Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Architectural & Engineering Professional Services (to shortlist to Design / Build RFP)
For
7-YEAR ZOO IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (ZIP) PROJECTS
Denver Zoological Foundation, Inc. 2900 East 23rd Avenue Denver, CO 80205
Date of Issuance: December 16, 2020
Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Architectural & Engineering Professional Services
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. PROJECT INTRODUCTION
B. PROCESS APPROACH & PROJECT DETAIL
C. EVALUATION PROCESS & SCHEDULE
D. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS RESPONSE FORMAT
E. QUALIFICATIONS DUE DATE, ZOO’s RIGHTS & APPLICABLE GOVERNING PROVISIONS
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Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Architectural & Engineering Professional Services
This Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) is issued by the Denver Zoological Foundation, Inc., a private Colorado 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "Foundation", "Zoo" or “Denver Zoo”).
A. PROJECT INTRODUCTION The Denver Zoo is a leader in animal care and visitor experience. As a nonprofit corporation, 501(c)(3), the Foundation is passionate about its commitment to excellence in support of Denver Zoo's mission: Inspiring Communities to Save Wildlife for Future Generations. The Denver Zoo provides extraordinary experiences every day for Denver Zoo animals and visitors and our core values are evident in everything we do.
In pursuit of continuing to be a leader in the zoological industry, the Zoo recently opened two new exhibits--Harmony Hill and Stingray Cove—and opened the new, state-of-the-art Johnson Animal Hospital in the Fall of 2020. The Zoo is also underway with a remodel of the Little Barn Exhibit to be the new home of the Zoo’s African Penguin collection in 2021. These projects begin the implementation sequence of a portfolio of capital projects to reinvigorate the Zoo’s 125-year-old campus and align physical improvements with a new, long-term strategy.
The portfolio of capital projects is collectively known as the Zoo’s 7-Year Zoo Implementation Plan or ZIP. The remainder of the portfolio is ten to twelve facility adaptive reuse, public engagement and back-of- house spaces and new exhibits intended to elevate and reinvigorate the Zoo’s campus-wide exhibit and guest experience. Individually, the projects range in scale from an estimated $350K to $3M in construction cost. The selection process described herein is being initiated with the same long-term intent.
B. PROCESS APPROACH & PROJECT DETAIL The Foundation will be facilitating two simultaneous Request for Qualifications processes, one for Design teams (inclusive of a lead architect and subconsultants), and one for CM/GC’s. The Foundation’s intent is to shortlist qualified firms from both RFQ processes and publish the results of these processes. The next step in the selection process will include an RFP for Design/Build firms (teamed versions as a result of the shortlists from the qualifications process), with the goal of the selection process to be selection of a single Design/Build entity.
The projects that are most pressing and time sensitive to the Foundation, and that the D/B team will potentially be initially contracted for, set the stage for future projects. They include the following:
• Felines I Building Renovation & Flamingo Lagoon Exhibit The Felines I and II Buildings opened in 1964 and were the first buildings on the Zoo’s campus in response to the Zoo’s first formal master plan developed in 1956. These buildings were home to the Zoo’s collection of big cats until 2018 when the buildings were closed and animals were moved to new exhibits that integrated current best practices for big cat animal care and welfare.
In an effort to be stewards of sustainability practices, the Zoo has made the decision to develop adaptive reuse programs for these two buildings. The intent is for the building to be renovated for programmed back-of-house operations, public engagement spaces for events and educational programming, and indoor winter holding for the Zoo’s American and Chilean flamingo flock. This renovation includes roof and internal building system redesign and replacement, interior redesign of front-of-house and back-of-house spaces, and design water-based animal holding spaces.
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Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Architectural & Engineering Professional Services
In conjunction with the Felines I building renovation, a new 10,000-gallon pool and landscaped exterior exhibit for the flamingo flock will be designed and built. This exhibit is intended to continue conversation initiated by Stingray Cove about the diverse and unique species and environments under the ecological umbrella geographically contained within Latin America.
Both projects are intended to open in May of 2022.
• Bird World Demolition In response to the 1952 building’s deficiencies and inefficient use of resources, the decision was made in 2019 to close the Zoo’s long-standing bird house known as Bird World. In its place, a future landscape-focused project will help restore the site’s footprint back to the natural environment, and integrate the City Park-adjacent site back into the landscape and surrounding ecology. Demolition of the building is intended to occur in Q4 of 2021.
