Paradise orders concept design for new works depot

By Mark Squibb / July 21, 2023

The Town of Paradise has awarded a contract for the conceptual design of a new public works depot, although staff had to negotiate down the price and give up some of the scope of the work after the initial bid came in overbudget.

Councillor Deborah Quilty explained to her colleagues during this week’s public council meeting that staff had issued proposals to retain the services of a qualified architectural firm to provide “functional programming and conceptual design services” for the new depot, and that three companies had submitted proposals. Staff then evaluated the technical and financial merits of each proposal, with the lion’s share of the weight being placed on the technical merit — 75 points out of a possible 100 were awarded for technical merit, with the remaining 25 points reserved for financial merit.

Fougere Menchenton Architecture scored 87 points, LAT49 Architecture scored 69 points, and Vigilant was, according to councillor Deborah Quilty, disqualified from the competition after not meeting a minimum technical score of 50. Their financial submission remained sealed.

Quilty moved that council award the contract to the highest scorer, Fougere Menchenton Architecture, which, despite scoring 25 out of 25 points on financial merit, still came in over budget.

“Both of the fully compliant submissions came in overbudget,” said Quilty. “Staff were asked to negotiate with the highest proponent, Fougere Menchenton, to alter the proposed scope to bring it within the available budget.”

That budget, as per Budget 2023, is $100,000, exclusive of tax.

Staff negotiated a new contract price of $99,965, a whole $35 under budget. What had to be cut from the original scope of work to bring the project within budget was not indicated, though Quilty said that staff successfully “retained an acceptable scope of work for this price.”

Quilty said the contract will now be “overbudget only by the taxes,” coming in at $114,844, when the HST is included.

She added the design of the new depot will incorporate principles of the Green Building Council of Canada.

Council approved the motion with no further discussion.

The proposed facility is being considered for construction on town-owned land on Kenmount Road Extension.