REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Mini-Historic Structures Report/Preservation Plan

for Atchison Village, Richmond, California

Courtesy of Rosie the Riveter Trust

Proposals Due:
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
5:00 PM PST

1401 MARINA WAY SOUTH, RICHMOND, CA 94804 Telephone: (510) 620-6706

Fax: (510) 620-6858
ATCHISON VILLAGE MINI-HSR/PRESERVATION PLAN RFP

A. INTRODUCTION:

The City of Richmond Department of Planning & Building Services has received
grant funding to hire a qualified professional to develop a Mini-Historic Structures
Report/Preservation Plan for the Atchison Village Defense Housing Project,
known today as the Atchison Village Mutual Homes Corporation. The project
focuses on developing an architectural evaluation for character defining features,
a determination of existing typical condition of the structures, development of a
plan for repair and maintenance, and treatment recommendations that preserve
the integrity of the buildings.

Background:

Atchison Village is a unique property of 163 separate buildings and a 4-acre park
containing a total of 450 dwelling units, constructed in 1941 to house the rapidly
expanding population of workers who moved to Richmond for employment in the
World War II ship building industry. Originally constructed as the Atchison Village
Defense Housing Project, the deed for the property was transferred to the
Atchison Village Mutual Homes Corporation in 1957, which has managed the
property as a cooperative since that time. Atchison Village was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places on May 30, 2003 and designated as
California Landmark 4171-X.

The property occupies a flat 30 acre site near Richmond’s downtown, bounded
by an industrial area on the south (Ohio Avenue), the Burlington Northern Santa
Fe Railroad yard to the west (Garrard Avenue), and single- and multi-family
housing to the north and east (Macdonald Avenue and First Street). See aerial
map below.

2008 Google Imagery

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ATCHISON VILLAGE MINI-HSR/PRESERVATION PLAN RFP

Housing in Atchison Village reflects the typical construction and design practices
of the United States Housing Authority (USHA) prior to World War II. The
building assemblies include concrete foundations, light-weight wood stud frames,
and weatherboard siding. All of the significant features of the original community,
including the 162 domestic structures of five different designs, central Community
Building and four-acre park, still maintain a high degree of their historic
appearance. Vinyl siding was added over the weatherboard siding in the early
1990s.

B. PROJECT TEAM REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS:

The project manager shall meet the professional qualification standards for
architectural history or historic architect as set forth at 36 CFR Part 61, Appendix
A. The ideal consultant team would consist of a historic architect, architectural
historian, a structural engineer with a minimum of five years experience dealing
with historic properties, a mechanical/electrical and plumbing engineer with a
minimum of five years experience dealing with historic properties, a civil engineer
with a minimum of five years dealing with site drainage issues in Richmond or the
greater San Francisco Bay Area, and historic landscape architect that meets the
professional qualifications requirements of the federal government, as stated in
the Secretary of the Interior’s Proposed “Historic Preservation Professional
Qualification Standards” for Historic Landscape Architecture prepared by the
National Park Service in response to the 1992 amendments to the National
Historic Preservation Act (Pub. L. 102-575).

C. PROJECT SCOPE OF WORK: TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

The selected consultant will produce a Mini-Historic Structures Report (HSR)/

Preservation Plan for Atchison Village. A sample of the existing structures and
community landscape will be surveyed and documented as part of the Mini-
HSR/Preservation Plan. The primary focus of the report will be typical treatment
recommendations and maintenance/operational requirements to preserve the
historic structures.

The contents of the final Mini-HSR/Preservation Plan should be organized

according to the following format:

1. Table of Contents (paginated by section or sequential page numbers)

2. Forward or Introduction (where appropriate)
3. Purpose of Report, Preservation Objectives
4. Brief History of the Property (summarized from the National Register
Nomination)
5. Construction History (summarized from the National Register
Nomination, if available)
6. Architectural Evaluation
7. Existing Conditions
8. Maintenance and Operational Requirements
9. Treatment Recommendations
10. Drawings and Photographs
11. Sources

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ATCHISON VILLAGE MINI-HSR/PRESERVATION PLAN RFP

12. References (as needed)

13. Appendices (as needed)

The selected consultant shall prepare all work products resulting from this project
in accordance with Preservation Brief # 43 The Preparation of Historic Structures
Reports when such standards are applicable, and the Office of Historic
Preservation’s HSR format instructions.

The activities of the selected consultant will include minimal archival research of
primary and secondary sources, interviews with residents of the community, and
inspection of the property. A representative sampling of the total 163 structures
will be surveyed and documented as part of this process. A minimum of one of
each building type shall be surveyed to identify typical conditions. The interior
and exterior of the community building shall be documented and surveyed.

