Design Build for Palm Cemetery Columbarium

The City of Winter Park, Florida is requesting qualifications and proposals for a design-build project to convert an existing Parks Department equipment storage building into a columbarium facility adjacent to Palm Cemetery, with proposals due July 7, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. This is a two-step competitive selection process: Step One evaluates qualifications; Step Two requires technical and price proposals from shortlisted firms.

Respondents must be licensed to perform professional engineering services in Florida and demonstrate three consecutive years of business operation under their current company name. The project scope encompasses design, site preparation, foundation work, demolition, landscaping, permitting, and construction to maximize niche units for cremated remains through interior and exterior improvements. The city has provided site plans, exterior and interior building plans, example columbarium installations at four reference facilities (Queen of Angels in Winter Park; Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetery in Oxford, Florida; Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, Rhode Island; and Mount Carmel Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois), and photographs of existing conditions.

The estimated project budget is $1.9 million maximum. The contract term is twenty-two consecutive months from execution or until project completion, with substantial completion required within 245 calendar days of Notice to Proceed and final completion within 30 days thereafter. The selected design-builder must provide performance and payment bonds equal to 100% of contract price and maintain professional liability insurance of $1 million. Liquidated damages are $1,000 per day for failure to meet substantial or final completion deadlines. A 33% reduction on building permit fees is available for the city only.

Evaluation criteria: qualifications and experience of key design personnel (35% weight), past performance of the design team (30% weight), current and projected workload capacity (25% weight), and financial stability measured by Experian Financial Stability Risk Score (10% weight). Questions are due June 25, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. A non-mandatory selection committee meeting is scheduled for July 22, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. The city reserves the right to cancel at any time with 30 days' written notice and may negotiate technical and price proposals with shortlisted respondents.