RFQ 2026-04-002 Rock House Renovation

The McDuffie County Board of Commissioners is issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ 2026-04-002) for professional services related to the renovation, rehabilitation, and preservation of the historic Rock House, Georgia's oldest stone building and a property listed on both state and National Registers of Historic Places. The project scope encompasses comprehensive restoration work including foundation drainage and waterproofing, construction of new porches at south and north elevations, complete roof replacement using wood shingles, installation of chimney caps, stone masonry cleaning and maintenance, exterior wood repairs, window sash replacement and door restoration, interior structural reinforcement, limewash surface restoration, and electrical system removal, all performed in strict adherence to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Restoration. Qualified firms must demonstrate proven experience in historic rehabilitation, knowledge of federal and state preservation standards, experience with adaptive reuse projects, employment of licensed professionals, and a track record of public-sector clients, with preference given to local Georgia firms. Submittals will be evaluated on a 100-point scoring system based on relevant historic project experience (30 points), qualifications of key personnel (20 points), project approach and understanding (20 points), past performance and references (15 points), knowledge of local and state requirements (10 points), and capacity and availability (5 points). Key deadlines include a mandatory pre-submission site visit on April 28, 2026, at 2:00 PM located at 1455 Rock House Road, Thomson, Georgia 30824; a written questions submission deadline of May 1, 2026, with responses to be issued by May 5, 2026; sealed proposal submissions due by May 11, 2026, at 3:00 PM at the McDuffie County Manager's Office, 210 Railroad Street, Thomson, Georgia 30824; and anticipated selection on May 19, 2026.

The RFQ does not specify particular set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types beyond preference for Georgia-based firms, and no disadvantaged enterprise requirements are explicitly mentioned in the procurement documents. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the available materials. The construction documents, prepared by a multidisciplinary team including Architectural Collaborative, Ethos Preservation, Sheats Structural Consulting, Ensembled Architecture and Engineering, and Koons Environmental Design and dated January 5, 2026, represent 100 percent completion design and provide detailed architectural, structural, civil, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical plans that successful firms will need to utilize and integrate into their project delivery. The RFQ is qualifications-based with fee proposals to be requested from top-ranked firms following initial evaluation, meaning no budget range is disclosed in the initial solicitation phase. The contract term is not explicitly specified, though the RFQ indicates potential for up to three successive one-year renewal periods contingent upon annual appropriation by the Board, and all proposer submission costs are the responsibility of the bidder with no bid bonds explicitly required.