654321-27-0014A.pdf

ORLEANS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

Procurement Department

2401 Westbend Parkway, Suite 5055 New Orleans, LA 70114

Telephone (504) 304-5542 | FAX (504) 309-2879 Paul A. Lucius, Executive Director of Procurement

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS NO. 27-0014A

ENGINEERING CONSULTANT SERVICES

ELECTRONIC QUALIFICATIONS SUBMITTAL DEADLINE:

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 @ 10:00 A.M.

VIRTUAL PRE – QUALIFICATIONS MEETING:

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 @ 10:00 A.M.

PROPOSER:

SIGNATURE:

NAME (PRINT OR TYPE):

ADDRESS:

CITY, STATE, ZIP:

TELEPHONE:

EMAIL ADDRESS:

TERMS:

2401 Westbend Parkway, Suite 5055 New Orleans, Louisiana 70114

ADVERTISEMENT

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS NO. 27-0014A

ENGINEERING CONSULTANT SERVICES

Electronic Responses to Request for Qualifications relative to the above will be received via email submission to the Procurement Department for the Orleans Parish School Board (“OPSB” or “the District”) at 2401 Westbend Parkway, Suite 5055, New Orleans, Louisiana 70114 until 10:00 A.M. (CDT) on Thursday, October 8, 2026.

Specifications and qualifications documents may be obtained by visiting the District’s website at www.nolapublicschools.com; or by contacting the Executive Director of Procurement at procurement@nolapublicschools.com.

The District will host a Virtual Pre-Qualifications meeting to be held on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 10:00 A.M. (CDT). The Virtual link can be found below:

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/cQf9-dA2RMizKWLMrvrECA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The District reserves the right to reject any or all Responses to Request for Qualifications whenever such rejection is in its best interest in accordance with law. The provisions and requirements of this advertisement shall not be waived.

Paul A. Lucius Executive Director of Procurement

FIRST INSERTION DATE:

SECOND INSERTION DATE:

THIRD INSERTION DATE:

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2026

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2026

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2026

http://www.nolapublicschools.com/ mailto:procurement@nolapublicschools.com https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ngiQscEZTIidwmqn7IQ4xA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Instructions to Respondents

1.0 Overview

1.1 Instructions to Respondents

1.2 Purpose

1.3 Background

1.4 School District Profile

2.0 Scope of Services

2.1 Statement of Qualifications as provided on “Exhibit A”- Professional

Engineering Services Form

2.2 Statement of Qualification Deadline and Submittal

2.3 Point-of-Contact

2.4 Statement of Qualifications Preparation Costs

2.5 Property of Statement of Qualifications

2.6 Evaluation Criteria

2.7 Selection Process

2.8 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Participation

2.9 Right to Reject Statements of Qualifications

2.10 Objection to the Award

2.11 Nondiscrimination

2.12 Statement of Qualifications Withdrawal

2.13 Statement of Qualifications Amendments and Errors

2.14 Required Documents and/or Forms

2.15 Required Submission Checklist

3.0 General Terms & Conditions

4.0 Specifications

5.0 Special Terms and Conditions

6.0 Evaluation Criteria/Process

7.0 Authority to Contract on behalf of Company

8.0 References

9.0 Indemnity and Insurance

10.0 Certification Regarding Debarment

11.0 Certification Regarding Lobbying

12.0 Prime Consultant’s Certification

13.0 Non-Collusion Statement

14.0 Vendor Registration Form and Link to W-9

15.0

16.0

17.0

Orleans Parish School Board Standards Prohibiting Conflicts of Interest

Respondent Guaranties and Warranties

EDGAR Contract Addendum

Exhibit A Statement of Qualifications Forms

• Instructions for Completing SOQ

• SOQ | Professional Engineering Services Form

Exhibit B Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Forms:

• DBE Responsiveness Form 1

• DBE Responsiveness Form 2

• Verification of DBE Certification Form

• DBE Professional Services Compliance Certification Checklist

OVERVIEW

1.1 Instructions to Respondents

One signed original qualifications shall be submitted electronically and clearly marked: REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS NO. 27-0014A ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 AT 10:00 A.M. to Mr. Paul A. Lucius, Executive Director of Procurement: procurement@nolapublicschools.com.

The Orleans Parish School Board will not be responsible for the opening of, post-opening of, or failure to open a Qualification Response not properly addressed or identified.

The Orleans Parish School Board will not assume the responsibility for any delay as a result of failure of any entity to deliver Qualifications Responses on time.

The Required Submission Checklist is provided in Section 2.15 of this RFQ. Respondents should refer to the checklist when preparing their Statement of Qualifications to ensure all required documents and forms are properly completed and submitted.

No Qualifications Response will be accepted after October 8, 2026 @ 10:00 A.M. under any conditions unless in the best interest of NOLA-PS by an addendum notification.

Pre-Qualifications Meeting (via Virtual) Thursday September 24, 2026 @ 10:00 A.M.

Last Day for Questions@ 4:00 P.M. (CDT) Tuesday September 29, 2026

Last Day for Addendum Thursday October 1, 2026

QUALIFICATIONS SUBMISSION DEADLINE Thursday October 8, 2026 @10:00 A.M.

