Public Safety Improvements

Johnston Community College is seeking design services for a comprehensive Public Safety Improvements project located in Jackson County, North Carolina, through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) numbered 104-C202526001. The procurement solicits architectural, engineering, or landscape architectural services to design and oversee construction of an emergency services training facility, which will include a 600' x 600' driver training area with specialized driving tracks and obstacles, a 16,000 square foot Apparatus Training, Maintenance, and Storage Building, and multiple training props such as a shooting simulation building, drill tower, POPAT course, extrication areas, propane fire props, observation towers, and material storage spaces. Interested design firms must submit three physical copies of a Letter of Interest and Standard Form 254 by August 21, 2025, at 2:00 PM, with electronic copies on a USB flash drive. Proposing firms must be licensed to practice in North Carolina and will be evaluated on criteria including specialized expertise, past performance, staffing, design approach, project experience, construction administration capabilities, and proximity to the project location. The submission package is restricted to ten pages plus the SF-254 form, with electronic and fax submissions explicitly prohibited.

The project has a total budget of $23,000,000, which will be funded through County Bond Funds, indicating potential opportunities for local contractors and design firms. While the RFQ does not explicitly mention specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, North Carolina often encourages participation from minority-owned, women-owned, and small businesses in public procurement processes. No incumbent vendors are identified in the documentation, and the project appears to be establishing new infrastructure rather than replacing or modifying existing facilities. The proposed facility will serve multiple emergency services programs, suggesting potential collaborative opportunities among fire, law enforcement, and medical training entities. Prospective respondents should carefully review the complete RFQ document to understand the full scope of requirements, submission guidelines, and evaluation criteria, as the project represents a significant investment in public safety training infrastructure for the region.