HomeMy WebLinkAboutRFQ for Construction of a full service hotel downtown on Carnegie lot1 | Page
City of Bozeman
Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Construction of a
Full-Service Hotel with Meeting Facilities In
Downtown Bozeman, Montana
“In some ways it is surprising that a community of Bozeman’s stature
does not already have a small 50-80 room, ‘four star’ hotel. The
university, the hospital, and other corporate entities report that such a
hotel is needed for many types of visitors.”1
Section 1
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY
Thank you for your interest in the development of a full-service hotel with meeting facilities in
the heart of downtown Bozeman, Montana, gateway to Yellowstone National Park. The property
development opportunity is to design, build and operate a full-service hotel with meeting
facilities to attract more downtown patrons and high quality events and help the City of Bozeman
(the City) maintain strong tourism, entertainment, cultural and professional events industries.
The project must be consistent with all City plans that relate to its historic downtown core and
dynamic Central Business District including but not limited to the stated goals of the Bozeman
City Commission, the Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan, Bozeman Community Plan and
the Economic Development Plan.
Section 2
WHY BOZEMAN?
Located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Bozeman is truly a remarkable community. The
City of 38,000 people serves a region of 90,000+ residents with backgrounds and cultures as
diverse as the Montana landscape. From cattle ranchers to high tech entrepreneurs, the area is
home to a breed of people who have come to appreciate an unmatched quality of life. While
retaining its small town feel, Bozeman prides itself on offering a wide array of cultural amenities
with an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities. It’s easy to understand why Bozeman
consistently ranks as one of America’s most livable cities.
The Gallatin Valley is one of the fastest-growing areas in the northern Rocky Mountains.
Bozeman is the regional trade, education and medical center of southwest Montana and
consistently attracts top-tier business, medical, retail, cultural, and educational opportunities
1 Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan, page 37.
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through innovation, collaboration, and focused effort. Bozeman is well positioned as a
competitive, attractive and inspiring location to conduct business, live, visit, recreate or earn a
degree.
Bozeman is home to Montana State University, a thriving research university. The Carnegie
Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching recognizes MSU as one of 96 research universities
with “very high research activity.” MSU enrollment numbers for the fall of 2011total 12,188
undergraduate students and 1,965 graduate students. Through competitively awarded grants and
contracts, MSU accounted for $109,481,694 in research expenditures between 2009 and 2010.
MSU provides a well educated workforce and strong technology transfer program that attract,
retain and support higher paying jobs in southwest Montana. Additionally, Gallatin College
Programs (GCP) offers 2 year associate degrees and 1 year certificate programs further
improving and diversifying our workforce. In 2011, Gallatin College Programs recorded an
enrollment of approximately 200 students. Each year, both MSU and GCP enrollments continue
to expand.
Considered the “Gateway to Yellowstone National Park” Bozeman hosts over one million
visitors each year. Three world class ski resorts, Bridger Bowl, Big Sky, and Moonlight Basin
are only minutes away. Many visitors travelling east to west arrive in Bozeman via Interstate 90
which is less than 2 minutes from Downtown. Many others arrive via the recently expanded
Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. Our airport recorded its busiest year ever in 2011
with 397,822 passengers boarding flights. This represents an 8.9 percent increase over 2010 and
approximately 32,600 more passengers than the previous record set in 2010. Bozeman
Yellowstone Airport and local private business interests are pursuing the establishment of an on-
site U.S. Customs agent for international passenger arrivals and departures. In 2011, a newly
constructed concourse addition allows expanded service to six airlines including Alaska,
Allegiant, Delta, Frontier, Horizon and United Airlines. The Bozeman Yellowstone Airport
averages 20 flights per day including many non-stop connections to major hubs including
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Atlanta (seasonal), Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles (seasonal), Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New
York (seasonal), Phoenix, Portland (seasonal), Salt Lake City, San Francisco (seasonal), and
Seattle. Additionally, two private jet centers provide an array of services to private jet owners,
pilots and passengers.
