2-ITPQ Architectural and Design Services Spec No 27-1025-A.pdf

County of Bucks Purchasing Department 55 East Court Street, Doylestown, PA 18901 Phone: 215-348-6372 | Email: purchasing@buckscounty.org

County Commissioners Robert J. Harvie, Jr., Chair

Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW, Vice Chair Gene DiGirolamo, Secretary

Purchasing Director

David M. Bria w w w . b u c k s c o u n t y . g o v

INVITATION TO

PRE-QUALIFY

Architectural & Design Services for 2025 Confidential Capital Project

Spec No. 27-10/25-A

Submissions Due: September 22, 2025, at 11:30AM ET

1. Introduction

The County of Bucks, Pennsylvania (hereinafter referred to as the “County”) is requesting independent contractors to pre-qualify to provide professional architectural services for the design and specifications or a confidential capital project. Due to the sensitive nature of the project, information will only be released to firms that successfully execute and return a Project Confidentiality Agreement and complete all Request for Information (RFI) responses.

Following the prequalification round, the County will release project details to the approved firms and request detailed proposals. The selected firm will enter into a professional services agreement with the County to provide design, planning, and consulting services for this facility project.

Throughout this document, the singular use of the words Company, Vendor, Contractor, Proposer, Firm, or Offeror shall apply to the responders of this request for each service or all services proposed.

2. Background

This project in financed in part by funding awarded to the County of Bucks from the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The approximate construction budget is $5,500,000.

3. Scope of Work

a. This Invitation to Pre-Quality (ITPQ) announcement is for preliminary purposes only.

Full participation requires execution of the County’s Project Confidentiality Agreement (Exhibit A). The project involves the architectural design of a secure facility with specialized operational and structural requirements. Full project details will be provided upon execution of the Project Confidentiality Agreement.

b. Project Type: Confidential facility Estimated construction budget: $5,500,000 Design Duration: 3 months Location: Bucks County, PA

4. Projected Timetable

The projected timetable for this ITPQ is as follows. The County reserves the right to change or extend any of these dates as needed.

Issue ITPQ 09/02/2025 at 12:00 pm ET

Deadline to Submit Questions 09/11/2025 at 12:00 pm ET

Issue Final Addendum 09/16/2025 at 5:00 pm ET

ITPQ Submission Deadline 09/22/2025 at 11:30 AM ET

An estimated timetable for the RFP following this ITPQ is included in Exhibit B. Should there be any discrepance between the timeline in this ITPQ and the subsequent RFP, the deadlines of the subsequent RFP shall prevail.

5. Company’s Responsibilities

All information shared under this ITPQ, the subsequent RFP, and throughout the life of this project shall remain confidential and may not be disclosed to any third parties.

6. Procedures

a. Questions. All questions regarding this ITPQ shall be submitted on the PennBid website not later than 12:00 pm ET on September 11, 2025.

b. Answers. The County shall answer all submitted questions in the form of addenda to this ITPQ.

c. Pre-Qualification Submission.

i. Project Confidentiality Agreements and RFP responses must be submitted electronically via PennBid by Monday, September 22, 2025, at 11:30 am ET.

ii. Submissions received after the time and date above will not be considered.

iii. The County reserves the right to reject any and all submissions.

d. Disclosure of Proposal Contents.

All proposals/bids and other material submitted becomes the property of the County and may be returned only at the County's option. Information contained in the proposals/bids will not be disclosed during the evaluation process. Under Pennsylvania's "Right to Know" laws public records are required to be open to reasonable inspection and reproduction. All proposal/bid information, including detailed price and cost information, will be held in confidence during the evaluation process and prior to the time a Notice of Intent to Award is issued. Thereafter all proposals/bids will become public information; subject to inspection and reproduction in accordance with the PA Right to Know Law (Act 3 of 2008), unless otherwise exempt under the Act. Copies of said public records may be made in the Purchasing Department at a cost to the requesting party of $0.25 per page.

Notwithstanding any terms or conditions contained herein, Consultant/Vendor agrees to comply with all Local, State and Federal laws and regulation. Consultant/Vendor specifically agrees to produce all documents that may be subject to public disclosure pursuant to the Pennsylvania Open Records Law.

Material considered confidential by the proposer must be clearly identified and the proposer must include a brief statement justifying the basis for confidentiality and how this information meets the criteria of Section 102 of the PA Right to Know Law. It is the Vendor / Consultant’s duty and obligation to provide the County with a redacted copy of the proposal documents at the time of proposal submission, which it deems to be confidential and proprietary. Failure to do so shall be deemed the Vendor / Consultant’s explicit consent for the County to provide an unredacted copy of the proposal in response to an applicable Right to Know request. The County reserves the right to request further information from the proposer regarding the basis for confidentiality and further reserves the right to make its own confidentiality determinations in compliance with the Right to Know Law.

