REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Fred A. Wilson, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Stephanie Beverage, Director of Library Services
Subject:
title
Approve and award a Service Contract for the fabrication and implementation of the Central Library Wayfinding and Navigational System to AHR Inc., dba Ampersand Contract Sign Group in the amount of $180,503.30; and, approve and accept a donation from the Friends of the Huntington Beach Library (FOTL) to help fund the contract cost
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Statement of Issue:
The City Council is requested to approve a contract with AHR Inc. dba Ampersand Contract Sign Group for the Central Library Wayfinding System project and accept a donation from the Friends of the HB Library to help fund the total project cost.
Financial Impact:
The City originally budgeted $116,000.00 for this project in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) account 10040314.82800. We are pleased to report that the Friends of the HB Library have also pledged their support for the project and have committed up to $100,000.00 for it. As such, staff recommends a 50/50 split between the City and the Friends of the HB Library for a total contribution of $90,251.65 each to cover the total cost of the project of $180,503.30. The balance of the donation and the City funded CIP allocation will be applied to other purchases or projects in support of the library collection and programs.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
A) Approve and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute “Services Agreement Between the City of Huntington Beach and AHR Signs Inc., dba Ampersand Contract Signing Group, for the Fabrication and Installation of Central Library Wayfinding System,” located in Los Angeles, CA, in the amount of $180,503.30; and,
B) Approve and accept a donation from the Friends of the HB Library, in the amount of $100,000.00 and allocate the funds to Library donations account 10350101.64280, to cover the balance of the contract amount and any contingencies, with the balance of the donation to be used for the purchase of other library materials in support of the library collection and library programs.
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Alternative Action(s):
Do not award the contract, do not accept the donation, and direct staff accordingly.
Analysis:
The Huntington Beach Central Library is a large, beautiful, and complicated building. It is a 115,000 square foot building with a main ground-floor level, a below-grade lower level, and a 200,000 volume book collection contained in four separate levels of stacks. Since the original building opened 43 years ago in 1975, navigating the growing collection and services in the building has been challenging and confusing.
Over the past few years, as the library has added new and additional services, it has become increasingly apparent that the building’s directional system is problematic, confusing, outdated, and in some areas nonexistent, potentially raising questions about safety, security, ADA and code compliance. The lack of a clear and effective system for navigating the building poses challenges that need remediation to ensure that the Library continues to work effectively for all of our visitors.
As a City department, the Library is committed to providing the highest levels of customer service and the lack of an effective internal directional signage system throughout the Central Library is not adequately serving our public.
The Library completed a wayfinding analysis of the Central Library in 2015. The assessment identified a number of challenges in using the building. The Central Library lacked any cohesive system to help people navigate the space effectively, with over 184 purely directional questions asked and answered each day by Library staff, diverting their attention away from serving patrons inquiring about the collection and other Library services.
Observations and surveys have found that many people are confused and unable to find the services they need due to the lack of effective directional and informational signage. Based on this study, Library Administration proposed a comprehensive wayfinding project to improve service, safety, and effective navigation of the building. The project was reviewed and approved by the Library Board of Trustees, and went through the Capital Improvement program process.
The Public Works Commission also reviewed and approved the project in the CIP for 2016/17 and 2017/18. The City Council reviewed and approved the project as part of the budget process for the same fiscal years. Library Administration also shared and reviewed the project with the Board of the Friends of the Huntington Beach Public Library, and the Board of the Friends of the Children’s Library, requesting their support to help with the cost of the system. Both groups strongly support the project and both agreed to donate funds to help cover costs, if needed.
Over the past year and half, the library has been working with a professional designer to create a coherent and effective navigational system for the building. The design covers the entire building and provides design and fabrication requirements for each area of the building, covering the two main levels, every level of the books stacks and all the meeting rooms, providing direction and guidance for all users. The new wayfinding system will dramatically improve the user experience in the Central Library, bringing us into compliance with ADA and code requirements, and empowering both regular and new library patrons by connecting them to the services they need. The new system is designed to be flexible and durable, and should last for 15 - 20 years, allowing for easy and low cost updating and/or changing of signs. The design provides direction and standards for any additional signage or informational elements needed in the future.
The design went out to bid and two local firms responded. After evaluation and review, the Library selected AHR, Inc., dba Ampersand Contract Signage group, a Los Angeles firm with extensive experience in sign fabrication and working with the public sector. The other bidder was originally over twice the cost of the Ampersand bid. The bid from Ampersand comes to $1.56 per square foot.
The Library is asking the City Council to approve and award a contract in the amount of $180,503.30 for the fabrication and installation of the new wayfinding system to AHR Inc., dba Ampersand Contract Sign Group.
The City originally budgeted $116,000.00 for this project in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) account 10040314.82800. We are pleased to report that the Friends of the HB Library have also pledged their support for the project and have committed up to $100,000.00 for it. As such, staff recommends a 50/50 split between the City and the Friends of the HB Library for a total contribution of $90,251.65 each to cover the total cost of the project of $180,503.30. The balance of the donation, and the balance of the City funded CIP allocation will be applied to other purchases or projects in support of the library collection and programs.
Environmental Status:
N/A
Strategic Plan Goal:
Enhance and maintain infrastructure
Improve Quality of Life
Maintain and enhance City Service Delivery
Attachment(s):
1. Contract for AHR Inc DBA Ampersand Contract Sign Group
2. Design Specifications
3. AHR Inc DBA Insurance Certificate
4. HB Wayfinding Report
5. Map of Sign locations and Installation
6. Central Library Wayfinding and Directional signage project PowerPoint