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2. supplemental report - integrated street furniture
program programme intégré de
mobilier urbain – complément d’information |
That Council receive this
report as information.
Que le Conseil de prendre
connaissance du présent rapport comme de l’information.
Documentation
1. Deputy City Manager’s report,
Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability, dated 30 September 2009 (ACS2009-ICS-CSS-0036).
Comité des transports
30 September / le 30 septembre 2009
Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager/Directrice
municipale adjointe,
Infrastructure Services and
Community Sustainability/Services d’infrastructure et Viabilité des
collectivités
Contact Person/Personne ressource : Michael Murr, Manager/Gestionnaire,
Sustainability Services/Services
de Viabilité, Community Sustainability Department/Services de Viabilité des
collectivités
(613)
580-2424 x25195, michael.murr@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT:
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OBJET :
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PROGRAMME
INTÉGRÉ DE MOBILIER URBAIN – COMPLÉMENT D’INFORMATION |
That Transportation Committee recommend
that Council receive this report as information.
Que le Comité des transports recommande au
Conseil de prendre connaissance du présent rapport comme de l’information.
This report is a supplement to Report 3 of the Integrated Street Furniture Program (ISFP) entitled City of Ottawa Integrated Street Furniture Policy and Design Guidelines and Request for Proposal Strategy (ACS2009-ICS-CSS-0020), which was considered by Transportation Committee on August 26, 2009.
Following deliberations, Transportation Committee agreed to create an ISFP Sponsor Committee comprised of Councillors Bédard, Doucet, Leadman, and Wilkinson. The Sponsor Committee worked with staff to review and refine the proposed program based on the recommendations that resulted from the Transportation Committee meeting of August 26, 2009. Document 1 provides an overview of the outcome of actions taken to date with respect to each recommendation.
The purpose of this report is to provide supplemental information only in response to specific motions resulting from the August 26, 2009 Transportation Committee meeting, relating to:
ISFP Sponsor Committee
On August 26, 2009, the Transportation Committee created an ISFP Sponsor Committee comprised of Councillors Bédard, Doucet, Leadman, and Wilkinson, to act as champions to help guide the City’s street furniture program. The Committee is advisory in nature and reports to, and makes any recommendations to the Transportation Committee.
The role of the ISFP Sponsor Committee is to advise and assist staff with respect to its legislative reports (original and supplemental) on street furniture. The Sponsor Committee has met with staff on three occasions since August 26, 2009 in order to develop and support the information provided in this report.
At the August 26, 2009 Transportation Committee meeting, Motion #7 was approved to revise the ISFP timelines to allow proponents more time to prepare their bid submissions (a minimum of 6 months from the issuance of the RFP). The new timelines for the release of the RFP and rollout of the ISFP program are described in Table 1.
Given the additional time at the front end of the process, it is now projected that the rollout of street furniture will begin in September 2011, two months later than originally forecast. The current contracts, which now expire in July 2011, will need to be extended another two months in order to bridge services to September 2011.
Transportation Committee approved
motion #10 to restrict advertising in the Central City Area to transit shelters
and information wayfinding kiosks, but to allow for advertising flexibility in
other areas. To avoid confusion with
the definition of the Central Area used in the Official Plan, the ISFP will use
the term “ISFP Restricted Advertising Area” to define the advertising restricted
boundaries. Staff have worked with the
Sponsor Committee to define the ISFP Restricted Advertising Area boundaries
which is identified in Document 2.
During consultation sessions with the BIAs, many expressed a desire to restrict advertising to transit shelters and information wayfinding kiosks. To accommodate BIAs that are not in the ISFP Restricted Advertising Area, it is recommended that prior to the release of the RFP, those BIAs seeking advertising restrictions must make their requests known to staff; otherwise, their area will be in the more flexible zone, which will permit advertising on benches as well.
Proponents, through the RFP, will be asked to
demonstrate how they will accommodate local business advertising in both the
ISFP Advertising Restricted Area (which permits advertising only on transit
shelters and information wayfinding kiosks) and the outer zone (which also
permits advertising on benches).
Advertising on our City streets will now
include bicycle parking, transit shelters, information wayfinding kiosks, and benches
(outside of the ISFP Advertising Restricted Area), all of which will support
local advertising. Currently the City
allows for advertising on transit shelters, benches, litter and recycling
receptacles, and bicycle parking.
Flexibility of Furniture Design
Staff have worked with the Sponsor Committee
to review the provisions regarding the flexibility of the furniture design in
the Policy and Design Guidelines document as tabled on August 26, 2009 to
ensure that proponents understand that “one size does not fit all”. The RFP will include a requirement for
proponents to demonstrate how their furniture designs will be adaptable to
different parts of the city.