Trade secrets and other proprietary data contained in a proposal may be held confidential if such data meets the definitions of confidential proprietary information and/or trade secrets under Section 102 of the Right to Know Law. Material considered confidential by the proposer must be clearly identified and the proposer must include a brief statement that sets out the reasons for the confidentiality and how this information meets the criteria of Section 102 of the law.

7. Criteria for Evaluation

The County will evaluate all submissions based on the following criteria to determine a firm’s eligibility for the Confidential Capital Project 2025. Only those firms that meet the minimum qualifications and demonstrate compliance with the following requirements will be considered for further evaluation:

a. Licensing Requirements. The firm must be duly licensed to provide architectural services in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

b. Debarment Status. Firms must not be currently debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from participation in state or federal contracts. Submissions will be checked against applicable debarment databases.

c. Truthfulness of Submission. Any firm found to have falsified or misrepresented information in their submission will be immediately disqualified from consideration.

d. Minimum Experience Requirement. Firms must demonstrate a minimum of five (5) years of experience in providing professional architectural services.

e. Compliance with ITPQ instructions. The County may disqualify firms for submissions which contain material defects and/or do not comply with the ITPQ instructions.

8. Required Format and Contents of Submission

a. Project Confidentiality Agreement

All firms responding to this ITPQ are required to review, sign, and submit the Project Confidentiality Agreement provided with this solicitation. This agreement is a mandatory component of the submission package and is intended to protect the integrity of the procurement process and the security of the information shared by the County throughout the project lifecycle.

The Project Confidentiality Agreement must be signed by an authorized representative of the firm. By singing and submitting this for, your firm:

i. Acknowledges the confidential and sensitive nature of the project

ii. Affirms that all information provided by the County, whether written, oral, electronic, or otherwise, will be treated as confidential.

iii. Agrees not to disclose project information to third parties without the express written consent of the County.

iv. Confirms that all personnel who will be involved in the project are aware of and agree to comply with the confidentiality terms.

v. Includes a commitment to return or securely destroy all confidential materials upon request or upon conclusion of the selection process.

b. Responses to RFI

Complete all sections of the Request for Information (RFI) via the PennBid portal. All questions must be answered accurately and completely. Incomplete responses may result in disqualification.

c. Firm Description

Provide an overview of your firm. The description should include the location of your firm’s headquarters, the location of the office that will serve the County, number of years the firm has been providing architectural services, and a summary of relevant project experience, especially with public sector or confidential capital projects.

9. Insurance Requirements

a. The Vendor shall maintain the required insurance coverage and limits as specified in Exhibit C of this Agreement, proof of insurance is required upon execution of this Agreement, and must include the required language in Exhibit C. It shall be Vendor’s responsibility to notify the County should the insurance be cancelled for any reason, including non-payment of premium.

b. Without affecting any other rights or remedies, the Vendor agrees to waive its right to recover damages against the County, for loss of or damage to its property arising out of or incident to the Vendor’s Commercial General Liability Insurance, Automobile Liability Insurance, Umbrella Insurance, Worker’s Compensation Liability Insurance, Professional Liability Insurance, and any other lines of insurance coverage Vendor may maintain from time to time in connection with this Contract. The effect of such releases and waivers is not limited by the amount of insurance carried or required, or by any deductibles applicable hereto. Vendor agrees to have its respective property damage insurance carriers waive any right to subrogation that such companies may have against the County.

10. Project Funding – HUD Requirements

This project is funded, in whole or in part, through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As a result, the County, and selected firm, where applicable, will be required to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines governing the use of HUD funds, including but not limited to:

a. 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart D (§§ 200.317 – 200.327). Procurement standards applicable to non-federal entities, including competitive procurement procedures, cost principles, and contract oversight

b. Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968. Encourages economic opportunities for low- and very low-income persons and local businesses that provide them employment.

c. Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA). Requires payment of prevailing wages on federally funded or assisted construction projects, when applicable.

d. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Requirements. Prohibits employment discrimination and promotes workplace diversity and inclusion.

e. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance.

f. Federal Debarment and Suspension (2 CFR Part 180). Prohibits the County from contracting with individuals or entities that are currently debarred or suspended from federal programs.

g. Minority and/or Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE). Encourages the use of MBE/WBE firms to promote inclusive contracting opportunities.

h. Affirmative Action Requirements. Requires active steps to ensure equal opportunity in hiring and contracting practices.

i. Conflict of Interest Provisions (24 CFR § 570.611). Prohibits the participation of individuals or firms in decisions where a conflict of interest exists or may appear to exist.

