Bid Detail

24-203 - RFP: Review and Update of Historical District Guidelines, Policies and Procedures

Introduction

The City of Springfield, through its Office of Planning & Economic Development, is seeking to review and update its Historical District Guidelines, Policies and Procedures. Springfield’s first local historic district (Quadrangle-Mattoon) was created in 1972.

While sections of the ordinance have been periodically amended over the years, the majority of the guidelines are over forty years (40) years old with many having minimal to no guidance. There are also no existing guidelines, policies or procedures in place for the review and creation of new districts, many of which have been created over the last few years. The City is seeking to complete a comprehensive review of the historic guidelines, policies and procedures to help enable the Springfield Historical Commission and the general public to better serve and understand the public process by which to protect legitimate historic resources.

The Historical Commission relies on these guidelines, policies and procedures for historic district administration of its twenty-four (24) local historic districts, which protect close to fifteen hundred (1,500) buildings. Applications for each district range in complexity from in-kind repairs to full new construction. Also, many of the proposed changes being made today are also for projects not originally anticipated when the districts were first created (i.e., solar panels). Additionally, with the creation of the City’s Community Preservation Committee, the Commission has also seen a sharp rise in the request for the creation of single-building historic districts. Currently, the Commission has no existing criteria, policies or procedures in place to properly review and assess these new district requests.

The City hereby requests competitive sealed bid proposals in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30B, § 6

Project Objective:

The purpose of this project will be to engage a consultant team (historic preservation consultant, architect and/or graphic designer) to complete a comprehensive
review and update of the Historic District Guidelines, policies and procedures in accordance with state statute. This update is intended to clearly define and improve procedures and policies relating to decision-making by the Commission and bring predictability to the process by creating review checklists and detailed criteria, policies and procedures. Due to limited staff within the Office of Planning & Economic Development, a detailed review and update has not been completed. The project will culminate in updated guidelines, policies and procedures that will serve as the primary resource for the Historical Commission and property owners undertaking preservation, reconstruction, rehabilitation or restoration in the historic districts. This project is also intended to provide criteria, procedures and policies for the creation of new historic districts. The guidelines, policies and procedures will also provide guidance for other municipal development review boards as well as staff engaged in management of municipally-owned historic properties and private owners of historic properties.

The goal of the project is to have these updated guidelines, policies and procedures available in both paper and electronic format that will be accessible on the City website.

The consultant/consultant team selected for the project will be responsible for providing production services, including research of existing information, content development, writing/editing, graphic design, and printing. The final product will be a user-friendly handbook, which will include new and existing design objectives and guidelines. This document may also include diagrams, photographs and other information necessary to clearly illustrate appropriate design principles for historic properties.

The process for updating the guidelines, policies and procedures will largely involve the Springfield Historical Commission (SHC), staff from the Office of Planning and Economic Development (OPED) and the consultant. The consultant, with the assistance of OPED, may be required to solicit input from City departments and boards. The process will also include public outreach and education through public meetings with the SHC. In order to ensure full public participation, the consultant/consultant team shall prepare a public communications plan.

The process will include a review of Springfield’s existing documents along with a prioritization of needs for the development of updated or new guidelines, policies and procedures. This review should include a review of the City’s current Historic Inventory for determination of its sufficiency to be used for making accurate and compelling determinations regarding historic district designation. The consultant will develop content based on existing documents, successful examples from other communities, working sessions with the SHC and input from public meetings. These revisions will make each document current, with supplementary charts, illustrative examples, and checklists to make the existing material more user-friendly.

All guidelines, policies, procedures and recommendations produced and developed as part of the project will be in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring, and Reconstructing Historic Buildings (36 C.F.R. 67 and 68) as well as Mass General Laws, Chapter 40C.

Project Fee:

The City has established a budget not to exceed $35,000 for the Scope of Service described herein. Proposers must complete the Price Proposal Form. Project fees must be provided for each of the four phases of work as described in the form. Fees shown shall include all costs and expenses (including materials, copying, mileage, photography, etc.) necessary to complete the Scope of Services defined in Part 5 of this RFP.

Pre-Proposal Questions

Questions regarding the RFP should be in writing and delivered via mail or facsimile (413) 787-6295 on or before 4:00PM on April 16, 2024 to:

Office of Procurement
Attn: Lauren Stabilo, Chief Procurement Officer
lstabilo@springfieldcityhall.com
City Hall – Room 307
36 Court Street
Springfield, MA 01103

All inquiries related to the requirements should prominently refer to “Bid # 24-203 – “REVIEW AND UPDATE OF SPRINGFIELD HISTORICAL DISTRICT GUIDELINES, POLICES AND PROCEDURES,” and the opening date.

Responses to inquiries will be in the form of a numbered addendum to the specifications issued by the Office of Procurement and sent to all parties listed in the bid file as

Proposer(s) having requested the bid documents from the Office of Procurement. Proposer should base responses only on the specifications including any addenda.

PLEASE NOTE that all addenda must be acknowledged either in the bid response (there is a space for that purpose on the bid cover sheet) when submitted or by following the instructions on the addendum cover sheet. If using the latter means to acknowledge receipt, the Vendor must write the business name of the firm, sign the sheet and email to lstabilo@springfieldcityhall.com or fax it to (413-787-6295) and/or include a copy of the sheet in the bid response.

The City of Springfield supports the goal of twenty percent minority and women participation in all contracts. No questions will be answered unless received by the Chief Procurement Officer at least 7 days prior to the expiration of the time set for submitting bids or proposals. The Chief Procurement Officer reserves the right to waive any informality in and to reject any or all bids if it is in the public interest to do so.

Available Solicitations

As of 4:04 pm Monday, April 29, 2024

24-242 - Request for Proposals for Tax Title Management Services for City Treasurer/Collectors Office
End date: Wednesday May 15, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-240 - Request for Proposals for Deputy Tax Collector Services
End date: Wednesday May 15, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-236 - Interior Painting at Rebecca Johnson Elementary School
End date: Tuesday May 14, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-235 - Interior Painting at Milton Bradley Elementary School
End date: Tuesday May 14, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-222 - For Sale: Redevelopment Boston & Albany Railroad at Factory Road/Hendee Street
End date: Monday May 13, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-234 - Window Shade Replacement at the High School of Commerce
End date: Friday May 10, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-233 - Fire Escape Repairs at Old Homer St. School
End date: Thursday May 9, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-232 - Site Improvements at Arthur T. Talmadge Elementary School
End date: Thursday May 9, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-231 - Site Improvements at Brightwood-Lincoln Elementary School
End date: Thursday May 9, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-221 - Mary O. Pottenger School Parking Lot Improvement Project
End date: Thursday May 2, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-220 - Frank H Freedman School Parking Lot Improvement Project
End date: Thursday May 2, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-219 - Daniel B. Brunton School Parking Lot Improvement Project
End date: Thursday May 2, 2024 at 2 p.m.

24-180 - Roadway & Sidewalk Improvements - Arterial and Residential Streets including Sidewalks
End date: Wednesday May 1, 2024 at 2 p.m.

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