Oral Presentations (if applicable) N/A

Evaluation Committee Meeting Thursday, October 15, 2026

Award Notification (approximate) TBD

Execution of Agreement (approximate) TBD

CODE OF SILENCE:

From the date the RFQ is issued; through the time the Agreement is finally awarded by NOLA-PS Elected Officials, Respondents shall not contact any Representatives of NOLA-PS, nor the District Staff, nor their Advisors or Consultants with respect to this RFQ, or RFQ process, other than to submit questions or protest in accordance with the Instructions to Respondents therein. This prohibition does not apply to questions or comments sent in writing to the Executive Director of Procurement, or questions made at Pre-Qualifications conferences, in presentations before evaluation committees, or during contract negotiations. Respondents who violate this Code of Silence may be deemed non-responsive, and their qualifications response may be rejected for cause.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS DOCUMENTS: A complete set of Request for Qualifications documents shall be used in preparing qualifications responses; neither the Orleans Parish School Board nor its representatives assume any responsibility for errors or misinterpretations resulting from the use of incomplete sets of Request for Qualifications Documents.

The forms furnished as part of the specifications MUST be used for filing of Request for Qualifications and must be signed by the Respondent. No qualifications responses will be considered unless made on the forms provided and must not be detached from the qualifications response document of which it forms a part. Failure to follow these instructions may result in your qualifications response being disqualified.

OBJECTION TO THE AWARD: If any Respondent who submitted a qualifications response has an objection to the award of the contract to the Selected Respondent, the objecting Respondent shall furnish that protest, in writing, to the Executive Director of Procurement (or Designee) within ten (10) Business Days of the notification of non-award. The protest shall describe in detail the basis for the protest and shall request a determination under this section of the Instructions to Respondents.

If a protest is filed in a timely fashion, the Executive Director of Procurement (or Designee) will review the basis for the protest and relevant facts under such terms and conditions as he considers proper. Upon completion of the review, the Executive Director of Procurement (or Designee) shall submit applicable findings and recommendations to the Superintendent and/or Chief Financial Officer, who shall then review the matter under such terms and conditions, as deemed proper. Upon receipt of authority to act from the Superintendent or NOLA- PS, the Executive Director of Procurement (or Designee) will notify those Respondents involved of its decision.

The decision shall be final and binding on the objecting Respondent.

WITHDRAWAL OF QUALIFICATIONS RESPONSE: Any qualifications response may be withdrawn if clear and convincing sworn, written evidence of obvious mechanical, clerical or mathematical error is furnished by the Respondent to the Executive Director of Procurement within 48 hours of qualifications response receipt.

SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION: The Respondent, vendor, service provider and/or supplier performance process will involve evaluating the Respondent, vendor, service provider and/or supplier’s overall quality status, as well as evaluating the quality of each material or service the NOLA-PS wishes to purchase. Prior to the invoice submission, the Respondent, vendor, service provider and/or supplier, shall meet with a purchasing representative to discuss and review deliverables and timeline events for said services. Contract with automatic renewals will be based upon the NOLA-PS evaluating and analyzing Respondent, vendor, service provider, and/or supplier performance.

DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION: To ensure that the Orleans Parish School Board does not enter into a contract with a debarred or suspended company or individual, each responsive Respondent must include a certification statement with each qualifications response. By signing the certification statement, the Respondent certifies that neither it nor any of its principals (e.g., key employees) have been proposed for debarment, debarred or suspended by a Federal Agency. It is the responsibility of each Respondent to sign the attached certification statement and submit it with the qualifications response. Failure to comply with this requirement will cause your qualifications response to be disqualified and declared non-responsive.

BACKGROUND CHECK: Contractor will not employ any person to provide services who has been convicted, or pled nolo contendere to, any one of the crimes listed in the Louisiana Child Protection Act. La R.S. 15:587.1 (C). Criminal History Record must be obtained by contractor for all employees to be hired and shall be retained during the duration of the employment. Records are to be updated on an annual basis.

PERFORMANCE INVESTIGATIONS: As part of the RFQ evaluation process, the NOLA-PS may make inquiries and investigations, including verbal or written references from the firm’s customers, to determine the ability of the firm to provide service.

EMPLOYMENT: It is understood that all employees will be employees of the successful firm(s), including but not limited to the successful firm’s subcontractors, partners, etc.

NOTICE TO OFFEROR: The NOLA-PS shall consider the intentional employment by the selected firm of unauthorized aliens in violation of U.S. immigration laws cause for unilateral cancellation of the contract resulting from this RFQ.

QUALIFICATIONS FORMAT: Qualifications Response should be prepared simply but completely, providing a straightforward, concise description of capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFQ. Please carefully read Sections as outlined within the Table of Contents. Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity of content.

SELECTION: Selection shall be made of one or multiple firm(s) deemed to be fully qualified and best suited among those submitting qualifications responses on the basis of the evaluation factors contained in this RFQ.

NOLA-PS may cancel this RFQ, reject qualifications responses or any portion thereof at any time prior to an award, and is not required to furnish a statement of the reason why a particular qualification was not deemed to be the most advantageous. Should NOLA-PS determine in writing and in its sole discretion the firm(s) that is fully qualified, or that one firm is clearly more highly qualified than the others under consideration, a contract may be awarded to that firm.

DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DBE) PROGRAM:

The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program is race & gender-neutral, and open to all business owners regardless of race, ethnicity or gender. DBE firms currently certified with the Louisiana Unified Certification Program (LAUCP), or the State & Local Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (SLDBE) Program must submit a completed Verification of DBE Certification Form with the offer/response to this solicitation.

The Respondent shall submit the following forms located in Exhibit B:

• DBE Responsiveness Form 1

• DBE Responsiveness Form 2

• Verification of DBE Certification Form (for each DBE firm)

• DBE Professional Services Compliance Certification Checklist (Document must be Notarized)

The District is no longer requiring Respondents to submit DBE certification letters until further notice.

Current DBE certification status will be verified through the applicable certifying agency.

DBE Provisions (Attached), which is hereby made a part of this RFQ. Failure to include DBE participation;

including all signatures and notary, shall cause a firm’s qualifications response to be non-responsive and cause for rejection.

PURCHASES USING FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS (2 C.F.R. 200).

When NOLA-PS seeks to procure goods and services using funds under a federal grant or contract, specific federal laws, regulations, and requirements may apply in addition to those under state law. This includes, but is not limited to, the procurement standards of the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, 2C.F.R. 200 (sometimes referred to as the “Uniform Guidance” or new “EDGAR”). (EDGAR FORM ATTACHED)

All Vendors awarded a contract under this RFQ must complete the NOLA-PS EDGAR Contract Addendum before a purchase order can be entered as proof of their willingness and ability to comply with certain requirements which may be applicable to specific NOLA-PS purchases using federal grant funds.

This information will be made available to the NOLA-PS for its use while considering their purchasing options when using federal grant funds.

1.2 Purpose

The Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) is seeking a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to expand the existing pool of Engineering firms for Capital Projects work established under RFQ No. 27-0014 – Engineering Consultant Services. Firms previously selected under RFQ No. 27-0014 are not required to resubmit and will remain in the current qualified pool. This RFQ is open only to qualified Engineering Firms and is not intended for Architectural Firms submitting as the Prime Consultant. The Engineering firms selected will be responsible for assembling an appropriate team of sub-consultants to meet the design requirements for the scope of work as identified. These Capital Projects consist of replacement of critical building components that involve Engineering scopes of work at any of the OPSB owned properties.

The OPSB does not guarantee or warrant the awarding of work if a firm is selected or placed in a pool of applicants. The Orleans Parish School Board reserves the right to review the proposed design team and reject any members identified to be part of the Prime Consultant’s team due to poor past performance either upon review of a SOQ or after placement in a pool of applicants, prior to award.

The district will evaluate an Engineer’s performance after each project is completed. These evaluations will be shared with the Engineer firm. The intent of the evaluation is to identify strengths of the firm and where growth is needed.

1.3 Background

The School Facilities Preservation Program (SFPP) was created as a mechanism to capture and utilize a dedicated source of recurring revenue to support the preservation of public-school facilities in New Orleans.

In 2014, local and state leaders partnered on a local millage and legislation with a goal to provide annual monies for the preservation of school facilities. These efforts dedicated a property tax and redirected a portion of existing local sales tax to the school facility preservation program. In 2019 the district engaged with a vendor to assess all facilities within the district’s portfolio capturing the condition and useful life of each building system and component. The assessments included estimated costs and financial modeling.

The NOLA-PS Executive Director of Capital Improvements and the Director of Capital Projects will provide contract oversight to the selected Engineering Firms and issue management directives and decisions. OPSB will require the consistent high-quality delivery of all projects to meet established schedules and budgets while providing excellent buildings to support future generations of students.

1.4 School District Profile

OPSB currently oversees 66 public schools, including a school with two educational programs for students in secure-care facilities.

One of the District’s core responsibilities, as a charter school authorizer, is to hold these schools accountable to a set of performance expectations that help ensure every student is provided with a high-quality education.

The vision of the OPSB is as follows: every student receives a high-quality education that fosters their individual capabilities, while ensuring that they thrive, achieve physical and mental wellness, and are prepared for civic, social, and economic success.

The District’s geographical boundaries are concurrent with those of the City of New Orleans. The District, however, is a separate entity, independent of the City of New Orleans. The District’s governing body is a seven-member elected board.

The District serves students across Orleans Parish.

QUALIFICATIONS REJECTION: NOLA-PS shall have the right to reject any or all qualifications responses and, in particular, to reject a qualifications response not accompanied by data required by the RFQ or that is in any way incomplete or irregular, when deemed to be in the best interest of NOLA-PS. Conditional qualifications responses will not be accepted.

CONTRACT AWARD: NOLA-PS may select one or more of the Most Qualified Proposer(s) for placement in a pool of approved Engineering Firms based on the evaluation factors set forth in this RFQ. Selection for placement in the pool does not guarantee the award of any project, task order, purchase order, or contract.

NOLA-PS reserves the right to make no selections or awards under this RFQ.

