THE CORPORATION OF THE

TOWN OF SOUTHBRUCEPENINSULA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

CONSULTING SERVICES

PARKS AND RECREATION STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN

CLOSING DATE: (date and time to be determined)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1 – GENERAL CONDITIONS

1.1Introduction……………………………………………………………3

1.2Intent…………………………………………………………………..3

1.3Definition of Terms…………………………………………………...4

1.4Schedule of Events……………………………………………………4

1.5Questions and Responses………………………………………………5

1.6Submission of Proposals……………………………………………….5

1.7Pricing………………………………………………………………….6

1.8Fee Schedule……………………………………………………………6

1.9Negotiations……………………………………………………………6

1.10Contract…………………………………………………………………7

1.11Supplemental Terms and Conditions………………………………….7

1.12Location of Work………………………………………………………7

1.13Confidentiality…………………………………………………………7

1.14Compliance with Purchasing By-laws and Laws…………………….8

1.15Submission Preparation Costs…………………………………………8

1.16Publicity……………………………………………………………….8

PART 2 – SPECIFIC CONDITIONS

2.1Purpose………………………………………………………………..8

2.2Goals and Objectives………………………………………………….9

2.3Scope of the Study…………………………………………………….11

2.4Study Details…………………………………………………………..12

2.5Timing of the Study……………………………………………………15

2.6Project Management……………………………………………………15

PART 3 – PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

3.1Respondents Submission Information…………………………………16

3.2Communication and Authorizing Officer……………………………..17

3.3Evaluation of Submissions…………………………………………….17

3.4Evaluation Criteria…………………………………………………….17

3.5Errors and Omissions………………………………………………….19

3.6Award and Rejection Rights…………………………………………..19

3.7Award Conditions……………………………………………………..19

3.8Materials Supplied by Town…………………………………………..19

3.9Insurance Requirements……………………………………………….19

3.10Not Liable……………………………………………………………..20

3.11Litigation………………………………………………………………20

3.12Notification of Outcome………………………………………………20

3.13Respondent’s Covenant……………………………………………….21

PART 1 – GENERAL CONDITIONS

1.1Introduction

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula in BruceCounty is a municipality of approximately 8,050 permanent residents located on the shores of Lake Huron. Incorporated in 1999, the Town of South Bruce Peninsula includes the former municipalities of Albemarle, Amabel, Hepworth and Wiarton.

The Town has many outdoor recreational opportunities including the BruceTrail. In addition, our recreation facilities include: one outdoor swimming pool, one community arena with ice surface and hall, one large capacity community centre, three small community halls, two lit ball diamonds, three unlit ball diamonds, two outdoor tennis courts, one campground, one community facility housing a County run library, County planning offices and a meeting room. Our park facilities include many playground structures and two municipally owned boat launch facilities. The Town also has use of baseball fields, playgrounds, a community room and gymnasium owned by the local school board.

There are a number of private and non-profit institutions that offer recreation opportunities for residents. This includes golf courses, biking and hiking trails, equestrian trail rides, snowmobile trails, cross country skiing trails and ATV trails. In addition, there are opportunities being offered by the local Board of Education.

There have also been fundamental changes in the planning and delivery of municipal services. As the community has grown in numbers, so have demands of staff. In addition, the number of community concerns have increased, including youth and seniors issues. Buildings are aging and in some cases, the Town is having difficulty in keeping up with the demands of the community. As demands on levels of service increases, so do the expectations for community development.

We urge you to carefully read all documentation contained in this package, and require you to respond to all sections.

1.2Intent

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula is inviting proposals for consulting services to develop a Parks and Recreation Strategic Master Plan for the provision of parks, recreation and leisure services, and facilities. It is the intent of any information given in this document to identify in general terms the type of service and the proposal contents required by the municipality.

This document is intended to assist respondents in preparing their submission to satisfy the stated requirements.

1.3Definition of Terms

“Closing Date” – the date and time after which the submission will not be accepted, regardless of the postal cancel date.

“Conflict of Interest” – an unfair advantage over other respondents during the procurement process, thereby rendering the process non-competitive and unfair; activities, relationships or contracts that would render a respondent unable or potentially unable to perform the duties and obligations required of a consultant under the terms of the RFP; or activities, relationships or contracts that impair or potentially impair the preferred respondent’s judgment in performing the services.

