Request for Proposals PROST
(Parks, Recreation, Opens Space, & Trails) Master Plan
I. Introduction
The Town of Virgin is seeking proposals from qualified consulting firms to develop a PROST (Parks, Recreation, Open Space, Trails) Master Plan. This plan will provide guidance for both short- and long-range planning for the Parks, Recreation, Opens Space, and Trails in the Town of Virgin by integrating community input, and national and other parks and recreational planning standards.
The Town of Virgin is a small sized community of just over 700 residents in the Town limits but serves as a regional area within the Zion Corridor to Zion Park. The Town is known for its dramatic scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities, to include mountain biking and events such as Red Bull and Frog Hollow. The Town has four significant parks, recreation areas nearby, and several rights of away and other property that town maintains to include a BMX track that holds regional events. Zion National Park receives over 5 million visitors per year with many, if not most, visitors passing through Virgin. This plan's primary focus is to serve the community, but tourism impacts, and design opportunities should be addressed. The town informally provides recreation opportunities, such as pickleball court and use of the gym, but is interested in creating a recreation department.
The PROST (Parks, Recreation, Open Space, Trails) Master Plan will be the guiding document for future development and redevelopment of the Town's parks, open space, trails and recreation and programs over the next to 15 years.
II. RFP TIMELINE
RFP posted
Clarification inquiries
Proposals due
Interviews (optional)
Consultant selection
April 17, 2025
Due by May 29, 2025
June 10, 2025 (2:00 pm local time)
TBD
June 17, 2025
Note: This is the Town's desired schedule. The Town reserves the right to modify the schedule. Notice to proceed will be issued shortly after consultant selection and contract award. The final applicant selection and contract will be approved by the Town Council.
III. Scope of Work
The project is expected to include the following items:
Develop and implement a plan for robust community involvement in preparing and adopting PROST Plan;
Develop an inventory of existing parks, and open space, and provide a report of the current conditions for each park, and their facilities and amenities;
Identify unmet current and future needs in the parks, open space, trails, and recreation programming;
Identify potential trail corridors to complement proposed Zion Corridor Trail Studies
Prioritize park improvements, development of amenities, equipment, and facilities within each park, and potential future park acquisitions;
Identify staffing and funding needs and strategies; and
Prepare final PROST Master Plan document.
IV. Specific Tasks
The scope of work is organized into tasks associated for work activity in support of each area of the plan. The Consultant may suggest alternate methods of approach that meet the project goals.
Task 1: Develop a Community Outreach Plan
- Describe and implement a comprehensive strategy and methodology for community involvement in this Master Plan development process which includes one or more open houses to gather initial public sentiment, and one or more work sessions or open houses to preview proposals prior to adoption of final plan.
- Provide well-organized and directed activities, techniques and formats that will ensure an equitable, inclusive, open and proactive public participation process. This will include:
o Community survey or Community workshops (note: the Virgin Planning and Zoning Commission has just completed a community planning survey which will be available to consultant)
o Structured public comment for adoption of final plan (note: the plan will be adopted by Virgin Town Council after a public hearing and after receiving a recommendation from the Virgin Planning & Zoning Commission).
- Act as professional facilitators to gather specific information about services, use, preferences and any strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
- Provide written records and summaries of the results of all public process and communications strategies that can be shared with the public.
- Help to build consensus and agreement on the plan and if consensus is not possible, provide information for informed and equitable decision making for the Town Council.
Task 2: Inventory, Conditions Report and Future Design/Programming Considerations
The Town of Virgin has a BMX track, three parks: Heritage Town Square; Virgin Town Park; Falls Park (partnership with BLM), and donated Open Space for flood control, Pocketville Hollow. The Town also has several rights of ways that may be develop into trails or provide access to Virgin River. The BMX track borders BLM land which BLM has offered for sale in the past, and which could be useful in future partnership with BLM, or purchased and developed by Town for its recreational needs. Develop a comprehensive inventory of the Town's existing parks, open space, and recreation facilities that will include the following:
- Park, Opens Space, or facility type and purpose
- Park, Opens Space, or facility location
- Acreage
- Inventory of facilities and amenities
- General assessment of physical conditions and functionality along with necessary improvements or upgrades
- Produce maps and graphic representations of the parks and the park system for use both in the plan and outreach materials for the Town.
