RFP Lac La Biche McArthur Park Master Plan

Request for Proposal

Lac La Biche County

McArthur Park Master Plan

RFP # REC-72-2020-05

Proposal Closing Date and Time:

Proposals must be received by

Monday August 31, 2020

At 2:00 pm (local time)

Lac La Biche County

P.O. Box 1679

Bold Center, 8702 – 91^st Avenue

Lac La Biche, AB T0A 2C0

Phone: 780-623-6816

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Selection of Consultant for

Lac La Biche McArthur Park Master Plan

RFP # REC-72-2020-03

Responses will only be considered if received in the Lac La Biche Bold Centre office no later than the closing date:    2:00 P.M. local time, Monday, August 31, 2020.

Invitation

Lac La Biche County (the “County”) invites the submission of Proposals from Consultants to provide a Community Consultation process to develop a Master Plan for McArthur Park.

The Project will include the following:

Purpose:

Lac La Biche County is a specialized County in Northeastern Alberta serving an estimated population of 10,000 with two urban centers (Lac La Biche & Plamondon) and a rural area with many lakes and park spaces. McArthur Park is a main feature and tourism destination in the Hamlet of Lac La Biche. The park is located in the downtown core next to Lac La Biche Lake. The 12 acre park, features the following: lake beach and swimming area; McArthur Place (municipal office); 2 ball diamonds; museum & visitor information; old 4 sheet curling rink (used for other purposes); spray park; seasonal concession; seasonal equipment rentals; seasonal washrooms/change rooms; beach volleyball court; outdoor adult fitness area; gazebo and walking trails. The park has a long history in the community and is a main feature, hosting many community and private events like Pow Wow days, ball games, FCSS events, weddings, celebrations, community picnics & barbeques, movies in the park and much more. Over the past 5 years the park has received new features like the gazebo, spray park, beach volleyball, concession/ rental. The park is transitioning from active sports to a community gathering and tourism destination.

County is seeking a qualified consultant to work with the County, community organizations and community members to develop a Master Plan on future development of McArthur Park. The Lac La Biche County Recreation and Parks Master Plan (completed June 28, 2019) and the Community Tourism plan has identified the need to develop McArthur Park and a master Plan is needed to coordinate future development of the park. A big roll in the development of the plan is community consultation with community members, local organizations and residents in the area.

The major deliverables of the successful consultants will be to:

• Gather and analyze past & existing information.
• Review the existing features in the park and possible new features that could enhance utilization in the park.
• Review the existing structures and how they can be utilized within the park feature and attractions, which includes: old 4 sheet curling rink; multi-purpose building; picnic shelter and other structure within the park.
• Review how the park links with the downtown revitalization plan and links with tourism in the community.
• Review environmental impact of the park to the area and the lake for community and tourism usage.
• Review how the park can be utilized for community events and gatherings.
• Examine the circulation pattern in the park and how the park links to the trails and pathways in the community.
• Review how the existing McArthur Place (municipal office) and Museum & Visitor Information Center fits into the park.
• Provide a number of concepts and features, to be reviewed by the community for future development in the park.
• Review and provide options on share space and features within the park between buildings and functions.
• Review and include business and non-profit organizations with various services and lease opportunities within the park.
• Review Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Concepts (CPTED).
• Review population growth and changing demographics.
• Develop and deliver a comprehensive public engagement program.
• Provide estimated capital and operating cost for future upgrades and development in the park and potential phasing in options.
• Prepare a draft concept plan with options, and
• Prepare a final concept plan for approval by Lac La Biche County.

Scope of Work

A general outline of the expected scope of work of the successful consultant includes the following:

Project Start up and Data collection

• In consultation with proponent, make any final adjustments to the Terms of Reference.
• To understand the existing operation of McArthur Park and the future needs of Lac La Biche County.
• Review the information from the Lac La Biche County Recreation ( 2019),Visitor Friendlessness Assessment (2018) and Tourism Strategy (2019).
• Review component and features of comparable municipal parks for community and tourism needs.
• Review Downtown revitalization plan, trails plan and pathway linkages, and other past plans.

