REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Independent Architect & Owner's Representative Services

Montgomery County ESD No. 10

Fire Station 186

Issued: September 3, 2026

Qualifications Due: September 24, 2026, prior to 3:00 PM CST

Issued By:

Montgomery County ESD No. 10

18215 Buddy Riley Blvd.

Magnolia, Texas 77354

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Table of Contents

1. Request for Qualifications 3

2. Background and Project Description 3

3. Statutory and Procurement Requirements 5

4. Scope of Services 6

5. RFQ Instructions and Requirements for Responses 8

6. Evaluation Criteria 9

7. Statement of Qualifications 11

8. Selection, Interviews, and Contract Negotiation 14

9. Special Provisions and Requirements 14

10. Inquiries, Submission, and Anticipated Schedule 15

11. Reference Forms 17

12. Proposer Certification and Independence Acknowledgement 19

13. Insurance Requirements 20

14. Anticipated Professional Services Agreement Terms 20 The anticipated schedule is subject to modification by written addendum.

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1. Request for Qualifications - Independent Architect & Owner's Representative Services Statement of Qualifications Due September 24, 2026, prior to 3:00 PM CST

Montgomery County Emergency Services District No. 10 ("MCESD10" or the "District") seeks Statements of Qualifications from qualified firms or business entities properly registered with the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners ("TBAE") to offer or provide architectural services in the State of Texas. Each Respondent must identify a Texas-registered architect who will serve as the District's Independent Architect pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 2269.305. The selected Respondent will provide a combined engagement consisting of (1) the statutory Independent Architect services and (2) comprehensive Owner's Representative and project-management services for Fire Station 186.

The selected Respondent will serve as the District's statutory independent architect and as the District's primary Owner's Representative and project-management consultant for the duration of the Project, subject to the authority reserved to the Board of Commissioners in the final professional services agreement. The selected Respondent will be expected to provide independent professional judgment and owner-side project management concerning scope, design criteria, budget, schedule, quality, risk, procurement integrity, construction administration, commissioning, closeout, and warranty matters.

This is a qualifications-based procurement. Respondents shall not include professional fees, hourly rates, multipliers, reimbursable markups, or other price information in the Statement of Qualifications or in any interview conducted before the District completes its qualifications ranking. The District will first select the most highly qualified provider based on demonstrated competence and qualifications and will then negotiate a fair and reasonable price in accordance with Texas Government Code Section 2254.004.

MCESD10 makes no guarantee that an award will be made as a result of this RFQ. The District reserves the right, consistent with applicable law, to reject any or all Statements of Qualifications, waive minor informalities that do not affect fairness, request clarification of non-material information, verify information submitted, conduct interviews, and cancel or amend this solicitation.

2. Background and Project Description

General Project Description Montgomery County Emergency Services District No. 10 is a political subdivision of the State of Texas organized under Chapter 775 of the Texas Health and Safety Code and provides fire protection and related emergency services in Montgomery County, Texas.

The District has selected the design-build project delivery method under Texas Government Code Chapter 2269 for Fire Station 186. The District previously issued an RFQ for Design-Build Services for Fire Station 186 and established a preliminary Design Criteria Package through that solicitation. The consultant selected under this RFQ will enter the Project during the ongoing design-build procurement and will be expected to promptly become familiar with the previously issued solicitation, the preliminary Design Criteria Package, the District’s operational requirements, and the status of the design-builder selection process.

Fire Station 186 is located at 310 Honea Egypt Rd., Magnolia, Texas. The Project includes adaptive reuse of the existing approximately 10,800-square-foot metal building for fire station living, administrative, support, and training functions, together with new construction or additions necessary to provide apparatus bays, storage, site improvements, parking, utility upgrades, life-safety systems, and related infrastructure.

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The Project is intended to result in a complete, code-compliant, durable, maintainable, and fully functioning fire station. Primary project objectives include operational efficiency, firefighter health and safety, rapid emergency response, durability, ease of maintenance, future adaptability, life-cycle cost efficiency, and compatibility with the public character of the surrounding community.

Preliminary Space Program and Owner's Requirements The District's existing Design-Build RFQ established the following preliminary operational requirements.

The selected Consultant will review, validate, clarify, supplement, and administer these requirements as part of the Design Criteria Package and design review process, without improperly prescribing the Design- Builder's final architectural or engineering solution.

Apparatus Operations

• Five (5) pull-through apparatus bays with a minimum apparatus depth of sixty (60) feet, sized for existing and anticipated future emergency response vehicles.

• Adequate clearances, circulation, overhead door sizing, emergency power, lighting, ventilation, and support systems appropriate for a modern fire station.