- Produce maps showing future recommendations, improvements, and possible expansion.
- Identify opportunities and constraints for each park, open space, or facility
Task 3: Gap Analysis/Needs Assessment
The Consultant will produce a needs assessment that examines both needs in the existing parks, opens space as well as the need for additional parks and amenities and provide an assessment and analysis of what is necessary to create a recreation department in Virgin. This should include recommendations for system-wide improvements, including acquiring/developing new parks sites, improving existing parks, rights of way or trails providing public access to river, and potential partnership opportunities to provide community needs. The analysis will come primarily from existing data including:
- The inventory and conditions report (see above)
- Projections of population growth, demographic characteristics
- Recreation participation trends
- National Level of Service (LOS) standards
- Geographic distribution within the Town of Virgin
- Identified unmet needs of residents (from community survey and other relevant sources)
- Identification of areas of significant recreational opportunities (existing and future)
Task 4: Identify potential trail corridors to complement to complement proposed Zion Corridor Trail Studies
The Town does not have a current trail system except for existing mountain bike trails on adjourning BLM land. The Town recently adopted the Utah SR9 Access Transportation Plan which had a Virgin Transportation Plan component that has not been adopted. There has been a Zion Corridor Trail Feasibility Study that has proposed a trail to run along SR9 through Virgin. The PROST Master Plan should recommend changes, if any, to the location of this proposed trail based upon public input and own analysis along with identifying potential trail corridors to compliment and connect to the proposed Zion Corridor Trail.
Task 5: Priority Recommendations for Park Improvements, Development and Potential Future Expansion and Funding Strategies
From analysis of Tasks 1 - 4, the Consultant will develop prioritized recommendations to meet needs through:
- Renovation, upgrades, and maintenance of parks/outdoor facilities and amenities
- development of additional recreational amenities/facilities and land acquisition
- providing additional recreational programming and services (and creation of Recreation Department)
The Consultant will develop estimates of the capital and operational cost for renovation and maintenance of parks/outdoor facilities, development of additional recreational amenities/facilities and land acquisition along with recreational programming and services.
The Consultant will develop an action plan that includes strategies, priorities and an analysis of budget support, funding mechanisms and partnership opportunities for short-, mid- and long-term park system, trails and recreation programs and services.
Task 6: Identify Staffing and Funding Needs along with Strategies
The Consultant will assess the Town's organizational structure, staffing and funding levels in relation to national averages and comparative to towns of similar size. The Consultant will provide a budget and staffing analysis needed for current level of service, an adequate level of service and a desirable level of service. The analysis will also include funding and staffing requirements for future growth and operation aligned with the priority recommendations. The Consultant will also provide funding strategies.
Task 7: Prepare Final Document
The Plan should be in a reader-friendly document with an emphasis on maps, charts, photos, graphics and tables to convey information to complement written text. The Plan should be formatted in such a way that it is easy to update on a routine basis. The Plan should be in both printed and electronic format. Provide a complete color version of the final Plan and ten (10) color printed and bound color copies along with three (3) flash drives (or other appropriate electronic platform) with the final Plan and all project files.
V. Administration, Meetings and Presentations
Realizing potential Consultants may not be local and travel costs may increase price beyond the allocated or contemplated budget, below are outlined expectation for meetings. The Consultant in their proposal can identify which meetings they intend to be in person, or virtual. This can be refined after project award but in the pricing be clear of number of in person meetings. The Consultant should include in the proposal a cost for additional meetings.
