Professional Design Services Related to City Parks, Recreation, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan

The City of Waxahachie is requesting Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) from qualified firms to provide Professional Planning and Design Services for the development of an updated Parks, Recreation, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan. The desired deliverable is a strategic, actionable, and comprehensive Master Plan that reflects community priorities and positions Waxahachie as a premier destination where residents and visitors can live, work, play, and engage.

Background

Located in Ellis County just south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, Waxahachie is a rapidly growing community known for its historic charm, vibrant downtown, and strong sense of community. With a population of approximately 50,000+ residents and continued residential and commercial growth, the City is focused on proactively planning for high-quality parks, recreational amenities, trails, and open space to meet current and future needs.

The City of Waxahachie maintains a diverse and expanding parks and recreation system that includes neighborhood and community parks, athletic complexes, trails, recreational programming, and special event spaces. Signature assets such as Getzendaner Park, Chapman Park, and the Waxahachie Sports Complex contribute to the City’s quality of life and community identity.

Waxahachie’s previous parks planning efforts have provided a strong foundation for system development; however, significant population growth, evolving recreation trends, and increased demand for connectivity and open space necessitate a comprehensive update. This Master Plan will guide decision-making related to capital improvements, parkland acquisition and development, trail connectivity, maintenance standards, and recreation programming.

A key component of this planning effort will be robust public engagement to ensure the plan reflects the needs and priorities of Waxahachie’s diverse and growing population. The selected consultant team must demonstrate experience in leading inclusive and effective public input processes and translating community feedback into implementable strategies.

The Master Plan should be developed in a manner that positions the City to competitively pursue funding opportunities, including grants through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, regional and county partnerships, and other state and federal funding sources.

This effort will serve as a critical roadmap for the continued enhancement of Waxahachie’s parks and recreation system, ensuring the City remains a desirable and vibrant community for generations to come.

Relevant Studies:

• 2007 Parks, Recreation, & Open Space Master Plan
• City of Waxahachie 2023 Comprehensive Plan
• Lake Waxahachie Master Plan
• Recreational Facility Feasibility Report
• North Central Texas Council of Government (NCTCOG)Regional Veloweb

Project Details

• Reference ID: RFQ - 2026 - 5-1
• Department: Parks & Recreation
• Department Head: Kyle Cooper (Senior Director of Parks & Recreation)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-05-18T15:00:00.000Z

Evaluation Criteria

• Qualifications of Firm (25 pts) —

  Qualifications of firm(s), specifically as they relate to similar projects that the Respondent is choosing to be considered for, i.e. comprehensive parks and recreation master planning for cities of similar size and circumstances, public engagement, strategic recommendations, cost estimating, etc.

  Responses provided in section 6 the Vendor Questionnaire and Submissions will be evaluated for this criteria.

• Team Experience and Project Success (25 pts) —

  Project experience of similar size and scope by the firm(s) and the individuals who would be assigned to this project. Pertinent professional experience of the project manager(s) and supporting staff that will be assigned to the proposed projects shall be included. Any subconsultants should be listed along with their experience. Project references and current contact information for all references will be required.

  Responses provided in section 6 the Vendor Questionnaire and Submissions will be evaluated for this criteria.

• Available Resources to Complete Project (15 pts) —

  Show that the firm has capacity to facilitate the proposed project. This criterion should also show that the firm has enough resources to complete the project within the desired project schedule, including a history of on-time performance (provide references with up-to-date contact information).

  Responses provided in section 6 the Vendor Questionnaire and Submissions will be evaluated for this criteria.

• Project Approach (25 pts) —

  The logical sequencing and organizational methods proposed to complete the Master Plan as well as any innovative methods or concepts outlined. Attention will be focused on a clear understanding of the City’s specific situation and needs. Methods utilized to provide excellent quality control and quality assurance as well as methods utilized to minimize unforeseen conflicts are also considered.

  Responses provided in section 6 the Vendor Questionnaire and Submissions will be evaluated for this criteria.

• Technical Innovation (11 pts) —

  The proposed project team and project approach should show an understanding of the local and regional context and national best practices. Creative and innovative approaches are encouraged to enhance public engagement and elevate planning outcomes.

  Responses provided in section 6 the Vendor Questionnaire and Submissions will be evaluated for this criteria.

Submission Requirements

• Authorized Respondent’s Information
• Authorized Official's Contact Information (required) —

  Please provide the contact Information of the authorized official submitting this response. 

  -Legal Name

  -Title

  -Email Address

  -Phone Number

• Response Confirmation (required) —

  By clicking "Please confirm" below, hereon affixed, the respondent declares they have read this solicitation entirely and with full knowledge of the requirements, does hereby agree to furnish the services in full accordance with the requirements of this solicitation if selected.

  Confirming also indicates the following:

  • Person or person’s interest in this solicitation as principals are those named herein.
  • I (we) have carefully examined the contents of this solicitation, and its requirements, and agree to the terms stated herein.
  • The respondent acknowledges the Conflict of Interest Clause and agrees to follow the necessary requirements.

  The undersigned represents that they are authorized to bind the Respondent to fully comply with the terms and conditions of this solicitation's requirements.

• Conflict of Interest Questionnaire (required) —

  Please download the document below and upload the completed questionnaire.

