Architect & Engineering Services – Air Side HVAC Systems Retrofit

The School Board of St. Lucie County, Florida is soliciting qualifications through Request for Qualifications (RFQ) #26-18 to select an architecture and engineering firm to provide design and construction administration services for an Air Side HVAC Systems Retrofit project at two school facilities: St. Lucie West Centennial High School (1485 SW Cashmere Boulevard) and St. Lucie West K-8 (1401 SW Cashmere Boulevard), both located in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The scope of work encompasses HVAC system upgrades including air handler refurbishment, ductwork replacement, VAV replacement, chilled water piping modifications, electrical work, LED lighting installation, and new mechanical room construction, with construction planned over two academic years during summer breaks. Qualified firms must possess an active Florida Architect (AR) license or Florida Professional Engineer (PE) license and demonstrate a minimum of five years of experience performing comparable projects. Proposals will be evaluated using a weighted scoring system assessing firm expertise and project approach (30 points), project team qualifications (25 points), project and financial management (15 points), availability and proximity (10 points), volume of previous district work (10 points), local participation (5 points), and Florida Certified Business Enterprise status (5 points). Electronic submissions through the Bonfire/Euna portal are due no later than 3:00 p.m. (EST) on May 21, 2026, with a question cutoff of May 11, 2026, short-list selection by May 28, 2026, tentative presentations on June 3, 2026, and firm recommendations anticipated in July 2026. Required insurance coverage includes Commercial General Liability of $5 million per occurrence, Automobile Liability of $1 million per accident, Workers' Compensation with statutory limits, and Professional Liability of $5 million per occurrence.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting the types of organizations that can respond are indicated in the procurement documents; however, Florida Certified Business Enterprise status is included as a 5-point evaluation criterion, providing preference to certified disadvantaged enterprises. The evaluation criteria include consideration of local participation (5 points), which may favor firms with established presence or previous work in St. Lucie County. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are listed in the available documentation. The selected consultant will work under a Master Professional Services Agreement template that establishes an independent contractor relationship with the Board, with Work Authorizations issued on an assignment-by-assignment basis, and the Board retaining options to extend the initial agreement term for two additional one-year periods on identical terms and conditions. The total project budget is $15 million, with professional services fees subject to negotiation and incorporation into the final services contract; the Master Professional Services Agreement establishes compensation structures either on a lump sum basis or hourly fee plus cost basis as detailed in Work Authorizations, with work under $50,000 approvable by the Superintendent or Director of Financial Operations and amounts of $50,000 or greater requiring Board approval.