NEW BUSINESS  8.

COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM

HISTORY:

At the January 16, 2019 Commission meeting, a discussion regarding the implementation of a new citywide standard of design and quality for playgrounds, play surfaces, shade structures, and outdoor fitness equipment was referred to the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee (the “FCWP”). 

For the purposes of this item, the term playground equipment will be utilized to mean playgrounds (aquatic and non-aquatic), playground and park furniture, outdoor fitness, shade structures, and surfaces (safety, artificial turf and hardcourt).

ANALYSIS:

There are several variables that must be considered when selecting playground equipment and determining department-wide product standards. The following factors are typically taken into consideration when devising general product specifications, which may limit the pool of available manufacturers for any given project.

• Environmental Factors

  Miami Beach’s environmental factors, such as the salt air, degree of sunshine and susceptibility to high wind speeds, affect the lifespan of play equipment and must be considered in the process of material selection. While all playgrounds are impacted by these environmental realities, the playgrounds adjacent to the beach are most vulnerable and require maintenance much more often as the other playgrounds. Stainless steel, aluminum and resin-based materials are ideally suited for working around salt water, but equipment needs to be designed to prevent heat related injuries while also withstanding the harsh conditions of its coastal properties.

   

• Budget

  A large, high quality traditional playground costs between $50,000 and $150,000. Incorporating more custom options may raise the price and result in lengthier installation periods and longer lead times. As a recent example, the cost estimate of a non-traditional thematic playground in Maurice Gibb Memorial Park, custom designed by Monstrum, ranged between $287,000 to $296,000.

   

  In addition to the cost of a product, certain equipment has additional cost components such as sketch fees, permitting, excavation related fees and installation fees, which make up between 25–40 percent of the final cost. Considering the rate at which playgrounds must be replaced due to the City’s environmental factors, long-term budget impacts must be considered in determining the design of a playground.

• Design

  Design elements such as equipment color schemes are subject to approval from Planning and occasionally the Design Review Board or the Historic Preservation Board. Additionally, visibility by the public must be incorporated into the playground design to meet CPTED criteria. Additionally, project architects usually have wide discretion in the types of playgrounds selected in order to meet the design’s aesthetic and functional goals.

• Community Input

For a number of projects, community feedback is important to establish needs and the design of future recreational components for a given project. In these cases, the community’s input heavily influences the design, which may determine the manufacturer used.

The result of the above considerations usually results in one (or a small number) of playground equipment manufacturers being identified as the most appropriate for the particular site under consideration. Given the amount of feedback and consideration of the aforementioned factors, selecting a particular design for a playground can be a time-consuming process. By the time a design is selected for a particular site, it is important to expedite the project because, by then, the community is expecting the selection to be implemented expeditiously.

It is important to note that playgrounds are unique in nature, similar to large scale artistic installations. Once a manufacturer’s design is selected, it is not easily comparable to other manufacturers. Therefore, it is usually not possible to seek alternative options to the selected as most manufacturers have copyrighted their designs. Therefore, after a design has been selected, adhering to the City’s competitive solicitation requirements can lead to unnecessary delays because, as previously stated, it is unlikely that other manufacturers can compete against a selected design. In light of the preceding factors, the Administration is recommending a streamlined process for procuring playground equipment in order to expedite projects, including capital and G.O. Bond program projects (Exhibit A).

In order to streamline and standardize on a number of playground equipment manufacturers that offer high quality, durable and aesthetically appealing products (Exhibit B), the Administration has evaluated available vendors and selected a lineup of preferred companies, based on quality of materials, variety of choices and aesthetics, for each respective product category (Exhibit C). These items would be made available to architects engaged by the City to provide construction documents on a particular project, community groups engaged to selecting a playground for a particular site, or departmental staff seeking to complete scheduled replacements of playgrounds across the City. Having a prequalified pool of potential suppliers will streamline the selection process and will assure that only vetted manufacturers that provide quality products are selected.  Further, to streamline the process for acquiring a selected system, the Administration is recommending the following expedited process:

• In cases where the selected manufacturers sell directly to or the selected manufacturer sells its products through an exclusive dealer, it is recommended that the Administration be authorized to negotiate with the selected vendor to establish the best terms and pricing for the selected items.

   

• In cases where the selected manufacturer sells its products through a network of dealers, it is recommended that the Administration be authorized to seek quotes from authorized dealers and select the dealer that offers the best combination of terms and cost.

CONCLUSION:

To streamline the selection and procurement of playground equipment, the Administration recommends that the City Manager be authorized to establish procedures which incorporate the following:

1. Pre-Qualified Pool of Suppliers. Establish and maintain a list of prequalified manufacturers to playground equipment, by category, based on high quality, durability, aesthetic appeal and cost effectiveness. The City Manager should have the authority to add or remove vendors from the pre-qualified pool of suppliers, depending on need or vendor performance.

2. Expedited Acquisition Process. In cases where the selected manufacturer sells directly or the selected manufacturer sells its products through an exclusive dealer, it is recommended that the Administration be authorized to negotiate with the selected vendor to establish the best terms and pricing for the selected items. In cases where the selected manufacturer sells its products through a network of dealers, it is recommended that the Administration be authorized to seek quotes from the selected manufacturer’s authorized dealers and issue an order to the dealer that offers the best combination of terms and cost.

3. Approval Threshold. The City Manager, or his designee, would be authorized to approve the purchase of playground equipment, including orders that may exceed the amount established for bid in the City Code. Additionally, the City Manager, or his designee, would be authorized to approve any installation costs for the selected system up to $300,000. Installation costs in excess of $300,000 would require City Commission approval.

4. Notice to City Commission. The procedure would require that the City Commission be notified when a project is awarded pursuant to the procedures established by the City Manager.