Design-Build Services for Commercial Burn Building Project

The City of Charlotte, North Carolina is requesting qualifications from design-build firms for a commercial burn training facility at 1770 Shopton Road under RFQ #269-2026-250, with Statements of Qualifications due August 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM. Evaluation is qualifications-based without regard to fee under N.C.G.S. 143-64.31, and MWSBE participation goals are established for both preconstruction and construction phases — respondents must submit Form 5 detailing MWSBE utilization commitments.

The scope is design and construction of a 4-story burn building and no-burn drill tower simulating commercial building conditions with retail spaces on the lower floor, residential units on upper floors, capacity for multiple simultaneous trainings, and hose deployment simulation capability to the second, third, and fourth floors.

The construction budget for the design-build contract is approximately $7.5 million, with a total project budget of approximately $13 million including soft costs, design, construction, and furniture, fixtures, and equipment. Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2027, with the schedule refined upon execution of the design-build agreement.

Minimum requirements include North Carolina General Contractor's license, surety bonding capacity, appropriate professional licenses for design team members, an Experience Modification Rate of 1.0 or less for at least two of the last three years, and minimum insurance: $10 million commercial general liability, $3 million professional liability, $2 million automobile liability, $1 million pollution liability, and Builder's Risk coverage.

Evaluation criteria are project understanding and methodology (25 points); experience delivering similar projects on time and on budget (30 points); qualifications and availability of key personnel (20 points); MWSBE participation plan (15 points); and SOQ quality and clarity (10 points). A non-mandatory pre-proposal conference is scheduled for July 9, 2026, and a non-mandatory site visit for July 16, 2026. Shortlist notification is tentatively scheduled for the week of August 17, 2026, interviews for the week of August 24, 2026, and notice of selection on August 31, 2026. Submissions are made through the Bonfire e-Procurement Portal. Funding is included in the City's "Construct Fire Facilities" appropriation.