“MFIPPA” – the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

“Town of South Bruce Peninsula” – defined as the Corporation of the Town of South Bruce Peninsula, within the County of Bruce.

“Preferred Respondent” – the respondent whose submission most closely meets the requirements as determined by the Town of South Bruce Peninsula in its absolute discretion.

“RFP” – request for proposal.

“Respondent” – the company or individual(s) who has issued a submission.

“Submission” – the respondent’s written reply to this RFP.

“Time of Day” – unless suffixed with am or pm, time stated in the RFP are based on a 12 hour clock, local time.

1.4Schedule of Events

RFP issue date…………………………………………….(date to be determined)

Proposal submission deadline…………………………….(date to be determined)

Interviews for selected consultants……………………….(date to be determined)

Award of contract………………………………………...(date to be determined)

Final Report to Council…………………………………..(date to be determined)

If deemed necessary to conduct interviews with selected respondents, they will be scheduled for (date to be determined).

1.5Questions and Responses

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula contact, for the purpose of this project shall be:

Malcolm McIntosh, CAO519-534-1400 ext 122fax 519-534-4976 e-mail:

Responses to questions raised by potential respondents will be promptly communicated via facsimile in the form of an addendum and all respondents will receive a copy of the response.

Should revisions become necessary to any part of the RFP, the revisions will be provided to all potential respondents. The respondents must acknowledge receipt of such revisions promptly and in writing via facsimile. If revisions are necessary after the closing date, respondents will then have an opportunity to make relevant modifications to the submission.

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula assumes no responsibility or liability arising from information obtained in a manner other than as prescribed in this RFP.

1.6Submission of Proposals

Respondents are responsible for the proper delivery of their submission. Requests for extensions of time will not be granted. Any submissions or modifications and additions to the submissions received after the closing date and time will not be considered and will be returned to the respondent. No facsimile or electrically submitted responses to the RFP will be accepted.

The respondents will make the following documents available to the Town:

  • Twelve bound copies of the draft project report
  • Twenty bound copies and one unbound camera ready copy of the final project report
  • One electronic copy of all reports in Microsoft Word, on a CD Rom
  • All materials used or produced by the respondent in the undertaking of this project

Malcolm McIntosh, CAO

Town of SouthBrucePeninsula

315 George Street, PO Box 310

WiartonONN0H 2T0

NO LATER THAN (date and time to be determined)

Respondents must also ensure that all submissions clearly indicate “Proposal – Parks and Recreation Master Plan” on external packaging. In addition, when making inquiries, be sure to quote the “RFP” reference.

1.7Pricing/Budget

The budget to be provided by the respondents shall be set for this project.

All quotations must be in Canadian dollars. All applicable taxes must be shown separately.

1.8Fee Schedule

  • Total upset fee to be all inclusive for the completion of the project as identified, to include but not limited to all sub-consultants and their disbursements
  • Total estimated disbursements to be included in total upset fee
  • Disbursements include but not limited to travel, communications, shipping, reproduction of documents required for review and approval
  • GST to be shown extra
  • Proponents must indicate detailed hourly rates for additional services for all team members

1.9Negotiations

The Town may initiate negotiations with the preferred respondent prior to issuing an award. This option rests solely with the Town.

The Town reserves the right to add terms and conditions during negotiations. These terms and conditions will be within the scope of the RFP and will not affect the proposal evaluations. Upward price negotiation will not be permitted.

The Town may terminate negotiations if the preferred respondent:

  • Fails to provide information required to begin negotiations in a timely manner
  • Fails to negotiate in good faith
  • Indicates it cannot perform the services within the available budget
  • Cannot come to terms with the Town after a good faith effort

If negotiations are terminated, the Town may then recommend award to or negotiate with another respondent or conduct a subsequent RFP process.

1.10Contract

Selection of the preferred respondent does not oblige the Town of South Bruce Peninsula to negotiate or execute an agreement with that respondent.

The preferred respondent must be prepared to enter an agreement based on the contents of its submission and the RFP. The Town of South Bruce Peninsula reserves the right to negotiate details of any contract and to make the necessary changes or substitution within the general scope of the contract.