Over the years, Bozeman is fortunate to be included on a variety of “Best Of” lists. Policom, an
economic research firm, ranked Bozeman as the seventh strongest micropolitan economy in 2011
out of 576 small cities studied throughout the United States. Additional recognitions include:2
1. “Where to Live and Play Now:” National Geographic Adventure recommended Bozeman
as a good place to raise children for the reasons of sa fety, exposure to culture, and
outdoor amenities. October, 2009.
2. “The Union of Town and Gown:” Entrepreneur Magazine highlighted colleges that are
working with their cities to foster a local entrepreneurial spirit that will develop the
economy and encourage business-savvy students to stick around post-graduation.
Bozeman ranked #6 on this list. October, 2009.
3. “Happiest States of 2009: The List:” LiveScience ranked Montana #3 behind Hawaii and
Utah where the index included questions about six areas of well-being, including overall
evaluation of resident’s lives, emotional health, physical health, healthy behaviors and
job satisfaction. February, 2010.
4. “Best Towns 2010 – Best for Skiing (West):” Outside magazine featured the top 25
towns in America for cycling, paddling, running, surfing, skiing, and – because you
might want everything – all of the above. Bozeman received these accolades for having
two ski areas and 350 inches of annual snowfall. August, 2010.
5. “10 Best Affordable Mountain Towns for Retirement:” According to U.S. News & World
Report, Bozeman fits the bill of offering access to plenty of skiing, trails, and wildlife,
while still providing affordable housing and a reasonable cost of living in addition to
other retiree-friendly characteristics, such as access to healthcare and a low crime rate.
July, 2010.
6. “Bozeman named #1 town to live (if you’re a skier):” According to Powder magazine,
“Bozeman is the perfect mix of ski town and ski-tropolis; it’s more affordable than
Jackson Hole, less crowded than Salt Lake City, and more of a real town than Whistler.”
November, 2010.
7. “Top Retirement Town:” Bozeman was profiled in Where to Retire magazine’s
November/December issue for possessing many qualities important to today’s retirees.
October, 2010.
2 This list was excerpted from Robyn Erlenbush’s article “Twelve Reasons to Live in Big Sky Country” appearing in
the Bozeman Daily Chronicle’s Businesss2Business publication on January 11, 2011.
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One of the area’s top outdoor recreational activities is trout fishing in our world class rivers and
streams. The region has 82 miles of “blue ribbon” trout fishing streams and rivers including the
nearby Yellowstone, Boulder, Madison, and Gallatin rivers and is surrounded by thousands of
acres of national forest and other public lands. Bozeman is also distinguished by its thriving and
vibrant downtown food, culture, arts, and entertainment scenes. The Bozeman community
strongly supports our excellent K-12 school systems which are important to our well-educated
community and workforce.
Bozeman is the regional hub for retail and commerce, education, healthcare, tourism,
manufacturing and innovation. Bozeman is home to notable, one-of-a-kind, worldwide
organizations such as Oracle (formerly Right Now Technologies), Zoot Enterprises,
Schedulicity.com, Simms Fishing Products, Mystery Ranch Backpacks, West Paw Design, Sitka,
LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals, Bacterin International, Scientific Materials, BioScience Laboratories,
Foundant Technologies, Bridger Photonics, ILX Lightwave, and Lattice Materials, to name but a
few.
Section 3
DEVELOPMENT SITE INFORMATION
The 26,600 square foot proposed hotel site is located on real property owned by the City known
as the Carnegie parcel (lots 17-A, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 of Block E of the Original Townsite of
Bozeman, Montana) located at 106 East Mendenhall Street (see the blue polygon on the map
below).
Details related to the zoning and development capacity of the site area are summarized in the
City’s Unified Development Code or UDC.
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Section 4
PREFFERED QUALIFICATIONS
The City is interested in working with a development entity who is experienced in the
development and operation of a full-service hotel with meeting facilities. The City will work
closely with the developer regarding site design and development. To that end, the City is
soliciting Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) from a limited list of interested parties. Following
review, one or more firms may be selected to submit a more detailed proposal including concept
design drawings, financial projections, and the financial terms for the purchase or lease of the
land. Design guidelines for the Downtown area, of which the hotel site is a part, are provided in
the Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan and the Design Guidelines for the Neighborhood
Conservation Overlay. The guiding design principles for this area are summarized as follows:
1. Reinforce the Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan, Bozeman Community Plan, the
City’s Economic Development Plan, and the City Commission’s 2012 - 2013 Work Plan;
2. Respect history and community landmarks;
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3. Promote high standards of street design with active streetscapes and visually permeable
street level facades;
4. Create a vibrant edge to the street with strong building character and proximity to the
sidewalk;
5. Maintain and extend historic streetscape elements as specified in the “Downtown
Business Improvement District Streetscape Plan”; and
6. Maintain and extend the traditional building form, massing, and traditional materials as
seen in the surrounding commercial district; the building may express traditional form
and massing while using a current architectural vocabulary.
