Waterfront Park Professional Landscape Architect Services

Location:	Michigan
Posted:	Feb 2, 2026
Due:	Feb 26, 2026
Agency:	City of East Grand Rapids
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	C - Architect and Engineering Services - Construction
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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Request for Proposals

Waterfront Park Improvement Project

City of East Grand Rapids

Due: Thursday, February 26, 2026 before 3:00pm

Issued by:

Parks and Recreation Department

City of East Grand Rapids

750 Lakeside Dr SE

East Grand Rapids, MI 49506

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

WATERFRONT PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

PAGE 2

CITY OF EAST GRAND RAPIDS

PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT SERVICES

PROJECT TITLE: Waterfront Park Improvement Project

PROPOSAL DUE DATE: Thursday, February 26, 2026 before 3:00pm

CONTACT: Derek Melville, Parks and Recreation Director- dmelville@eastgrmi.gov / 616.949.1750

750 Lakeside DR. SE, East Grand Rapids, MI 49506

Part I: Proposal Scope of Work and Deliverables

A. Background

The City of East Grand Rapids has commenced city wide improvements to community recreational sites

because of a successful Parks Improvement Millage that was supported by the community in November

of 2021. Millage proceeds provide funding for multiple park improvement projects within the City of

East Grand Rapids that were originally identified during the 2020 Community Parks and Recreation

Master Plan process and further supported through the passing of the Parks Improvement Millage. The

City updated its Community Parks and Recreation Master Plan in 2025 which is included for reference as

Exhibit B.

Prior to the City of East Grand Rapids acquiring the property now known as Waterfront Park, the

wetlands on the property were filled in during the 1970’s to support a development that never

occurred. In 1991, the City of East Grand Rapids received a Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

grant to purchase a portion of Waterfront Park to be combined with other parcels that were already City

property with the intent of developing a public park and preserving existing wetlands. In 2008, the city

received an additional DNR grant for Phase I of the Waterfront Park Development, which included the

installation of fishing piers and boardwalks, habitat restoration, interpretive nodes, a parking area, and

other site amenities to support visitors to the lakefront viewing areas.

Phase II has been a longstanding priority for the City and has been included in each East Grand Rapids

Community Parks and Recreation Plan since 2012. The project was recently included as a priority project

in the voter-approved 2021 Parks Improvement Millage.

Waterfront Park has recently been awarded a $500,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant from

the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to support the Phase 2 Development of the property.

The Reeds Lake Waterfront Park Improvement Project – Phase II proposes sustainable improvements to

approximately 11 acres of Waterfront Park located on the west side of Reeds Lake Boulevard. The goal

of this phase is to enhance the existing site while providing passive, ADA-accessible, natural resource–

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

WATERFRONT PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

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based recreational and educational opportunities for the community. Final amenities are subject to the

feedback from the community, with the following amenities included in the LWCF grant application:

•Restoration and enhancement of woodlands and wetlands

•Expansion of the existing parking lot and additional security lighting.

•Construction of sustainable, accessible trails and boardwalks

•Addition of overlook decks

•Development of an outdoor classroom area

•Installation of an interpretive node with educational signage related to the site’s environmental

features

•Site amenities include trash cans, recycling bins, bike racks, benches and signage.

•A toddler playground area has been identified as a community desire, but it is not a LWCF scope item.

These improvements will create sustainable access and intentional links to the surrounding

neighborhoods, the previously completed Waterfront Park Phase I amenities, and the Reeds Lake Trail.

The project agreement for the grant award is expected to be issued in late 2026, following formal

approval from the National Park Service. Because the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is a

federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service and

implemented by the DNR Grants Management Section, this federal approval is required before the City

may proceed with project bidding and construction.

In 2025 the City Commission committed $500,000 in Parks Improvement Millage funding as the required

match for the LWCF program with a total estimated project cost of $1 Million, with the final budget to

be contingent based upon the final design that is developed through the community engagement

process that is included as a consultant provided service as outlined in this RFP.

Existing conceptual designs are attached to this RPF (Exhibit C).

B. Purpose of RFP

The City of East Grand Rapids is seeking proposals from consultants such as Landscape Architect firms or

other qualified firms to support City of East Grand Rapids staff with all phases of community input,

conceptual design, final design, bidding, and construction administration related to the Waterfront Park

Improvement Project. The intent is for the project to be ready to bid by December 2026. An expanded

scope of work is attached to this RFP. (Exhibit A)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

WATERFRONT PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

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C. Submission of Proposals:

Submit 5 copies of your proposal that includes your firm’s complete scope of services necessary to

perform and fulfill the objectives, scope of work, schedule, and budget. Please include a digital copy of

your proposal in PDF format on a USB flash drive.

All proposals submitted must include “not to exceed” cost figures and must include a Work

Breakdown Structure of the scope of work, number of hours for each major work item, associated

hourly cost and total cost.

Please limit proposals to no more than 25 pages and at minimum, include the following:

• Firm name and introduction.

• Qualifications of staff to be assigned to this project.

• Examples of similar projects with references and contact information.

• Narrative in which the firm delineates their understanding of what is being requested by the city.

Submit proposals to Derek Melville at 750 Lakeside Dr. SE, East Grand Rapids, MI 49506.

D. Evaluation of Proposals:

All proposals received on time will be reviewed by the City of East Grand Rapids. The evaluation will be

conducted in a manner appropriate, as deemed by the City, for the selection of a firm for the purpose of

entering into a contract to perform this project. Price alone shall not be the sole basis for the award of

this work but shall be only one of the components considered. Other considerations will include the

firm’s expertise and experience related to the required work, the firm’s understanding of the project

scope and the cost and time schedule proposed.

Interviews, if necessary, will take place March 4-13, 2026.

E. Supplemental Information and Requirements

The City of East Grand Rapids reserves the right to waive any informality or defect in any proposal, to

accept any proposal or parts thereof or to reject any or all proposals, should it deem it to be in the best

interest of the City of East Grand Rapids to do so. The City reserves the right to revise the contents of

the proposal and to negotiate all aspects of this proposal and any future agreement with the successful

firm of the City's choice. The City further accepts no responsibility for expenses which may be incurred

in the preparation of such proposals. The selected firm shall be expected to comply with all applicable

State and Federal laws in the performance of services. Submittals to the City are considered public

information. The City has the right to disclose information contained in the submittals. The City further

reserves the right to photocopy, circulate or otherwise distribute any material submitted in response to

the Request for Proposal (RFP).

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

WATERFRONT PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

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F. Available Information

Assume no additional information is available. Additional information required to complete construction

documents shall be identified in the proposal as a cost to the project. It is anticipated that sufficient

information that is only required to complete the construction documents be included as necessary.

Please clearly identify costs for additional information not already provided.

G. Insurance

The Firm is required to provide and always maintain during this project the following insurance. Certified

copies, setting forth the limits and coverage, shall be furnished to the City before commencing with any

work. The policy shall contain endorsements stating that a 10-day notice will be given to the City prior to

termination or any change in the policy and shall describe the project and provide coverage for the

following terms:

A. Comprehensive General Liability Insurance with limits of liability not less than $1,000,000 per

occurrence and/or aggregate combined single limit with the City listed as an additional insured.

Professional liability insurance coverage in the amount of $1,000,000 minimum.

B. Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance, including applicable no-fault coverage, combined single limit bodily

injury and property damage shall be maintained during the life of the contract. Coverage shall include all

owned vehicles, all non-owned vehicles, and all hired vehicles.

C. Workers Compensation Insurance, including Employers’ Liability Coverage in accordance with all

applicable statutes of the State of Michigan.

D. If any of the insurance is canceled, the Firm shall cease operations and shall not resume until new

insurance is obtained.

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

Bid Title:	Waterfront Park Professional Landscape Architect Services
Category:	Services
Status:	Open

Waterfront Park Professional Landscape Architect Services

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