RFQ Cooling Tower and Chillers Construction Services at Poston Butte High School for -QSLB

Florence Unified School District #1 is requesting qualifications for construction services to replace a cooling tower and two water-cooled chillers at Poston Butte High School in Florence, Arizona, with qualifications due September 4, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. and a pre-proposal meeting on August 21, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. via Microsoft Teams. This is a two-phase procurement: Phase One is the RFQ to select three to five qualified firms by September 21, 2026; Phase Two advances selected firms to competitive sealed bidding with bids due October 6, 2026 and contract award by November 10, 2026.

The scope includes removal and replacement of the existing cooling tower with new concrete foundations and structural supports, a concrete slab with centralized drain basin, and replacement of two existing chillers with new units each rated minimum 350 tons and 1,050 GPM at 480V/3-phase/60 Hz. The contractor must provide temporary rental chillers to maintain cooling during replacement and integrate new systems with existing chilled water, condenser water, electrical, and Energy Management and Control System connections.

The estimated project budget is $2.95 million, funded through the School Facilities Division Building Renewal Grant program and contingent upon grant approval. The contract is an all-or-nothing award to a single contractor. Performance and Payment Bonds are required at 100 percent of contract price from sureties rated "A" or better by Best's or listed by the United States Treasury. The awardee must carry comprehensive general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, Workers' Compensation insurance as required by law, and an Arizona General Commercial Contractor's license.

Phase One evaluation uses a 1,000-point scale across six categories: Firm Information (100 points), Firm Capability and Qualifications (200 points), Method of Approach (200 points), Scheduling and Cost Control (200 points), Contractor's Project Team (200 points), and Legal Considerations (100 points). Qualifications submissions must include three client references with completed Performance Evaluation Surveys, documentation of five similar projects completed within the past five years, detailed project management and scheduling plans, and organizational charts with Project Manager and Superintendent resumes. All submissions require original and electronic copies plus completed Offer and Acceptance Form, Non-Collusion Affidavit, W-9 Form, and Amendment Acknowledgment Form.