Physical Security Design _ Consulting Services.pdf

WAKE COUNTY PHYSICAL SECURITY DESIGN &

CONSULTING SERVICES

Request for Qualifications

RFQ #26-088

September 3, 2026

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

FOR

WAKE COUNTY PHYSICAL SECURITY DESIGN & CONSULTING SERVICES

September 3, 2026

Table of Contents

Section Page

I. Project 3

II. Summary of Projects 3

III. Request 4

IV. Consultant Qualifications 4

V. Scope of Work 4

VI. Project Schedule 5

VII. Proposal Format Requirements 5

VIII. Selection of Security Consultant Firms 7

IX. Evaluation Criteria 8

X. Submission of Proposals 8

XI. Professional Services Agreement 8

XII. General Comments 8

XIII. Confidentiality of Documents 9

I. Project

Consulting Services for Physical Security Systems in Wake County New Construction, Renovation &

Security Improvements Projects as well as consulting services for various types of assessments

II. Summary of Projects

Wake County occupies or has responsibility for over 186 buildings totaling over 5.0 million square feet of building space.

General Services Administration (GSA) manages a comprehensive and diverse portfolio of facilities and fleet for the County. The department supports criminal justice and general government functions. GSA is dedicated to ensuring safe and productive work environments, safe and reliable vehicles, and consistent support to County departments. GSA is organized into five major service delivery divisions: Administration and Support Services, Facility and Field Services, Fleet Operations, Physical Plant, and Safety and Security.

GSA uses a resource matrix model to provide a broad range of services to the County, the 10th Judicial

District, and related partners and customers. The department prioritizes reducing risk to County employees and citizens, maintaining the County's facility portfolio, and ensuring the efficient delivery of general government and court operations.

The Safety and Security Division implements safety and security procedures and physical security safeguards to reduce risk for County personnel, visitors, and assets within County facilities. Services include support to the County’s Risk Team, administering Physical Security, card access, photo ID employee badging, monitoring fire and intrusion alarms, overseeing incident report management and tracking, threat assessments, training County employees on security and safety related topics, and creating and updating each facility’s Emergency Action Plan.

In accordance with Wake County’s commitment of protecting and preserving its assets, in partnership with

General Services Administrations, Facilities Design & Construction Department manages the planning, design and construction of all capital investment and preventive maintenance funding projects undertaken by the County. Generally, the projects include improvement, new building, and/or replacement of physical security systems libraries, public safety facilities, health and human services buildings, housing facilities, justice and detention facilities, parks and nature preserves, office buildings, historic building restorations, emergency communications facilities, water and sewer facilities, and solid waste facilities, etc. Design, construction work, materials testing and various other services are outsourced to private firms through competitive procurement methods as allowed by NC General Statutes. Construction costs for security scope of projects in this request will range between $10,000 and over $1 million each.

For most of these projects, the security system new design, improvement or replacement are part of much larger, more comprehensive new building or renovation projects for which the selected consultant firms from this RFQ may be requested as part of or in tandem with the overall design teams. For some projects in existing buildings, the security systems upgrades may be standalone projects for which the security consultant will act as prime consultant throughout the project design, procurement, and construction administration phases.

III. Request

Wake County Government hereby requests qualifications and proposals from consultant firms for providing all physical security consulting services required to satisfactorily complete all phases of an assigned project within stipulated time limitations. The Physical Security consultant firm shall take the lead in all contracted security services by either GSA or FD&C on selected projects. Anticipated services include the following:

• Preliminary Design (Studies and Assessments)

• Peer Review of security design completed by other consultants

• Cost estimating

• Schematic Design

• Design Development

• Construction Documents and Specifications

• Bidding Phase

• Construction Administration

• 100 Percent Commissioning of Installed Systems

• Project Close-out including warranty administration

• Security Assessments and Trainings

• Investigations

• All other services requested and customarily furnished by design consultants on similar projects and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Standard Wake County Agreement for

Professional Services.

IV. Consultant Qualifications

The security consultant firm and proposed staff to be assigned responsibilities on Wake County projects must be highly qualified and experienced in all phases of the planning, design, and construction of similar public facilities. In addition, the physical security consultant firm and proposed staff must have extensive experience in access control, electrified hardware integration, security camera systems, security infrastructure, and security network design and planning on similar projects. Consultant should have thorough knowledge of the regulations governing the design, bidding, and construction of such facilities in the State of North Carolina, and a proven capability to effectively and efficiently manage projects of similar complexity to produce a facility consistent with and meeting the needs and goals outlined by Wake County.

Consulting firm will become knowledgeable of the “Wake County Design and Construction Guidelines and

Standards”.

V. Scope of Work

Provide all security design and consulting services required for Wake County New Construction &

Renovation Projects as well as for various types of assessments.

