Long Wharf Waterfront Play Structure

The City of New Haven, Connecticut, through its Department of Finance, Bureau of Purchases, is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the design, fabrication, and installation of a unique waterfront play structure at Long Wharf Waterfront Park in New Haven County. The project seeks a qualified contractor to design and construct a themed play structure incorporating at least two slides of varying heights and climbing features suitable for children of different age groups within an available space of approximately 7,500 square feet. The structure must comply with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) safety standards, incorporate waterfront-themed design elements such as nautical or boat inspiration, and be visually prominent from highway traffic to serve as a recognizable destination for park visitors. Key deliverables include a minimum of three design iterations with the City's landscape architect, detailed project timelines encompassing design, fabrication, installation, and inspection milestones, and a minimum three-year warranty covering materials and workmanship. Evaluation criteria, weighted equally at 16.7 percent each, include concept sketch and proposal clarity, proposed solution quality, proposed schedule realism, experience in similar-sized cities, budget realism and value, and organizational background and financial stability. Contractors must demonstrate a minimum of five previously completed projects of similar scale and environment. The pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for May 5, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. via Microsoft Teams on a non-mandatory basis; the question submission deadline is May 12, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.; and proposals must be submitted electronically through the City's OpenGov eProcurement Portal by 11:00 a.m. on May 19, 2026. The contract duration is one year from the date of signing, with project completion expected within eight months.

The City of New Haven has established a minority and women-owned small business (MBE/WBE) participation goal of 25 percent for this project, and contractors must complete and submit an MBE Utilization Form documenting all subcontractors and their certification status as part of their bid response. The procurement is funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, with the City obligating all ARPA funds by December 31, 2024, and expending all funds by December 31, 2026. Connecticut prevailing wage requirements apply to the project, and contractors must submit a Contractors Wage Certification Form and comply with prevailing wage rates established by the Connecticut Department of Labor for heavy/highway construction classifications. The City of New Haven Living Wage Ordinance applies to contracts with labor components under $150,000, and the City Commission on Equal Opportunities requires successful bidders to attend a mandatory pre-award conference and submit EEOC packages; fees are non-refundable and range from $100 to $4,000 depending on contract value. Bid bonds equal to five percent of the total submitted amount are required for bids exceeding $100,000, which may be submitted digitally through approved surety providers or as a certified cashier check. The pricing proposal must be submitted separately from the technical proposal and include all costs in lump-sum format with no separate reimbursement for travel, lodging, or incidental expenses, with the City using a Reward Low Cost scoring methodology that awards maximum points to the lowest-cost proposal and proportionally fewer points to higher-cost proposals.