After reviewing the proposals received for a Westside Community Center operator, the City has cancelled its request for proposal (RFP) solicitation and will not make an award for an operator. The Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services department is now evaluating viable next steps to determine a path forward.
As part of the established procurement process, the City evaluated all proposals in terms of financial and technical capability and a record of satisfactory past performance. The Center for Strategic Ministry (CSM), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and current operator of the community center, was announced by the RFP committee in December 2021 as the most viable proposal. During contract negotiations, the CSM withdrew its proposal, and the procurement evaluation resulted in no additional qualified proposers.
CSM will continue to operate the center under its current contract through May 31, 2022. CSM has operated the community center since the city first sought an external operator in 2010 as a response to budgetary constraints.
“The model for working with an external operator of the Westside Community Center has proven to be successful, and we are grateful for the 12 years of service that the Center for Strategic Ministry has provided to westside residents,” said Kim King, recreation and administration manager. “We are now reevaluating what comes next.”
About the RFP
The City first issued an RFP seeking a new operator in November 2020, announcing on July 2, 2021 that it had been unsuccessful in coming to a mutual agreement with its top applicants. Since the first RFP was released, the city has set aside $1.375 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding toward prioritized capital improvements.
As stated in the RFP, the City’s goals included:
- Securing a financially stable entity that will effectively manage, operate and maintain the Westside Community Center
- Ensuring the center supports and fosters activities that will provide beneficial services to the westside neighborhood as well as the community as a whole
- Reducing the level of maintenance and capital demands upon the city by supporting maintenance and capital improvement efforts for the facility.