Brookline Outdoor Pool Recreational Facility Feasibility Study and Conceptual Design Services

TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Massachusetts
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
333 Washington Street
PURCHASING DIVISION Brookline, MA 02445
617-730-2195
Fax: 617-264-6446
www.townofbrooklinemass.com
TOWN OF BROOKLINE / PURCHASING DIVISION
INVITATION TO BID OR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Sealed bids/proposals for furnishing the following to the Town of Brookline, MA will be received at the
Town of Brookline, Town Hall, Purchasing Division 333 Washington St., 2nd Floor, Room 212, Brookline, MA
02445, until the time specified for the bid/proposal opening at which time bids will be opened publicly and
proposals in confidence, in accordance with provisions of M.G.L. c. 30B.
Reference Bid/Proposal Opening
Item or Service Department Number Date and Time
Brookline Outdoor Pool Recreational Recreation P-26-10 Wednesday May 20, 2026 at
Facility Feasibility Study and 2:00 p.m.
Conceptual Design Services
Specifications and bid/proposal forms may be obtained at the Purchasing Division or by calling (617) 730-2195.
Bid/proposal forms may be downloaded at: http://www.brooklinema.gov/Bids.aspx
Bid/proposal shall be submitted on the form furnished and in sealed envelope, and marked on the outside with the
item title, reference number and bidder's name. Contract awarded pursuant to the Invitation to Bid or Request for
Proposals will be subject to provisions of the Town of Brookline By-Laws Article 4.4 Fair Employment Practices
with regard to Contracts, relating to non-discrimination in employment, and Article 4.8 Living Wage By-Law,
relating to wages paid to employees. The Town reserves the right to accept any bid/proposal in whole or in any
part, and to reject any or all bids/proposals if it shall be deemed in the best interest of the Town to do so.
Richard M. Saville, Chief Procurement Officer
May 6, 2026

TOWN OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS - PURCHASING DIVISION
333 WASHINGTON STREET BROOKLINE, MA 02445
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Brookline Outdoor Pool Recreational Facility
Feasibility Study and Conceptual Design Services
Proposal Procedures
Competitive sealed proposals are invited in accordance with the provisions of Massachusetts
General Laws c. 30B.
Procedures under this invitation require separate and confidential submission of pricing and a
separate submission of a technical proposal. Technical proposals will be evaluated without
knowledge of prices by a committee appointed by the Chief Procurement Officer. The Chief
Procurement Officer will determine the most advantageous proposal after taking into consideration
the evaluation of technical proposals made by the committee together with a consideration of
prices.
Any questions regarding the scope of service or availability of referenced materials please
contact: Tim Davis, Director of Recreation, Brookline Recreation Department, 133 Eliot Street
Brookline MA 02467 - 617-730-2069, TDavis@brooklinema.gov
Any questions concerning thus RFP or procedures, must be submitted in writing to:
Richard Saville, Chief Procurement Officer, 333 Washington Street Brookline, MA 02445
Telephone 617-730-2195 Fax 617-264-6446 rsaville@brooklinema.gov
Award, payment and performance obligations shall depend on the availability and appropriation
of funds. Award of a contract may be subject to the approval of the Town of Brookline Select
Board.
Proposal Submission
Proposals will be received at the:
Town of Brookline
Town Hall, Purchasing Division
333 Washington St., 2nd Floor, Room 212
Brookline, MA 02445
Until Wednesday May 20, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at which time they will be opened in accordance
with MGL Chapter 30B, Section 6 (d). Proposals received after that date and time will be
rejected.
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It is the sole responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that the proposal arrives on time at the
designated place.
NOTE: Price proposals must be kept entirely separate from technical proposals. Failure to follow
this instruction will result in rejection of the proposal. In addition to the submitted hardcopies, the
technical proposal and price proposal shall be submitted electronically on a flash drive as 2
independent documents.
Five (5) copies (1 original and 4 copies) of each proposal shall be submitted as follows:
Price proposal shall be submitted on the form furnished and sealed in an envelope marked:
Proposal Envelope A - Price Proposal
Brookline Outdoor Pool Recreational Facility Feasibility Study and Conceptual Design
Services
Reference #P-26-10
Proposer's Name ___________________________________________________________
Technical proposal shall be submitted separately, sealed in an envelope marked:
Proposal Envelope B - Technical Proposal
Brookline Outdoor Pool Recreational Facility Feasibility Study and Conceptual Design
Services
Reference #P-26-10
Proposer's Name ___________________________________________________________
Proposers should note the following items:
Rejection of Proposals
The Town of Brookline reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all proposals received
pursuant to this request, if it is in the Town's best interest to do so.
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Incurring Costs
The Town of Brookline shall not be liable for any costs or obligations incurred by prospective
Proposer's prior to the execution of this Contract.
Addenda to Proposal
If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this proposal, an addendum will be provided to all
prospective Proposers who received the proposal.