1.11Supplemental Terms and Conditions

Supplemental terms and conditions may be accepted at the Town’s discretion, provided the respondent identifies said provisions explicitly in its proposal. Provisions that conflict with those contained in the RFP or diminish the Town’s rights under any resulting agreement will be considered null and void. The Town is not responsible for identifying conflicting supplemental terms and conditions.

1.12Location of Work

The preferred respondent will perform most of the services at its offices with on-site and public meetings as required. Provision of the services will also likely involve site investigations. When performing these services and investigations, the preferred respondent shall:

  • Ensure the safety of both the public and staff involved in the activity
  • Obtain prior approval to gain access to any property
  • Be responsible for all related activities
  • Adhere to constraints imposed by the Town’s contact for this RFP
  • Comply with all appropriate legislation and Town by-laws related to occupational health and safety

1.13Confidentiality

All requirements and information obtained by a respondent in connection with the RFP are the property of the Town of South Bruce Peninsula and it’s departments, agencies, boards, and commissions and must be treated as confidential and not used for any purpose other than for replying to this RFP and for the fulfillment of any contract.

All documentation which a respondent delivers to the Town of South Bruce Peninsula or its designated agent for the purpose of this RFP, is retained by the Town of South Bruce Peninsula and is subject to the terms of the MFIPPA.

If a respondent believes any part of its submission reveals any trade secret of the respondent, any intellectual property right of the respondent, scientific, technical, commercial, financial or labour relations information, or any other similar secret right of information belonging to the respondent, and if the respondent wishes the Town of South Bruce Peninsula to attempt to preserve the confidentiality of the trade secret, intellectual property rights or information, then these matters must be clearly designated as confidential.

The respondents are informed that certain information respecting the privacy of individuals and proprietary information regarding the security of municipal operations cannot and will not be released to anyone other than the respondent that has been engaged.

All requests for access to the submitted RFP’s will be subject to a formal review pursuant to Section 10(1) of the MFIPPA and representation will be sought prior to disclosure of any third party information.

1.14Compliance With Purchasing By-Laws and Laws

The respondent shall comply with all applicable laws relating to the RFP, the submission and any contract resulting there from. Specifically, the RFP is issued, received, evaluated, accepted, and processed in accordance with the Town’s purchasing by-law and related procedures. By submitting a proposal, the respondent agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the by-law and any amendments thereto. Copies of the by-law can be provided upon request.

1.15Submission Preparation Costs

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula will not be responsible for any costs incurred by a respondent in preparing, submitting, presenting, or arranging site visits nor for any other costs which are incurred relating to the submission.

1.16Publicity

The respondent and its affiliates shall not release for publication, any information in connection with the RFP or contract without prior written permission from the Town of South Bruce Peninsula.

PART 2 – SPECIFIC CONDITIONS

2.1Purpose

In response to increasing community demands and in an effort to position the Town so that it can address demands, the Town is undertaking a process to complete a Strategic Master Plan for the provision of parks and recreation services. This study will combine a strategic planning approach where core directional statements are identified to guide decision making with a “Master Plan”.

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula Public Works department is seeking proposals from qualified multi-disciplinary consultants to meet several objectives. The major goal for the consultant is to develop, design and produce a fiscally responsible Strategic Master Plan for the delivery of parks and recreation services.

The Master Plan will define user “needs” and identify what the Town should consider providing; including the level of service standards for leisure facilities, where facilities should be located, when they will be required, their costs, and how they should be funded to ensure the ability to finance is addressed.

In addition, the Master Plan will also reflect the current and future recreational and park needs of the Town. It should be recognized by the consultant that the Plan will not be static and needs to have methods for monitoring and review adjustments incorporated into it.

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula is an active and flourishing community where parks, recreation and leisure services and facilities are a vital component of the Town’s commitment to health, active lifestyles and quality living. To this end, parks, recreation and leisure services and facilities have enhanced the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the Town.

The Town, with one arena, one community centre, four community halls, one outdoor pool, two outdoor tennis courts, numerous active/passive parks and open spaces, and a Blue Flag designated beach, is not only committed to its role as a direct service provider, but also endeavors to facilitate and support community partners in delivery of their programs and services.

