Request for Qualifications

Architectural Services

Bid No. 26-FAC-008

March 27, 2026

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Invitation to Submit Qualifications Page 3

Section 1: General Information Page 4-10

Section 2: DCSS General Overview Page 10-11

Section 3: Scope of Architectural Services Page 12

Section 4: Qualifications Package Submittal Page 12-16

Section 5: Selection Process Page 16-19

Exhibit 1: Virtual Pre-Submittal Meeting Response Form Page 20

Exhibit 2: Submittal Certification Form Page 21

Exhibit 3: Reference Questionnaire Pages 22-23

To be provided if Firm is selected and once a Contract is issued:

Attachment A: Owner’s Capital Projects Architectural Contract/Fee Schedule Page 24-52

Attachment B: DJEA Statement of Assurance Form Page 53

Attachment C: Venue and Jurisdiction Form Page 54

Attachment D: Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act Forms Page 55-56

INVITATION TO SUBMIT QUALIFICATIONS

ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES

Qualification Packages will be received by Christy Wilkerson, Interim Director Facilities Services, on behalf of the Dougherty County Board of Education in the Office of the Logistical Services

Department located at 601 Flint Avenue, Albany, Georgia, 31701 until 2:00 PM EST on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

The scope of services includes Architectural Design and Construction Administration Services for New

Construction Projects; Renovations, Modifications, and/or Additions Projects; and HVAC/Plumbing

Fixture Upgrades associated with Educational SPLOST (ESPLOST), GaDOE Capital Outlay, and other funding sources. The Construction Delivery Method will be Design/Bid/Build with Owner provided, third-party Program Management Services.

DCSS’s intent is for the selection process to pre-qualify Architectural Firms in order to establish an approved ‘pool’ of qualified Firms from which to choose for future projects.

There will be a VIRTUAL PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING at 1:00 PM EST on Monday, April 13, 2026 via Google Meet:

Meeting Code: meet.google.com/wec-vhaw-rjm

Phone Number: 470-499-0125 PIN: 610 627 850#

Firms planning to attend should complete the Virtual Pre-Submittal Meeting Response Form (Exhibit 1) and e-mail it to christy.wilkerson@docoschools.org.

RFQ Documents may be obtained from the DCSS Facilities Services Department. Requests for RFQ

Documents shall be addressed to Christy Wilkerson via e-mail: christy.wilkerson@docoschools.org.

Christy can be reached by phone at (229) 431-1301.

All inquiries or questions concerning the RFQ Documents shall be addressed to Christy Wilkerson.

All inquiries concerning the receipt of Qualification Packages shipped to the DCSS Logistical Services

Department shall be addressed at (229) 431-1270.

Sealed Quotes should be addressed to: Note in Lower Left Corner of Envelope:

Christy Wilkerson, Interim Director Facilities Bid Number: 26-FAC-008

Dougherty County School System Bid Name: Request for Qualifications c/o: Logistical Services Department Architectural Services

601 Flint Avenue Packages Due: Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 2:00 PM

Albany, Georgia 31701 Firm Name: _______________________________

SECTION 1 – General Information:

A. Purpose:

1. The intent of this RFQ is to pre-qualify Architectural Firms in order to establish an approved

‘pool’ of qualified Firms from which to choose. A Firm may identify the project(s) in which they are interested, but the Selection Committee will decide which Firm gets which project.

2. The Dougherty County School System (DCSS) anticipates entering into a Contract(s) with qualified Firms for the Architectural Design and Construction Administration Services for New

Construction Projects; Renovations, Modifications, and/or Additions Projects; and/or

HVAC/Plumbing Fixture Upgrades.

3. These projects will be financed with the proceeds of Educational Special Purpose Local Option

Sales Tax (ESPLOST), GaDOE Capital Outlay Entitlement Funds, and other funding sources.

4. It is further intended to utilize the selected Firms as needed in support of the DCSS Facilities

Services Department for any additional building modification projects, other plans to enhance the overall physical condition of DCSS facilities, and/or assistance with submission of the GaDOE

5-Year Local Facilities Plan (due Spring 2027).

5. The current Construction Delivery Method is Design/Bid/Build with Owner provided, third-party

Program Management Services.

B. Owner Contact:

1. This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is issued for the Dougherty County School System

(DCSS) by Christy Wilkerson, Interim Director of the Facilities Services Department.

2. Requests for RFQ Documents shall be addressed to Christy Wilkerson by phone at (229)

431-1301 or via e-mail: christy.wilkerson@docoschools.org.

3. All inquiries and/or questions concerning the RFQ Documents shall be addressed to Christy

Wilkerson.

4. Confirmation of addenda shall be addressed to Christy Wilkerson.

5. All inquiries concerning the receipt of Qualification Packages shipped to the DCSS Logistical

Services Department shall be addressed at (229) 431-1270.

6. The RFQ is intended to be complete and DCSS assumes no responsibility or obligation to the

Firms responding. DCSS will make no payment for any costs associated with the preparation or submission of a response to the RFQ.

