities. To include salary comparison of like departments. Scheduling to include consideration of Public Grounds Operations.

c. Programming operations and management, including considerations for staffing levels, program marketing and communications.

d. Revenue generation from recreation programming and internal and external funding sources, such as rentals.

e. Metrics and evaluation criteria for land acquisition to maintain and improve level of service, such as ratio of population to park acreage, ratio of passive and active parks, and location and distance relative to population.

f. Other needed physical and/or reconfigured infrastructure and park space to support the desired master plan.

g. Design and create visual design concepts for City Park, Wyomia Tyus Olympic Park, Dundee Ball Park, Dundee Lake Park, Expansion of the River Trail, Collection Center Repurposing, Green Valley Park (to include the IDA Big Shanty property and connections) and Trail Connectivity. To include the Heritage Park Gym project, if not already complete

h. Utilize public feedback from defined areas to create visual neighborhood park concepts.

And create a standard design concept for new neighborhood developments to incorporate recreation and park amenities in their planned green spaces.

i. Develop a 10-year project list for consideration to be included in Impact Fee Projects

Funding.

j. Concept and location for the construction of a spray pad and or pads throughout the county. With consideration to include within the existing Aquatic Center vicinity.

Task 4 – Implementation Plan Prepare a detailed implementation plan that outlines a strategy to support the development of the master plan. At a minimum, the implementation plan will include:

a. A detailed list of actions to implement the master plan. The actions should include a start date, completion date, cost estimates, financing options and responsible parties.

b. An implementation strategy that describes the organizational structure and process that will be used to ensure the master plan and supporting tasks are implemented.

c. Identify resources capable of implementing specific portions of the master plan.

Task 5 – Prepare Deliverables A final report will be prepared in the form of a Master Plan which compiles the results of the overall work, including key information, the study process, relevant findings, and recommendations, into summary materials that include:

a. Executive Summary describing the project, methodology and recommendations.

b. Description of the community planning and the process utilized to collect and analyze the data.

c. Study conclusions and recommendations.

d. Visual displays for public presentations, in addition to physical visual boards and

PowerPoint presentations.

e. Presentations to elected officials summarizing the process and findings, including the

Parks and Leisure Services Advisory Commission for recommendation of adoption and the Board of Commissioners for decisive action on adoption.

Ten (10) printed copies of the final report shall be provided, along with an electronic file (on CD and a USB flash drive) of the summary document with supporting graphics and GIS files.

SECTION C

TECHNICAL PROPOSALS

INTRODUCTION

Overview. Firms should provide detailed information to demonstrate their understanding of the services requested.

Documents. Proposals should be limited to no more than 20 single-sided pages (or 10 double-sided pages) and should be in an 8½" x 11" format. An original and three copies of the proposal shall be submitted. Fewer copies of extensive materials covering the firm’s work are acceptable. In addition to printed proposals, please submit proposals in PDF file formats on a USB flash drive. Proposals shall include the forms provided in the RFP, which do not count toward page count limits.

Submission. The firm shall package and seal its proposal so that it will not be damaged by mail or shipping. All proposals and supporting documents will be submitted per the “Instructions” Section.

QUALIFICATIONS

Design Services: Firms responding to this RFP must have been engaged in master planning, park planning and development, urban design, engineering, recreation programming, operations management, environmental impact assessment, and related services for at least five years and be licensed to practice in their appropriate field in the State of Georgia, where applicable. These services are to be directly related to the project described in Section B.

Personnel: Firms shall have personnel available for assignment to this project who are experienced in all areas of expertise required by the scope of services, including but not limited to civil engineering, landscape architecture, environmental impact assessment, park planning, recreational programming, and the preparation of plan documents.

References: Firms shall provide references for three similar assignments from other municipalities within the past ten years.

Indemnification & Insurance: The CONTRACTOR agrees to assume liability for and indemnify, hold harmless, and defend the county, its commissioners, officers, employees, agents, and attorneys of, from, and against all liability and expense, including reasonable attorney's fees, in connection with any and all claims, demands, damages, actions, causes of action, and suits in equity of whatever kind or nature, including claims for personal injury, property damage, equitable relief, or loss of use, to the extent caused by the negligence, recklessness, or intentionally wrongful conduct of the CONTRACTOR, its agents, officers, contractors, subcontractors, employees, or anyone else employed or utilized by the CONTRACTOR in the performance of this Agreement. The CONTRACTOR's liability hereunder shall include all attorney's fees and costs incurred by the county in the enforcement of this indemnification provision. This includes claims made by the employees of the CONTRACTOR against the county and the CONTRACTOR hereby waives its entitlement, if any. The obligations contained in this provision shall survive termination of this Agreement and shall not be limited by the amount of any insurance required to be obtained or maintained under this Agreement.

