AE - request for qualifications

Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) is requesting qualifications for architectural and engineering services supporting three school renovation and improvement projects under its 2023 Bond Program, with submissions due October 22, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. and a voluntary pre-submission meeting on October 19, 2026 at each project site. The selected firm must hold comprehensive A/E capabilities spanning structural, mechanical, civil, electrical, landscape architecture, interior design, acoustics, energy efficiency, security, and technology services. GRPS must include MBE/WBE participation goals; compliance with Michigan public bidding and prevailing wage laws applies.

The three projects are Union High School (1800 Tremont Blvd. NW, 264,800 square feet) requiring renovation to accommodate relocation of Westwood Middle School with classroom, athletic facility, and parking improvements; Harrison Park Academy (1440 Davis Ave. NW, 172,739 square feet) requiring cafeteria, interior finishes, HVAC, and lighting upgrades; and Campus Elementary (710 Benjamin Ave. SE, 48,767 square feet) requiring door and window replacement, roofing, interior reconfiguration, and HVAC improvements. The district's projected total program budgets are $6.98 million for Union High School, $11.64 million for Harrison Park Academy, and $10.98 million for Campus Elementary, inclusive of professional fees, construction, site improvements, demolition, and furniture and fixtures. Professional services will be compensated via lump-sum fee proposals broken down by work phase with detailed hourly rates and reimbursable expenses.

Evaluation weights technical qualifications at 55%, team interviews at 35%, and fee proposals at 10%. Board approval is anticipated December 14, 2026. Design phases commence January 2027 for Union High School and Harrison Park Academy and May 2027 for Campus Elementary, with construction completion targeted for August 2028 and 2029 respectively. The selected contractor must comply with AIA Document B133-Modified, maintain professional liability insurance ranging from $1 million to $3 million per claim, and work collaboratively with a separately retained Construction Manager as Constructor. Submissions require five copies of technical qualifications and two copies of fee proposals, with all GRPS forms signed and notarized, delivered to 900 Union Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503.