Section 5
STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
The City requests a qualifications statement that expresses your entity's interest, vision and
capability to develop and operate a full-service hotel with meeting facilities in downtown
Bozeman, Montana. We are specifically seeking the following materials:
1. Your Firm’s Specialty. Provide a narrative that details whether your firm develops, or
develops and operates full-service hotels with meeting facilities. Please identify the firm's
specialization. If teams are proposed that would separately undertake the development
and operating responsibilities, please provide information for each team member;
2. Vision and Development Program Summary. Identify your vision for a full-service
hotel with meeting facilities and describe how constructing and operating such a facility
on the Carnegie parcels would fit into your firm's overall business strategy. Translate
your vision into a development program that identifies the type and quality level of a
downtown, full-service hotel with meeting facilities, as well as the lodging market this
facility would service. Also, please detail ancillary uses, i.e. restaurant, retail, and/or spa
uses your firm, or another entity, would develop onsite in conjunction with a hotel;
3. Operations. Identify anticipated hotel operators for the hospitality venue. Also identify
other proposed operators for all ancillary uses. Illustrate the brand promise, marketing
program and reservation system that is unique to the hotel operator;
4. Experience. Include a detailed resume for your firm (or if a team, for each participating
firm) citing specific experience with developing/operating a full-service hotel with
meeting facilities in a downtown. Identify other projects your firm has developed and/or
operates including the host community, size, ancillary uses, and quality level. Also
provide information regarding your firm (if a development team include each firm on the
team) that identifies length of time in business, ownership structure, operating structure,
principal offices, and the office that would service this project. Further, identify the
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project manager and personnel that would be assigned to this project including their level
of experience and responsibility;
5. Financial Capability. Identify the firm's or team's capacity to secure the equity and
financing required to implement the proposed development program. Please disclose if
your firm has ever defaulted on its financial obligations, has had developments that were
foreclosed upon, or if bankruptcy has ever been filed; and
6. Implementation Time Frame. Outline the time period your firm proposes to initiate site
and development program planning activities upon signing an exclusive negotiation
agreement with the City. Discuss your firm's ability to initiate construction activities
within 12 months after executing a disposition and development agreement.
Section 6
SELECTION CRITERIA
The following criteria will be used to evaluate the qualifications statement submittals:
1. The development program should feature a full-service, whole ownership, high quality
hotel with dedicated meeting facilities and appropriate ancillary uses;
2. The development entity must demonstrate experience with designing, building, and
operating full-service hotels with meeting facilities. Experience entails at least three or
more properties;
3. The development entity must demonstrate that it has access to sufficient capital to
underwrite all construction costs and at least one year of maintenance and operating
costs; and
4. The development entity must demonstrate that it is ready to initiate site and development
program planning activities upon signing an exclusive negotiation agreement, and that it
will commence construction activities within 12 months after executing a disposition and
development agreement.
Section 7
EVALUATION PROCESS
THE CITY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY OR ALL SUBMITTALS AT
ITS SOLE AND ABSOLUTE DISCRETION.
The City will designate a preliminary review panel (the panel) to evaluate all submittals received
in response to this RFQ. Within 30 days of the submittal deadline, the panel will assess
respondent qualifications based on the evaluation criteria described in Section 6, above. Panel
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members will score each proposal in their own preferred order. The scores assigned by each
Panel member will be based on the individual member’s reasonable judgment as to the degree to
which the proposal complies with the criteria and intent of the RFQ process.
Members of the Panel and other City staff may contact references and industry sources,
investigate previous projects and current commitments, and interview some or all of the
development team.
