Title
CONSIDERATION OF AWARDING REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP-1819-26, APPROVAL OF CONTRACT K-1819-106 BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AND PLAYWELL GROUP/PLAYWORKS, INC. IN THE AMOUNT OF $174,000; PERFORMANCE BOND B-1819-59, STATUTORY BOND B-1819--60, AND MAINTENANCE BOND MB-1819-46 FOR THE PRAIRIE CREEK PARK PROJECT AND THE ADOPTION OF PROJECT AGENT RESOLUTION R-1819-74.
Body
BACKGROUND: On October 13, 2015, Norman citizens passed the Norman Forward Initiative which will fund various projects through a one-half percent (½ %) sales tax increase over 15 years. Included in the Norman Forward Initiative is a project to make improvements to all of the city’s neighborhood parks. The funds for this project are “pay-as-you-go”, meaning that we can only do a few park projects per year as the funds from the sales tax are collected. Knowing this, Park Planning staff worked to identify a set of criteria to determine which parks had the most immediate needs to bring them up to the standards we expect in our public parks. The overall NORMAN FORWARD Neighborhood Park Improvement plan was presented to the Board of Park Commissioners in March of 2017; and then to the City Council in May for approval of our plan to spend the first five years of funding. After completing renovation projects at our two most needy parks in the first two years of the program, Prairie Creek Park has been identified as the next park for playground and park improvements. The Prairie Creek Park improvements include a major playground replacement with synthetic grass safety surfacing, new park furnishings (picnic tables, benches and trash cans), a perimeter walking trail and a new picnic pavilion.
DISCUSSION: On 7 and 14 December 2018, Request for Proposal RFP-1819-26 for the Prairie Creek Park Playground Project was advertised in the Norman Transcript, Southwest Construction News, e-Plan, i-Square Foot, Bid News and Dodge Report. Requests for proposals were distributed to five playground equipment vendors, all of whom responded with complete proposals.
Parks and Recreation staff carefully evaluated the playground proposals based on their providing the optimum number of diverse play events, overall play area and age appropriateness for the neighborhood. The modular play unit we have chosen maximized play value for all ages by incorporating multi-level play decks, climbing components and slides, with heights that range from 3 feet to 8 feet tall. All of this allows children of all ages to enjoy the equipment in a variety of ways. The additional stand-alone play components in the playground will include other unique play equipment which sets it apart from other bids and makes the playground even more innovative and able to accommodate a large range of ages on this equipment. All bidders were asked to maximize the $175,000 playground budget. However, when the different projects were compared, it was determined that the playground being offered by the PlayWell Group presented the greatest number and variation of play features versus the total price. Remaining project funds will be used to make the other park improvements listed above at Prairie Creek Park.
RECOMMENDATION NO. 1: It is recommended that Request for Proposal RFP-1819-26 be awarded to Playwell Group/Playworks, Inc. in the amount of $174,000 for the Prairie Creek Park Playground Project. Funding of $174,000 is available for this project in Norman Forward Neighborhood Park Improvements, Construction (account 051-9830-452.61-01; project NFP101).
RECOMMENDATION NO.2: It is further recommended that City Council approve Contract K-1819-106, Performance Bond B-1819-59, Statutory Bond B-1819-60, and Maintenance Bond MB-1819-46.
RECOMMENDATION NO.3: It is further recommended that The Playwell Group/Playworks, Inc. be authorized and appointed as project agent for the Prairie Creek Playground Project by Resolution R-1819-74.