Copy of the RFP for the Whitpain Community Center

Here is the text from the Request for Proposal issued by Whitpain Township:

Whitpain Township Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

ANNOUNCEMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ARCHITECTURAL & ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER BUILDING IN WHITPAIN TOWNSHIP

January 27, 2023

The Whitpain Township Board of Supervisors will receive sealed proposals at the Whitpain Township Administration Building at 960 Wentz Road, Blue Bell PA. 19038 until 4:00 pm, prevailing time, on Friday, February 24, 2023. All proposals must be sealed and addressed to the Whitpain Township Parks and Recreation Department care of Mike Richino, Director of Parks and Recreation, at the above address, and marked “Proposal for Architectural & Engineering Services related to Construction of a New Community Center Building in Whitpain Township”, on the outside of the envelope. Electronic copies shall also be sent to, mrichino@whitpaintownship.org History: Whitpain Township is a growing suburban community, located approximately 15 miles north of Philadelphia. It is a Second-Class Township with a regional school system, the Wissahickon School District. Whitpain Township is approximately 12.9 square miles, with a population of 19,271. Whitpain Township is bordered by Upper Gwynedd, Lower Gwynedd, and Ambler Borough to the north; Upper Dublin and Whitemarsh to the east; Plymouth and East Norriton to the south; and Worcester to the west. Whitpain Township recently completed the Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trail Plan Update titled, Conserve. Connect. Enhance. “The Plan,” designed with significant community input, provides a forecast for the immediate future. In updating the Parks and Recreation Plan: 2020, Whitpain Township is working to ensure that all of these investments are protected and continue to serve the residents in the most beneficial ways possible. This Plan Update establishes a clear and strategic direction to guide elected and appointed officials, township management and staff, boards, commissions, and committees in their efforts to ensure the community’s sustainability by enhancing parks and recreation facilities, programs, and services. The Plan Update is strategic in positioning Whitpain Township as a leader in parks, recreation, and community planning by building the vision around sustainability. The plan calls for the Parks and Recreation Department to become a facilitator of environmental policies and actions that will lead to conservation practices resulting in environmental, financial, and social sustainability.

The Plan Update provides strategic recommendations to:

• Conserve open space and natural resources through the preservation of open space along with effective maintenance and stewardship.

• Connect the residents to nature, community destinations, and each other through programming, increasing public awareness, and establishing a network of safe places to walk and bicycle.

• Enhance parks, recreation facilities, and trails with improvements supported by elevated design and management practices.

The Purpose

Whitpain Township is seeking professional architectural and engineering services to facilitate the conceptual and final design, engineering, construction planning, construction cost analysis, bid specifications and construction oversight of a new approximate 30 to 40 thousand square foot community center, one of the key strategic recommendations (Enhance) coming out of the Comprehensive Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Plan Update.

The facility will be located at the site of the current Whitpain Dog Park located in Centre Square Park at 1527 Yost Road, Blue Bell, Whitpain Township Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The dog park will be relocated to another park facility in the township. See Master Site for Centre Square Park (Appendix A)

Parking for the recreation center should be included in the design of the new building. Connections to existing outdoor recreation facilities and trails should also be planned. Public information and community involvement is a high priority for Whitpain Township and the proposals should include adequate time for periodic updates during the conceptual design and throughout the project. The proposals should also include adequate time for obtaining all necessary approvals and permits from Whitpain Township and any other agency. Whitpain Township will assign a representative that will attend all meetings and assist in resolving issues.

At minimum, four public meetings should be considered when preparing the proposal and should include the following:

• Community presentation of conceptual plan (Open House Format)

• Presentation to Whitpain Township Board of Supervisors of the plans prior to land development plan submittal

• Land development plan review by Whitpain Township Planning Commission

• Land development plan review by Whitpain Township Board of Supervisors

In addition to meetings listed above and any additional meetings the consultants feel should be included in their proposals, a cost per additional meeting shall be provided in the proposal for unanticipated daytime staff level meetings and evening public meetings.

The proposal should also include quarterly meetings / presentations after construction begins. A cost per additional unanticipated meeting/presentation beyond those listed in proposal shall also be provided. The architectural firm submitting the proposal shall include a listing of all subconsultants and their scope of services needed to prepare all plans and construction documents, as well as obtaining all necessary permits and approvals. In addition to providing the lead firm’s and all subconsultants’ qualifications, the proposal should elaborate on the architectural firm’s working relationship and prior work experience with any proposed subconsultants.

