RFQ: PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES - CITY OF WILLIAMSPORT NEWBERRY PARK IMPROVEMENTS

July 11, 2024

REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS

The City of Williamsport is requesting quotations for the purchase of professional Landscape Architect services. These services include all necessary design and specifications for the bidding of and contracting for the Newberry Park Improvements project. Complete quotation details, including the required quotation format, may be obtained by contacting:
Jamie Shrawder, Project Coordinator

SEDA-COG
570-524-4491
jshrawder@seda-cog.org

Quotation details are also available at www.seda-cog.org – News, Notices, Publications.

Quotations will be accepted until 1:00 PM prevailing time, July 29, 2024, at which time they will be publicly opened at the City of Williamsport. Quotations shall be on the forms required, sealed and clearly marked on the outside, "Newberry Park Landscape Architect Services Quotation," and submitted to:

Bill Scott, City Engineer
City of Williamsport
1550 West 3rd Street
Williamsport, PA 17701

Quotations that are faxed or e-mailed cannot be accepted.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Improvements at Newberry Park may include a soccer field, pickleball courts, a walking path, ADA parking spaces and park-related amenities and may include a restroom facility. The facilities are in need of improvements to address the neighborhood’s recreation needs. A map of the site is attached.
Design work is expected to begin at the time of execution of a professional services agreement. City Community Development Block Grant funds will be utilized for construction and therefore timeliness is of utmost importance.
PROJECT DESIGN
The Landscape Architect shall prepare all necessary design plans, drawings and specifications to be used for the construction of the improvements and should therefore be complete in detail and contain all necessary information. Drawings shall conform with standard professional practice and consist of all architectural and engineering drawings, including profiles and sections, plot, and site plans, and all else necessary to illustrate the interest and scope of the work. Working drawings shall be prepared for structural, hydraulic, mechanical, electrical, and all other branches of the construction work.
The Landscape Architect shall investigate any existing systems affected by the proposed project, identifying options, and advising the city in the most appropriate method of modifying the systems as part of the design of this project. Plans and specifications shall be developed in such a manner to delete and add segments should the project costs be over or under budget.
1. All permits, plans, or surveys which may be necessary to define the scope of the work or for the performance of the project shall be the responsibility of the Landscape Architect. The quotation shall include a list of those permits currently anticipated as necessary, identifying actual permit fees which shall be paid by the Landscape Architect as a component of their project quotation. Survey work required for easements/rights-of-way is not a part of this quotation. Federal Environmental Reviews, State Historic Preservation Office Review, and Archaeological Reviews are not a part of this quotation.
Assistance from the Landscape Architect is necessary for SEDA-COG and the city to fully understand the project, and therefore, meeting attendance is of high importance. Accordingly, this quotation shall include four (4) design phase meetings, as well as four (4) preconstruction meetings (as noted below), at which the Landscape Architect is expected to be in attendance. These meetings shall be conducted during the design and construction specifications phase at the convenience of the city, and shall include the following:
- Design phase meetings
- A kick-off meeting
- Two (2) development meetings
- A meeting to present the final design and receive approval to advertise
- Preconstruction meeting(s) – (Landscape Architect will coordinate and prepare meeting agenda w/ minutes.)
- Pre-bid meeting (optional)
- Bid Opening (Landscape Architect will prepare bid tabulation form)