C. Pre-Submittal Meeting:

1. There will be a VIRTUAL PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING at 1:00 PM EST on Monday, April 13, 2026 via Google Meet:

Meeting Code: meet.google.com/wec-vhaw-rjm

Phone Number: 470-499-0125 PIN: 610 627 850#

2. Firms planning to attend should complete the Virtual Pre-Submittal Meeting Response Form

(Exhibit 1) and e-mail it to christy.wilkerson@docoschools.org.

D. Schedule:

1. The intent is to make a Recommendation to the Board of Education identifying the Firm(s) selected for the approved ‘pool’ of qualified Firms from which to choose for Architectural Design and Construction Administration Services May 28, 2026 Board Meeting.

2. Once the Firm and the Construction Delivery Method are selected for a particular Project(s), the

Contract will not be executed until the funding has been appropriated for the Project and a project schedule is established.

3. When the Contract is signed, the Design Development and the Preliminary Design work will begin immediately and proceed directly through Design/Development, Check Set, Construction

Documents, and Project Bidding and Project Award as is appropriate for the selected delivery method.

E. RFQ Calendar of Events:

Release of RFQ Friday, March 27, 2026

Virtual Pre-Submittal Meeting Monday, April 13, 2026 at 1:00 PM

Written Interpretations / Questions Due Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 4:00 PM

Final Addendum Issued Monday, April 20, 2026

Qualification Packages Due Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 2:00 PM

Evaluation of Qualifications Packages Monday, April 27 thru Friday, May 1, 2026

Notify Shortlisted Firms Monday, May 4, 2026

Interview Shortlisted Firms Tuesday, May 12 and Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Board Approval Thursday, May 28, 2026

Notice(s) of Intent to Issue Contract(s) TBD

Note: Dates are tentative and are subject to change.

F. Interpretations, Questions, and Addenda:

1. No oral interpretations or responses to questions will be made to responders as to the requirements of the Request for Qualifications.

2. Any explanation desired by a Firm regarding ambiguity, meaning, or interpretation of any portion of this Request For Qualifications must be presented in writing to Christy Wilkerson via e-mail

Christy.Wilkerson@docoschools.org.

3. Requests for interpretations shall be made in writing to the Owner as soon as is possible, but no later than 4:00 pm EST on Thursday, April 16, 2026 in order to allow sufficient time to reply to all Firms before the deadline for submission of qualifications package. Such explanations and/or interpretations will be furnished to all Firms as an addendum to this Request for

Qualifications.

4. It is the responsibility of each Firm presenting a qualifications package to confirm with the

Owner’s contact, that they have received all addenda. Contact Christy Wilkerson via Phone (229)

431-1301 or e-mail: christy.wilkerson@docoschools.org for confirmation of addenda.

5. Receipt of Addenda shall be acknowledged in the space provided on the Submittal Certification

Form (Exhibit 2).

G. Terms and Conditions:

1. Any qualifications packages received after the designated time will be deemed late and will not be considered by the Dougherty County School System (DCSS). Qualifications packages that do not include all required information may be considered non-responsive and may be disqualified.

2. DCSS reserves the right to accept or to reject all qualifications packages submitted, to request additional information, to waive any minor irregularities, and to award the Contracts as they deem appropriate and under the most beneficial economic terms for DCSS.

3. Except as may be specifically permitted by the RFQ, successful Firms shall not delegate, subcontract, assign or otherwise permit anyone other than successful Firm’s personnel to perform any of the work and/or provide any of the services required under this Contract, or assign any of its rights or obligations hereunder, without the prior written consent of DCSS, which consent may be withheld by DCSS in its sole discretion.

4. In the event appropriated funds are determined no longer to exist or to be insufficient for purposes of fulfilling DCSS’s obligations hereunder, DCSS may terminate any agreements/contracts by providing thirty (30) days written notice of termination. Notice of termination will include a certification by DCSS of the unavailability or insufficiency of funding.

5. Firms shall not prepare or disseminate any public information relating to this RFQ or the services performed under this RFQ without express written prior consent of DCSS. As used in this section, the term “public information” includes but is not limited to advertisements, flyers, public announcements, pamphlets, press releases, reports, books, broadcasts, signs, and similar public information.

6. Upon receipt of the Qualifications Packages by DCSS, the packages shall become the property of the DCSS, without compensation to the Firm, for disposition or usage by DCSS at its discretion. Subject to the provisions of the Open Records Act, the details of the Qualifications

Packages will remain confidential until final award.

H. Insurance Provisions:

1. Provide the following types of insurance in the minimum amount of coverage set forth below, to cover all loss and liability for damages on account of bodily injury, including death therefrom, and injury to or destruction of property caused by or arising from any and all operations carried on and any and all work performed by the Firm.

2 . Within ten (10) calendar days after execution of the Contract and during the entire period of the

Architect's responsibility under the Contract, the Firm shall maintain Professional Liability

(Errors and Omissions) Insurance for claims arising from the negligent performance of professional services under this Contract as provided herein and as required by GaDOE.

