1-01 - Final Specification 25.08.11.pdf

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

FOR

CITY OF LEWISVILLE NATURE CENTER DESIGN

RFQ #25-109-Q

RFQ DUE: SEPTEMBER 18, 2025, at 1:00 PM

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS – 25-109-Q

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. The City of Lewisville, Texas (the “City”) is pleased to be accepting qualifications from architectural firms to provide professional services for the City of Lewisville Nature Center Design.

B. The City will be using a selection process in accordance with Texas Government Code

Chapter 2254, and this solicitation is the first step in this process which may become a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) project.

C. Sealed qualification packages may be delivered through Bonfire at City of Lewisville Bonfire Portal or by sealed RFQ consisting of one (1) hard copy and one

(1) PDF file on a USB flash drive, addressed to the Purchasing Department may be delivered to the address list below by 1:00 PM on September 18, 2025.

City of Lewisville

Finance Administration – Purchasing Division Attn: Earl Whitaker, Procurement and Payables Manager

151 West Church Street Lewisville, Texas 75057

Regardless of the chosen delivery method, it is the sole responsibility of the candidate to ensure their complete submittal is inside the Finance Department – Purchasing Division before the required time. The City will not be responsible for, without limitation, any delays occasioned by third parties. Late or emailed submittals shall not be accepted, without exception. All proposals, whether through Bonfire or hard copy, must be marked with the firm’s name and RFQ # 25-109-Q.

D. Firms intending on serving as sub-consultants, subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, vendors, or material suppliers should not submit qualifications in response to this request, as this RFQ is only to select an architectural firm.

E. The finalists selected will enter into a professional services agreement (PSA) with the

City to receive a stipend to attend a mandatory workshop with key staff and stakeholders, develop a concept plan based on the information received during the stakeholder meetings, and present their concept plan to city staff for selection of an architectural firm to provide the project scope listed in Section II B. Project Scope below.

F. The scope of services provided by the selected architectural firm will include, without limitation, assistance to the City and the design team throughout the design, bidding, construction, and warranty phases. Section II B Project Scope provides a high-level https://cityoflewisville.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities https://cityoflewisville.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities https://cityoflewisville.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities overview of the scope of services for the project. Specific tasks to be performed by the selected architectural firm will be more clearly defined in the final agreement. The City currently intends to use the applicable American Institute of Architects (AIA) Standard Documents with certain local amendments for the agreement with the selected architectural firm but reserves the right to use a different contract form.

G. The City reserves the right to reject any and all qualifications and re-solicit for new qualifications, or to reject any and all conceptual designs or proposals and temporarily or permanently abandon the project. The City makes no representations, written or oral, that it will enter into any form of agreement with any respondent to this RFQ for any project and no such representation is intended or should be construed by the issuance of this RFQ.

H. By submitting qualifications in response to this RFQ, the respondent accepts the evaluation process and acknowledges and accepts that determination of the “most qualified” firm(s) will require subjective judgments by the City.

I. Respondents acknowledge and accept that any costs incurred from the respondent’s participation in this RFQ process shall be at the sole risk and responsibility of the respondent. Respondents submit qualifications and proposals at their own risk and expense.

J. The procurement schedule for this project will be available on Bonfire.

II. PROJECT INFORMATION

A. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

Background for Lewisville

Lewisville, Texas, located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, is a city with a rich history and a vibrant community. Geographically, Lewisville is situated where the Eastern Cross Timbers transition into the Blackland Prairies, giving it a diverse landscape ranging from flat plains to rolling hills. This unique positioning contributes significantly to its ecological diversity.

One of Lewisville's most prominent natural features is Lewisville Lake. This large body of water is a hub for recreational activities and supports a variety of flora and fauna.

The Elm Fork of the Trinity River also flows through Lewisville, enhancing the city's natural beauty and providing crucial riparian zones that are home to local wildlife.

Culturally, Lewisville is just as diverse. The city's population of over 135,000 residents contributes to a rich cultural tapestry, reflected in community events, food, and celebrations. This blend of natural beauty and cultural richness makes Lewisville a unique and dynamic city within the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

Background for LLELA Nature Center

The Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area (LLELA) is a 2,600+ acre preserve located at the ecological crossroads of the Blackland Prairie and the Eastern Cross Timbers, with the Elm Fork of the Trinity River running through its heart. More than 360 vertebrate species, over 500 plant species, and countless invertebrates make their home in this vibrant urban wilderness — a rare ecological hotspot within the DFW metroplex of over 8.3 million people.