The Town of South Bruce Peninsula, like other communities across Ontario, has experienced considerable change in the past number of years. This has resulted in a fundamental need to address the planning and delivery of parks, recreation and leisure services in the Town. This “need” has been accelerated due to increasing consumer demands for new and better programs, services and facilities.

2.2 Master Plan Review and Update – Goals and Objectives

The purpose of this study is to recommend a specific plan of action of the planning and delivery of recreation and parks services in the Town of South Bruce Peninsula for two periods of time: immediate action (1-5 years), and a long term plan (5-10 years).

Key issues to be addressed and project requirements of the respondent include:

  • Review of existing documents for analysis and evaluation of report recommendations that require completion and further consideration
  • Review and analyze current department service levels relative to existing financial and human resource allocations and make recommendations for building upon existing resources and addressing gaps in service provision
  • Determine parks and recreation facility trends that will fundamentally affect leisure services for a ten year period. In consultation with community stakeholders in sports and recreation and conduct a needs assessment to develop a plan of action to meet the needs of the community and to list these in priority of need
  • Review and analyze all documents relative to planning and population growth in the Town of South Bruce Peninsula for the next ten years. Based upon this assessment, development recommendations and an implementation schedule for department activity in the following areas:

RECREATION SERVICES DELIVERY SYSTEM

RECREATION PROGRAMS

RECREATION FACILITIES

PARKS, OPEN SPACE AND TRAIL SYSTEMS

  • Prepare a financial plan for both capital and operating costs associated with the forecasted initiatives by prioritizing the expenditures based on existing financial and human resources as they currently exist, and allowances made for changing demographics including increases in population. It is important that the priority listing of expenditures which reflects the priority level of service the community expects.

Service Priority Determination

Requests are received for a variety of recreation services, including but not limited to programs, facilities and parks. A critical assessment of the types of municipal services and facilities that ate required in order to address public need as well as related policy guidelines to prioritize these requests is necessary.

The Town has a number of aging leisure and recreational facilities which, although previously popular, have been experiencing a decline in participation. Service levels for providing these facilities, given present and anticipated trends including service capacity, need to be determined.

Today more than ever, market research and consumer preference are shaping facility design and program delivery. As a result, it is critical to have a complete understanding of the customers needs in order to better anticipate and satisfy community leisure demands as they relate to both programs and facility development and redevelopment.

The emerging focus of a multi-use approach to facility and service delivery requires a fundamental and comprehensive re-examination of leisure service delivery, facilities, community partners such as libraries and schools, other compatible municipal uses, fiscal components, and the role of community development.

Funding Opportunities

Changes in the funding capacity of the Provincial and Federal governments impact our ability to fund new facilities and this may also impact a number of nonprofit leisure service delivery agencies in the community.

2.3Scope of the Study

It is expected that the consultant will:

  • Develop a Parks and Recreation Strategic Master Plan. The purpose of the plan is to guide the Public Works department in the next three, five, and ten year periods in the area of recreation and leisure services, facility development and management, and administration of the parks and recreation function.
  • To undertake a comprehensive public consultation process to solicit input into future leisure service requirements in the community
  • Review existing studies and information previously undertaken
  • Consult with key stakeholders to develop specific leisure service requirements
  • Develop a strategy for the provision of all classifications of recreational land use and open space to meet current and future needs, including the specific issue of urban waterfront areas
  • Identify indicators emerging which will impact future program planning and service development based on demographics and trends
  • Investigate potential alternate service delivery options in specific geographic, age specific, or activity specific areas
  • Analyze and evaluate current levels of service to identify core levels of service and to benchmark those services for future delivery, identifying any impact that would change in the delivery and levels of service provided, including the allocation of Town resources to community groups and boards
  • Develop a framework to determine the feasibility for the provision of new facilities when community need warrants or special requests are received
  • Meet with respective committees, elected officials and other staff to gather additional information as required
  • Develop and conduct public consultation with various community representatives to solicit input and evaluation of Strategic Plan initiatives without raising unrealistic expectations
  • Prepare draft copy of the Strategic Plan for presentation and review by the Project Management Steering Committee and the municipal Council
  • Present approved draft copy to Committee of the Whole
  • Present final document to Council

The consultant will ensure that all approaches are comprehensive and will liaise with Town departments and Council as required to complete the project. The consultant will work with the Project Management Steering Committee to determine function and format of the new Strategic Master Plan document.