Gadsden County

Board of County Commissioners

Request for Proposals PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURAL

CONSULTING SERVICES

RFP: RFQ 26-10

RELEASE DATE: June 10, 2026

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: June 23, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: July 15, 2026, 10:00 am

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://procurement.opengov.com/porta!/gadsdencountyfl https://www.gadsdencountyfl.gov/home

• Gadsden County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, marital status and disability/handicapped status in employment or provision of service.

• Gadsden County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

• MBE/WBE businesses are encouraged to participate

• Gadsden County strictly enforces open and fair competition

ADA - Special Accommodations: Any person requiring accommodation by the County due to a disability should call the Purchasing Office at 850-875-7243 or 850-627-4053 at least five (5) business days prior to any pre-response conference, response opening, or meeting. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the County Purchasing Office by the Florida Relay Service, which can be reached at 1-800-955-8771 (TDD).

https://procurement.opengov.com/porta!/%7bproject.government.code%7d https://www.gadsdencountyfl.gov/home

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTENT AND GENERAL INFORMATION

2. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AND QUESTIONS

3. CONE OF SILENCE

4. SCOPE OF WORK

5. PROPOSAL RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

6. PROPOSAL RECEIPT AND OPENING

7. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS AND SELECTION PROCESS

8. EVALUATION CRITERIA

9. INTENT TO AWARD AND CONTRACT EXECUTION

10. STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

11. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

12. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

13. VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE

Attachments:

A - DRAFT CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES

Request For Proposal RFQ 26-10

PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURAL CONSULTING SERVICES

SECTION 1 INTENT AND GENERAL INFORMATION

In accordance with section 287.055, Florida Statutes, known as the Consultants Competitive

Negotiation Act (CCNA), the Gadsden County, Florida, Board of County Commissioners (the

“County”) Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is seeking Proposals from qualifying consulting firms (the

“Proposer”) to provide all or a portion of continuing professional architectural consulting services

(“Professional Services”) for County projects. Services will be on an as-needed basis for projects to be coordinated with various offices within Gadsden County. Federal requirements included in this

Solicitation or award agreements for project funded in whole or part with federal or state funds, may be applicable to each task order issued for projects under the awarded Continuing Services

Contracts.

A Proposer interested in preparing a response for this solicitation (i.e., solicitation) must complete the requirements set forth in this solicitation, its attached documents, and documents incorporated by reference, and any addendum issued by the County

(collectively referred to as the “solicitation”). Under the proposal process of Gadsden

County, the conditions set forth herein are binding on the Proposer as confirmed by the signature of a person with legal authority to bind the Proposer on the Proposal

Transmittal Form (located in the VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE section of this solicitation) in its Proposal to the County in response to this solicitation.

While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information in this solicitation, it is recognized that the information may not be complete in every detail and that all work may not be expressly mentioned in the solicitation. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to include in their Proposal all pertinent information in accordance with this solicitation.

Interested firms and individuals who are currently under contract with Gadsden County under previously issued solicitations, and who are interested in this Project, must submit a Proposal at this time.

Gadsden County BOCC reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, may waive informalities, and/or may make awards in the best interest of the BOCC.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101/document?section=2572175

SECTION 2 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AND QUESTIONS

Failure to comply with this or any other paragraph of this RFP shall be sufficient reason for rejection of the Proposal.

All times listed in the Schedule of Events for this RFP are Eastern Standard Time

(EST).

Dates are approximate are are subject to change.

Advertisement Date: June 10, 2026

Release Date: June 10, 2026

Questions Due from Prospective

Proposers:

June 23, 2026, 10:00am

Responses to Questions Due: June 30, 2026, 3:00pm

PROPOSALS DUE: July 15, 2026, 10:00am

PROPOSAL OPENING: July 15, 2026, 10:15am

Oral Presentations/Interviews : TBD

Board Approval of Intended Award: TBD

Posting of Intended Award: TBD

Board Approval of Award : TBD

Posting of Award: TBD

A. In accordance with the STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS section of this

Solicitation, all inquiries concerning this Solicitation must be submitted in writing by 10:00 am on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 through the County's OpenGov Portal, located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101.

B. All answers to inquiries will be posted on the County's OpenGov Portal.

Proposers may also click “Follow” on this Solicitation to receive an email notification when answers are posted. It is the Respondent's responsibility to check the website for answers to inquiries. The failure of the Proposer to address https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101/document?section=undefined https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101 the posting may be a basis to determine that the Proposer is non-responsive to this Solicitation.

C. If necessary, an Addendum or Addenda will be posted in accordance with the

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS section of this Solicitation.

D. Proposers will be notified of the County’s desire to enter additional discussions and/or schedule oral presentations. The Schedule of Events will be amended as appropriate to reflect such.

