RFQ_2026_01_Professional_and_Non_Professional_Services_Addendum_2.pdf

August 12, 2025

RE: Request for Qualifications (RFQ # 2026-01)

Professional and Non-Professional Services Addendum # 2

To Whom It May Concern:

The City of Laurinburg released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ # 2026-01) for Professional and Non-Professional Services on July 28, 2025. Please see the following Addendum # 2 document for this Request for Qualifications. It is the responsibility of each proposer to take all addenda into consideration and include any additional information or documents required by said addenda when preparing and submitting their Statement of Qualifications.

In order to be considered, all proposals must be submitted no later than 3:00 PM (EDT) on August 21, 2025 to the following location:

City of Laurinburg

Attention: Harold W. Haywood, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk 303 W Church Street (Room 244), Laurinburg, NC 28352

Hours of Operation: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EDT)

Monday through Friday Phone: (910) 291-2587

Proposers should allow delivery time to ensure timely receipt of their proposal. The responsibility for getting the proposal to the City of Laurinburg Administrative Services Director/City Clerk on or before the specified time and date is solely and strictly the responsibility of the proposing firm.

The City will in no way be responsible for delays caused by any occurrence.

Mailed proposals must be clearly marked, “RFQ # 2026-01: Professional and Non-Professional Services.”

The City of Laurinburg reserves the right to waive any informalities and to reject any and/or all proposals.

Thank you, Harold W. Haywood, MPA, CLGPO, CLGBO Administrative Services Director/City Clerk

City of Laurinburg, North Carolina Request for Qualifications

Professional and Non-Professional Services Addendum # 2

Questions received by the Deadline for All Questions date stated in the RFQ:

1) What specific roles (e.g. plant operators, maintenance technicians) are the City short on?

Answer: The City is not currently short on any roles with current operations. The City is looking to expand operations by entering into potential Intergovernmental Support Agreements (IGSA’s) with other governmental agencies and intends to use contracted professional and non-professional services to support city staff in these efforts to provide the different services listed in the scope of work.

2) What factors are driving staffing shortages and does the City have an anticipating timeframe for when these shortages will be filled?

Answer: The City is not currently experiencing significant staff shortages with current operations. The City is looking to expand operations by entering into potential IGSA’s with other governmental agencies and intends to use contracted professional and non-professional services to support city staff in these efforts to provide the different services listed in the scope of work.

3) Does the City foresee these potential Task Orders subsiding as staffing improves?

Answer: The City anticipates the task orders to increase depending on the success of initial IGSA’s and continued use of contracted professional and non-professional services to support city staff in these efforts.

4) Has the City previously outsourced roles like plant operators, and what challenges did you face?

Answer: The City has not previously outsourced roles like plant operators, but we currently outsource engineering services, and some contracted services to support current operations.

5) For operational services like grass mowing, pesticide application, and waste management, does the City expect these to be provided through the master services agreement as direct task orders, or are you seeking engineering/project management oversight of these services that the City continues to provide with existing staff or separate contractors?

Answer: The City expects to hire a firm to provide engineering and project management oversight of these services through contracted service providers.

a. Is the City anticipating the AEC Firm to have subcontracting agreements in place companies providing: waste management, custodial, pesticide spraying, landscaping, etc?

Answer: No, subcontracting agreements are not expected to be currently in place, as the specific services to be provided are still to be determined.

6) What is the anticipated annual volume and typical value range of task orders? Are you envisioning small operational support tasks ($5K-25K) or larger infrastructure projects ($100K+), or a mix of both?

Answer: We are expecting larger volume and value range of IGSA’s in the services to be provided.

7) Does the service territory include only areas within city limits, or could task orders extend to locations outside the city where Laurinburg provides utility services to Scotland County residents?

Answer: The service territory is still to be determined pending the execution of potential IGSA’s.

8) What are the most common resident complaints regarding public works, water/wastewater, or waste management services?

Answer: This information is not readily available for current customers. The focus of the projects for which the City is seeking qualifications is to provide and/or manage the contracted services to be provided to outside governmental agencies through IGSA’s.

