Sponsor: Parks & Recreation
Title
title
Tamarack Nature Center Garden House Remodel Project
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Recommendation
recommendation
1. Approve the selection of and contract with Construction Results Corporation, 14170 23rd Avenue North, Plymouth, MN 55423 for Tamarack Nature Center Garden House Remodel Project construction services for the period of October 7, 2020 through October 6, 2021, in the amount of $604,740.
2. Authorize the Chair and the Chief Clerk to execute the contract.
3. Authorize the County Manager to execute amendments to the agreement in accordance with the County’s procurement policies and procedures, provided the amounts are within the limits of available funding.
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Background
background
In 2007, Parks & Recreation adopted a strategic plan to build out the campus at Tamarack Nature Center through updated and/or added facilities, interpretive trails, programs, and exhibits, with an end goal of building the nature center’s capacity to help people discover the value of nature through play, inquiry, exploration and service.
Since then, Parks & Recreation has completed several projects on the campus. In 2015, the main building was expanded to include a preschool with two dedicated classrooms, a staff office, and a conference room/parent gathering space. In 2016 the front entrance, reception, exhibit, and existing staff office spaces were remodeled, followed by another project to expand parking on site and provide better circulation and additional site amenities.
In 2019, Parks & Recreation hired Shelter Architecture for design services for remaining improvements, including exhibit installation, trail improvements, sugar shack relocation/construction, a new programming building, activity area shelters, overflow parking lot, a new maintenance facility, and a remodel of the existing garden house building. Construction of these improvements will be completed over the next several years as funding is available. Parks & Recreation has identified funding for the garden house remodel and issued a Request for Bids for this project in June. The project will consist of required code upgrades to the kitchen and mechanical spaces, and conversion from a summer season facility to a year-round facility. The project also includes energy upgrades, a public restroom, and cold storage addition to support the ongoing programming for the community.
Below is a competitive solicitation summary:
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Request for Bids (RFB) Title |
Tamarack Nature Center Garden House Remodel |
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RFB Release Date |
June 10, 2020 |
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RFB Response Date |
July 09, 2020 |
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Number of Contractors Notified |
259 |
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Number of RFB Responses Received |
5 |
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Contractor Recommended |
Construction Results Corporation |
Parks & Recreation recommends award of a contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder meeting the specifications, Construction Results Corporation, in the amount of $604,740.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☐ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, food equity and access to fresh and healthy food is a key part of racial equity. The garden house at Tamarack is dedicated to teaching about healthy eating, as well as family and community gardening, and donates on average over 500 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables each year to the local food shelf. Numerous educational programs will be served by this garden house remodel. For example, the Nature Center partners with Willow Lane, a White Bear Lake School District elementary school with a population comprised of 14% Latinx, 1% Native American, 16% Asian, 25% Black or African-American, and 10% two or more races. Every student in every grade level at Willow Lane visits Tamarack two or three times each school year. Otter Lake Elementary is right across the street from the Nature Center, and students attending that school are also frequent visitors to Tamarack. Schools from across the region visit the campus, and the garden house remodel project will facilitate programming for these students.
Additionally, the contractor for this project, Construction Results Corporation, is a certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE), which will help to advance County initiatives around contracting inclusion. Workforce inclusion goals for this project are 32% minority, 6% female and the contracting inclusion (SBE) goal for subcontractors is 20%.
Community Participation Level and Impact
This project is part of a larger development vision for Tamarack Nature Center established by the County in 2008. Since then, the project has been refined and improvements made to better support existing and future programming to better serve the community. Parks & Recreation has worked closely with White Bear Township to incorporate resident input received at Township meetings into project plans and to communicate project plans and schedules with the community and particularly the immediate neighbors. Additionally, this project will result in additional usable space for Tamarack Nature Center partners such as the White Bear Lake school district. Project plans were reviewed and recommended for approval by the citizen-led Parks & Recreation Commission as well.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☒ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Funding for this project is available in the approved 2018 Comprehensive Capital Asset Preservation Plan (CCAMPP) Budget, in the amount of $604,740.
County Manager Comments
County Board approval is required for construction contracts over $175,000.
Last Previous Action
On December 12, 2017, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved the 2018-2019 Capital Improvement Program Budget and the 2018 Capital Improvement Program Financing (Resolution B2017-492).
Attachments
1. Construction Contract