SECTION 3 CONE OF SILENCE

A. A Cone of Silence will be in effect for this Solicitation beginning with the advertisement date indicated in Section 1, Schedule of Events, and will terminate upon issuance of a Notice of Award. A violation of the “Cone of Silence” renders any award voidable at the sole discretion of the County Administrator with approval from the Board of County Commissioners and may subject the potential

Proposer/Contractor or representative to debarment.

B. The prospective Proposer shall not have any communication with any County

Commissioners, employees, or the Design Professional related to this

Solicitation.

C. No interpretation of the meaning of the plans, specifications or this Solicitation shall be made to a Proposer orally. Any such oral or other interpretations or clarifications shall be without legal effect. All requests for interpretations or clarifications shall be in writing and posted on the County’s website, as provided herein.

D. The Cone of Silence shall not apply to:

1. Communications at the pre-Proposal meeting, if applicable.

2. Communications during contract negotiations between designated County employees and the intended Proposer.

3. Communication with a Proposer by a Procurement Department employee following the Competitive Procurement opening to clarify the Proposer's

Response.

4. Communication following the filing of a challenge to a Competitive

Procurement between the protesting Proposer or the selected Proposer and the Procurement Department, County Administrator's Office, and County

Attorney's Office concerning the challenge.

SECTION 4 SCOPE OF WORK

4.1 SCOPE OF SERVICES GENERAL

A. The selected firms shall be capable of responding to any requirements of any federal or state regulatory agency, the County Administrator, County staff, and the Gadsden County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).

B. The selected firms should be capable of having its staff on the project site or availability for meetings within one business day following a request from the

County. Response time for specific projects to address urgent or emergency needs will be addressed in each task order.

C. Time charged to the County for projects shall not include time spent traveling from the firm’s office to Gadsden County.

4.2 SCOPE OF SERVICES LICENSURE

A. All professional services to be provided under this agreement shall be performed by Professionals licensed to practice in the State of Florida and in strict compliance with the Consultant’s Competitive Negotiation Act, 287.055 F.S.

(CCNA), and any projects funded in part or whole with federal or state funding assistance. Consultants providing services under this contract shall at all times be knowledgeable of the limiting thresholds of the CCNA statutes, including any projects funded in whole or part with federal or state, and shall ensure that full compliance is maintained at all times.

B. All services are to be performed by persons appropriately licensed or registered pursuant to federal, state and/or county laws governing the practice of the

Professional Services, and shall be consistent with federal, state and county standards, specifications, and construction requirements as well as any applicable grant award requirements should the project be funded in part or in whole with federal or state funding.

C. Interested firms or individuals shall be licensed pursuant to Florida Statutes, Chapters 471 and 472 for engineering and surveying and mapping firms, and

Chapter 482 for architecture and landscape architecture firms.

D. Contract negotiations will begin approximately thirty (30) days after submission of a response. Comments on the proposed attached contract should be submitted and included with the firm’s response to this Solicitation. Requests for changes to the contract will be submitted to the County’s legal department for review. The amount of time the negotiation process will take is depending on how quickly legal and the Proposer can agree on the requested changes. This process could delay the Board consideration of the award.

4.3 SCOPE OF SERVICES BACKGROUND

A. The CCNA law, pursuant to section 287.055, establishes contracting procedures by which state and local governments must select professional firms to supply an array of professional services, which includes: architects, professional engineers, landscape architects, and surveyors and mappers (“Professional Firms”).

B. The CCNA process allows for Professional Firms to be chosen based on quality of personnel, minority/women-owned business enterprise consideration, past performance, willingness to meet time and budget requirements, location, workload, and volume of work previously awarded to each Professional Firm by the County. The selected firm must be capable of providing all or a portion of the

Professional Services set forth in the Solicitation.

C. All professional services to be provided under this agreement shall be performed by Professionals licensed to practice in the State of Florida and in strict compliance with the Consultant’s Competitive Negotiation Act, 287.055 F.S. (CCNA), and any projects funded in part or whole with federal or state funding assistance.

Consultants providing services under this contract shall at all times be knowledgeable of the limiting thresholds of the CCNA statutes, including any projects funded in whole or part with federal or state, and shall insure that full compliance is maintained at all times.

D. It is the intent of the County to contract with several Professional Architectural firms in order to meet the anticipated need for services. Contracts awarded under this solicitation will supersede all current continuing services contracts with the County for professional architectural services.

All firms chosen to provide professional services to the County shall submit annual statement of qualifications, performance data, hourly price schedules, and insurance certificates.

4.4 SCOPE OF WORK

The selected proposers will be responsible for the provision of professional architectural services, but not limited, to those below, and may be provided by the Proposer or its approved subcontractors.