3. The Firm shall file with the Owner a certificate(s) of insurance from an insurance company rated at least A– by Best’s and licensed/authorized to do business in the State of Georgia showing evidence of insurance as follows:

a. Workers' Compensation and Employer's Liability. Coverage in accordance with statutory limits for the State of Georgia and in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 per occurrence.

b. Commercial General Liability Insurance. A minimum of $1,000,000 per occurrence, including Automobile Comprehensive Liability Coverage with bodily injury in the minimum amount of $100,000 each occurrence; to cover vehicles, owned, leased or rented by the Architect. The Architect shall require its engineers/consultants to maintain Commercial General Liability insurance with business automobile liability coverage with companies and limits as stated above. The Commercial General Liability policy shall name the Owner and Using Agency as additional insured.

c. Professional Liability (Errors and Omissions) Insurance.

1). For Projects with a Stated Cost Limitation of more than $30,000,000:

i. For the Architect - $3,000,000 per claim and $4,000,000 in aggregate coverage;

ii. For the Architect’s Sub-Consultant Engineers and Architects - $2,000,000 per claim and $3,000,000 in aggregate coverage; and

iii. For other Professional Sub-Consultants - $1,000,000 per claim and

$2,000,000 in aggregate coverage.

2). For Projects with a Stated Cost Limitation of $20,000,000 up to $30,000,000:

i. For the Architect - $2,000,000 per claim and $3,000,000 in aggregate coverage;

ii. For the Architect’s Sub-Consultant Engineers and Architects - $1,000,000 per claim and $2,000,000 in aggregate coverage; and

iii. For other Professional Sub-Consultants - $ 1,000,000 per claim and

$1,000,000 in aggregate coverage.

3). For Projects with a Stated Cost Limitation of less than $20,000,000:

i. For the Architect - $1,000,000 per claim and $1,000,000 in aggregate coverage;

ii. For the Architect’s Sub-Consultant Engineers and Architects - $1,000,000 per claim and $1,000,000 in aggregate coverage; and

iii. For other Professional Sub-Consultants - $1,000,000 per claim and

$1,000,000 in aggregate coverage.

4. For such period of time that Professional Liability insurance is required for the Project, as set forth above, the Firm shall provide the Owner with an updated or renewed Certificate of Insurance at least annually, or more frequently if requested by the Owner, showing the required coverage and limits of coverage remain in place.

5. The Firm shall maintain professional liability insurance that shall be either a practice policy or project-specific coverage. Professional liability insurance shall contain prior acts coverage for services performed by the Firm for this Project. If project-specific coverage is used, these requirements shall be continued in effect for two years following the issuance of the

Certificate of Final Completion for the Project.

6. Maximum Deductible. No policies shall specify a deductible of more than $250,000 per claim.

7. Insurer's Endorsement. Each certificate of insurance shall bear an endorsement in words exactly as follows:

Insurer agrees that the coverage shall not be canceled, changed, allowed to lapse, or allowed to expire until thirty calendar days (ten calendar days for nonpayment of premium) after written notice provided by United States Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested, postage prepaid, in an envelope addressed to the Owner .

8. Insurance Premiums and Deductibles. The Firm shall furnish and pay the insurance premiums for the duration of the Contract and the costs shall be included in the Contract Fees. If additional insurance coverage is required, an amendment to this Contract shall be executed and the additional cost of the insurance shall be paid by the Owner as a reimbursable cost. All deductibles shall be paid by the Firm.

9. The Firm shall ensure that Engineers and Consultants have adequate Professional Liability (E&O)

Insurance and the appropriate Workers’ Compensation Insurance.

10. Waiver of Subrogation. There is no waiver of subrogation rights by either party with respect to insurance.

I. Contract Form:

1. The Architectural Contract shall be the Dougherty County School System’s Capital Project

Architectural Contract (Attachment A).

2. The Owner reserves the right to change, modify, or alter the Architectural Contract and/or Fee

Schedule prior to submission to the Firm(s) for signature.

J. Program Management Services for Districtwide Capital Projects

1. The Owner has contracted with a third-party Program Management Firm to provide Program

Management Services for the DCSS Capital Improvement Program with the primary goal of ensuring the achievement of the Owner’s schedule and budget goals for the individual projects in the Program. The Program Manager’s (PM) primary function will be to prioritize, plan, organize, review, and budget the activities associated with Capital Projects and related SPLOST-funded activities. Program Manager (PM) services include all phases of the project development, design, bidding, construction, and post-construction closeout. The PM is responsible for administration of the Capital Improvement Program including Architect and Contractor management, administration, construction phase services, change order management, coordination of Owner’s inspections and management of materials, and assuring that all contract obligations are being met.

2. The PM will confirm that all final contract obligations are being met, oversee and ensure warranty issues are being addressed, and that closeout services are being performed for all projects that meet the standards of funding and grant awards, if any. Program Manager’s construction phase services under its Program Management Agreement with the Owner are secondary to those of the Architect.

3. See Attachment VII of the Architectural Contract for a detailed description of PM Services.

K. Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act (E-Verify):

1. Architects, Sub-Engineers/Consultants, and Sub-Sub-Engineers/Consultants performing physical services/work and/or design services on this project are subject to the requirements of

O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91, the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act, and shall verify that all trades on-site have registered with, are authorized to use, and use the federal work authorization program commonly known as E-Verify.

