Title/Name/Summary
Stellwagen Family Farm RFP Selection
History
QUICKFACTS
Project
Stellwagen Family Farm RFP Selection - 2015-0311
Purpose
The purpose of the Stellwagen Family Farm Master Plan RFP was to find a consultant that could provide direction via a market feasibility study to ensure successful recreational and educational programming.
Project Attributes
Address: 17801 S. 108th Avenue
Existing Zoning: OL Open Lands District
SELECTION PROCESS
The Village and the Stellwagen Family Farm Foundation issued a Request for Proposals for the Stellwagen Family Farm Master Plan in February 2015. The RFP set the project budget for $10,000, which is budgeted for FY2015. The RFP specifically requested the following goals, objectives and deliverables:
PROJECT GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
Goal
--Provide a high quality, fiscally sound and successful agricultural management and educational program for the Farm.
Objectives
--Increase opportunities for residents to learn about farming practice and community history.
--Build support for the farm within the business community.
--Structure the Project to contribute positively to a new municipal agricultural program and benefit the Village from an open space and transportation network perspective.
ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES
The Master Plan and Curator’s Program for the Stellwagen Farm will include the following deliverables:
Marketing & Outreach
--Identify programs of activities that work for municipally operated farms and can be successfully implemented to earn revenue for the Farm’s educational and community programming.
--Conduct a market analysis and demonstrate market feasibility for identified programs and activities.
--Develop a marketing strategy for the proposed activities and programs.
--Craft a strategy for corporate and local sponsorship.
Operations & Budget
--Develop an operating budget to manage the agricultural and curatorial aspects of the Farm’s educational and community programming.
--Include a five year financial strategy covering farm lease management, husbandry management, crop selection and revenue, expected production yields (e.g. various produce, eggs etc.) and a pricing strategy for admission, activities, sales etc.
--Develop an annual schedule around which programs and agricultural practices are organized and coordinated.
--Identify opportunities for cross-municipal collaboration.
--Make recommendations on visitor flow (some site planning).
--Make recommendations for membership and volunteer management.
After a one month issue period, the Village received three responses to the RFP from Ratio Architects, Inc., Ecology + Vision LLC., and G. W. Anderson Architects.
Selection Committee Evaluation
Following submittal, a RFP selection committee composed of two (2) staff members and the Stellwagen Family Farm Foundation reviewed the RFP responses at the March 24, 2015 Stellwagen Family Farm Foundation meeting. The committee eliminated G. W. Anderson Architects from the responses as it did not meet the response criteria of the request.
After that, an evaluation was conducted comparing the Ecology and Ratio responses. Ratio scored higher in its response to the RFP with its Option 3 proposal than the Ecology response.
Ecology + Vision LLC Response Summary
The Ecology response did not clearly address the outlined goal and objectives of the RFP, focusing instead on open space and structural restoration - projects which have largely been successfully implemented by the Village and the Foundation in the past. It proposed the following:
Site Investigation and Concept Design - $5,000
Community Feedback and Market Analysis - $4,800
Development of Master Plan Document - $7,000
Total -$16,800
Alternate Bid - Building Assessment and Design/ Restore Guide - $6,500
A copy of the response is attached for further reference.
Ratio Architects, Inc. Response Summary
The Ratio response addressed the outlined goal and objectives of the RFP, focusing on economic performance and market feasibility. It proposed the following:
Option 1 - Marketing and Project Branding Document - $10,000
Option 2 - Design Guidelines - $20,000
Option 3 - Market Feasibility Study and Curator’s Program - $20,000
Option 4 - Stellwagen Farm Master Plan - $50,000
A copy of the response is attached for further reference.
STELLWAGEN FAMILY FARM FOUNDATION MOTION
On May 6, 2015, the Stellwagen Family Farm Foundation moved 4-0 to recommend to the Village Board of Trustees to select Ratio Architects’ Option 3 response to the Stellwagen Family Farm Master Plan RFP to begin the project subject to Ratio Architects accepting to do only the Market Feasibility Study and remain within the $10,000 budget.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, PLANNING AND ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MOTION
On May 18, 2015, the Development Services, Planning and Engineering Committee moved 3-0 to recommend to the Village Board of Trustees to select Ratio Architects' Option 3 response to the Stellwagen Family Farm Master Plan RFP to begin the project subject to Ratio Architects accepting to do only the Market Feasibility Study and remain within the $10,000 budget.
DISCUSSION
The purpose for selecting a modified Option 3, according to the group, was because the Foundation would like to first obtain a market feasibility study to determine the appropriate direction for any further action. It was discussed that it could be premature to establish a curator’s program without first understanding the marketplace (i.e. what is in demanding) and how the mission of the Stellwagen Family Farm can fit within it.
Since the Committee meeting, Ratio Architects have accepted the modification to do the Market Feasibility Study within the $10,000 budget and have reconfigured the scope to accommodate the Foundation’s request.
A letter indicating their modified scope of work is attached for review. The motion below has been updated accordingly.
This case is now before the Board of Trustees for final review/ approval.
Recommended Action/Motion
I move to approve Ratio Architects, Inc.’s modified scope for Option 3 as the selected response to the Stellwagen Family Farm Master Plan RFP, dated May 14, 2015, to only do the Market Feasibility Study within the $10,000 budget.