- Award – (Landscape Architect will make formal recommendation to award)
- Preconstruction Conference
2. The city may request, and the Landscape Architect may suggest, additional meetings. Accordingly, proposers should indicate their intention to do so in the narrative of their quotation. Any cost associated with additional meetings shall be included on the standard Estimate form.
3. A project design schedule must be included as part of this quotation indicating key milestones and dates of completion. All final plans and specifications must be submitted for approval by the city. In addition, the Landscape Architect must provide a list of sub consultants, if applicable, for approval by the city. It is the intention of the city council to advertise for construction bids on or before October 1, 2024. It is understood that changes in the project scope or nature may affect this schedule.
4. Upon completion of the preliminary design, and again when requesting approval of the final design, the Landscape Architect shall prepare and provide to the city an opinion of probable construction costs, either as a lump sum or utilizing the itemized bid schedule if a line-item construction bid is proposed.
PREPARATION OF DOCUMENTS AND COORDINATION OF BIDDING
The Landscape Architect shall prepare all construction contract documents, including but not limited to bid schedule, bond forms (bid, performance, payment), construction specifications and agreements, compliance forms, etc. The Landscape Architect shall be responsible for coordinating the bidding process, including printing, and distributing up to ten (10) sets of bid documents, publishing the required advertisements, fulfilling all requirements outlined in the Engineer’s Memo, which will be provided prior to bidding, and management of any required deposits or payments. Costs for this portion of the work shall be borne by the Landscape Architect except that the actual costs for legal advertisements will be reimbursed by the city. Insofar as federal CDBG monies are being used in the project, forms and procedures meeting the requirements of the PA Department of Community and Economic Development shall be used in the contracting documents. SEDA-COG shall facilitate this process by providing model bidding documents for use by the Landscape Architect.
In addition, the Landscape Architect will assist the solicitor throughout the project including, but not limited to, the preparation of documents involving engineering matters and preparation of contract documents for the solicitor’s opinion, a review of the bid documents, conformity with the specifications, and requirements, as well as a formal recommendation of bid award. The Landscape Architect is also responsible to manage the construction contract award process, including issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award, execution of the agreements, Award, Notice of Start of Construction, Substantial Completion, Final Inspection, and Completion.
CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION
The Landscape Architect is expected to furnish customary engineering advice and assistance necessary to enable the city to readily understand the project. The Landscape Architect shall visit the construction site to observe progress and quality of work, to determine if work is proceeding in accordance with contract documents, to keep the city informed of progress, to guard against defects and deficiencies, and to disapprove work not in conformance with contract documents. The Landscape Architect shall serve as the city’s representative at the project site, issuing all instructions to the contractors and preparing any change orders.
The Landscape Architect will check and approve samples, schedules, shop drawings, catalogue data, laboratory, shop and mill tests of materials and equipment, and other data which contractors are required to submit to ensure conformity with project design, concept, and requirements. The Landscape Architect, in accordance with accepted professional standards and practice, shall review contractors’ payment requests and approve, in writing, payment to the contractors in such amounts. The Landscape Architect will also conduct, in the company of the owner and the contractor, a final inspection of the project for conformity with design, concept, and contract documents. When the project is complete, the Landscape Architect will correct all drawings to show construction and installation as actually accomplished and will furnish one set of full size “As Built” prints and one electronic copy to the city.
These services, to be provided by the Landscape Architect, do not infer resident inspection services. The Landscape Architect is expected to visit the project site during construction, not less than weekly and conduct a final inspection at project completion. Comprehensive design, inspection of work and compliance with specifications is of utmost importance to a successful and timely project completion. Accordingly, the Landscape Architect shall indicate with what frequency field visits will be provided. As a part of this quotation, it is the Landscape Architect’s responsibility to estimate the project duration in order to calculate the number of construction supervision site visits. Should the project take less or more time than anticipated, no adjustment to the costs for project supervision will be considered.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Where participating state and/or federal agencies require reports relating to construction, the Landscape Architect shall prepare and submit such reports and shall assist in any negotiations with these or other agencies as is necessary for final approval.
TERMS OF PAYMENT
The Landscape Architect will be required to enter into a written Professional Services Agreement with the city, which will incorporate the information contained in this Request for Quotations. The Landscape Architect will agree to a lump sum fee, which shall include all costs associated with the services outlined herein. Costs sometimes separately billed as reimbursable costs shall be declared and included in the lump sum amount of this quotation. Payment shall be made to the Landscape Architect on a monthly basis.
Invoices shall be provided setting forth the percentage of work completed to date, establishing the amount due based on the percentage completed, less any previous amounts. Payment shall be expressly contingent upon receipt of funds from the Department of Community and Economic Development.
MBE/WBE GOALS
It is the public policy of the City of Williamsport to promote the opportunity for full participation by Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (“MBE’s” and “WBE’s”) business concerns in all projects receiving federal funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development which are administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.The City of Williamsport has established a Minimum Participation Level (MPL) of five percent (5%) for Minority Business Enterprises and three percent (3%) for Women Business Enterprises participation on projects with CDBG, ESG, and/or HOME funding.
SECTION 3 GOALS
Section 3 24 CFR Part 135 has been updated to the New Rule, 24 CFR Part 75. The New Rule for Section 3, 24 CFR Part 75, is applicable for projects for which the total amount of federal assistance is greater than $200,000. Section 3 does not apply to professional services; however, you are still encouraged to follow the city’s Section 3 Action Plan for Section 3 and Targeted Section 3 Labor Hours. The new 24 CFR Part 75 rule does apply to construction contracts and the professional service provider is expected to assist with facilitation of these efforts for compliance. Professional Service firms who hire Section 3 or Targeted Section 3 workers can count those labor hours as Section 3, or Targeted Section 3, but should be excluded from the total number of labor hours. Benchmarks are only qualified as being met if Section 3 Laborer Hours = 25%, and Targeted Section 3 Labor Hours = 5% of the total number of labor hours.
QUOTATION SUBMISSION AND EVALUATION
Three (3) copies of the quotation must be submitted to:
Bill Scott, City Engineer
City of Williamsport
1550 West 3rd Street
Williamsport, PA 17701
Quotations must be received no later than July 29, 2024. Quotations that are faxed or e-mailed cannot be accepted.
Quotations will be reviewed and evaluated by the city and SEDA-COG. The evaluation will include the following areas in order of relative importance:
• Adequacy of quotation in the terms of addressing the needs that are set forth in the Request for Quotations.
• Relevant experience and past performance.
• Quality of previous work.
• Adequacy of resources/record of completing projects on time.
• Cost.
• Proposer’s commitment to the obligations of the city’s Minority Owned Business Enterprises and Women Owned Business Enterprises Action Plan.
Note: Cost is only one of several criteria to be considered in evaluating quotations. Accordingly, SEDA-COG will not publish quotation cost summaries. Proposers are, however, invited to attend the opening.

REQUIRED INFORMATION
Each proposer shall provide all information herein requested. Further, no quotation will be considered unless the attached Standard Form is completed in its entirety.
Each proposer shall provide a minimum of two references where similar Landscape Architecture services have been performed during the past three years. These projects should be similar in design and scope. If the proposer is an MBE/WBE business concern, a certification form shall be submitted with the bid attesting to the firms’ status as such. Firms may be requested to sit for interviews and/or negotiation of contract terms and fees prior to contract award.
If any part of the project is subcontracted, requires purchases for services, or requires hiring of additional employees, the proposers must submit documentary evidence of MBE/WBE business concerns who have been contacted and/or to whom commitments have been made. If no solicitation was made to MBE/WBE’s business concerns or residents, please indicate the reason(s). If there is no need for additional employees or trainees, or no need to contract for work, then the MBE/WBE requirements are not triggered.
The City of Williamsport reserves the right to accept or reject any and all quotations or to waive any irregularities.
Professional Liability Insurance is required for this project. Please indicate the level of coverage provided.