Architectural Services:

Work in this category shall consist of all needed and requested architectural services for each project for which a task order is issued related to master planning, concept design and estimates for facilities development options, energy studies, sustainability improvements to existing facilities and energy efficient system, Green Globe, design of alternative energy systems, parks and recreation projects, facilities new construction, facilities retrofitting, facilities remodeling or rehab, forensic investigations, architectural design, interior remodeling design, landscape design, water intrusion studies, roof evaluation and repair, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, structural engineering, acoustical engineering, building air quality control; project inspection, management and administration.

Subcontractors: Each proposal shall include all known subcontractors, the services they will provide, and the anticipated percentage of services to be provided, e.g., surveying, landscaping, mapping, architecture, or other services. All subcontractors must be pre-approved.

Public Meetings: The selected Firms may be requested to present the concept and/or final plans at a public meeting (i.e., Board meeting, workshop, special meeting, etc.).

Procurement: Assist staff in developing needed procurement documents for construction activities and review of bids and recommendations.

Project Management: Provide project management and/or work with County staff to coordinate project management and administration through the completion of the Project.

Permitting and Environmental Assessments/Reviews includes but may not be limited to:

A. Make application and obtain all needed and final permits (i.e., local, state and/or federal required for the Project.

B. Maintain all correspondence with the permitting agency.

C. Maintain all other permit-related documentation for the Project.

D. Conduct any required Environmental Assessments/Reviews in accordance with federal, state, and local laws, and any grant award requirements if the project is funded in whole or part with federal or state assistance.

E. Surveys

F. Soil testing

4.5 TASK ORDERS or WORK AUTHORIZATIONS

For each specific project there will be a task order or work authorization that will include at minimum the project specific scope of work, level of effort, time schedule, charges, payment conditions, urgent or emergency response requirements, and if applicable grant award requirements and shall be set forth in a written Task Order. Each Task Order shall be executed by the authorized representatives of the County and Consultant.

A. Any Task Order may be modified during the course of the Task Order by mutual agreement and written addendum of the Task Order, including scope of work, schedule, fees, and all other aspects of the Task Order.

B. In the case of an emergency, the County reserves the right to issue oral authorization to the Consultant with the understanding that the written Task

Order (or modification to an existing Task Order) shall follow as soon as practicable thereafter.

C. The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall apply to each Task Order, except to the extent expressly modified. When one or more provisions of a Task

Order modify a provision(s) of this Agreement, the Article of this Agreement to be modified shall be specifically referenced in the Task Order, and the modification shall be precisely described.

D. Invoices for payment may be required to be submitted on grant award mandated forms.

E. The administrative process, when work assignments are issued, will be as follows:

Step 1 - County staff will contact the Consultant via written communication or schedule a meeting to review the assignment and will describe the scope of services required in general and provide a copy of any applicable grant agreements and requirements.

Step 2 - Consultant will prepare a detailed scope of services to be provided and a time frame for completion of various phases. Consultant will prepare a computation of fees to be charged for the services. The Florida Department of

Management Services (DMS) Fee Guide Calculator for AE Services may be used to calculate fees. These documents will be submitted to the County contact for review and approval.

Step 3 - If acceptable to County staff making the assignment, County staff will issue a Task Order and a Notice to Proceed. There shall be a purchase order issued for each task order assignment for monitoring and tracking of the budget and project funds. The fee computation will be considered to be a limiting amount, not to be exceeded without subsequent approval by County staff.

Grant Funded Projects in Whole or In Part.

The County is often a recipient of federal and state financial assistance. Each award agreement includes the federal and state laws and requirements that must be followed. Examples of grant funds includes but not limited to: Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA), Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM), State Housing Incentive Program (SHIP); Housing and Urban Development – Community

Development Building Grant (HUD-CDBG), Department of Commerce (DOC), Department of Agriculture (DOA), Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), and/or federal mitigation funds under CDBG, FEMA, or FDEM.

It is imperative that Proposers examine and become familiar with, at a minimum, the

Public Assistance Program and Hazard Mitigation Program established by the Federal

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HUD CDBG laws, and 2 CFR 200.

Funding may be made possible through federal and state grants or legislative appropriations and is contingent on strict conformance to the guidelines set forth in awards. Respondents will comply with the Federal and State Regulations Contract

Requirements and any award specific requirements.

SECTION 5 PROPOSAL RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

A. The County has established certain mandatory requirements that must be included as part of any response that are described in the INSTRUCTIONS TO

PROPOSERS section of this Solicitation, hereby incorporated by reference. The use of the terms “shall,” “must,” or “will” (except to indicate simple futurity) in this

Solicitation indicates a mandatory requirement or condition. The words “should” or “may” in this Solicitation indicate desirable attributes or conditions but are permissive in nature. Deviation from, or omission of, such a desirable feature will not by itself cause rejection of a Proposal.