Public Consultation:

• Establish a consultative process with all stakeholders including the general public, user groups, local organizations and Lac la Biche County staff.
• Produce and manage a random sample survey(s) for community input and feedback. Through consultation with the County staff, consultant is responsible to produce the survey instrument, including layout, structure and wording of the questionnaire in order to elicit public response to current and future community development of the park. The Proponent shall consolidate the data and formulate reports, both in raw data form and summary report.
• Conduct a written survey/interview of County staff and senior management through a similar survey instrument with separate results from the public survey. Provide raw and summary data of the survey.
• Conduct a written survey/interview of approximately 20 community groups through a similar survey instrument with separate results from public survey. Provide raw data of the survey.
• Establish at least two public meetings or town hall meetings to provide various options and components for the development of McArthur Park.

Analysis

• Identify current and future demographics, trends and projections.
• Determine past, present and future usage trends of municipal parks for community and tourism usage.
• Determine future park development based on the existing features, community aspirations and projected population growth.
• Determine the level of community desire for new features and increasing usage of the park.
• Examine   the   economic   feasibility, including   projected   capital   and   operating   costs.
• Examine the environment impact of the park to the area and the effect on the lake.
• Review the design in relation to crime prevention through environmental design concepts.
• Detail the park programs and services in relation to demand and the extent to which current features are being utilized.
• Review the current local and regional delivery system of park services to evaluate the efficacy.
• Complete a concept landscape design to be included in the draft and final plans.
• Prepare a mission/vision and implementation strategy that prioritizes community needs and financial resources.
• Draft Master Plan Report
• Prepare Final Draft Master Plan report
• Prepare and deliver PowerPoint presentation to Council.

Schedule:

The following anticipated schedule is subject to change at the County’s discretion:

The Consultant is to use this schedule as a guideline to prepare of an achievable schedule that will be included in their proposal submission.

Instructions

Submission:

Consultants are to submit one printed and one digital copy in pdf format (USB) of their complete proposal. The submission should be in a sealed envelope clearly marked with the Consultant’s name, address and identify that it is for the “RFP #72-2020-05 for Lac La Biche McArthur Park Master Plan”, to Lac La Biche County, Box 1679, Bold Center, 8702 – 91^st Avenue, Lac La Biche, Alberta, T0A 2C0, Attention: Darrell Lessmeister, Senior Manager Recreation & Community Enhancement.

Conflict of Interest:

Consultants must ensure that their participation in this RFP is conducted without collusion, fraud or conflict of interest on their part or on the part of any of their team members. This includes other consultants and members of the municipalities and governments involved in the Project(s). Breach of this provision may result in disqualification from the RFP process.

Clarifications:

Consultants should carefully examine the RFP documents and report any errors, omissions, discrepancies, clauses requiring clarification or any qualifications. Consultants are advised to not rely on oral responses to requests for clarification.

Requests for clarification should be clearly identified with the Project Name and submitted in writing to: 

Darrell Lessmeister
Lac La Biche County
P.O. Box 1679
Lac La Biche, AB T0A 2C0

Attention: Darrell Lessmeister, Senior Manager Recreation & Community Enhancement

Email: Darrell.lessmeister@laclabichecounty.com

Phone: (780) 623-6816; Cell: (780) 404-4064

Addenda:

Where necessary, responses to questions and clarifications will be issued by Addenda that will become part of the RFP document.

Expenses:

The County will not provide compensation or be responsible in anyway for the costs, expenses, losses, damages or liability incurred by Consultants in the preparation of their response to this RFP.

Confidentiality of Responses:

Information submitted in response to this RFP may be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Alberta) (FOIP). Except as required by FOIP; or any other law, responses will be considered to have been provided in confidence.

Cancellation:

Lac La Biche County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and to waive irregularities, informalities and non-compliance at its discretion.  The County reserves the right to accept a proposal other than the lowest proposal without stating reason and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing; the County may consider any other factor(s), besides price, capability to perform the work and proposed specifications, in its sole and unfettered discretion.  By submitting its proposal, the Consultant waives any right to claim, in any proceeding or court action, for loss of anticipated profit or for any other damages in the preparation of its proposal.

