RFQ 26-05 Third Party Plan Review Inspection Services_1.pdf

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Third-Party Building Plan Review and Inspection Services

City City of La Marque, Texas

RFQ No. 26-05 RFQ No. 26-05

Contract Term October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027

Services Building plan review and inspection services to augment or fully replace City delivery capacity, as needed

Issued by Development Services City of La Marque 1111 Bayou Road

La Marque, Texas 77568

1. Invitation

The City of La Marque, Texas requests statements of qualifications from qualified firms or individuals to provide third-party building plan review and inspection services. The City intends to use the resulting contract to supplement City staffing or to fully provide services in one or more disciplines when required by workload, vacancies, conflicts, emergency conditions, or other operational needs.

Selected respondent(s) must be capable of working within the City’s permitting workflow using City-provided OpenGov access for assignment receipt, review comments, inspection results, status updates, and related recordkeeping.

This is a qualifications-based solicitation. The City may request clarifications, interviews, demonstrations, or best and final pricing from one or more respondents before award.

2. Term of Contract

The anticipated initial contract term is October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2028, unless otherwise approved by the City. Any extension, renewal, or amendment shall be by written agreement approved in accordance with City authority and applicable law.

3. Background and Service Model

The City seeks flexible vendor support for plan review and inspections associated with residential, commercial, and trade permits. Services may be assigned by discipline, project type, workload period, or temporary full-service operational need. The City makes no guarantee of any minimum number of reviews or inspections.

• Assignments may involve building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, energy code, accessibility, and related inspection activities within the City’s authority.

• Services may be requested for in-person field inspections, virtual inspections when approved by the City, consultation, code interpretation support, and plan-review resubmittals.

• The City may award to one vendor or make no award if that is in the City’s best interest.

4. Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience providing municipal building plan review and/or inspection services for Texas cities or similar public-sector clients.

• Ability to provide appropriately qualified personnel for assigned disciplines, including current ICC certifications, Texas Plumbing Inspectors Licenses, and any other credentials required by Texas law for the services performed.

• Ability to meet City turnaround expectations, coordinate with City staff, and maintain professional written and verbal communication with applicants and staff. Turnaround time expectations are inspections performed the next business day when submitted before 4:00 the previous business day.

• Ability to use City-provided OpenGov access and follow City recordkeeping procedures.

• Good standing with all applicable licensing and certifying bodies, and no disqualifying findings that would materially impair performance for the City.

5. Scope of Services

Service Area Required Capability

Plan Review Review permit submittals for compliance with adopted codes, ordinances, amendments, and referenced standards; enter comments directly into OpenGov or the City’s directed format; review revisions and resubmittals; and recommend approval, partial approval, or denial.

Inspections Perform field inspections within the City of La Marque as assigned; document pass/fail status, correction notices, photographs if required, and narrative results in OpenGov; and communicate urgent or unsafe conditions immediately to City staff.

Coordination Coordinate with Development Services staff, Fire, Engineering, Planning, and other City representatives when needed to resolve review conflicts, clarify scope, or route issues for City decision.

Availability Provide normal-turnaround services and, if offered, optional rush, reinspection, and priority response services.

Reporting Provide periodic summary reporting when requested, including open assignments, turnaround times, completed inspections, resubmittal counts, and other performance metrics.

Customer Interface Communicate professionally with applicants, design professionals, contractors, and owners when directed by the City, while recognizing that final City authority remains with the City.

6. OpenGov and Workflow Requirements

• The City will provide user access to OpenGov as needed for awarded vendor personnel.

• Vendor shall enter review comments, inspection outcomes, dates, status updates, and other required records directly into OpenGov unless the City directs another format.

• Vendor shall maintain records in the manner required by the City and shall return or surrender all City data upon request or contract end.

• Vendor shall promptly notify the City of any OpenGov access issue, workflow issue, data discrepancy, or assignment conflict.

• Vendor shall not use City data for any purpose other than contract performance.

7. Pricing Submittal Requirements

Each response must include a complete, unqualified pricing schedule. Incomplete pricing may render a response non-responsive. Pricing must clearly state the amount charged, unit of measure, and exact trigger for each charge.

Fee Category Amount / Rate Unit When Charged

Residential plan review

Commercial plan review

Residential Plan review calculator or formula

Commercial Plan review calculator or formula

Residential inspection - per trip

Residential inspection - per trade

Commercial inspection - per trip

Commercial inspection - per trade / area

Failed inspection return trip

Virtual inspection

Expedited review / rush fee

Consultation / meeting attendance

Travel fee within City

Minimum invoice charge, if any

Administrative / technology / portal fee

Any other fees

Required pricing disclosures: Respondent must explain whether plan review is billed per review, per sheet, per hour, per square foot, by permit valuation, by discipline, or by another calculator. If using a calculator, provide the complete formula, examples, and all assumptions.

