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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM Assistant County Administrator / Department of General Services DATE: April 13, 2018 TO: The Honorable Board of County Commissioners THRU: Jason Brown, County Administrator Michael Smykowski, Director, Office of Management & Budget Mike Zito; Assistant County Administrator Jennifer Hyde, Purchasing Manager FROM: Beth Powell, IRC Conservation Lands Manager SUBJECT: Final Ranking of Contractors and Recommendation of Award of RFP 2018031 — Round Island South Conservation Area Boardwalk Construction BACKGROUND: As part of the public use improvements for conservation areas under the Capital Improvements Plan, Requests for Proposals (RFPs) were solicited for final design and construction of a wetland overlook and two boardwalks at the Round Island South Conservation Area (RISCA), located south of Round Island Riverside Park on AIA. In 1998, the County purchased the RISCA as part of the Environmental Lands Program. The Conservation area is approximately 60 acres and has been opened to the public with limited trail access since 2011. Since the purchase of the property, minor improvements have included exotics treatment, installation of a bench and kiosk, and minor trail improvements to an existing '% mile jeep/mosquito access trail for pedestrian access. As specified in the Scope and Submittal of. the RFQ, Staff requested separate cost proposals for three structures including a wetland overlook and two wetland crossings (see attached Proposed Public Access Improvements and Figures 2A, 213, 2C). The wetland overlook (an original structure of the conceptual site plan identified in the management plan) is a structure that extends from the main trail into a mangrove pond and adjacent salt marsh (shown as Wetland Overlook B). It provides public access and an observation area approximately 117 feet from the trail into a mangrove wetland pond. This structure provides a platform with a benched seating area. The second two wetland crossings (Wetland Crossings A & C) were contemplated to provide pedestrian access through the site on the existing trail in areas that frequently become inundated with seasonally high water levels. Two alternate methods for crossing the low areas are to fill the low areas (which would require permitting through the SJRWMD, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the County, and likely require wetland mitigation) or to move the trail landward within the conservation areas. In order to explore all possible options for trail access, the RFP stated "The County is requesting a separate cost proposal for each structure. For bidding purposes, the Contractor should assume that each structure maybe constructed as a separate project." All three structures were permitted by staff with a General Permit (GP) from the St. Johns River Water Management District. The GP review includes any required federal authorizations. 1 34