Title
AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH F.H. PASCHEN FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE ELIZABETH MORSE GENIUS CHILDREN’S GARDEN AT THE GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY
SPECIFICATION P-23007
Body
To the Honorable Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Park District
I. Recommendation
It is recommended that the General Superintendent and CEO or her designee enter into a contract with FH Paschen for construction of the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden at the Garfield Park Conservatory. The contractor was selected pursuant to a publicly advertised Request for Proposals (“RFP”). No work may commence and no payment shall be made to vendor prior to the execution of a written agreement.
II. Award Information
Company: F.H. Paschen
5515 N. East River Road
Chicago, IL 60656
Company Type: Limited Liability
Majority Interest: 87% - James V. Blair, 5515 N. East River Road, Chicago IL 60656
Contract Term: Two (2) years with two (2) 1-year extension options.
Contract Amount: $8,581,000.00
Scope of Services: Construction of the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden at the Garfield Park Conservatory
Affirmative
Action Goals: The Minority- and Women-Owned Participation for this contract include: Twenty-six (26)% Minority-Owned and Six (6) % Women-Owned.
Authorization: Authorize the General Counsel to include other relevant terms and conditions in the written Agreement. Authorize the General Superintendent to execute the Agreement and the Secretary to attest as to the signing of the Agreement and keep an original copy of the Agreement on file.
III. Budget and Financial Information
Budget Classification: Capital and Capital Grant
Fiscal Year: 2023
Source of Funds*: Private Grants and Donations - $4.5M
State Grant - $1.75M
Tax Increment Financing - $2M
Park District G.O. Bond - $1.5M
* Final sources subject to change; active fundraising continues. Total sources include design costs and contingency.
IV. Procurement Information
Specification Number: P-23007
Date Issued: May 30, 2023
Date of Pre-Submittal Meeting: June 13, 2023
Date Proposals Due: July 7, 2023
Number of Proposals Received: Two (2)
This contract was publicly advertised as a Request for Proposals (“RFP”). (Two) 2 proposals were received on the due date and all proposals were found by the Department of Purchasing (“Purchasing”) to be compliant and responsive.
The Evaluation Committee (“EC”) was comprised of five (5) voting members, four (4) CPD staff and one (1) non-CPD staff. The EC began their evaluation of the proposals at their first meeting on July 19. They met again on July 25 and at the end of their meeting they decided to send a request for Best and Final Offers to F.H. Paschen. Purchasing received the Best and Final Offers on August 10, and circulated the Best and Final Offer to the EC virtually for review. The EC concluded their evaluation unanimously scoring F.H. Paschen the highest.
V. Explanation
The Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the largest and most stunning conservatories in the nation. Often referred to as “landscape art under glass,” the Garfield Park Conservatory occupies two acres of public greenhouse space and 10 acres of outdoor gardens. In 2022, the Conservatory welcomed nearly 300,000 visitors. The Conservatory is an attraction that serves the local East Garfield Park community and attracts visitors from around the globe. In a typical year, 30% of visitors are from Chicago’s west side, and 58% are from the City of Chicago.
The warm tropical environment is an attraction for many families to visit and learn about plants and nature - especially in the cold winter months. The southwest section of the facility features a 6,000 square foot indoor children’s garden. Our partner, the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, has raised funds from private and government sources to completely renovate the room and build the new Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden. The project is designed to use nature to inspire and engage children, creating an immersive space of natural wonder where children can elevate their expectations, explore their possibilities, and discover their future.
The new garden and playscape will provide a free, year-round, accessible adventure playground for Garfield Park and Chicago families.
The project scope includes the complete reconstruction of the children’s garden with new planting beds, new family restrooms and a new indoor playground that is designed specifically for the space. Play structures will be built with materials that can withstand the wet environment of an indoor greenhouse. A wheel-chair accessible spiral ramp will make its way up to the top of the Conservatory’s historic glass roof, providing views of the Conservatory grounds and the exhibits below. The playground will feature numerous play elements that provide children with opportunities to explore ways that plants are important for human health and ecosystems, along with opportunities to use both fine and gross motor skills. The centerpiece of the playground is a one-of-a-kind climber that will connect with the accessible ramp at the top of the greenhouse.
The Park District issued a Request for Proposals for a General Contractor to construct the project. F.H. Paschen submitted the lowest cost and the Evaluation Committee unanimously scored them the highest for experience and ability to perform the job. They have completed many construction projects for the Park District and they have the expertise and capacity to successfully complete the project. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the Park District to award the contract for construction of the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden to F.H. Paschen.
VI. General Conditions
1. Conflicts: No agreement authorized herein shall be legally binding on the Chicago Park District if entered into in violation of the provisions of the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act, 50 ILCS 105/0.01 et seq.
2. Ethics: The Chicago Park District’s Ethics Code, Chapter III of the Code of the Chicago Park District, shall be incorporated into and made part the agreement.
3. Contingent Liability: Any agreement lawfully entered into for a period of more than one year shall be executory only for the amounts for which the Park District may become liable in succeeding fiscal years pursuant to Section 17(i) of the Chicago Park District Act, 70 ILCS 1505/17(i). All agreements authorized herein shall contain a clause that any expenditure beyond the current fiscal year is subject to appropriation in the subsequent fiscal year budget.
4. Economic Disclosure Statement (“EDS”): Contractor has submitted a full and complete EDS.