• Dedicated tool and equipment storage, breathing-air cascade system room, PPE storage with mechanical ventilation and approximately thirty-five (35) to forty (40) gear lockers, and a firefighter decontamination area with restroom and shower facilities designed to reduce cross-contamination between apparatus and living areas.

Living Quarters

• Eight (8) to ten (10) individual firefighter bunk rooms, each with a workstation or desk, personal storage, and locker space.

• Three (3) officer dormitory/office suites, each with private restroom facilities or shared Jack-and-Jill restroom arrangements.

• Individual unisex restroom and shower facilities sufficient for station staffing, together with a dedicated laundry room and storage.

Administrative and Training Areas

• Large kitchen for full-shift meal preparation, an adjacent dining area, and three (3) pantry/storage areas with dedicated refrigerator space.

• Training room for approximately thirty (30) occupants, supporting classroom instruction, public meetings, and departmental training, with adjacent public restroom facilities.

Health and Wellness Facilities

• Dedicated fitness room sized for firefighter wellness equipment and associated storage.

• Outdoor covered patio with gas grilling area.

Building Support Areas

• Janitorial closet with mop sink and storage, mechanical and electrical equipment rooms, telecommunications and information-technology infrastructure space, and other support areas necessary for efficient operation and maintenance.

Site Development

• Public visitor parking and secured employee parking sufficient for approximately twenty (20) vehicles.

• Site circulation designed, where practical, to separate emergency apparatus movement from public vehicular traffic.

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• Sidewalks, lighting, drainage, landscaping, utilities, fencing as appropriate, and all infrastructure necessary to support station operations.

Building Systems

• Permanently installed emergency generator capable of supporting full station operations during utility outages.

• Honeywell Phoenix G2 IP-based station alerting system or Owner-approved equivalent compatible with MCESD10's existing systems.

• High-efficiency mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, fire alarm, communications, structured cabling, security, and access-control systems suitable for a continuously occupied emergency response facility, selected with consideration for long-term reliability, maintainability, operational efficiency, and life-cycle cost.

Performance Expectations

• Durable, resilient, maintainable facilities capable of supporting uninterrupted twenty-four-hour emergency operations.

• Appropriate separation of clean and contaminated spaces, efficient operational workflows, and functional adjacencies between apparatus, support, administrative, and living areas.

• Commercial-grade materials, finishes, and building systems selected to minimize long-term maintenance and provide a service life consistent with public safety facilities.

• Consideration of future operational growth and expansion where practical without significant disruption to station operations.

3. Statutory and Procurement Requirements

Independent Architect - Texas Government Code Section 2269.305 The selected Consultant must be a business entity currently registered with the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE) to offer or provide architectural services in Texas and must provide a Texas-registered architect, independent of the Design-Build Firm, to act as MCESD10's representative for the duration of the Project. The TBAE business registration must be held by the same legal entity submitting the Statement of Qualifications and entering into the professional services agreement with MCESD10. The Respondent shall identify its current TBAE Business Registration Number and the proposed Independent Architect's active Texas Architect Registration Number. Both registrations must remain active throughout the engagement.

Qualifications-Based Selection - Texas Government Code Sections 2269.057 and 2254.004 Because the required independent architect will not be a full-time employee of the District, the District will select the Consultant on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualifications. The combined engagement, including the Owner’s Representative and project-management services, will be procured through this qualifications-based process. Price will be negotiated only after final qualifications ranking and selection of the most highly qualified Respondent.

Statutory and Organizational Independence The Consultant and its project team must be independent of the Design-Build Firm and its architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers throughout the Project. The Consultant may not participate as a member of, consultant to, subcontractor to, or financial participant in any design-build team competing for or performing the Project. Respondents must disclose all actual, potential, and apparent organizational conflicts, including prior or current relationships with any respondent to the District’s Design-Build RFQ.

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Professional Responsibility The Consultant is not the Design-Builder's architect or engineer of record and does not assume the Design- Builder's responsibility for final design, sealed design documents, code compliance, construction means and methods, sequencing, site safety, or performance of the construction work. The Consultant's role is to provide independent professional review, advice, owner representation, project administration, observation, and management services as described in this RFQ and the negotiated agreement.

4. Scope of Services The final scope will be negotiated after qualifications ranking. Respondents should address each service category below and identify any service they propose to perform through a subconsultant or to treat as an additional service. The District expects one Consultant to integrate the independent architect role with day-to-day Owner's Representative and project-management services. The service categories listed below describe anticipated services and are not intended to require the Consultant to perform every listed service or to limit the District's participation in, oversight of, or control over the Project. The District will determine the specific services to be performed and the level of the Consultant's involvement through the final professional services agreement, and the District may remain directly involved in project meetings, communications, reviews, and decisions as it determines appropriate.

