DEPARTMENT: Parks, Facilities, and Fleet Management
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
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Authorization To Execute Professional Design Service Contract With Miller Dunwiddie For New Fischer Avenue Trailhead In Spring Lake Park Reserve
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize execution of a professional service contract with Miller Dunwiddie for design and construction consulting services for a new greenway trailhead along Fischer Avenue within Spring Lake Park Reserve, County Project (CP) 2000237.
SUMMARY
The Parks Capital Improvement Program (Parks CIP) Adopted Budget includes a project to design and construct a trailhead along Fischer Avenue within Spring Lake Park Reserve. The project will provide a destination for people traveling along the All-American Great River Road, which provides access to Spring Lake Park Reserve (SLPR), its trail network, and amenities such as the newly opened Bison Range.
Specifically, the project will include improvements to Fischer Avenue, a new parking lot with ADA-accessible parking stalls, a bus drop-off lane, a picnic shelter with restrooms, charging stations for electric bicycles and wheelchairs, trash/recycling receptacles, benches, pedestrian scale lighting, and wayfinding & interpretive signage. New paved trail connections will link the trailhead to the MN River Greenway (MRG) and form a Bison Range interpretive trail loop.
Capital Projects Management staff developed a Request for Proposals (RFP) for design services. The RFP was issued to the public via the internet on January 12, 2024. Seven Proposals were received on February 9, 2024. After reviewing and evaluating the Proposals, staff invited four consultant firms to interviews on February 22, 2024. Following interviews and discussion, staff reached a unanimous decision to recommend Miller Dunwiddie to provide the specified services. See attached Consultant Selection Summary.
consultants submitted proposals as follows:
Labor Reimbursable Total Fee Hours Blended Rate
Aune Fernandez $407,590.00 $0.00 $407,590.00 2546 $160.09
HKGI $498,142.00 $0.00 $498,142.00 3652 $136.40
Miller Dunwiddie $349,267.00 $2,500.00 $351,767.00 2964 $118.68
WSB $442,752.00 $1,500.00 $444,252.00 3106 $143.03
The cost per hour does not include sub-consultant or construction administration assistance hours.
Staff unanimously recommends the selection of Miller Dunwiddie to be awarded a contract for professional services for this project. Their proposal narrative response outlined how they could provide the professional services for the scope as described in the RFP, as well as expertise in several similar projects with the county in the past. Critically, during their interview, Miller Dunwiddie demonstrated exceptional experience in environmental and cultural resource reviews which are part of the Federal funding obligation of this project and which must be completed in an accelerated timeframe. The core planning team which also made up the selection committee, agreed that Miller Dunwiddie could provide the best professional services as described in the RFP, for a reasonable cost, and that they have done just that for several similar projects. A consultant evaluation summary detailing the proposal process, review team, evaluation criteria and results, and best value cost evaluation is included in the attachment.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Capital Projects Management staff recommends execution of a contract with Miller Dunwiddie for the professional design services for the new Fischer Avenue Trailhead for actual costs not to exceed $351,767.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
The 2024 Parks CIP includes $2,780,000 in total funding for this project which will be sufficient funding for this design contract. The total budget includes $700,000 of federal funding from the National Scenic Byways Program and $700k of Environmental Legacy Fund adopted in the 2022 CIP as the match for the federal funding. There is an additional $1,000,000 planned request in the 2025 Parks CIP for construction (Attachment: Financial Summary)
☐ None ☒ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, the 2023-2027 Park Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Adopted Budget includes a project to design and construct a trailhead along Fischer Avenue within Spring Lake Park Reserve; and
WHEREAS, the scope of the work includes professional services for design through construction administration; and
WHEREAS, a Request for Proposals was prepared and issued to the public via the internet on January 12, 2024; and
WHEREAS, seven Proposals were received on February 9, 2024; and
WHEREAS, following the Proposal evaluations, staff invited four consultant firms to interview for this project on February 22, 2024; and
WHEREAS, following the interviews, staff reached a unanimous decision to recommend Miller Dunwiddie as the consultant firm to provide the specified professional design services for this project; and
WHEREAS, Miller Dunwiddie has submitted a total fee proposal of $351,767 for professional design services; and
WHEREAS, the Park Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget includes $378,000 for Fischer Avenue Trailhead professional services.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Parks, Facilities, and Fleet Management Director to execute a contract with Miller Dunwiddie to perform professional services for the Fischer Avenue Trailhead project in an amount not to exceed $ 351,767, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form.