Engineering Services for Assessment, Design, Contract Administration and Construction Oversite for HVAC Replacement

The Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is seeking Statements of Qualifications from engineering firms for assessment, design, contract administration, and construction oversight of commercial ground source HVAC system replacements at its Public Works Campus and Transit Operations Campus under RFQ A/E27-003, with vendor questions due November 2, 2026 and SOQs due November 19, 2026. Ground source system expertise will be weighed heavily in selection. The Town encourages participation from small, minority, and women-owned businesses but does not establish an explicit set-aside.

The consultant must assess existing systems, including 1.5-3 ton units, heat pumps, zoned 6-10 systems, air handlers, furnaces, circulation pumps, and ventilation fans, and recommend improvements. Deliverables include plans, specifications, and cost estimates, plus project administration covering six design meetings, up to fourteen construction site visits, submittal reviews, pre-bid and pre-construction meetings, six construction meetings, system verification, commissioning reviews, and final inspection. Alternative #1 would add analysis and design of new cooling systems in fleet repair facilities.

Required insurance includes Commercial General Liability and Business Automobile coverage at $1 million per occurrence, Workers' Compensation at $100,000 per employee for employer's liability, and Cyber Liability coverage at $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. Contractors must comply with North Carolina E-Verify requirements. Proposals are capped at eight pages, excluding cover and table of contents, and must include an executive summary, firm qualifications with ground source experience, a project approach with key personnel resumes and anticipated hours, and three references from similar ground source projects.

Selection follows qualifications-based procedures under North Carolina General Statute 143-64.31, evaluating firm qualifications, specialized experience, familiarity with project requirements, construction management experience, similar past projects, and past performance on budgets and schedules. Proposals go to bids@chapelhillnc.gov by 2:00 PM EST on November 19, 2026. Selection and notification are scheduled for December 15, 2026, and the three-year contract begins January 1, 2027. The Town will not reimburse proposal preparation costs and reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and cancel the solicitation before award.