CONTRACT TERM AND RENEWAL: Contract term will be for a period of three (3) years, with two (2) additional one-year renewal options, not to exceed a total of five (5) years. If warranted, terms and conditions for an amendment to the contract will be in writing, negotiable, and subject to NOLA-PS approval

ERRORS: NOLA-PS is not liable for any errors or misinterpretations made in responding to this Request for Qualifications.

QUALIFICATIONS SUBMISSION: One electronic original Qualifications Response document to be submitted as per date and time established/set within this Request for Qualifications.

INQUIRIES: NOLA-PS will not give verbal answers to inquiries regarding the Request for Qualifications, or verbal instructions prior to the award of a contract. A verbal statement regarding same by any person shall be non-binding. The NOLA-PS is not liable for any increased costs resulting from the acceptance of verbal direction. Cost or problems associated with misinterpretation of the intent of the NOLA-PS will be the responsibility of the proposing firm.

All inquiries must be in writing and addressed to: The Procurement Department at procurement@nolapublicschools.com. All inquiries will be answered in the form of an addendum after the pre-qualifications meeting. No contact in any form or manner is to be made with any employee of the District except through the Executive Director of Procurement. Violation of this provision shall be considered grounds for disqualification.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS DOCUMENTS: A complete set of Request for Qualifications documents shall be used in preparing qualifications responses. Neither the Orleans Parish School Board, nor its representatives assume any responsibility for errors or misinterpretations resulting from the use of incomplete sets of Request for Qualifications Documents.

OPEN COMPETITION: NOLA-PS encourages free and open competition. Whenever possible, specifications and qualifications terms and conditions are designed to accomplish this objective, consistent with the necessity to satisfy the needs of the NOLA-PS and to guarantee an economically sound solution. The signature on this qualifications response guarantees that the prices quoted have been established without collusion with other firms and without effort to preclude the NOLA-PS from obtaining the best possible competitive value. The firm certifies that neither its officers nor its employees have bribed or attempted to bribe or influence in any improper manner any officer, employee or agent of the NOLA-PS.

PREPARATION EXPENSE: All qualifications responses submitted in response to this RFQ must be submitted at the sole expense of the proposing firm, irrespective of the final decision of the NOLA-PS as to contract award.

TITLE VI SOLICITATION NOTICE:

NOLA-PS, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation, and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

EVALUATION PROCEDURES:

All qualification responses will be evaluated by the RFQ Evaluation Committee that will conduct an independent, objective evaluation of qualifications responses for Engineering Consultant Services. All members of the Evaluation Committee must execute a disclosure certifying they do not possess a conflict of interest with any of the Respondents. Before beginning the evaluation process, the Evaluation Committee must review the RFQ, concerning not only the scope of work but also the qualifications and the evaluation criteria.

See Evaluation criteria – Section 6.0

The purpose of the Evaluation Committee is to conduct an independent, objective evaluation of Request for Qualifications for Engineering Consultant Services.

REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF QUALIFICATIONS:

A representative from the Office of Procurement shall serve as the Evaluation Committee coordinator and is solely responsible for disseminating all information received during the RFQ evaluation process. After completion and tallying of the technical evaluation scores, each Evaluation Committee member shall sign and date his/her individual score sheet.

NOLA-PS will evaluate qualifications responses on a qualitative basis. This includes our review of the firm(s) qualifications response and related materials for evidence of prior experience, value-added services beyond the scope of work, qualifications of staff to be assigned to the project, and the Respondent’s completeness and timeliness in its response, etc.

ADDENDUM TO REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS: NOLA-PS reserves the right to revise and amend the specifications prior to the date set for the opening. Respondents are requested to clarify any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission or other error(s) in this RFQ in writing and request the modification or clarification desired. NOLA-PS will issue an addendum to evidence any revisions or amendments made to this RFQ. As a courtesy, every effort will be made to send an issued addendum to the parties known to have been furnished a complete copy of this RFQ. Addenda are made available on the NOLA-PS website under community/business resources/solicitations. Please acknowledge receipt of addenda on Signature Page. Failure to acknowledge all Addenda will result in the qualifications response being rejected.

All questions must be in writing and electronically submitted to the Executive Director of Procurement at procurement@nolapublicschools.com no later than 4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. No addendum will be issued later than Thursday, October 1, 2026, or 72 hours prior to qualifications response due date, except an addendum withdrawing the qualifications response or postponing the opening of the qualifications. It is the responsibility of each Respondent, prior to submitting the qualifications response, to determine if addenda were issued and if so, acknowledge the addendum on the applicable form.

Times and dates are final unless there is an unexpected “emergency” beyond NOLA-PS’s control.

2.0 SCOPE OF WORK/SERVICES

SCOPE OF SERVICES:

The projects under this contract shall consist of, but not be limited to:

Replacement of critical building systems and components. If required, renovation and additions to existing schools. Replacement work may be in buildings built before 1968 in New Orleans, LA. Those built before 1968 are considered Historic. Historic Schools are those that are individually listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or that are contributing structures in National Register Historic Districts.

The selected Engineering Firms shall be responsible for providing the following professional design services:

Existing Conditions Assessments, Programming and Project Scoping and Cost Estimation, Project Design, Bidding, Construction Administration, and Project Close-out.

