This RFP is intended to solicit proposals to furnish Owner’s Representative/Construction Management Services for the major campus improvements of Bluff Lake Nature Center.

Click HERE for the complete RFP.

The Pre Bid Conference was held virtually on June 10, 2022 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

If you were unable to attend, you can view the video HERE. You can also view the PDF of the presentation HERE. Answers to the questions asked can be read in the Q&A section below.

Q&A responses will be populated as questions come in.

Q: What is BLNC considering for the size of the building space?

A: Bluff Lake staff’s preliminary idea for size is approximately 5,000 square feet, but we understand that this is contingent on what can fit in the available land on the bluff, without putting pressure on the site, as well as what falls within our budget when considering a multi-level building.

Q: How many people does BLNC aim to serve in the classroom/event spaces?

A: Classroom space should be able to accommodate at 60 people, with the ability to divide one large classroom space into two smaller classroom spaces.

Bluff Lake does not hold large-scale events. However, this is a place for the community and thus we will want a flexible layout that would allow for mission-centric community events or non-profit partner events to be held, as well as Bluff Lake’s own events. Any event space will likely be capped at 150 people, and events will have their own set of rules to comply to not put pressure on the site (i.e. No after dark events, no amplified music). Limited parking also means limited events.

Q: Does BLNC want to incorporate existing buildings? Or start with a clean slate?

A: Repurposing any of the existing structures would be ideal. However, we also understand that would not be pragmatic to repurpose structures when considering some of the major campus improvements, such as the main welcome center building.

Q: Why is Bluff Lake hiring an Owner’s Representative for this project?

A: While the staff and board of Bluff Lake have many areas of expertise that help this organization flourish, construction and the project management involved are not among our skill sets. This project is far too important for us to rely on our gathered knowledge, not to mention the limited amount of attention and time that our staff or board members would be able to commit, when the running of Bluff Lake still needs to happen concurrent to his project. We want a partner whose expertise and excitement of this project will guide us in a smart manner.

Q: What is meant by “final offer”?

A: We understand that the proposal process may include opportunities for new information to be shared and discussed, and that such opportunities could mean the changing, clarifying or refining of a point, or edits in the scope, of a proposal. This is the opportunity for those changes to be made before Bluff Lake makes a decision.

Q: How will the community be involved in this project?

A: Bluff Lake’s purpose is to serve the community, which is why it will be vital that all of the diverse people, from Central Park to Montbello, will be a part of this conversation as we begin this project. That will mean having focus groups with partner organizations, events at schools we serve, connecting with churches, finding support and feedback from community leaders, and more.

See calendar below.

Any questions regarding this RFP, technical requirements, general conditions etc., should be directed BY EMAIL ONLY to Leila Regan-Porter at leila@blufflake.org.

This RFP is intended to solicit proposals from qualified architects to design the nature center building and other campus improvements to be constructed on our property.

Click HERE for the complete RFP.

The Pre Bid Conference was held virtually 3 p.m. on July 29, 2022.

If you were unable to attend, you can view the video HERE. You can also view the PDF of the presentation HERE. Answers to the questions asked can be read in the Q&A section below.

Please note that some of the questions were slightly similar in nature, however, we have answered each of them in efforts to be as clear and transparent as possible.

Q: We are planning to include the following base consultants in the proposal: Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Energy Modeling, Civil, Landscape, and Structure. Are there any other consultants BLNC would like to work with, whom we should provide recommendations for (i.e., graphic signage consultant)?

A: Recommendations for other consultants can take place following the hiring of the architect. However, if there is an example of a project that shows the work of a particularly relevant consultant, please feel free to mention them.

Q: Is there a strategic master plan with phased work that has been developed for the 123-acre lot already? If not, is this a service you would like us to provide as a precursor to Phase I?

A: No, we do not have a strategic master plan yet. The closest we have is the image on the Campus page (https://www.blufflake.org/campus). This is a service we would want provided, as it will support our fundraising efforts and planning for future growth.

