City parks staff told the Bay City parks advisory board that a request for proposals (RFP) for Cara Park is with the purchasing office and should be issued within a week. The RFP seeks combined design and installation proposals; staff explained some playground manufacturers include design in their offering, which could reduce or eliminate the need for separate engineering services.

Staff also described a manufacturer-linked grant opportunity with firms such as GameTime (Sinclair Recreation) and Playcore that could increase equipment value for the project. For the city's referenced $1,000,000 Carroll project, staff estimated about $200,000 could be attributed to equipment if the grant applies. Staff emphasized that the grant would not obligate the city to accept a specific manufacturer if competitive bidding produced different results.

Board members asked clarifying questions about procurement and competitive bidding; staff said they would proceed with the RFP and incorporate necessary procurement safeguards. No formal vote was taken on the RFP or grant; the board directed staff to move forward with purchasing processes and to report back with procurement details.