The selected Engineering Firms may be required to provide as Basic Services as part of the design team the following sub-consultants: Architect, Environmental Engineer, Civil/Site Engineering, Structural Engineering, MEP Engineering, Kitchen Consultant, Acoustical Consultant, LEED AP, Energy Modeler, Theatre Consultant, Landscape Architect, Surveyors, Roof Consultant and any other special consultants not identified above as part of the Basic Services that may be required as part of Additional Services.

Funding for these projects will be from the School Facilities Preservation Funds. The portfolio of school buildings includes a large number of historic structures. The Engineering Firms will be required to understand and apply the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Respondents should exhibit their qualifications and experience on historic projects that conform to the Secretary of the Interior's (SOI) Standards for the treatment of Historic Properties. The Engineering Firms shall also adhere to the Facilities Standards Guide for NOLA Public schools when designing a project.

SCOPE OF WORK WILL BE REPEATED IN SPECIFICATION SECTION 4.0

2.1 Statement of Qualifications as provided on Exhibit A - Professional Engineering Services Form

General:

The purpose of this form is to provide members of the OPSB Evaluation Committee with specific information regarding the qualifications of interested firms submitting for a particular OPSB project.

2.2 Statement of Qualifications Deadline and Submittal

Engineering firms are limited to submitting one SOQ, either as a Prime Consultant, or as a Joint Venture of multiple Prime Consultants that can be classified as a Corporation, Limited Liability Company (LLC), Joint Venture or Limited Liability Partnership. If a firm submits more than one (1) application for this project as a single Prime Consultant and/or as a Joint Venture, all Qualification Statements submitted by the Consultant(s) or Firm(s) will be rejected.

This rule is not intended to limit firms from entering into nonexclusive agreements as a Subconsultant with more than one SOQ Prime Consultant. Subconsultants include, but are not limited to: Environmental Engineers, LEED Consultants, Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, MEP Engineers, Acoustical Consultants, Kitchen Consultants, Landscape Architects, Associated Architects and Architects and other design professionals experienced in Historic Preservation that are not part of a Joint Venture, and are not signatories to the SOQ, and to any future Agreement for Services.

It is not necessary for the Joint Venture to be recorded or registered as a Joint Venture with the Louisiana Secretary of State at the time of the submission of the SOQ. However, upon submission of contract, the Joint Venture shall be registered in accordance with the appropriate Federal, State and Local Statutes.

2.3 Point-of-Contact

The main point of contact for this RFQ is, unless notified otherwise:

Orleans Parish School Board c/o: Paul A. Lucius, Executive Director of Procurement (email: procurement@nolapublicschools.com) 2401 Westbend Parkway, Suite 5055 New Orleans, LA 70114

All correspondence regarding the RFQ should be emailed in writing and should be directed to the RFQ Main Point of Contact.

2.4 Statement of Qualifications Preparation Costs

The Orleans Parish School Board is not responsible for any costs associated with the preparation, submittal, or presentation of any Statement of Qualifications for this submittal.

2.5 Property of Statement of Qualifications

All Statements of Qualifications and other materials submitted in response to this RFQ procurement process become the property of the Orleans Parish School Board. All submittal information shall be held in confidence during the evaluation process and prior to the time a Notice of Intent to Award is issued.

Upon the completion of the review and evaluation of all Statements of Qualifications submitted in response to the RFQ, all responses shall become public documents of the Orleans Parish School Board and open for review by the public. By submitting a Statement of Qualifications, the Respondent acknowledges and accepts that the full contents of the Statement of Qualifications shall become a public record open to public inspection. The wishes of any Respondents marking a Statement of Qualifications; or any part of a Statement of Qualifications as proprietary and/or confidential, shall be neither accepted nor honored.

2.6 Evaluation Criteria

In order to be considered for selection, the Engineering Firm shall provide the following mandatory requirements:

1. Registered in LA – provide LA Registration number, date granted and a copy of the Registration Certificate. Respondents not submitting the required documentation will be rejected.

2. The following evaluation criteria will be used in evaluating the SOQ, as submitted in "Exhibit-A:"

• Professional qualifications of the Engineering Firm to perform the services required for the project (0-20 points)

• Assigned key personnel’s professional qualifications and availability (0-10 points)

• Qualifications and experience of the proposed Subconsultants for the project team (0-15 points)

• Recent firm experience of the Prime Consultant with providing similar Engineering Services for K-12 School projects (0-20 points)

• Location of the firm’s principal office responsible for the work (0–5 points)

• Firm’s responsiveness to problems and ability to resolve project issues (0–5 points)

• Firm’s demonstrated ability to meet schedules, deadlines, and budgets (0–5 points)

• Firm’s current workload and capacity to perform the required services (0–5 points)

• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation (0-15 points)

2.7 Selection Process

The contract for this project will be awarded through a qualifications-based selection process. All qualification statements, and support documentation provided will be reviewed by the OPSB Evaluation Committee. There is no limitation on how many Engineering Firms the District will be selecting.

The Evaluation Committee will carefully consider all SOQ according to the aforementioned evaluation criteria and make a recommendation to the Orleans Parish School Board on the highest ranked firms. Selection for placement in the pool does not guarantee the award of any project, task order, purchase order, or contract.

