Joe Rantz Center - Engineering & Design RFP.doc

Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

Qualifications-Based Selection for Architectural, Engineering, and Pre-Development Services Joe Rantz Youth Housing and Family Resource Center A.K.A. Joe Rantz Center Olympic Peninsula YMCA

Sequim / Clallam County, Washington

RFP Release Date: 10/13/2026

Proposal Due Date: 11/13/2026

Anticipated Contract Start Date: 11/20/2026

Anticipated Report Final Product Due Date: 03/20/2027 Anticipated Contract End Date: 03/30/2027 Primary Contact: Merrin Packer

Project Manager

Olympic Peninsula YMCA m.packer@olympicpeninsulaymca.org 360-809-9441

Invitation to Propose

The Olympic Peninsula YMCA invites qualified architecture & engineering (A&E) firms to submit proposals for early design and pre-development services for the proposed Joe Rantz Youth Housing and Family Resource Center (Joe Rantz Center [JRC]) in Sequim / Clallam County, Washington.

The YMCA seeks a design team with demonstrated experience in mission-driven, nonprofit, public-sector, youth housing, emergency shelter, supportive housing, family resource center, behavioral health, healthcare, or co-located community service facilities.

This RFQ is primarily for pre-design, feasibility-level design, site planning, conceptual design, cost estimating, phasing analysis, and related pre-development support. The YMCA may choose to extend the selected team’s work into later phases, including schematic design, design development, construction documents, permitting, bid support, and construction administration, depending on funding, site acquisition, Board approval, and project readiness.

All project details in this RFP are preliminary and subject to validation through this engagement.

The YMCA is conducting this procurement in anticipation that the project may seek or receive federal funding, federal pass-through funding, Washington State funding, local-government funding, philanthropic support, or a combination of funding sources. No public funding has been awarded for this agreement as of the RFQ release date.

Selection under this RFQ does not guarantee that any future project phase, construction work, reimbursement, or public funding will be available. Any future reimbursement or federally funded phase is contingent upon the applicable award terms, required approvals, environmental review, procurement compliance, funding availability, and executed agreements.

The YMCA may pay for the base pre-development agreement with non-federal funds. The selected firm shall not rely on future public funding as a condition of payment.

This engagement is limited to planning, feasibility, programming, conceptual design, and advisory services. Site-specific analysis, if requested, is for planning purposes only and does not constitute YMCA approval of a site, acquisition authorization, project commitment, or authorization to proceed with construction.

The selected firm is not authorized to execute or negotiate a purchase agreement, lease, option agreement, construction contract, demolition contract, site-preparation agreement, final construction drawings, or other action that may commit the YMCA or a future public funding recipient to a specific site or development alternative.

If the project receives or is proposed for HUD-assisted funding, the YMCA and applicable public entity will determine required environmental-review actions before taking actions that could limit the choice of reasonable alternatives.

Project Background and Concept The Olympic Peninsula YMCA is developing the Joe Rantz Youth Housing and Family Resource Center (JRC) as a co-located campus where youth, families, and individuals can access essential community resources in one coordinated location.

The project is intended to address service gaps in Sequim and Clallam County. As a rural community, Sequim relies on satellite or dispersed providers. The project’s goal is not to duplicate existing services, but to bring providers together under one roof or onto one campus so that vulnerable youth and families can more easily access support.

The Center is envisioned as a place where community members can access:

· Resource navigation.

· Housing navigation.

· Family support services.

· Physical health services.

· Mental health and behavioral health supports.

· Food resources.

· Dental and medical services.

· Living skills programming.

· Training, education, and support groups.

· Short-term and longer-term youth housing supports.

The project also includes residential programming for unaccompanied homeless youth and youth in temporary need of safe shelter. The YMCA’s vision is to ensure that youth have safe and stable housing, are connected to a caring community, graduate from high school or the equivalent, and are empowered for the future.

The project is currently in the feasibility / pre-development stage. Phase I work has identified community need, a proposed service model, preliminary capital and operating cost ranges, potential funding pathways, licensing considerations, and next steps including financial feasibility, fundraising feasibility, site acquisition, partner commitments, programming documents, and architecture / engineering design.