B. Proposals not meeting all material requirements of this request, or which fail to provide all required information, documents, or materials such as request forms, bonds, etc., may be rejected as non-responsive. Material requirements of the bid are those set forth as mandatory, or without which an adequate analysis and comparison of replies is impossible, or those which affect the competitiveness of replies or the cost to the County. A Proposer whose replies, past performance, or current status do not reflect the capability, integrity, or reliability to perform fully and in good faith the requirements of the Solicitation may be rejected as non-responsible.

C. The County reserves the right to determine which Proposals meet the material requirements of the Solicitation and which Proposals are responsible and/or responsive. Further, the Board of County Commissioners may reject any and all

Proposals and seek new Proposals when it is in the best interest of the County to do so.

D. A Proposal by a corporation shall be executed in the corporate name by the president or a vice-president or other corporate officer accompanied by evidence of authority to sign. The corporate seal shall be affixed and attested by the secretary or an assistant secretary. The corporate address and state of incorporation shall be provided on the Proposal Transmittal Form located in the

VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE section of this Solicitation. For a Proposal by a/an:

1. Partnership shall be executed in the partnership name and signed by a partner (whose title must appear under the signature), accompanied by evidence of authority to sign. The official address of the partnership shall be provided on the Proposal Form.

2. Limited liability company shall be executed in the name of the firm by a member and accompanied by evidence of authority to sign. The state of formation of the firm and the official address of the firm shall be shown.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101/document?section=2572165 https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101/document?section=2572165

3. Individual shall show the Proposer’s name and business address.

4. Proposal by a joint venture shall be executed by each joint venture member in the manner indicated on the Proposal form. The official address of the joint venture must be provided on the Proposal Form.

E. All names shall be printed in ink or typed below the signatures.

F. Acknowledgement of receipt of all Addenda shall be made with the County's

OpenGov portal located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101.

Failure to acknowledge receipt of all Addenda may result in the Proposal being rejected.

G. The postal, email addresses, and telephone number for communication regarding the Proposal shall be listed in the Proposer's OpenGov Vendor Profile.

H. A Proposer seeking to do business with the County shall, at the time of submitting a Proposal, be appropriately registered with the Department of State in accordance with the provisions of Chapters 605, 607, 617, or 620 Florida

Statutes, as applicable. For further information on required filing and forms, please go to the following sites: http://sunbiz.org/index.html or https://www.dos.myflorida.com/.

I. The Proposal shall contain evidence of Proposer’s authority and qualification to do business in the state or locality where the Project is located, or Proposer shall covenant in writing to obtain such qualification prior to award of the Contract and attach such covenant to the Proposal. Proposer’s state contractor license number, if any, shall also be shown on the Proposal Transmittal Form located in the Vendor Questionnaire section of this Solicitation.

J. The Proposer shall be appropriately registered with the System for Awards

Management (SAM.gov) at the time of submitting a proposal. Please visit

SAM.gov for additional information regarding registration. If a Proposer has already registered with SAM.gov, a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number must be provided on the Solicitation Attachment 2: Form 1: Proposal Transmittal Form, and by submitting proof of valid registration in the VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE section of this Solicitation.

K. The Proposal should address the requirements in a clear and concise manner in the order stated herein.

L. Proposals must include the information/documents specified and requested in the Solicitation. Proposals that do not adhere to the format or include the https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101 http://sunbiz.org/index.html https://www.dos.myflorida.com/ requested information/documents may be considered incomplete and therefore unresponsive by the County.

Respondents shall submit a preliminary schedule narrative and milestone timeline reflecting its approach to meeting the County’s target milestones. The schedule must include, but is not limited to preconstruction activities, bidding/early bid packages, permitting, mobilization, phased construction (if applicable), substantial completion, and final completion. The schedule is for evaluation purposes only and is not a guaranteed contract schedule until incorporated into the negotiated Contract and Notice to Proceed.

M. The County reserves the right to seek additional/supplemental representation on specific issues as needed.

N. Proposals should be typed or clearly written. No changes in or corrections to

Proposals will be allowed after the Proposals are opened.

O. The signer of the Proposal must declare that the Proposal in all respects fair and in good faith without collusion or fraud and that the signer of the Proposal has the authority to bind the principal Proposer.

P. The County shall not be liable for any costs incurred by Proposer prior to entering into a contract. Therefore, all Proposers are encouraged to provide a simple, straightforward, and concise description of their ability to meet the Solicitation requirements.

Q. Refer to the INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS section of this Solicitation for additional information and instructions.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101/document?section=2572165

SECTION 6 PROPOSAL RECEIPT AND OPENING

A. All Proposals shall be submitted electronically by 10:00 am on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 via the County's OpenGov Portal located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101.