9) Are there specific areas (e.g., municipal areas, infrastructure) where service disruptions or aesthetic issues are most pronounced?

Answer: This information is not readily available for current customers. The focus of the projects for which the City is seeking qualifications is to provide and/or manage the contracted services to be provided to outside governmental agencies through IGSA’s.

10) For services requiring specialized licenses (pesticide application, water/wastewater plant operations), does the City have preferences for firms holding these licenses directly versus partnering with licensed subcontractors?

Answer: No preference, partnering with other subcontractors is acceptable.

11) What is the current condition of your water, wastewater, and stormwater systems?

a. Are there recent assessments or known critical issues?

Answer: The focus of the projects for which the City is seeking qualifications is to provide and/or manage the contracted services to be provided to outside governmental agencies through IGSA’s and not necessarily the city’s current infrastructure. There may be some city stormwater infrastructure that can be included in the task orders. There are some areas where infrastructure improvements are needed to the City’s stormwater management system. Recent studies and known areas of ongoing issues can be provided to the selected firm.

12) How frequently do sewer backups or stormwater flooding occur, and which areas are most affected?

Answer: This information is not readily available for current customers. The focus of the projects for which the City is seeking qualifications is to provide and/or manage the contracted services to be provided to outside governmental agencies through IGSA’s.

13) Are there specific current regulatory issues (e.g., EPA, state) driving the need for external support?

Answer: There are no specific current regulatory issues driving the need for external support. This need is being driven by the potential engagement with other governmental agencies through IGSA’s.

14) Given the City's electric utility operations and extensive service territory, is there interest in GIS asset management, infrastructure mapping, or technology solutions that could enhance operational efficiency across departments?

Answer: This city is open to all possibilities to enhance operational efficiency across internal departments, but the focus of this RFQ is to also seek qualified firms to provide and/or manage the contracted services to be provided to outside governmental agencies through IGSA’s.

15) Should we expect task orders to include embedded staff augmentation (personnel working alongside city staff) or primarily project-based deliverables with defined scopes and timelines?

Answer: The expectation is for the task orders to primarily include project-based deliverables with defined scopes and timelines to be determined by the potential IGSA’s, with the assistance of city staff as needed.

16) Are you looking for Professional Engineering Services in the areas of Stormwater, Potable Water, Wastewater, etc? Or are you only seeking maintenance services?

Answer: Both.

17) Will the City consider more than one firm to provide these services?

Answer: Yes.

18) Will work under this agreement be performed entirely remotely, or will on-site presence be required for certain tasks such as inspections, meetings, or data collection?

Answer: It is anticipated that the selected firm will provide services and/or manage contracted services with subcontractors, so this would probably include remote an on-site presence.

19) Does the City have any preference for firms located within a certain geographic proximity to Laurinburg?

Answer: No preference.

20) Is there an anticipated budget or range for the professional and non-professional services over the initial five-year term?

Answer: This is to be determined by the range and volume of the potential IGSA’s that are executed by the City.

21) For GIS mapping activities, does the City currently use specific GIS software (e.g., Esri ArcGIS), and will access be provided to existing GIS datasets?

Answer: The City does currently use Esri software, but access will be determined by the actual scope of the IGSA’s the City executes.

22) Will task orders be issued on a fixed fee, time-and-materials, or other pricing structure?

Answer: The task orders will be issued in accordance with state law on allowable contract types for local governments, such as lump sum or cost-plus fixed fee that includes a not to exceed amount.

23) Are there any minimum or maximum limits on the size or duration of task orders that will be issued under the master services agreement?

Answer: This is to be determined by the range and volume of the potential IGSA’s that are executed by the City.

24) Are there existing service providers currently performing any of the requested services, and if so, is the intent to replace, supplement, or compete with those services?

Answer: There are some existing service providers performing some of the requested services, but the intent is to supplement those services.

25) Will minority and local participation be scored in the evaluation, or is it only encouraged as part of the process outline?

Answer: The criteria for the evaluation of this RFQ are included in the RFQ document.

Selected firm(s) will be required to follow state law regarding minority participation in procuring contracted services that are managed through subcontractors.

City of Laurinburg