Transient Boat Dock Study Consultant
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MEMORANDUM
March 2, 2005
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Transient Boat Dock Feasibility Study for the Port of Dubuque Consultant
Selection Recommendation
The City has solicited proposals from qualified professional consulting firms to complete
a Transient Boat Docks Feasibility Study for the Port of Dubuque. Three firms
submitted proposals. A Consultant Selection Committee reviewed each of the
proposals based on the Consultant's strengths and weaknesses.
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos recommends that the City Council approve the selection of
The Abonmarche Group to complete a Transient Boat Docks Feasibility Study for the
Port of Dubuque and authorize the City Manager to negotiate a contract subject to City
Council approval
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
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MiChael C. Van Milligen
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Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psi hoyos, City Engineer
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THE CITY OF ~
DUB E
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MEMORANDUM
March 1, 2005
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer 49
R.O.s .
TO:
SUBJECT: Transient Boat Dock Feasibility Study for the Port of Dubuque
Consultant Selection Recommendation
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to seek City Council concurrence in the selection of
the Abonmarche Group as the professional consulting firm to complete a Transient Boat
Docks Feasibility Study for the Port of Dubuque.
BACKGROUND
The City has a budget of $301,784 for transient boat docks at the Port of Dubuque as
part of the Vision Iowa grant for the America's River project. The incorporation of a
recreational boat dock facility is a required component of the Vision Iowa grant. The
Vision Iowa Board has granted the City of Dubuque a time extension for the completion
of the dock components. The feasibility study and the construction of the transient boat
dock in the Ice Harbor are estimated to cost approximately $200,000. The remaining
funds are anticipated to be used for possible cost-match funding for the Federal Boating
Infrastructure Grant for transient boat docks on the main channel.
To satisfying the Vision Iowa grant requirements, staff is planning a phased approach
with the planning, design and construction of transient boat docks at two potential
locations in the Port of Dubuque: Phase 1 - Ice Harbor and Phase 2 - Mississippi River.
The Project Objectives are to:
I. Evaluate the most appropriate location and accommodating slip configuration
and layout for transient boat docks in the Ice Harbor at the Port of Dubuque.
II. Conduct a Transient Boat Docks Feasibility Study for the construction of a
transient boat dock facility on the main channel of the Mississippi River at the
Port of Dubuque. The proposed location is along the shoreline adjacent to the
historic Dubuque Star Brewery / Amphitheatre and the Grand River Center.
Upon completion of the Phase 1 - Ice Harbor component, the construction of transient
boat docks in the Ice Harbor would satisfy the Vision Iowa grant requirements. Staff
anticipates that a transient boat dock facility in the Ice Harbor could be completed by fall
of 2005.
Upon completion of the Phase 2 - Mississippi River component - if the Transient Boat
Docks Feasibility Study indicates market and operational feasibility, then a Federal
Boating Infrastructure (Tier 1 / Tier 2) Grant Application would be made. If successful in
receiving the grant funds, the City would proceed with final design and construction of
the dock facility. The timeframe to construct boat docks on the main channel of the
Mississippi River is subject to the grant award notification. Construction of the boat
docks on the main channel is not part of the Vision Iowa grant requirements.
CONSULTANT SELECTION PROCESS
The City of Dubuque solicited proposals from qualified professional consulting firms to
determine their interest and capabilities to complete a Transient Boat Docks Feasibility
Study for the Port of Dubuque
The Consultant Selection Committee for this project included: Cindy Steinhauser,
Assistant City Manager; Dawn Lang, Budget Director; Laura Carstens, Planning
Services Manager; Pam Myhre, Acting Economic Development Director; Bob Schiesl,
Civil Engineer; and Jean Nachtman, Assistant Finance Director.
On February 24th, 2005, three (3) consulting firms submitted Proposals for the Project.
The following is the list of Consulting Firms that submitted proposals:
. The Abonmarche Group
. Applied Technology & Management, Inc.
. JJR, LLC
In accordance with the City's Administrative Policy, the Selection Committee selected a
Consultant based upon the Consultant's qualifications and experience, and the
Selection Committee's determination of the Consultant best suited for this specific
project.
On March 1, 2005, the Selection Committee met to evaluate and rated each of the three
(3) Consultant proposals. The Selection Committee carefully deliberated each
Consultant's strengths and weaknesses. Although each of the Selection Committee
members felt that each of the Consultants were uniquely qualified, the Selection
Committee selected The Abonmarche Group of Benton Harbor, Michigan, as the first-
ranked Consultant to complete the Transient Boat Docks Feasibility Study for the Port of
Dubuque.
Upon establishing the Selection Committee's Consultant ranking preference, the
Committee reviewed each of the Consultant's Fee Proposal submittals. The following is
a summary of the "preliminary" Professional Service Fee Proposals submitted to
complete the Transient Boat Docks Feasibility Study:
. The Abonmarche Group
. Applied Technology & Management, Inc.