• Flamingo Pond Stormwater Remediation Our current warm weather home to the Zoo’s flamingo flock for several years is also a major stormwater drainage site for the Zoo. The configuration and design do not meet the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) requirements for stormwater discharge. Regrading, new irrigation systems and new underground piping are required to meet the city’s current code for wastewater management. Remediation is intended to occur in Q1 of 2022.
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Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Architectural & Engineering Professional Services
The Foundation’s intent is to utilize the selected D/B team to complete other potential projects in the ZIP:
• Felines II Building and Plaza Renovation & New Exhibits Similar to Felines I, this project will renovate the building systems, front- and back-of-house spaces, and exhibit yards for new collection species celebrating the diversity of Latin America
• Brown Bear Food Park and Container Kitchen An adaptive reuse project of the Zoo’s Bear Mountain exhibit, the intent is to breathe new life into the 1918 structure, now on the National Register of Historic Places. Noted as a first in exhibit design for Zoos, the structure was formed using a plaster cast process to replicate actual rock formations from natural cliffs near Morrison, Colorado. The future use of the site intends to elevate the area to truly be the epicenter of several exhibit zones and activities coming together—including the Zoo’s beloved train and Conservation Carousel.
• Central Ranges Yard Improvements and North-South Zoo Pathway As some of the Zoo’s oldest habitats, the collection of exhibits knows as Central Ranges has been helping visitors connect with the wildlife of Africa for more than 50 years. Building upon the rotational exhibitry concepts that earned Benson Predator Ridge the AZA Exhibit Award in 2005, our reimagination of these important exhibits will maximize habitat flexibility, animal enrichment, and guest engagement—giving our animals additional opportunities to experience different environments and species. The anticipate introduction of a North-South Zoo pathway through these yards will allow visitors to experience the yards in a new and exciting way, while also providing a new corridor for circulation.
• Australia Phase 1 & 2 A two-phased project, Australia Phase 1 will be an immersive walkthrough experience with some of Australia’s unique species, allowing guest to safely interact in a shared space. A holding building and new restroom facility are also planned as part of this first phase.
The Foundation does reserve the right to procure and award these anticipated future projects in a process that provides the highest value to the Foundation.
Services will range from project to project, however, for the purposes of qualifications submittals, the Zoo is seeking design teams that include Architectural, landscape design, exhibit design, as well as civil, structural, mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering and life support system (LSS) design. Design team must be capable of delivering various levels of drawings and specifications, commencing in several cases with Concept Design, and evolving through to Construction Documents, and subsequently providing Construction Administration services on a per project basis.
Civil Subconsultant: Martin and Martin has provided the most recent work at the Denver Zoo in regards to City Review Process and civil improvements.
The Foundation reserves the right to procure and award these anticipated future small projects in a process that provides the highest value to the Foundation.
The primary goals of the selection process include selecting the most qualified and competent Design/Builder who will work with the Foundation, and, as necessary, the City's Department of Parks and Recreation department (“DPR"), in a collaborative and transparent process, with a positive attitude and a strong desire to provide the highest level of service.
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Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Architectural & Engineering Professional Services
C. EVALUATION PROCESS & SCHEDULE Those interested in receiving the RFQ for review, please visit www.denverzoo.org/vendor-opportunities. Please be sure the appropriate person registers organizations via the form on the web page, to ensure any addenda or additional information is communicated to the appropriate person during the process.
Any questions on the RFQ can be submitted at www.denverzoo.org/vendor-questions, on or before December 23, 2020. All questions will be answered and answered posted to www.denverzoo.org/vendor- questions on December 30, 2020.
Please do not contact any individuals from the Denver Zoo or potential design CM/GCs at this time.
The evaluation of the Design teams will be based on best value to the Zoo, and will include overall firm experience, commitment, team, team members (consultants/subconsultants) and respective qualifications.
All submittals shall become the property of the Zoo and will not be returned. Late submittals may not be evaluated. The Zoo reserves the right to reject any or all submittals on the basis of being nonresponsive to this RFQ, or for failure to disclose requested information.
The Zoo shall not be liable for any costs incurred by respondents in the preparation and submission of responses. The proposer is responsible for all costs of preparing, submitting RFQ response, a proposal, and any other prior or subsequent activity associated with the RFQ and/or RFP, presentations, meeting attendance, due diligence and/or contract negotiations, regardless of whether or not the Zoo enters into an agreement with the successful proposer and/or the Design/Builder.
