Sustainable Consulting Services RFPTO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Request for Proposals for Sustainable City Task Force
DATE: March 26, 2008
Assistant City Manager Cindy Steinhauser and Management Intern Cori Burbach are
recommending rejecting the response to the Request for Proposals for the Sustainable
City Consulting Services and that the RFP be modified and reissued.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
~• r
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Cori Burbach, Management Intern
THE CITY OF Dubuque
~T.~B E All-~~~-
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
2007
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manage
Cori Burbach, Management Interne
SUBJECT: Request for Proposals for Sustainable City Task Force
DATE: March 25, 2008
Introduction
The purpose of this memorandum is to request the City Council reject all responses to
the Sustainable City Consulting Services and to authorize issuance of a revised request
for proposals (RFP) for consulting services.
Discussion
On January 21, 2008 the City Council authorized the issuance of an RFP to solicit bids
for a consultant to assist the city of Dubuque with: 1 } developing a community wide
visioning process to define what we mean by Sustainable, Green community and what
initiatives we want this definition to include; 2) develop a strategic plan to help us
implement the vision; and 3) to identify and apply for a national green certification. The
City currently has $22,500 budgeted in the FY 2008 budget for this project.
On January 22, 2008 RFPs were sent electronically to interested firms with a deadline
of February 19, 2008 for response. During this time City staff fielded a number of
inquiries from companies with questions regarding the RFP. A consistent concern
raised by each of the companies was that there were insufficient funds to accomplish
each of the items under the Scope of Services.
On February 19, 2008, the City received two responses to the RFP. One response was
deemed incomplete and therefore not interviewed by the consultant selection
committee. The committee reviewed the other proposal and interviewed the firm on
March 4, 2008. In addition, City staff made several inquiries with firms who had
previously inquired about the RFP but who did not respond by the February 19, 2008
deadline; it became apparent that not all firms received a copy of the RFP electronically
as originally believed.
Following this interview, the committee met to discuss what the next step should be. It
was agreed that while the sole firm interviewed had some experience in the work
identified in the Scope of Services, there were concerns over the practice of awarding
work to a sole bidder without a means of comparison among other potential providers.
In addition, the committee raised concerns that some firms did not receive the RFP and
therefore were unable to respond. There was also the concern expressed by several
firms that there were not sufficient dollars in the budget to cover all the items identified
in the Scope of Services.
Upon further discussion, it was agreed that each of the three pieces identified under the
Scope of Services should be issued separately. The community vision process was the
most important piece of our proposal that required consultant services. The next most
important piece was having the consultant help develop a preliminary strategic plan,
and if necessary, City staff working with the task force, could provide additional input on
the final Sustainable Dubuque strategic plan. Lastly, the committee agreed that if there
were not sufficient funds to cover all three pieces under the Scope of Services, that the
identification and application for a national, Sustainable Green City designation could be
completed by City staff.
As a result of our discussion the committee agreed that the best approach would be to
go back out for a revised RFP. Based upon this discussion we are recommending that
the City Council rejects all responses and issue a new RFP for Sustainable City
Consulting Services.
Attached is the revised RFP which includes modifications to the Scope of Services as
discussed above. Upon City Council approval of the issuance of this revised RFP, an
electronic and hard copy will be sent to all firms who previously requested one. In
addition, the RFP will be advertised on the American Planning Association website, the
City of Dubuque website and sent to planning, architectural and engineering firms who
have recently submitted proposals to the City of Dubuque for other projects. It is
anticipated that the revised RFP will result in a more submittals and a more competitive
selection process.
The revised schedule would be as follows:
April 7, 2008 City Council reissuance of RFP
May 6, 2008 RFP submission due date
May 12 - 16, 2008 Consultant Interviews
June 2, 2008 Recommendation to City Council
Based upon the successful selection of a consultant and according to the modified
schedule, it is anticipated that by September 1, 2008 we will have completed the
community wide visioning process to define what we mean by Sustainable, Green
community.
Action Step
The action requested of the City Council is to reject all responses and authorize
issuance of the attached RFP for Sustainable City Consulting Services.
Dubuque
All-AmP.rica City
2007
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
SUSTAINABLE CITY CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF DUBUQUE
INTRODUCTION
The City of Dubuque is soliciting proposals from qualified individuals to provide
professional consulting services to develop a community vision defining what it means
to become a "sustainable and green city."