B. The County OpenGov Portal Clock is the official clock for the determination of all deadline dates and times. The County will not be responsible for delays caused by technical difficulties, such as poor internet connectivity. The County strongly recommends completing your response well ahead of the deadline.

C. Submission of Proposals by mail, fax or other electronic means will not be accepted.

D. Proposals will not be accepted after the submission deadline.

E. A Proposal may be withdrawn or modified prior to the time fixed for the opening of Proposals, by clicking "Un-submit Response". Negligence on the part of the

Proposer in preparing the Proposal confers no right for withdrawal of the

Proposal after it has been opened.

F. All Proposals will be opened on the date and time indicated in the SCHEDULE

OF EVENTS AND QUESTIONS (i.e., date Proposals are due) section of this

Solicitation, or as modified by addendum.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101 https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101/document?section=2572171 https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101/document?section=2572171

SECTION 7 EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS AND SELECTION

PROCESS

A. Proposals to this Solicitation that satisfy the required qualifications and are deemed to be responsive and responsible shall be ranked by a Selection

Committee appointed by the County Administrator.

B. In ranking proposals, the Selection Committee shall evaluate the proposals based on this Solicitation, the information provided by the Proposer, and rank each proposal for compliance with the qualifications of each Proposer and compliance with the mandatory requirements of the Solicitation.

C. A Respondent whose Proposal, past performance, or current status that does not reflect the capability, integrity, or reliability to perform fully and in good faith the requirements of this Solicitation and contract may be rejected as non-responsible.

D. Responses to this Solicitation that do not meet the requirements specified herein may be considered non-responsive or non-responsible, as applicable.

E. The County may consider the following factors in addition to price when determining whether a Response is responsive and responsible:

1. Ability, capacity, and skill of the Respondent to perform the contract.

2. Whether the Respondent can perform the contract within the time specified, without delay, interference, or conflict with current workload.

3. Character, integrity, reputation, judgment, experience, and efficiency of the

Respondent.

4. Quality of performance of previous contracts.

5. Previous and existing compliance by the Respondent with laws and regulations relating to the contract.

6. Sufficiency of the financial resources and ability of the vendor to perform the contract or provide the work.

7. Quality, availability and adaptability of the supplies or contractual services to the particular use required.

8. Qualifications of personnel, licensing, and corporate qualifications.

9. Evidence of improper litigation.

F. For the purposes of this Solicitation, the County may consider evidence within the ten-year period preceding this Solicitation.

G. The County reserves the right to reject any and all Responses, including without limitation, nonconforming, non-responsive, unbalanced, or conditional

Responses. The County reserves the right to reject the Proposal of any

Respondent whom it finds, after reasonable inquiry and evaluation, to be non-responsible. The County also reserves the right to waive all informalities not involving price, time, or changes in the Work and to negotiate contract terms with the successful Respondent. All Proposers are cautioned to make no assumptions unless their Proposal (response) has been deemed responsive.

H. More than one Proposal for the same work from an individual or entity under the same or different names will not be considered. Reasonable grounds for believing that any Respondent has an interest in more than one Proposal for the

Work may be cause for disqualification of that Respondent and the rejection of all

Proposals in which that Respondent has an interest.

I. Individual Committee members will be removed from the Committee if unable to participate in all reviews, and scoring will be based on the scores of the remaining Committee members.

J. Reference Checks: The County may conduct reference checks relevant to the proposal with any or all of the references cited in the Proposal to verify any and all information and rely on or consider any relevant information from such cited references in the evaluation of the Proposal.

K. Clarification from Proposals: The County may seek clarification from any or all

Proposers and consider such supplementary information in the evaluation of the

Proposal.

L. The Proposals deemed best by the selection committee shall be presented by the County Administrator in the form of an Agenda Request to the Gadsden

County Board of Commissioners, who shall either accept or deny the recommendation of the selection committee as presented by the County

Administrator.

SECTION 8 EVALUATION CRITERIA

The selection committee will evaluate the Proposals that are responsible and responsive to the requirements of this RFP using the following weighted criteria listed in order of importance:

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Name, address, phone, fax, email, Federal ID #, website, date firm was established

• Type of ownership or legal structure

• Incorporation by

Secretary of State and

Current Florida

Professional License

• Brief summary of firm with general description of firm, background, work history, awards, major accomplishments, etc.