Systems required will vary by building and project, but may include security access control, electrified hardware integration, video management systems, intrusion detection systems, intercom, detention touch screen and programmable logic controller (PLC) systems, electronic key management systems, video visitation systems, x-ray and magnetometer systems, security infrastructure, security network design, and more. Phases and scope of professional services will vary by project, but may include initial studies and assessments, full design from schematic through construction documents, bid support including review of bid proposals, construction administration, systems commissioning, closeout, and warranty support. Firms may also be asked to provide peer review and owner support services on projects where the security design is led by another consultant. It is expected that the security consulting firm will follow the Owners requirements set forth in the Physical Security Standards and Facilities Security Levels documents.

VI. Project Schedule

The duration of assigned projects varies. The contract documents for each project specifies the duration and requires the awarded contractor to develop a detailed schedule.

VII. Proposal Format Requirements

All proposals shall be submitted on 8½” x 11" paper, side bound with Table of Contents and reference tabs for key sections. The total submittal shall not exceed either twenty (25) double-sided or fifty (50) single-sided pages with text, consecutively numbered (front/back covers, cover letter, Table of Contents and Tab pages are excluded from these totals). Submittals must include responses to each of the following:

A. Letter of Interest

Letter of interest including information about the security consultant’s firm such as history/background, years of service, number of employees, number of locations, certifications, professional memberships, and other relevant information which the security consultant believes to be of importance.

B. Project Organization and Staffing of Design Team

Provide the following:

1. Organization chart listing all assigned staff including job titles.

2. Detailed resumes of all assigned staff with list of completed projects and years of experience.

3. Description of responsibilities to be fulfilled by each assigned staff member.

4. Current workload of staff members.

C. Experience

Provide summary of at least eight (8) representative projects, four (4) design and construction and four

(4) security assessments for which the security consultant was responsible. Each of the project summaries shall include the following:

1. Description of facility or project, including size, functions housed, original project budget, actual project cost, and year completed,

2. Description of services provided,

3. Summary of client’s program along with key design and/or development elements and how they were addressed,

4. List of staff assigned to the project,

5. Degree of involvement (prime or associate),

6. Associate firms involved and their assigned responsibilities,

7. Principal and associate staff involved along with their assigned responsibilities, and

8. References including names, addresses (including e-mail addresses) and telephone numbers.

D. Design Approach

1. Describe your approach to the project design to assure the Owner’s functional and quality requirements are satisfactorily addressed for the Project. Explain your firm’s procedures for quality control and coordination of the various disciplines of work in preparing construction documents.

2. Describe the process by which your firm will develop alternative schematic design solutions for the Project.

3. Describe any Computer-Aided Drafting, Building Information Modeling, and Design technology that will be used by your firm and that of your associates.

4. Explain how your firm will prepare cost estimates and control project cost to assure the project budget is not exceeded.

5. Explain the management tools, techniques and procedures your firm uses to maintain the project’s schedule.

6. Describe your team’s approach to operation and maintenance considerations in both the design and construction administration phases.

7. Explain how your firm manages the Construction Administration process to include conducting project meetings, reviewing submittals, responding to requests for information, issuing field orders, processing construction change directives, issuing bulletin drawings, reviewing and justifying contractors’ cost proposals, processing change orders, processing payment applications, performing final inspections and assembling close-out documents.

8. Describe in detail steps which will be taken by your firm to guard the Owner against defects and deficiencies in the work of the contractors during the construction phase.

9. Explain why you believe your firm is the most qualified firm to provide the requested services for this Project.

D. Assessment Approach

1. Describe your approach to a comprehensive security assessment project. Explain your firm’s methodology for conducting a security assessment including site visits, interviews, documentation review and data collection.

2. Describe the process for identifying security vulnerabilities, risk severities, and recommendations.

3. Describe any tools and/or techniques that will be used during a comprehensive security assessment by your firm and that of your associates.

4. Explain how your firm will prepare cost estimates and control project cost to ensure the project budget is not exceeded.

5. Describe your team’s approach to consolidating the information gathered into a comprehensive security assessment report

6. Describe how your team will present the comprehensive security assessment report to the

Owner.

7. Explain why you believe your firm is the most qualified firm to provide the services requested for this Project.

E. Consultant Professional Fees, Litigation, and Workload

1. Submit an hourly billing rate schedule for all personnel by job title who will work with the

County in providing professional services for this project. Provide firm’s unit costs schedule.

2. List any pending or settled lawsuits, mediation or arbitration cases in which the firm was involved during the past ten (10) years.

3. List current and proposed projects including man-hour estimates, scheduled completion dates, and assigned team members. Provide workload chart indicating monthly commitments of team members for next twelve months.

VIII. Selection of Security Consultant Firms

A. Process

Procedures similar to those followed by Wake County in the selection of consultants will be followed.

This will ensure that the security consultant firms are selected in a fair and uniform manner and have appropriate qualifications and experience.

A Selection Committee comprised of County staff has been established. Upon receipt of proposals from respondents, Selection Committee members will review the proposals in detail and identify (“short list”) those firms that appear to be most qualified to provide services for the Project. Separate presentations and interview sessions will then be scheduled with the “short-listed” firms to permit the Selection

Committee to further evaluate each firm’s qualifications and proposal. From these interviews, it is anticipated that the Selection Committee will select two (2) to three (3) firms to perform the referenced work. Upon selection, the General Services Administration and Facilities Design & Construction

Departments will the negotiate terms, conditions and fees of a professional services agreement with each selected firm. In the event negotiations of specific contract terms and conditions prove unsuccessful with a selected firm, the Selection Committee will select another firm with which to begin contract negotiations.

