SUCF# 191029 Cornell University Hospital for Animals Space Utilization Assessment

Request for Qualifications

Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), part of The State University of New York (SUNY), is seeking qualifications from consultants to provide a multi-building space and program planning study for the Cornell University Hospital for Animals (CUHA). This study is intended to inform decisions over the next decade to maintain CUHA’s ability to offer cutting edge care for its clients while training future generations of veterinary care professionals.

Background Information

Cornell University's CVM is internationally recognized as a leader in public health, biomedical research and veterinary medical education, and is comprised of five academic departments and two enterprise units: CUHA, and the New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center. The College’s overall physical footprint encompasses 1,623,184 square feet, 54 acres, and 155 buildings with a central campus occupying a complex of over 16 buildings many of which are interconnected via the first or second levels. One of these facilities, the Veterinary Medical Center (VMC), houses the Companion Animal Hospital (CAH) and the Equine Nemo Farm Animal Hospital (ENFAH) which together create CUHA.

The College employs 250 faculty members, 33 academic staff, 162 terminal degree trainees, and almost 650 non-academic staff. The College has approximately 700 students enrolled across its various programs. The CVM confers a Master’s in Public Health, a Master’s in Professional Studies, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees, with the DVM program admitting 126 students per year. This program includes clinical rotations in CUHA which provide hands-on experience not only with a variety of animals and clinical situations but also with clients. Together the CAH, the emergency and specialty small animal hospital, and the ENFAH, the emergency and specialty large animal hospital, house the majority of CVM’s veterinary student and house officer hands-on clinical training.

Project Description

The CAH caseload has increased in both complexity and volume with patient visits growing by an average of 14% per year. This trend is expected to stay consistent moving forward, increasing from ~20,000 visits in 2015 to ~34,000 in 2023. During this same time period the number of students, house officers, staff and faculty rotating through the CAH has grown by ~25% alongside additions of new services and the growth of the existing core function. Importantly, space committed to staff well-being and student teaching has largely been converted to clinical care space with little to no replacement available.

The CUHA Space Utilization Assessment study shall provide information and options to assist in developing future capital projects to address both current and projected space needs. Associated budget estimates from this study will inform CVM’s three-to-ten-year capital plan with the study organizing future work into three phases: Phase 1 (2-5 years), Phase 2 (5-8 years), Phase 3 (8-10 years). Recommendations shall align with the Cornell University Design Standards and space-related guidelines, the ADA, and current NYS State Building Code.

This study will be limited to the following buildings within the CVM complex:

Total: 290,111 GSF

Scope of Services

The services indicated below shall include, but not be limited to:

• For purposes of concept development alignment to CVM strategic plans, familiarize the team with the CVM Strategic Plan and CVM Curriculum Update
• Review archive documents for each building, previous studies and reports.
• Asses the current space utilization, qualitative, and functional condition of the above listed facilities
• Identify opportunities and constraints, including fit to function of current space.
• Document and confirm through the organizational hierarchy the following parameters as based in the unit strategic plan: staffing projections, patient and client projections, and functional program scope.
• Develop base space requirements for CUHA. Report on the ability of current space to meet needs and identify gaps (quantitative and qualitative).
• Develop adjacency diagrams to determine options for the best fit of programs to current or renovated space.
• Guide CVM in identifying, prioritizing, and structuring capital projects.
• Conduct on-site meetings and site visits as needed.
• Careful consideration of priorities for sequencing projects to align with high certainty of full funding.
• Recognition that net parking impact cannot occur.

Deliverables shall align with those spelled out in detail within the Cornell Guidelines for Space Needs Studies, including Appendix A, summarized here as follows:

College Profile : AE shall become broadly familiar with CVM and its characteristics including historical background, academic and strategic mission, statistical data, and its facilities and grounds. AE shall become more specifically familiar with CUHA within this context.

Assessment of Existing Program and Space Utilization : AE shall assess the qualitative condition and space utilization of the existing CVM facilities within the study scope. AE is also expected to assess the effectiveness of current space utilization quantitatively and qualitatively for all categories of CVM space resources within this study area.