All Respondents will be evaluated by the RFQ Selection Committee that will conduct an independent, objective evaluation of applicants for the provision of professional services. All members of the Evaluation Committee must execute a disclosure certifying they do not possess a conflict of interest with any of the Respondents.

Before beginning the evaluation process, the Evaluation Committee must review the RFQ, only related to the Statement of Qualifications and the evaluation criteria. The Evaluation Committee shall be comprised of the following members:

A Representative from the Office of Procurement shall serve as the Evaluation Committee coordinator, and is solely responsible for disseminating all information received during the RFQ evaluation process.

2.8 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Participation

OPSB encourages participation from Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs). The team will be evaluated in this area on the extent to which Respondents identify and commit to DBE certified firms, whether as a prime, joint venture teaming arrangement, or through the use of Subconsultants with a target goal of 35 percent (35%) of the design fee to be earned by DBE firms. A DBE-certified Prime Consultant may count its self-performed work toward the DBE participation goal.

Percentage (%) of DBE Target Goal of 35% Percentage points to Respondent (15 points maximum)

Less than 20.00% 0 20% - 24.99% 5 25.00% - 34.99% 10 35.00% or more 15

In order to qualify as a DBE for the OPSB, a business must be certified as a DBE by the Louisiana Unified Certification Program (LAUCP), or certified as a State and Local DBE (SLDBE) by the City of New Orleans, New Orleans Aviation Board, or Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans.

Lists of LAUCP and/or SLDBE-certified firms are available at:

https://neworleans.dbesystem.com/FrontEnd/VendorSearchPublic.asp?TN=neworlea ns&XI D=5545 http://www8.dotd.louisiana.gov/UCP/UCPSearch.aspx http://www.swbno.org/business_disadvantagedbusinessprogram.asp http://www.flymsy.com/dbe-program

Engineering Firm(s) must include in their SOQ the names of their certified DBE Subconsultant(s), a description of the work each will perform, and the corresponding percentage of projected participation based on the expertise of each proposed certified DBE subcontract. Respondents must also submit completed and signed “Exhibit B” DBE Responsiveness Forms 1 and 2 and a completed Verification of DBE Certification Form for each DBE that will participate.

Engineering Firm(s) shall be required to report actual Disadvantaged Business Enterprise sub- consultant or distributor participation and the dollar amount of each service/task(s), after award of contract for design services. If it is at any time determined that the Engineering Firm(s) did not in fact utilize the DBEs submitted in the Statement of Qualifications to the extent initially indicated, the Engineering Firm(s) shall be placed into Noncompliance status, and expected to reach the committed levels of projected participation, as listed in the RFQ. Engineering Firms and Subconsultants will be required to report actual DBE Subconsultant participation and the dollar amount of each. Participating firm's DBE certification must remain valid for the duration of their contracted work.

2.9 Right to Reject Statements of Qualifications

The Orleans Parish School Board reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to reject any and all Statements of Qualifications, to cancel this RFQ in its entirety, or to cancel the selected pool of approved applicants.

Any submittal which does not meet the requirements of this RFQ may be considered to be non-responsive, and the SOQ may be rejected. SOQ Respondents must comply with all of the terms of this http://www8.dotd.louisiana.gov/UCP/UCPSearch.aspx http://www.swbno.org/business_disadvantagedbusinessprogram.asp http://www.flymsy.com/dbe-program

RFQ, and all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations. The Orleans Parish School Board via Office of Procurement may reject any SOQ that does not comply with all of the terms, conditions, and performance requirements of this RFQ.

It is the intent of this RFQ to expand the existing pool of qualified Engineering Firms established under RFQ No. 27-0014 – Engineering Consultant Services.

2.10 Objection to the Award

If any Respondent who submitted a Statement of Qualifications has an objection to the award of the contract to the Selected Engineering Firm(s), the objecting Respondent, shall furnish that protest, in writing, to the Executive Director of Procurement within ten (10) Business Days of the notification of non- award. The protest shall describe in detail the basis for the protest, and shall request a determination under this section of the Instructions within this RFQ.

If a protest is filed in a timely fashion, the Executive Director of Procurement will review the basis for the protest and relevant facts under such terms and conditions as he considers proper. Upon completion of the review, the Executive Director of Procurement shall submit his findings and recommendations to the Superintendent and/or OPSB, who shall then review the matter under such terms and conditions, as deemed proper. Upon receipt of authority to act from the Superintendent or OPSB, the Executive Director of Procurement will notify those Respondents involved of its decision.

The decision shall be final and binding on the objecting Respondents.

2.11 Nondiscrimination

No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, be discriminated against in the admission or access to, or be discriminated against in treatment or employment in the Orleans Parish School Board’s contracted programs or activities on the grounds of handicap and/or disability, age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other classification protected by federal constitutional statutory law; nor shall they be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination in the performance of contracts with the Orleans Parish School Board or in the employment practices of the Orleans Parish School Board’s contractors. Accordingly, all SOQ Respondents entering contracts with the Orleans Parish School Board shall, upon request, be required to show proof of such nondiscrimination.