• Statement demonstrating firms understanding to

County needs including typical project approach and statement of firm’s commitment to use most current tools and technology available to provide Professional

Services

• Address from where work is to be performed

• Listing of professional services offered

• Name of persons authorized to make representations for

Respondent, with titles and contact numbers

• MBE state certification

Points Based 10 (10% of Total)

• Litigation, disputes, default, & liens within last five (5) years

No more than 10 (ten) pages

2. ABILITY OF PERSONNEL

Respondents must be:

Provide organizational profile of firm with listing of key personnel who will be assigned to provide

Professional Services. Include each individual’s name, function with the firm, years of experience with the firm, education, and years of experience specific to the

Professional Services being offered. Professional resume and any professional certificates or licenses held should be included for each individual listed.

• All professional services to be provided under this agreement shall be performed by Professionals licensed to practice in the State of Florida and in strict compliance with the

Consultant’s Competitive

Negotiation Act, 287.055 F.S.

(CCNA), and any projects funded in part or whole with federal or state funding assistance. Consultants providing services under this contract shall at all times be knowledgeable of the limiting thresholds of the CCNA statutes, including any projects funded in whole or part with federal or state, and shall ensure that full compliance is maintained at all times.

Points Based 20 (20% of Total)

• All services are to be performed by persons appropriately licensed or registered pursuant to federal, state and/or county laws governing the practice of the

Professional Services, and shall be consistent with federal, state and county standards, specifications, and construction requirements as well as any applicable grant award requirements should the project be funded in part or in whole with federal or state funding.

• Interested firms or individuals shall be licensed pursuant to Florida Statutes, Chapters 471 and 472 for engineering and surveying and mapping firms, and Chapter

482 for architecture and landscape architecture firms.

3. EXPERIENCE OF FIRM AND

REFERENCES

• Provide detailed list and examples of relevant experience and qualifications for the

Professional Services being offered

• Permitting: provide a description of the firm’s experience in dealing with federal, state, and local permitting and regulatory agencies.

• Provide four (4) projects completed within the last five (5) years of the same or of a similar nature of the Professional Services being offered. Include a project description, location name of project manager, scheduled and actual completion date, anticipated and actual cost of the project and client contact information familiar with the project. If available, include if project was federal or state funded.

Points Based 30 (30% of Total)

4. ABILITY OF WORKLOAD AND

WILLINGNESS TO MEET TIME

REQUIREMENTS

Provide current and projected description of current workload

Points Based 30 (30% of Total)

5. W/MBE STATE CERTIFICATION Points Based 5 (5% of Total)

6. COMMUNITY PREFERENCE/LOCAL

PREFERENCE

Provide experience in local area with similar projects

Points Based 5 (5% of Total)

SECTION 9 INTENT TO AWARD AND CONTRACT EXECUTION

A. The County reserves the right to incorporate the successful Response into the

Contract. Failure of a firm to accept this obligation may result in the cancellation of the award to said Respondent and the County shall then negotiate with the next ranked Respondent.

B. The construction, interpretation, and performance of this Solicitation, and all transactions under it, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Florida and

Gadsden County. The Agreement shall include all terms and conditions of this

Solicitation, any addenda, response, and the County’s contract issued as a result of this Solicitation.

C. The County reserves the right to make award(s) to more than one Respondent and/or by individual items, group of items, all or none, or a combination, thereof.

D. The selected Respondent will be required to assume responsibility for all Work offered in the Response. The County will consider the selected firm to be the sole point of contact regarding contractual matters, including payment on any or all charges.

E. All notices for the intent to award, award, or other events will be posted to the

County’s OpenGov portal/website in accordance with the SCHEDULE OF

EVENTS AND QUESTIONS section of this Solicitation.

F. The Response(s) deemed best by the selection committee shall be presented by the County Administrator in the form of an Agenda Request to the Gadsden

County Board of Commissioners, who shall either accept or deny the recommendation of the selection committee as presented by the County

Administrator.

G. After successful posting of the intent to award for 72 hours per the SCHEDULE

OF EVENTS AND QUESTIONS section of this Solicitation, and Board approval of an award, the County will negotiate a contract with the successful

Respondent(s) in accordance with County policy, Florida Law, this Solicitation, and the successful Respondents' proposal.

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SECTION 10 STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Conformity and adherence to the terms and conditions of this Solicitation shall be considered by the County as part of its evaluation and award determination process.

Respondents shall review the Draft Contract included with this Solicitation, as well as all required forms, certifications, and questionnaire items contained within the Vendor

Questionnaire and Attachments sections of the Solicitation. Submission of a Response constitutes acknowledgment and acceptance of the terms, conditions, and requirements set forth therein, unless specific exceptions are clearly identified in the Response.

10.1 Definitions

General terms used throughout this Solicitation are provided below. Additional definitions may be provided as applicable to a specific section or subject matter.

A. Addendum means a written modification to this Solicitation issued by the

County.

B. Award means the determination of a successful Respondent(s) in response to this Solicitation, resulting in an offer of a Contract.