Q: Are there any unique storage needs that need to be accommodated? How much storage do you anticipate being required?

A: The most secure storage we will need will be for the boat (by the lake) and truck (recently stolen, replacement to be purchased). We will need additional storage near the creek for educational purposes. As we have site and education volunteers who will be on site when the main building is closed, it will also be important to have some storage accessible outside of the main building.

Q: Currently the nature center and facilities are free and accessible to the public, every day. Will this be an expected condition during construction? If so, thoughts on limiting construction access through a single point of entry?

A: Access to Bluff Lake throughout this project will be vital. Currently, there is only one point of access for the public, which would likely be the construction access also. There is another point of access further in the site on MLK, but this will not be helpful for the majority of construction access, which will need to be where the building and parking lot are located. However, we would be interested in exploring the idea of creating another access point close to the parking lot, as that line of fencing and gate will be replaced.

Q: Are you seeking any specific building certifications, i.e. LEED, Living Building Challenge, Passive House, and/or WELL Building Certification? Note: Unless told otherwise, we will assume this to be a net-zero building (with or without certification)

A: While we want to be as green as possible (not only as a nature preserve but also as a public-facing educational organization that seeks to create a new generation of environmentally-minded stewards), we understand that sometimes certification requires unnecessary line items resulting in extreme extra costs. Therefore we wish to look at the green elements as what is best suited for this project and reasonable within our scope.

Q: The City & County of Denver will require a certain allotment of parking spaces based on zoning requirements. Does Ownership have a specific quantity of parking spaces in mind?

A: Currently we have 27 spaces available for parking, one of which is ADA-accessible. Ideally, we would have additional parking as a result of this project, with a better use of the space available so as to not take away from the landscape.

Q: Is there an established total budget for the project, or for the cost of construction?

A: Currently our goal for our capital campaign is $6M, but that is allowing for funds to be contributed to the endowment fund we have at the Denver Foundation, to support the extra costs for operations once the building is up and running. We also are mindful of the fact that this very rough estimate was determined at a time when building construction costs were very different, and that they continue to fluctuate. The first objective of our Owner’s Rep will be to determine a more accurate estimate, which will then be discussed and changed if necessary with the design team.

Q: Has ownership had any engagement with the City & County of Denver, and is ownership aware if this project will require a Concept Design & Site Development Plan (SDP) review process?

A: The BLNC Executive Director and a member of the BLNC Campus Committee have had preliminary discussions with the Department of Community Planning and Development about the project and the process. Once we have our Owner’s Rep engaged, we will start the process with the City and County of Denver, to ensure all proper review processes are adhered to.

Q: It appears that the schedule will be dependent on a fundraising phase. How long do you anticipate this phase?

A: Currently we are in the quiet phase, with ⅓ of the fundraising goal committed. We anticipate launching the public phase in the summer of next year, or once 80% of the goal is reached. The public phase will likely continue through the end of 2023. However, the fees for architects, design team, consultants, etc. will be primarily covered by the additional annual funds we are able to obtain from our fund at The Denver Foundation for a project such as this.

Q: A project timeline is contingent on many factors. Is there already an ideal timeline established that you would like us to use?

A: Our original timeline was to begin construction in Fall 2023 and complete before Summer 2024 in time for our camp to utilize the campus. However, this will be revisited and critically reviewed with our Owner’s Rep for a realistic timeline.

Q: There is a note requesting total estimated firm fees for the project. Should this include all base consultant fees? This could include: architecture, civil, structure, MEP, and landscape.

A: Yes. The more information we can be provided for consultant fees the better it will be for us to estimate what costs we need to cover through this process.

Q: There is note of a payment schedule BLNC would like to use. What is the payment schedule format that we should follow?

A: TBD.

Q: The RFP asks for 'Resume and specific experience of proposed Architect' – are resumes desired just for the architectural team or should we include resumes for the entire subconsultant team, as well?

A: Any particularly-relevant subconsultant team members’ resumes will be welcome, especially when considering their experience that would be relevant to this project.