A. Immediate Design-Build Procurement and Transition Services

• Promptly review the previously issued Fire Station 186 Design-Build RFQ, preliminary Design Criteria

Package, addenda, available site information, project schedule, and then-current status of the design-builder procurement.

• Advise the District and District counsel regarding technical issues, omissions, conflicts, or clarifications that should be addressed through any remaining addenda, supplemental Design Criteria Package materials, Step 2 requests, interviews, or contract negotiations, consistent with applicable procurement law and fairness to all design-build respondents.

• Assist the Evaluation Committee and Board, as requested, with technical review of shortlisted design-build teams, including qualifications of proposed architects/engineers, project approach, schedule, staffing, constructability, quality management, safety, durability, commissioning, and cost-control methodology. The Consultant shall not consider or request prohibited price information before permitted by law.

• Assist District counsel with technical interview questions, technical scope terms, responsibility matrices, performance requirements, milestones, design review procedures, deliverables, and other technical provisions for the Design-Build Agreement.

• Assist the District during negotiations with the highest-ranked Design-Build Firm on technical scope, project schedule, cost-control procedures, preconstruction deliverables, design milestones, quality requirements, commissioning, and project administration.

B. Project Development and Design Criteria Administration

• Assess and validate current and projected operations, facility needs, staffing, apparatus, response workflow, health and safety goals, contamination-control strategy, resiliency, security, accessibility, technology, owner-furnished equipment, future expansion, and training objectives with the Board, District staff, fire department stakeholders, District counsel, and other authorized participants.

• Develop and maintain a project management plan defining roles, authority, communication protocols, document control, decision-making, escalation, meeting cadence, reporting, and change-control procedures.

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• Review, validate, refine, and, when appropriate, prepare or seal supplemental Design Criteria Package materials necessary to express the District’s requirements while preserving the Design- Builder’s responsibility for final design.

• Develop and maintain a scope-compliance matrix that serves as a baseline for design review, pricing, construction, commissioning, acceptance, and closeout.

• Coordinate with utilities, governmental authorities, permitting entities, testing agencies, and other third parties on the District’s behalf as authorized.

C. Design Phase Services

• Establish and maintain communication among the District, Design-Builder, Design-Builder’s architect/engineers, District counsel, and other consultants.

• Review design submissions at established milestones for consistency with the Design Criteria

Package, District operational requirements, approved scope, budget, schedule, maintainability, life-cycle considerations, constructability, sequencing, coordination, and quality.

• Provide written design-review comments and track resolution of material comments and District decisions. Review shall not relieve the Design-Builder or its design professionals of responsibility for design adequacy or code compliance.

• Review and advise regarding alternates, substitutions, value-engineering proposals, life-cycle implications, and proposed deviations from District requirements.

• Confirm that professional seals, permits, accessibility reviews, fire and life-safety reviews, utility approvals, testing plans, commissioning plans, and other regulatory submissions are tracked to completion.

• Assist the District with owner-furnished equipment, technology, security, station alerting, furniture, fixtures, and equipment coordination.

D. Cost, Budget, Schedule, and Risk Management

• Develop and maintain an owner-side project budget and cost-control log, including design, construction, contingencies, allowances, owner costs, testing, commissioning, furnishings/equipment, and other project expenditures as directed.

• Review estimates and cost information submitted by the Design-Builder for scope completeness, assumptions, allowances, contingencies, escalation, general conditions, markups, and consistency with the approved project requirements.

• Advise the District concerning the proposed Guaranteed Maximum Price or other construction authorization, including scope reconciliation, exclusions, allowances, contingencies, alternates, and identified cost risks.

• Review baseline and updated schedules, critical path, procurement lead times, permitting, utility coordination, owner decisions, design milestones, construction sequencing, commissioning, occupancy, and recovery plans; identify material variance and recommend corrective action.

• Maintain a project risk register identifying major scope, site, utility, schedule, procurement, cost, permitting, quality, and operational risks and recommended mitigation measures.

• Provide cash-flow projections and periodic budget/schedule reports to the District as requested.

E. Construction Phase Owner’s Representative Services

• Serve as the District’s primary day-to-day project representative and technical point of coordination, subject to authority expressly delegated by the Board and the final agreement.

• Attend, arrange, and conduct project meetings as requested; maintain meeting records, decision logs, action-item logs, RFI/submittal/change logs, and other project-control records.

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• Perform regular on-site observations at a frequency appropriate to project activity and risk and provide written reports with photographs, observed progress, quality concerns, testing status, safety concerns reported to the responsible party, pending decisions, schedule status, and recommended District action. Observation is not continuous inspection and does not transfer responsibility for means, methods, sequences, procedures, or safety.