INSURANCE

The CONTRACTOR shall not commence any work until they have obtained all the following applicable types of insurance and such insurance has been approved by the county, has named the Spalding County as an additional insured, except for Worker's Compensation Coverage, nor shall the CONTRACTOR allow any Subcontractor to commence Work on his subcontract until all similar insurance required of the Subcontractor has been so obtained.

Such insurer shall have a currently valid Certificate of Authority issued by the State of Georgia, Department of Insurance authorizing it to write insurance policies in the State of Georgia and do business in the State of Georgia. Insurers shall have at least a Policy Holders Rating of A-and Financial Rating of Class VI as identified in the latest issue of "Best's Key Rating Guide" unless otherwise accepted by the county in writing.

The CONTRACTOR's insurance, and the insurance of any other party bound to the CONTRACTOR, shall be considered primary. The county's insurance, if any, shall be considered excess, as may apply to claims that arise out of indemnifications, insurance, certificates of insurance, and any additional insurance provisions. Certificates of Insurance acceptable to Spalding County for the CONTRACTOR's insurance must be received within five (5) days of Notification of Selection and at the time of signing the Agreement.

Certificates of Insurance and the insurance policies required will include a provision that policies, except Workers' Compensation, are primary and noncontributory to any insurance maintained by the CONTRACTOR. Certificates of Insurance and the insurance policies required shall contain a provision under General Liability, Auto Liability, and Workers' Compensation to include a Waiver of Subrogation clause in favor of Spalding County.

Certificates of Insurance and the insurance policies required shall contain a provision under General Liability, Auto Liability, and Excess Liability to include Spalding County as Additional Insured, including Completed Operations (Form CG 20 10 and CG 2037 or equivalent). Other Additional Insured forms might be acceptable but only if modified to include ongoing and completed operations. A copy of the endorsement of the policy shall be provided with the certificate of insurance. All Certificates of Insurance shall be dated and shall show the name of the insured CONTRACTOR, the specific job by name and job number, the name of the insurer, the policy number, its effective date and its termination date, and a list of any exclusionary endorsements.

All the above-referenced Insurance coverage is required to remain in force for the duration of the project and the duration of the warranty period. Accordingly, at the time of submission of the final application for payment, CONTRACTOR shall submit an additional Certificate of Insurance along with evidence of continuation of such coverage. The failure of Spalding County to demand certificates of insurance and endorsements evidencing the required insurance or to identify any deficiency in contractors’ coverage based on the evidence of insurance provided by the contractor shall not be construed as a waiver by Spalding County of the contractor’s obligation to procure, maintain, and pay for the required insurance.

The insurance requirements herein shall not limit Contractors' liability arising from the work performed or related activities. The inclusions, coverage, and limits set forth herein are minimum inclusion, coverage, and limits. The required minimum policy limits set forth shall not be construed as a limitation of the CONTRACTOR's right under any policy with higher limits, and no policy maintained by the CONTRACTOR shall be construed as limiting the type, quality, or quantity of insurance coverage that CONTRACTOR should maintain. CONTRACTOR shall be responsible for determining appropriate inclusions, coverage, and limits, which may be more than the minimum requirements set forth herein.

The failure of CONTRACTOR to always comply fully and strictly with the insurance requirements set forth herein shall be deemed a material breach.

LOSS DEDUCTIBLE

If the insurance of any CONTRACTOR or any subcontractor contains deductible(s), penalty(s), or self-insured retention(s), the CONTRACTOR or Subcontractor whose insurance contains such provision(s) shall be solely responsible for payment of such deductible(s), penalty(s), or self-insured retention(s).

SUBCONTRACTOR’S INSURANCE

CONTRACTOR shall require each of his Subcontractors to likewise purchase and maintain at their expense Commercial General Liability insurance, Workers' Compensation, Employer's Liability coverage, Automobile Liability insurance, and Excess Liability insurance coverage meeting the same limit and requirements as the CONTRACTOR's insurance. CONTRACTOR shall also obtain from each subcontractor a written indemnification in form and substance identical to the indemnity as outlined in Part 1 above.

CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE

The county shall be furnished proof of insurance coverage as follows:

• The name of the insured CONTRACTOR, the specific job by name and job number, the name of the insurer, the number of the policy, its effective date, and its termination date.

• Statement that the insurer will mail notice to the county and a copy to the county’s representative at least thirty (30) days prior to any material changes in provisions, cancellation, renewal, or non-renewal of the policy.

• Certificate of Insurance shall be in the form as approved by the county and such Certificate shall clearly state all the coverage required in this Article.

• If requested by the county, the CONTRACTOR shall furnish complete copies of the awarded bidder’s and subsequent Subcontractor's insurance policies, forms, and endorsements; and

• Receipt of certificates or other documentation of insurance or policies or copies of policies by the CONTRACTOR or by any of its representatives which indicate less coverage than required by the Contract Documents does not constitute a waiver of the CONTRACTOR's obligations to fulfill the requirements of this Article.

Worker’s Compensation Insurance

The CONTRACTOR shall take out and maintain Workers' Compensation and Employer's Liability Insurance for all his employees connected with the Work of this Project, and in case any work is sublet, the CONTRACTOR shall require the Subcontractor similarly to provide Workers' Compensation Insurance for all the latter's employees, unless such employees are covered by the protection afforded by the CONTRACTOR. Such insurance shall comply with the Georgia Workers' Compensation Law.

The CONTRACTOR shall purchase and maintain at the contractor's expense Workers' Compensation and Employer's Liability insurance coverage for the life of this Subcontract.

The Limits of this insurance shall not be less than the following limits:

Part One: Workers' Compensation Insurance - Unlimited Statutory Benefits as provided in the Georgia Statutes; and

Part Two: Employer's Liability Insurance

Bodily Injury by Accident $100,000 Each Accident

Bodily Injury by Disease $500,000 Policy Limit

Bodily Injury by Disease $100,000 Each Employee

In case any class of contract at the Project Site is not protected under the Workers' Compensation statute, the CONTRACTOR shall provide adequate insurance, satisfactory to county requirements for the protection of employees not otherwise protected.

Liability Insurance

The CONTRACTOR shall take out and maintain Commercial General Liability and Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance as shall be required to protect Spalding County from claims for damage, bodily injury, and personal injury, including accidental death, as well as claims for property damages which may arise from operating under this Agreement, whether such operations are by themself or by anyone directly or indirectly employed by CONTRACTOR, and the amount of such insurance shall be minimum limits as follows:

Commercial General Liability

The Contractor shall purchase and maintain at the Contractor's expense Commercial General Liability insurance coverage (ISO or comparable Occurrence Form) (Modified Occurrence or Claims Made forms are not acceptable).

Each Occurrence Limit $1,000,000

Personal & Advertising Injury Limit Fire Damage Limit (any one fire) $1,000,000

Medical Expense Limit (any one person) $50,000

Products & Completed Operations Aggregate Limit $5,000

General Aggregate Limit (other than Products & Completed Operations)

Applies Per Project $2,000,000

The Limits of this insurance shall not be less than the following limits: $2,000,000

General liability coverage shall continue to apply to "bodily injury" and to "property damage" occurring after all work on the Site of the covered operations to be performed by or on behalf of the additional insured has been completed and shall continue after that portion of "your work" out of which the injury or damage arises has been put to its intended use.

• Coverage shall include premises, operations, products, completed operations, independent contractors, contractual liability covering this Agreement, contracts and leases, broad form property damage coverage, personal injury, and bodily injury.

• If Umbrella or Excess liability coverage is used to satisfy the requirements of this Section, it shall not be more restrictive than the underlying insurance policy coverages.

Commercial Automobile Liability

The PROFESSIONAL/CONTRACTOR shall purchase and maintain at the contractor's expense Automobile Liability insurance coverage.

