City of Seattle
Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle Public Library
REQUEST FOR STATEMENTS OF QUALIFICATION
For the Northgate Community Center, Branch Library and Urban Park Projects
Submittal Due Date: 2:00 PM, Tuesday, September 17, 2002
Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Seattle Public Library seek architect, landscape architect, and engineer (A/LA/E) teams to provide site planning and design services for a new 20,000 SF Community Center, 10,000 SF Branch Library, and a 1.67-acre Park to be co-located on a 3.55-acre site in Northgate. The total project funding for the library, including land acquisition, is $5,139,000. The total design/construction budgets for the community center and the park are $6,186,000 and $1,031,000, respectively.
A full description of the Library project and universal building program can be found at the following Web site addressees: http://www.spl.org/capplan/libforall/nlb/nlbdir.html and http://www.spl.org/lfa/neighborhoodlibs/ubbp/ubbpcontents.html. Information regarding the community center and the park can be obtained by contacting Tim Motzer at 684-7060 or by e-mail at tim.motzer@seattle.gov.
It is anticipated that these projects will be completed in three phases: site planning, design, and construction. The site-planning phase includes preparing alternative site concepts that locate the library, community center, and park on the site along with parking and pedestrian amenities. A review and understanding of relevant codes, current and proposed design guidelines, and other planning documentation will be required. A review of the building programs will be required to develop schemes that show the possibility of the library and community as separate structures, as linked or attached structures, and as a single structure all integrated with the park. The alternatives need to reflect the fact that the park requires 31,000 SF of level area to provide for active recreation, a new play area, and a public gathering area. The scope of the initial contract with the selected consultant team will be for the site planning work only. Parks and the Library reserve the right to award additional work for the design and construction phase to the team that completes the site plan or to one or more of the finalist teams selected in the initial selection process.
Submittal Requirements
Provide fifteen (15) copies of the submittal (including one unbound copy suitable for copying). Submittal shall be limited to 30 sheets of two-sided, 8 ½" x 11" pages, including text, graphics, cover letter, resumes, etc. The submittal should consist of:
- A cover letter explaining the team's interest in this project addressed to the Advisory Committee. The cover letter should state which of the design projects the team is interested in, in addition to the site planning work. Firms may be considered for the design of the library, the community center, the park or all of the projects. The letter should also demonstrate the team's understanding of this project by highlighting what the team believes to be the three greatest challenges inherent in this project.
- Forms 254 and 255 listing recent projects, references for those, and summary resumes of staff members who would be assigned to the project. The names and roles of any proposed subconsultant firms should be clearly identified.
- Any illustrative materials necessary to adequately describe relevant project experience as it relates to the selection criteria. The submittal should be organized to clearly address each of the selection criterion in the order listed.
Pre-Submittal Information Conference
Interested firms may ask questions about the projects or selection process at a pre-submittal information conference scheduled for 10:00 AM, Wednesday, September 4, 2002, at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center, 800 Convention Place, Room 307. Questions and answers from this session will be summarized in writing and posted to the Library and Park Web sites.Selection Process
Selection Criteria
Parks and the Library will identify and select representatives from the neighborhood to join with representatives from Parks, the Library, and the Design Commission to create a Consultant Selection Advisory Committee (Committee). If a large number of submittals are received, Parks and Library staff will initially screen and sort the submittals and deliver an initial short list to the Committee. The Committee will evaluate proposals using the selection criteria. The Committee will recommend a short list of consultant teams to be interviewed to the Park Superintendent and the Library Board Steward for their joint approval. Upon approval of the short list, the Committee will interview the selected firms and recommend the site planning team and up to five additional finalist teams who may be selected for the design of the library, community center and/or park if the site planning team is not hired to continue with the design of those projects. The Committee will base its decision on the selection criteria, the interview, references, and other pertinent information. The Park Superintendent and the Library Board will make the final consultant selection. Teams selected to interview may be asked to provide additional information and participate in a community open house.
Criteria used in screening and evaluating proposals include:
- 20%: Design excellence as demonstrated in the material submitted. Vision, energy, commitment, and imagination should be evident in the submittal.
- 20%: Design experience with projects of a similar scale and scope.
- 15%: Demonstrated ability to meet project schedules and budgets on projects of a similar size.
- 15%: Management, team organization and skill and experience of key staff.
- 10%: Experience on complex public projects working with community groups and public agencies.
- 10%: Experience working and communicating effectively with community, staff and other client groups on architectural projects.
- 10%: Experience with library, community center and park projects. (Experience is preferred, but is not a requirement for consideration.)
Percentages noted above will be used to screen and evaluate proposals prior to the interviews. References from clients, contractors and subconsultants your team has recently worked with will also be considered.
Provisions
The selected Consultant will be required to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local non-discrimination laws, particularly the requirements of Seattle Municipal Code Ch. 20.44.The selected Consultant will be subject to the requirements of Seattle Municipal Code Ch. 20.45 and related rules, under which the Consultant is obligated to provide the same or equivalent benefits (" equal benefits") to its employees with domestic partners as the Consultant provides to its employees with spouses. For more information, see the City's Web site at http://www.cityofseattle.net/contract/equalbenefits.
The City encourages the use of Women and Minority Business Enterprises as subconsultants and women and minority employees in all City contracts, and encourages outreach efforts to include women and minorities in employment, contracting, and subcontracting opportunities.
The selected Consultant shall be required to have a valid City of Seattle Business License, be authorized to do business in the State of Washington, and provide a Washington State Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number prior to final execution of this agreement.
The selected Consultant will be required to obtain and maintain certain types and coverage levels of insurance related to general liability, automobile liability, errors and omissions liability and worker compensation.
All materials submitted in response to this RFQ except for proprietary materials shall become the property of the City, which reserves the right to use such information.
The City reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals, waive any informality in proposals received, to accept or reject any or all of the items in the proposal, and award the contract in whole or in part if it is deemed in the City's best interest. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals at any time with no penalty and to waive immaterial defects and minor irregularities in proposals.
Submittals Due
Submittals are due at 2:00 PM, Tuesday September 17, 2002. Please send to: Tim Motzer, Seattle Parks and Recreation Planning and Development Division, 800 Maynard Ave. S., 3rd Floor, Seattle, WA 98134-1336. Questions may be directed to: Tim Motzer, Parks Department, 206-684-7060 or via email at tim.motzer@seattle.gov and/or David Kunselman, Library, at (206) 386-4096 or david.kunselman@spl.org.
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Content Modified: 05 September 2002
11/18/2002