2026-027 RFQ Landscape Architecture Design Services-Post(PDF).pdf

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

FOR

ROWAN COUNTY

Landscape Architectural Services for

Site Selection & Design - Therapeutic Recreation Facilities

# 2026-027

ROWAN COUNTY

130 West Innes Street

Salisbury, NC 28144 704-216-8178 jody.farrow-bennett@rowancountync.gov

Date Issued: Thursday, January 22, 2026

Date Due: Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 10:00 AM ET

Administered By: Jody Farrow-Bennett, Purchasing Director mailto:jody.farrow-bennett@rowancountync.gov

Rowan County – 2026-027 Request for Qualifications Date Due: Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 10:00 AM ET Services-Therapeutic Recreation

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Rowan County Parks and Recreation

Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) solicits Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) from qualified landscape architectural and design firms to provide site selection, design, and potential architectural and construction administration services.

Rowan County anticipates awarding a single master contract to support site selection and design for new or renovated facilities within the Rowan County Parks and Recreation Therapeutic Division, with particular emphasis on services for adults with disabilities.

Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) for the Rowan County Site Selection & Design for Therapeutic Recreation Facilities project will be accepted until Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 10:00 AM ET at the Rowan County Purchasing Department, 130 West Innes Street, Suite 31, Salisbury, North Carolina 28144. SOQs received after this deadline will not be opened and faxed submissions will not be accepted.

SOQs should be clearly marked “RFQ 2026-027 Landscape Architectural Services for Site Selection & Design – Therapeutic Recreation Facilities” and preferably submitted via email. If preferred, hard-copy documents may be delivered to:

Rowan County Purchasing Department Attn: Jody Farrow-Bennett, Purchasing Director

130 West Innes Street, Suite 31 Salisbury, NC 28144 704-216-8178 jody.farrow-bennett@rowancountync.gov https://www.rowancountync.gov/675/Purchasing

Once the RFQ is publicly released, all questions must be directed to the Purchasing Director. Contact with County staff or members of the Board of Commissioners regarding this RFQ is prohibited and will be grounds for rejection. All inquiries shall be submitted in writing to the Purchasing Director.

Contracts funded with federal grant funds must be procured in a manner that conforms with all applicable Federal laws, policies, and standards.

Rowan County reserves the right to award and/or reject any and/or all submittals and waive any technicalities or irregularities. For complete details, consult the RFQ.

This is the 22nd day of January 2026.

Rowan County

By: Jody Farrow-Bennett Rowan County Director of Purchasing https://www.rowancountync.gov/675/Purchasing

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1. Section 1: Introduction & General Instructions

1.1. Introduction:

The Therapeutic Recreation Division of the Rowan County Parks and Recreation Department was established in 1979 to ensure access to recreation and leisure programs for individuals with disabilities. Over the years, programs have been delivered at various locations throughout the county, including Rowan County Parks and Recreation facilities and community partner sites. The Division’s main office is located at Ellis Park, which features a modest community center, outdoor recreation amenities, and a fully ADA-accessible playground. As the Division seeks to broaden its reach, the goal is to plan for new amenities and/or facilities that can better meet the evolving needs of the community.

1.2. Intent of Request

The purpose of this Request for Qualification (RFQ) is to provide qualified professional consulting firms with a common, uniform set of specifications to assist them in the development of their response and to provide a uniform method for the County to fairly evaluate such responses and subsequently select a firm from which to hire for the Master Agreement. For the purposes of this RFQ, “facilities” is defined broadly and will be further detailed in consultation with the selected firm. The respondent must be licensed to do business in North Carolina.

1.3. Schedule:

Task Date

Release RFQ Thursday, January 22, 2026 Questions Monday, February 9, 2026, 5 PM ET Accept Qualifications Thursday, February 19, 2026, 10 AM ET Interview (if applicable) March 9 & 10, 2026, Between 9 AM-1 PM Award Contract on or after BOC Meeting on March 16, 2026

2. Section 2: Requirement/Scope The scope of work for this project includes professional landscape architecture, engineering, architectural, and related support services necessary to prepare schematic design, design development, construction documents, permitting, bidding and negotiation materials, and construction-phase services. Site selection for new or renovated Therapeutic Recreation facilities will also be included in the scope.

The selected consultant will collaborate with the Rowan County Parks and Recreation Department and its designees to evaluate Therapeutic Recreation facility needs and identify any associated staffing requirements. Submissions should include particular emphasis on facilities and amenities that support adults with disabilities.

Professional services required for this project may include, but are not limited to:

• Therapeutic Recreation facility inventory review and needs assessment

• Landscape architectural design

• Surveying

• Environmental services and permitting

• Civil engineering

• Architectural building design

• Staffing and cost estimating (as applicable)

• Construction administration

At a minimum the selected firm must have the following experience:

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1. Experience Requirements The firm should have completed at least five (5) recreation facility renovation or new construction design projects, or amenity design/upgrades, within the past five (5) years.

2. Design, Bidding, and Construction Administration Experience The firm should have designed, bid, and provided construction administration services for at least five (5) recreation facility renovation or new construction projects, or amenity design/upgrades, within the past five (5) years.

3. Project Leadership Requirements The firm must designate one (1) primary point of contact for the duration of the project. This individual must have served as the landscape architect or architect of record for the design and construction management of at least two (2) recreation facility renovation or new construction projects.

3. Section 3: SOQ Submission Requirements

3.1. Submission and Deadline

One (1) electronic SOQ should be submitted in .pdf format using software such as Adobe, CutePDF or PDF Writer.

