Construction Management Services Mariner High School - HVAC Renovation

The School Board of Lee County, Florida, is soliciting electronic qualification statements through the Bonfire Platform for Construction Management Services related to a comprehensive HVAC renovation project at Mariner High School located at 701 Chiquita Boulevard North, Cape Coral, Florida. This Request for Qualifications (RFQ No. CQ26-0159AN) seeks a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) to provide pre-construction design services and construction phase management for a project with an estimated total cost between $8 million and $12 million. The project scope encompasses replacement of all air handling units and unit ventilators, installation of new VAV boxes, replacement of chilled water piping with polypropylene alternatives, ductwork replacement, exhaust fan upgrades, building automation system integration, and indoor air quality enhancements including bi-polar ionization technology. The contract is structured in two phases: Phase I includes conceptual budgeting, cost estimating, design participation, value engineering recommendations, and project scheduling; Phase II covers bidding, award phase services, and construction management through substantial completion plus a minimum one-year warranty period. Respondents must submit a minimum of three client references, organizational charts, resumes of key staff, past project experience demonstrating similar complexity completed within the past five years, current workload documentation, three years of audited or unaudited financial statements, and evidence of current contractor licensing and bonding capacity for the $8-12 million project range. A mandatory pre-submission conference and site walk-through will be held on January 29, 2026, at 10:00 AM EST at the project site, with electronic qualification statements due through the Bonfire Portal by 2:00 PM EST on February 18, 2026. The Selection Committee will convene on April 8, 2026, at 10:00 AM EST to score written responses and develop a short list of top-ranked firms, with Board approval of final rankings anticipated in May 2026. Evaluation criteria include Past Experience and Client References (30%), Methodology and Approach/Project Management/Cost Control (44%), Financials/Litigation/Safety (10%), Workload/District Projects (12%), and Local Participation (4%) for the written response phase, followed by presentations weighted on Proposed Project Team (22%), Methodology and Approach/Project Management/Timeline (40%), Cost Controls (15%), Creativity and Innovation (12%), Knowledge of Project Site (5%), District Projects (2%), and Local Participation (4%).

While no specific set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the procurement documents, the District has identified local vendor participation as an evaluation criterion, requiring respondents to demonstrate Lee County business location status for three consecutive years or three years of goods/services provision to the School Board with local personnel and equipment. All respondents must comply with mandatory insurance requirements including Workers' Compensation (statutory limits), Commercial General Liability ($2,000,000 per occurrence), Automobile Liability ($2,000,000 each occurrence), and Professional Liability ($2,000,000), with the School Board named as Additional Insured on applicable policies. Respondents must also provide performance and payment bonds at 100% of the Guaranteed Maximum Price and submit certifications addressing debarment status, drug-free workplace compliance, public entity crimes status, and scrutinized company status confirming non-participation in boycotts of Israel or prohibited business relationships with Sudan, Iran, Cuba, or Syria. The District will conduct background screening requirements for work performed while students are present and will impose liquidated damages of $2,500 per calendar day for failure to achieve substantial completion within contract time. Contract compensation will be structured as a negotiated percentage applied to the final project Guaranteed Maximum Price, with Phase I compensation established as a not-to-exceed amount to be specified in the final agreement, and Phase II compensation including reimbursement for Cost of Work plus the Construction Manager's Fee and General Conditions expenses, combined not to exceed the GMP, with a 2% Owner contingency included. The contract is conditioned upon Department of Education approval through the Educational Facilities Plan or Educational Plant Survey, and the highest-ranked firm will enter contract negotiation with the user department administrator, Procurement Services Director, and School Board Attorney following Board adoption of final rankings.