Q: Fees: Total estimated firm fee for completion of the project – is there a particular format you are seeking for this?

A: A per-phase breakdown of costs at the very least would be helpful.

Q: Schedule: Can you share more information on your anticipated timing of Phase1/2 completion and how long the capital campaign might run before Phase 3 begins? Additional schedule information will help us better understand the services and fees required.

A: Currently we are in the quiet phase, with ⅓ of the fundraising goal committed. We anticipate launching the public phase in the summer of next year, or once 80% of the goal is reached. The public phase will likely continue through the end of 2023. However, the fees for architects, design team, consultants, etc. will be primarily covered by the additional annual funds we are able to obtain from our fund at The Denver Foundation for a project such as this.

Our original timeline was to begin construction in Fall 2023 and complete before Summer 2024 in time for our camp to utilize the campus. However, this will be revisited and critically reviewed with our Owner’s Rep for a realistic timeline.

Q: Is there a page limit for the proposal response?

A: No.

Q: The project size is referenced as 4,000 to 7,000 sq feet along with multiple shade structures, floating classroom and portable toilet. Can you clarify the scope the fee proposal should be based on i.e. total building square footage,; size of floating classroom; number of shade structures; etc.?

A: The 4,000-7,000 square feet is relevant to the main building, not the additional campus improvements. Bluff Lake staff’s preliminary idea for the size of the main building is approximately 5,000 square feet, but we understand that this is contingent on what can fit in the available land on the bluff, without putting pressure on the site, as well as what falls within our budget when considering a multi-level building. The size of the other campus improvements will also be contingent on what is advised by the design team, to determine what is needed, suitable, and works within the environment we need to protect.

Q: Related to the question above - under consultant selection one of the items is estimated cost of building. Can you clarify this item in more detail? Are you looking for the design and engineering team to submit an estimated construction budget for the building/project as part of the proposal? This would be unusual without more definition to the design and a finalized program. If it is also then to be part of the proposal evaluation as noted on page 7 of the pdf, not sure how that will work given everyone will be making different assumptions about sizes, quantities and your expectations/requirements for a construction budget.

A: We would not expect an estimated construction budget as part of the proposal. We expect the construction budget to be determined through a collaborative process with the Bluff Lake staff, campus committee members, Owner’s Rep, and architect/design team, once all those players are in place. The “Estimated total cost of building” will be related to the preliminary budget the team will create with the Owner’s Rep, and how it is relevant to the fees that the architect presents in their proposal. For example, as this will be a relatively small project compared to some larger institutions (i.e. national parks, city museums, etc.), we would be looking for a comparable fee structure from our architect.

Q: It is our understanding that proposed fees for the construction Contract Administration (CA) phase are not required at this time, rather just for the Phase I, II and III scopes as defined by the RFP. Please confirm.

A: Yes, that is correct.

Q: Will BLNC provide the selected design team with a topographical survey to include utilities, or will you be looking for that to be included in our proposal?

A: While we do have some previous surveys at our disposal, it is likely that much of this work will need to be done by the design team. Click on the links below for surveys we are able to provide at this time.

ATLA/ACSM Land Survey.

Q: Similarly, will BLNC provide the design team with a geotechnical report? Most typically this is contracted directly under the Owner, but we wanted to confirm.

A: We will provide any such reports that we have already had done. Click on the links below for surveys we are able to provide at this time.

Geotechnical Evaluation and Foundation Recommendations

Q: Does BLNC intend to pursue a formal sustainability certification, like LEED, or is the selected design team expected to apply the most cost-effective sustainability strategies to the project without the pursuit of a specific certification? Assuming some public funding, it may be necessary to achieve a certain level of LEED or Green Globes, but we wanted to confirm.

A: While we want to be as green as possible (not only as a nature preserve but also as a public-facing educational organization that seeks to create a new generation of environmentally-minded stewards), we understand that sometimes certification requires unnecessary line items resulting in extreme extra costs. Therefore we wish to look at the green elements as what is best suited for this project and reasonable within our scope. However, if funding-specific grants require this, we will naturally require the certification.