The creation of Lewisville Lake in 1955 set the stage for this preservation. As the Lewisville Lake Dam was completed to provide flood control, drinking water, and recreation, over 2,000 acres downstream were set aside by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Left largely idle for decades, nature slowly reclaimed the land. In the early 1990s, a coalition of visionary partners — including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the City of Lewisville, the University of North Texas, Lewisville ISD, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and the University of Texas at Arlington — recognized the extraordinary potential of this land. Together, they created LLELA as a place for environmental conservation, education, research, and habitat restoration.

Today, LLELA operates under a strategic partnership between the City of Lewisville, the University of North Texas, and the Lewisville Independent School District (collectively known as the Partners), with continuing coordination and oversight from the USACE. This partnership's mission is to preserve and restore native ecosystems and biodiversity, and to provide opportunities for environmental education, research, and recreation. The Friends of LLELA (FOL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the programs and natural ecosystem of LLELA. The organization’s volunteers serve in a variety of roles, working to raise funds and increase public awareness of the valuable resources LLELA offers.

The partnership’s mission aligns with the broader goals of the Lewisville 2025 Plan, Healthy Infrastructure Plan (HIP) and the Green Centerpiece Master Strategy (GCMS), which identify the Green Centerpiece as a defining element of Lewisville’s identity and a catalyst for sustainability, environmental leadership, and community engagement.

One of the action steps identified in the GCMS is the development of a Nature Center representing the next crucial step in fulfilling this vision. Designed as a hub for environmental education, community engagement, and ecological research, the Nature Center will offer immersive experiences that reconnect North Texans with their natural heritage. It will serve as a living classroom, a base for scientific inquiry, and a gateway for recreation and invite visitors to discover the restored prairies, forests, and wetlands of LLELA — an urban wilderness that tells the story of resilience, restoration, and hope.

https://www.llela.org/llela-home https://www.cityoflewisville.com/about-lewisville/lewisville-2025 https://www.playlewisville.com/parks/park-plans-and-projects/healthy-infrastructure-plan https://www.cityoflewisville.com/home/showpublisheddocument/26834/638246895232670000 https://www.cityoflewisville.com/about-lewisville/lewisville-2025/big-move-green-centerpiece

The Nature Center will serve as a flagship facility for Lewisville and a key component of the Green Centerpiece vision, as well as the HIP goal for providing a 10-Minute Walk of a Park for every resident. The Nature Center is intended to:

● Provide a centralized visitor experience that fosters connection with native Texas ecosystems;

● Support outdoor recreation and educational programming for all ages, including K-12 field trips, research, public workshops, and citizen science;

● Offer flexible indoor and outdoor spaces for exhibitions, interactive displays, research activities, and environmental stewardship initiatives;

● Celebrate and embody the values of sustainability, biodiversity, environmental justice, and restoration.

Through this new Nature Center, LLELA will amplify its mission to heal the land, inspire the next generation of environmental stewards, and ensure that the bond between people and nature remains strong for decades to come.

B. PROJECT SCOPE

The selected team will provide full professional services for the planning, design, and construction administration of the Lewisville Nature Center. It will be constructed on property immediately adjacent to LLELA but managed solely by the City under a separate USACE lease. However, the center will complement and connect to LLELA providing a seamless experience for new and seasoned visitors. The project will embrace the City’s environmental mission by integrating regional ecology, sustainable design principles, and educational and recreational experiences in both the built and natural environment. The design should align with broader City plans such as the Lewisville 2025 and Healthy Infrastructure Plan, as well as, the LLELA partner driven plans such as the Green Centerpiece Master Strategy, LLELA Restoration Plan and the Nature Center Business Plan and Design Charrette. The elements of the project will include:

1. Architectural Design and Planning

● Develop schematic design, design development, and construction documents

● Incorporate land use and infrastructure investment principles established in the

Green Centerpiece Master Strategy and sustainable building practices that may include but not limited to:

○ Passive solar and daylighting techniques

○ Renewable or reclaimed materials

○ High-efficiency HVAC and energy systems0

○ Low-impact development (LID) strategies for stormwater management

○ Water conservation best practices, including re-use of ‘grey water’

○ Public Art as a key Green Centerpiece to reflect Lewisville's natural setting.

