Title
Resolution to Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Altura Solutions, LLC for a Parks ADA Compliance Assessment and Transition Plan (RFP #21-08)($210,015.00) and to Appropriate $60,015.00 (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
Attached for your review is a resolution to approve a Professional Services Agreement with Altura Solutions, LLC to provide a Parks American with Disabilities Act Compliance Assessment and Transition Plan in the amount of $210,015.00
Parks solicited proposals from qualified consultants to complete an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance assessment and Transition Plan for the City’s parks and park facilities. The project will include an assessment of city-owned recreation facilities, community centers, and community-wide parks, neighborhood parks and natural areas. The selected consultant will also provide ADA evaluation training to City Staff to both monitor progress on recommended accessibility improvements and to catch future accessibility issues that may arise. In addition to assessing physical spaces, the consultant will also perform a review of Park and Recreation programs to find any accessibility shortcomings. The review will help identify and prioritize deficiencies and recommend solutions. The final report will include:
1) An overview of the authority under which the evaluation was conducted.
2) The specific regulations or guidelines used.
3) A description of the methods used by the Consultant.
4) An executive summary of the evaluation, identifying any access deficits that were common to park properties.
5) A section that describes the specific barriers at each park property, and notes regulation or guideline citations for easy reference, and includes photos.
6) A section that recommends solutions as to how each specific barrier can be removed, including the use of best practices, and note how employee-only areas are to be treated.
7) A section that prioritizes each barrier removal and provides a strategic framework for addressing compliance.
8) A section of projected cost estimates, inclusive of prevailing wages, for the removal of each barrier. Include cost subtotals for each park property by priority level, as well as overall park property cost totals.
9) Check lists or other evaluation methods used for each Park District site, and associated field notes.
Request for Proposal (RFP) #21-08 was released in February 2021 and was advertised on the Michigan Inter-Governmental Trade Network as well as on the City of Ann Arbor Purchasing website. Fee proposals are not reviewed at the initial evaluation. After initial evaluation, the City determines top proposals, and opens only those fee proposals. The City will then determine which, if any, firms will be interviewed. During the interviews, the selected firms will be given the opportunity to discuss their proposal, qualifications, experience, and their fee proposal in more detail. Eleven firms submitted proposals. Prior to distribution of eleven written proposals to the evaluation team (consisting of two Park Planners, the Deputy Manager of Maintenance for Parks & Recreation Services, a Park Operations Supervisor, and the Chair of the Commission on Disability Issues), the team met and identified particular areas of interest, factors, or other aspects that could be utilized to evaluate the professional qualifications, past involvement with similar projects, and proposed work plan. These were provided back to the evaluation team, who then individually evaluated the written proposals. Numeric scores for written proposals were identified by each reviewer, then assembled and discussed by the evaluation team as a group. Based on the written proposals, the evaluation team selected the top five scoring teams to interview for further evaluation. These teams included ACT Services Consulting, Altura Solutions, DLZ, LCM Architects, Skulski Consulting, LLC, and WT Group. After interviews the panel further reviewed the proposals and unanimously selected Altura Solutions, LLC.
The original scope of services for the project asked the consultant to evaluate and assess all City-owned recreation facilities, community centers, community wide parks, and a predetermined cross section of natural areas and neighborhood parks from each of the five wards in the city. City staff presented this plan to the Park Advisory Commission and the Ann Arbor Commission on Disability Issues. We heard both from commissioners and from the public that there was a desire to have all city neighborhood parks and nature areas studied as part of this project. Park staff asked Altura Solutions, LLC for a fee to include all additional properties. The additional services brought the total fee to $210,015.00, which was close to the original planned budget for the project.
Staff is recommending approval of a professional services agreement (PSA) with Altura Solutions, LLC in the amount of $210,015.00 to provide a Parks ADA Compliance Assessment and Transition Plan. The Park Advisory Commission recommended approval of this PSA at their June 15, 2021 meeting.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: Funding for this project is available in the approved FY 2022 Parks Maintenance and Capital Improvements millage budget and in Parks Fairness Funds from the FY 2022 approved Parks General Fund.
Staff
Prepared by: Adam Fercho, Parks Planner
Reviewed by: Derek Delacourt, Community Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., Interim City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City issued a Request for Proposals, RFP #21-08, to identify firms experienced in evaluating park systems for ADA compliance and solutions;
Whereas, Eleven proposals were submitted in response to RFP #21-08;
Whereas, After scoring proposals, interviewing firms, and reviewing prices, a selection panel consisting of staff the Chair of the Commission on Disability Issues has selected Altura Solutions, LLC to perform the work identified in RFP #21-08:
Whereas, Award of this agreement will allow for an ADA compliance assessment and transition plan for the City’s parks and park facilities;
Whereas, The Park Advisory Commission recommended approval of the PSA at their June 15, 2021 meeting;
Whereas, Funding in the amount of $150,000.00 is available in the approved FY2022 Parks Maintenance and Capital Improvements budget to cover the cost of these services; and
Whereas, Funding in the amount of $60,015.00 as a result of the Parks Fairness Resolution are available in the FY22 Parks & Recreation General Fund budget;
RESOLVED, That $60,015 of the FY22 Parks Fairness funding be transferred from the Parks & Recreation General Fund to the Parks Maintenance and Capital Improvements Millage for the purpose of the ADA compliance assessment;
RESOLVED, That $60,015.00 be appropriated to the expenditure budget of the FY22 Parks Maintenance and Capital Improvements millage for the purpose of funding an ADA Compliance Assessment and Transition Plan with the source of revenue being the transfer from the FY22 Parks & Recreation General Fund budget;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the Professional Services Agreement with Altura Solutions, LLC in the amount of $210,015.00 for a Parks American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance Assessment and Transition Plan (RFP #21-08);
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute said Professional Services Agreement after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney;
RESOLVED, That the appropriation is available until completion of the project without regard to fiscal year; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator is authorized to take all appropriate steps to implement this resolution.