• Review applications for payment, schedules of values, progress information, stored materials, and supporting documentation and make recommendations to the District regarding payment.

• Review requests for information, submittal status, design clarifications, proposed change orders, substitutions, claims, and other changes; evaluate technical merit, scope, cost, schedule impact, and supporting documentation and make recommendations to the District.

• Review special inspection, material testing, commissioning, and other quality-control reports; track identified deficiencies and corrective action in coordination with the Design-Builder and responsible design professional.

• Coordinate construction logistics affecting District operations, public access, utilities, owner-furnished equipment, technology, security, occupancy, and move-in.

• Assist with punch-list development, substantial-completion review, correction of deficiencies, final completion, and acceptance recommendations.

F. Commissioning, Closeout, Occupancy, and Warranty

• Coordinate and monitor commissioning requirements, functional testing, training, startup, and turnover of building systems.

• Verify that project closeout documents are complete and delivered to the District, including record drawings, specifications, operations and maintenance manuals, warranties, commissioning documentation, permits, testing records, training records, and other required documents.

• Coordinate District occupancy, move-in, furniture/fixture/equipment installation, technology activation, and owner training as requested.

• Maintain a warranty log, assist the District with warranty issues, and track completion of warranty corrections during the agreed post-completion period.

G. Administration, Reporting, and Records

• Maintain organized project records in a District-approved electronic repository using consistent naming, version control, and access protocols. The District must have continuous access to its records.

• Provide regular written reports to the Board or designated District representatives addressing budget, schedule, design status, procurement, quality, risks, changes, pending decisions, and recommended actions.

• Coordinate with the Board, designated commissioners or committee members, District staff, fire department representatives, District counsel, Design-Builder, testing/commissioning consultants, and other authorized participants.

• Promptly identify matters requiring District direction, Board action, legal review, or formal contract action.

• Comply with applicable District records-retention requirements and provide orderly turnover of all project records at termination or closeout.

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5. RFQ Instructions and Requirements for Responses Each Respondent must submit a complete response to the requirements and evaluation criteria stated in this RFQ. Statements of Qualifications should be prepared simply and economically and should provide a clear, project-specific description of the Respondent’s ability to perform the combined independent architect and Owner’s Representative role.

No Price Information DO NOT INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL FEES, HOURLY RATES, MULTIPLIERS, REIMBURSABLE MARKUPS, OR OTHER PRICE INFORMATION IN THE STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS OR IN ANY INTERVIEW BEFORE FINAL QUALIFICATIONS RANKING. Inclusion of prohibited price information may render a submission nonresponsive.

Submission Format Responses shall be submitted through CivCast E-Bidding in a single searchable PDF file unless modified by written addendum. Each response must be signed by a person authorized to bind the Respondent, and proof or confirmation of such authority must be included.

Public Information Statements of Qualifications are subject to the Texas Public Information Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 552. Information claimed to be confidential or proprietary must be specifically identified and accompanied by the legal basis supporting the claimed exception. Marking an entire response “confidential” or “proprietary” does not itself prevent disclosure. The District will comply with applicable law and cannot guarantee that information designated by a Respondent will be withheld.

Exceptions Respondents must identify requested exceptions to this RFQ, the anticipated scope, independence requirements, insurance requirements, and anticipated contractual terms. Silence will be treated as acceptance of the stated requirements, subject to negotiation of the final professional services agreement. An exception that would impair statutory independence, professional licensing, or qualifications-based selection may render a response nonresponsive.

6. Evaluation Criteria An Evaluation Committee will independently evaluate responsive Statements of Qualifications using the published criteria and maximum points below. No evaluator may consider professional fees or other price information. The committee may verify licenses, references, claims history, project information, availability, independence, and other representations; request clarification of non-material information;

and conduct optional interviews before recommending a final qualifications ranking to the Board.

# Criterion Detailed Scoring Methodology Points

1 Qualifications, Licensing, and Statutory Independence

Active Texas architectural authority; firm registration; understanding of Sections 2269.305, 2269.057, and 2254.004; independence disclosures and conflict controls; professional standing; claims and disciplinary history;

capability to serve as the District’s independent architect representative.

2 Relevant Design-Build and Public- Safety Experience

Comparable Texas public design-build projects; experience as independent owner-side architect and/or Owner’s Representative; design criteria packages;

fire stations, EMS, public-safety, mission-critical, or continuously occupied facilities; demonstrated past performance on budget, schedule, quality, and closeout.

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# Criterion Detailed Scoring Methodology Points

3 Owner’s Representative / Project- Management Approach

Project-specific approach to owner representation, procurement support, design review, cost/GMP review, schedule control, risk/change management, quality, construction observation, commissioning, closeout, reporting, and document control.