The address for electronic deliveries is: jody.farrow-bennett@rowancountync.gov and, if the firm prefers delivering a paper version; the address for mailings/hand-deliveries is:

Rowan County Purchasing Department Attn: Jody Farrow-Bennett, Purchasing Director 130 West Innes Street, Suite 31 Salisbury, NC 28144

Subject: “RFQ 2026-027 Landscape Architectural Services for Site Selection & Design – Therapeutic Recreation Facilities”.

SOQs received after the deadline of Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 10:00:00 AM ET, will not be considered.

All questions regarding this RFQ shall be submitted by 5 pm, February 9, 2026, by email to the same email address listed above.

No contact shall be made with any Rowan County staff or elected officials once this RFQ is released to the public.

Rowan County reserves the right to reject any and /or all SOQ’s and to waive informalities therein.

3.2. Submission Format

To facilitate review of your SOQ by Rowan County, it is requested that your submission be succinct and conform to the following format:

Coversheet – List project title (Landscape Architectural Services for Site Selection & Design – Therapeutic Recreation Facilities) the name of your firm, and the name, address, email address and telephone number of a contact person for questions concerning the proposal submitted.

Experience of the Firm – Provide a brief narrative of your firm’s prior experience and qualifications in planning and administrative work for similar projects. Provide a list of similar projects completed within the last five (5) years. Also, please briefly reference the experience of firm personnel in working with similar projects.

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Project Team – Provide a list of the project team members that you propose to use on this project and identify the responsibility of each team member and their current office location. Provide a brief resume for each person, detailing specific similar project experience.

References – Provide the name, address, email address and telephone number of at least three (3) references familiar with the quality of work done by your firm on similar projects.

Other Supporting Data – Include any other information you feel to be relevant to the selection of your firm for this project. The entire SOQ must not exceed twenty (20) pages, excluding the cover sheet and letter of introduction. SOQ’s exceeding 20 pages will not be considered.

4. Section 4: SOQ Evaluation and Selection

4.1. General Evaluation Procedure

Criteria to be used in screening and ranking of the SOQ and selection of the successful firm are as follows:

Qualifications of the Firm, Including Firm Personnel – Preference shall be given to those firms and personnel with experience and training in planning and administration for similar projects, as outlined in this RFQ.

Availability - Preference shall be afforded to those firms, who in the opinion of Rowan County are able to adequately respond to requests for consultation meetings and meet project administration requirements.

Experience with Similar Projects – Qualifications of the Project Manager and those personnel that will be assigned to the project, including the location of their office, will be considered. Preference shall be given to project teams with specific experience in similar projects and any familiarity with the region and proposed projects, as outlined in this RFQ.

Methodology –The firm’s system of methods, principles, understand of our detailed project requirements will be evaluated.

4.2. Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation criteria are intended to allow the County to evaluate specific aspects of a Respondent's experience, technical competence, and capability to perform.

The County will evaluate and rank the responsive SOQs by scoring the qualitative evaluation criteria set forth below to generate a Shortlist. The total number of points that will be used in evaluating all the factors for this SOQ is 100, allocated as shown below:

1. 20% = Qualifications of Key Personnel

2. 20% = Availability

3. 30% = Experience with Similar Projects

4. 20% = Methodology

5. 10% = References

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4.3 Contract

After all Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) have been reviewed, evaluations will be completed, and following any interviews deemed necessary, a firm will be selected and presented to the Board of Commissioners (BOC) for award/approval. Upon selection, the firm will be invited to negotiate a master contract with Rowan County, for a term not to exceed five (5) years, to support site selection for new or renovated Therapeutic Recreation facilities and to provide design services as the County works to expand and enhance accessible recreation opportunities. Rowan County reserves the right to engage the selected firm for all or only a portion of the services described in this Request for Qualifications.

For each project performed under the Master Contract, a detailed scope of work will be developed jointly by the selected firm and Rowan County Parks and Recreation. The agreed-upon scope and associated fee will be incorporated into a work authorization and attached to the contract. The contract will be non-exclusive, and either party may cancel the agreement at any time and for any reason.

5. Section 5: General Comments

1. Any cost incurred by respondents in preparing or submitting a proposal shall be the respondents’ sole responsibility.

2. All responses, inquiries or correspondence relating to this RFQ will become the property of the County.

3. The County reserves the right to reject any or all packages received or to request additional information as may be needed to determine qualifications. It is the intention of the County to negotiate contracts for services at fair and reasonable prices with what it determines to be the best qualified Consultant.

4. The County may or may not conduct interviews. If interviews are held, firms are hereby notified that the interview process will quickly follow the submittal deadline, and firms should prepare their submittal and proposed team accordingly. Elaborate presentations and submittals during the interview process are not expected or requested. Each interview will last no more than two hours and will be conducted at the J.

Newton Cohen, Sr. Rowan County Administration Building located at 130 West Innes Street.

5. The following Federal provisions apply pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 200.326 and 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Appendix II (as applicable):

Equal Employment Opportunity (41 C.F.R. Part 60); Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148); Copeland “Anti-Kickback” Act (40 U.S.C. 3145); Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 3701- 3708); Rights to Inventions (37 C.F.R. § 401.2)Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387); Debarment and Suspension (Executive Orders 12549 and 12689); Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352); Procurement of Recovered Materials (2 C.F.R.

§ 200.323); Record Retention Requirements (2 CFR § 200.324); Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications (2 C.F.R. § 200.216); and Domestic Preferences for Procurements (2 C.F.R. § 200.322)

5. Section 5: General Comments