The Limits of this insurance shall not be less than the following limits:

Combined $1,000,000 Each Accident

Single Limit $1,000,000 Bodily Injury – Per Accident OR

Split Limits $500,000 Property Damage – Per Accident

Covered Automobiles shall include any auto owned or operated by the insured Contractor, insured Contractor including autos that are leased, hired, rented, or borrowed, including autos owned by their employees which are used in connection with the business of the respective contractor. Coverage shall include bodily injury and property damage arising out of ownership, maintenance, or use of any auto, including owned, non-county, and hired automobiles and employee non-ownership use.

Property Insurance

This additional coverage will be required if the contract includes construction of or additions to above-ground buildings or structures, or installation of machinery or equipment. The minimum amount of insurance shall be 100% of the completed value of the installed replacement cost of value.

PROPOSED FEE

Fee: Include a fee as a Lump Sum cost, which should include a breakdown of costs allocated per Task (see Section B). Note that in our quality-based evaluation, the fee is not a factor in the initial proposal. At the end of the selection process, a contract and fee will be negotiated with the highest-ranked firm. If a suitable agreement cannot be reached with that firm, the next highest-ranked firm will be allowed to negotiate a contract.

A supplemental listing of professional service costs shall be included within your proposal.

TECHNICAL APPROACH

Methodology: Explain the methodology you propose to successfully perform the services outlined in Section B. Submit a listing of what resources and materials will be required from the County to complete the Parks and Leisure Services Master Plan.

Schedule: Include a timeline for the project. Include in your proposal a project schedule indicating key milestones related to the firm’s methodology.

FIRM EXPERIENCE

Projects. In this section, the firm shall provide a detailed description of three similar assignments, on behalf of local governments or similar clients (e.g., community improvement districts, public authorities, etc.) within the United States completed during the past ten years and/or in which it is presently engaged. Include for each engagement:

Client name Contact person.

Telephone and fax numbers, email address.

Brief description of the planning projects, their costs, and services provided on each. Describe in detail whether the planning project was/was not completed on time, within budget, and adopted by the client.

Copy or working web link to plan.

Company Capabilities. The firm shall describe its limitations relative to facilities, staff personnel, ongoing projects/contracts, etc. Specifically, what priority it intends to place on this project and how it intends to “staff up” if necessary, should it be chosen as the consultant.

Company Primary Business. Provide the firm’s primary business interest and/or operations including organization and affiliations.

Company Information. Provide the following:

List the firm name, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address. Name of firm’s primary contact person(s) and telephone number(s).

List the firm’s total number of employees, by discipline. List year firm was established.

List the amount of professional liability (errors & omissions) insurance carried.

PERSONNEL EXPERIENCE

Organizational Chart. Show an organizational chart for this project

Personnel. Include resumes of proposed personnel showing education, qualifications, and experience. Provide a statement that a person assigned to a specific project will remain with that project until it is completed. The County will permit substitution only after it has given written approval and reserves the right to reject or accept any substitution in personnel proposed during the project. Consultant firms or teams are expected to represent the diversity of the community. Such diversity should be reflected in aspects such as ownership, professional personnel, consultants, and staff. Evidence of such diversity should be part of the submittal.

ASSURANCES

Assurances in Section D shall be submitted with the Technical Proposal.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Provide a statement explaining any exceptions taken to this RFP. In every case, the County will assume compliance unless a specific exception is taken.

EVALUATION FACTORS

The County will evaluate the proposals based on technical merit. The County intends to choose the firm whose proposal provides the best service to the County. The County reserves the right to waive any irregularities and reject any and/or all proposals, in whole or in part, when, in the County’s opinion, such rejection is in its best interests.

Evaluation Method. An evaluation team will review each proposal. Its review and evaluation will be based on the following factors:

1. Staff capacity and experience of similar projects, especially related to park planning efforts. Evidence of past success in the completion of similar planning projects on time and within budget is especially important.

2. Staff capacity and availability to perform the work outlined in the scope of services, preliminary designation of available expertise to tasks, and preliminary work program and schedule. The project desires a quick start, and thorough completion, and a demonstration of the ability to complete work on schedule is important.

3. Understanding of the planning project, including the ability to properly convey the proposal to those reviewing it.

4. Experience which indicates an ability to work collaboratively and communicate well with, and facilitate consensus among, a variety of government, neighborhood, and community organization interests using innovative engagement methods.

5. Racial and gender diversity of consultant firms’ ownership, teams' personnel, and staff that represent the diversity of the County’s community.

6. Overall financial stability of the firm as determined by financial information required by the RFP and/or from other sources.

