The Fort Worth Botanic Garden's Conservatory is a 10,000 square foot greenhouse which was constructed in 1985. The conservatory houses a collection of more than 700 species of tropical plants. Notable plants include the chocolate, kumquat and coffee trees as well as the many flowering plants which produce exotic blooms. Repairs to the conservatory roof are necessary for the safe use of the conservatory on a daily basis and to meet the USDA requirements to host "Butterflies in the Garden" on alternate years. This event generates over $300,000.00 in gross revenues in the years that it is hosted. With the approach of winter these repairs become critical in order to preserve the plants housed in the conservatory. Recent repairs have failed, resulting in some glass from the roof falling. We are looking into possible claims associated with the previous installation. A structural engineer prepared a report indicating that the primary structural system is sound; however, some of the framing elements for the glass roof have deteriorated over time. The Property Management Department has determined that using a purchasing cooperative is the procurement method that provides the City with the best value to meet the objective of timely repairs of this highly specialized work at competitive pricing.
Repairs to this glass roof are complicated and require expertise and specialized equipment. Staff conducted interviews by phone and in person of potential BuyBoard listed companies to verify they had the equipment, Staff and capabilities needed to make the repairs. These firms were: AB Glass & Glazing Solutions, LLC Binswanger Enterprises, LLC Insite Amenities, LLC Texas Greenhouse Co, Inc.
Staff found that Texas Greenhouse did not have the equipment to perform the repairs. A&B Glass had a previous annual agreement with the City to perform repairs at this facility, but they stopped doing repairs because they did not want to continue doing work with glass pieces this large. Binswanger Glass was used to do interim repairs earlier this year, and those repairs have already failed, so they were eliminated from further consideration. As a result of these interview efforts, Staff recommends Insite Amenities, LLC. Insite Amenities has the experience and expertise with the products and installation methods necessary to make the needed immediate repairs.
The funding source for the $191,980.00 is the Botanic Garden Special Revenue Fund. Part of the fund balance used for the funding of this project includes a donation of $20,000.00 from an anonymous donor, received by the Botanic Garden's Special Revenue Fund during FY2017. In accordance with Chapter 7, Article III, § 7-47, Section 109.2.1 of the City Code, Building and Trade Permit Fees are waived for this project.
M/WBE OFFICE - A waiver of the goal for MBE/SBE subcontracting requirements was requested by the Department and approved by the MWBE Office, in accordance with the BDE Ordinance, because the purchase of goods or services for the source(s) where subcontracting or supplier opportunities are negligible. The Fort Worth Botanic Garden's Conservatory is located in COUNCIL DISTRICT 7, but serves all Fort Worth residents in ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS. |