● Ensure compliance with all applicable local, state, federal, ADA, and USACE regulations.

● Provide detailed cost estimates and phasing strategies.

2. Interpretive Design and Storytelling

● Collaborate with Partners, environmental educators, artists, local historians and or/ those with ties to LLELA to include Master Naturalists to develop immersive, theme-driven exhibits that interpret:

○ The ecology and biodiversity of the Blackland Prairie

○ The oak-dominated Cross Timbers forest region

○ The hydrology and wildlife of the Trinity River floodplain

○ Indigenous Heritage - illustrate the history of the land and its past uses.

● Integrate interpretive storytelling techniques across multiple formats:

○ Interactive displays (digital and tactile), designed to be accessible, inclusive, and adaptable for everyone.

○ Indoor/outdoor exhibits with seasonal ecological themes

○ Multilingual signage and inclusive narratives (Indigenous heritage, urban interface, conservation and restoration)

● Coordinate with exhibit and interpretive design consultants.

○ Incorporate LLELA Interpretive Plan

3. Native Landscaping and Ecological Restoration

● Design landscape zones that compliment:

○ Cross Timbers woodlands (post oak, blackjack oak)

○ Blackland Prairie (native grasses, forbs, pollinator plants)

○ Trinity River bottomlands (cottonwood, sycamore, willow)

● Amenities may include habitat-supportive features:

○ Bird blinds, pollinator gardens, wetland demonstration

○ Accessible trail connections

● Use native and drought-tolerant species only; avoid cultivars and invasives.

● Develop a maintenance and stewardship strategy aligned with ecological goals and restoration plans.

4. Community Engagement and Education

● Facilitate public input through design charrettes, surveys, and focus groups.

● Engage with City staff, Partners, USACE, LISD, UNT, FOLELLA, community organizations, and underserved populations to ensure relevance and accessibility.

● Incorporate space programming informed by community needs and design charrette conducted in 2024, including:

○ Multipurpose room/classroom/spaces

○ Outdoor classrooms or amphitheater

○ Volunteer and citizen science facilities

○ Nature based playground and/or outdoor play features

5. Construction Administration and Permitting

● Coordinate with City departments and consultants throughout all phases.

● Manage the permitting process, including any required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, due to proximity to jurisdictional waters or wetlands.

● Attend weekly jobsite meetings during construction, issue field observations, review submittals and RFIs, and maintain project documentation.

● Deliver final close-out documentation, including as-built drawings, warranties, and O&M manuals.

● As previously stated, this project may transition into a CMAR during the initial design phase of the project. This will be determined in consultation with the Selected architectural firm.

C. PROJECT BUDGET

● The current budget for the project is approximately $12 million ($12,000,000) which includes design, construction and all soft costs.

● The project may be eligible for grants from federal, state and private entities. The project team may be asked to prepare supporting documents for applications and proposals.

D. PROJECT SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE DATES LISTED BELOW)

Advertise: Saturday August 16th and August 23rd

Questions Due: Friday August 29th 3:00 pm

Answers Due: Monday September 4th 3:00 pm

Qualifications Due: Thursday September 18th 1:00 pm

Reference Checks/Qualification Review Due: Monday September 29th (or sooner)

Short Listed Firms Notified: October 1st (or sooner)

Shortlisted Selected Firms Meet-Up On: October 15th 9am-2pm

Shortlisted Selected Firms Presentation: December 17th

Presentation Evaluation: December 17, 2025

Target Dates for other milestones in project:

● City Council approval of final Contract January 2026.

● Design kick off by March 2026.

● The anticipated year of completion of construction and opening of the facility is

2028.

III. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION SUBMITTALS

Limit the TOTAL LENGTH of the Core Submittal to ten (10) single-sided pages or five

(5) double-sided pages maximum, of which four (4) single-sided or two (2) double-sided pages may be 11x17 format. Page count does not include cover letter; index and/or table of contents, front and back covers, title page, or separation tabs.

Candidates must use 10-point font or larger. Use of figures, photographs, or other graphics within the page constraints indicated is up to the discretion of the candidate.

Information not included in the Core Submittal the candidate would like to be considered should be provided in an appendix of not more than twenty (20) pages. This appendix may only be submitted under the optional Bonfire file “Additional Information.”