4 Key Personnel, Capacity, and Continuity

Qualifications and experience of the proposed licensed statutory representative, project manager, construction-phase personnel, and subconsultants; availability and workload; depth of resources; prior experience working together; commitment to maintain key personnel.

5 References and Past Performance Quality of prior owner-representation and independent architect services;

responsiveness and communication; meeting schedules and deadlines;

controlling costs and budgets; claims history; reference strength and client satisfaction.

Evaluation Methodology Rating Score Range General Description

Outstanding 90-100% of available points

Exceptional, project-specific evidence; materially exceeds requirements; very low performance risk.

Very Good 80-89% Strong evidence; fully meets requirements with meaningful strengths; low performance risk.

Acceptable 70-79% Adequate evidence; meets material requirements; ordinary or manageable performance risk.

Marginal 50-69% Limited, generic, incomplete, or weak evidence; notable concerns or performance risk.

Unacceptable 0-49% Fails to meet a material requirement; lacks evidence; presents a material conflict, licensing problem, or unacceptable performance risk.

A Respondent may be found nonresponsive or disqualified, regardless of score, for including prohibited price information; failing to hold or provide the required current TBAE business registration; failing to identify an actively registered Texas architect to serve as the District's Independent Architect; lacking other required Texas professional authority; failing to certify independence; having an unmitigable organizational conflict; making a material misrepresentation; engaging in prohibited communications; or failing to submit a timely response.

7. Statement of Qualifications To facilitate a fair and efficient evaluation, Respondents shall organize the Statement of Qualifications using the following headings and sequence. Supplemental information should be limited to material directly relevant to the evaluation criteria.

A. Cover Letter and Executive Summary

• Identify the Respondent’s legal name and one authorized primary contact, including title, mailing address, telephone number, and email address.

• Confirm that the Respondent understands the combined Owner’s Representative and statutory independent architect role, accepts the independence restrictions, and has not included fee or price information.

• Identify the proposed Texas-registered architect who will serve as the District’s Section 2269.305 representative and the proposed day-to-day project manager. If the same individual will perform both roles, state that clearly.

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• Confirm that proposed key personnel are available and can remain assigned for the anticipated Project duration.

• Confirm that the Respondent can provide the insurance required by this RFQ and the negotiated agreement.

• Acknowledge all addenda issued by the District.

B. Firm Profile, Professional Status, and Licensing

• Firm name, address, local and home-office locations, primary contact information, year established, organization type, former names, owners, principals, and officers.

• Provide the Respondent's current Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE) Business

Registration Number authorizing the firm to offer or provide architectural services in Texas, together with the proposed Independent Architect's active Texas Architect Registration Number. The TBAE business registration must be held by the same legal entity submitting this Statement of Qualifications and proposed to contract with MCESD10.

• Number of full-time personnel by discipline and number of licensed architects, engineers, project managers, construction administrators, and other relevant personnel.

• Professional services provided by the firm and any material judgments, claims, mediations/arbitrations, lawsuits, professional disciplinary matters, or licensure actions involving comparable services during the past five years or currently outstanding.

C. Relevant Experience Provide up to ten (10) comparable projects completed or substantially performed within the last seven

(7) years. Preference will be given to Texas public design-build projects and fire/EMS/public-safety or mission-critical facilities. For each project, provide:

• Project name and location;

• Client/owner and reference contact;

• Project delivery method and Respondent’s role;

• Approximate project size and construction value;

• Dates of service and substantial completion;

• Scope of independent architect and/or Owner’s Representative services performed;

• Key personnel and consultants assigned;

• Design-builder/contractor and project architect/engineer, as applicable;

• Budget, schedule, quality, claims, commissioning, and closeout results; and

• Explanation of any material differences between the referenced project and Fire Station 186.

D. Project Team

• Provide a project organization chart identifying the licensed statutory representative, Owner’s

Representative/project manager, construction-phase personnel, cost/schedule resources, and subconsultants.

• Provide concise resumes for key personnel showing education, licenses, registrations, certifications, years with the firm, years of experience, proposed role, and directly relevant public-safety/design-build experience.

• Describe the team’s prior experience working together and the firm’s plan to maintain continuity of key personnel through project completion and warranty services.

• Identify current workload and demonstrate capacity to respond promptly to MCESD10’s schedule and Board meeting requirements.