Attendance at Meetings:

The scope of services requires the selected consultant to work closely with staff,
the Atchison Village Neighborhood Council, and the community in completing the
project. The consultant will budget (at a minimum) attendance at the following
meetings:

• 1 Historic Preservation Advisory Committee meetings;

• 3 community meetings; and,
• 4 Project Advisory Committee meetings.

A community meeting will be held in advance of the research process that will
include both residents of Atchison Village and the greater Richmond community.
People will be asked to contribute historic documents and photographs that can
help inform the preparation of the final report. The selected consultant will also
meet with the leadership and residents of Atchison Village to determine any
future plans for the property and identify any known building or site issues.

Project Materials:

The Department of Planning and Building Services firmly believes in the power of
photographs, graphics, and ‘before and after’ simulations to communicate ideas.
The consultant team is required to provide powerful visuals that effectively
complete and enhance the meeting and project process. All materials developed
for this project will become the property of the Department of Planning and
Building Services. Additional deliverables as required include: progress reports;
electronic files on CD (Word and PDF format) for each final product; presentation
boards, and PowerPoint presentations for public meetings. Meeting materials
including agendas, minutes, presentations (i.e. PowerPoint), supplementary
handouts, and material and display boards shall be submitted to the Planning
and Building Services Department for approval prior to all meetings, workshops
or public hearings.

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ATCHISON VILLAGE MINI-HSR/PRESERVATION PLAN RFP

Products:

Final product deliverables will include the 5 hard copies of the Mini-
HSR/Preservation Plan (4 bound and 1 unbound copy) and one electronic copy
on a CD (in Word and PDF format).

Deliverables and Schedule

Three hard copies and one electronic copy on a CD of the following shall be
submitted, except as noted above:

• Completed building and site evaluations & photo documentation 2/30/09

• 90% - completed draft 4/30/09
• Final Mini-HSR/Preservation Plan Report 6/30/09

D. SCHEDULE:

October 15, 2008 Release of RFP

October 27, 2008 Pre-Proposal Meeting (Mandatory)
Atchison Village Community Center
Collins St. and Curry St.
Richmond, California 94801
11:00 AM
December 3, 2008 Proposals Due by 5:00 PM
December 8, 2008 Notification of Top Proposals
December 19, 2008 Interviews by Consultant Selection Committee
January 2009 Consultant Selection confirmed by City Council
January 2009 Execution of Contract

E. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS
 
A. A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) shall be submitted for all consultants
and subconsultants who will be involved in the project. All SOQ’s should
answer the following questions:

1. Identify the primary contact for this contract and list key personnel,
roles and responsibilities of those who would be working on this
project. Please include brief resumes for the primary contact and key
personnel.

2. Identify how principal project personnel meet the Secretary of the

Interior’s professional qualification standards for historic architecture
or architectural history pursuant to 36 CFR Part 61, Appendix A.

3. Provide the educational background and work history of these key

personnel, including descriptions of their projects and their
responsibilities.

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ATCHISON VILLAGE MINI-HSR/PRESERVATION PLAN RFP

4. Explain the responsibility of each subconsultant firm, if any, who will

be assigned to this project, and their respective experience.

5. Briefly describe related projects for which the team has provided for
similar services. List the contact persons, client names, titles,
addresses, and phone numbers for each project. Samples of prior
HSR and/or preservation plans are strongly encouraged.

6. Provide a billing rate sheet covering all personnel who will charge to
the project and any relevant billing policies. Unless specified in the
submittals, the City will assume that the professional fee schedule will
include any costs associated with complying with the City’s insurance
and business license requirements as specified in this RFP. Organize
the cost proposal into sections matching the scope of work described
above. Price must include all reimbursable costs (long-distance calls,
travel, printing, etc.).

7. Disclose any real or perceived conflict due to interest in real property

development within the City of Richmond. These interests may
include property ownership or current consultant contracts with private
entities.

8. Describe previous experience working in ethnically diverse

communities, as well as, with nonprofit and community-based
organizations and associations.

B. Demonstrated ability to obtain the required insurance coverage (see

Contractor’s Insurance Requirement for contracts up to $50,000). The
selected consultant shall furnish the City of Richmond with certificates of
insurance and with original endorsements affecting required coverage, which
shall be provided by the consultant’s insurance company as evidence of
stipulated coverage. The consultant shall include all sub-consultants as
insured under its policies or shall obtain separate certificates and
endorsements for each sub-consultant demonstrating evidence of stipulated
coverage. Each insurance policy shall be endorsed to state that coverage
shall not be suspended, voided, canceled, or reduced in limits except after
thirty (30) days prior written notice has been given to the City.

C. The Department of Planning and Building Services will not accept the
application if:

• Any document or item necessary to the proposal is incomplete,

improperly executed, indefinite, ambiguous, or is missing.