The Policy and Design Guidelines document and
Report 3 direct the proponents to submit their furniture designs based on the
approved guiding principles. Reference
on pages 11 and 19 of the City of Ottawa Integrated Street Furniture Policy
and Design Guidelines refers to the need for customization of the
furniture:
“It is expected that the design of new street
furniture is of high quality and incorporates a degree of customization to
satisfy the needs of local BIAs and help distinguish character areas in the
downtown.” (Page 11)
“An important theme identified from public
consultations and the Industry Design and Functionality Workshop is the need
for street furniture design to be flexible to accommodate new technology as it
becomes available and to allow for customization of certain furniture
elements.” (Page 19)
As one of several checkpoints in the RFP
process outlined in Report 3, internal staff independent of the ISFP Project
Team and an external design jury of experts will conduct an extensive
evaluation and will recommend the proposals best meeting the Council approved
design guidelines.
If, after this evaluation process, the panels
are not satisfied that the furniture will meet our needs, staff will return to
Council with recommendations on a revised approach. If staff return with a recommended proponent, and the BIAs are
not in support of the design, the BIAs will, with the exception of transit
shelters, have the ability to opt out of the program and fund their own
furniture needs.
York Region Coordinated Street Furniture Model
Motion #6 asked staff to return with a revised version of the ISFP based on the York Region model. Staff have reviewed the York Region model as described below with the Sponsor Committee. After the Sponsor Committee had the opportunity to receive and review this information, the Committee recommends that it would be prudent to continue with the original approach with modifications as previously outlined in this report.
York Region Council, at its June 2007 meeting, authorized staff to issue an RFP for a coordinated street furniture program with advertising for a 15-year term. The proposed model was similar to the model proposed by City of Ottawa staff in Report 3, ACS2009-ICS-CSS-0020, with restrictions on advertising.
Upon further consideration in October 2007, York Regional Council requested that the RFP be modified to incorporate three bid options, as follows:
· Option A - Supply of Transit Shelters with advertising only.
· Option B - Supply of Street Furniture Elements with advertising only.
· Option C - Supply of both Transit Shelters and Street Furniture elements with advertising.
On January 7, 2008, York Regional staff released an RFP presenting options A, B, and C. In March 2008, the RFP submissions were received and subsequently evaluated by York Region and Local Municipal evaluation teams. The RFP was cancelled, as the bid submissions did not meet the Region’s design and operational requirements.
In September 2008, York Regional Council requested that staff prepare a report concerning the visioning and design principles and the matter of a future RFP for the coordinated street furniture program. As a result of this, York Region drafted their Co-ordinated Street Furniture Urban Design Guidelines.
At the request of Regional
Council, in April 2009 York Regional staff prepared a further report
identifying options and methodologies
for structuring the RFP for the Coordinated Transit Street Furniture program
that allows for both consolidated and split-bid submissions.
At its June 18, 2009 presentation to the York Region Transit Committee,
staff requested the approval of an RFP that allows for both a consolidated and
split bid with the coordinated street furniture design by the Region and a
subsequent single RFP with consolidated and split bid options.
In this model, York Region will retain a design firm to design the
furniture. The design will be used in
the RFP for the supply, installation, maintenance, and associated revenue for
coordinated street furniture with advertising.
Split bids, or consolidated bid submissions will be allowed.
In order to support the urban design guidelines and to address the
perception of excess advertising and clutter, the York Region coordinated
street furniture program will allow for only one single element of street
furniture at any given transit stop.
York Regional staff have identified that,
based on previous experience, a split contract has the possibility to produce a
single source supplier. The third-party fairness monitor for this
project concurs with York Region staff’s concern that it would be difficult to
determine if the Region is receiving fair value in the event that a split
contract is responded to by a single supplier.
In order to implement the York Region model, project timelines for the City of Ottawa would have to be increased by an additional year and it would cost approximately $300,000 more to hire a design firm to design the furniture.
A considerable amount of time, research, and analysis has taken place to develop the existing City of Ottawa ISFP. Once the RFP is released, it will take almost two years before the new furniture makes its way to City streets. Considering that staff and Councillors receive regular complaints on the lack of furniture provided in our City’s rights-of way, it is important that the City not further delay the implementation of its ISFP program; otherwise, short term solutions for additional funding will be required to add furniture on City streets in areas of need.
Council has approved the Guiding Principles that have driven the approach taken to date. These principles ensure that the City implements a program that integrates high quality furniture with a coordinated advertising program that results in the design, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of thousands of pieces of furniture for 20 years at little to no cost to taxpayers.
Given the City’s experience in other design and construction projects, it has been demonstrated that it is more effective to have those that are responsible for the design also be responsible for the construction. For instance, it would be too easy for the proponent to claim that they are not able to manufacture or maintain the furniture properly when they were not responsible for its design. The City will need to hold the successful proponent accountable every step of the way through this 20-year agreement.
The York Region Model allows for
split bid options; however, Ottawa City Council has approved advertising
exclusivity to one ISFP proponent through the February 2009 ISFP Report 2.
Since August 26, 2009 consultation has taken place with staff from York Region and the City of Toronto on their current model for street furniture, and further consultation with the BIAs with respect to advertising restrictions is underway.