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E. Technical Approach and Methodology Describe a project-specific approach for integrating the independent architect and Owner’s Representative roles without duplicating or assuming the Design-Builder’s design responsibilities. Address at least the following:

• Transition into the ongoing design-build procurement and review of the existing preliminary Design Criteria Package;

• Support for Step 2 technical evaluation/interviews and Design-Build Agreement negotiation;

• Project management plan and communication protocols;

• Design criteria administration and design review;

• Budget, estimating, GMP review, cost control, and cash-flow reporting;

• Schedule review, critical-path monitoring, and recovery planning;

• Risk and change management;

• Construction observation, quality assurance, pay-application review, change-order review, and issue tracking;

• Commissioning, closeout, occupancy, record turnover, and warranty follow-up; and

• Board reporting, document control, and public-records management.

F. Quality Control and Professional Oversight Describe the Respondent’s internal quality-control and quality-assurance procedures for professional review, project-management deliverables, design review comments, cost and schedule analyses, site observations, change review, payment recommendations, records, and reports. Identify who will be responsible for final professional oversight of work product provided to the District.

G. References Provide at least five (5) owner/client references for comparable services, preferably including Texas emergency services districts, fire departments, municipalities, counties, or other public entities. Include the contact name, title, telephone number, email address, services performed, project dates, and project value. At least three references should relate directly to Owner’s Representative, independent architect, design-build, or public-safety facility work.

H. Conflicts, Independence, Claims, and Disciplinary History

• Disclose any current or prior services relating to Fire Station 186, the site, the current Design-Build

RFQ, or any design-build respondent/team member.

• Disclose communications, teaming discussions, business relationships, referral arrangements, financial interests, or other circumstances involving a potential or actual Design-Build Firm or team member that could create an actual, potential, or apparent conflict.

• Disclose claims, litigation, arbitration, professional disciplinary matters, license sanctions, or contract terminations relevant to the Respondent’s ability to perform the services.

• Describe proposed conflict controls and certify that the Respondent and project team will remain independent of the selected Design-Build Firm throughout the Project.

I. Insurance and Required Forms

• Provide evidence or a statement of ability to obtain the insurance required by Section 13 of this RFQ.

Certificates and endorsements will be required before services begin.

• Include a completed Conflict of Interest Questionnaire (Form CIQ) when required by Chapter 176, Texas Local Government Code.

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• Acknowledge that the successful Respondent must complete Form 1295, Certificate of Interested Parties, when required by Texas Government Code Section 2252.908 and Texas Ethics Commission rules before execution of the contract.

• Complete the Proposer Certification and Independence Acknowledgement included in Section 12.

J. Submission Checklist

[ ] Cover Letter and Executive Summary [ ] Firm Profile, Professional Status, and Licensing information [ ] Current TBAE Business Registration Number for the Respondent [ ] Name of proposed Independent Architect and active Texas Architect Registration Number [ ] Project Team organization chart and key-personnel resumes [ ] Relevant Experience and Technical Approach / Methodology [ ] Quality Control and Professional Oversight description [ ] At least five (5) owner/client references [ ] Conflicts, Independence, Claims, and Disciplinary History disclosures [ ] Insurance information and required forms [ ] Completed Proposer Certification and Independence Acknowledgement [ ] Addenda acknowledgement, if any [ ] Confirmation that no professional fees, hourly rates, multipliers, reimbursable markups, or other price information are included

8. Selection, Interviews, and Contract Negotiation The Evaluation Committee will evaluate Statements of Qualifications using the published criteria and recommend a qualifications ranking to the Board of Commissioners. The District may select the most highly qualified Respondent based solely on the written submissions or may conduct interviews with one or more highly qualified Respondents. Interviews, if conducted, will be limited to qualifications, experience, personnel, technical approach, project management, availability, independence, and other published criteria. Professional fees or price information shall not be requested, submitted, or evaluated before final qualifications ranking.

Following final qualifications ranking and Board selection, MCESD10 will first attempt to negotiate a professional services agreement with the highest-ranked Respondent at a fair and reasonable price. If a satisfactory contract cannot be negotiated, the District will formally end negotiations with that Respondent and proceed to negotiate with the next most highly qualified Respondent in accordance with Texas Government Code Section 2254.004.

Any award and contract are subject to approval by the MCESD10 Board of Commissioners and execution of a written agreement in form and substance acceptable to the District. No Respondent is authorized to perform services until the agreement has been approved and executed and any required insurance and contracting documents have been provided.

9. Special Provisions and Requirements

Conflict of Interest and Procurement Integrity MCESD10 will review proposed team members for conflicts with the ongoing Design-Build procurement.

A firm or individual that is unable to maintain the independence required for the Section 2269.305 role may not be selected. The District may require replacement of a proposed team member if a conflict is identified. Respondents shall not contact District commissioners, District staff, fire department personnel, Montgomery County ESD No. 10 - Fire Station 186 Independent Architect & Owner's Representative RFQ | Page 14 design-build respondents, or potential evaluation committee members regarding this RFQ except through the authorized communications process established by the District.