The City cannot guarantee review of voluminous firm-specific or other information contained in the appendix.

Absolutely no fee or cost proposal information should be provided in response to this

RFQ.

The submittal shall include, at a minimum, the information requested below.

Qualified Team Requirements

The City of Lewisville is seeking a qualified, multidisciplinary design team with proven experience in the conceptual design and planning of nature centers or environmental education facilities. The selected team will develop a visionary, context-sensitive conceptual design for the proposed Nature Center at Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area (LLELA), advancing the City’s commitment to sustainability, ecological education, and responsible stewardship of natural resources.

https://cityoflewisville.bonfirehub.com/portal

To be considered responsive, submitting teams must demonstrate the following:

A. Team Composition and Expertise

The team must be composed of professionals qualified to deliver a high-quality, site-responsive conceptual design. At a minimum, the team should include:

● Lead Architect – Overall project leadership, design visioning, and contract coordination

● Interpretive Planning / Exhibit Design Consultant / Outdoor Recreation – Experienced in the design of educational spaces that engage the public in environmental learning and trends in outdoor recreation opportunities

● Landscape Architect – Specialized in native plantings, habitat preservation, and low-impact site design

● Civil and MEP Engineers – Knowledgeable in utility and infrastructure planning for environmental sites and sustainable systems (HVAC, water, wastewater), including green infrastructure systems

● Cost Estimator – Capable of preparing realistic construction cost estimates based on conceptual-level information.

The City strongly encourages inclusion and active participation of:

● Veteran-Owned Businesses (VOB)

● Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB)

● Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs)

● Minority-Owned (MBE), Women-Owned (WBE)

● Firms with offices within the DFW Metroplex.

Proposers should describe their strategies for equitable subcontracting, community representation, and team diversity.

Prime consultant or firm responsible for overall leadership, all key team members, and subconsultants must be clearly identified in the submission.

B. Relevant Experience

The proposing team should demonstrate:

● Completion of at least five (5) public-sector nature centers, environmental education facilities, or similar mission-driven projects

● Proven success in carrying conceptual designs through construction and sustained operations, including stakeholder engagement, alignment with partner entities and municipal planning goals, and meeting project budgets and timelines

● Completion of projects on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) properties, including demonstrated ability to coordinate with USACE staff, permitting processes, and federal land-use requirements

● Familiarity with Texas regulatory environments, ecological systems, and climate conditions.

Preference will be given to teams that have completed similar work within the State of Texas, and/or on USACE-managed/owned properties.

C. Team Integration and Project Management

● Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across disciplines, including examples of past integrated project delivery

● Clear team structure with an organizational chart showing communication lines, responsibilities, and office locations

● Use of collaborative project management tools and QA/QC procedures

● Preferred teams will include firms or personnel that have previously worked together on successful, comparable projects.

IV. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Qualifications will be scored by an Evaluation Committee consisting of City staff, using the below criteria for a total maximum evaluation score of 100 points:

● Team Composition and Expertise 30 pts

● Relevant Experience 40 pts

● Team Integration and Project Management 30 pts

SELECTION PROCESS

● After the Evaluation Committee completes its evaluation and review of the Evaluation Criteria scoring, a shortlist ranking of up to three firms will be selected to present a conceptual design to City for a final selection process.

● Presentations and Design Competition (Worth 50 Points). The top shortlisted selected firms will be required to meet with the City on October 15, 2025 between 9:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m local time for a workshop with City Staff, City Partners and other Key stakeholders to listen and discuss the design.. The selected firms will also be required to enter into a short form contract with the City and will enter into a PSA for $10,000 to provide conceptual design to serve as basis for moving forward as design team for the project. The city will retain ownership of concepts presented to the City during this process. An example is included .

● The shortlisted selected firms will have approximately 60 days to prepare a conceptual design and be prepared to present their designs on December 17, 2025 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Presentations will then be scored by the Evaluation Committee on a scale of up to fifty (50) additional points, which will be cumulatively added to those respondents’ prior scores per the other evaluation criteria described above, thus increasing the maximum total points to 150. The Evaluation Committee will evaluate the presentations and make a recommendation to the City of their rankings. The City may accept or reject the recommendation of the Evaluation Committee.

