RFP For Hartley Nature Center Campus Planning and Prelim Design Services

Location:	Minnesota
Posted:	Nov 19, 2025
Due:	Nov 26, 2025
Agency:	City of Duluth
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	C - Architect and Engineering Services - Construction R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Solicitation No:	25-AA23
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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CITY OF DULUTH

ON BEHALF OF HARTLEY NATURE CENTER

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR

25-AA23 HARTLEY NATURE CENTER

CAMPUS EDUCATION PLANNING & PRELIMINARY DESIGN SERVICES

ISSUED OCTOBER 29, 2025

PROPOSALS DUE NOVEMBER 26, 2025

SUBMIT TO:

CITY OF DULUTH

ATTN: PURCHASING DIVISION

CITY HALL, ROOM 120

411 WEST 1ST STREET

DULUTH, MN 55802

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PART I – GENERAL INFORMATION

I-1. Project Overview. Hartley Nature Center (HNC) is seeking professional planning and

preliminary design services for the development of a Campus Education Action Plan for the

Hartley Nature Center Campus, located at 3001 Woodland Ave, Duluth, MN 55803 (see IV-5. Site

Maps & Images for the campus location and extent). This Campus Plan will guide facility

reinvestment to support high-quality environmental education experiences for all ages and

maximize long-term organizational stability. $125,000 has been allocated for planning and

preliminary design development.

The purpose of the Campus Plan is to:

 Analyze site needs and opportunities for campus reinvestment, including space

optimization for current and future programming and activities

 Assess organizational needs and opportunities to stabilize operations

 Reimagine the main entrance area and exhibit hall to be more dynamic, interactive, and

engaging for all ages

 Identify opportunities for interpretive elements that will enhance current programming and

foster a cohesive educational experience across campus and develop an interactive,

interpretive display plan for an improved exhibit hall.

Intended products of the Campus Plan include:

 Development of a conceptual campus plan with proposed improvement options

 Preliminary design and market-based cost estimates for selected improvements and

interpretive materials, including accompanying high-quality visual renderings usable for

fundraising purposes

 Realistic and prioritized implementation plan

The materials developed during this planning and design process are intended to support

fundraising with a grant application due date of July 31, 2026. An anticipated timeline is provided

below to support schedule development for meeting this grant application intention.

Anticipated Activities

Tentative Date

HNC enters contract with selected consultant and initiates Phase 1

December 2025

Launch Phase 2 community & stakeholder engagement

April 1, 2026

Begin finalizing preferred concepts and Phase 1 design materials

May 2026

Final draft of Phase 1 opinion of probable cost and 30% design documents

shared with HNC and City

June 30, 2026

Greater MN Regional Parks & Trails Commission grant application deadline July 31, 2026

Finalize remaining components of Campus Plan and close out consultant

contract

December 31,

2026

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Additional details are provided in Part IV of this RFP.

I-2. Proposal Calendar. Hartley Nature Center and City of Duluth will make every effort to adhere

to the following schedule:

Activity

Date

Recommended Pre-proposal Conference at Hartley Nature Center:

November 5, 2025;

3001 Woodland Avenue, Duluth, MN 55803

starting at 12 PM (noon)

Deadline to submit questions via email to purchasing@duluthmn.gov November 12, 2025

Answers to questions will be posted to the City website no later than

this date

November 14, 2025

Proposals must be received by 3:00 PM on this date

November 26, 2025

Tentative interview dates

December 11, 2025

December 12, 2025

I-3. Rejection of Proposals. HNC reserves the right in its sole and complete discretion, to reject

any and all proposals or cancel the request for proposals, at any time prior to the time a contract

is fully executed, when it is in its best interests. HNC is not liable for any costs that a Proposer

incurs in preparation and submission of its proposal, in participating in the RFP process, or in

anticipation of award of the contract.

I-4. Pre-proposal Conference. An in-person OPTIONAL (attendance is recommended for at

least one member of the proposer’s project team) pre-proposal conference will be held at the

Hartley Nature Center, located at 3001 Woodland Ave, Duluth, MN 55803, on Wednesday,

November 5 at 12:00 PM (noon).

I-5. Questions & Answers. Any questions regarding this RFP must be submitted by e-mail to the

Purchasing Office at purchasing@duluthmn.gov no later than the date indicated on the Proposal

Calendar. Answers to the questions will be posted as an Addendum to the RFP. Any addenda

issued must be acknowledged on the Proposal Sheet attached as Appendix A.

I-6. Addenda to the RFP. If HNC deems it necessary to revise any part of this RFP before the

proposal response date, an addendum will be posted to the website City of Duluth website:

https://duluthmn.gov/purchasing/bids-request-for-proposals/. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to

periodically check the website for any new information.

I-7. Submission. To be considered, a hard copy of the proposal must be received by the City on

or before the time and date specified in the Proposal Calendar. The City will not accept proposals

received via email. HNC reserves the right to reject or to deduct evaluation points for late

proposals.

