Architectural and Engineering Services for Courthouse Annex Office Reconfiguration and Courtroom Renovation

Carroll County Commissioners is soliciting statements of qualifications for architectural and engineering design and construction-phase services for the renovation and reconfiguration of an existing courtroom, Courthouse Annex Building space, and approximately 10,500 square feet of additional support areas, with SOQs due August 18, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. EST. The procurement is a two-step selection process in which three short-listed firms will be invited to submit technical proposals, followed by negotiated pricing with the highest-ranked firm.

Scope includes interior demolition, hazardous materials abatement, partition reconfiguration, and installation of new architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and structural systems. The selected A/E team must provide full design and construction administration services across all disciplines, including interior design, cost estimating, and project manual preparation. SOQ submissions are limited to seven one-sided 8.5" × 11" sheets with minimum 11-point font and must be submitted electronically through Public Purchase.

Evaluation criteria focus on firm experience, team experience, qualifications of assigned personnel, and references. Firms must provide three project references demonstrating similar scope and scale; reference scoring considers completed work quality, communication, schedule adherence, budget performance, change order requests, and likelihood of future engagement. The selection process permits up to three negotiation attempts with the highest-ranked firm before the Owner may advance to the next-ranked firm. Contract award is subject to Board of County Commissioners approval.

All firms must comply with E-Verify requirements and Carroll County's Minority Business Enterprise policy. The selected A/E must provide professional liability insurance with Carroll County named as additional insured and maintain coverage for five years after contract completion; Workers' Compensation insurance is required by statute. Questions must be submitted five business days prior to SOQ opening; bidders must register with Public Purchase at least five business days in advance.