Title
Resolution to Appropriate $35,000.00 from the General Fund and Approve a Professional Services Agreement with SmithGroup for Treeline Alignment Study (RFP #19-21, $74,850.00) (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
NOTE: This resolution is connected with the resolution to accept and appropriate a $50,000.00 Connecting Communities grant from Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission that is also before City Council for approval. Both resolutions must be approved to move forward with the Alignment Study.
This resolution authorizes a contract with SmithGroup for a Treeline Alignment Study to conduct preliminary engineering for the portion of the trail from the Border-to-Border Trail near Argo Dam to the City property at 721 N. Main. This resolution also appropriates $35,000.00 of general fund money to be combined with the $50,000.00 Connecting Communities grant to fund this study and associated staff time.
Among other deliverables, this contract will include community engagement, an evaluation of specific potential trail locations and necessary structures, such as bridges and ramps, and cost estimates. Once preliminary engineering is complete, staff anticipates that this portion of the trail will have advanced to a stage where a greater variety of funding sources will be available to fund final design and construction.
Undertaking the Alignment Study now will coordinate well with the timing of installation of the Allen Creek Railroad Berm pedestrian tunnel beneath the MDOT railroad (anticipated this spring), which will serve as the Treeline's initial connection to the Border-to-Border Trail;
Request for Proposal #19-21 was issued in the summer of 2019 with a proposal due date of August 2, 2019. Three firms submitted proposals. After a review of the proposals, the selection committee selected SmithGroup. The selection committee was composed of City staff and members of the Treeline Conservancy board. Selection scoring was based on:
* Professional qualificati...
Click here for full text