Addenda Any change, clarification, or interpretation affecting this RFQ will be issued in writing through CivCast.

Addenda become part of the RFQ and control over prior inconsistent statements, documents, or communications. Respondents are responsible for monitoring CivCast, obtaining all addenda, and acknowledging each addendum in the Statement of Qualifications. Oral explanations are not binding.

Selected Response MCESD10 reserves the right to incorporate the selected Statement of Qualifications, or portions of it, into the negotiated professional services agreement.

Governing Law and Compliance This solicitation and any resulting agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Texas. The selected Consultant shall comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, codes, professional licensing requirements, and District policies applicable to the services.

Governmental Immunity Nothing in this RFQ or any resulting agreement shall be construed as a waiver of any governmental immunity, defense, or limitation of liability available to MCESD10, its Board of Commissioners, officers, employees, or agents.

RFQ Preparation Costs and District Disclaimers

• MCESD10 will not reimburse a Respondent for costs incurred in preparing, delivering, presenting, clarifying, or negotiating a response.

• Issuance of this RFQ does not obligate the District to shortlist, interview, select, or contract with any

Respondent.

• No contractual obligation exists until a written professional services agreement has been approved by the Board and executed by the parties.

• The District reserves the right, consistent with applicable law, to cancel this procurement, reject any or all responses, or issue a new solicitation if determined to be in the District’s best interest.

10. Inquiries, Submission, and Anticipated Schedule

Inquiries All questions and requests for interpretation concerning this RFQ must be submitted through CivCast by the deadline stated below. Responses and addenda will be posted through CivCast. Respondents should not rely on oral communications concerning this RFQ.

Submission Statements of Qualifications must be submitted through CivCast E-Bidding in a single searchable PDF file no later than September 24, 2026 at 3:00 PM CST. Late submissions will not be accepted. The submission should be clearly identified as:

RFQ RESPONSE - INDEPENDENT ARCHITECT & OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE SERVICES - FIRE STATION

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Anticipated Solicitation Schedule

Date Milestone

September 3, 2026 RFQ Issued / Newspaper Advertisement

September 15, 2026 at 12:00 PM CST Questions Due through CivCast

September 18, 2026 by 5:00 PM CST Responses to Questions / Final Addendum, if any

September 24, 2026 at 3:00 PM CST Statement of Qualifications Due

September 25, 2026 Evaluation Committee Review / Qualifications Ranking

October 5-9, 2026 Optional Interviews / Clarifications

October 14, 2026 Board Selection of Most Highly Qualified Respondent

Following Selection Scope and Fee Negotiation under Texas Government Code Section 2254.004

November 18, 2026 Board Consideration of Professional Services Agreement The District may modify the anticipated schedule by written addendum.

Montgomery County ESD No. 10 - Fire Station 186 Independent Architect & Owner's Representative RFQ | Page 16

11. Reference Forms Respondents may reproduce this form as necessary. At least five (5) references are required in the Statement of Qualifications.

REFERENCE 1

Entity Name

Contact Person / Title

Telephone Number

Email Address

Dates Services Provided

Services / Project Description and Approximate Project Value

REFERENCE 2

Entity Name

Contact Person / Title

Telephone Number

Email Address

Dates Services Provided

REFERENCE 3

Contact Person / Title

Telephone Number

Email Address

Dates Services Provided

Montgomery County ESD No. 10 - Fire Station 186 Independent Architect & Owner's Representative RFQ | Page 17

REFERENCE 4

Entity Name

Contact Person / Title

Telephone Number

Email Address

Dates Services Provided

REFERENCE 5

Contact Person / Title

Telephone Number

Email Address

Dates Services Provided

Montgomery County ESD No. 10 - Fire Station 186 Independent Architect & Owner's Representative RFQ | Page 18

12. Proposer Certification and Independence Acknowledgement The Respondent has read and understands this RFQ and acknowledges receipt of the following addenda:

Addendum #1: _________________________ Initials: _________________________

Addendum #2: _________________________ Initials: _________________________

Addendum #3: _________________________ Initials: _________________________

Addendum #4: _________________________ Initials: _________________________ By signing below, the Respondent certifies that:

• All information in the Statement of Qualifications is true, correct, and complete to the best of the signer’s knowledge.

• The submission contains no proposed professional fees, hourly rates, multipliers, reimbursable markups, or other price information.

• The Respondent currently holds a TBAE business registration authorizing it to offer or provide architectural services in Texas, and the proposed Independent Architect currently holds an active Texas architect registration. The Respondent certifies that the TBAE business registration is held by the same legal entity submitting this Statement of Qualifications and proposed to contract with MCESD10, and that both registrations will be maintained throughout the Project.

