RFP #0001-FY27-PRCR Aquatics Operations / Management / Staffing Services

TOWN OF WAKE FOREST REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 2026
TOWN OF WAKE FOREST PARKS, RECREATION,
AND CULTURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP #0001-FY27-PRCR)
FOR THE
AQUATICS OPERATIONS/MANAGEMENT/STAFFING SERVICES
DATE ISSUED
Tuesday, September 1st, 2026
PROPOSAL DUE DATE
Tuesday, October 13th, 2026
2:00 p.m.
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TOWN OF WAKE FOREST REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 2026
RFP Notice
The Town of Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department (WFPRCR) is seeking proposals
to provide aquatics operation, management and staffing services for Holding Park Aquatic Center and Joey
McCrea Wiggins Park Sprayground beginning January 1, 2027.
DATE ISSUED
Tuesday, September 1st, 2026
MANDATORY SITE VISITS
Thursday, September 10th, 2026
Holding Park Aquatic Center - 10:00 a.m.
Joey McCrea Wiggins Park Sprayground - 11:30 a.m.
QUESTIONS DUE DATE
Friday, September 18th, 2026
2:00 p.m.
CLARIFICATIONS DUE DATE
Tuesday, September 29th, 2026
2:00pm
PROPOSAL DUE DATE
Tuesday, October 13th, 2026
2:00 p.m.
E-Mail Addresses for Questions, Clarifications, and Submittal
Hollie Aldridge, Purchasing Supervisor
919-435-9489 or haldridge@wakeforestnc.gov
with any questions regarding the proposal procedure.
Edward Austin, Athletics & Aquatics Manager
919-435-9562 or eaustin@wakeforestnc.gov
with any technical/operational questions regarding this proposal.
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TOWN OF WAKE FOREST REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 2026
Site Information
Holding Park Aquatic Center has three (3) separate bodies of water
Dimensions: 75' x 45'
Competition Pool 190,488 gallons
Sanitation Method: high-rate sand filter
Dimensions: 33.5' x 24'
Plunge Pool 18,535 gallons
Sanitation Method: high-rate sand filter
Dimensions: 44.5' x 40.5'
Wading Pool 9,574 gallons
Sanitation Method: high-rate sand filter with secondary UV system
Memorial Day Weekend (Saturday)- Labor Day
Dates of Operation
Weekend (Monday) annually
Hours may vary, typical hours of operation:
Hours of Operation Monday - Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Joey McRae Wiggins Park Sprayground
VORTEX Sprayground features
Recirculating system (one (1) 1,000gal tank)
Sanitation Method: high-rate sand filter
Dates of Operation mid-April - late September
Hours may vary, typical hours of operation:
Hours of Operation Monday - Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
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TOWN OF WAKE FOREST REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 2026
SCOPE OF SERVICES
1. Contractor agrees to provide staff as required by WFPRCR, for lifeguards, pool manager, gate, and
concessions personnel and Sprayground attendants.
2. Contractor will be responsible for compliance with State of North Carolina and Wake County health
codes related to proper sanitation and maintenance levels for a public swimming pool, scheduling
permitting inspections and daily logs/maintenance of the aquatic facilities.
3. Contractor will perform, to industry standards, maintenance of the aquatic facility equipment, pump
rooms, and restroom/locker room areas.
4. Contractor will be responsible for purchase/provision of all chemicals and supplies (to include First Aid
kits, ring buoys, shepherd's hooks, backboards, etc.) necessary to maintain a safe and healthy swimming
pool environment per State and County requirements.
5. Contractor will be responsible for purchase/provision of all necessary
supplies to maintain restroom/locker room areas and for daily cleaning of restroom facilities/locker rooms
at Holding Park Aquatic Center.
6. Contractor will coordinate with WFPRCR staff the installation, removal, and storage of covers at Holding
Park Aquatic Center on a seasonal basis (installation and removal to be performed by Contractor).
7. Contractor will ensure cleanliness of facility areas (cleaning decks of debris/trash, locker rooms are
cleaned and sanitized daily, concession stand and all appliances in concession stand are cleaned and
sanitized daily) and report any concerns to WFPRCR in a timely manner.
8. Contractor will be responsible for off-season preparations ("winterizing") at both Joey McCrea Wiggins
Park Sprayground and Holding Park Aquatic Center.
