CITY OF NEW CARROLLTON — REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
CITY OF NEW CARROLLTON
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
RFQ-2023-01
NEW CARROLLTON COMMUNITY CENTER
FEASIBILITY STUDY
The City of New Carrollton (“City”) is requesting qualifications from consulting firms with experience in community center development. The City is interested in commissioning a feasibility study to examine the potential of constructing and operating a community center located on City owned property at 6000 Harland Street, New Carrollton, Maryland.
The RFQ may be obtained from the City’s website (http://www.newcarrolltonmd.gov), on eMaryland Marketplace (https://emaryland.buyspeed.com), or in-person from the City Clerk at the City Municipal Center (address noted below) after 12:00 p.m. on Friday, July 29, 2022. Firms are responsible for checking the City’s website through the closing date of the RFQ for possible addenda, and then reviewing, signing, and including any and all addenda in their proposal.
All questions or requests for clarification regarding this RFQ must be received in writing via e-mail at mmcmahon@newcarrolltonmd.gov on or before 9:00 a.m. on September 2, 2022. Answers to all questions will be posted to the City’s website no later than 12:00 p.m. on September 9, 2022.
Proposals must be received in the Office of the City Clerk at the City Municipal Center in a sealed envelope marked: “New Carrollton Community Center RFQ” by 3:00 p.m. on September 16, 2022. Proposals must include one signed original hard copy and one electronic PDF copy contained on a flash drive.
The City encourages all minority, women, and disadvantaged business owners to submit proposals.
City of New Carrollton
6016 Princess Garden Parkway
New Carrollton, MD 20784
(301) 459-6100
2
SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION
1. BACKGROUND
The City of New Carrollton is located in central Prince George’s County, Maryland, approximately eight miles northeast of Washington, D.C. with a population of 13,715 and a land area of 1.6 square miles. New Carrollton is the twentieth largest municipality in Maryland and the sixth-largest in Prince George’s County.
The City is governed by a Mayor and Council form of government. The Mayor is the City’s chief executive officer directing municipal services through three departments: Administration, Public Works, and Public Safety (Police). The City Council is the legislative branch made up of five council members including one chairperson. Its role is to adopt all ordinances and resolutions and establishes the general policies for the City.
In 2016, the City purchased the Suburban Aquatic Club property located at 6000 Harland Street (“Property”). The Property was utilized as a private swimming club for over 60 years. It is 2.87 acres in size with two dilapidated buildings, one swimming pool, a basketball court, and a parking lot. It is currently zoned RSF-65 (Residential, Single-Family – 65) which allows for various public uses. City leaders have debated over the years on how to best utilize the property from improving and operating the public swimming pool facilities to selling the property for housing.
In August 2021, the City issued a Parks and Open Space Survey to its residents in order to gather feedback on a number of topics relating to City parks and open spaces. The survey included a specific question on what the City should do with the Property. The overwhelming response from the survey was for the City to retain the Property in order to develop a community center with a public swimming pool, youth and after-school programs, senior services, and other recreational activities.
Prior to the Property’s acquisition, the City commissioned a Phase I Environmental Assessment and a Feasibility Study. Neither document raised concerns regarding the purchase of the property or its redevelopment. Additionally, AB Consultants, Inc. determined the site could support a 2 ½ story 15,000 square-foot building with 50 parking spaces, open space, and stormwater facilities.
2. PURPOSE
The City is requesting qualification submittals from consulting firms with experience in community center development to prepare a feasibility study as a preliminary exploration to determine the merits and viability of the City constructing and operating a community center
3
located on the Property.
