REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Professional Services – Architectural & Engineering Services
Project – Administration Building & Community Center
Introduction
Camden County is requesting qualified professional architectural firms to submit a statement of qualifications to provide architectural services for the completion of the Administration Complex to include two new buildings, an Administration Building, and Community Center in Camden County, North Carolina. The project will include the design of two new facilities on a pre-designated site with a recently constructed facility containing a library, community room, and board meeting room. The site sits across from the historic Camden County Courthouse, constructed in 1847.
Background
Camden County’s administrative services are currently decentralized and spread across three campuses: the Courthouse Complex, the 158 Administrative Offices, and the new Administration Complex campus. Some of the structures currently in use on the Courthouse Campus have or are reaching the end of their service life. The distance between the campuses does not allow for ease of interaction among departments and causes the public to travel between buildings for services. The County desires to have a one-stop-shop to serve the public.
In addition to the need for administrative space, there is also significant interest in providing recreational and public meeting space which will host youth and adult programming.
A successful project will require a design firm that can make a connection between the historic architectural qualities of public buildings within the adjacent Courthouse Complex while using technological advances for energy and water conservation. The successful design team will need to integrate the impacts on staff and other operational resources into the plan to minimize not only construction costs but also operating and maintenance costs.
Project Summary
Camden County is seeking qualifications from professional firms to provide architectural and engineering services for the construction of the new Camden County Public Services Complex. The project site is located in the 100 block of North Carolina Highway 343 N. Camden, NC 27921, and is situated on approximately 7.69 acres.
The site is bordered on the north by a vacant 61-acre private development site with 350 feet frontage on NC 343, and on the southeast by a vacant 51-acre private development site with 1750 feet frontage on US 158.
The Administration Building is estimated to not exceed 20,000 gross square feet consisting of two floors. Operational functions within the new public services building will include: Planning & Zoning;
Tax Collection; Utility Billing; Elections; Finance; Human Resources; Economic Development; and the County Manager’s office.
The Community Center Building will consist of approximately 14,000 gross square feet and accommodate recreational facilities including a basketball court, bleachers, an elevated stage, offices for Parks and Recreation staff, Restrooms, and Community Meeting Rooms. This facility will also house the Active Adults Center with a joint-use Kitchen, Large Meeting Room, Exercise Room, and offices for Active Adults Center staff.
Camden County will use the Construction Management at Risk construction delivery method for this project. As such, the selected architectural/engineering firm will be required to work directly with the County’s Construction Manager at Risk through the completion of the terms of the architectural and engineering services agreement. The project may be completed in phases.
Request
The intent of this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is to have professional architectural firms under consideration specifically address the services required and provide the County, as project owner, with a well-considered response for those services. It is anticipated that an initial base contract will be negotiated with the successful firm on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualifications for the type of professional services required. The contract will be with the lead design firm. The owner is looking for a “turnkey” approach, where the architectural firm will provide the following services (not listed in order of preference):
1. Describe the process by which you will inventory and document existing space.
2. Describe the process by which you will develop alternative schematic designs for a typical project.
3. Describe your approach to project design that will assure the functional, aesthetic, and quality requirements are satisfactorily addressed for new construction.
4. Explain the management tools, techniques, and procedures your team uses to maintain the programming, planning, and design phase schedule.
5. Explain your team's procedures for documenting quality control and coordination of the various disciplines of work in preparing construction documents.
6. Explain the design team's use of whole building energy analysis (including life cycle cost analyses) to assure the building is energy efficient.
7. Describe your team's approach to maintenance considerations in the design process.
8. Explain how your team will control project costs to assure the project budget is not exceeded.
9. Describe in detail the steps which will be taken by your team to guard the Owner against defects and deficiencies in the work of the contractors during the construction phase.
10. Explain how your team manages the process of reviewing subcontractor submittals, clarification requests, issuances of bulletin drawings, review of contractors' cost proposals, review and justification of change orders, payment requests, final inspections, and assembly of the project close-out documents.
11. Explain how your firm ensures compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Provide examples.
12. Describe in detail the process you will follow from schematic approval through approval of the final design.
13. Explain why you believe your team is the most qualified firm to provide the requested services for this Project.
Consultant Qualifications
The selected architectural and engineering firm’s assigned project staff must be experienced in all phases of the planning, design, and construction of similar public facilities; have extensive knowledge of the regulations governing the design, construction, and operation of such facilities in the State of North Carolina; familiarity with LEED energy efficiency principles; and have a proven capability to effectively and efficiently produce a facility consistent with and meeting the needs and goals outlined by Camden County.
Proposal Submission Requirements
Submittals shall be on 8 1/2" x 11" paper, side bound with a Table of Contents and reference tabs for key sections. A complete response to each of the following categories is required.
Organization of the Design Team
1. Letter of Interest identifying all firms proposed for the design team, including the organizational and contractual relationship between the principal and associate firms. Provide resumes of all personnel who will be assigned to the Project. Please provide specific information as to their experience on projects similar to this one. Describe the percentage workload commitment of assigned staff that the County can expect on these projects.
