The City of Lawrence, Douglas County, Lawrence School District 497 and Lawrence Chamber of Commerce have combined to request proposals to employ a consultant to evaluate the present state of athletic facilities and sports programs in Lawrence and to investigate the need for first class sports/recreation facilities in our community. The consultant will collect and analyze data to be used to develop goals and policies to meet the needs for recreational and competitive sports facilities in the community.
The City of Lawrence, Douglas County, Lawrence School District 497 and Lawrence Chamber of Commerce have formed a partnership, “Partners for Lawrence Athletics and Youth” (PLAY), pledging support to fund a needs assessment and feasibility study to evaluate the need and potential support for state of the art competitive and recreational sports venues for our community.
ROLE OF THE CONSULTANT:
The role of the professional consultant will be to:
1. Work cooperatively with elected/appointed City, County, School District and Chamber of Commerce staff, PLAY committee, various advisory bodies and the general public.
2. Lead presentations to the governing bodies.
3. Prepare a community assessment and inventory of service providers and current resources including practice and competitive sports facilities available to the community:
a. existing city parks and recreation sports facilities
b. existing school district sports facilities
c. Haskell Indian Nations University and University of Kansas sports venues and facilities.
d. private recreation facilities
4. Based on peer communities, compare needs and priorities. Include programming, operations and maintenance partnerships of any new facilities.
5. Prepare final recommendations, implementation guide and report: A document for use and distribution to the public.
SCOPE OF SERVICES & OVERALL TASKS
1. Inventory of community sports facility types (public and private) and services.
2. Solicit views on sports issues and uses, opinions about recreational and competitive facilities and programs for Lawrence by conducting interviews with stake holders; i.e. existing sports clubs and non- profit organizations, focus groups and governing bodies.
3. Document national and/or regional trends and standards for sports facilities.
4. Provide a comparison of sports facility venues to communities similar to Lawrence.
5. Provide examples of interlocal partnership agreements with local entities that provide facilities and explain operations of those facilities.
6. Evaluate possibilities for partnership within the community to develop, schedule, operate and maintain sports venue(s). Recommend appropriate policies and solutions to strengthen existing relationships. Address who should operate new facilities; suggest fee structure.
7. Evaluate and project economic impact of a first class sports venue(s) for community.
8. Based on findings prepare a comprehensive set of goals, objectives and priorities for the PLAY committee and clear direction for the Lawrence community to follow. The committee anticipates receiving information that is useful to all entities regardless of the community’s assessment and outcome. Example: if a community vision is not realistic, enable individual entities to utilize data toward individual goals.
a. Develop plans, strategies and policy statements to meet any established goals.
b. Prepare multi-year capital improvement program and recommend priorities for carrying out facility development.
9. Work with the PLAY committee to prepare questionnaires for a community survey, which may include input from youth, to help evaluate existing services and future needs. Describe methods to be used in the data analysis process and provide demographic data from respondents. Present and price a survey as an OPTION for the committee to consider as we deem necessary.
10. Review funding options and sources. Provide comparisons of how other jurisdictions have funded similar sports and recreation needs.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED
See attached Chamber of Commerce Economic Barometer about Lawrence and Douglas County and Parks and Recreation data. Other data will be provided by the PLAY committee including: Park and Recreation Comprehensive Master Plan, Clinton Lake 20 year master plan for city leased land, Chamber of Commerce data about Lawrence, Parks and Recreation program brochures, data on city and school district facilities, Haskell Indian Nations University and Kansas University competitive facilities.
KANSAS ACT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION
“The contractor agrees that the contractor shall observe the provisions of the Kansas Act Against Discrimination and shall not discriminate against any person in the performance of work under the present contract because of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry. The contractor shall in all solicitations or advertisements for employees include the phrase, “equal opportunity employer.” The contractor agrees that if the contractor fails to comply with the manner in which the contractor reports to the Kansas Human Rights Commission in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 44-1031 and amendments thereto, the contractor shall be deemed to have breached the present contract and it may be canceled, terminated or suspended, in whole or in part, by the City. If the contractor is found guilty of a violation of the Kansas Act Against Discrimination under a decision or order of the Commission which has become final, the contractor shall be deemed to have breached the present contract and it may be canceled, terminated or suspended, in whole or in part, by the City”
QUALIFICATIONS
The consulting firm is expected to have experience in sports venue and parks and recreation comprehensive planning. Management and facilitation of similar projects will be evaluated.
Proposal should include:
1. Name, address and phone number of firm.
2. Names of principals of firm.
3. Names of key personnel to be involved on the project team and what role will each play.
4. Proposed work program or scope of services, including suggested time frame for individual elements of the proposal and final completion and report.
5. Discussion of firm’s interactive approach to community planning and consensus building.
6. Costs estimates or range for your services.
7. References and examples of other similar projects in which your firm has been involved.
BUDGET RANGE
The cost range presented in your proposal should address and break out all reimbursable expenses such as travel, copying, incidentals. Cost for a survey to be listed separately. The PLAY committee requests twenty-five (25) copies of the final report with executive summary in electronic format, preferably Microsoft Word.
EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS AND SELECTION OF CONSULTANT
The 16 member PLAY committee will be responsible for reviewing and screening the proposals. Additional information may be requested by the committee. Interviews will be held in Lawrence by a number of PLAY committee representatives and final recommendations made to city and county commissions, school district board and Chamber of Commerce to enter into a contract with the successful consulting firm/team.
SUBMITTAL
Twelve (12) copies of PLAY proposals must be delivered to the Parks and Recreation Department, 947 New Hampshire Street, Suite 200B or mailed to P.O. Box 708, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, by 5:00 p.m. June 2, 2006. Refer questions to Fred DeVictor, Director, Parks and Recreation Department, (785) 832-3450 or e-mail fdevictor@ci.lawrence.ks.us.