Council selects Path Foundation and Kaizen Collaborative to design Link Section 13 after on-call contractor turnover

Newman City staff recommended and the council approved on May 20 engaging The Path Foundation and Kaizen Collaborative to design Link Section 13 of the city's multi-use trail network after personnel turnover at the city’s prior on-call firm.

Staff told the council they solicited proposals from multiple firms after key project personnel left Columbia Engineering, the firm that previously held the on-call contract. The city received four proposals — including Columbia, Pond & Company, Thomas & Hutton, and The Path Foundation/Kaizen Collaborative — and staff recommended The Path Foundation and Kaizen Collaborative based on their proposals and capacity to meet the timeline.

Staff said the selected firm will confirm the concept presented at the city’s May retreat, finalize design documents and coordinate sequencing with other Link legs so construction adjacent to the school can be completed while school is out next summer. “There will be a concept confirmation time period … they’ll come back and confirm the concept that you all looked at and contemplated at the retreat,” staff said.

Councilmembers asked why Columbia — the lowest-cost proposer that also had prior conceptual work — was not selected. Staff said Columbia’s proposal was less expensive but that the firm had undergone “significant personnel turnover” and that the new team no longer included many of the staff the city had relied on; staff added that Columbia’s prior work is owned by the city and was available to proposers for review.

The council voted to accept staff’s recommendation and authorized negotiation of a task order with The Path Foundation/Kaizen Collaborative. Staff said this section’s schedule is time-sensitive because the city hopes to bid and construct segments near the school during the school break next summer.