7. Fee.

Oral Presentations and Interviews. Following the evaluation of the proposals, the

Evaluation Team may request a limited number of firms to make oral presentations and/or be interviewed. If a determination is made that presentations are necessary, the presentations will take place in Spalding County at a mutually acceptable date and time.

Negotiations. Following any presentations, the finalists shall be re-evaluated. The County will negotiate with the firm whose proposal is determined to be most advantageous to the County. If negotiations with the selected firm fail, negotiations shall be initiated with additional firms until an agreement is reached. The County reserves the right to reject all offers and end the process without executing a contract.

Agreement. If the negotiation produces mutual agreement, the draft agreement included with the RFP shall be completed and forwarded to the firm for execution. The draft agreement format will be the only acceptable document for execution.

As described in the draft agreement, the successful firm and its subcontractors must comply with the agreement’s prohibitions against conflicts of interest and contingent fees. The successful firm shall require each of its subcontractors to comply with all applicable terms of the agreement.

The County reserves the right to accept a proposal, as submitted, and enter directly into a contractual agreement with that selected firm. Accordingly, all submittals must contain the best technical proposal in their initial submission.

Reservations. Submittal of a proposal indicates acceptance of the conditions contained in this request. Spalding County reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted. All proposals are public records to the extent required by the Georgia Open Records Act.

Spalding County reserves the right to accept or reject any proposals. Spalding County reserves the right to waive informalities and negotiate changes in the scope of work or services to be provided and to otherwise waive any technicalities.

SECTION D

ASSURANCES

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO)

Firms or teams are expected to represent the diversity of the community. Such diversity should be reflected in such aspects as ownership, professional personnel, subcontractors, and staff. Evidence of such diversity should be part of the submittal.

EEO Plan. The firm will develop and implement an EEO policy that, as a minimum, will recruit, hire, train, and promote, at all levels, without regard to gender, race, color, genetic information, religion, national origin, political affiliation, age, handicapped status, sexual orientation, sexual preference, or gender identity and expression.

The firm will ensure equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, personnel actions, and firm-sponsored programs. Every effort shall be made to ensure that employment decisions, programs and personnel actions are non-discriminatory. These decisions are administered based on an evaluation of an employee's eligibility, performance, ability, skill, and experience.

a. Does the firm have the above EEO policy in place?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

b. If the answer to a. above is no, will the firm have such a policy in place for this project?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Statement of Assurance. The firm herein assures the County that it complies with Title VI & VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, as amended, in that it does not on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, handicap, or veteran status, discriminate in any form or manner against employees or employers or applicants for employment and is in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Firm’s Name: _______________________________________________________

Authorized Signature: _________________________________________________

Title: ________________________________________________________

Date: _______________________________________________________

LEGAL AND CHARACTER QUALIFICATIONS

Claims and Lawsuits. Is your firm involved in any pending claims or lawsuits? If so, please describe.

AFFIDAVIT

This proposal is submitted to the County of Spalding, Georgia (the County) by the undersigned who is an authorized officer of the firm and said the firm is licensed to do business in Georgia.

Further, the undersigned is authorized to make these assurances and certify their validity. The firm recognizes that all assurances and representations herein are binding on the firm and failure to adhere to any of these commitments, at the County's option, may result in a revocation of the agreement.

Consent is hereby given to the County to contact anyone or organization to make inquiries into the firm's legal, character, technical, financial, and other qualifications.

The firm understands that, at such times as the County reviews this proposal, additional information may be requested. Failure to supply any requested information within a reasonable time may result in the rejection of the firm's proposal with no re-submittal rights.

The firm understands that the County, after considering the legal, financial, technical, and character qualifications of the firm, as well as what in the County's judgment may best serve the public interest of its citizens and employees, may grant a contract.

The firm understands that this proposal is made without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm or person submitting a proposal for the same and is fair and without collusion or fraud. It understands that collusive bidding is a violation of state and federal law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards.

Any agreement issued will be based on the firm’s service and financial plans and arrangements that are feasible and adequate to fulfill the conditions outlined in this project and the firm’s response.

Company Name: _____________________________________________________________

Authorized Person: _______________________ Signature: _______________________________ (Print/Type) Title: __________________________________ Date: _____________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________________

Telephone: __________________________ Fax: ____________________________

Email: ________________________