2. Successful Firm(s) shall submit fully executed E-Verify Forms as provided in Attachment D when executing a Contract.

L. Changes:

1. The Owner reserves the right to reduce or expand the scope of the work, the stated cost limitation

(SCL), and/or the proposed Contract as they deem appropriate. The Owner may order changes in the schedule, work, and/or materials consisting of additions, deletions, or modifications to the

Owner’s Program. The contract fee and the contract time will be adjusted accordingly.

M. Non-Bias Statement:

1. The Dougherty County School System (DCSS) supports all equal opportunity policies: Federal, State, and Local. DCSS will not tolerate bias related activities, e.g. racial slurs or sexual harassment from employees and/or firms conducting work on their behalf.

N. Drug Free/Tobacco Statement:

1. Dougherty County School System (DCSS) supports a drug free workplace and does not tolerate any use or possession of drugs and/or alcohol on its premises or use of such substances prior to performing any work on their behalf. Use of tobacco is prohibited in all buildings and on all premises of DCSS.

O. Venue and Jurisdiction:

1. Choice of Law and Venue – The Laws of the State of Georgia shall govern this contract in all respects. Any lawsuit or other action based on claims arising from this contract shall be brought in a court or other forum of competent jurisdiction in Dougherty County, Georgia.

2. Firms agree to pay for DCSS’s costs, including any attorney’s fees and expenses of litigation, incurred in any litigation should DCSS be a prevailing party. DCSS shall be considered to be a prevailing party if the Firms lawsuit against DCSS is dismissed at any time for any reason, including a dismissal without prejudice, or if DCSS receives a jury verdict in its favor or an appellate decision in its favor.

3. Successful Firm(s) shall submit a fully executed Venue and Jurisdiction Form as provided in

Attachment C when executing a Contract.

P. DJEA – Equal Opportunity for Competitive Bids:

1. It shall be the policy of the Dougherty County Board of Education to promote and insure equal opportunity for all persons, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, handicap, or national origin, employed by or seeking employment with vendors and/or contractors doing business with the Board. As a condition of doing business with the Board, each vendor and/or contractor shall furnish assurance that its business will be operated in accordance with the policy attached hereto and identified as "Competitively Bid Contracts," Policy DJEA.

a. Successful Firm(s) shall submit a fully executed Venue and Jurisdiction Form as provided in Attachment F when executing a Contract (Attachment B).

2. The following equal opportunity clause shall be deemed incorporated into every contract and agreement between the Board and any of its vendors and/or contractors:

a. The vendor/contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, or national origin. The vendor/contractor shall take appropriate action to ensure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, handicap, or national origin. Such action shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following: employment, upgrading, demotion, transfer, recruitment, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and training.

b. In the event of the vendor/contractor's noncompliance with the nondiscrimination policy of the Board, any contract or purchase order may be canceled, terminated or suspended, in whole or in part, and the vendor/contractor may be declared ineligible to transact further business with the Board.

3. All vendors and persons desiring to transact business with the Board are to provide assurance that their business will be conducted in accordance with this nondiscrimination policy and that such vendors and/or contractors agree to and shall abide by the equal opportunity clause set forth in this policy.

4. It is the further policy of the Board to insure equal opportunity for minority/women owned businesses and minority/women professionals with regard to all work, services, and supplies purchased by the Board and all construction projects undertaken by the Board which are competitively bid by the Board.

Q. Local/Minority/DBE Participation:

1. The work to be performed under this Contract is subject to the Dougherty County Board of

Education’s policy on Equal Opportunity for Competitive Bids, DJEA~E. The Dougherty County

School System (DCSS) encourages all Local/Minority/DBE Architects, Engineer, Consultants, and/or Contractors to compete for and receive contracts for services associated with this RFQ.

Responding Firms are encouraged to voluntarily pursue the maximum use of

Local/Minority/DBE Architects, Engineer, Consultants, and/or Contractors.

2. DCSS defines local participation as firms located within Albany/Dougherty County. DCSS recognizes and also encourages the use of firms located within Federal Service Delivery Region

10 which is comprised of Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and, Worth counties.

R. Safe School Statement:

1. The Dougherty County School System (DCSS) requires all individuals working within a school building, or on a school site, to submit to a background check pertaining to felony convictions and sex offender convictions. Violent felons and sex offenders shall not be allowed within a school building or on a school site while school staff or students are in the building or on the site.

Convicted predatory sex offenders shall not be allowed on DCSS property at any time. All decisions made in this effort to promote a safe school environment shall be accessed at the sole discretion of the DCSS Staff and the Dougherty County Board of Education.

S. Asbestos Hazard Warning:

1. The buildings within the Dougherty County School System may have building materials that contain asbestos. There are asbestos inspection reports and management plans on file in the office of DCSS Facilities Services Department that will be provided to contractors and other Firms on sites and in locations where they may come into contact of the suspect asbestos materials in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency 40 CFR Part 763 Asbestos-Containing

Materials in Schools notification requirements.

2. DCSS has on staff EPA Certified Asbestos Inspectors, Management Planners, Supervisors, and

Project Designers. Any asbestos abatement services associated with these projects will be provided by the Owner.