Additionally, factors such as, but not limited to, the following may also
disqualify a proposer without further consideration:

• Evidence of collusion among proposers;

• Any attempt to improperly influence any member of the Consultant
Selection Committee;

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ATCHISON VILLAGE MINI-HSR/PRESERVATION PLAN RFP

• A proposer’s default under any type of agreement which resulted in the

termination of that agreement; and
• Evidence of any unresolved litigation between the proposer and the City
of Richmond.

F. SELECTION CRITERIA

The Consultant Selection Committee will evaluate the proposals based on the
criteria listed below:

a. Quality of the proposal;

b. Cost to the City;
c. Capability and experience of the contractor;
d. Ability to meet the customer service objectives of the Planning and
Building Services Department

Specifically:

1. Demonstrated ability to provide qualified historic preservation services

for the development of a Historic Structure Report and Preservation
Plan for a multiple structure historic property.

2. Location in the Greater Bay Area. Given the community based

orientation of this project, it is expected that the selected proposer will
attend at least three community meetings (one meeting early in the
project to explain and discuss project objectives and schedule, and
one prior to the conclusion of the project to explain and discuss
results and conclusions from the project), and will work closely with
local archives, museums and community groups. It is preferred that
key personnel employed by firms or individuals responding to this
RFP be located in the greater Bay Area.

3. Demonstrated experience working in ethnically diverse communities,

as well as, with nonprofit and community based organizations and
associations.

4. Cost Proposals. Proposals will be selected dependent on the level of

comprehensive services to be provided within the allocated budget of
$50,000.

5. Timeliness. The Activity which is subject of this RFP has been

financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service,
Department of the Interior, through the California Office of Historic
Preservation. The City, per the executed grant agreement, is
obligated to meet certain requirements and deadlines. The selected
consultant will be responsible for complying with those deadlines and
requirements on behalf of the City.

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ATCHISON VILLAGE MINI-HSR/PRESERVATION PLAN RFP

G. PROJECT COST PROPOSAL

As part of your proposal, provide the cost required for each task identified in the
scope of work to complete the project. At a minimum, include a line item cost
estimate for each task outlined in the scope of work plus a separate cost for
meetings (cost per meeting). The spreadsheet should be in a format that will
permit the Consultant Selection Committee to determine the key project team
member(s) proposed for each task and the number of management, technical,
drafting and support personnel hours, cost per hour for each project team
member and total cost envisioned for each task. The hourly rate, name of team
member and staff classification shall be included in the column headings of the
spreadsheet.

Identify any other costs to be billed to the project including project expenses (no
mark-ups on expenses will be allowed) and sub-consultant costs. Include any
proposed mark-up for sub-consultant fees. Include a copy of the proposed rate
schedules(s) to be used throughout the duration of the study and any
adjustments that are predicted to occur during the study.

H. SELECTION PROCESS

The Consultant Selection Committee will use the selection criteria and submittal
requirements above to evaluate all responses to the RFP that meet submittal
requirements and the submittal deadline based on:

ƒ Experience and qualifications of staff assigned to the project

ƒ References, particularly municipal agencies
ƒ Firm/entity key personnel accessibility to Planning and Building Services
Department staff
ƒ Willingness and demonstrated ability to meet deadlines
ƒ Demonstrated understanding of the overall project and relevant issues
ƒ Project Cost

The Consultant Selection Committee will rank the proposals and will interview the
top ranked proposals. All other consultants will be notified by mail of their status
according to the contract execution schedule in Section D above. Final ranking
of consultants will be based both on the submittal proposals and ratings from the
interviews (if held).

The Consultant Selection Committee will recommend the highest-ranked

consultant to the City Council for approval. Upon confirmation by the City
Council, the Planning and Building Services Director will proceed with
development of a contract with the selected consultant. Submitted proposals,
including cost information will form the basis for the scope of work for the
agreement between the City and the selected consultant. If the City and the
selected consultant cannot reach agreement on the contract agreement, the
Department will terminate contract development and, at its option, contact the
next-ranked consultant for contract development.

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ATCHISON VILLAGE MINI-HSR/PRESERVATION PLAN RFP

The Department of Planning and Building Services and the selected consultant
will negotiate a professional services contract for the time period December
2008 to October 2009. The City reserves the right to extend the term of the
contract and augment the amount of the contract with the agreement of the
selected consultant, pending approval by the City of Richmond City Manager.

I. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

One (1) unbound original and ten (10) bound copies of the RFP response must
be received no later than 5:00 PM PST, December 3, 2008, at the following
address:

Atchison Village Mini-HSR/PP RFP

Attention: Lina Velasco
City of Richmond
Planning and Building Services
1401 Marina Way South
Richmond, CA 94804

Late responses will not be accepted.

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