It is recommended that the Mayor and City Commission approve the Resolution accepting the City Manager’s recommendation pertaining to the bids received, pursuant to RFQ 2021-196-ND, for architectural and engineering design services for the 41st street corridor revitalization, authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with Brooks + Scarpa Architects, Inc., as the proposer determined to be the best qualified; and, if the administration is not successful in negotiating an agreement with Brooks + Scarpa Architects, Inc., authorizing the administration to enter into negotiations with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., as the proposer determined to be the second best qualified; and, if the Administration is not successful in negotiating an agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with EXP U.S. Services, Inc., as the third best qualified proposer. The Resolution also authorizes the City Manager and City Clerk to execute an agreement upon conclusion of successful negotiations by the Administration.

In 2018, the City engaged Alta Planning and Design, Inc. to prepare a master plan which creates principles for design and development along the 41st Street Corridor. The master plan prioritizes people along the corridor by supporting consistent, safe, and comfortable bus and bike networks, creating more reasons to spend time on the street, support transit riders and foster social resiliency.

In 2020, the City engaged AECOM to prepare a feasibility study for the implementation of the master plan and to develop conceptual drawings for the area which encompasses portions of 41st Street, between Alton Road and Pine Tree Drive, and portions of all intersecting roads, between Alton Road and Pine Tree Drive, North to 42 Street and south to 40 Street. The study report and conceptual design completed by AECOM (Appendix C) depicts ideas for the enhancement of the pedestrian walkways to include shortened crosswalks, alteration of on street parking spaces, increasing public art along the street, providing bike lanes, human scale lighting, landscape to increase tree canopy, irrigation, outdoor seating, alteration of bus shelters and providing gateway features at both entrances intended to reinvigorate the 41st Street corridor. Additionally, the design ideas featured will widened sidewalks, incorporate branded sidewalk pavement, integrate human scale canopy trees with existing royal palm trees and provide bicycle parking.

Through the RFQ, the City sought proposals from professional consulting architectural, landscape architectural or civil engineering firms which have proven experience in projects for streetscape redesigns. The scope of the RFQ includes the design, bid and award, and construction administration services for the 41st Street Corridor Revitalization Project.

On May 14, 2021, the City issued Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 2021-196-ND for Architectural and Engineering Design Services for the 41st Street Corridor Revitalization. A voluntary pre-proposal conference to provide information to proposers submitting a response was held on May 26, 2021. RFQ responses were due and received on July 6, 2021. The City received a total of seven (7) proposals from the following firms:

• Brooks +Scarpa Architects, Inc.

• CES Consultants, Inc.

• CPH, Inc.

• Curtis + Rogers Design Studio, Inc.

• EXP U.S. Services, Inc.

• Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.

• WGI, Inc.

On July 17, 2021, the City Manager appointed the Evaluation Committee via LTC # 297-2021. The Evaluation Committee convened on August 11, 2021, to consider proposals received. The Committee was comprised of Eric Hankin, Member, Mayor’s 41st Street Committee; Milos Majstorovic, Transportation Manager, Transportation Department; Colette Satchell, Senior Capital Projects Coordinator, Office of Capital Improvement Projects; Luis Soto, Assistant City Engineer, Public Works Department; Debora Tackett, Chief of Historic Preservation, Planning Department; Amber Tarrac, Assistant Director, Economic Development Department; and Thais Vieira, Senior Capital Projects Coordinator, Office of the City Manager.

The Committee was provided an overview of the project, information relative to the City’s Cone of Silence Ordinance and the Government Sunshine Law. The Committee was also provided with general information on the scope of services and a copy of each proposal. The Committee was instructed to score and rank each proposal pursuant to the evaluation criteria established in the RFQ. The evaluation process resulted in the ranking of proposers as indicated in Attachment A. The Evaluation Committee process resulted in the following ranking for the top three firms:

1^st ranked (tie) – Brooks + Scarpa Architects.

1^st ranked (tie) – Kimley-Horn and Associates

3^rd ranked – EXP U.S. Services

A summary of each top-ranked firm follows:

Brooks + Scarpa Architects, Inc.

Brooks + Scarpa Architects, founded in 1991, is a collective of architects, designers and creative thinkers dedicated to enhancing the human experience. Honored with the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award, the firm is a multi-disciplinary practice that includes architecture, landscape architecture, planning, environmental design, materials research, graphic, furniture and interior design services that produces innovative, sustainable iconic buildings and urban environments.

Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.

Kimley-Horn and Associates was founded as a transportation firm in 1967 and is now one of the largest and fastest growing full-service consulting firms in Florida. Its staff includes more than 5,270 professional, technical, and support staff nationwide and more than 900 employees in 16 offices throughout Florida. As a transportation engineering, planning, landscape architecture, surveying, and environmental services firm, Kimley Horn offers a wide range of consulting services to local, regional, national, and international clients.

EXP U.S. Services, Inc.

EXP U.S. Services dates back to 1906 and today is a full service architectural and engineering firm with over 3.500 professionals across North America. Evidence of its design excellence is borne out of design awards and recognition from professional, architectural, and engineering societies such as AIA Chicago Firm of the Year Award, American Architecture Awards, and Interior Design Best of Year Awards.

As noted above, the Evaluation Committee process resulted in a tie for top rank between Brooks + Scarpa Architects and Kimley-Horn and Associates. After reviewing the proposals, the results of the Evaluation Committee process and the City’s experience with the tied firms, I recommend that the City negotiate first with Brooks + Scarpa Architects, as the best qualified firm, and, if not successful, negotiate with Kimley-Horn, as the second best qualified firm, for the reasons set forth below.

The Evaluation Committee process resulted in Brooks + Scarpa Architects receiving a significantly greater number of the top rankings than did Kimley Horn. In fact, the Evaluation Committee process resulted in Brooks + Scarpa Architects receiving twice as many top rankings as did Kimley-Horn and Associates.

While both firms presented evidence of experience on streetscape projects, Brooks + Scarpa Architects has completed a number of projects that document the firm’s world-class creativity, innovative design capabilities, ability to create a sense of community, an understanding of the local region, an ability to incorporate art installations, and, of primary importance, an understanding of climate adaptation. Both firms seem technically well qualified; however, the design capabilities presented by Brooks + Scarpa on previous projects are impressive. I look forward to this very important project for one of the City's most important thoroughfares being another example of the firm's world-class designs. 

Finally, Section 2-369 of the City Code requires that, in the award of contracts, the following factors are to be considered:

• The ability, capacity, and skill of the bidder to perform the contract.

• Whether the bidder can perform the contract within the time specified, without delay or interference.

• The character, integrity, reputation, judgment, experience, and efficiency of the bidder.

• The quality of performance of previous contracts.

• The previous and existing compliance by the bidder with laws and ordinances relating to the contract.

In considering these factors, I must note that Kimley-Horn and Associates has a number of ongoing projects in the development stage not yet completed. It is important that some or all of the pending projects be completed satisfactorily before additional work should be considered.

Therefore, I recommend that the Mayor and City Commission approve the Resolution authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with Brooks + Scarpa Architects, Inc., as the proposer determined to be the best qualified; further, if the administration is not successful in negotiating an agreement with Brooks + Scarpa Architects, Inc., authorizing the administration to enter into negotiations with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., as the proposer determined to be the second best qualified; further if the Administration is not successful in negotiating an agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., authorizing the Administration to enter into negotiations with EXP U.S. Services, Inc., as the third best qualified proposer; and further authorizing the City Manager and City Clerk to execute an agreement upon conclusion of successful negotiations by the Administration.