DEPARTMENT: Parks
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
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Authorization To Award And Execute Consultant Contract With I&S Group, Inc. For An Alignment Study For The Mill Towns State Trail In Partnership With The Minnesota Department Of Natural Resources, Project #2000641
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RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, to achieve the Dakota County Board’s vision of a 200-mile greenway system, the County is proceeding with a feasibility study of the Lake Byllesby Greenway Regional Trail segment of the Mill Towns State Trail within Waterford, Sciota, and Randolph Townships and the City of Randolph. and preliminary design services between West and East Lake Byllesby Regional Park; and
WHEREAS, County staff sent a Request for Proposal to seven qualified professional consultants; and
WHEREAS, six proposals were received and evaluated by County staff; and
WHEREAS, the proposal from I&S Group, Inc. had the best-value costs for the study and preliminary design and provides all the services needed; and
WHEREAS, the 2026-2030 Parks and Greenway Transportation Sales Tax funds include up to $300,000 for engineering consulting services for this project; and
WHEREAS, the County Parks Director recommends execution of a contract with I&S Group, Inc. for engineering consulting services for the Mill Towns State Trail Alignment Study project (2000641) for actual costs not to exceed $269,090.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the County Manager or delegate to execute a contract with I&S Group, Inc. to perform an alignment study for the Mill Towns State Trail project (2000641) in an amount not to exceed $269,090, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form.
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BACKGROUND
The Mill Towns State Trail (MTST) is an eight-mile, three-segment trail system along the Cannon River that connects Northfield, Dundas, and Cannon Falls, with a long-term vision of creating a 30-mile continuous route between the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail in Faribault and the Cannon Valley Trail in Cannon Falls. Dakota County (County) will eventually co-brand and co-manage the portion between West and East Lake Byllesby Regional Park as the Lake Byllesby Greenway Regional Trail, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MnDNR) has also explored future MTST alignments along several County highway corridors.
Scope of Work. The scope of work for this study is divided into two sections:
1. Feasibility study of the western portion of the corridor, extending from the Waterford Bridge at CSAH 47 (Northfield Boulevard) to the City of Randolph’s western border at Cooper Avenue.
2. Preliminary engineering design of the eastern portion of the corridor, covering the Lake Byllesby Greenway Regional Trail connection through County’s West and East Lake Byllesby Regional Park.
The scope includes eight primary tasks: project management, agency coordination, desktop analysis, field investigations, environmental documentation, ROW review, public engagement, and preparation of a technical report, which will include both the MTST feasibility alignment analysis and the Lake Byllesby Greenway Regional Trail preliminary design.
Consultant Selection and Roles. Dakota County issued a Request for Proposal for the above-noted services to seven consultant teams on May 1st, 2026. Six proposals were received and evaluated by County staff representing the Parks, Planning, and Transportation offices on June 1st, 2026. The Consultant I&S Group, Inc. (ISG) was selected as the preferred professional engineering consultants based on the following criteria: project understanding, project approach, team expertise, quality control, performance on similar projects, and best-value cost. The costs and hours proposed were considered reasonable, and the total contract cost was within the range anticipated by staff.
The consultant submitted a cost proposal as follows:
|
Consultant |
Amount |
Hours |
Cost/Hour |
|
MSA |
$299,340 |
1,736 |
$172 |
|
ISG |
$269,090 |
1,313 |
$205 |
|
Stantec |
$193,800 |
1,039 |
$174 |
|
BMI |
$277,699 |
1,560 |
$178 |
|
KLJ |
$298,727 |
1,445 |
$207 |
|
SEH |
$296,942 |
1,566 |
$190 |
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends execution of a contract with ISG for the professional design services for MTST Alignment Study project (2000641) for actual costs not to exceed $269,090. ISG’s proposal is more closely aligned with the project goals and demonstrates a deeper understanding of the required outcomes. Their team has direct experience in the project area since they designed one MTST segment through Northfield, and established relationships with the MnDNR, which will improve coordination and reduce project risk. While their budget and hourly rates are higher, the team includes more senior and highly experienced staff, offering greater efficiency, higher-quality work, and stronger overall value.
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FINANCIAL AND STAFFING IMPACTS
The Adopted 2026-2030 Parks Capital Improvement Program specifies $300,000 in Transportation Sales Tax funds for the MTST Alignment Study project. Sufficient funds are available for this contract.
|
Funding Sources |
Total Budget |
Available Budget |
|
Sales & Use Tax |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
|
Totals |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
None.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Project Location Map - Western Trail (Feasibility Study)
Attachment: Project Location Map - Eastern Trail (Preliminary Design)
Attachment: Consultant Evaluation Summary
Attachment: Contract Summary Sheet
CONTACT
Department Director: Niki Geisler
Author: Luisa Torres