Title
Resolution Determining Counsilman/Hunsaker & Associates Inc. to be the Only Source Practicably Available from which to Procure Planning and Design Services Associated With the Aquatic Center and Authorizing the Negotiation and Execution of a Contract with Counsilman/Hunsaker & Associates Inc. as "Sole Source"
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
In 2013, Hampton City Council identified “sports tourism” as a strategic economic development initiative that had potential to grow and expand within our community. In May of 2014, the City Manager was authorized to pursue a high level feasibility study for a competition level aquatics center. National aquatics consulting firm Counsilman-Hunsaker was selected to perform this feasibility study. Working in partnership with Urban Design Associates, the feasibility study and concept designs were completed in January 2015. From 2015 to the present, Counsilman-Hunsaker has served as the City’s aquatics consultant as Hampton has evaluated and considered various options.
Counsilman-Hunsaker is one of leading aquatics consultant firms in the country with an extensive resume of aquatics projects of the scope and magnitude of the proposed Hampton facility. Their 4+years of experience with our project places them in a unique position to know and understand our local context, market and program for the facility. Hiring a new firm in this role would necessitate a substantial learning curve to review and understand all that has transpired with the City’s efforts to evaluate various options related to development of a competition aquatics center in our community.
City staff recommends City Council grant authorization to retain the services of Counsilman-Hunsaker as a “sole source” to represent the City’s interests as we proceed through the various next stages of the project development.
Recommendation:
Rec
Adopt the sole source resolution.
Body
WHEREAS, The City of Hampton has identified sports tourism as an important initiative;
WHEREAS, The City of Hampton commissioned the national aquatics consulting firm Counsilman/Hunsaker & Associates, Inc. to conduct a feasibility study for an aquatics center;
WHEREAS, The City of Hampton is considering an unsolicited proposal, under the Virginia Public-Private Educational Facilities and Infrastructure Act Code of Virginia 56-575.1 et al, to build an aquatics center.
WHEREAS, the unsolicited proposal is based in part on the findings of the feasibility study done by Counsilman/Hunsaker & Associates, Inc.
WHEREAS, Counsilman/Hunsaker & Associates, Inc.’s unparalleled knowledge in the area of building and running aquatics centers, combined with its extensive familiarity of the city’s needs for this project, make it the only practical source available.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia as follows:
1. That the contract for procuring the services of an aquatics consultant described above may be negotiated and awarded to Counsilman/Hunsaker & Associates, Inc. as the “sole source” without competitive sealed bidding or competitive negotiation as set forth in Code of Virginia §2.2-4303(E);
2. That the City Manager or her authorized designee is authorized to negotiate and execute a aquatics consultant contract with Counsilman/Hunsaker & Associates, Inc.; and
3. That the notice awarding the contract to Counsilman/Hunsaker & Associates, Inc. shall be posted in a public place pursuant to Code of Virginia §2.2-4303(E).