9. Contractor will submit bi-weekly invoices, which must include the dates and details of services provided.
10. Contractor will be responsible for payment of wages, withholdings, and any applicable insurance to its
employees that are assigned to WFPRCR aquatic facilities. Workmen's Compensation coverage will
be required.
11. Contractor shall appropriately train all staff prior to assigning them to work at WFPRCR aquatic
facilities. Lifeguards must possess current certification in lifesaving and CPR/First Aid (American Red
Cross or YMCA certification are acceptable). Contractor must provide staff qualifications to the Town of
Wake Forest prior to assigning them to Town of Wake Forest aquatic facilities.
12. Contractor will provide a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) to perform mandated CPO duties at each facility
at least one time per day during the operational season and will ensure that Town staff has access to
records of CPO inspection logs/notes.
13. Contractor will provide a Certified Swim Lesson Instructor to manage swim lesson curriculum and swim
lesson instructors.
14. Contractor will conduct Background screening for all staff, which shall be in compliance with Town of
Wake Forest standards and make such records available for WFPRCR staff review upon request.
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TOWN OF WAKE FOREST REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 2026
15. Contractor must ensure that staff is on site, dressed and physically ready for work 30 minutes prior
to scheduled opening time.
16. Contractor will provide the name, contact phone and email address of an "on call" individual that can
respond to emergency service requests in a timely manner. Further, the schedule must contain an alternate
"on-call" individual in the event the primary "on-call" contact cannot be reached.
17. Contracted staff will keep accurate inventory of concession items and provide reports to
Athletics/Aquatics Staff weekly via email to ensure that proper materials are purchased by the WFPRCR
to stock the concession stand.
18. Contractor will be responsible for collection of daily receipts, recording of chemical levels (CPO log),
recording of all water quality maintenance (chemical additions), and for daily deposits of funds at the
direction of the Town of Wake Forest during the Aquatics Season.
During the Aquatics Season, Contractor must send daily CPO logs, water quality maintenance and any
facility maintenance records to WFPRCR Athletics/Aquatics staff for both Joey McCrea Wiggins Park
Sprayground and Holding Park Aquatic Center.
During the off-season, weekly maintenance reports for Joey McCrea Wiggins Park Sprayground and
Holding Park Aquatic Center are to be sent to the WFPRCR Athletics/Aquatics staff.
19. Contractor will provide detailed patron use reports on a daily (and weekly) basis to WFPRCR, including
notifications of closures, whether related to weather conditions or equipment failure/maintenance.
20. WFPRCR will forward any complaints, compliments, evaluations, etc. submitted by patrons for the
Contractor to review and take appropriate action.
21. The Town of Wake Forest reserves the right to refuse the services of a contracted staff member for just
cause. Just cause shall include, but is not limited to: use of profanity, unprofessional behavior or conduct,
tardiness, and failure to adhere to established rules and procedures.
22. The WFPRCR Athletics/Aquatics Staff may request an evaluation or review of a specific contracted staff
member upon just cause. Written evaluation shall be submitted to the WFPRCR Athletics/Aquatics Staff
within 5 business days before the staff person's next assignment in Wake Forest. The Contractor shall not
assign the staff member(s) to WFPRCR facilities until an investigation is complete.
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TOWN OF WAKE FOREST REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 2026
Staff Requirements
Holding Park Aquatic Center
Operations
* A Manager and front gate attendant will be on duty during all hours of operation.
* Managers must be at least 21 years old.
* At times designated "Open Swim", eight (8) certified lifeguards will be on duty.
* Additionally, one (1) attendant will be on duty at the concession stand and one (1)
attendant will be assigned to the gate area for patron check-in.
Swim Lesson Instruction
* Contractor must provide a Certified Swim Lesson Instructor to manage swim lesson
curriculum and swim lesson instructors.
* Swim Instructors will be provided by Contractor based on information provided by
Town staff.
* Classes (each Swim Lesson Session) will have minimum of two (2), maximum of four
(4) participants per class. Registration for classes will be conducted by the Town of
Wake Forest. As a point of reference, there were 112 classes in 2026,
totaling 446 participants.
* At times designated for swim lessons, four (4) swim lesson instructors and three (3)
certified lifeguards will be on duty.
Dive In Movies
* There will be two (2) "Dive in Movie" events scheduled by PRCR each season.