Evaluation of Request for Proposals:

• Weighted Evaluation: The responses to the RFP requirements will be evaluated using the weighted values noted. Each proposal will be evaluated within each criteria and the resulting scores added to provide a total score. The evaluation and scoring will be at the sole discretion of the Evaluation Committee.

• Interviews: The Evaluation Committee may at its discretion invite a Consultant for an interview or seek further clarification without any obligation to any of the Consultants.

• Selection of Consultant: The Evaluation Committee will make a recommendation, based on their evaluation, to Lac La Biche County for final decision.

Submitted proposals and accompanying documentation will be retained by the County following the evaluation and selection process.

Submission Requirements

Mandatory Requirements:

Consultants must meet the following mandatory requirements and have provided documentation to substantiate:

• A Clearance Certificate from the Workers Compensation Board - Alberta (WCB).
• Evidence of insurability for professional liability, comprehensive general liability and automobile, each in an amount of not less than Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) per occurrence.

Format for Proposal Submission:

Submissions can be in letter format and should be organized in the following format to facilitate evaluation and to ensure full consideration:

• Provide any changes or additions to the prequalification previously submitted.
• Key Staff who will be assigned to this project.
• Methodology and project comprehension
• Public consultation process
• Project schedule
• At least two references from similar consultation projects
• Fee schedule
• Appendices

There is not a limit on the length of the proposal document; however, the Consultant’s ability to effectively communicate the rationale for their selection will be a component in the evaluation process.

Content of Proposal:

• Contact information:

The proposal must be signed by an authorized representative of the Consultant and provide a contact name with address, phone, fax and email for subsequent follow up for questions or clarifications necessary during the evaluation process.

• Key Staff who will be assigned:

This section should identify key staff from both the Prime and subconsultants and an indication of what functions in the Project they will be engaged on (note that any subsequent changes to staffing will need to be approved by the County).

• Methodology and Project Comprehension:

• It is expected that the Consultant will provide all necessary consultation and project management requirements to deliver a complete master plan, meeting the needs of the County and the regulatory agencies. This will include the preparation and submission of the final report with sufficient time to meet the schedule identified by the Consultant.
• The Consultant is to detail their methodology and work plan to complete the Project from the initial meeting to the submission of final report.
• The Consultant is to indicate in their methodology and in their schedule, the anticipated review and approval requirements from the County and regulators, allowing for those in the work schedule.
• As a minimum, the work schedule should include the field work and data collection, the preliminary concepts, concept design, estimated capital and operating costs, survey(s), public meeting dates, and project close. Consultant is to clearly indicate their assumptions with respect to the duration they intend to spend within Lac La Biche County.
• It is expected that the Consultant is fully conversant with all the requirements to provide project management services for this Project and will demonstrate that in the methodology. It is further expected that, with their demonstrated qualifications and experience, the Consultant will anticipate the Project requirements and not require changes in scope or schedule, unless it is fully beyond their control.

• Schedule for Project Components, Milestone Dates and Deliverables:

• Consultants are to provide a detailed schedule for each component of the Project identifying activities and dependencies, submission dates, review requirements, anticipated scheduling and other information deemed important to the successful completion of the Project.
• Where opportunities for overlap and / or efficiencies exist between the components of the Project, these should be identified in the text with the anticipated benefits.

• Communication Plan:

• The Consultant is to provide regular updates (bi-weekly) to the County’s representative. The Consultant should detail their approach for this activity and indicate key dates in the schedule.
• The County’s representative must be kept informed of all third-party discussions.

• Fee Schedule:

• The fee schedule is to provide separate cost estimates for each component and each phase of the Project. Estimates must include all disbursements, expenses and subconsultant fees.
• A resource budget spreadsheet for the Project should show hourly charge out rates, expenses and disbursements for each named team member. It should also indicate the allocated hours by phase and activity.
• Hourly rates are to be inclusive of all overtime, holiday time, payroll burden, travel and incidental expenses.
• The resource budget should include subtotals by phase and total upset budgets by component and the Project which are not to be exceeded without authorization from the County.