• Company Information
• Please provide your company's most recent signed W-9 (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Full Legal Company Name (required)
• Principal Place of Business Address (required)
• Principal Place of Business Phone Number (required)
• Company Website URL
• Person Authorized to negotiate and sign contracts with the city (if different than the Authorized Contact Provided)
• Number of years in business working on similar types of project? (required)
• State and Date of Incorporation, Partnership, or Ownership Established? (required)
• Are you a certified Small Business (SBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), or Historically Under-utilized Business (HUB)? (required)
• Cooperative Purchasing
• The City of Waxahachie has established several government entity interlocal agreements. Should any of these Government Entities desire to utilize this contract, would you offer the same terms, conditions,specifications, and pricing to that entity? * (required)
• References —

  Please provide three (3) references who can verify the quality of service your company provides. The City prefers references from customers/governmental entities with a scope of work similar to the project mentioned in this solicitation in which the respondent has worked in the past three years.

  • Company Name Work Was Completed For:
  • Company Location:
  • Time Period Service was Provided:
  • Contact Person and Title:
  • Phone:
  • Email:
  • Description of Contracted Services:
• Reference 1 (required)
• Reference 2 (required)
• Reference 3 (required)
• Claims and Suits
• Has your organization ever failed to complete any work awarded to your company? (required)
• Are there any judgments, claims, arbitration proceedings, or suits pending or outstanding against your organization or its officers? (required)
• Has your organization filed any lawsuits or requested arbitration regarding awarded contracts within the last five years?
• If you have answered "Yes" to any of the claim and suit questions, please provide supplemental information/documents here.
• Proposal Submission
• Please upload your Statement of Qualifications here (required) —

  Statement of Qualifications should include the following details:

  • Available Resources and Consultant Location - Provide information on the size, location, available resources, and business history of your firm.
  • Project Team Org Chart that identifies the Project Manager, as well as the role of each individual team member, including sub-consultants and/or sub-contractors.
  • Project Team Experience & Qualifications - provide a statement of qualifications for each that includes credentials such as: education, professional registrations, area of expertise, and years of service in their respective field.  The Firms must have a minimum of five years’ experience developing Parks and Open Space Master Plans and have a proven success with Grant Programs.
  • Your firms Methodology & Approach - Provide a description of the method and approach your firm intends to utilize when developing the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
  • Proposed Timeline - Provide a proposed preliminary schedule for the complete project.
  • Provide three (3) Work Samples of your most recent projects

  Submittal Guidelines:

  • Limit the number of pages of the SOQ to 25 single-sided 8 ½” by 11” pages (11” x 17” sheet counts as 2 pages). A Cover Letter, tabs, and work samples, are not included in the page count, nor are the City’s required forms.
  • The SOQ shall not use a font size smaller than 10-point font.
  • The SOQ shall also document that the consultant can provide the necessary insurance and has no objections to the City’s terms and conditions for professional services.
  • DO NOT submit any proposals or fees for this scope of work at this time
• What type of solicitation are you requesting? (required) —

  If the one-time cost or estimated annual cost of the contract is over $50,000, we will not be allowed to request quotes unless the contract will based on co-op pricing. 

• Which staff members do you anticipate will be included in the evaluation committee? (required)
• Which evaluation criteria sections will be evaluated for this project? (required)
• Which type of project will this solicitation be for? (required)
• Is this construction project vertical or horizontal? (required)
• Will this solicitation be for a one-time project/project or an annual contract? (required)
• What is the desired completion date for this project? (required)
• Which annual contract option would best fit this contract? (required) —

  Our standard contract renewal option is a one-year term, with 4 one-year renewal options so that if there are any issues with the contract, we are not locked in for multiple years. 

• Project Funding
• What is the anticipated cost or annual spend for this contract? (required)
• Have the funds for this project been approved? (required)
• Which Fund, Dept, and GL Account, as well as the Project Number if applicable, will be used for this project? (required)
• In which Fiscal Year will these funds be available? (required)
• Will any of the special funds below be used for this project? (required)
• Have the funds been received or when do you anticipate receiving the funds? (required)
• Have you attached the grant approval and grant checklist as an attachment? (required)
• Solicitation Timeline
• What is your desired solicitation post date? (required)
• Will there be a pre-bid/proposal meeting for this solicitation? (required)
• Will the pre-bid/proposal meeting require mandatory attendance from the contractors? (required)
• What is your desired contract award date? (required)
• Contractor Qualifications
• Are there minimum qualification requirements for the contractor that should be included in the solicitation? (required)
• What are the minimum qualifications required by the contractor? (required)
• Will the contractor be required to provide a copy certain licenses or certifications with their response? (required)
• Will the contractor need internal access to city facilities? (required)
• Will background checks need to be required and provided by the contractor? (required)
• Is there a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) requirement? (required)
• What is the DBE percentage required for the solicitation? (required)
• Is a Bid Bond Required? (required)
• What is the percentage of the bid bond? (required)
• Will liquidated damages be included in this solicitation? (required)
• What is the cost per day for liquidated damages? (required)
• Will this project involve software implementation or IT's services? (required)
• Contract Start Date —

  Answer format: Month DD, YYYY

  Example: May 01, 2024

• Contract End Date —

  Answer format: Month DD, YYYY

  Example: April 30, 2027

• Contract Term —

  Answer Format: xxx (x) years

  Example: three (3) years