Any interpretations of the RFP and supplemental instructions will be in the form of written
addenda to the RFP specifications. Requests for clarification or any questions about information
contained in the RFP should be addressed in writing to the Purchasing Division.
Questions
Questions will be accepted until Wednesday May 13th at 10:00am. If answers are deemed
necessary, questions and answers will be compiled and sent to all Proposers who requested a copy
of the RFP before the proposal submittal deadline.
Disclosure of Proposal Contents
All materials, including any payment information, submitted are subject to public information law
requirement, become the property of the Town of Brookline and will not be returned. The Town
of Brookline reserves the right to use any and all ideas presented in any reply to this Proposal.
Selection or rejection of the proposal does not affect this right.
In their response to this RFP, proposers MUST submit documents signed in ink in all places
requested. Failure to do so may result in the Proposal deemed non-responsive. The Town reserves
the right to waive minor informalities regarding signatures.
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Overview
The Town of Brookline owns and operates a portfolio of municipal recreation facilities that include
a year-round Evelyn Kirrane Aquatics Center (indoor), the Robert T Lynch 18-hole golf course,
Soule Early Education Center, Eliot Recreation Center, and seasonal outdoor Jack Kirrane Skating
Rink. All mentioned facilities are managed by the Brookline Recreation Department.
Currently, the Evelyn Kirrane Aquatics Center operates all swimming activities sponsored by the
Town of Brookline. It houses a lap pool, dive well, and shallow lesson/class pool. This facility is
home to the Town and High School swim teams, public and private swim lessons, recreational lap
swimming, and programming such as summer camp, lifeguard training, and school sponsored
classes. With a town population of over 62,000, the demand for pool time during all months of the
year remains high.
In 2019 the Town carried out a siting study for an outdoor swim facility in accordance with a 2018
Town Meeting directive. In response to public request and a Town Meeting directive, the
Brookline Recreation department has been asked to embark on a further feasibility study to look
at potential locations and costs for a new, outdoor, recreational swimming pool. This seasonal
facility will serve the public's recreation swim needs as well as additional department
programmatic uses.
This feasibility study should evaluate various site options, accessibility, environmental impacts,
capital and long-term operating costs. The feasibility study should consider and discuss energy
efficient system in any and all options, and the possibility of infrastructure to expand or adapt the
facility to provide year-round recreational use at the facility or in the vicinity.
Scope of Work Overview
The work covered under this RFP is to provide the Town with consulting services for the
development of a preliminary design for new facilities on four (4) identified town owned parcels
of land. Two identified, and two other town owned parcels of land to be identified by the consulting
team. In general, this study is intended to develop preliminary designs, assess site layout and
engineering considerations, prepare preliminary cost estimates, perform a market analysis, and
develop maintenance and operating costs for the facility. As the overall recreational site complex
is anticipated to be seasonal, the selected design team should think creatively regarding how to
manage the complex year-round.
In general, this work will include:
* Work with Town staff to identify the locations of study
* Evaluating the existing site information
* Performing a zoning and permitting evaluation
* Development of conceptual designs for the new facilities
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* Working with the community town staff, and boards to evaluate and select alternatives
* Hold up to two (2) public meetings for design feedback/needs
* Preliminary traffic and vehicular circulation evaluations of preferred alternatives
* Development of preliminary construction cost estimates
* Project maintenance and operating costs
* Public presentations of alternatives
* Preparation of a final report of all findings
Anticipated Design Elements
The following elements shall be considered as part of the preliminary design:
* Regulation sized swimming pool for lap and recreational swimming & are for leisure
shallow swim
* Supporting facility building (s) including changing rooms, rest rooms, office space,
mechanical room
* Fully ADA accessible
* Parking appropriate for the overall facility
* Other recreational amenities identified in the plan and discussed in the public process, as
appropriate
Design Standards
Should the project ultimately move towards design and construction of a facility, Brookline will
strive to build the overall site and structures in the latest building and environmental standards, to
be environmentally friendly, and energy efficient with high-performance buildings utilizing
increased renewable energy. The Brookline Select Board's Climate Acton Committee
recommends planning to achieve zero emissions by 2050 (through no reliance on fossil fuels).
https://www.brooklinema.gov/702/Climate-Action-Plan
Design standards relevant to the facility may include, but not be limited to:
* International Code Council's 2012 International Green Construction Code
* ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1-2011: Standard for the Design of High-
Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (ASHRAE 189.1)
* Green Globes(TM)
* US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED(R))
* Sustainable Sites Initiative
In addition, there may be other design goals the project should emulate including geothermal,
solar, energy efficient equipment specifically related to filtration systems, etc. As noted below,
the selected consultant shall suggest all related sustainable design goals for the building and the
site, and summarize them into the final report.