B. Timeline

The key activities and milestone dates for the selection process are listed below:

Activity Milestone Date

Announce Request for Qualifications and Proposal September 3, 2026

Deadline for Respondent Questions September 21, 2026

Proposal Submission Deadline October 5, 2026

Selection Committee meeting to determine short list Late October, 2026

Selection Committee presentation/interviews sessions Early November, 2026

Announce Firm Selections Mid November, 2026

IX. Evaluation Criteria

A. The following criteria will be the basis on which firms will be selected for further consideration:

1. Core business strength,

2. Organizational chart and expertise/qualifications of staff,

3. Experience and past performance of firm on similar projects,

4. Project Quality Control plan including recent experience with cost control, change orders, and maintaining design and construction schedules,

5. Proximity and familiarity with the area the projects are to be located,

6. Construction administration approach,

7. Hourly billing rates,

8. Record of successfully completed projects without major legal or technical problems,

9. Current workload, and

10. Other factors that may be appropriate for the Project.

X. Submission of Proposals

Seven (7) complete packages must be received at the following address by

4:00 p.m. on Monday, October 5, 2026.

County of Wake

Facilities Design & Construction Office

336 Fayetteville Street, Suite 1100, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601

Attention: Ms. Sarah Kahr Richter, Facilities Project Manager

XI. Professional Services Agreement

Professional services required to complete the proposed projects will be authorized through the County’s standard form of Agreement for Professional Services. Implementation of projects will be accomplished by amendment to the base Agreement.

XII. General Comments

A. Any cost incurred by respondents in preparing or submitting a Request for Qualifications and

Proposal for the Project shall be the respondents’ sole responsibility.

B. All responses, inquiries or correspondence relating to this Request for Qualifications and Proposal will become the property of Wake County when received (subject to Section XIII – Confidentiality).

C. Wake County has sole discretion and reserves the right to reject any and all responses received with respect to this Request for Qualifications and Proposal and to cancel the process at any time prior to entering into a formal agreement. The County reserves the right to request additional information or clarification of information provided in the response without changing the terms of the Request for Qualifications and Proposal.

D. The Selection Committee intends to select a minimum of two security consultant firms to provide professional services for Wake County Facilities Design & Construction projects.

E. Please refer to the following website location for a copy of the Request for Qualifications and

Proposal and any other related information. If a question of general concern is asked by any firm, an addendum will be issued to include a copy of the written response.

https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/finance/current-business-opportunities

F. Below is a list of electronic files that can be accessed on the following ftp web site:

https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/facilities-design-construction/facilities-design-construction-guidelines-standards

G. Respondents are advised to refrain from contact with Selection Committee members. Any specific questions regarding the Request for Qualifications and Proposal should be directed to the Project

Manager at the following addresses:

Sarah Kahr Richter

Facilities Project Manager

Wake County Facilities Design & Construction

336 Fayetteville Street, Suite 1100, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601

USPS Only: P.O. Box 550

Raleigh, NC 27602

TEL (919) 856-6363

MOBILE (984) 480-6404

sarah.kahrrichter@wake.gov

XIII CONFIDENTIALITY OF DOCUMENTS

In general, documents that are submitted as part of the response to this Request for Qualifications and

Proposal will become public records, and will be subject to public disclosure. North Carolina General

Statutes Section 132-1.2 and 66-152 provide a method for protecting some documents from public disclosure. If the engineering consultant firm follows the procedures prescribed by those statutes and designates a document “confidential” or “trade secret”, the County will withhold the document from public disclosure to the extent that it is entitled or required to do so by applicable law.

https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/finance/current-business-opportunities https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/finance/current-business-opportunities https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/facilities-design-construction/facilities-design-construction-guidelines-standards https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/facilities-design-construction/facilities-design-construction-guidelines-standards mailto:Roger.ashby@wakegov.com

If the County determines that a document that the security consultant firm has designated “confidential” or

“trade secret” is not entitled to protection from public disclosure, the County will provide notice of that determination to the contact person designated by the firm, in any reasonable manner that the County can provide such notice, at least five business days prior to its public disclosure of the document. If the firm does not designate anyone to receive such notice, or if, within five business days after the designated person receives such notice, the firm does not initiate judicial proceedings to protect the confidentiality of the document, the County will not have any obligation to withhold the document from public disclosure.

By submitting to the County a document that the security consultant firm designates as “confidential” or

“trade secret”, the firm agrees that in the event a third party brings any action against the County or any of its officials or employees to obtain disclosure of the document the firm will indemnify and hold harmless the County and each organization’s affected officials and employees from all costs, including attorney’s fees incurred by or assessed against any defendant, of defending against such action. The firm also agrees that at the County’s request the firm will intervene in any such action and assume all responsibility for defending against it, and that the firm’s failure to do so will relieve the County of all further obligations to protect the confidentiality of the document.