HHS Cherokee Mental Health Institute Four Corner Elevator Replacement

The Iowa Department of Administrative Services (DAS) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP952700-01) for professional design services to replace Elevator F, a four-stop hydraulic elevator located in the Main Building's Four Corner area at the Cherokee Mental Health Institute in Cherokee, Iowa. The scope of work encompasses comprehensive design services across all disciplines, including architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical design documents; site evaluations to document existing conditions; development of a Basis of Design; permit-ready drawings; bidding assistance; construction administration; and field observations through project closeout. Deliverables include design documents at 50%, 95%, and 100% completion phases, with 100% documents due by August 6, 2026, and the final contract anticipated to execute the week of May 12, 2026, with design kickoff the week of May 19, 2026. Qualified respondents must employ an engineer licensed under Iowa Code Chapter 542B, a landscape architect licensed under Chapter 544B, or an architect registered under Chapter 544A to prepare plans and specifications. Evaluation criteria include staff qualifications and firm capabilities, approach and methods, proposed schedule alignment with state needs, stipulated fees and hourly rates, and optional interviews. A non-mandatory pre-proposal conference is scheduled for March 31, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the project site; questions and clarification requests are due by April 6, 2026, at 2:00 PM; and proposals must be submitted by April 14, 2026, at 2:00 PM via the Iowa IMPACS Electronic Procurement System. Minimum site visits include one in-person design kickoff, one virtual visit each at 50% and 95% construction documents, one pre-bid meeting, two construction field observations, and final completion visits.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting competition to disadvantaged enterprises are identified in the procurement documentation. All respondents must register with the Iowa Secretary of State (except sole proprietorships and general partnerships), demonstrate financial stability, and possess sufficient qualified staff and resources to efficiently complete the work within the specified timeline. Professional liability insurance of $2 million is required, and the contract will be executed under a modified ConsensusDoc 803 agreement. Pricing must be submitted as a lump sum fee inclusive of all reimbursables (printing, mileage, travel), broken down into three categories: Construction Documents, Bidding or Negotiation Assistance, and Construction Phase, with a unit price per construction inspection visit that will be additive or deductive based on actual visits performed. The RFP does not establish a statewide contract, and no budget range or award value is specified in the available documentation. Proposals are limited to 30 single pages (excluding dividers, cover pages, and resumes) and 10 MB file size, and must include a letter of transmittal, executive summary, responses to all RFP sections, company organizational and financial information, and service approach documentation.