* During these events, four (4) certified lifeguards, one (1) front gate attendant, and one
(1) member of the management team will be on duty.
* Contractor shall supply equipment necessary for the event (projection screen, projector,
DVD player, amplifier, etc.)
Joey McRae Wiggins Park Sprayground
Operations
* One (1) attendant will be on duty during operating hours to assist patrons, provide
daily reports of attendance, and serve as "front-line" personnel should issues with the
operating system occur.
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TOWN OF WAKE FOREST REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 2026
Evaluation Criteria
A. Description of the project including size[VL1] and s
Evaluation Criteria Percentage Value
* Understanding of Scope & Requirements (35%)
Applicants should specifically describe how they will manage and provide services listed in the Scope of
Work.
* Team Qualifications (25%)
Contractors will be evaluated on the basis of experience in performing similar services. Comparable service
contracts will be used to assist in this evaluation.
* Project Cost (20%)
Preference will be given to firms whose annual cost is within the budgeted amount.
* References (15%)
The Contractor will be evaluated on the references included in this RFP.
* Legal History (5%)
Contractors will be evaluated on their legal history for the last 10 years.
Project Understanding
Provide a succinct description of the process and services that would be delivered based on the Scope of Work
section of this RFP.
Team Organization and Qualifications
1. Identify the lead staff person and their qualifications.
2. Brief description of organization and other key team members involved with this proposal including members
who have worked on similar contracts.
3. Identify location of all members working on this project including current contact information and
titles for each member.
Work Samples
Provide digital copies of two (2) comparable service contracts that most closely match the services desired in this
RFP. The example should be from the last five (5) years and include degree of involvement, staff involved,
challenges and solutions.
References
Three (3) references including client name, address, contact person, telephone number, email, contract start and
end date (if applicable) as well as a description of services provided. References should be for similar or related
contracts on which key staff that are proposed for this submittal have worked.
Legal History
Include a history of litigation and disputes including any pending litigation, arbitration, and disputes. Include
results of past litigation, disputes, and arbitration for the last 10 years.
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TOWN OF WAKE FOREST REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 2026
Submittal
Submittal Process Details
A selection team will evaluate the submittals and will make recommendations based on the responses as
submitted and may choose to conduct interviews with proposers prior to recommending a Contractor.
Proposals are due no later than Tuesday, October 13, 2026 @ 2:00 P.M.
Proposal submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Proposals must be submitted via USPS or other
delivery methods (UPS, FedEx, etc.) Proposals may be hand delivered between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 2:00
p.m. to Hollie Aldridge at the address listed below. Charges not included in the proposal will not be considered in
the contract.
Refer to RFP #0001-FY27-PRCR - Aquatics Operations/Management/Staffing Services on the
envelope and deliver proposal to:
Town of Wake Forest
Hollie Aldridge, Purchasing Supervisor
Aquatics Operations/Management/Staffing Services
#0001-FY27-PRCR
234 Friendship Chapel Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
There will not be a public opening of proposals.
RFP package shall be submitted on 8 12" x 11" paper, side bound with Table of Contents and reference tabs
for key sections. The package submitted shall not exceed twenty (20) pages double-sided (front/back
covers, Table of Contents, and tab pages are excluded from these totals). The RFP package must include a
Cover Letter. Submissions must be clear, succinct and exclude any addendum attachments. Only complete
submittals will be considered for evaluation. Proposals, along with any supporting documentation will
become part of the public record.
RFP packages may be opened by The Town of Wake Forest at any time after the submission deadline. All
submissions satisfying the requirements of this RFP will be evaluated to establish which best fulfills the needs of
The Town of Wake Forest. The Town of Wake Forest anticipates entering into a contract with one of the firms
submitting an RFP to execute the proposed work.
This RFP, however, does not commit the Town of Wake Forest to award a contract, or pay any cost incurred in
the preparation of the submittal. The Town of Wake Forest reserves the right to accept or reject any and all
submittals received as a result of this request, to negotiate with all qualified firms or to cancel this RFP, if it is in
the best interest of The Town of Wake Forest.
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TOWN OF WAKE FOREST REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 2026
Selection Process
This RFP provides information necessary to prepare and submit qualifications for consideration and ranking by
Town staff. The selection team will review each submittal and rank them based on the criteria requirements
specified within this RFP. The Town may invite agencies for interviews, but this is not a required step in the
selection process.