Within 60 days of the submittal deadline interviews may be scheduled for firms or teams which
have been found to be the most responsive to the RFQ. Following review, one or more firms may
be selected to submit a more detailed proposal including concept design drawings, financial
projections, and the financial terms for the purchase or lease of the Carnegie Parcels. Within 90
days of the submittal deadline the panel may then recommend to the City Commission that one
firm be considered for an exclusive negotiation agreement for the Carnegie Parcels.
Section 8
SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS
This request for qualifications remains open until filled. Please send submittals to the attention
of:
Carnegie Parcels RFQ
Bozeman City Clerk
121 North Rouse Ave
P.O. Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771
Submissions must be in the actual possession of the Office of the Bozeman City Clerk on or
prior to Friday, April 13, 2012, by 5:00pm, Mountain Time.
Late submissions will not be considered. Submissions must be provided in a sealed package with
the statement Carnegie Parcels RFQ and the prime contact name and address clearly labeled on
the front of the package. Please submit two (2) complete paper copies and two (2) complete
digital copies on CD-ROM or flash drive of the proposal. PDF digital file formats are
preferred.
Section 9
INQUIRIES
All questions regarding the Carnegie Parcels RFQ shall be in writing via parcel post or e-mail
and directed to:
Brit Fontenot
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Director of Economic Development
and Community Relations
P.O. Box 1230
City of Bozeman, Montana
406-582-2258
bfontenot@bozeman.net
Written questions and responses will be published on the City’s webpage at
http://www.bozeman.net/Departments-(1)/Administration/Commission/BID---RFQ---RFQ.
Section 10
RESERVATION OF RIGHTS BY CITY OF BOZEMAN
The issuance of this RFQ and the acceptance of a submittal do not constitute an agreement by the
City that any contract will actually be entered into by the City. Any costs incurred by
respondents in preparation of a response to this RFQ or future RFP are completely the
responsibility of the respondents. Any or all disputes arising under this RFQ and any contract
negotiated as a result of this RFQ shall be governed by the laws of the State of Montana. The
City reserves the right to issue written notice of any changes in the submittal process
should the City determine, in its sole and absolute discretion, that such changes are
necessary or desirable.
In addition and notwithstanding any other provision of the RFQ, the City reserves the right to:
1. Waive any immaterial defect or informality in a submittal;
2. Extend or otherwise revise the submittal date;
3. Reject any or all submissions or portions thereof;
4. Cancel this RFQ at any time;
5. Reissue a new or revised RFQ; and
6. Request additional information or one or more teams to submit a more detailed submittal.
Section 11
SUBMITTAL REJECTION/RIGHT TO DISQUALIFY
Submittal of terms, condition and/or agreements may result in rejection if such terms, conditions,
or agreements are deemed unacceptable by the City in its sole discretion. The City reserves the
right to disqualify any team who fails to provide information or data specifically requested herein
or who provides materially inaccurate or misleading information or data or who attempts to
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influence the selection process outside the procedures established herein. The City reserves the
right to disqualify any team on the basis of any real or apparent conflict of interest. This
disqualification is at the sole discretion of the City.
Section 12
CITY OF BOZEMAN’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
Each entity submitting under this notice shall include a provision wherein the submitting entity,
or entities, affirms in writing it will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed,
sex, age, marital status, national origin, or because of actual or perceived sexual orientation,
gender identity, or disability in fulfillment of this RFQ, the RFP, if selected, or in the
development and operations of a hotel if a contract is entered into for such purposes and that this
prohibition on discrimination shall apply to the hiring and treatment of the submitting entity’s
employees and to all subcontracts.
Failure to comply with the above shall be cause for the City to deem the submittal non -
responsive.
This solicitation does not require the City to award a contract, to pay any cost incurred with the
preparation of a qualifications statement, or to procure or contract for services or supplies. The
City reserves the right to accept or reject any submittals received in response to this request, to
negotiate with any qualified source, or cancel in whole or part this process if it is in the best
interest of the City. Prior to negotiations, prospective entities may be required to submit revisions
to their qualifications statements. All proposers should note that any contract pursuant to this
solicitation is dependent upon the recommendation of the City staff and the approval of the City
Commission.
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END OF RFQ