C. Board means the Gadsden County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).

D. Contract or Agreement means the legally enforceable document agreed to and signed by the County and the successful Respondent(s).

E. County means the Gadsden County Board of County Commissioners and its employees.

F. Evaluation Committee means the committee appointed by the County to review and evaluate Responses when applicable.

G. Invitation to Bid (ITB) means a competitive sealed bid solicitation used when price is the primary basis for award and award is made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

H. Request for Proposals (RFP) means a competitive sealed proposal solicitation used when factors other than price are considered in determining award.

I. Request for Qualifications (RFQ) means a qualifications-based competitive solicitation used to evaluate and rank firms based on demonstrated competence and qualifications.

J. Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) means a competitive sealed solicitation used when negotiations are contemplated to determine the best value to the County.

K. Invitation to Quote (ITQ) means a written solicitation for written pricing or quotes, typically used for informal or written quotation procurements as permitted by County policy and Florida Law.

L. Response means any Bid, Proposal, Qualification Statement, Reply, or other submittal provided in response to this Solicitation.

M. Respondent means any firm, individual, or organization, Bidder, Proposer, Offeror, Contractor, Consultant, or other entity submitting a Response in reply to this Solicitation.

N. Scope of Work (SOW) means the services, work, or commodities to be provided as described in this Solicitation.

O. Solicitation means this competitive procurement document, including all addenda, attachments, questionnaire items, and documents incorporated by reference, whether issued as an ITB, RFP, RFQ, ITN, ITQ, or other method authorized by Florida Law.

P. Successful Respondent means a Respondent awarded a Contract as a result of this Solicitation.

10.2 Issuance of Addenda

If this Solicitation is amended, the County Procurement Office will issue a written

Addendum. If an Addendum is issued, all terms and conditions not specifically modified shall remain unchanged.

An Addendum will be issued if any events, dates, and/or times referenced in Section 1.0 change. Respondents are required to register for an account via the County's OpenGov

Portal hosted by OpenGov. Once the Respondent has completed registration, they will receive addenda notifications to their email by clicking “Follow” on this project.

Ultimately, it is the sole responsibility of each Respondent to periodically check the site at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl for any addenda.

10.3 Florida Public Records Law and Confidentiality

A. By submitting a Response in response to this Solicitation, a Respondent acknowledges that the County is a governmental entity subject to the Florida

Public Records Law (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes). The Respondent further acknowledges that any materials or documents provided to the County may be

“public records” and, as such, may be subject to disclosure to, and copying by, the public unless otherwise specifically exempt by Law.

B. Should the Respondent provide the County with any materials which it believes, in good faith, contain information that would be exempt from disclosure or https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl copying under Florida Law; the Respondent shall indicate that belief by typing or printing, in bold letters, the phrase:

1. “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION” on the face of each affected page of such materials. The Respondent shall submit to the County both a complete copy of such material and a redacted copy in which the exempt information on each affected page, and only such exempt information, has been rendered unreadable. In the event a Respondent fails to submit both copies of such material, the copy submitted will be deemed a public record subject to disclosure and copying regardless of any annotations to the contrary on the face of such document or any page(s) thereof.

2. NOTE: The County will not accept Response submittals when the entire submittal is labeled as exempt from public disclosure. References and cost or price information will be deemed a public record, and if a claim of confidentiality/proprietary information is made, the County may deem the Response submittal as “non-responsive.”

C. Should any person request to examine or copy any material so designated and provided the affected Respondent has otherwise fully complied with this provision, the County, in reliance on the representations of the Respondent, will produce for that person only the redacted version of the affected materials. If the person requests to examine or copy the complete version of the affected material, the County shall notify the Respondent of that request, and the

Respondent shall reply to such notification, in writing that must be received by the County no later than 4:00 p.m., EST, of the second County business day following Respondent’s receipt of such notification, either permitting or refusing to permit such disclosure or copying.

D. Failure to provide a timely written reply shall be deemed consent to disclosure and copying of the complete copy of such material. If the Respondent refuses to permit disclosure or copying, the Respondent agrees to, and shall, hold harmless and indemnify the County for all expenses, costs, damages, and penalties of any kind whatsoever which may be incurred by the County, or assessed or awarded against the County, in regard to the County’s refusal to permit disclosure or copying of such material. If litigation is filed in relation to such request and the

Respondent is not initially named as a party, the Respondent shall promptly seek to intervene as a defendant in such litigation to defend its claim regarding the confidentiality of such material. This provision shall take precedence over any provisions or conditions of any Response submitted by a Respondent in response to this Solicitation and shall constitute the County’s sole obligation with regard to maintaining confidentiality of any document, material, or information submitted to the County.

