By Mary Helen Sprecher
After much debate and discussion, you’re ready to add another sports facility. Maybe it’s a field. Maybe it’s a tennis or pickleball court. Maybe it’s a venue to host a trendy new sport like padel, an old favorite like croquet or bocce, or even a different amenity like a dog park. But no matter what it is, you’re ready to take that next step to get it built. So, what happens next?
Often, what happens next is confusion and even a case of low-level panic – and that is entirely understandable. If you’ve never solicited a bid for a project before, the prospect of assembling a bid package can seem daunting. What you need is Bid 101. And for that, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few tips to keep in mind before we dive in.
Have a knowledgeable partner. A design professional with sports-facility-specific skills can help you understand what needs to be done, and can work with you to create the best possible document.
“When a prospective client is starting the process of preparing a bid for construction, their first step should be to engage a professional design consultant to assist in the preparation of a bid package,” said Jonathan Charwick, RLA, of Activitas Inc. in Dedham, Massachusetts. “It is always a good recommendation to engage a design consultant who has experience with the type of project the client is looking to implement. An experienced design consultant will often understand what is required to prepare the bid package.”
Put in the time now for the best result. Creating a good bid package is a time-consuming process; but the more effort and thought you put into it, the better the overall document will be.
The better your bid package is, the better your chances are of getting consistent bids from multiple vendors, said Charwick.
“It is recommended that the bid package include a bid form, project manual with specifications, and drawings,” he said. “The project manual will typically outline the proposed project, the bid and selection process, and technical specifications that describe the labor and materials required to implement the project. It is recommended that the drawing package include an existing conditions survey along with a series of drawings that indicate the proposed scope of work. Construction details should also be included to guide the contractor in understanding how the proposed improvements should be installed. The more detail you can provide on the drawings, the better a number a bidder can provide.”
Educate yourself on the project itself. “Understand if the project is publicly or privately funded,” Charwick added. “If it is a publicly funded project, most states have specific laws and requirements for bidding.”
And being aware of those requirements is key. “It is important to understand each state’s bid laws prior to putting a project out to bid so that there is no potential for a bid protest,” he said.
Projects may be privately or publicly funded, and this will impact the bidding process.
“If the project is publicly funded, the award typically goes to the lowest responsible bidder,” said Charwick. “This does not always mean the lowest bidder. This means the lowest bidder who also is able to provide all of the necessary bid requirements, bonds, demonstrates the ability to fulfill the requirements of the contract to be executed with the client, and shows financial stability and a good track record. If this is a privately funded project, there are no laws or requirements that need to be followed; however, the design consultant may still use public bid requirements in a private bid and the client may award the bid to however they would like based on their own selection criteria.”
Geotechnical analysis allows for a more complete picture of soil conditions that exist at the site.
“When developing a site work bid package, it is often recommended that a geotechnical investigation of the site be performed,” said Charwick. “Since geotechnical investigations can often be expensive, they are not always part of the bid package. However, it is always a strong recommendation to get as much geotechnical information as possible. The more information you have about the site’s subsurface conditions, the better you can design around the soil conditions, which reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of costly change orders during construction.”
Seek out contractors with sports-specific experience.
“Just as important as it is to engage an experienced design consultant, the bid package should also have experience requirements for the contractor, no matter if it is a public or private project,” added Charwick. “We would recommend that a bidder provide experience requirements with their bid for similar projects over a given number of years. For example, if this is a tennis court project, the bidder should show that they have successfully built five tennis court projects of similar size over the last three years. The bidder should provide references for each project; the client can contact these references to discuss the contractor’s performance to help the client make an informed decision.”
With so much to do, you’re wondering where to start. According to the American Sports Builders Association, some information that should be included in a bid package includes the following.
- Contact information
- Bid due date/submittal
- Timing of project, including start/finish
- Address or location of the proposed facility
- Type of sports facility
- Highest level of play the facility will host
- Scope of project (Is this a multi-field complex or is it just one field? Will it have a running track? Will there be amenities such as bleachers, scoreboards, etc.? Will there be field events? If so, which ones? What about parking, restrooms, Wi-Fi, etc.?
- Configuration (Indicate how much flexibility you want in design; for example, are you interested in having baseball diamonds that can also host play in lacrosse through the use of movable fences?)
- Is LEED certification necessary?
- Will the project be built all at once or in phases?
- Will this project require accommodations for those with physical challenges that go beyond what is mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act?
- Does the facility need to conform to any specific testing or safety standard? Examples might be ASTM standards.
Bidding qualifications:
Specify whether you will require the following of any bidders:
- Membership in the American Sports Builders Association (proof of membership required)
- Certified Field Builder/Certified Tennis Court Builder/Certified Track Builder (proof of certification required)
- Licensed Design Professional (Proof of licensure required)
- Insurance certificate (proof of insurance)
- Proof of licensure as a contractor
- Listing of contractors and major suppliers
- Bond/bid security documentation
- References regarding experience in this type of facility
Project delivery method
- Design/bid/build
- Design/build
- Negotiated agreement
- Construction management firm
- Cooperative purchasing contract
Mary Helen Sprecher wrote this article on behalf of the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA). Need more information? ASBA’s website (www.sportsbuilders.org) has resources to help those planning to build. The Find A Member feature on the site allows for easy lookup of builders, design professionals and suppliers in the industry. Other features, such as a list of technical publications offered and a Bid Info Request form, may also prove helpful.