Q: Has a construction delivery method been determined? The RFP seems to suggest that the final CD (Phase 3 documents) will be used to solicit competitive GC bids. We would advocate that BLNC consider including a GC earlier in a CM/GC and pre-construction capacity, to assist with budgeting, due to the challenges of the current market. We suspect this will be a discussion with your Owner’s Representative once they are on board.

A: This is a discussion that will take place with our Owner’s Rep and determined at that time.

Q: When is Bluff Lake's desired construction start date?

A: Currently we are in the quiet phase of the capital campaign, with ⅓ of the fundraising goal committed. We anticipate launching the public phase in the summer of next year, or once 80% of the goal is reached. The public phase will likely continue through the end of 2023. However, the fees for architects, design team, consultants, etc. will be primarily covered by the additional annual funds we are able to obtain from our fund at The Denver Foundation for a project such as this.

Our original timeline was to begin construction in Fall 2023 and complete before Summer 2024 in time for our camp to utilize the campus. However, this will be revisited and critically reviewed with our Owner’s Rep for a realistic timeline.

Q: Is there a target budget for the project (design + construction)?

A: Currently our goal for our capital campaign is $6M, but that is allowing for funds to be contributed to the endowment fund we have at the Denver Foundation, to support the extra costs for operations once the building is up and running. We also are mindful of the fact that this very rough estimate was determined at a time when building construction costs were very different, and that they continue to fluctuate. The first objective of our Owner’s Rep will be to determine a more accurate estimate, which will then be discussed and changed if necessary with the design team.

Q: 'Total estimated firm fee for completion of the project' is requested. There are many ancillary structures mentioned in the RFP - in the absence of clear scale/ scope for these, may we propose an estimated range?

A: The $6M is intended to at least cover the construction of the main building (as well as the addition of utilities), with the expectation that a significant amount will also be added to the Denver Foundation fund, as explained above. We understand that certain other elements of the campus improvements may come at a later date, and could possibly be funded from more specific program-related grants.

Q: Does BLNC have any vendors they anticipate working with, such as AV/IT, security, exhibit design, etc?

A: Not at this time.

Q: How will BLNC manage the project internally - will there be an owner's rep involved?

A: Yes. An Owner’s Rep will be hired before Architect interviews begin.

Q: Does BLNC have expectations for the design team's involvement in the capital campaign? (e.g renderings/ presentation graphics, attendance at meetings etc)

A: This project will be a very hands-on, collaborative effort, and we expect the design team to be fully involved with many aspects of the process, including community outreach and team communications. We hope that this is a project that will excite a team who is genuinely interested in providing the diverse communities we serve with a welcoming space to be used by the surrounding neighborhoods.

Q: What is BLNC's expectation for timeline to secure funding for Phase 3? Do you anticipate the project will pause during the capital campaign?

A: Currently we are in the quiet phase of the capital campaign, with ⅓ of the fundraising goal committed. We anticipate launching the public phase in the summer of next year, or once 80% of the goal is reached. The public phase will likely continue through the end of 2023. However, the fees for architects, design team, consultants, etc. will be primarily covered by the additional annual funds we are able to obtain from our fund at The Denver Foundation for a project such as this.

Our original timeline was to begin construction in Fall 2023 and complete before Summer 2024 in time for our camp to utilize the campus. However, this will be revisited and critically reviewed with our Owner’s Rep for a realistic timeline.

Q: Could you please elaborate on the question in the 'Proposal Format & Scope' section that inquires if we “would be willing to work within our payment schedule?” What is this schedule?

A: We will be reviewing the best practices for this with our Owner’s Rep to determine the payment schedule.

See calendar below.

Any questions regarding this RFP, technical requirements, general conditions etc., should be directed BY EMAIL ONLY to Leila Regan-Porter at leila@blufflake.org.