The Zoo reserves the right, without invalidating submittal content, to request clarification(s) of respondent information. The Zoo reserves the right to withdraw this RFQ at any time, and make no commitments, implied or otherwise, that this process will result in a business transaction.
The issuance of this RFQ does not imply that the Foundation or the City, or any agency or department of the City, is making an offer to do business with any RFQ recipient or respondent. No agreement or other binding obligation on the Foundation is implied or will occur unless and until a definitive agreement is executed.
The City will have no binding obligations with respect to the Project except as specifically provided in a written agreement executed by the City and applicable to this Project. The issuance of this RFQ and the submission of any proposal does not create any obligation upon the Foundation or the City, or any agency or department of the City, to contract with the firm, or to enter into any binding legal relationship with any one or more of the firms, with respect to the potential project(s) or otherwise.
The Foundation reserves the right to (a) terminate this selection process at any time, (b) to reject any or all proposals, and/or (c) to waive formalities and minor irregularities in the proposals received and select firms in any manner they deem appropriate.
Screening Panel Submittals will be evaluated by a panel of individuals selected in accordance with the Zoo’s requirements. The panel will review and rank the qualifications submittals. The Owner will evaluate the qualifications
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Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Architectural & Engineering Professional Services
responses and quickly create a shortlist of firms who will be invited to team with shortlisted design teams, and submit formal D/B proposals.
The Owner’s intent is to select a shortlist of qualified firms within the next several weeks, followed by D/B RFP request.
Timeline The following is a preliminary milestone schedule that is subject to modifications at the Owner’s direction. Issue Request for Qualifications (www.denverzoo.org/vendor-opportunities) December 16, 2020 RFQ Questions Submitted via Website (www.denverzoo.org/vendor-questions) December 23, 2020 Answers to Questions Posted to Website (www.denverzoo.org/vendor-questions) December 30, 2020 Request for Qualifications due from CM/GC’s January 05, 2021 – 1 PM MST CM/GC’s shortlist announced/D/B RFP Issued to shortlisted firms January 15, 2021 Virtual Meeting with D/B Teams January 22, 2021 RFP Questions Due from D/B Teams January 26, 2021 Owner Response to questions Due to D/B Teams January 29, 2021 Proposal Responses Due February 12, 2021 D/B work sessions (invited firms) February 18, 2021 D/B ranked and contract finalization February 20-26, 2021 Design/Preconstruction effort begins Week of March 01, 2021 ZIP Implementation March 2021-2026
Evaluation Criteria Qualifications shortlist criteria is outlined as follows: Team Structure & Subconsultants 20 Key Staff & Resumes 35 Relevant Project Experience 40 M/WBE Commitment 5 Total Possible 100
D. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION RESPONSE FORMAT The Zoo will evaluate the qualifications and then create a shortlist of firms who will be invited to submit formal proposals. The Zoo requests that information be provided in a clear, precise, and organized manner.
For this Request for Qualifications, firms are required to provide the following information:
Cover Letter Submit a formal letter signed by an officer/principal of your firm which states that if shortlisted your firm will aggressively pursue the project and the proposed staff will not change.
Section 1 – Qualifications Detail Submit the following information:
a. Company overview to include number of years in business, total staff and number of licensed Architects.
b. State compelling reasons why you feel your firm/team should be included on the shortlist.
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Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Architectural & Engineering Professional Services
c. Provide the envisioned team structure, include which office or offices will lead in this assignment. Provide who will serve as the Architect of Record.
d. List subconsultants that comprise your team for each of the following scopes of work: • Landscape Design • Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing and Life Support System (LSS) design • Structural Engineering • Civil Engineering/Entitlements • Exhibit Design
e. Provide the key staff who will lead your team’s services throughout the Project including their roles and responsibilities (at a minimum: Principal, Project Design Architect, Project Manager and Construction Administration). Commit that, if shortlisted, these key staff will remain actively engaged in the selection process and will not change the staff proposed in response to the RFQ.
f. Provide a list of relevant project experience for projects completed within the last five years. This should include relevant experience as it relates to: • Relevant experience related to similar scopes of work; • Experience with the Design/Build delivery method; • Previous experience in an active public facing environment; • Zoo experience; and • Experience with the City and County of Denver and permitting processes. Include the name of the project, location, general description, year completed, total scope, construction cost (if available) and the roles of any of the proposed staff members had on the project. Include references with contact information and any unique features associated with the project.
g. Detail unique experiences or issues encountered in the design of past relevant projects to demonstrate knowledge and experience that would be beneficial to the process outlined herein.
h. Provide any concerns with the milestone schedule included within this RFQ.
i. Provide a commitment to work with the Zoo to achieve the established M/WBE project goals as necessary for each of the forthcoming projects. (Anticipate 15-20% M/WBE goals across projects.)