General Terms and Conditions

The following terms apply to this RFP and to any subsequent contract(s). Submission of a proposal in response to this RFP indicate acceptance of the terms and conditions contained in the RFP.

Acceptance of Proposals

This RFP should not be considered as an agreement to purchase goods or services.  Lac La Biche County is not bound to accept the lowest price or any proposal of those submitted.  Proposals will be assessed considering the evaluation criteria.  The County will be under no obligation to receive further information, whether written or oral, from any Consultant.

Neither acceptance of a proposal nor execution of a contract will constitute approval of any activity or development contemplated in any proposal that requires any approval, permit or license pursuant to any federal, provincial, regional district or municipal statute, regulation or bylaw.

Definition of Contract

Only the full execution of a written contract will constitute a contract for the services, and no Consultant will acquire any legal or equitable rights or privileges relative to the services until this occurs.

Right to Accept or Reject Proposals

Lac La Biche County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals in whole or in part. Only the full execution of a written contract will constitute a contract for the services, and no Consultant will acquire any legal or equitable rights or privileges relative to the services until this occurs.

Use of a Request for Proposal

This document, or any portion thereof, may not be used for any purpose other than the submission of proposals.

Modification of Terms

Lac La Biche County reserves the right to modify the terms of the solicitation at any time at its sole discretion prior to and including the closing date of the competition.

Submission of Proposals

By submission of a clear and detailed written notice, the Consultant may amend or withdraw its proposal prior to the closing date and time. Upon closing time, all proposals become irrevocable. By submission of a proposal, the Consultant agrees that, should its proposal be successful, the Consultant will enter into a contract with Lac La Biche County.

Proposals will not be returned.  Submitted proposals become the property of Lac La Biche County.

Delay in Negotiating a Contract

If a written contract cannot be negotiated within a reasonable period of time with the successful Consultant, Lac La Biche County may, at its sole discretion at any time thereafter, terminate negotiations with the Consultant and either negotiate a Contract with the next qualified Consultant or choose to terminate the solicitation process and not enter into a Contact with any of the Consultants.

Successful Proposal

By submission of a proposal, the Consultant agrees that should its proposal be deemed successful, the Consultant would enter into a contract with Lac La Biche County.

Governing Legislation

This Request for Proposal is subject to all applicable legislation including the Municipal Government Act, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the bylaws and policies of Lac La Biche County, and all other relevant governing legislation.

Consultants – Responsibilities

It is expected that the Consultant will work as an extension of the County Administration Team, keeping the interests of the County primary in all areas where engaged to provide professional services for the County.

The following represent general expectations of the consultant, it is intended to be representative, not exhaustive, and provides general guidance to the consultant:

• Provide all necessary services to complete the project requirements
  • Where specialized services are necessary and requiring subconsultants, the prime consultant will advise the County and engage those services directly. These services are to be identified and engaged at the proposal stage.
  • Prepare, submit and track all necessary permits, licences and notice requirements to regulatory authorities.
  • Provide and maintain a detailed schedule and work plan for the project.
• Invoicing is to be provided on the agreed schedule and at the agreed rates, including a description of services provided. Invoices to show phase costs based on; invoice to date, invoice this period and remaining budget.
  • All anticipated scope changes are to be identified as early as possible and approval provided prior to undertaking any of the work.
  • All anticipated changes to budget and schedule are to be identified for approval as they occur, with rationale and opportunities for mitigation identified.
  • It is expected that all deliverables will be provided on the dates agreed and final invoicing will not occur until this condition is met and accepted.
• Anticipate problems and advise County project, including issues related to the project, budget, safety, regulatory issues, design, concept concerns, etc.
• Provide paper and digital copies in the agreed format of all record drawings and final project details.

Communication is key to working with the County.

It is understood that conditions change; but it is necessary to communicate all changes as they occur.

Note that this RFP is issued in accordance with Lac La Biche County Policy on Procurement No. CS-10-004.

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