Preliminary Project Components A. Family Resource Center / Resource Navigation Hub The Family Resource Center is envisioned as a public-facing resource hub for individuals, youth, and families. The space may include:

· Drop-in and appointment-based resource navigation.

· Lobby and front desk.

· YMCA Resource Navigator work area with cubicles, offices, and storage.

· Flex offices for local resource providers.

· Intake offices / include family friendly spaces

· Staff break room

· Public and staff restrooms

· One large conference room (20-person capacity)

· Two smaller flexible conference rooms (10-person capacity)

· Three medical / dental suites with equipment support, sterilization space, and biohazard room.

· IT room.

· Large meeting room with approximately 200-person capacity.

· Large flexible space for nonprofits unable to rent permanent offices.

· Public and staff entrances.

· Separate private entrance, stairs, and elevator for shelter youth and staff.

· Potential shared hallway connection to a shared commercial kitchen in partnership with the local food bank or other partner.

B. HOPE Center The HOPE Center is envisioned as a short-term/emergency shelter for approximately 16 homeless youth. Preliminary assumptions include youth ages approximately 12-17; intended length of stay is approximately 30-120 days. The space may include:

· Single occupancy apartment-style units with ensuite bathroom,

· Built-in wardrobe

· Bed and small desk

· Shared living room

· Shared kitchen

· Shared dining area

· Two staff offices

· Intake/meeting room

· Mudroom

· Secure storage area

The design should support 24/7 operations, supervision, safety, privacy, trauma-informed care, and licensing requirements.

The selected design team must consider potential Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and/or Office of Homeless Youth (OHY) requirements, along with applicable local, state, and federal regulations and requirements.

C. Transitional Living Program The Transitional Living Program is envisioned as a longer-term shelter and living skills program for approximately 16 unaccompanied homeless youth living with a legal parent or guardian. Preliminary assumptions include youth ages approximately 16-17. The space should include:

· Single occupancy apartment-style units with ensuite bathroom

· Built-in wardrobe

· Bed, and small desk

· Shared living room

· Shared kitchen

· Shared dining area

· Wellness center

· 3 staff offices

· Conference room The design should support independent living skills, supervision, privacy, dignity, youth safety, and staff efficiency.

D. Adolescent Transitional Living Program The Adolescent Transitional Living Program (ATLP) will be a separate house or residential structure on the same campus. This component may be developed in a later phase. Preliminary assumptions include service to foster youth aging out of care without a support system; youth ages approximately 16-21 (depending on final program and licensing requirements); 6 bedrooms; two bathrooms; generous living spaces; staff office; conference room; kitchen and dining area; laundry/mudroom. Even if this component is not part of the initial construction phase, the selected design team should consider future ATLP development in site planning, utilities, circulation, access, parking, infrastructure, and campus expansion.

Current planning assumptions:

Initial capital cost categories may include site acquisition, site surveys and mitigation, site preparation, hard construction, permits and fees, architecture/engineering, FF&E, technology, security and access control, equipment, staff hiring and training.

The project may include shared staffing, shared services, shared capital costs, partner spaces, and potential collaboration with the Sequim Food Bank or other nonprofit, Tribe, public, health, behavioral health, education, or community partners.

Scope of Work:

The purpose of this engagement is to develop a feasible, trauma-informed, operationally efficient, fundable, and code-compliant campus concept for the Joe Rantz Center. The selected design team will help the YMCA understand:

· Site capacity and site requirements

· Building size and space needs

· Program adjacencies and circulation

· Separation of public, private, youth residential, staff, partner, and service access

· Phasing options

· Cost implications

· Entitlement and permitting issues

· Licensing and code impacts

· Security and access control needs

· Design risks and opportunities

· Long-term flexibility and future expansion needs.

The final work product should support site acquisition, fundraising, grant applications, partner commitments, Board decision-making, public funding requests, and future design phases.

The selected consultant or consultant team shall provide the following services:

A. Project Kickoff and Document Review

The consultant shall review available project materials and shall facilitate a kickoff meeting with YMCA staff to confirm goals, scope, timeline, available information, decision points, and communication protocols.

