Phoenix Academy Kitchen Renovations

The Atlanta Independent School System is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to procure Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) services for the Phoenix Academy Kitchen Renovations project located in Fulton County, Georgia. The scope of work encompasses preconstruction and construction services for renovating and modernizing existing culinary arts classrooms into a shared-use training kitchen that will support both student instruction and APS Nutrition Department training and recipe testing. Specific deliverables include combining existing kitchen and classroom spaces, replacing interior finishes and systems, installing new mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems to commercial kitchen standards, upgrading ventilation and hood systems, coordinating owner-furnished equipment installation, and upgrading classroom technology. The selected CMAR must hold a General Contractor's license (Qualifying Agent, NOT Limited Tier) and comply with APS Design Guidelines, Standard Specifications, and Standard Construction Management Agreement. Key evaluation criteria include the firm's qualifications, experience with similar projects, proposed fee structure, and best-effort participation commitment to women, minorities, and small business enterprises. Critical dates include a Pre-Proposal Conference and site visit on February 16, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET and 1:30 p.m. ET respectively at Phoenix Academy (256 Clifton Street SE, Atlanta, Georgia); a written questions deadline of February 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET with responses posted by February 25, 2026; and proposal submission deadline of March 10, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. ET through Bonfire. The evaluation schedule includes administrative review on March 11, 2026, initial shortlist evaluation on March 17, 2026, Phase 2 interviews on March 19, 2026 (if applicable), and Board of Education recommendation on April 13, 2026, with construction scheduled to commence June 15, 2026, and substantial completion by December 31, 2026.

The procurement includes a set-aside designation emphasizing best-effort participation by women, minorities, and small business enterprises, requiring the CMAR to coordinate with the Owner's Supplier Diversity office and advertise subcontracting opportunities through the Georgia Procurement Registry for a minimum of thirty days. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the RFP documentation. The selected CMAR must integrate with and utilize the Owner's project management software at no cost and ensure subcontractor training within two weeks of agreement execution. The initial contract structure is a lump-sum agreement for preconstruction services with a fee schedule provided in Bonfire, supplemented by a construction management percentage for general conditions and construction phase fees; upon completion of the design phase and bidding, the CMAR shall submit a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for APS review and approval, which if accepted will be incorporated via GMP Amendment. The Total Stated Cost Limitation for this project is $1,628,900.