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Stafford EDC approves RFP process for park drinking fountains with $375,000 cap and $25,000 annual maintenance estimate
Summary
The Stafford Economic Development Corporation authorized staff to begin a public-project procurement process for up to 10 commercial drinking-water stations in city parks, setting a not-to-exceed budget of $375,000 and estimating $25,000 a year for maintenance.
The Stafford Economic Development Corporation voted to begin a public procurement process for replacement drinking-water stations in city parks, directing staff to advertise a project with a not-to-exceed installation budget of $375,000 and an estimated annual maintenance allocation of $25,000.
Director of Public Works Carl Young told the board the city had tried to locate a single supplier that would both sell and install vandal-resistant, ADA-compatible commercial fountains on a purchasing cooperative, but could not find a single vendor who met that constraint. Young proposed placing a public notice and soliciting bids under a not-to-exceed figure so the city could award the project by competitive RFP if bids came in lower than the cap.
Board members discussed basic design needs and site work that bidders should expect. Young said the RFP would include a standard installation design (concrete pad, drain/“French drain” or gravel spill area, and utility connections) and request unit-rate pricing for likely contingencies such as additional water line work or taps.
At the hearing the board discussed unit counts per park: some parks such as Fifth Street Park currently show multiple fountain locations and the board signaled flexibility on final quantities if bids or costs require scaling. The board also discussed using a single not-to-exceed figure rather than an itemized list of per-park maximums so the city could adjust the number of installations based on final pricing.
After public comment there was a motion to proceed with the public-project notification and RFP process using the $375,000 installation cap and the $25,000 annual maintenance estimate; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.
Next steps: staff will coordinate with the city’s purchasing and legal staff to publish the required notice, set the RFP specifications (including the standard pad and drainage detail), accept bids and return recommended awards to the board and city council for formal project approval. The board asked to receive monthly updates on the procurement timeline.