. JJR, LLC
$ 53,335
$100,750
$101,000
CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS
Since 1979, The Abonmarche Group has served the Midwest region as a multi-faceted
waterfront engineering, architectural, planning, and development firm.
The Abonmarche Group specializes in public and private waterfront development
services and has all the necessary resources for any waterfront project in-house,
including a highly skilled full team of coastal engineers, structural engineers, civil
engineers, regulatory specialists, construction specialists, waterfront planners,
landscape architects, general architects, bathymetric surveyors, and land surveyors.
The Abonmarche Group understands that securing additional funding is the key to this
project's success. The Abonmarche Group has previous experience in the
development of transient dock and marina market/feasibility studies and understand the
requirements that must be met to be competitive for grant funding, as proven by the
Clinton Marina and Fulton Marina Projects, in which over $2 million in Federal Boating
Infrastructure (Tier 1 / Tier 2) Grant funds were secured for those communities.
The Abonmarche Group has experience with similar projects in the central Mississippi
River region. The following is a summary of successfully completed projects;
Project: Clinton Marina
Location: Clinton, Iowa
This marina renovation was a Federal Boating Infrastructure (Tier 1 / Tier 2) Grant
project, which involved a 75-slip municipal marina located on the Mississippi River and
included feasibility studies, market and economic studies, environmental assessment
and regulatory analysis, conceptual and detailed design and planning, architectural and
landscape designs, permitting, bathymetric surveying.
Project: Fulton Marina
Location: Fulton, Illinois
This was a Federal Boating Infrastructure (Tier 1 / Tier 2) Grant project, which involved
a 116-slip municipal marina located on the Mississippi River and included, transient
design, market and feasibility study, master planning, preliminary engineering,
bathymetric surveying, and permitting.
Project: Sunset Marina
Location: Rock Island, Illinois
This project included providing Marina Master Planning services along with market and
feasibility studies for the renovation of this 467-slip municipal marina located on the
Mississippi River. Renovations in the Master Plan included upgrades to outdated
facilities, dredging of harbor to restore safe boating water depths, schedule for
increased rental rates to support construction cost, modified slip size mix to
accommodate customer base and modern boats sizes, and recommendation for
changes and improvements to marina operating procedures.
PROJECT SCHEDULE
The overall project scheduling constraint is to complete the construction of transient
boat docks in the Ice Harbor this year which will satisfy the Vision Iowa grant
requirements and to meet the filing deadlines for Federal Boating Infrastructure (Tier 1 /
Tier 2) Grant Application (September of 2005). The Abonmarche Group has been
through this process previously and is confident that they will meet this deadline.
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the thorough review of the Proposals and the evaluation and rating of the
Consultant qualifications and experience, I recommend the approval of The
Abonmarche Group as the professional consulting firm to complete a Transient Boat
Docks Feasibility Study for the Port of Dubuque.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
The requested action is for the City Council to adopt the attached resolution approving
the selection of The Abonmarche Group to complete a Transient Boat Docks Feasibility
Study for the Port of Dubuque and authorize City Manager to negotiate a contract
subject to City Council approval.
Prepared by Robert D. Schiesl, Civil Engineer
cc: Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Dawn Lang, Budget Director
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
Jean Nachtman, Assistant Finance Director
RESOLUTION NO. 72-05
RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ABONMARCHE GROUP TO COMPLETE A
TRANSIENT BOAT DOCKS FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE PORT OF DUBUQUE
Whereas, proposals were solicited from various professional consulting firms to
complete a Transient Boat Docks Feasibility Study for the Port of Dubuque, and
Whereas, in accordance with the City's Administrative Policy, the Selection
Committee selected a Consultant based upon the Consultant's qualifications and
experience, and the Selection Committee's determination of the Consultant best suited
for this specific project, and
Whereas, the professional consulting firm of The Abonmarche Group of Benton
Harbor, Michigan, was chosen by the Selection Committee as the first-ranked
Consultant to complete the Transient Boat Docks Feasibility Study for the Port of
Dubuque,and
Whereas, the Abonmarche Group shall complete a phased approach with the
planning, market and economic studies, design and construction of transient boat docks
at two potential locations in the Port of Dubuque: Phase 1 - Ice Harbor and Phase 2 -
Mississippi River as required to complete the following project objective:
I. Evaluate the most appropriate location and accommodating slip configuration
and layout for transient boat docks in the Ice Harbor at the Port of Dubuque.
. II. Conduct a Transient Boat Docks Feasibility Study for the construction of a
transient boat dock facility on the main channel of the Mississippi River at the
Port of Dubuque and prepare the Federal Boating Infrastructure (Tier 1 / Tier 2)
Grant Application.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. That the City Manager be authorized to execute a Professional
Services Contract with The Abonmarche Group of Benton Harbor, Michigan, to
complete the Transient Boat Docks Feasibility Study for the Port of Dubuque.
Passed, adopted and approved this 7th day of March, 2005.
Terrance M. Duggan, Mayor
Attest:
Jeanne F. Schneider, City Clerk