There are no legal or risk
management impediments to implementing the recommendations in this report. That being noted, it will nevertheless be
important that, as with other high profile and significant procurement
processes undertaken by the City, proponents respect and adhere to the process
and requirements set out in the City’s Request for Proposal. In turn, the City has an obligation to
conduct a fair, open, and impartial procurement process. A Fairness Commissioner will oversee the
City’s procurement process and will be able to provide guidance as required as
the process unfolds.
The ISFP is on target and does not foresee any need for additional funding to support this project.
Document 1 Transportation Committee Meeting Recommendations and Actions since August 26, 2009.
Document 2 ISFP Restricted Advertising Area Map (See Figure 1 in ACS2009-ICS-CSS-0020)
Subject to the approvals and motions originating from Report 3 that was originally before Committee on August 26, 2009 (the substantive report), staff will amend the City of Ottawa Integrated Street Furniture Policy and Design Guidelines document, issue the ISFP RFP in November 2009, and report to Council in the fourth quarter of 2010 for final approval of the preferred proponent.
DOCUMENT 1
TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE MEETING RECOMMENDATIONS
AND ACTIONS SINCE AUGUST 26, 2009
Integrated Street Furniture Program ("ISFP") - City of Ottawa Integrated Street Furniture Policy and Design Guidelines and Request for Proposal Strategy
Programme intégré de mobilier urbain – Politique de la Ville d’Ottawa sur
le mobilier urbain intégrÉ et DIrectives de conception et stratégie concernant
la demande de proposition
ACS2009-ICS-CSS-0020 City Wide / A l’échelle de la ville
That Transportation Committee recommend that
Council:
1.
Approve and endorse the City of Ottawa Integrated
Street Furniture Policy and Design Guidelines as discussed in this report and
set out in Document 1;
2. Authorize staff to
issue an RFP in accordance with the strategy discussed in this report and direct
that no further street furniture elements be separated from the ISFP to ensure
success of the RFP and the resulting program;
3. Limit advertising on
street furniture elements to transit shelters and information and way-finding
kiosks; and
4.
Direct staff to return to Council in the first quarter
of 2010 for final approval of the preferred proponent.
Action –
See supplemental Report – “RFP Process and Timelines.”
5. That
when the Integrated Street Furniture Program comes forward at the 7 October
2009 meeting of the Transportation Committee that discussion and debate be
limited to any new or amended information as a result of the deliberation of
the Committee on August 26 and that no delegations be heard.
6. That staff return with a revised version of the present
Integrated Street Furniture program, an alternative based on the York Region
model where the city prepares the design requirements and then issue a RFP
based on the city designs and separates large corporate from local advertisers.
Action – See Supplemental Report – “York Regional Coordinated Street Furniture Model” for information only.
7. That the ISFP
timeline be revised to allow for more time for respondents (to the end of Q1,
2010 – minimum of 6 months from the issuance of the RFP) to prepare their
submissions to the City’s RFP.
Action –
See Supplemental Report – “RFP Process and Timelines.”
8.
That the ISFP RFP process incorporates the services of
City’s Fairness Commissioner.
Action – Staff hired the Fairness Commissioner retained in September 2008; also see Supplemental Report – “Legal/Risk Management” section of report.
9. That the Internal
staff completing the “technical, functional, and design review” include
representatives from the City of Ottawa Heritage Staff, the National Capital
Commission and a specialist in Crime Prevention through Environmental Design.
Action – Staff will include the groups identified.
10. That
the Policy and Design Guidelines be modified to incorporate a Central City
designated area where integrated street furniture and restricted advertising
potential as proposed by staff is incorporated; and for other areas of the City
a more flexible approach be used which permits special BIA design areas, as
well as variations for different parts of the City which may also have some of
the same elements as the Central City areas (e.g. bus shelters).
Action – See Supplemental Report – “Advertising Restrictions” for details on the Central Area restrictions and flexibility in other areas. See Policy Design Guidelines pages 11 and 19, and Report 3 Sections ISFP Legal Agreement, Business Case Analysis, and Continued Consultations for confirmation of flexibility in design requirements for BIAs.
11. That given the size of
Transitway style platforms on Rideau Street that size restrictions for
advertising be established with the BIA.
Action – Size of ad panels will be the same as the standard 4x6 panels; larger ad panels will not be permitted. See Policy Design Guidelines page 41 for ad panel size restriction.
12. That the Downtown
Rideau BIA area remain a restricted area for advertising on street furniture
(except Transit Shelters) as is the current status.
Action – See Supplemental Report – “Advertising Restrictions” for consideration of expanding the Central City Area.
13. That
with the elimination of Item 3 of the Report that consultation with BIAs on
elements advising that would be acceptable to the Specific Ottawa BIAs.
Action –
Staff are in the process of confirming with each BIA their position on
advertising on other elements. Previous consultations indicated many support
restrictions to transit shelters and information wayfinding kiosks.