EXHIBIT A: PROJECT CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT

Spec No: 27-10/25-A

My firm is or may be preparing a proposal for the County of Bucks project identified by the Spec No. above. On behalf of my firm, I understand that for legal and security reasons, that all details regarding the location and purpose of the project must be kept confidential. This includes the address, the potential uses of the property, and names of the employees who work at the project site.ௗ I understand that this information shall NOT be shared with anyone, unless authorized by the County Chief Operating Officer or the County Purchasing Director. ௗௗ My firm will maintain the confidentiality of people we observe or meet at this project site, including the personal details of employees or volunteers.ௗ

Additionally, due to significant safety concerns, on behalf of my firm, I understand that the location of theௗproject must remain confidential.ௗ

I also understand that my obligation of confidentiality continues and does not end when my visit to or relationship with the County of Bucks ends.ௗ

My firm and its employees agree to abide by the aforementioned guidelines. We understand that failure to adhere to these confidentiality guidelines may result in the firm being barred from participating in this project. Additionally, depending on the impact of my breach of confidentiality, our firm may face civil or criminal liability. The purpose of this confidentiality agreement is to ensure the safety and privacy of service participants, employees, and volunteers. My firm agrees to notify the County Purchasing Directorௗimmediately if we have questions or concerns regarding this confidentiality agreement.ௗ

Signature:

Printed Name:

Title:

Company:

Date:

EXHIBIT B: ESTIMATED TIMELINE FOR RFP

Spec No: 27-10/25-A

The Request for Proposals (RFP) will follow the completion of the Pre-Qualification process.

The pre-qualification process is mandatory for all firms seeking to participate in the formal Request for Proposal (RFP) phase. Only firms that successfully complete the ITPQ process and are approved as qualified will receive a private invitation to bid on a Confidential RFP. The expected timeline for the RFP is as follows:

Issue Private RFP 09/24/2025

Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference* 10/01/2025 at 2:00PM or 10/06/2025 at 8:30AM

Deadline to Submit Questions 10/14/2025

Issue Final Addendum 10/17/2025

Proposals Due 10/27/2025

*Please note: A mandatory pre-proposal conference will be held for pre-qualified bidders to review the RFP and allow for questions. The conference information included location will be released only to qualified bidders following this ITPQ.

EXHIBIT C: INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Spec No. 27-10/25-A

Vendor is required to provide a Certificate of Insurance that contains a minimum of the following coverage and limits:

1. Commercial General Liability. Policy to include premises and operations, products/completed operations, and blanket contractual liability. The contractual section of the coverage must cover this Agreement. Limits apply on a per-project / per-location basis.

Each Occurrence Limit $1,000,000 General Aggregate Limit $2,000,000 Products and Completed Operations Limit $2,000,000

2. Automobile Liability. To include owned, non-owned, and hired vehicles:

Combined Single Limit $1,000,000

3. Excess (Umbrella) Liability. Coverage is to be in an umbrella form. Any restrictions or limitations in coverage should be specified on the certificate of insurance.

Each Occurrence $1,000,000 Aggregate Limit $1,000,000

4. Workers’ Compensation and Employer’s Liability. Statutory Bodily Injury by Each Accident $100,000 Bodily Injury by Disease – Each Employee $100,000 Bodily Injury by Disease – Policy Limit $500,000

5. Professional Liability, Errors & Omissions Each Jobsite Limit $1,000,000 General Aggregate Limit $2,000,000

6. A Waiver of Subrogation is granted in favor of the County of Bucks, its Board of Commissioners, employees, directors, officers, departments, and divisions in accordance with the policy provisions of the General Liability, Automobile Liability, Excess (Umbrella) Liability, Workers’ Compensation, and Professional Liability (if applicable) policies were allowed by law.

7. Additional Insured statement shall read: The County of Bucks, its Board of Commissioners, employees, directors, officers, departments, and divisions shall be included as additional insured on all Liability Policies on a primary and non-contributory basis with respect to the work performed.

8. Cancellation Clause must read: Should any of the above-described policies be cancelled before the expiration date thereof, notice will be delivered in accordance with the policy provisions.

9. Certificate Holder: County of Bucks Board of Commissioners, Attn: Office of the Controller, 55 East Court Street, Doylestown, PA 18901.