B. Program Validation and Space Needs Assessment

The consultant shall validate and refine the preliminary program, including program components; approximate square footage needs; functional adjacencies; public/private separation requirements; youth residential circulation; staff workflows; shared spaces; support spaces; storage needs; public and staff restrooms; food service and kitchen needs; medical/dental suite needs; outdoor space needs; residential youth needs; partner service provider needs; long-term flexibility.

The consultant shall develop or refine an architectural program and space matrix that can be used for concept design, cost estimating, and future design phases.

C. Site Planning and Site Feasibility

The consultant shall evaluate site requirements for a campus of approximately 2-6 acres. The site planning considerations should include access and visibility; dignity and privacy; transit and transportation access (including for semi-trucks); utilities; zoning; parking; stormwater; pedestrian circulation; emergency access; service and delivery access; outdoor space; secure youth areas; public areas; staff areas; future expansion; potential ATLP Phase II development & Pregnant and Parenting Phase III development; compatibility with CMU or similar zoning; potential need for rezoning, conditional use, or entitlement support.

If a preferred site is available, the consultant shall provide site-specific test-fit analysis and identify constraints, opportunities, and due diligence needs. If no site has been selected, the consultant shall provide prototype site planning assumptions and a site selection criterial memo to support acquisition decisions.

D. Conceptual Campus Design

The consultant shall develop conceptual design materials sufficient to support YMCA decision-making, preliminary cost estimating, funding conversations, and partner engagement.

Conceptual design work should include conceptual site plan; building massing and layout options; conceptual floor plan or blocking diagrams; public, private, youth residential, staff, partner, delivery, visitor, and emergency circulation; outdoor areas; secure youth areas; parking and service/loading areas; future expansion areas; relationship to surrounding neighborhood or site context; initial consideration of building systems, structure, accessibility, and operations.

If feasibility within the selected scope and budget, the consultant should provide at least two concept options such as: 1) A single-building or vertical campus concept. 2) A multi-building campus concept. The options should compare operational efficiency, privacy, safety, cost, phasing, flexibility, and site requirements.

E. Trauma-Informed and Youth-Centered Design

The consultant shall incorporate trauma-informed and youth-centered design principles throughout the planning and concept design process. Design considerations should include physical and emotional safety; dignity and respect; privacy; predictability; clear wayfinding; natural light; acoustics; calming materials and colors; avoidance of an institutional feel; appropriate choice and control for youth and families; safe staff sightlines; secure but non-punitive access control; welcoming public spaces; residential spaces that feel stable, warm, and home-like.

The consultant should balance openness and accessibility with youth protection, supervision, confidentiality, and controlled access.

F. Licensing, Code, and Regulatory Review

The consultant should identify key design implications related to applicable licensing, code, and regulatory requirements. This review should be conceptual and preliminary but sufficient to identify major design risks and questions requiring early confirmation.

Areas for review may include DCYF requirements; OHY requirements; HOPE Center design considerations; Transitional Living Program design considerations; ATLP design considerations; Business Licensing considerations; accessibility requirements; building code; fire/life safety; residential occupancy classifications; health department considerations; medical/dental suite requirements; commercial kitchen considerations; elevator and vertical circulation requirements; emergency egress; security and access control; staff supervision and sightline implications.

The consultant should identify questions that should be confirmed with authorities having jurisdiction, which may include the City of Sequim, Clallam County, fire marshal, health department, DCYF, OHY, and other relevant agencies.

The consultant may be asked to support pre-application meetings or early coordination meetings with public agencies.

G. Engineering and Technical Assessment

The consultant team should include or coordinate appropriate engineering disciplines to evaluate conceptual-level technical considerations, including civil engineering; structural engineering; mechanical systems; plumbing; fire protection; technology and security; landscape and site design; stormwater; utilities; accessibility; energy efficiency; resiliency; backup power considerations; elevator requirements; long-term operating cost implications; maintenance and lifecycle considerations.

The consultant shall prepare an engineering systems narrative identifying likely systems, assumptions, risks and cost considerations.

The consultant should consider features that are important to the overall project (safety and security, energy offset and sustainability, and durability).

H. Cost Estimating and Value Analysis

The consultant shall provide planning-level cost estimates aligned with the conceptual design.