At the conclusion of the interviews (if held), the selection team will rank the agencies based on the selection
criteria and the interviews. Following the of all required information, the Town's Contract Approval process will
be initiated.
By responding to this RFP, respondent accepts the evaluation process as outlined, acknowledges, and accepts that
determination of the "most qualified" Contractor may require subjective judgments by the Town.
Contract Award
Award of RFP will be to the Proposer that offers the best overall proposal including pricing and services offered.
The proposal will be based on total proposal price and services overall. The awarded Proposer will be expected to
comply with the Town of Wake Forest Service Terms and Conditions included in the RFP (and to sign a Service
Contract such as the sample Service Contract included herein). The Town of Wake Forest reserves the right to
reject any or all proposals and to make the award as deemed to be in the best interest of the Town of Wake Forest.
Upon completion of the selection process, the selected Contractor will be asked to finalize their fee proposal.
Contract Period
The term of this contract will be for three (3) years, effective January 1, 2027. The Town reserves the option to
renew for two (2), one (1) year increments unless otherwise terminated as provided herein. Unless terminated by
either party it is agreed that the terms of the contract shall continue on a month-to-month basis should the current
term expire prior to renewal. Contract prices must be firm for the contract period and include all chemicals,
maintenance, supplies and services as described in the scope of services, unless stipulated otherwise in this
proposal. The water quality at Holding Park Aquatic Center is to be maintained to industry and health department
standards year-round.
Contract Termination
Failure to perform contractual commitments may result in contract termination by the Town of Wake Forest.
Should termination of the contract be deemed necessary by Town staff prior to the end of the contract period,
Contractor will be notified in writing and shall be paid only for services previously provided. If Contractor wishes
to cancel the contract, the Town of Wake Forest must be notified in writing a minimum of 30 days prior to
cancelation of services.
General Comments
Any cost incurred by respondents in preparing or submitting this Request for Proposals shall be the submitter's
sole responsibility.
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TOWN OF WAKE FOREST REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 2026
Miscellaneous Terms and Conditions
I. General Contract Terms and Conditions
The selected Contractor will report directly to the Town of Wake Forest. The selected firm is to administer the
contract and to ensure that all work is performed in accordance with the contract requirements. The selected firm
will be responsible for providing staff with the appropriate skills and qualifications to ensure contract compliance.
The firm will be directly responsible for oversight of the services provided for the Town under the terms of the
contract.
II. Communication
All communication of any nature with respect to this RFP shall be addressed to the staff identified earlier in this
RFP. Potential Contractors and their staff are prohibited from communicating with elected Town officials, Town
staff, and any selection team member regarding this RFP or submittals from the time the RFP is released until the
selection results are publicly announced. Violation of this provision may lead to disqualification of the firm's
submittal for consideration.
III. Conflict of Interest Statement
By submission of a response, the Contractor agrees that at the time of submittal, it: (1) has no interest (including
financial benefit, commission, finder's fee, or any other remuneration) and shall not acquire any interest, either
direct or indirect, that would conflict in any manner or degree with the performance of Contractor's services, and
(2) will not benefit from an award resulting in a "Conflict of Interest." A "Conflict of Interest" shall include
holding or retaining membership, or employment, on a board, elected office, department, division or bureau, or
committee sanctioned by and/or governed by the Town. Contractors shall identify any interests, and the
individuals involved, on separate paper with the response and shall understand that the Town, in consultation with
legal counsel, may reject their submittal.
IV. Trade Secrets and Public Records
Records received by the Town in response to the Request for Proposals are public records and subject to public
inspection and copying. The Public Records law (N.C.G.S. 132-1 et seq.) authorizes the Town to withhold from
public inspection and copying legitimate and properly marked 'trade secrets.' Note that to protect a 'trade secret'
detail requirements must be met, such as:
* It is a "trade secret" as defined in G.S. 66-152(3); and
* It is the property of a private "person" as defined in G.S. 66-152(2); and
* It is disclosed or furnished to the Town in connection with a bid or proposal; and
* It is marked as "confidential" or as a "trade secret" at the time of its initial disclosure to the Town.
V. Non-Warranty of Request for Proposals
Due care and diligence have been used in preparing this RFP. However, the Town shall not be responsible for any
error or omission in this RFP, nor for the failure on the part of the Contractor to ensure that they have all
information necessary to affect their submittals.
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