LAWRENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY

707 VERMONT STREET

LAWRENCE, KS 66044-2371

Date:    June 2, 2005

To:       Mike Wildgen, City Manager

From:    Bruce Flanders, Library Director

Thank you for sending me a copy of the contract with Gould Evans for the library expansion project prime consultant. Steve Clark, of the local Gould Evans office, will serve as the principal contact for this project.

I wanted to let you know that I have just started working with Steve Clark on one of the main components of the prime consultant project: the development of an RFP for a "library building consultant."

While the prime consultant will continue to have oversight of the entire planning process, the library building consultant will be hired to bring specific skills to bear on a specific aspect of the project - the development of a detailed report outlining the necessary size and service features of the expanded library. These size calculations will take into account future growth in the library's service area population for the next 20+ years. This report will describe in detail the facility requirements necessary to accommodate future growth of collections, services, staffing, and technology. It will also define parking requirements for the library, both now and in the future.

As you will recall, the necessity of hiring a library building consultant in addition to the prime consultant was outlined to the City Commission at a study session held earlier this year. We would like to have the library building consultant “on board” as soon as possible so that expanded library space requirements can be determined, and can be made available to inform all other aspects of this project.

We would like to follow the same procedure we used for securing the prime consultant as we work to secure a library building consultant:

- Develop a draft RFP and submit to City staff for review
- Seek City Commission approval of the dissemination of the RFP

- Disseminate the RFP through the City purchasing office
- Allow adequate time for responses
- Interview selected respondents (City staff involved in interview process)
- Present a recommendation to the City Commission for approval
- Enter into a contractual agreement between the consultant and the City

Steve Clark and I believe that we can have a draft RFP ready for City staff review by the middle or latter part of next week.

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Please feel free to share this memo with other City staff and the City Commission.

Thank you for your continued support of and interest in the library expansion project.