8. Turnaround and Performance Expectations

• Proposed standard turnaround times for initial review, resubmittal review, and inspection scheduling.

• Normal hours of availability and any optional extended-hours coverage.

• Escalation procedures for urgent life-safety issues, stop-work concerns, or unusual findings.

• Capacity statement describing how many reviews and inspections the firm can support at one time.

• Quality-control procedures used before comments and results are finalized.

9. Response Content

1. Cover letter signed by an authorized representative.

2. Company profile, ownership, office locations, and primary contact information.

3. Description of municipal experience, especially Texas municipal building services experience.

4. List of proposed personnel, credentials, ICC certifications, license numbers if applicable, and resume summaries.

5. Description of disciplines the respondent can provide directly.

6. Response to the Scope of Services and OpenGov requirements.

7. Completed pricing schedule with all fees and fee triggers.

8. Proposed turnaround times and staffing capacity.

9. At least three governmental client references, including contact name, title, phone, email, and services provided.

10. Disclosure of any actual or potential conflicts of interest.

11. Disclosure of litigation, claims, terminations for cause, license discipline, or ethics findings within the last five years.

12. Proof of insurance or statement of ability to meet City insurance requirements.

13. Any exceptions to the RFQ, clearly identified in one section.

10. Evaluation and Selection

The City may evaluate responses on the basis of overall best value to the City, including qualifications, capacity, responsiveness, and pricing transparency. The City may use interviews, reference checks, and clarification requests as part of the evaluation process.

Item Evaluation Factor Weight

1 Pricing completeness, transparency, and reasonableness

30%

2 Relevant municipal experience and qualifications 25%

3 Turnaround commitments and operational capacity 20%

4 Understanding of City workflow and OpenGov requirements

10%

5 Quality and availability of proposed personnel 10%

6 References, history, and risk profile 5%

11. Reservation of Rights

• Reject any or all responses, waive irregularities, and reissue the solicitation.

• Request clarifications, interviews, demonstrations, or supplemental information.

• Award to one respondent or no respondent.

• Negotiate final scope, pricing, staffing, service levels, and contract terms.

• Discontinue assignments to an awarded vendor if performance is unsatisfactory or operationally unnecessary.

12. Insurance, Compliance, and Contract Requirements

• Selected respondent shall be required to execute a City-approved contract before performing work.

• Selected respondent shall maintain insurance in types and limits acceptable to the City and provide certificates upon request.

• Selected respondent shall comply with applicable federal, state, and local law, adopted codes, City ordinances, and City policy.

• No subcontracting shall occur without prior City approval.

• The City may require background information, credential verification, and replacement of assigned personnel if needed.

• Non-transferability / Change of Control. This contract is awarded based on the qualifications, experience, staffing, management, and pricing of the specific entity submitting the proposal, and is therefore personal to that entity and may not be assigned, transferred, sold, pledged, conveyed, delegated, or otherwise disposed of without the City’s prior written consent. Any merger, acquisition, consolidation, sale of substantially all assets, change in controlling ownership, or transfer of a controlling interest shall be deemed a prohibited transfer unless first reviewed and approved in writing by the City. In the event of any such actual or proposed transaction, the City may, at its sole option, require renegotiation of the contract, require a new procurement, or terminate the contract without penalty. Any attempted transfer or change of control made without prior written City approval shall be void and shall constitute a material breach of contract.

13. Submittal Instructions

Bid Packet Bid Postings • La Marque, TX • CivicEngage

Questions Due August 19, 2026

Response Due August 24, 2026

Submission Due No later than 10:00 a.m. (CST) on September 7, 2026

Bid Opening 10:15 a.m. on September 7, 2026 at Council Chambers, 1109-B Bayou Road, La Marque, TX 77568

Submission Method Three (3) original copies, one (1) electronic copy on USB drive, suitable for reproduction by the City.

Submission Address City of La Marque, City Clerk’s Office, 1111 Bayou Road, La Marque, TX 77568

RFQ Label RFQ 26-05 Third-Party Building Plan Review and Inspection Services

City Contact David Merryman, Fire Chief, d.merryman@cityoflamarque.gov, (409) 938-9261

Late responses: Responses received after the stated deadline may be rejected and need not be considered.

14. Signature Page

Legal Name of Respondent

Authorized Representative

Title

Email https://cityoflamarque.gov/Bids.aspx mailto:d.merryman@cityoflamarque.gov

Phone

Signature / Date

Appendix A. Optional Pricing Worksheet Examples

Respondents may use this appendix to explain their plan-review calculator or any blended-rate approach. The worksheet below is optional, but the pricing information it requests is mandatory if the respondent prices by calculator rather than by flat fee.

Pricing Variable Value Unit Notes / Example

Base review fee

Square footage multiplier

Permit valuation multiplier

Hourly rate

Minimum charge

Resubmittal factor

Trade add-on

Expedited multiplier