The feasibility study should be an independent assessment that examines all aspects of a proposed project including programming, technical, economic, financial, legal, and environmental considerations. The preparation of the feasibility study should include but is not limited to the following:
• Community outreach, vision, and goals;
• Analysis of existing local community centers and the services they provide;
• Potential activities and programming;
• Potential partnerships with local organizations and contributors;
• Potential construction and operation costs;
• Potential funding sources; and
• Presentations to the City Council, public, and staff on an ongoing basis
3. QUESTIONS
All questions or requests for clarification regarding this RFQ must be received in writing via e-mail to Michael McMahon at mmcmahon@newcarrolltonmd.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 2, 2022. Answers will be uploaded to the City’s bid website no later than 12:00 p.m. on September 9, 2022. Responding firms are expected to retrieve answers from the City’s website and include all questions and answers as an appendix in their proposal and address any issues raised thereby in their proposal.
SECTION II. SUBMISSION OF QUALIFICATIONS
1. PREPARATION
Submissions must include one signed original hard copy and one electronic PDF copy contained on a flash drive. Submissions must be received in the Office of the City Clerk at the City Municipal Center in a sealed envelope marked “New Carrollton Community Center RFQ” by 3:00 p.m. on September 16, 2022.
Submissions must include the following information:
1. Statement of Interest: Provide a cover letter indicating an interest in and an understanding of the project.
4
2. Qualifications: Provide a description of the firm and the proposed project team’s relevant experience in preparing similar community center-related feasibility studies. Include resumes or biographies for each of the participating partners.
3. Design philosophy and processes: Provide a description of the firm’s approach to the project to include interfacing with the City and public, project management, quality and cost control, and scheduling.
4. Professional References: Include the names of at least three (3) private and/or public officials with which the firm has worked on similar projects.
Submissions must not include a price or cost-related items.
2. ADDENDA:
All addenda will be issued in writing and posted at least five (5) days prior to the time set for the receipt of the proposal submission. Any addenda issued before the closing of the submission deadline must be covered in the proposals submitted.
SECTION 4. PROJECT SCHEDULE
RFQ Released July 29, 2022
Questions Due: September 2, 2022 at 5:00 P.M.
Questions & Answers Posted: September 9, 2022 at 12:00 P.M.
Submittal Deadline: September 16, 2022 at 3:00 P.M.
Interviews (if necessary) TBD
Award of Contract (Council meeting): October 19, 2022 Expected Project Kick-off Meeting: November 9, 2022
SECTION 5. PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESPONSES TO RFQ
Procurement information, including responses to RFQs, shall be a public record to the extent provided in the Maryland Public Information Act, Md. Ann. Code, General Provisions Article, Title 4 “Public Information Act”, and shall be available to the public as provided in such statute. Should a firm contend that their submittal or a portion thereof contains confidential information, they should clearly identify which portion should be treated as confidential and state the reason why it is confidential citing the applicable provision(s) of the Maryland Public Information Act and decisions interpreting the Act. Firms shall not make blanket assertions that
5
the entirety of their submission is confidential. The City reserves the right, within the parameters of the Act, to determine that an item does not meet the appropriate criteria to be considered a confidential item and will so inform the firms in writing of its determination.
SECTION 7. EVALUATION AND SELECTION
1. EVALUATION
The City will review and evaluate all submissions received in response to this RFQ per City Code Sec. 27-11. Each submission will be analyzed to determine the overall responsiveness and qualifications under the RFQ.
The City may undertake such investigations as it deems necessary, may request additional information, and conduct interviews with the highest-ranked firms to determine the ability of the firms to furnish the service requested.
The City reserves the right to reject any submission if the evidence provided by the firms or an investigation of such firms fails to satisfy the City that such firms are properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract.
2. AGREEMENT
Based on the City’s ranking, the City will commence negotiations with the highest-ranked firm. Discussions will cover costs, methods, scope of work, and other relevant factors in order to come to mutually agreeable terms. If successful, the firm will be required to enter into an agreement prepared by the City’s Municipal Attorney. If the City and the firm cannot come to mutually agreeable terms, the City will move to the second-ranked firm and initiate negotiations. This will process will continue until the City and a firm have entered into an agreement for services.
The City reserves the right to select more than one firm if it deems it to be in the best interest of the City to do so.
https://www.newcarrolltonmd.gov/doing_business/request_for_proposals