The purpose of the project is to work with a variety of community leaders and
stakeholders to develop a vision defining what "sustainable" and "green" mean to
residents and business owners in Dubuque. This community vision will be based upon
the interactive objectives of economic prosperity, ecological integrity and social/cultural
equity. The project will also result in a strategic plan to achieve the elements of a
sustainable community vision.
BACKGROUND
The Dubuque City Council has identified becoming a "designated green city" as one of
its top priorities. Several green practices have been implemented to date, including
efforts by the City, private businesses, non-profit organizations, and individual citizens.
Highlights of the City initiatives underway include publishing a Mayor's Green Pledge
card, which calls residents to commit to sustainable practices; creating an asset map
identifying examples of green practice and projects in Dubuque; a program through the
City Housing and Community Development Department to assist low and moderate
income neighborhoods in improving energy-efficiency in its housing stock; a Warehouse
District Revitalization Strategy that will revitalize currently vacant buildings and
incorporate smart growth principles; implementation of Downtown and Neighborhood
revitalization strategies, the curbside collection of food scraps for composting to reduce
greenhouse gas impacts; the purchase of energy-efficient vehicles by City departments;
and implementation of smart growth and planned and managed growth principles
through construction of pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and bike paths and other
programs.
Dubuque was also chosen as one of seven communities from across the country to be
selected to participate in the American Institute of Architects Sustainable Design
Assessment Team (SDAT) process. Community members have worked with national
volunteer consultants to identify ways Dubuque can become a more participative,
prosperous and responsible community. Their summary experience and vision for
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Dubuque was "A green, livable, thriving, integrated community that goes from
good sustainability practices to great ones as a model for other cities." The
SDAT team will report back on ways to modify current designs and practices to help
attain that vision.
A Sustainable City Task Force has been created, which includes representatives from
local government, schools, utility companies, religious organizations, neighborhood
associations, youth organizations, non-profits, environmental organizations and
business stakeholders. A localized list of components describing what "becoming
green" might mean in Dubuque has yet to be discussed in the community at large. The
consultant awarded this contract will be responsible for leading a process to prioritize
this discussion.
This project has the potential to serve as a model for other communities to develop and
implement sustainable policies, green development and innovative technologies that
result in achieving reductions in negative environmental consequences. The project
could assist and facilitate collaboration with community development activities
undertaken by the City or private developers and provide educational opportunities to
empower the citizens of Dubuque to implement their own sustainable and green
practices.
PROJECT SUMMARY
The project has two main goals to be achieved through one consultant contract initially
coordinated by the City Manager's Office as follows:
1) Assemble a list of the values, practices and issues that the Dubuque community
(residents, institutions, and business stakeholders) want to integrate as local
sustainable priorities with emerging national requirements for a "Green City
Designation." This list should present ways that our community wants to express
"Dubuque Going Green." Public discussion of these ideas should develop into a
sustainable vision for the community. The consultant services will include facilitating
discussions with the Sustainable City Task Force and the community at-large to
consider sustainable goals for the City, private businesses, and individual citizens.
Upon completion of the visioning process, an application to begin the recognition
process as a designated green community will be submitted to an appropriate
certifying organization. Written reports will be presented to the City Council as
appropriate.
2) Develop strategies to achieve local sustainability goal targets. Current initiatives and
prioritized components occurring in other communities should also be examined to
evaluate some that may be appropriate for Dubuque. The consultant will be
responsible for working with the Task Force and City staff to develop objectives,
strategies, indicators, and milestones to achieve the community's vision /model.
This process may include, but is not limited to, consideration of ten significant
sustainable components:
• Healthy Air: Reduce greenhouse gases and other pollutants that are
harmful to the atmosphere, humans, and other species.
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• Clean Water: Manage waste water, stormwater runoff, surface and
potable water for mazimum beneficial use and reduced environmental
impact.
• Energy-Efficiency: Reduce energy wasting, increase energy efficiency,
transition to renewable energy.
• Native Biodiversity: Appreciate, create, and maintain natural habitats used
by native birds, fish, and other species and, and reduce usage of harmful
chemicals.
• Fresh Local Food: Promote affordable access to natural, local grown food
products through a variety of venues.
• Green Buildings: Initiate adaptive reuse of appropriate historical buildings.
Spur development of resource-efficient construction projects and updated
City Codes.
• Reasonable Mobility: Make walking, biking, and use of affordable public
transportation more appealing and accessible.
