SAN FRANCISCO— The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department is marking two major milestones this week as it implements cooperative purchasing legislation for the first time since it took effect on August 1.
Saving Green on Turf: First Cooperative Purchasing Agreement Before Commission
Recreation and Park Commissioners are set to approve the park system’s first cooperative purchasing agreement with a synthetic turf supplier on Thursday. The $4.99 million contract is anticipated to save six figures and significantly shorten the timeline for the first project it will support.
If approved, the first project under this agreement will be a $3.7 million turf replacement at the heavily used athletic fields of Raymond Kimbell Playground, last renovated in 2010. Construction is slated to begin in April and finish by August, minimizing disruption to youth sports seasons.
The cooperative purchasing legislation is projected to save the City between $130,000 and $160,000 on the project by eliminating general contractor markups and reducing administrative review costs. Additionally, the project timeline is expected to be shortened by three to five months compared to traditional contracting methods.
The legislation, introduced by Mayor London Breed, empowers city departments to harness cost-saving efficiencies by joining cooperative purchasing programs used by thousands of government agencies nationwide. For Rec and Park, this means delivering targeted and specific park improvements more quickly and at a lower cost.
"Our city is filled with beautiful parks that require our constant attention and improvements. By cutting costs and being more creative with solutions like cooperative purchasing, we can deliver more projects and better services for the people of San Francisco," said Mayor Breed. "It's encouraging to see that our new law is already delivering results and will continue to do so on so many park projects in the future"
Precita to Pave the Way as First Park to Benefit with Pathways, Restroom
Meanwhile, Precita Park’s planned makeover, which includes a prefabricated restroom, accessible pathways, upgraded planting, and new amenities, is expected to benefit from the cost- and time-saving measure when the project breaks ground this summer, Rec and Park officials announced this week. The design was unveiled at a community meeting earlier this year.
The prefabricated restroom, priced at $262,000, represents significant savings of approximately $713,000 compared to the $975,000 cost of a custom-built restroom completed several years ago. These savings stem from both the use of a prefabricated design and cooperative purchasing, which enables the City to purchase directly from suppliers.
The project timeline will also be significantly reduced, shrinking from roughly 17 months to just nine. Additionally, much of the construction will take place off-site, minimizing disruptions for park-goers.
The accessible single-stall restroom includes a baby changing table and warm-water handwashing station. Additional improvements at the park include indoor storage for electric gardening equipment; new accessible pathways; landscaping and irrigation and a new drinking fountain.
"We are quickly seeing the benefits of cooperative purchasing with the imminent installation of the long-awaited restroom at Precita Park,” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen, “This public amenity will greatly benefit all residents who have been waiting a long time for a restroom at this beloved neighborhood park."
“This legislation has given us a powerful tool to accelerate improvements and maximize the impact of every dollar,” said Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “The benefits are clear: faster timelines, significant cost savings, and better facilities for San Franciscans.”
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