Proposals must be signed by an authorized official. If the official signs the Proposal Cover Sheet

attached as Appendix A, this requirement will be met. Proposals must remain valid for 60 days or

until a contract is fully executed.

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Please submit one (1) un-bound paper copy of the Technical Proposal and one (1) un-bound

paper copy of the Cost Proposal. The Cost Proposal must be in a separate sealed envelope.

All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become property of HNC and will be shared

with the City of Duluth, which then becomes public record after the evaluation process is

completed, and an award decision is made.

I-8. Small Diverse Business Information. HNC encourages participation by minority, women,

and veteran-owned businesses as prime contractors, and encourages all prime contractors to

make a significant commitment to use minority, women, veteran-owned and other disadvantaged

business entities as subcontractors and suppliers. A list of certified Disadvantaged Business

Enterprises is maintained by the Minnesota Unified Certification Program at

http://mnucp.metc.state.mn.us/.

I-9. Award. The agreement award will be based on the time and materials submitted in the

proposal, but will be a lump sum, not-to-exceed agreement. Any costs for reimbursable items

must be identified, estimated, and included in the total not-to-exceed amount.

I-10. Term of Contract. The term of the contract will begin once the contract is fully executed

and is anticipated to end by December 31, 2026. The selected Proposer shall not start the

performance of any work nor shall HNC be liable to pay the selected Proposer for any service or

work performed or expenses incurred before the contract is executed.

I-9. Mandatory Disclosures. By submitting a proposal, each Proposer understands, represents,

and acknowledges that:

1. Their proposal has been developed by the Proposer independently and has been

submitted without collusion with and without agreement, understanding, or planned

common course of action with any other vendor or suppliers of materials, supplies,

equipment, or services described in the Request for Proposals, designed to limit

independent bidding or competition, and that the contents of the proposal have not been

communicated by the Proposer or its employees or agents to any person not an employee

or agent of the Proposer.

2. There is no conflict of interest. A conflict of interest exists if a Proposer has any interest

that would actually conflict, or has the appearance of conflicting, in any manner or degree

with the performance of work on the project. If there are potential conflicts, identify the

municipalities, developers, and other public or private entities with whom your company

is currently, or have been, employed and which may be affected.

3. It is not currently under suspension or debarment by the State of Minnesota, any other

state or the federal government.

4. The company is either organized under Minnesota law or has a Certificate of Authority

from the Minnesota Secretary of State to do business in Minnesota, in accordance with

the requirements in M.S. 303.03.

I-10. Notification of Selection. Proposers that are not selected will be notified in writing.

PART II – PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals not following the specified format or exceeding the page limit may not be reviewed.

The delivered proposal shall be limited to 20 pages, excluding the front and back covers, the

cover letter, and cost proposal. This would be 20 single-sided 8.5” x 11” pages, 7 double-sided

8.5” x 11” pages, or a mixture thereof. The separate cost proposal can be an 11” x 17” sheet.

Proposers shall submit a complete package.

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II-1. Technical Proposal. Proposals should include the following and be structured accordingly:

1. Cover Sheet (format provided in Appendix A)

2. Firm Information: name of firm/discipline, contact information, and staff size.

3. Overview and description of the firm's qualifications and any special or unique services it

may provide.

4. Description of your firm's experience in completing work of this type including three (3)

specific examples and project references (include reference name, phone number, and

email, and links or copies of previously completed plans/projects). Projects that reflect the

firm’s experience planning and designing regionally significant environmental education

facilities are desired.

5. Specific name and qualifications of the lead member of the project team who will be the

primary contact and have full responsibility for the project. Complete qualifications must

be submitted for other members of the project team, as well.

6. List whether or not your firm will be the sole consultant for the entire project. Include any

subcontractors who will be working with your firm on this project, their responsibilities, and

a summary of applicable experience and qualifications.

7. Summary of your firm's understanding of the project and approach to the scope of work

identified in Section IV – Project Detail.

8. Detail your firm’s scope of work and methods to be used to complete the work outlined in

Section IV-4 Scope of Work, including steps to undertake, key milestones, project

deliverables, and cost control measures. Cost control measures may include identifying

specific tasks that HNC or City staff could complete or significantly contribute towards to

reduce costs (do not include specific dollar amounts within the Technical Proposal).

9. Proposed schedule to accomplish the proposed scope of work, including anticipated

number and timing of meetings with HNC staff and Board of Directors, and City of Duluth

staff. The scope of work must be completed no later than December 31, 2026.

Note: the materials developed during this planning and design process are intended to

support fundraising with a grant application due date of July 31, 2026. Include key

deadlines that will be paramount to meeting this intention, and reference the anticipated

timeline provided in Section I-1 Project Overview.

10. Responses to the following prompts in a narrative format:

A. Describe your experience developing operational models related to maintenance,

staffing, fee structures, use patterns, etc. to inform facility operational cost and

revenue projections, and to enhance efficiency and user experiences.

B. Describe the approach and strategies you will use to incorporate sustainable

facility plans and to accommodate City of Duluth Owner Performance

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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

RFP For Hartley Nature Center Campus Planning and Prelim Design Services

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See also