Analysis of Space Needs based on Strategic Vision : AE shall compile and analyze the current and future programmatic facility needs of CUHA and calculate the associated facilities space requirements.

Exploration of Alternatives to meet Space Needs and Final Recommendation : Prepare a minimum of three distinct space plans to address the proposed program within available or renovated facilities. AE shall develop high level conceptual cost estimates for each space plan. Space plans shall include adjacency blocking and pros and cons which take into consideration phasing and logistics. CVM in consultation with university leadership will select one concept for a higher level of detail in both cost, phasing, and logistics.

Facilities Conditions Assessment : Cornell will provide facilities condition indexes and reports for use by the AE firm. Team will evaluate concepts with basic criteria of fit-to-function and high-level MEP implications/opportunities to budget future work.

Project Reference Materials:

Space Planning Guidance Documentation, including Office Space Guidelines

https://dbp.cornell.edu/home/space-planning/resources/

(includes Guidelines for Space Needs Studies)

Space Programming Requirements, Section 013000

https://fcs.cornell.edu/projects/design-construction-standards/design-construction-standards

Policy 2.7 (for room type and functional coding and descriptions)

https://policy.cornell.edu/policy-library/reporting-use-facilities

Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Participation

Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Article 15-A, Cornell University is committed to promoting opportunities for maximum feasible participation of certified MWBE firms and the employment of minority group members and women in the performance of Cornell contracts. Consultants are required to ensure that good faith efforts are made to include meaningful participation.

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SDVOB) Participation

Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Article 17-B, Cornell University is committed to promoting opportunities for maximum feasible participation of certified SDVOB firms and the employment of veterans in the performance of Cornell contracts. Consultants are required to ensure that good faith efforts are made to include meaningful participation.

MBE, WBE, and SDVOB goals are listed in the New York State Contract Reporter (NYSCR) ad.

The consultant shall provide a Subconsultant Staffing List for the project using the form attached to the NYSCR ad. This subconsultant staffing list shall include the percent of work to be completed by each subconsultant and indicate whether each subconsultant is a MBE, WBE, or SDVOB.

References

References will be contacted as part of the evaluation process. When submitting references, the following information shall be included:

• Name(s) and title(s) of person/people to contact
• Phone numbers and e-mail addresses
• Name of project and/or reason for reference

Time of Completion Schedule

Tentative interviews to be held: December, 2023

Estimated Completion Date: March, 2025

Format of Proposal

To be considered for this project, prospective consultants shall include the following in their response:

• Cover letter with signature.

• Prime Consultant’s Qualifications and Experience : Show specific relevant expertise and successful completion of projects similar in size and scope as the project described above.

• Qualifications of Prime Consultant Staff : Demonstrate experience and qualifications of the firm’s key personnel in the planning, organizing and execution of projects similar in scope. List the qualifications of employees who will be working on this project.

• Approach and Capability : Show organization of staff and design/technical resources specifically dedicated to this project. Identify assignment of responsibilities and authority.

• Previous Experience with Work Specific to Project Scope : Include examples of prior work on Cornell projects and other colleges and medical and veterinary facilities and/or state agencies. Demonstrate thorough understanding of project scope.

• Proposed Subconsultant Team : List subconsultants who will work on this project and demonstrate that they have the necessary staffing and experience for this type of work.

• MWBE and SDVOB Utilization : On the Subconsultant Staffing List, list all MBE, WBE, and SDVOB staff and subconsultants who will work on this project to show how the MWBE/SDVOB goals will be met. If the prime consultant is an MWBE/SDVOB firm, it counts towards the goals.

• References : List references for design and construction administration of similar projects in public and educational settings.

Deadline and Submittal Information

• Proposals must be received on or by the due date listed in the NYSCR ad.

• Proposals must be in PDF format, no more than 25 pages total (including cover sheet and all forms), and labeled using the following naming convention:

SUCF#-Project Name-Firm Name

• Proposals shall be e-mailed to: ccf-admin@cornell.edu
  
• If inquiries regarding the project are received, all answers given will be posted at the following link: https://fcs.cornell.edu/current-nys-contract-reporter-ad-inquiries

No fee information is to be submitted with the proposal. A fee proposal will be requested only after a consultant selection is made.

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