Downtown Infrastructure Improvements

The City of Blairsville, Georgia is requesting statements of qualifications and proposals from engineering and architectural firms for downtown infrastructure improvements, with proposals due July 3, 2026. The solicitation is subject to Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) requirements, mandating that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials be produced in the United States—a decision-flipping constraint affecting material sourcing and supplier eligibility.

Firms must be technically qualified and licensed in Georgia. The scope encompasses preliminary design services and, if funded, implementation services for projects financed through Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Economic Development Administration (EDA), Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. Deliverables include a draft Preliminary Engineering Report due no later than September 4, 2026. Statements of qualifications must address company history and resources, experience with ARC, CDBG, GEFA, USDA, and other federal and state grant programs, key personnel qualifications, current workload, scope of services proposed, relevant project experience with references, and fees or percentages for the preliminary engineering report and design and construction management services if the project is funded. Respondents must provide proof of Errors and Omissions Insurance and complete the required Statement of Qualifications Form.

The project is subject to Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968, encouraging Section 3 Business Concerns to apply. Evaluation criteria are outlined in a scoring-criterion document reflecting weighted assessment of bidder qualifications, technical approaches, and proposal quality, though specific point allocations are not detailed in the source summary. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals and to waive informalities in the proposal process. Contact Kristen Bentley, Economic Development and Planning Consultant, for questions and proposal package requests.