Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) Self-Assessment Audit and Transition Plan Development

The Town of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, issued Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 2025-32 on January 5, 2026, soliciting qualified providers to conduct a comprehensive Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) self-assessment audit and develop an ADA Transition Plan ensuring compliance of Town services, programs, and facilities with ADA Title II requirements. Qualifications submissions are due electronically via the Town's Procurement Portal by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 17, 2026, with a deadline for submitting questions at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 4, 2026. The consultant must complete an assessment of the Town's built environment within 60 days of contract execution and deliver all remaining deliverables within six months, including an ADA Self-Assessment Report, comprehensive Transition Plan, employee training program materials, public outreach findings, and a final report with presentation to Town Council. The scope of work encompasses evaluation of approximately 79 miles of town-maintained pathways and over 100 individual facilities including beach parks, community parks, sports facilities, fire stations, administrative buildings, recreational facilities, parking lots, and specialized infrastructure such as beach access points with mobimats and beach wheelchairs, with identification of accessibility barriers and development of prioritized barrier removal strategies with cost estimates based on impact on accessibility, legal compliance urgency, feasibility and cost of removal, and integration with existing municipal projects. Prospective contractors must submit detailed qualifications including a proposed approach and work plan with identified milestones, firm experience on similar projects, resumes and experience summaries for key personnel, and minimum three client references from similar-sized projects, along with a separate pricing document containing total lump-sum "not-to-exceed" costs and hourly rate schedules for billable titles. Evaluation of submissions will be based on demonstrated understanding of scope of services and work plan (35 points), relevant experience and quality of previously completed projects (35 points), and fee proposal (30 points), with evaluation conducted by a selection committee comprised of Town staff and potential in-person meetings required for those deemed susceptible for award. The anticipated contract term is one year from execution with an option to renew for up to four additional one-year periods.

The Town extends preferences to disadvantaged businesses, certified women-owned and minority-owned enterprises, and local vendor certifications, with certified local vendors receiving up to a 5 percent price reduction (maximum $10,000) for evaluation purposes only; however, offerors must maintain a physical business location within thirty driving miles of the Town limits to qualify as local vendors. No incumbent vendors or existing contractors are identified in the solicitation documents. The procurement does not reference existing infrastructure or technology requiring integration, though the consultant will work with the Town's ADA Coordinator as the primary point of contact and utilize the Town's provided facilities documentation, employee support, and assistance with scheduling and public outreach activities. The solicitation does not specify an explicit budget range or award value; instead, proposals will be evaluated with pricing forming the basis for contract negotiations with the selected firm following qualifications evaluation. The Town has reserved the right to conduct interviews with finalists before making final award decisions, and contract award is contingent on availability of Town funds and will be made to the responsive and responsible offeror with the highest rated proposal. All submitted materials are subject to disclosure under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act regardless of confidentiality markings, and the Town does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other basis prohibited by South Carolina law.