Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Building and Prefabricated Parking Garage Architectural & Engineering Design Services

The City of Kissimmee is seeking architectural and engineering design services for a new Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Building and Prefabricated Parking Garage through Request for Qualifications (RFQ2025-001) in accordance with Florida Statute 287.057. The project involves designing a 15,000-square-foot EOC building located at 8 North Stewart Avenue, adjacent to the main Kissimmee Police Department, and a parking garage with approximately 250 spaces. Required design services include site survey, site master plan, spatial needs assessment, schematic design, preliminary construction drawings, bid-ready construction documents, and an opinion of probable cost. Proposers must have previous experience designing Public Safety Answering Points or Emergency Operations Centers, be familiar with applicable standards and regulations, and produce coordinated construction documents. The evaluation criteria will assess firm experience (20%), architect manager qualifications (20%), technical team experience (20%), project manager and team experience with EOC and parking design (35%), and proposal format (5%). A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting was held on February 18, 2025, with proposals due by 2:00 PM on March 18, 2025. Eleven firms submitted proposals, with four firms (Harvard Jolly PBK, JL2 Architectural, Gatorsketch Architects & Planners, and PQH Group Design, Inc.) shortlisted on April 4, 2025.

The solicitation does not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The project will utilize a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method, with the design team expected to attend bi-weekly meetings throughout construction. The proposed facility must accommodate 95-100 personnel during emergency activations, including potential sleeping quarters and a small commercial kitchen, with specific requirements for security, resilience, storm resistance, hardened structures, and backup power systems. While no specific grant funding requirements exist, the city desires sustainable MEP design elements. The parking garage will be a precast concrete structure exclusively for 911/EOC/Police Department staff. The project budget is approximately $15 million, with design completion targeted to enable construction start in March or April 2026. Compensation will be determined through negotiation, potentially using methods such as lump sum, cost-plus-fixed fee, or direct labor costs, with the architect required to maintain professional liability insurance of $1,000,000.