- Project Kick Off - hold meeting with Town staff to clarify objectives for the project, including confirming roles and responsibilities and finalizing the project methodology, scope of services, timeline and format and content of deliverables. (virtual)
- Participate in progress meetings with the Project Manager (Town Engineer) as often as necessary, but not less than once per month until the final plan is approved (virtual).
- Community meetings to be outlined above and in the proposal.
- Present at least one mid-progress Parks Master Plan (can be virtual) and the draft final plan (in person) to joint meeting of Planning and Zoning Commission and Town Council.
VI. Request for Clarification
All requests for clarification in specifications regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing no later than May 29, 2025 to
Email: Monica Bowcutt at mbowcutt@virgin.utah.gov
VII. Method of Evaluation (100 Total Points)
A panel of Town staff will review the submitted qualifications based on the evaluation factors listed below:
Company Overview, Statement of Qualifications, Team Description Points: 5
Provide names, educational background and experience of each team member, including sub consultants, if applicable. The information should describe the nature of the work and the role of these individuals and/or companies as they relate to this project. Include names and qualifications of outside consultants and associates that may be employed to assist on this project. Provide project organization chart.
Project Relevant Experience Points: 15
Describe three to five current projects or projects completed in the last five years. Include client contact information. Preference will be given to respondents who have developed plans for other municipalities.
References Points: 5
A minimum of three (3) related business references, including names, addresses and phone numbers plus a description of the type of work you performed for them. Include references of other Municipalities/Organizations that your firm has prepared or assisted in preparation of Parks Master Plans.
Project Approach Points: 45
Describe your understanding of the project and an approach for completing the project. Provide task details and proposed timeline. Proposal demonstrates a clear understanding of the park planning requirements and the work to be performed. Include a proposed timeline in the Project Approach.
Price
Provide in a separate sealed envelope marked pricing for the Scope of Work including related deliverables and timeline. The selection committee will ranked the respondents before consideration of the price which will be used by the Town in negotiating final scope of work and contract as provided below.
Optional Interviews
The selection committee reserves the right to select a short list of the highest scoring respondents for interviews.
The Town will negotiate with the highest ranked respondent to finalize a contract for the contract period. If a contract cannot be successfully negotiated with the highest ranked respondent, then negotiations will be terminated with that respondent and the Town will negotiate with the next highest ranked respondent until an agreement is reached or an impasse is declared.
VIII. Notice of Award and Appeal Process
The Town intends to select a single Consultant. The selected Consultant will be identified by the selection committee and a notification letter will be sent to all respondents. Any respondent wishing to appeal the recommendation must do so in writing and within 7 business days of the notice being sent.
The Mayor or Town Engineer will recommend entering into a contract with the identified Consultant at a future Town Council meeting.
IX. General Terms & Conditions
The Town reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals, to waive any informality or irregularity in any Proposal received, and to be the sole judge of the merits of the respective Proposal received.
Final award will be subject to the execution of the contract. The Town reserves the right to negotiate a final contract that is in the best interest of the Town.
The Town reserves the right to modify or incorporate additional steps in the evaluation process in the interest of having a thorough and comprehensive body of information in order to make a recommendation.
X. Submittal Instructions
Proposals should be submitted in a sealed envelope, or other sealed container, which is clearly marked
'PROST Master Plan'. Please provide one (1) digital copy, one (1) original and six (6) copies of the Proposal. The original should be marked 'Original' and must bear an original ink signature by an individual authorized to represent the Consultant. Please indicate if you would like the device on which the digital copy is submitted returned to you.
Proposals should be submitted to:
Krystal Percival, Recorder
Town of Virgin
114 S Mill Street
Virgin, UT 84779
Submission Date and Time: Thursday, June 10, 20025 at 2:00 p.m. Local Utah time
Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)
In compliance with the ADA, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communication aids and services) during this meeting should notify the Virgin Town Clerk at 435-635-4695, at least 24 hours in advance.