engineering RFQ - EDA.pdf

TOWN OF WEST JEFFERSON

REQUEST FOR LETTER OF INTEREST

THE TOWN OF WEST JEFFERSON DESIRES TO ENGAGE QUALIFIED

PRIVATE ENGINEERING FIRMS TO PROVIDE A PRELIMINARY

ENGINEERING REPORT, AND CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND

INSPECTION SERVICES (CEI) FOR A CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION

PROJECT CONTINGENT ON FEDERAL AND STATE GRANT AWARDS.

Project Name: Utilities to Serve GE Aviation

The Town of West Jefferson desires to engage a Private Engineering Firm (PEF) to provide a Preliminary Engineering Report, and Construction Engineering and Inspection

(CEI) services for upgrades at the Town’s wastewater treatment plant, a new sewer pump station, and a new water supply well. The Town of West Jefferson is the official entity that will make decisions as to the selection for engineering services.

Total project budget: $6,147,412

Source of grant funds: Economic Development Administration (EDA) and North

Carolina Industrial Development Fund

The selected firm will report directly to the Town. The selected firm is to administer the contract and to ensure that all work is performed in accordance with the contract requirements.

The PEF will be responsible for providing engineers and technicians with the appropriate skills and qualifications to ensure contract compliance. The PEF will be directly responsible for oversight of the project for the Town. The PEF shall indemnify and save harmless the Town for claims and liabilities resulting from negligence, errors or omissions of the PEF; including, but not limited to, the engineers, technicians or sub consultants.

The private engineering firm must demonstrate the ability to provide Construction

Technicians with the appropriate skills and qualifications to perform inspection, materials sampling, materials testing, surveying grade verification, documentation of pay quantities, erosion control and permit compliance, safety compliance and claims avoidance.

Any firm wishing to be considered must be properly registered with the Office of the

Secretary of State and with the North Carolina Board of Registration for Professional

Engineers and Land Surveyors. Any firm proposing to use corporate subsidiaries or subcontractors must include a statement that these companies are properly registered with the NC Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. The

Engineers performing the work and in responsible charge of the work must be registered

Professional Engineers in the State of North Carolina and must have a good ethical and professional standing. It will be the responsibility of the selected private firm to verify the registration of any corporate subsidiary or subcontractor prior to submitting a Letter of

Interest. The firm must have the financial ability to undertake the work and assume the liability. The selected firm will be required to furnish proof of Professional Liability insurance coverage in the minimum amount of $1,000,000. The firm must have an adequate accounting system to identify costs chargeable to the project.

The proposed method of payment for this contract is lump sum.

The selection of a private engineering firm to provide a Preliminary Engineering Report and Construction Engineering and Inspection Services on this specific project will be handled in accordance with the following process:

1. Submission by the private engineering firm of a Letter of Interest (LOI).

2. Town will review qualifications from private engineering firm’s submittals.

3. Town will select a private engineering firm to provide the Preliminary

Engineering Report and Construction Engineering and Inspection

Services.

EVALUATION

Firms submitting LOIs to perform the Preliminary Engineering Report and Construction

Engineering and Inspection Services on this specific project will be evaluated based upon certain considerations. The following considerations will be utilized to select a firm from those submitting an LOI:

1. Firm's experience, knowledge, familiarity, and past performance with structure design and CEI services – 40%

2. The experience of the firm's proposed staff to perform the type of work required –

30%

3. Firm’s understanding of the project specific issues and their responsibility in delivering services for the advertised project – 30%

North Carolina firms qualified to do the required work will be given priority consideration. A North Carolina firm is a firm that maintains an office in North Carolina staffed with an adequate number of employees judged by the Town to be capable of performing a majority of the work required.

FORMAT FOR SUBMISSION OF A

TOWN OF WEST JEFFERSON

LETTER OF INTEREST

All letters of interest are limited to eight pages inclusive of the cover sheet, and shall be typed on 8 1/2” x 11” sheets, single-spaced, one-sided.

Section I - Cover/Introductory Letter

The introductory letter should be addressed to Brantley Price, Town Manager. Said letter is limited to two pages and should contain the following elements of information:

• Expression of firm’s interest in the work;

• Statement of whether firm is on register or submitting information with letter of interest;

• Date of most recent private engineering firm qualification;

• Statement regarding firms’ possible conflict(s) of interest for the work; and

• Summation of information contained in the letter of interest.

Section II - Evaluation Factors

This section is limited to three pages and should contain information regarding evaluation and other factors listed in the advertisement such as:

• A brief synopsis of the firm's previous Preliminary Engineering Report and

Construction Engineering and Inspection Services experience that is focused to the type of project advertised for services [performed within last seven years];

• The number of employees within the firm;

• A brief description of the firm's approach to developing a Preliminary

Engineering Report and performing Construction Engineering and Inspection

Services for this work, including the firm’s understanding of their responsibility with regard to safety, contract administration, environmental responsibility, claims, and project delivery;

• Experience with Economic Development Administration (EDA) funded projects, including record keeping practices.

• The proposed personnel to be assigned to the work by discipline, and their availability date on the project.

• Identify project personnel qualifications and experience as related to this work;

• Unique qualifications of key team members; and

• Any innovative approaches to be used.

Section III - Supportive Information

This section is limited to three pages and should contain the following information:

• Capacity;

• Organizational chart indicating personnel to be assigned by discipline;

• The resumes of key personnel that are proposed to be assigned to the work;

• Names, classifications, and location(s) of the firms’ North Carolina employees and resources to be assigned to the advertised work;

• Other information.

SUBMISSION OF LETTER OF INTEREST

Private engineering firms are invited to have letters of interest for furnishing Engineering

Services to the Town by 2:00 p.m. on January 16, 2026. Letters of interest received after this deadline will not be considered.

Firms submitting letters of interest are encouraged to carefully check them for conformance to the requirements stated above.

The mailing address is:

Town of West Jefferson

PO Box 490

West Jefferson, NC 28694

Or deliver to:

Town of West Jefferson

1 S. Jefferson Ave.

West Jefferson, NC 28694

Any questions concerning the advertisement should be directed to Brantley Price at admin@townofwj.com or by telephone at (336) 246-3551;

mailto:psmu-411@ncdot.gov mailto:admin@townofwj.com

If you feel information provided is inadequate to submit a letter of interest, please contact

Brantley Price, Town Manager.

The Town is an Equal Opportunity Employer and promotes Fair Housing practices and encourages small, minority and female owned businesses to submit qualifications.

NOTIFICATION

Submission Date: January 16, 2026

Firm Selection Date: February 2, 2026

The firm selected will be notified by February 3, 2026. Notification will not be sent to firms not selected.

The Town reserves the right to reject any and all Letters of Interest. Contracting for

Preliminary Engineering Report, and Construction Engineering and Inspection Services is contingent upon federal and state grant awards.