Cost estimating should validate, refine, or challenge the preliminary capital cost range of approximately $29.6M - $44.25M; identify major cost drivers; include site development assumptions; include building cost assumptions; include soft cost assumptions; address permitting and fees; address FF&E; Address technology, security, and access control; address contingencies; address escalation; address phasing costs; identify assumptions that require further validation.

The consultant shall provide value analysis or scope alternatives that preserve the core mission and program goals while improving feasibility, constructability, and long-term operating sustainability.

I. Phasing and Implementation Strategy

The consultant shall evaluate potential phasing strategies including whether the Commercial Kitchen, Food Distribution Warehouse, ATLP, Pregnant & Parenting, or other components should be developed in a later phase.

The phasing analysis should address which components are essential to Phase I; which components may be deferred; infrastructure decisions needed to support future development; utility sizing and routing; parking and circulation implications; cost implications; operational impacts; risks of phased development; decision points before moving to the next phase.

Phasing priority should be 1) HOPE Center & TLP; 2) Family Resource Center; 3) Commercial Kitchen; 4) Food Distribution and Warehouse; 5) ATLP; 6) Pregnant & Parenting

The consultant shall recommend steps for moving from concept design into future design, funding, permitting, and implementation phases.

J. Partner and Stakeholder Engagement

The consultant shall support limited stakeholder engagement to inform program validation and conceptual design.

Stakeholders may include YMCA leadership and staff; youth-serving partners; potential co-located service providers; public agencies; health or behavioral health partners; education partners; food access partners; funders; community representatives; individuals with lived experience (coordinated by the YMCA).

The consultant shall translate stakeholder input into practical design requirements, space assumptions, and operational considerations as approved by the YMCA Project Manager.

The final engagement approach should be respectful, trauma-informed, accessible, and efficient.

K. Sustainability, Resiliency, and LEED Certification Strategy

The YMCA intends to evaluate a sustainability and certification pathway for the Joe Rantz Center. The selected team shall assess the feasibility of pursuing LEED Building Design and Construction (BD+C) certification or another appropriate LEED rating system based on the final project configuration.

The YMCA’s preliminary target is to design toward LEED Silver certification. The consultant shall also identify the incremental requirements, costs, opportunities, and risks associated with pursuing LEED Gold certification.

The selected team shall:

1. Facilitate an early sustainability and resiliency design discussion with YMCA staff and relevant project partners;

2. Recommend the appropriate LEED rating system and version for the project;

3. Prepare a preliminary LEED scorecard identifying applicable prerequisites, likely credits, responsible team members, key risks, and required documentation;

4. Identify sustainability measures that support the project’s mission, including energy efficiency, electrification readiness, high-performance building envelope, indoor air quality, water conservation, stormwater management, daylighting, acoustics, durable materials, low-emitting materials, healthy indoor environments, waste reduction, heat-island reduction, and site ecology;

5. Evaluate energy-resiliency measures, including all-electric systems, solar photovoltaic readiness, battery-storage feasibility, backup-power needs, emergency operations, and long-term operating-cost impacts;

6. Provide planning-level estimates of incremental first costs, available incentives where known, operating savings, lifecycle considerations, and risks associated with recommended sustainability strategies;

7. Identify LEED registration, precertification, commissioning, energy-modeling, documentation-management, and third-party review needs for later phases; and

8. Deliver a Sustainability and LEED Roadmap suitable for YMCA leadership, funders, and future design phases.

Deliverables:

Optional Future Services:

Proposers may identify optional future services that could be provided by the same team, including, but not limited to schematic design; design development; construction documents; permitting; bid support; construction administration; grant and funding graphics; fundraising or campaign renderings; community engagement materials; site acquisition support; owner’s representative coordination; FF&E planning; security consultant services; sustainability or energy modeling; commercial kitchen design; medical/dental suite specialty planning; public agency coordination; cost estimate updates at later design milestones.

Optional services should be clearly identified and priced separately.

desired Qualifications:

The YMCA seeks a qualified architecture/engineering/design team with experience in some or all of the following areas:

· Architecture and engineering for nonprofit, public-sector, or mission-driven facilities.

· Youth housing, emergency shelter, transitional living, supportive housing, affordable housing, or residential care.

