US Pavilion at Belgrade Expo 2027 RFI clarifications QA_021226.xlsx

Sheet1 US Pavilion at Belgrade Expo 2027 RFIs/Clarification Q&As

Please see below questions (submitted through February 12, 2026) and responses (in red) in reference to the solicitation 19AQMM26R0058, Design-Build Fit-Out US Pavilion at Belgrade Expo 2027 RFP posted on SAM.gov.

RFIs are to be submitted to Jennifer Leung at LeungJB@state.gov AND Lori Botkin at BotkinLL@state.gov by no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on February 16, 2026.

Alternatively, the foreign company may collaborate with a Contractor or Designer licensed in Serbia. In such cases, the local Contractor/Designer who signs and submits applications to the competent authorities, must be a professional licensed in Serbia. For roles that do not require licensing, participants are free to engage any individual (e.g., a Project Manager). Work may also be carried out through already established and registered Serbian subsidiaries that hold the required licenses and are entered in the relevant registries.

For information on entity registration on sam.gov, please go to sam.gov.

See all Expo 2027 provided guides and information provided in the 5th Attachment (05 Attachment J.2 Expo 2027 Regulations and Guidelines) in the Attachments/Links section of the RFP/solicitation posted on SAM.gov.

Question: Section C.4.2.6 requires the Contractor to retain a locally licensed Serbian Architect of Record to support permitting, code compliance, and local coordination. The solicitation does not specify whether the Lead Design Architect must be a U.S.-based or Serbia-based firm. Please clarify whether a design firm that is neither U.S.-based nor Serbia-based may serve as the Lead Design Architect for this project.

A19: As stated in Section C.4.2.6, The Contractor shall retain a locally licensed Serbian Architect of Record and, as required, local engineering and construction resources to support permitting, code compliance, and local coordination; the Contractor remains fully responsible for performance. Also, as stated in Attachment J.2.1 Expo 2027 Design and Build Guide page 9 of the PDF, under Term "Architect of Record (AoR)" the definition states "The licensed architectural firm officially registered and authorised in the Republic of Serbia to take legal and professional responsibility for a project’s design documentation and permitting process. The Architect of Record ensures that all design submissions comply with national laws, building codes, and regulatory requirements. For EXPO 2027, the AoR is the entity that submits the Preliminary Design to the authorities and assumes responsibility for obtaining the Construction Permit and other mandatory approvals. While Participants may work with foreign design teams, a locally licensed AoR must validate and submit all documentation on their behalf."

It does Not state anywhere in Section C that the Lead Architect must be a licensed Serbian Architect. It is stated in the Sec C Scope of Work and the Expo 2027 guidelines that a locally licensed AoR is necessary for permitting, code compliance, local coordination and must submit all documentation on their behalf.

Q20: Specification/Reference: Section M Evaluation Factors for Award Question: Please confirm whether there are any preference, eligibility, or evaluation considerations related to the geographic location or nationality of the Lead Design Architect that Offerors should consider when forming their teams.

A20: There are no preference or evaluation considerations for Lead Design Architects based on their geographic location. There are no changes to Section M - Evaluation Factors for Award.