James Madison Park Master Plan and Shelter Design

The City of Madison Parks Division issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on August 14, 2017, seeking qualified consultants to develop a comprehensive master plan and shelter design for James Madison Park, a 12.63-acre lakefront community park in Madison, Wisconsin. The project requires a detailed environmental assessment, utility review, and regulatory compliance coordination with state and local agencies, including the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and State Historical Society. Consultants must facilitate multiple public meetings, develop at least three schematic park master plans and four schematic shelter designs with construction cost estimates, and submit a final master plan and shelter design at 60 percent construction documentation. Minimum team qualifications include a master planner with 15 years of experience, licensed architects and engineers with 10 years of relevant experience, and a third-party cost estimator with five years of experience in projects exceeding $1.5 million in the Madison area. The RFP established a comprehensive evaluation criteria process, with key factors including project experience, team qualifications, master plan and shelter design approaches, engagement strategy, regulatory approval familiarity, project schedule, and technical proposal quality. Proposals were due by September 8, 2017, at 2:00 PM CST, with questions accepted until August 21, 2017, and answers posted by August 30, 2017.

The procurement did not specify specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though contractors employing 15 or more employees must comply with affirmative action requirements and file appropriate plans within 30 days of contract award. Contractors are required to maintain professional liability insurance of $1 million for six years after project completion and adhere to non-discrimination and equal benefits guidelines. The City of Madison allocated $200,000 in the adopted budget for master planning and schematic shelter design, with future implementation of master plan improvements to be phased into capital budgets through subsequent budget appropriations. After evaluation of five submitted proposals, Ken Saiki Design was ultimately selected, achieving the highest composite score of 786.62. The project is structured with an all-inclusive, not-to-exceed fixed fee approach, with costs broken down by phase and task, including reimbursable expenses at specified rates. The final master plan and shelter design are expected to be completed by October 1, 2018, with a focus on community engagement and alignment with the City's Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiative.