Active SLED Opportunity · WASHINGTON · CITY OF SEATTLE
AI Summary
City of Seattle seeks a licensed Landscape Architect for conceptual design of a future park at the former Battery Street Tunnel site. The project includes public engagement, schematic designs, and a preferred plan. Qualifications due May 4, 2026.
The City of Seattle is seeking qualifications for Battery Street Tunnel Future Park Site Design. Qualifications are due no later than 12:00 pm on Monday, May 4, 2026. All questions are to be submitted through the e-procurement portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/seattle no later than 12:00 pm on Monday, April 27, 2026.
Seattle Parks and Recreation is seeking the services of a licensed Landscape Architect registered in the State of Washington to conduct an early design study from initiation through a recommended conceptual design for a proposed future park site at the former Battery Street Tunnel property in Belltown (between Battery & Bell Streets and 1st & Western Avenues).
The study will include initial public engagement to explore possible park uses, community goals for the site, and opportunities. The study will develop three schematic design options, and then one preferred conceptual plan and cost estimate as the final deliverable. Thorough public engagement will be carried out to inform the development at each design phase and once a recommended design is prepared before the final preferred design is selected.
This project scope is funded through the creation of a recommended conceptual design. If this project receives funding to complete design and construction, construction document phases 30% through bid documents, and construction administration tasks will be added by amendment in the future.
City of Seattle is considering transfer of the former Battery Street Tunnel property in Belltown from Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) for development of a park. Adjacent properties owned by Seattle City Light and a community based organization are also being explored for acquisition for this purpose.
The Council Budget Action provides the following details: "The properties comprising a future Portal Park include a 60,000 square foot parcel owned by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) that is the site of the former opening for the Battery Street Tunnel; a 7,200 square foot parcel owned by Seattle City Light (SCL) that is being used as a parking lot; and a multi-family parcel owned by a community-based organization. The City has already developed a section of the SDOT parcel as “Portal Porch,” an 1,800 square foot public plaza at the norther corner of the wider Battery Street Tunnel portal site. The remainder of the SDOT parcel to the southwest of Portal Porch is fenced off and maintained as a grass slope for the interim."
All three properties described above will be included as part of the design study, however acquisition and development of each property for the proposed future park project will be explored separately by City of Seattle. This project will explore a phased approach to design in the case that all properties are not acquired for the park development.
SPR has previously completed a geotechnical investigation of the site which will be shared with the selected consultant.
Does the background and experience of the personnel meet the needs for the project, or can similar experience be applied to this work and meet the required skill level for this project?
Did the description of the teams experience, skills, and expertise in designing similar projects fit SPR's needs and expectations?
Did the firm show experience working on projects that include design of public park spaces in an urban environment?
Is the consultant firm registered on the City of Seattle's Procurement Portal as WMBE (Woman or Minority Business Enterprise)?
Has the team experienced working successfully in coordination with public agencies?
Does the team have experience with SPR or other Seattle departments working on public works, and did they demonstrate successful projects?
Provide a certificate or documentation from the Secretary of State in which you incorporated that shows your company legal name. Many companies use a “Doing Business As” name or nickname in daily business; the City requires the legal name for your company. When preparing all forms below, use the proper company legal name. Your company’s legal name can be verified through the State Corporation Commission in the state in which you were established, which is often located within the Secretary of State’s Office for each state. For the State of Washington, see http://www.secstate.wa.gov/corps/
Your Statement of Qualifications should be no more than 10 pages. It should demonstrate how you meet the objectives for the solicitation outlined in section 4. Below are additional formatting requirements:
SOQs should contain below contents:
This response is mandatory. The determination you have achieved all minimum qualifications is made from this section alone, and therefore, the Evaluation Committee is not obligated to check references or search other materials in your proposal to make this decision.
For each Minimum Qualification listed below, please describe how you meet the minimum qualification.
Minimum Qualification #1
Consultant Team must have successfully performed one contract with services of similar size and scope to those expected by the City for this contract.
Minimum Qualification #2
Consultant Team must have or be able to obtain (prior to contract execution) a valid Washington State and City of Seattle business license and register with the Washington Secretary of State Corporations. See section 7.1 License and Business Tax Requirements.
Minimum Qualification #3
Consultant Team must be able to meet the City of Seattle consultant insurance requirements, per section 7.26, Insurance Requirements and section 10.7.
Minimum Qualification #4
Consultant Team must include a licensed Landscape Architect licensed in the State of Washington.
Minimum Qualification #5
Consultant Team Lead must have a minimum of three years continuous experience during which the services have been the primary business service.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below document, complete, and upload.
Provide information to the extent this information is available. If your response is incomplete or requires further description, the City may request additional information within a specified deadline, or may determine the missing information is immaterial.
Make requested changes to the Contract language using track changes and upload here.
Are there qualifications the Consultants must have to even be considered? Minimum qualifications should ONLY be those that the Consultant must meet to have their proposal considered, meaning you will toss the proposal out in full if the Consultant cannot meet the minimum qualifications.
Minimum qualifications can sometimes be important, such as a professional license. If you require a Minimum Qualification, ensure it is fair, appropriate and reasonable. Consultants can protest these if they seem exclusionary and unnecessary. In addition, some federal requirements may restrict or prohibit the use of such qualifications. Review the terms of the grant to ensure compliance with all such requirements. Minimum Qualifications are only for factual yes/no items which can be easily proven as a matter of fact and on the face of the RFQ response. These are NOT subjective such as “Company needs to be experienced” or “needs to have good references.” These are instead hard and fast criteria we check off “yes or no,” and we will toss them out without further consideration if they say no.
Note to department – All non-federally funded contracts above $395,000 require an Inclusion Plan. If potential work, including all phases, is above $395,000, retain the Inclusion Plan as a required submittal. The Mayor’s 2010 policy requires you to score the WMBE response, for no less than 10% of total points.
Departments are encouraged to list the core Scope of Work items that the department has determined to be available for subcontracting.
Contracts with FEDERAL FUNDING may require different or additional social equity requirements, such as federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) requirements, which are required for US DOT funded projects, such as FTA projects.
Exceptions: Exceptions to the Inclusion Plan requirement are rare. Departments must notify their WMBE IDT representative and PC for a review and written approval of an exception. An exception does not relieve the Consultant of its responsibilities to seek WMBE inclusion if changes to the contract provides opportunities for WMBE inclusion.
For assistance, contact Miguel Beltran at Miguel.Beltran@Seattle.gov or 206-684-4525.
State law requires the City to select the firm deemed to be the most highly qualified to provide A&E services. The City cannot ask for pricing before selecting the most highly qualified vendor.
Per RCW 18.08.320, Architecture includes: the rendering of any service or related work requiring architectural education, training, and experience, in connection with the art and science of building design for construction of any structure or grouping of structures and the use of space within and surrounding the structures or the design for construction of alterations or additions to the structures, including but not specifically limited to predesign services, schematic design, design development, preparation of construction contract documents, and administration of the construction contract.
Per RCW 18.43.020, Engineering is any professional service or creative work requiring engineering education, training, and experience and the application of special knowledge of the mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences to such professional services or creative work as consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning, design, and supervision of construction for the purpose of assuring compliance with specifications and design, in connection with any public or private utilities, structures, buildings, machines, equipment, processes, works, or projects.
Per RCW 18.96, Landscape Architecture is the rendering of professional services in connection with consultations, investigations, reconnaissance, research, planning, design, construction document preparation, construction administration, or teaching supervision in connection with the development of land areas where, and to the extent that, the dominant purpose of such services is the preservation, enhancement, or determination of proper land uses, natural land features, ground cover and planting, naturalistic and aesthetic values, the settings and approaches to structures or other improvements, or natural drainage and erosion control. This practice includes the location, design, and arrangement of such tangible objects as pools, walls, steps, trellises, canopies, and such features as are incidental and necessary to the purposes in this chapter. Landscape architecture involves the design and arrangement of land forms and the development of outdoor space including, but not limited to, the design of public parks, trails, playgrounds, cemeteries, home and school grounds, and the development of industrial and recreational sites.
Q (Site Plan or Survey?):
A: Do you have a site plan or survey for the property? Or is that not yet released? No survey has been prepared. This will be completed and provided to the selected consultant.
Q (Definition: CBO):
A: What does CBO stand for in section 6.1 on page 5? CBO stands for "community-based organization" referring to the current owner of one of the properties that is being explored for acquisition for this project.
Q (Section 3 Performance Schedule (page 3 and 4)):
A: Some of the text is cut off in the table under Section 3. Performance Schedule. Can you please provide the full text? Project Step 1: Initial Visioning Public Engagement Task/Deliverable to be completed: Consultant to submit first public engagement materials, present materials at one SPR internal design review meeting (ProView), lead public visioning engagement, submit post-visioning process summary Planned Submittal Schedule: July 2026 Project Step 2: Schematic Alternative Design Development & Engagement Task/Deliverable to be completed: Consultant to submit schematic alternative design development and second engagement materials, present materials at one SPR internal design review meeting (ProView), lead schematic alternatives engagement, submit post-engagement summary Planned Submittal Schedule: December 2026 Project Step 3: Preferred Concept Development & Engagement Task/Deliverable to be completed: Consultant to submit preferred schematic design, professional cost estimation, and final public engagement materials, present materials at one SPR internal design review meeting (ProView), lead preferred schematic design engagement, submit post-engagement summary Planned Submittal Schedule: June 2027
Q (International Submittals):
A: May I inquire if the City of Seattle is entertaining hiring Canadian firms to do this work? There are not currently any restrictions in our selection process or contract boilerplate that would disallow international firms from being selected for this work. All firms will need to able to meet the requirements laid out in the RFQ and provide proof of your ability to work in the US in order to be awarded.
SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.
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