• Resource Recycling: Expand composting. Maximize business and
residential recycling. Promote repair and reuse. Minimize discards,
aiming for zero waste.
• Eco-Literacy: Initiate training on how to measure and manage
environmental impacts and how ecological systems work. Learn more
through volunteering. Read.
• Equitable Economy: Purchase locally. Specify for green products and
services that promote sustainability. Grow green collar jobs.
These components have been identified as vital to achieving the Task Force's model for
sustainability, which includes achieving the objectives of economic prosperity,
ecological integrity and social/cultural equity.
Upon City Council concurrence with the recommendations from the consultant and Task
Force, City staff will propose internal administrative policies which may include items
such as: revised city codes, design incentives and awards, establishing a Green
Building/Business Council, ecoliteracy training, and energy efficiency and pollution
prevention campaigns that reflect the goals of the adopted recommendations.
Scope of Services
A principal product of this work will be an integrated, multi-faceted model of what the
community means by the phrase "Designated Sustainable and Green City." This work
will include the following:
1) Facilitate a community and Task Force visioning process to identify sustainable and
green priorities for Dubuque. Include an interview process with key stakeholders
including policy makers in this process. Incorporate public education regarding
sustainability into visioning process. Create a streamlined vision and set of goals to
guide further sustainable initiatives.
2) Facilitate the creation of a City strategic plan to accomplish the goals identified in the
visioning process. Review information collected to date by City staff and
departmental initiatives under way to determine how they interact with the selected
process, goals and indicators. Research initiatives under way in other communities
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and make appropriate recommendations based on that research. Strategic plan
should include an implementation strategy to incorporate tasks into current
operations, recommended performance measures to determine to what degree
goals are achieved, identification of possible partners for each of the
recommendations, and an on-going review process.
3) Select a "Green City Designation" national certifying program and apply for
designation recognition.
The selected consultant will meet on a scheduled basis with the Sustainable City Task
Force and with City staff on an as-needed basis.
Vendors will be allowed to submit "a la cart" proposals -proposing one or all of
the three components of the RFP. Vendors should identify the cost for each of
the three components separately in their separate cover budget.
Each of the three components will be completed by the City, but it is not required that a
vendor address all three. The City of Dubuque reserves the right to award the proposal
in whole or in part, by item or by group of items where such action serves the best
interests of the City. The City may choose to complete any component of this RFP with
its own staff.
QUALIFICATIONS
The selected consultant must have the requisite training and experience with
community-based sustainable development initiatives and community facilitation. The
selected consultant should be skilled in organization facilitation and communication,
coordination, management, and implementation. This includes the ability to articulate
and communicate with community groups and build partnerships.
The selected consultant should be both knowledgeable of and a practitioner of green
best practices appropriate to local sustainable development and knowledgeable in
securing potential funding.
The consultant must have performed similar work on other projects. This would include
the development of strategic planning sessions, workshops, presentations, and
materials providing credible, objective recommendations to achieve goals of economic,
environmental and social/cultural sustainability.
Please include a project list with contacts for all similar projects that have been
completed in the past five years. Identify the key personnel who worked on the
referenced projects and who are expected to work on this project.
Please describe the name and location of any subconsultants that will be used by the
consultant. Please identify the approximate percentage of work that would be
performed by each of these firms. Include the experience and qualifications of the
subconsultant and their key personnel in working on similar projects.
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INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN PROPOSAL
To simplify the review process and to obtain the maximum degree of comparability, the
proposal shall include the following information and shall be organized in the manner
specified below.
Letter of Transmittal
Provide a letter of transmittal briefly outlining the consultant's understanding of the work
and the name, address, telephone number and email of the consultant.
Qualifications
Provide general information about the consultant and areas of expertise. Include unique
qualifications for this project and experience in performing services on similar projects
during the last five years.
Fees and Compensation
This program of consultant services has been funded at $22,500 for Fiscal Year 2008.
Provide a proposed cost plus expenses budget for completion of the scope of services
with cost breakdowns by scope element. Please be sure to include a detailed list of
hourly billing rates for additional services required outside the scope of services.
Quotation of fees and compensation shall remain firm for a period of at least 90 days
from the proposal submission deadline. Please provide the proposed cost for each
budget under separate sealed cover.
Initial screening will be done by the selection committee without the benefit of knowing
the proposed fee for services.
Submission Requirements
An unbound original plus a PDF version of the submission shall be received in the City
Clerk's Office of the City of Dubuque's 50 West 13th Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001 by
5:00 p.m. CST Tuesday, May 6, 2008.