2.12 Statement of Qualifications Withdrawal

SOQ Respondents may withdraw a submitted Statement of Qualifications at any time up to the deadline for submittals. To withdraw a Statement of Qualifications, the SOQ Respondent must submit a written request, signed by an authorized representative, to the RFQ point of contact before the deadline for submitting Statements of Qualifications. After withdrawing a previously submitted Statement of Qualifications, the SOQ Respondent may submit another Statement of Qualifications at any time up to the deadline for submitting Statements of Qualifications.

2.13 Statement of Qualifications Amendments and Errors

The Orleans Parish School Board shall not accept any amendments, revisions, or alterations to Statements of Qualifications after the deadline for submittal.

SOQ Respondents are liable for all errors or omissions contained in their Statements of Qualifications.

RFQ Respondents shall not be allowed to alter Statements of Qualifications, Standard Form OPSB- AE documents after the deadline for submittal.

2.14 Required Documents and/or Forms

Only the Prime Consultant is responsible for submitting the Statement of Qualifications and required forms. No separate Statement of Qualifications is required from each subconsultant. No separate OPSB AE Standard Form is required for each subconsultant. The Prime Consultant shall include the qualifications, experience, personnel, responsibilities, and other required information for its proposed subconsultants within its SOQ. The Prime Consultant must provide a list of all proposed subconsultants where required within this RFQ. If a specific project requires an additional specialized subconsultant, the Prime Consultant must submit the required supporting documentation, including applicable DBE documentation. If a DBE subconsultant must be replaced, the Prime Consultant must use good faith efforts to identify a DBE replacement.

• Statement of Qualifications Cover Page

• Statement of Qualifications Form

• Louisiana Engineering Registration Documentation, including applicable Registration

Certification Card or Certificate of Registration

• References Form

• Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary

Exclusion - Lower Tier Covered Transactions (Form AD-1048)

• Certification Regarding Lobbying

• Prime Consultant’s Certification

• Principals of the Company

• Non-Collusion Statement

• Prime Consultant Guaranties and Warranties

• OPSB Standards Prohibiting Conflicts of Interest

• Vendor Registration Form

• Completed EDGAR Contract Addendum, including all required initials and signatures

• DBE Responsiveness Form 1

• DBE Responsiveness Form 2

• Verification of DBE Certification Form (for each DBE firm)

• DBE Professional Services Compliance Certification Checklist (Notarized)

2.15 Statement of Qualifications – Required Submission

Checklist

Please ensure that the Statement of Qualifications includes all required documents listed below.

All required forms must be fully completed, signed, dated, initialed, and notarized where applicable. Failure to submit required documentation or properly complete required forms may result in the Statement of Qualifications being deemed non-responsive.

☐ Statement of Qualifications Cover Page – Completed and signed.

☐ 7.0 Authority to Contract on behalf of Company – Complete the required company/principal information.

☐ 8.0 References – Complete and submit the References Form.

☐ 9.0 Indemnity and Insurance – Review and acknowledge the requirements of Section 9.0.

☐ 10.0 Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion – Lower Tier Covered Transactions (Form AD-1048) – Complete and sign.

☐ 11.0 Certification Regarding Lobbying – Complete and sign.

☐ 12.0 Prime Consultant’s Certification – Complete and sign the certification and acknowledge all issued addenda, if applicable. Attach a Corporate Resolution or other written evidence of authority, such as a memo, letterhead, or board minutes, showing that the individual signing the SOQ is authorized to bind the company.

☐ 13.0 Non-Collusion Statement – Complete and sign.

☐ 14.0 Vendor Registration Form – Complete the Vendor Registration Form.

☐ 15.0 Orleans Parish School Board Standards Prohibiting Conflicts of Interest – Complete all required information and acknowledgments.

☐ 16.0 Respondent Guaranties and Warranties – Complete and sign as required.

☐ 17.0 EDGAR Contract Addendum – Complete all required YES responses, initials, company information, signature, and date.

Exhibit A – Statement of Qualifications Forms

☐ Exhibit A – Statement of Qualifications Form – Complete, sign, and date the form.

☐ Louisiana Engineering Registration Documentation – Provide the applicable Louisiana State Board of Engineering license/registration number and date granted, and attach the current Registration Certification Card or Certificate of Registration, as applicable.

Exhibit B – DBE Required Documents

☐ DBE Responsiveness Form 1 – Prime/Respondent completes and signs the Respondent section; each proposed DBE firm completes and signs the DBE Affirmation section.

☐ DBE Responsiveness Form 2 – Contracting Strategy for DBE Participation – Prime/Respondent completes and signs the form.

☐ Verification of DBE Certification Form – ONE FORM FOR EACH PROPOSED DBE FIRM – Each proposed DBE firm completes and signs the DBE Affirmation section.

Respondents should not complete the OPSB Verification (Internal) section.

☐ DBE Professional Services Compliance Certification Checklist – Complete the form, initial each required supporting-document line, sign and date the form, and have the form notarized.

Required initials on the DBE Certification Checklist:

• DBE Responsiveness Form 1

• DBE Responsiveness Form 2

• Verification of DBE Certification Form

Note: DBE certification letters are not required. Current DBE certification status will be verified through the applicable certifying agency.