Design Team
The design team may consist of expertise representing the following disciplines:
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* Architecture, including familiarity with municipal pools
* Landscape Architecture, including design of recreational areas
* Civil Engineering including traffic
* Cost estimating services
* Market analysis services
* Other services as necessary
The design team can be combined as a single firm or can be a collaboration of qualified firms
under the direction of a lead firm.
Detailed Scope of Work
The tasks included in this study shall include the following items for both site locations to be
examined:
A. Site Analysis
* Evaluate two (2) Town chosen sites
One site to include one (1) standalone pool concept & an option of a connected
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pool facility to existing building
One site to include a standalone pool facility
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* Evaluate two (2) additional sites from town owned property portfolio
* Assess site suitability (topography, access, utilities, zoning, parking, environmental
impacts).
* Provide conceptual site layouts showing potential pool size, amenities, and support
facilities where possible.
B. Program and Facility Options
* Determine appropriate pool sizes, configurations, and amenities (e.g., lap lanes, , zero-
depth entry, diving, seasonal cover, bathhouse, storage, mechanical areas etc).
* Provide multiple programmatic options/scenarios (e.g., community pool, competition
facility, hybrid).
* Include accessibility, sustainability, and operational efficiency considerations.
C. Market and Community Analysis
* Review existing aquatics offerings within Brookline and neighboring communities.
* Conduct up to two (2) community input sessions or surveys.
* Identify anticipated user groups, participation rates, and potential revenue projections.
D. Cost Analysis
* Develop order-of-magnitude cost estimates for each site and facility option
(construction, soft costs, contingencies).
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* Provide annual operating cost projections and potential revenue/cost recovery models.
* Provide best cost escalations for up to three (3) years out for town budget planning
purposes
E. Deliverables
* Draft and final Feasibility Report including narrative, concept plans, cost, and
recommendations.
* Presentation to the Brookline Park & Recreation Commission and Brookline Select
Board for future considerations of capital investment.
Public Documents Accessibility
All files considered public record (including, but not limited to, all documents/presentations used
in meetings, and the final Master Report) must be ADA compliant (screen-reader friendly).
Screen-reader friendly documents include headings, meaningful hyperlinks, alternate text for
images, and an appropriate reading order. Much of the deliverable presentations and report
documents will be posted on the Town of Brookline website and shall meet this accessibility
requirement. Additional information regarding this requirement is included in the appendix.
Information to be provided to the Consultant Team by the Town of Brookline:
* Conceptual Parks and Recreation Pool Test Fit Study
* Town of Brookline 2020 Parks, Open Space, and Recreation Plan
* Town GIS Information related to this study in ArcView format
* Town of Brookline 2020 Parks, Open Space and Recreation Strategic Plan Update
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Anticipated Schedule and Project Meetings (subject to change)
Questions Due: May 13 2026 @ 10:00AM
Proposal Responses due: May 20, 2026, 2:00PM
Proposal Evaluation May 26 - 29, 2026
Proposal Evaluation Interviews June 1 - June 12, 2026
Award & Execute Contract: June 15 - 18, 2026
Various meetings with Brookline Staff (virtual): up to three (3) meetings scheduled throughout
process
Public Meetings: up to two (2) meetings scheduled throughout process
Dates to be agreed upon through conversation with Town Staff and selection committee up award
of contract. Meetings to include final presentations during public meeting times for the Brookline
Park and Recreation Commission and Brookline Select Board.
Project Budget
A budget of up to $85,000 is anticipated for this Request for Proposal.
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Technical Proposal
Four (4) hard copies of each complete Technical Proposal shall be submitted as follows:
1. Letter of interest
2. Technical Proposal
3. Proposal Signature Form
4. Synopses of comparable project examples (no more than 6) specific to outdoor recreational
needs assessment, capacity and maintenance, including for each a one paragraph
description, an excerpt of or link to relevant project examples, dates of service, a contact
name, address, and telephone number.
5. Background information on the firm(s).
6. Summary resumes of key personnel who will work on the project
EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS
The evaluation of the proposals and of the respondents presenting them will be carried out by a
selection committee established by the Chief Procurement Officer, based on recommend from
the Park and Recreation Commission. The Selection Committee will make its decision based on
information provided in the response to this RFP and the evaluation criteria outlined in this
section. Failure to provide relevant information may result in a lower ranking being assessed on
the evaluation.
Respondents will be evaluated based on the Comparative Evaluation Criteria listed below. A
further evaluation may occur based on an interview with the Selection Commission. The purpose
of this interview is to clarify the qualifications of the respondents and allow the Selection
Committee to verify its evaluation.
TECHNICAL PROPOSAL REVIEW
Statement of Qualifications
The evaluation criteria outlined below will be used to address the following criteria:
* Qualifications to provide the study based on previous experience, capability and resources.
* Qualifications of the personnel responsible for conducting the study in terms of expertise and
experience in doing similar studies for a municipality of similar size and type.
* Demonstrated expertise in all relevant disciplines including
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