New Lowndes Middle School

The Lowndes County Board of Education (LCBOE) in Valdosta, Georgia is soliciting statements of qualifications from design professional firms to provide comprehensive architectural and engineering services for the construction of a New Lowndes Middle School through a Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) process. The procurement seeks a primary design firm capable of delivering complete design services including programming, schematic design, design development, Building Information Modeling (BIM) construction documents, construction administration, interior design, signage and wayfinding, and structural, civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering services. The project consists of two phases: Phase 1 involves construction of approximately 150,000 square feet of new facilities including administrative offices, media center, classrooms, restrooms, and gymnasium, while Phase 2 includes demolition of approximately 125,000 square feet of existing structures and site repurposing. Design services are scheduled to commence May 1, 2026, with design completion targeted for December 31, 2026, and construction anticipated to begin March 1, 2027, with material completion by May 31, 2028. Evaluation will be weighted as follows: 25 percent for firm stability (corporate history, growth, resources, ownership, litigation history, and financial information); 45 percent for experience and qualifications (relevant project experience, demonstrated ability with comparable facilities, and principal personnel qualifications); and 30 percent for suitability (fit to project type, special qualifications, workload, office proximity, W/MBE inclusion, and BIM and public-school design proficiency). The primary firm must perform a minimum of 50 percent of architectural design services in-house with associated firms permitted to provide up to 50 percent. Submissions are limited to 50 pages maximum in PDF format and must be received by April 7, 2026, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time, with a written questions deadline of March 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time, and qualifications evaluation scheduled for completion by April 10, 2026.

Respondents must submit notarized Certification Forms, a Contractor Affidavit under O.C.G.A. 13-10-91(b)(1) confirming E-Verify compliance, and a Disclosure Statement addressing potential conflicts of interest. Primary design firms must maintain minimum liability insurance of $2 million per occurrence and $3 million aggregate with five years of continuous Errors and Omissions coverage, while consulting firms must carry $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. The procurement does not specify explicit set-asides or restrictions on organization types, though evaluation criteria include consideration of W/MBE inclusion as part of the suitability evaluation component. The preliminary stated cost limitation for construction is estimated at $48,000,000, exclusive of design fees, testing services, and other owner-direct costs including furniture, fixtures, and equipment. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation documents. The Owner reserves the right to interview finalists for clarification purposes and will negotiate fees only with the highest-ranked firm; if negotiations fail, the Owner will proceed to the next-ranked firm in descending order. Design professionals must demonstrate proficiency with BIM technology and public-school design experience as part of their qualifications submission to ashleyfletcher@lowndes.k12.ga.us.