3.0 GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

3.1 SPECIFICATIONS:

3.1.1 NOLA-PS SPECIFICATIONS have been developed by the Using Department to show minimal standards as the usage, materials, services, and contents based on their needs.

3.1.2 MANUFACTURER’S SPECIFICATIONS (DESIGN GUIDE). Whenever an article in this RFQ is defined by description as either a proprietary product or by using the name of a manufacturer, the Respondent is encouraged to offer an item which is equal in quality, durability and in full compliance with our Specifications. If the term equivalent, alternate, or equal is not inserted, it shall be implied. The specified article or material shall be understood as descriptive, not restrictive.

3.2 RESPONSIBLE VENDOR. A responsible vendor is a vendor who has adequate financial resources (or the ability to obtain such resources), can comply with the delivery requirements, and is a qualified and established firm regularly engaged in the type of business that provides the items listed herein.

3.3 FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. NOLA-PS assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred by Respondents in developing and submitting a qualifications response or any amendments or addenda, participating in pre-qualifications meetings, participating in any negotiation sessions or discussions, or any other costs incurred by Respondents pursuant to this RFQ.

3.4 EVALUATION OF QUALIFICATIONS Evaluation of Qualifications will be based on the evaluation criteria established in Section 6.0 of this RFQ. NOLA-PS will consider the Respondent’s professional qualifications, experience, proposed personnel, Subconsultants, capacity, past performance, DBE participation, and ability to provide the required Engineering Services.

3.5 WITHDRAWAL OF QUALIFICATIONS will not be allowed for a period of 120 days following the qualifications response opening. Rejection or withdrawal after offer is accepted shall constitute a breach of contract.

3.6 RETENTION OF QUALIFICATIONS DOCUMENTATION. All qualifications response materials and supporting documentation that are submitted in response to this qualifications response becomes the permanent property of NOLA-PS.

3.7 REBID. NOLA-PS may elect to rebid this project if NOLA-PS believes that, in its sole discretion, it is in the best interest of NOLA-PS to do so.

3.8 MULTIPLE CONTRACT AWARDS. NOLA-PS reserves the right to award multiple contracts under this RFQ, including multiple contracts for each product/service category. Product/Service categories are established at the sole discretion of NOLA-PS. The decision to award multiple contracts, award only one contract, or to make no awards rests solely with NOLA-PS. These facts should be taken into consideration by each Respondent.

3.9 OPEN RECORDS POLICY. NOLA-PS is a governmental entity subject to the Louisiana Public Information Act. Qualifications Responses submitted to NOLA-PS as a result of this RFQ may be subject to release as public information after contracts are executed or the procurement is terminated.

If a Respondent believes that its response, or parts of its response, may be exempted from disclosure under Louisiana law, the Respondent must specify page-by-page and line-by-line the parts of the response that it believes are exempt. In addition, the Respondent must specify which exception(s) to the

Louisiana Public Information Act are applicable and provide detailed reasons to substantiate the exception(s). Vague or general claims to confidentiality will not be accepted. NOLA-PS assumes no obligation or responsibility relating to the disclosure or nondisclosure of information submitted by Respondents.

3.10 NOLA-PS RESERVATIONS reserves the right to:

1. Cancel this solicitation in whole or in part, at the sole discretion of NOLA-PS.

2. Accept, reject, or negotiate modifications in any terms of the Respondent's qualifications response or any parts thereof.

3. Select the most qualified Respondent(s) based on the evaluation criteria set forth in this RFQ.

4. Reject and/or disqualify any or all qualifications responses received.

5. To award contracts for individual products or services as may appear advantageous.

6. To negotiate separately in any manner necessary to serve the best interest of NOLA-PS.

7. Waive any formalities, technicalities, or other defects if deemed in the best interest of NOLA-PS.

8. Request clarification and/or correction by Respondent(s) to eliminate minor errors, clerical errors, and/or non-substantive irregularities.

9. Be the sole judge of quality and equality.

10. Award one or more contracts, in part or in whole, to a single or multiple Respondents, in NOLA-

PS’s sole discretion.

11. Make all decisions regarding this RFQ, including, without limitation, the right to decide whether a qualifications response substantially complies with the requirements of this RFQ.

3.11 DEFAULT CONDITIONS. If the Respondent breaches any provision of the RFQ stipulations, becomes insolvent, enters voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy, or receivership proceedings, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, NOLA-PS will have the right (without limiting any other rights or remedies that it may have in the contract or by law) to terminate this contract with five (5) days written notice to the Respondent.

NOLA-PS will then be relieved of all obligations, except to pay the value of the Respondent’s prior performance (at a cost not exceeding the contract rate). The Respondent will be liable to NOLA-PS for all costs exceeding the contract price that NOLA-PS incurs in completing or procuring the service as described in the RFQ. NOLA-PS’s right to acquire strict performance of any obligation in this contract will not be affected by any previous waiver, forbearance, or course of dealing.

3.12 QUANTITIES REQUIRED are substantially correct. The NOLA-PS reserves the right to purchase additional quantities above that stated at the same unit price unless otherwise specified by the Respondent.

3.13 NO GUARANTEE OF QUANTITIES.