· Family resource centers, community service hubs, behavioral health facilities, healthcare facilities, dental/medical clinic spaces, or co-located service campuses.

· Washington State building codes permitting, accessibility, fire/life safety, and public funding requirements.

· Trauma-informed and youth-centered design.

· Rural communities and projects with limited operating budgets.

· Cost estimated and value engineering.

· Phased campus development.

· Stakeholder engagement.

· Board, funder, and community-facing presentations.

· Coordination with public agencies and authorities having jurisdiction.

· Design that balances dignity, safety, security, accessibility, and operational efficiency.

Experience in Washington State, and with youth-serving, housing, shelter, or human services facilities is preferred.

EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

The YMCA will evaluate Statements of Qualifications using the criteria below. Price and fees will not be evaluated during the qualifications-selection phase.

The YMCA may conduct interviews with the highest-ranked firms. If interviews are conducted, the other evaluation criteria will be used and provided.

The YMCA will rank firms in order of qualification and intends to negotiate with the highest-ranked firm.

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should be concise and organized as follows:

· Cover letter with firm name, contact information, statement of interest, availability, and authorized signature.

· Consultant/firm profile, key staff, roles, and brief bios or resumes.

· At least three relevant project examples

· Proposed approach

· Work plan and timeline, including meetings, deliverables, YMCA support needed, and decision points.

· Fee proposal, including total fixed fee or not-to-exceed amount, hourly rates, estimated hours by task, reimbursables, optional services, assumptions, and exclusions.

· At least three references for comparable work.

· Conflict of interest disclosure.

· Sample work product or portfolio examples including relevant design, planning, feasibility, cost estimating, or community facility experience – please redact confidential information prior to sending.

· Additional optional services that could strengthen the project should be priced separately and clearly marked as optional.

Rights Reserved

The YMCA may conduct interviews with one or more finalist teams before selecting a consultant. The YMCA is not required to select the lowest-cost proposal. The YMCA reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive minor irregularities, request clarification or additional information, conduct interviews, negotiate scope, timeline, and fee, modify or cancel this RFP, award a contract in the best interest of the YMCA.

FEE NEGOTIATION

This procurement uses qualifications-based selection for architectural and engineering services. Proposers shall not submit a total proposed fee, fee schedule, hourly rates, reimbursable-cost estimate, or cost proposal with their Statement of Qualifications.

After evaluation and ranking, the YMCA intends to enter negotiations with the highest-ranked firm to establish a detailed scope of work, work plan, schedule, staffing plan, deliverables, and compensation that the YMCA determines to be fair and reasonable.

If the YMCA and the highest-ranked firm are unable to reach agreement on a fair and reasonable contract, the YMCA may formally terminate negotiations and enter negotiations with the next highest-ranked firm. The YMCA reserves the right to reject all submissions or cancel this procurement.

The selected consultant will be expected to enter into a professional services agreement with the Olympic Peninsula YMCA. All final deliverables shall become the property of the Olympic Peninsula YMCA.

The selected consultant may be required to provide proof of insurance. Specific insurance limits will be negotiated or included in the final professional services agreement.

The consultant may receive confidential, preliminary, or sensitive information related to project planning, funding strategies, partner commitments, real estate, youth housing operations, and organizational finances. The consultant shall maintain confidentiality and shall not disclose information without prior written authorization from the YMCA.

Because the project may involve vulnerable youth and families, the consultant shall avoid requesting personally identifiable participant information unless specifically authorized and necessary. Any data shared shall be handled in accordance with applicable privacy and confidentiality standards.

This RFP does not commit the Olympic Peninsula YMCA to award a contract or to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal. All costs associated with responding to this RFP are the sole responsibility of the proposer.

The YMCA reserves the right to select the proposal that best meets the needs of the project, even if it is not the lowest-cost proposal.

All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted via email to:

Merrin Packer

Project Manager

Olympic Peninsula YMCA m.packer@olympicpeninsulaymca.org Questions must be received by 10/13/2026. Responses may be shared with all known proposers, at the YMCA’s discretion.

Proposers should not contact other YMCA staff, Board members, project partners, or funders regarding this RFP unless authorized by the YMCA’s designated contact.

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