Cardozo Education Campus HVAC Upgrades

District of Columbia Department of General Services, on behalf of District of Columbia Public Schools, is soliciting design-build proposals under RFTOP-CS-0179 for HVAC upgrades at Cardozo Education Campus, with a virtual pre-proposal conference on November 4, 2026 and proposals due November 12, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Offerors must subcontract at least 35 percent of dollar volume to Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) unless a waiver is approved or the prime contractor is itself certified as an SBE or CBE.

The project covers professional design services, permitting, construction, replacement and upgrades of select HVAC equipment, building automation system enhancements, repairs to existing systems, preventive maintenance measures, and retro-commissioning at Cardozo Education Campus, 1200 Clifton Street NW, Washington, DC 20009. Offerors must provide detailed pricing for Design Fee, General Conditions Price, Design-Build Fee, and Bonds and Insurance. The contractor must obtain performance and payment bonds and carry Commercial General Liability of $1 million per occurrence, Professional Liability of $1 million per claim, and Commercial Umbrella of $5 million per occurrence. At least 51 percent of employees hired after contract execution must be District residents, with additional apprenticeship and trade worker percentages specified. Work must comply with Davis-Bacon wage determinations, Living Wage Act requirements, and Buy American Act provisions.

The design-to-budget construction hard cost is $3.5 million, with $25,000 allowances each for Owner Controlled costs and Building Permit fees. The award will be a task order under existing Basic Ordering Agreement DCAM-22-CS-RFQ-0001, using a design-build approach with cost-plus fixed fee and guaranteed maximum price structure. Substantial Completion is required by August 30, 2027, Final Completion by December 29, 2028, and an administrative term extends to December 30, 2031 for payment processing. Liquidated damages are $2,500 per calendar day for delays beyond the Substantial Completion Date.

Written questions are due November 6, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. through the procurement portal. Award will go to the responsive and responsible offeror whose lowest bid is determined most advantageous to the District, with consideration given to relevant experience, capacity, schedule understanding, key personnel qualifications, and quality assurance measures.