26-0312 - 814 market ST museum repurpose

New Hanover County, North Carolina is issuing Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 26-0312 to solicit design services for the repurposing of the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science located at 814 Market Street in Wilmington. The procurement seeks qualified architectural and engineering firms to transition the existing public-facing museum facility into a collections and internal operations site through a two-phase project delivery approach. Phase 1, scheduled from June 2026 through September 2026 (120 days), requires space needs assessment, existing conditions evaluation, end-user coordination, concept plan development, budget estimation for project components, and timeline establishment. Phase 2, scheduled from October 2026 through December 2026 (90 days), encompasses full and complete design services including architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, interior design, signage, site work, utilities, construction administration, and assistance with permitting from authorities having jurisdiction and utility providers, with an anticipated Construction Manager @ Risk (CM@R) delivery method. The repurposed facility must accommodate office space, staff meeting rooms, artifact storage, research library, exhibit fabrication shop, print production area, exhibit storage, collections workshop, employee breakroom, and staff parking, with specific considerations for discrete climate control, loading dock and freight elevator access, historical facade preservation, and building accessibility. Statements of Qualifications must be submitted by 5:00 P.M. EST on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the form of five hard copies and one electronic copy on USB to David King, Facilities Project Manager, at 200 Division Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina 28401, with questions accepted until March 24, 2026 and answers posted by March 31, 2026. Evaluation criteria include past performance (40%), project approach (35%), proposed team and relevant experience (15%), and interview rating (10%), with selected firms to be contacted for phone or in-person interviews, and the county retaining the option to proceed with the same firm for Phase 2 upon Phase 1 completion.

New Hanover County has established a minority business participation goal of 10% of total work value in compliance with N.C. General Statute 143-128, representing a set-aside designation for disadvantaged enterprises. All responding firms must comply with E-Verify requirements for all subcontractors, provide Iran Divestment Act certification, maintain professional liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per loss, and possess a certificate of authority if organized outside North Carolina. All work must be completed within twelve months of the Notice to Proceed. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation documents, and the project does not reference integration with existing infrastructure or technology systems. While the RFQ does not specify an explicit award value or budget range, the two-phase scope of services, including comprehensive design and construction administration for a multi-story historic building repurposing project, suggests a substantial contract value, though the county reserves the right to accept or reject any or all Statements of Qualifications and to renegotiate any elements of the proposal.