Section 2 - Resumes Include resumes of the key staff listed in item “e” above who will be committed to this project and have experience with similar project types.
Note: The Zoo is not looking for elaborate proposal responses. Be as concise and accurate as possible in developing your qualifications response.
E. QUALIFICATIONS DUE DATE, ZOO’S RIGHTS & APPLICABLE GOVERNING PROVISIONS Qualifications are limited to a maximum of twenty (20), single-pages, exclusive of resumes, with a minimum of 10pt. font.
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Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Architectural & Engineering Professional Services
Qualifications submittals must be received by the Foundation no later than January 05, 2021, no later than 1:00 PM MST to facilitate review. Please submit one (1) original hard-copy of the proposal, one (1) additional copy of the proposal, and one electronic copy delivered via email to [email protected].
Deliver Proposal Hard Copies to: Denver Zoological Foundation, Inc. C/O Kelly Floyd Operations Gate 2900 East 23rd Avenue Denver, CO 80205
Verification of Information The Zoo will rely on the accuracy and completeness of all information provided in making its selection. As such, firms submitting qualifications are urged to carefully review the provided information to ensure the clarity, accuracy and completeness of such information.
Qualifications shortlist criteria is outlined as follows: Team Structure & Subconsultants 20 Key Staff & Resumes 35 Relevant Project Experience 40 M/WBE Commitment 5 Total Possible 100
The Zoo, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to make any inquiries or follow-up as required to verify the information provided.
Applicable Governing Provisions Architects shall note that the Project will be governed by the following governmental provision (including but not limited to these):
All phases of the Project must be designed in conformance with all federal, state, and local laws, including but not limited to: 1) the constitutions, laws, and rules and regulations of the United States of America and the State of Colorado; 2) the City Charter, the Denver Revised Municipal Code (“DRMC”), and building, fire, electrical, plumbing and other applicable codes, as they may be amended from time to time; 3) rules and regulations promulgated or amended by DPR governing City parks and recreational facilities; 4) applicable specifications adopted or amended by Denver Parks and Recreation; 5) any rules and regulations promulgated or amended by other City departments and agencies applicable to the Project; 5) Executive Orders issued by the Mayor; 6) any court order, judgment, or decree or any appellate decision applicable to the Project; 7) any federal, state, or local administrative decision or order applicable to the Project; 8) the terms and conditions of any grant or other funding agreements entered in order to obtain funding for the Project; and 9) the applicable requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and any other federal or state laws requiring access for the disabled to public accommodations. In addition to compliance with the above-mentioned laws, the Project shall be governed and controlled by the limitations and provisions that are imposed on the City Department of Public Works by the Charter or ordinances of the City, specifically, services shall be performed in compliance with the provisions for payment of prevailing wages set forth in Sections 20-76 through 20-79, DRMC; for public art in Sections 20-85 through 28-90, DRMC; and for small business enterprise, equal employment opportunity, and
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Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Architectural & Engineering Professional Services
minority and women business enterprise participation that are contained, respectively, in Sections 28-31 through 28-91, DRMC; as any or all of the above may be amended or recodified from time to time.
A M/WBE Goal will be set by DSBO for individual projects. The selected Design team shall take all necessary actions to assure that it will reach the M/WBE Goal for each project. The Zoo will work closely with the Denver Division of Small Business Opportunity to engage certified firms throughout process.
The Design team shall comply with and not enter into a contract with a consultant that fails to certify to the Design team that it shall not knowingly employ or contract with an illegal alien to perform services for the Project.
In connection with the performance of services if selected, the Architectural firm agrees not to refuse to hire, discharge, promote or demote, or to discriminate in matters of compensation against any person otherwise qualified, solely because of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability; and the firms further agree to insert the foregoing provision in all approved contracts and subcontracts in connection with providing services.
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