2. Provide a list of projects your firm currently has in progress and the status of each.
3. List the last three (3) public building projects you believe are indicative of what Camden County can expect for its County Public Services Building. List the project personnel, including consultants for those projects including the following:
o Name of Project
o Client Contact
o Owner’s Total Initial Budget
o Total Project Cost
o Number of Change Orders
o Total Cost of Change Orders
o Date of Bid
o Scheduled Completion Date
o Actual Completion Date
4. List professional consultants outside your firm you propose to provide services not available in your firm. Provide specific information documenting their work on similar projects.
5. Other relevant information which the design consultants believe demonstrates their qualifications for the project such as exceptional design features for public buildings designed by your firm.
6. Has your firm been involved with the Construction Management at Risk construction delivery method? List the number of projects and describe the experience. At what point (percentage) of the design phase would you recommend the Construction Manager become involved?
Selection Process & Criteria
Process
The design consultant will be selected in a fair and uniform manner based in part on appropriate qualifications, experience for this type of project, and current workload.
The County Manager will appoint a Selection Committee comprised of county staff and others that may or may not be associated directly with the Project. Upon receipt of proposals from respondents, the Selection Committee members will review the proposals in detail and identify a "short list” of those firms that appear to be most qualified to provide services for the project. Separate presentations and interview sessions will then be scheduled with the “short-listed” firms to permit the Selection Committee to further evaluate each firm’s qualifications and proposal.
Firms that make the “short list” will be expected to make a presentation to the panel that conveys their ability to innovate and guide our community in delivering a comprehensive and coordinated village center. After interviews, the Selection Committee will make its selection and provide written recommendations to the County Manager for her approval. Following the County Manager’s approval, contract terms, conditions, and fees will be negotiated with the selected firm. In the event contract negotiations prove unsuccessful with the selected firm, the Selection Committee will select another firm with which to begin contract negotiations.
Criteria
The considerations below, with their weighted scores, will be utilized for evaluating the firms submitting Statements of Qualifications.
35% The firm's recent experience, knowledge, and familiarity in the design of similar historic-themed projects and the firm's demonstrated ability in incorporating the client's design preferences.
25% The successful experience of the staff to be assigned to this project to perform the type of work required within the budget established by Camden County and with minimal to no change orders attributable to the architect's lack of attention to detail.
15% The firm's ability to meet a time schedule established for the work.
15% The firm's financial ability to undertake the work and assure the liability as well as the adequacy of an accounting system to identify costs chargeable to the project.
10% The firm must possess a high ethical and professional standing and must have performed satisfactorily on previous contracts with other local government clients, including a positive client relationship, commitment to the project budget, and sufficient supervision of the construction project.
Total: 100%
Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria will be the basis on which firms will be selected for further consideration:
1. Specialized, appropriate expertise for this type of project.
2. Organizational chart and project team expertise.
3. Proposed design approach and innovative design solutions for projects of this type.
4. Project quality control plan including recent experience with cost control, change orders and maintaining design and construction schedules.
5. Current workload of firm’s personnel.
6. Record of successfully completed projects without major legal or technical problems.
7. Capabilities and proven experience in extensive evaluation of facilities' energy consumption and life cycle analyses during the design of similar projects.
8. Compliance with proposal format requirements.
9. Experience working on projects utilizing Construction Management at Risk construction delivery method.
10. Proximity to and familiarity with the Camden County area.
11. Other factors that may be appropriate for the project.
12. Minority/Women Owned Business.
Timeline
The key activities and milestone dates for the selection process are listed below:
Activity Milestone Date
RFQ Published and Distributed 11-16-22
Deadline for Respondent Questions 11-30-22
Proposal Submission Deadline 12-21-22
Selection Committee meeting to determine shortlist 01-04-23
Selection Committee presentation/interviews 01-18-23
County Commissioner Approval 02-06-23
Firm Selection Notification 02-07-23
Submission of Proposal Packages
Six (6) complete packages, including a digital copy, must be received at the following address by noon on December 21, 2022:
County Manager’s Office
County of Camden
P.O. Box 190
330 East Highway 158
Camden, North Carolina 27921
General Comments
A. Any cost incurred by respondents in preparing or submitting a proposal for the Project shall be the respondent’s sole responsibility.
B. All responses, inquiries, or correspondence relating to this RFQ will become the property of Camden County when received.
C. Respondents are requested to refrain from contact with the Pre-selection Committee members. Any questions regarding the RFQ should be submitted by email and directed to Camden County Attn: Erin Burke, County Manager, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Questions and responses will be posted on the county’s website where the RFQ is advertised. The deadline for all inquiries is noon on November 30, 2022. Camden County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
D. Camden County has sole discretion and reserves the right to reject any and all responses received with respect to this Request for Qualifications and to cancel the process at any time prior to entering into a formal agreement. The County reserves the right to request additional information or clarification of information provided in the response without changing the terms of the Request for Qualifications.
Confidentiality
In general, documents that are submitted as part of the response to this Request for Qualifications will become public records and will be subject to public disclosure. North Carolina General Statutes Section 132-1.2 and 66-152 provide a method for protecting some documents from public disclosure. If the architectural/engineering consultant firm follows the procedures prescribed by those statutes and designates a document “confidential” or “trade secret”, the County will withhold the document from public disclosure to the extent that it is entitled or required to do so by applicable law.