T. Exhibits:

1. Exhibits 1, 2, and 3 are hereby incorporated, by their reference, into this RFQ.

U. Attachments:

1. Attachments A, B, C, and D are hereby incorporated, by their reference, into this RFQ.

SECTION 2 – DCSS General Overview:

A. Dougherty County School System Current Status:

1. The DCSS has in its inventory and operates facilities at thirty-four (34) active sites, which includes 20 Schools (13 Elementary, 4 Middle, 3 High), 5 Special/Alternative Education

Programs, 7 Administrative support offices, a stadium, transportation centers, warehouses, and storage facilities. There are approximately two million seven hundred thousand (2,700,000) square feet of buildings (permanent and temporary) on 550+ acres of land.

2. Nine (9) of our Schools were constructed in early to mid-2000, and the remaining Schools were originally constructed in the late-1950’s to the mid-1960’s and have had renovation, modification, and addition projects dating from as early as 1999 to as late as 2026.

B. Capital Improvement Program:

1. DCSS is in the process of updating its educational facilities via a seventh Special Local Option

Sales Tax for Education (E-SPLOST) funded Capital Improvement Program. The Capital

Improvement Program has as its basis the Local Five-Year Facilities Plan that incorporates virtually all of the capital needs of the district including new schools and renovation, modification, addition, and expansion projects.

2. The following Projects associated with the E-SPLOST VII are listed in order of their priority, along with the estimated Construction and Total Project Budgets:

E-SPLOST VII Capital Improvement Projects

Turner Elementary School – Renovations, Modifications, and Additions

Lake Park Elementary School – Renovations, Modifications, and Additions

Northside Elementary School – Renovations, Modifications, and Additions

Wrap Around Family Resource Center – Renovations and Modifications

Various Schools – HVAC Replacement/Plumbing Upgrades2

C. Facilities Master Plan:

1. In the fall of 2001, DCSS utilized Eric Bosman of Urban Collage, Inc to complete the 2002-2007

Local Five-Year Facilities Plan and develop a comprehensive Facilities Master Plan (FMP). The

FMP is a comprehensive, forward looking plan that is heavily driven by the system’s instructional program, goals, and data toward anticipating future space needs and conditions.

2. The FMP provides for an appropriate and adequate learning environment, a reduction in redundant and underutilized spaces, and accommodation of special education programs within available school spaces.

3. In addition to the Five-Year Facilities Master Plan, DCSS has established specific long-range goals. To ensure accurate and consistent planning of the projects within the Capital Improvement

Program, and as a means of providing equity between schools, DCSS developed a standardized

Core Space Program for all schools. DCSS has also established project priorities as well as design, construction, and budget schedules for the Capital Improvement Program.

D. Owner’s Program for the Capital Projects:

1. DCSS has utilized Eric Bosman of Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. of Atlanta, Georgia to revise/update the Facilities Master Plan over the years. Mr. Bosman currently acts as our capital projects planning consultant to provide a complete and accurate program that enhances the overall performance and efficiency of the Architectural Firms selected to design the Capital

Projects.

2. Accurate and adequate planning of the space requirements for the individual Capital

Improvement Projects will provide essential support to children, teachers, and administrators;

clarify the scope of each capital improvement; ensure efficient use of building spaces and expenditure of funds; as well as maintaining the confidence of the local community.

3. Mr. Bosman may be called upon to assist DCSS in the complete implementation of project planning from the development of the Owner’s Program through the design of the Schematic

Drawings for some of the Capital Improvement Projects. Mr. Bosman will ensure consistency with district-wide policies/standards and the recommendations of the DCSS Fifteen-Year

Facilities Master Plan. Services to be performed by Mr. Bosman of Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc will be paid for by the Owner.

SECTION 3 – Scope of Architectural Services:

A. General:

1. This Request for Qualifications is for customary Architectural Design and Construction

Administration Services and the related Structural/MEP/Civil Engineering Services for Capital

Constructions Project(s).

2. The Architectural Services include, but are not limited to, the necessary conferences; the preparation of estimates, preliminary studies, preliminary plans and specifications; the preparation of square footage based cost estimates and check set plans and specifications; the preparation of the final plans and specifications, advertisement and distribution of bids/qualifications/proposals, and project award tabulation/evaluation; and the execution of the construction contract, construction administration, and close-out of the construction project.

3. The successful Firm will be responsible for assembling a Design Team made up of the

Architectural, Engineering, Consultants, and other related Design Professionals required to provide complete Architectural Design and Construction Administration Services.

4. The majority of funding for the Capital Projects will be provided by E-SPLOST with a portion of the funding from GDOE Capital Outlay Funds or other funds/grants.

SECTION 4 – Qualifications Package Submittal:

A. General:

1. The Request for Qualifications, the submission of Qualifications Packages, or being selected for

Shortlist Interviews is not to be construed as a commitment or Contract of any kind.

2. The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all Firms submitting packages; reduce, expand, or cancel the work associated with any of the projects; and/or add additional projects to the list at any time including after the selection process is complete.

3. Firms who provide false or misleading information, whether intentional or not, in any documents submitted to DCSS for consideration in the selection process may be excluded. Any false or misleading information in these documents will, in effect, render the entire document suspect and therefore unusable.