● Quality of Design and Reflection of Lewisville 25 pts

● Presentation 20 pts

● OPPC within Budget 05 pts

● The Evaluation Committee will negotiate with the highest ranked respondent towards obtaining a reasonable and fair contract price for the respondent’s services. If unable to negotiate a reasonable and fair contract price, the Evaluation Committee may proceed to negotiate with the next highest ranked respondent, and so on down the list as may be necessary, without the need to repeat the solicitation process. Once a satisfactory contract is negotiated, the Evaluation Committee shall forward its recommendation to the City of Lewisville City Council for approval.

● The City Council will review the recommendation of the Evaluation Committee and, at its option, award the contract at the negotiated contract price to the successful architectural firm. The City Council may, at its sole option and discretion, reject the recommendation of the Evaluation Committee.

V. CONFIDENTIALITY

A. RFQ responses submitted to the City for consideration may be subject to disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act (the “Act,” Texas Government Code, Chapter 552.001, et seq.). The City will comply with the Act in responding to any request for RFQ responses. All proprietary information in each candidate’s qualification submittal shall be clearly identified as such.

B. In accordance with the Act, the City will notify the candidate if information is requested which has been clearly identified as proprietary; and the City has submitted a request for an opinion in writing from the Attorney General. The City will also provide the candidate with all information required by the Act.

Once the candidate has been notified, it is the sole responsibility of the candidate to communicate with the office of the Texas Attorney General regarding the release of the requested information and otherwise comply with the requirements of the act. The City will not submit reasons why the information should be withheld or released.

C. If, in the opinion of legal counsel, the City is compelled to disclose any portion of such information to anyone or else stand liable for contempt or suffer censure or penalty, the City may disclose such information without liability.

D. The City strictly complies with all statutes, court decisions, and opinions of the

Texas Attorney General with respect to disclosure of RFQ information.

VI. INFORMATION REQUESTS

Since this solicitation is not a Request for Proposal and is designed only to identify the most qualified architectural firm who will be approved to submit proposal(s), further details about the project will not be provided.

Any Candidate requiring further clarification of the RFQ procedures, however, should submit specific questions in writing via Bonfire at:

https://cityoflewisville.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities portal for consideration. Only written responses from the City will be binding regarding inquiries requesting clarification or additional information. The City responses to any inquiry will be distributed simultaneously to all candidates via Bonfire. Oral explanations or instructions given before the award of the Contract are not binding.

NO OTHER CONTACT SHALL BE MADE REGARDING THIS REQUEST FOR

QUALIFICATIONS WITH ANY OTHER CITY STAFF, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER,

PROJECT TEAM MEMBER, OR REPRESENTATIVES OF ANY CITY, COUNTY,

REGIONAL, STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCIES. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS

REQUIREMENT MAY RESULT IN THE OFFENDING CANDIDATE BEING

REMOVED FROM CONSIDERATION.

VII. CITY OF LEWISVILLE’S STANDARD LANGUAGE

No Gratuities: Respondents shall not offer any gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value to any official or employee of the City for the purpose of influencing this selection.

Any attempt by any candidate to influence the selection process by any means, other than disclosure of qualifications, credentials, and a proposal (if short- listed) through the proper channels, may be grounds for exclusion from the selection process at the City’s sole discretion.

All Information True: Each candidate, by submitting a proposal, represents and warrants to the City that all information provided in the response shall be true, correct and complete.

Candidates who provide false, misleading, or incomplete information, whether intentional or not, in any of the documents presented to the City for consideration in the selection process may be excluded, at the City’s sole discretion.

Contract Negotiations: This RFQ is not to be construed as a contract or as a commitment of any kind. If this RFQ and the subsequent proposal (if requested) results in a contract offer by the City the specific scope of work, associated fees, and other contractual matters will be determined during contract negotiations.

No Obligation: The City reserves the sole right to (1) evaluate the responses submitted; (2) waive any irregularities therein; (3) select candidates to submit more detailed or alternate qualification statement(s), and/or proposals; (4) accept any qualification submittal and/or proposal submittal or portion of such submittal; (5) reject any or all candidates submitting responses, should it be deemed in the City’s best interest; or (6) cancel the entire process, at the sole discretion of the City.

PRE-SUBMITTAL

A pre-submittal conference will be held at the date and time specified on Bonfire. While attendance of the pre-submittal conference is not mandatory, it is recommended due to the nature of the project.

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

All forms requiring either a signature or information to be filled in are to be returned with each candidate’s response to this RFQ.