RFP-894 Architect DMA Construct Readiness Center Somerset KY

The Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, Division of Engineering and Contract Administration, is soliciting architectural and engineering design services for a new National Guard Readiness Center in Somerset, Kentucky through RFP-894. The project involves designing a comprehensive 45,324 square-foot permanent facility with complex technical requirements, including rigid pavement for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, backup generators, enhanced antiterrorism/force protection measures, cybersecurity systems, flammable materials facility, and controlled waste facility. Respondents must be registered with the Kentucky Secretary of State and assemble a multidisciplinary consultant team including licensed architects and engineers in Kentucky, specifically requiring professionals in structural, mechanical, electrical, civil, and landscape architecture disciplines. The proposal evaluation will utilize a numerical rating system with 70 points for firm experience and capability, 15 points for related experience, 5 points for work performed in Kentucky, and 10 points for proposal responsiveness. Key submission deadlines include proposal due date of January 8, 2026, at 1:30 PM ET, a shortlist meeting on January 22, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET, and virtual interviews on February 6, 2026, at staggered times between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM ET. All submissions must be made electronically through the Commonwealth's eProcurement system in single-page PDF format.

The procurement includes reciprocal preference for Kentucky resident bidders, with potential preference points available for qualified bidders or the Kentucky Department of Corrections, Division of Prison Industries. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly detailed, the RFP emphasizes local participation through its evaluation criteria. The project budget is $39,540,000.00, with an initial design authorization of $2,000,000 for 35% Phase A design work. The contract will be structured across multiple phases: Phase A (90 days), Phase B (30 days), Phase C (120 days), and Phase D (to be determined), with the selected architect required to maintain professional liability insurance of $1 million per claim and $2 million aggregate. The successful firm will be responsible for comprehensive design services adhering to local, state, and federal building codes, including DoD Unified Facilities Code standards, with a minimum 50-year facility lifespan and incorporation of sustainable design principles. Potential additional services may be negotiated separately, with compensation structured through a phased lump-sum fee approach based on completed design stages.