GENERAL TERMS

• Whitpain Township reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to select the proposal that it determines to be in the best interest of Whitpain Township.

• The contract is subject to the approval of the Whitpain Township Board of Supervisors and is effective only upon their approval.

• Proposers are bound by the deadline and location requirements for submittals in response to this RFP as stated above.

• Proposals will remain effective for Whitpain Township review and approval for 60 days from the deadline for submitting proposals.

• If only one proposal is received by Whitpain Township, it may negotiate with the proposer or seek additional proposals on an informal or formal basis during the 60-day period that proposals are effective.

• The proposer is encouraged to add to, modify or clarify any scope of work items it deems appropriate to develop a high-quality plan at the lowest possible cost. All changes should be listed and explained. However, the scope of work proposed must accomplish the goals and work stated below.

PROJECT PROVISIONS

Although this project is not currently funded by a grant this Request for Proposals (RFP) has been prepared to meet the requirements and standards set forth by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

SCOPE OF WORK

The selected consultant or team will be responsible for preparing a conceptual plan and layout based on the facility needs of the Parks and Recreation Department. After approval of the conceptual plan, the team will prepare detailed design plans as well as construction documents. The team will also be responsible for preparing all necessary applications and obtaining land development approval and all required permits from Whitpain Township and any other agency. The consultant team will be responsible for a complete post construction landscape plan, including a reforestation plan approved by the Whitpain Township Shade Tree Commission. After construction bids are received, the team will be responsible for reviewing all bids and recommending which bid should be selected. The team will also provide construction administration services until the project is complete. Construction administration services shall include: site visits/progress inspections, construction conferences, submittal reviews and approvals, invoice approvals, change order review and recommendations, contract closeout, and as-built drawing approval. The consultant team shall identify possible funding sources for this project including grants, energy/environmental conservation credits, and other cost saving opportunities. The selected consultant will provide written monthly progress/status reports describing the progress of the work, a summary of all work components completed, and will identify any critical issues that need to be resolved to maintain the project schedule.

PROPOSAL CONTENTS

The proposal shall include the following items:

• A concise statement of the scope of work and list of tasks that the consultant proposes, including a description of the methodology the consultant will employ.

• A list of the firm’s qualifications and experience with similar projects, as well as the qualifications of all key staff members assigned to the project.

• A list of all subconsultants proposed for the project together with the subconsultant’s qualifications, similar work experience, key staff, and previous work history with lead consultant.

• A fee proposal broken out by each required task including cost, schedule, and number of hours required to complete each task. The proposal shall include the same information for each subconsultant.

• A detailed schedule of all key phases for the lead consultant and all subconsultants and major milestone dates.

Please note that interviews may be scheduled after the proposals are received and reviewed by the Township Community Center Committee. Any questions regarding the project shall be submitted in writing to Mike Richino, Director of Parks and Recreation no later than 4:00 PM on February 15, 2023. All questions and responses will be shared with all firms who received this request for proposals.

*Please note that Appendix B shows the entire Project Area. It is anticipated that the project will be divided into three phases. Phase One will consist of a community center building of approximately +/- 30 to 40 thousand square feet.

The desired facilities within the Phase One building include:

• Gymnasium (dividable into two full size court surfaces with storage)

• Second floor walking trail (Seating, stairs, elevator) • Fitness Equipment/Exercise Room (Storage)

• Multipurpose hardwood floor dance/aerobics/training room (Storage)

• Community Room (dividable into two smaller rooms with shared kitchenette)

• Restrooms

• Office and first aid room

• Central lobby

• Registration counter

DIRECTIONS FOR SUBMITTAL

Eight (8) copies of the proposal including all costs and fees associated with the work shall be submitted by 4:00 P.M. on February 24, 2023, to: Mike Richino, Director of Parks and Recreation 960 Wentz Road Blue Bell, PA 19422 An electronic copy of the proposal and any attachments shall also be submitted electronically to mrichino@whitpaintownship.org

Appendix A Community Room RR Parking En

Appendix B Project Area