RFQ for design-build services for transitional and permanent supportive housing program

Cumberland County Community Development in North Carolina is requesting qualifications for design-build services on two coordinated supportive housing projects — Phoenix Place Permanent Supportive Housing and Robins Meadow Transitional Housing Redevelopment/Expansion — with proposals due July 24, 2026 and a non-mandatory pre-submittal site walkthrough on June 30, 2026. The County has established a 15% Minority Business Enterprise participation goal for building construction work and requires good-faith efforts in accordance with North Carolina law and federal procurement standards, including consideration of small businesses, women's business enterprises, veteran-owned businesses, and labor surplus area firms.

The scope comprises preconstruction, design, permitting, trade partner procurement, and construction services for both projects as an integrated campus. Phoenix Place will deliver ten new single-family, three-bedroom homes for permanent supportive housing. Robins Meadow will be redeveloped and expanded to exceed the current twelve transitional housing units, including rehabilitation of the front office and resource center at 503 Old Wilmington Road. The Design-Builder must support completion of all NCHFA final commitment requirements for Phoenix Place before January 2027, including final plans and specifications, signed construction contract documents, energy efficiency documentation, and Section 3 compliance certification. Proposals must maintain separate cost tracking, schedules of values, and documentation for the state/federal-funded Phoenix Place component and locally funded Robins Meadow component to preserve grant compliance and funding accountability.

The anticipated total project budget is $9,083,715 — comprising $3,748,700 for Phoenix Place (funded through HUD HOME-American Rescue Plan funds and NCHFA SHARP funds with County match) and $5,335,015 for Robins Meadow (locally funded). The initial contract term is one year with options for up to two additional one-year renewals. Evaluation criteria are firm qualifications (15 points), relevant experience (25 points), project approach, schedule, compliance, and outreach (25 points), project team qualifications and Option B selection strategy (30 points), and firm references (5 points). The County will rank the three most highly qualified Design-Builders and negotiate with the highest-ranked firm; if negotiations fail, the County will proceed to the next-ranked firm. Written questions are due July 2, 2026, at 4:00 PM. Final ranking is anticipated by August 7, 2026, with negotiations August 10–21, 2026, and Committee/Board consideration in August or September 2026.