4. All communication between responding firms and the DCSS shall be conducted solely through the designated contact Christy Wilkerson.

B. Qualifications Package Instructions:

1. To enable the Selection Committee to efficiently evaluate the responses, it is important that the

Firms follow the required format in preparing their responses. Responses that do not conform to the prescribed format may not be evaluated.

2. Provide one (1) original Qualification Package (with original signatures) and an electronic copy in PDF format that includes all of the information requested.

3. The Qualifications Package shall be submitted in 3-ring notebooks, “comb” bound books, or other similar bound books with each section separated by a tabbed divider, cross referenced to a

Table of Content, and containing the required documentation in the specified order.

4. Pages shall be no larger than letter size (8½" x 11"), although it is acceptable to utilize legal size

(8½" x 14") or ledger size (11" x 17"), if folded to the letter size dimension.

5. Please include an outside cover and/or first page, containing the name of the Firm followed by the Table of Contents. Elaborate covers and permanent binders are not required.

C. Qualifications Package Content:

Each response shall be submitted as outlined in the following tabbed sections:

1. Letter of Interest / Company Introduction.

a. Letter of Interest/Company Introduction shall be addressed to Christy Wilkerson, Interim

Director of Facilities Services.

b. Provide Firm name, mailing address, shipping address, contact person(s), main telephone and fax number, and the website address (if applicable).

c. Provide point-of-contact’s name, title, e-mail address, direct phone or extension number, and mailing address if different than above.

2. Company Information.

a. Type of organization: Individual or sole proprietorship, professional corporation, corporation partnership, joint venture or other.

b. Name of Principals.

c. Firm Honors and Awards.

d. Firm Professional and Civic involvement.

e. Comment on the Firm’s specialized expertise.

f. Number of years the Firm has designed K-12 Educational Facilities projects.

g. Provide the Firm’s annual billings for the past three years and indicate the percentage that represents K-12 billings.

h. Provide the Firm’s organization chart indicating the following:

1) Total number of registered architects and the number of years with the firm.

2) Total number of employees.

i. Is the Firm M/WBE certified? If so, identify certifying agency.

j. Does the Firm have in-house Civil, Structural, MEP Engineering or other non-standard

Architectural expertise?

k. Is the Firm’s principal office or a secondary office located in Dougherty County?

l. Does any member of the Firm’s team presented for this project live in Dougherty

County?

3. Organizational Chart and Resumes.

a. Provide an organizational chart indicating key personnel proposed for these projects (i.e., Principal, Project Architect, Draftsmen, Interior Designer, Construction Administrator, etc.). Indicate their roles and responsibilities; and their resumes’ and professional licensing/registration.

b. For personnel references, if work was performed under the employment of another Firm, indicate so by naming that Firm. Provide a description of the specific work performed by the individual referenced for each project.

c. If the services are provided by Firms participating in a Joint Venture, provide the previous information for all personnel/Firms involved.

d. Provide documentation that the members of the Architect’s proposed project team are

Registered in the State of Georgia.

e. Engineering and Consulting Firms:

1) Provide their resumes’ and professional registration. Provide a list of previous projects where they worked as your Engineer or Consultant.

2) Describe both Renovation/Modification/Addition Projects and New Construction

Projects at existing schools or buildings, and any other relevant experience with projects that have comparable scopes that they were involved (regardless of the

Architect).

3) Provide documentation that the Engineering Firms on the proposed project team

Registered in the State of Georgia

4. Management Style.

a. Describe the Firm’s programming and design process.

b. Describe the Firm’s quality control program during the design services.

c. Describe Firm’s approach to code analysis and jurisdictional approvals for federal, state, and local agencies.

d. Indicate if the Firm has experience working with Dougherty County’s Community

Development Office’s Engineering/Building/Health Departments and the Local Fire

Marshall.

e. Describe the Firm’s use of technology during design services and construction administration phases of the project.

f. Does the Firm create its own Project Manuals/Specifications or is this service contracted out? If the Firm creates its own Project Manuals/Specifications, is any portion/section written by an outside consultant/engineer?

g. Do the Firm’s qualifications rely on any associate (outside) architects and/or consultants?

h. Describe the Firm’s construction administration services during construction phase of the project after bid award through project close-out document review.

i. Will construction administration on this project(s) be performed with staff that was involved in the design and production of the contract documents?

j. Describe the Firm’s method(s) for keeping projects on schedule

k. Provide history of the Firm’s projects over the past seven (7) years as it pertains to:

1) Provide a history of the Firm’s accuracy in developing project budgets for their projects over the past seven (7) years. Include Original SCL, Amended SCL(s), Final Architect’s Estimate, Base Bid Amount, and Final Contract Amount.

2) Provide a summary of the Firm’s bidding history, include the extent of addenda issued and number of pages.

5. Previous Projects.

a. List all Georgia public school K-12 educational projects completed in the past seven (7) years, including those with the DCSS. Provide name, location, size, and construction delivery method used for each project:

1) For Design/Bid/Build Projects provide the name of the General Contractor, the

Base Bid Amount, start/completion dates, a summary of the scope of the work, total number of change orders, Final Contract Amount, whether the project finished on time/within budget, and any other relevant information.