Each prospective consultant assumes full responsibility for delivery of the completed
submission package on or before the deadline. The City of Dubuque is not responsible
for any loss or delay with respect to delivery of the submissions. The City of Dubuque
reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and negotiate changes with any
prospective consultant. The City of Dubuque is not liable for the cost incurred by any
prospective consultant prior to the execution of an agreement or contract. Nor shall the
City of Dubuque be liable for any costs incurred by the prospective consultant not
specified in any contract. The City of Dubuque is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be screened to ensure that they meet the minimum requirements of the
proposal format. Qualifying proposals will be evaluated by a selection committee.
Factors to be considered by the committee include the following:
• Qualifications and experience of firm and any subconsultants;
• Qualifications and experience of the principal consulting staff and of
subconsulting staff who will work on the project;
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• Understanding of project scope and level of interest;
• Approach to completing scope of services including creativity and problem
solving;
• Responsiveness and compatibility between consultants and the City;
• Ability to communicate; and
• Proposed cost.
Consultants may be invited to an interview with the selection committee prior to
committee selection during the week of May 12-16, 2008.
All questions and correspondence regarding this RFP should be directed to Cindy
Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager, by telephone at 563-589-4110, by email at
csteinha(~cityofdubugue.org, or Cori Burbach, Management Intern, by telephone at
563-690-6038, by email at cburbachCa~cityofdubuque.orq. Both can be reached by mail
at 50 W 13th Street, Dubuque, Iowa, 52001 or by fax at 563-589-4149.
INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
All policies of insurance required hereunder shall be with an insurer authorized to do
business in Iowa. All insurers shall have a rating of A of better in the current A.M. Best
Rating Guide.
2. All certificates of insurance shall state that prior to cancellation, non- renewal or any
material change in the insurance contract, thirty (30) days written notice shall be given to
the City of Dubuque if cancellation is prior to the expiration date. This endorsement
supersedes the standard cancellation statement on the Certificate of Insurance.
shall furnish a Certificate of Insurance to the City of Dubuque, Iowa
for the coverage required in Paragraph 6 below.
3. Each certificate shall be submitted to the contracting department of the City of Dubuque.
4. Failure to provide minimum coverage shall not be deemed a waiver of these
requirements by the City of Dubuque. Failure to obtain or maintain the required
insurance shall be considered a material breach of this agreement.
General Liability and Property Damage
5. Consultant shall furnish to the City of Dubuque certificates issued by insurance
companies showing policies carried and the limits of coverage as follows:
A. Auto Liability - $1,000,000 combined single limit; including uninsured,
underinsured, comp and collision
6. The certificates of insurance shall be delivered to the City within seven (7) days of the
completed signed Agreement between the City and Consultant and receipt of initial
payment according to payment schedule.
7. Consultant warrants to the City that the work provided shall be performed in a qualified
and competent manner and in accordance with the professional standards of care and
practice appropriate to the nature of the work rendered.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITIES ENDORSEMENT
Nonwaiver of Governmental Immunity. The insurance carrier expressly agrees and
states that the purchase of this policy and the including of the City of Dubuque, Iowa
as an Additional Insured does not waive any of the defenses of governmental
immunity available to the City of Dubuque, Iowa under Code of Iowa Section 670.4
as it is now exists and as it may be amended from time to time.
2. Claims Coverage. The insurance carrier further agrees that this policy of insurance
shall cover only those claims not subject to the defense of governmental immunity
under the Code of Iowa Section 670.4 as it now exists and as it may be amended
from time to time. Those claims not subject to Code of Iowa Section 670.4 shall be
covered by the terms and conditions of this insurance policy.
3. Assertion of Government Immunity. The City of Dubuque, Iowa shall be responsible
for asserting any defense of governmental immunity, and may do so at any time and
shall do so upon the timely written request of the insurance carrier.
4. Non-Denial of Coverage. The insurance carrier shall not deny coverage under this
policy and the insurance carrier shall not deny any of the rights and benefits
accruing to the City of Dubuque, Iowa under this policy for reasons of governmental
immunity unless and until a court of competent jurisdiction has ruled in favor of the
defense(s) of governmental immunity asserted by the City of Dubuque, Iowa.
5. No Other Change in Policy. The above preservation of governmental immunities
shall not otherwise change or alter the coverage available under the policy.
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