• The Respondent has disclosed all actual, potential, and apparent organizational conflicts known after reasonable inquiry.

• If selected, the Respondent and its project team will remain independent of the Design-Build Firm and will not participate on, advise, subcontract to, or hold a financial interest in the Design-Build Firm or its project team for Fire Station 186.

• The Respondent has not engaged in prohibited communications or attempted to influence the selection outside the process stated in this RFQ.

• The signer is authorized to bind the Respondent to these certifications and to negotiate a professional services agreement if selected.

Name of Firm/Company

Authorized Representative

Title

TBAE Business Registration No.

Proposed Independent Architect

Texas Architect Registration No.

Mailing Address

City, State, ZIP

Telephone / Email

Authorized Signature / Date

Montgomery County ESD No. 10 - Fire Station 186 Independent Architect & Owner's Representative RFQ | Page 19

13. Insurance Requirements The successful Respondent must maintain, and require each subconsultant to maintain as applicable, insurance issued by insurers authorized to do business in Texas and reasonably acceptable to MCESD10.

Final requirements will be included in the negotiated agreement. Anticipated minimum limits are:

Coverage Anticipated Minimum Limit

Workers' Compensation Statutory limits

Employer's Liability $1,000,000 each accident; $1,000,000 each employee for disease; $1,000,000 policy aggregate

Commercial Automobile Liability $1,000,000 combined single limit for owned, hired, and non-owned vehicles

Commercial General Liability $1,000,000 each occurrence; $2,000,000 general aggregate; $2,000,000 products/completed operations aggregate

Umbrella/Excess Liability $2,000,000 each occurrence and aggregate, following form over CGL, auto, and employer’s liability

Professional Liability / Errors and Omissions $2,000,000 each claim and $2,000,000 annual aggregate

Cyber / Privacy Liability $1,000,000 each claim and aggregate if the Consultant hosts, administers, or controls a project information system containing District data

Professional liability coverage may be written on a claims-made basis if the retroactive date precedes the start of services and coverage is maintained continuously, or an extended reporting period is purchased, for not less than five (5) years after final completion. Each professional subconsultant must carry professional liability insurance appropriate to its discipline.

Except for professional liability and workers’ compensation, MCESD10 and its commissioners, officers, employees, and authorized representatives shall be named as additional insureds for liability arising from the Consultant’s services where applicable. CGL and automobile coverage shall be primary and noncontributory to District insurance. Waiver of subrogation in favor of the District will be required where commercially available and legally permissible. Evidence of coverage and required endorsements must be provided before services begin.

Insurance limits do not limit the Consultant’s liability or professional obligations. Indemnity, limitation-of-liability, waiver, or consequential-damages provisions will be addressed only in the negotiated agreement and must comply with Texas law applicable to public entities, construction contracts, and professional services.

14. Anticipated Professional Services Agreement Terms The final professional services agreement will be negotiated after qualifications ranking. Respondents should identify any material exception to the following anticipated terms in the List of Exceptions, without including price information:

• A project-specific scope, responsibility matrix, schedule, staffing plan, deliverables, meeting requirements, reporting requirements, and invoicing procedures.

• A clear designation of the Consultant’s proposed Texas-registered architect as MCESD10’s independent representative under Texas Government Code Section 2269.305 and a description of the Consultant’s integrated Owner’s Representative role.

• A key-personnel clause prohibiting substitution of the licensed statutory representative, project manager, or other key staff without prior District approval.

Montgomery County ESD No. 10 - Fire Station 186 Independent Architect & Owner's Representative RFQ | Page 20

• A professional standard of care consistent with the skill and care ordinarily provided by similarly situated Texas professionals performing comparable public design-build and Owner’s Representative services.

• Continuing statutory and organizational independence from the Design-Build Firm and its team, with a duty to disclose new conflicts promptly.

• District ownership of project-administration records and appropriate rights to use professional deliverables for the Project, subject to negotiated professional-responsibility protections.

• Complete audit rights, records retention, access to native electronic files, cooperation with the Texas Public Information Act, and orderly turnover of records at termination or closeout.

• Board-reserved authority for contracts, amendments, change orders, material scope or schedule changes, payment approvals, claims settlement, substantial completion, final acceptance, and final payment unless expressly delegated.

• Compliance with applicable Texas contracting certifications and restrictions, conflict disclosures, and Form 1295 requirements when legally applicable.

• Texas law, venue in Montgomery County, no waiver of governmental immunity or statutory limitation, and no binding arbitration unless expressly approved by the Board.

• Termination for convenience and for cause, transition assistance, continued protection of District information, and survival of professional, records, warranty-support, and insurance obligations.

END OF REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS