DEPARTMENT: Parks
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
title
Authorization To Execute Contract With Quinn Evans Architects, Inc. For Spring Lake Park Reserve Cultural Landscape Management Plan
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize execution of a contract with Quinn Evans Architects, Inc. (Quinn Evans) for the Spring Lake Park Reserve (SLPR) Cultural Landscape Management Plan.
SUMMARY
In 2024, the Dakota County Parks Department was awarded a Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) grant for the Spring Lake Park Reserve Restoration and River Access project, which includes $450,000 for a Cultural Landscape Management Plan for SLPR. The plan will build on cultural resource recommendations in the 2021 SLPR Master Plan. The Cultural Landscape Management Plan will address three intertwined areas:
1. Stewardship of Indigenous sites within SLPR
2. Recommendations for culturally appropriate restoration and management of the natural landscape
3. Strategies to strengthen relationships between living Indigenous communities and the park's cultural landscape
Dakota County's request for proposals received four responses on April 21, 2026, which included firms with cultural and natural resource management expertise:
Firm Proposal Fee
Quinn Evans $293,111
Full Circle Indigenous Planning and Design, LLC $299,840
Tetra Tech, Inc. $299,878
Grey and Pape, Inc. $300,000
The two teams with the top-ranking proposals, Quinn Evans and Full Circle Indigenous Planning and Design, LLC, were interviewed on Friday May 8, 2026. After interviews, the Quinn Evans proposal was ranked highest by the staff selection committee based on team qualifications and innovative project approach. The Proposal Evaluation Summary attachment includes details about the selection process.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends the selection of Quinn Evans for the SLPR Cultural Landscape Management Plan.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE ...
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