Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Parks & Recreation Department

TO:	Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager
CC:	Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager Ernie Shaw, Interim Director, Parks & Recreation
FROM:	Mark Hecker, Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation
DATE:	July 27, 2015
RE:	Playground Surfacing – RFP Number R1504

Background

The Parks & Recreation Department operate and maintain 35 playgrounds in the City’s parks system. In 2012 new ADA laws were enacted that further delineate the need for more accessible surfacing under public owned playgrounds. The past practice of using wood chips under all play structures, in all locations, is no longer acceptable. This project will be the first of a multi-year project to upgrade our playgrounds from loose fill surfacing to poured-in-place rubber surfacing. The primary initial goal is to establish fully accessible play structures in all portions of the City.  The playgrounds being proposed, in this project, are located at East Lawrence Center and in Watson Park. These are both highly used facilities with relatively new play structures.

Project Funding

This project with be funded from the Sales Tax Reserve fund.  

Proposal Information

The Parks & Recreation Department solicited proposals from qualified vendors to provide and install playground surfacing with pricing information for the total project. This approach was taken as all vendors have different types of product and installation methods used to apply their product. Five companies responded with the following proposals:

VENDOR	PRIMARY BASE BID
ECOTURF Surfacing a division of Taylormade Co	$85,687
Fry & Associates	$91,400
ABCreative	$91,212
Athco	$103,820
Custom Play Systems	$118,987
Skylawn	$119,950

Staff Recommendation

All of the companies submitting proposals met the basic criteria for proper playground surfacing. After making field inspections of work done by many of the companies, staff recommends accepting the proposal submitted by ECOTURF Surfacing for $85,687. The product submitted by ECOTURF demonstrated a high degree of wear tolerance, at the locations that were visited, and provided the best pricing to complete the project. It is anticipated work will be completed by October of 2015

Action Requested

Accept the proposal submitted by ECOTURF Surfacing, a division of Taylormade Co, for $85,687 for installation of poured-in-place rubber playground surfacing at East Lawrence Center and in Watson Park.