2) For Design/Construction Manager at Risk provide the name of the Construction

Manager at Risk, the original Owner’s project budget, GMP, start/completion dates, a summary of the scope of the work, Final GMP, total number of change orders, whether the project finished on time/within budget, and any other relevant information.

b. For Joint Ventures, clearly state the name of the Firm who performed the referenced work. Provide separate project lists clearly indicating the name of the Firm that completed each project being referenced and the specific role of that firm in the project.

c. Indicate if Georgia Department of Education State Capital Outlay, SPLOST, or other funds were used on these projects.

d. Describe both Renovation/Modification/Addition Projects and New Construction

Projects at existing schools in other states or other types of buildings, and any other relevant experience with projects that have comparable scopes.

e. If applicable, give examples of innovative ideas used by your Firm to facilitate quality, timeliness, or cost effectiveness on previous projects.

f. Describe your experience and methods in local partnering, local participation, and community awareness.

g. Firms may offer any other information relevant to this project and unique to their staffing, experience, approach, etc.

6. References.

a. Provide a list of references for all Georgia K-12 public school projects that have been completed in the last seven (7) years (i.e., those provided in Item 5. above). Include the location, scope of services, General Contractor, completion dates and the name, title, phone number, and e-mail address of the Owner’s representative who was your point of contact for the project.

b. For all projects referenced include complete contact information for the Owner, Engineers, Consultants, and the General Contractor or Construction Manager.

c. For all projects referenced indicate whether key personnel proposed for these projects participated in the project and list their roles and responsibilities.

d. It is the responder’s responsibility to provide complete and accurate reference information. Failure to do so may result in DCSS’s being unable to verify previous experience, which may affect the determination that the package is responsive and responsible.

e. Submit the Architectural Firm Reference Questionnaire (Exhibit 3) to the appropriate Owner Representative where the projects referenced above have been completed.

1) You are encouraged to list Owners references that will respond in a timely manner and encouraged to notify them of our process and our intent to contact them.

2) References Questionnaire responses will be confirmed with a phone call from DCSS.

f. Do not list DCSS as a reference. DCSS reserves the right to consider past experience with a Firm or individual Architect.

7. Financial and Legal Status.

a. List any actions taken by any regulatory agency against or involving the Firm or its agents or employees with respect to any work performed.

b. List your insurance carrier(s), agent name(s), phone number and how many years you have been insured by this carrier(s) and agent(s).

c. Provide a sample certificate for all insurance coverage that the Firm has that would be applicable to the work (i.e., Professional Liability - E&O, Commercial General Liability, and Workers Compensation and Employers Liability, etc.).

8. Litigation and Arbitration.

a. Provide the Firm’s history of claims and litigation for the past seven (7) years and how these claims were resolved.

b. Answer the following questions with yes or no. Provide details for all ‘yes’ answers:

1) Has this Firm ever been named in a lawsuit or involved in an arbitration on any project for which it provided services (full services or partial services)? If so, name the project(s), dates, circumstances and outcome.

2) Has this Firm ever been terminated/removed from an education type project (School

System, Board of Regents, other) for which it was providing services? If so, name the project(s), dates, circumstances and outcome.

3) Has this Firm ever been terminated/removed from a project (other than education type project) for which it was providing services? If so, name the project(s), dates, circumstances and outcome.

4) Has any member of this Firm (past or present) ever received public discipline for improper or unprofessional conduct? If so, name the project(s), dates, and reason for the public discipline.

5) Has this Firm ever provided services on a project that experienced a substantial failure during construction or after project completion?

6) List any projects your Firm has failed to complete or has not met your contractual obligation. Explain the circumstances.

7) List any pending litigation rendered in conjunction with your current professional services.

8) Do you see any potential conflicts of interest if awarded a project(s)?

9) Has this Firm ever had any past business relationships with any past or current Board

Member(s) or DCSS employees? If so, explain.

SECTION 5 – Selection Process:

A. General:

1. The Architectural Design and Construction Administration Firm(s) will be selected in a two-step process as follows:

a. Step 1 – Qualifications: A Selection Committee will rank each responding Firm’s

Qualifications Packages based on a pre-determined selection criterion. References will be sent the appropriate Reference Questionnaire in Exhibit 3 and reference scores will be considered in the selection criteria. Multiple apparent successful Firms will then be shortlisted based on their scores.

b. Step 2 – Interviews / Presentations: Shortlisted Firms will be required to participate in an interview and presentation session. The Firm’s key personnel should attend and contribute in the interview and presentation session.

1) The Firm’s key engineers and consultant team shall be included in the interview as part of the written/visual presentation, but are not required to attend the interviews in person, unless they are vital/critical to the interview process.

2. The Firms with the highest combined scores from the Qualifications Packages and the Interview

/ Presentation will be deemed to offer the best value to the Dougherty County School System.

3. The Committee will then select the Firm or Firms which, in its sole discretion, is determined to be most qualified for a project or projects.

4. DCSS reserves the right to select the Firms considered to be most advantageous to the overall success of the project. DCSS reserves the right to reject any or all Firms and to waive technicalities and informalities.

