Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to enter into contract with Burgess & Niple, Inc. to provide design services for the Big Walnut Trail - Winchester Pike to Nafzger Park Project. The contract amount is $598,468.00, with a contingency of $34,000.00, for a total of $632,468.00 being authorized by this ordinance.
The southern reach of the Big Walnut Trail is developing into one of the region’s most scenic and accessible greenways in Central Ohio, and will put thousands of residents of the Mid East and South East Communities within a few minutes of access to the trail network. This southern 2.5 mile trail segment will begin at its current terminus at Winchester Pike, traveling along the greenway corridor to Helsel Park, South Hamilton, and Refugee Roads. The trail will end at Nafzger Park. Neighborhood connections are planned to the Blacklick Estates, Eastland, Cross Creek Village, and Walnut Heights. The Stage 1 design contract is for professional services, including preliminary trail engineering, environmental assessments, cultural assessments, conceptual trail head design, surveying, and public engagement.
Vendor Bid/Proposal Submissions (Office of Diversity and Inclusion designation status):
Bids were advertised through Vendor Services and Bonfire, in accordance with City Code Section 329, on May 30, 2023 and received by the Recreation and Parks Department on June 23, 2023. Bids were received from the following companies:
Burges & Niple, Inc. (MAJ)
EMH&T (MAJ)
VS Engineering (MBE)
EL Robinson Engineering (MAJ)
MS Consultants (MAJ)
Of note, professional services contracts are quality based selections and not based on price. Costs were not requested nor were they part of this evaluation.
In accordance with City Code, a selection team evaluated the proposals and recommended Burgess & Niple, Inc. be selected to perform the work. The firm was chosen based on their referenced projects, experienc...
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