10.4 Right to Protest

Any person who is adversely affected by the decision or intended decision of the County shall file with the Purchasing Division a notice of intent to protest in writing within 72 hours after the posting of the bid tabulation. Thereafter, a formal protest shall be filed, in writing, within ten (10) calendar days after the date of the filing of the notice of intent to protest.

Any Respondent who desires to formally protest shall follow the procedures outlined in the Gadsden County Procurement Policy, incorporated by reference, and can be obtained by contacting the County Purchasing Director at (850) 875-7243 or email: Procurement@gadsdencounty.gov.

The failure to file a notice of intent to protest or failure to file a formal written protest shall constitute a waiver of proceedings.

A written protest is filed with the County upon delivery to and receipt by the Purchasing

Division.

10.5 Requests for Clarification and Assistance

All inquiries concerning this Solicitation must be submitted in writing by 10:00 am on

Tuesday, June 23, 2026 through the County's eProcurement Portal, located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/gadsdencountyfl/projects/267101.

All answers to inquiries will be posted on the County's OpenGov Portal. Bidders may also click “Follow” on this Solicitation to receive an email notification when answers are posted. It is the Respondent's responsibility to check the website for answers to inquiries.

10.6 ADA – Special Accommodations

Any person requiring special accommodation by the County due to a disability should call the County Purchasing Office at least five (5) working days prior to any pre-response conference, response opening, or meeting. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the Board’s Purchasing Office by using the Florida Relay

Service, which can be reached at 1-800-955-8771 (TDD). The Purchasing Office telephone number is: 850-627-8433.

10.7 Respondent’s Responsibility

It is understood and the Respondent hereby agrees to be solely responsible for obtaining all materials and determining the best methods that will be utilized to meet the intent of the specifications of this Solicitation.

mailto:Procurement@gadsdencounty.gov.

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Failure by the Respondent to acquaint themselves with the available information will not relieve them from responsibility for estimating properly the difficulty or cost of successfully performing the Work.

Respondents are expected to examine the specifications and all instructions pertaining to the required work/commodities/services. Failure to do so will be at Respondent’s risk.

10.8 Indemnification and Hold Harmless

Respondents must complete and sign the County’s Indemnification and Hold Harmless certification as provided within the VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE section or as otherwise required in the Solicitation. Reference the Draft Contract for additional information.

The Proposer agrees to indemnify and hold the County harmless for any and all claims, liability, losses and causes of action that may arise out of its fulfillment of the Contract; and, agrees to pay all claims and losses, including related court costs and reasonable attorney’s fees, and shall defend all suits filed due to the negligent acts, errors, or omissions of the Proposer employees and/or agents.

In the event the completion of the project (to include the work of others) is delayed or suspended as a result of the Proposer’s failure to purchase or maintain the required insurance, the Proposer shall indemnify the County from any and all increased expenses from such delay.

The first ten dollars ($10.00) of remuneration paid to the Proposer is for the indemnification provided above.

10.9 Right of Rejection

The County reserves the right to reject any Response found to be non-responsive, vague or nonconforming or to waive informalities and negotiate as permitted by Florida

Law with the apparent lowest, responsive, qualified, and/or responsible Respondent, or highest ranked Respondent, as applicable to the procurement method utilized.

Furthermore, the County reserves the right to withdraw all or part of this Solicitation at any time prior to the final award and execution of a Contract.

10.10 Public Entity Crimes

Respondents certify compliance with the Sworn Statement under Section 287.133(3)(a), Florida Statutes, on Public Entity Crimes as provided in the VENDOR

QUESTIONNAIRE section of this Solicitation.

10.11 Small, Minority and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise

Certification as a minority business enterprise for the purpose of this Solicitation is defined by the Florida Small and Minority Business Assistance Act. Respondents certified by the State of Florida should include a copy of the certification with their

Response in the VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE section of this Solicitation.

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10.12 Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action

The County certifies that it is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and that it will not discriminate during the selection process on the basis of religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status, race, color, national origin, or handicap status.

Respondents certify compliance with the Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action certification as provided in the VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE section of this Solicitation.

10.13 Exemption of Meetings/Presentations

Pursuant to section 286.0113(2), Fla. Stat. (2011), any portion of a meeting at which a negotiation with a vendor is conducted pursuant to a competitive solicitation, at which a vendor makes an oral presentation as part of a competitive solicitation, or at which a vendor answers questions as part of a competitive solicitation is exempt from public meeting requirements. However, the County must make a complete recording of any portion of an exempt meeting, and no portion of the exempt meeting may be held off the record. The recording of, and any records presented at, the exempt meeting are exempt from the public records law of section 119.07(1), Fla. Stat. (2011) and section 24(a), Art.

I of the State Constitution, until such time as the agency provides notice of an intended decision or until 30 days after opening the bids, submittals, or final replies, whichever occurs earlier.