5. If this Request for Qualifications, the Qualifications Packages, and the Interview Process results in a Contract offer(s) by the Dougherty County School System, the specific scope of work, associated fees, and other contractual matters will be determined during the contract negotiations.

B. Additional Information /Notification:

1. To be entitled for consideration, the Qualifications Package must be submitted in accordance with the instructions of this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and within the time frame specified. It shall be the responsibility of responding Firms to meet all requirements set forth in this RFQ.

a . Organization and Completeness of Proposal - Packages must provide straightforward, concise proof of the capabilities to satisfy RFQ requirements. For ease of review, responses must be organized in the exact same order as the RFQ and each section should be clearly labeled with the corresponding RFQ section name and number. Any additional documents provided by the supplier must also be clearly labeled within the corresponding RFQ section name and number. All requested information must be included and all forms completed in entirety (all spaces must be completed on all requested documentation).

b. Any qualifications packages that do not include all required information may be considered non-responsive and disqualified.

2. During the evaluation phase, Owner’s point-of-contact may solicit information or discussions may be conducted with Firms who are determined to be reasonably likely to be selected for award.

a. These discussions are for the purpose of clarification and to assure full understanding of and responsiveness to the solicitation requirements.

b. DCSS may permit revisions, after submission and prior to award, for the purpose of obtaining best and final offers. In all events, DCSS reserves the right to re-solicit the item(s)/services(s) involved.

3. During the selection process, any form of communication between any employee of the participating firms and members of the Selection Committee are strictly prohibited, unless specifically requested by the Owner’s point of contact.

4. Do not contact Selection Committee or DCSS Staff to make inquiries about the progress of this selection process. Firms will be contacted when it is appropriate to do so. All respondents will be contacted indicating the results of the selection process.

C. Review of Qualifications Packages:

1. Each qualifications package will be evaluated by a Committee that may be comprised of member(s) of the Board of Education, DCSS Administrative Staff, and local community representatives. The Committee shall review the qualifications packages submitted for quality, experience, and responsiveness.

2 . Each submittal will be reviewed for completeness to ensure that all mandatory requirements have been addressed satisfactorily.

3. The Committee is not obligated to request clarifications or additional information from the responding firm(s), but may do so at its discretion. The Committee may in its sole discretion and in the course of the review request clarifications, presentations, and/or demonstrations with one or more selected firms.

4 . The Committee will evaluate the quality and completeness of each response as it addresses each requirement of the RFQ. A list of items being reviewed for this specific RFQ, along with the associated point values is included in the Evaluation Criteria below.

5. The Committee shall determine a ‘short list’ of firms and arrange to interview those firms.

D. Qualifications Packages Evaluation Criteria:

1. The selection of a Firm for Architectural Design and Construction Administration Services will be based on the review of several key elements in the Qualifications Packages submitted. They include, but are not limited to the following criteria:

2. After evaluating the submittal packages, the Firms will be ranked in descending order based upon the Sub-Total of Criteria No. 1-8 above. All but the highest ranked Firms will be eliminated in order to select a manageable number of Firms to interviewed.

3. Once the final Firms are selected, the short-listed firms will be interviewed by the Selection

Committee as follows.

E. Interviews Process:

1. The interview will consist of allowing the Firms to make a presentation with time for questions and answers.

2. Members of the Selection Committee will be present during the formal interview. Firms shall address any questions, prior to the interview, to the DCSS point of contact. Firms shall not contact any other members of the Selection Committee prior to or during the interviews.

F. Interview Format

1. Each Firm selected for further consideration will make a presentation to the Selection Committee and shall be notified in writing a week in advance. The notification will include the place and

No. Description Points

1. Organization and Completeness of Proposal 5

2. Overall Firm/Staff Qualifications 5

3. Proposed Project Team Experience/Qualifications 10

4.

K-12 Public Educational Experience in Georgia 15

5.

Relevant Project Experience (Similar Scope & Size) 15

6. References 10

7. Financial Stability and Insurance 5

8. Prior Litigation Concerns 5

Sub-Total 70

Interview Results 30

Total Score 100 time for the interview session and any other specific information required by the selection committee.

2. The time allotted to each Firm for the presentation and interview shall not exceed one hour and will be allocated as follows:

5 minutes for setup

30 minutes for presentation

20 minutes for questions

5 minutes to take down

3. The format of the Firm’s presentation during the interview session is at their discretion, however, Firms should be aware that any time beyond the five minutes for setup will be taken from the 30 minutes allotted for the presentation.

4. The Interview is the Owner’s only chance for the Selection Committee to actually meet and communicate with the proposed key team members. It is important that the short-listed Firms be represented by the key personnel to be assigned at the project(s).

G. Final Evaluation:

1. At the conclusion of the interviews, the Selection Committee will choose the Firms considered to be the most advantageous to DCSS and shall make a Recommendation to the Board of

Education to establish an approved ‘pool’ of qualified Firms from which to choose for the

Projects listed in this RFQ.

2. Once the construction delivery method and the Firm(s) are selected for a particular project(s), the

Contract will not be executed until the funding has been appropriated for the project and a schedule established.

3. Once the Contract is signed, the Design Development and the Preliminary Design work will begin immediately and proceed directly through…