RFQ-P - Preliminary Engineering, Design Services, and Construction Admin

This Request for Qualifications and Proposals (RFQ-P) is issued by the City of Cedartown in Pickens County, Georgia, seeking qualified engineering firms to provide preliminary engineering reports, final design services, and construction administration for federally assisted infrastructure projects. The City anticipates contracting with selected firms within one year from the April 1, 2026 posting date to support community and economic development initiatives funded through Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Employment Incentive Program (EIP), Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA), and Economic Development Administration (EDA) programs. Immediate and anticipated projects include FY2027 CDBG water and sewer infrastructure improvements, FY2026 and FY2027 GEFA water and sewer infrastructure improvements, and road improvements adjacent to an industrial park funded through Federal Appropriations and ARC/EDA/USDOT programs, with a 36-month period of potential project opportunities. Responding firms must demonstrate strong records of successfully assisting local governments with federally funded projects and must provide comprehensive statements of qualifications including organizational history, years in business, professional licenses and registrations, errors and omissions insurance documentation, key personnel qualifications, current workload capacity, relevant project experience (up to five projects), three professional references, and proposed fee structures as percentages of construction costs for preliminary engineering reports, design, and construction administration services. A critical deliverable requirement specifies that a draft preliminary engineering report for a 2027 CDBG project must be submitted no later than December 31, 2026. Proposals must be received electronically or by mail no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 4, 2026, addressed to Edward Guzman, City Manager, at 201 East Avenue, Cedartown, Georgia 30125. For GEFA projects anticipated to exceed $3,000,000 in construction costs and $100,000 in engineering costs, the City will conduct a two-step procurement process with interviews of top-scoring firms.

Responding firms must comply with federal and state contract provisions prescribed by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and all applicable civil rights legislation, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 109 of the HCD Act of 1974, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, and the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA), which requires infrastructure project materials to be American-made. Section 3 compliance is mandatory for contracts involving $200,000 or more in CDBG assistance, requiring firms to submit completed Section 3 Self-Certification forms, Action Plans, Previous Section 3 Compliance Certifications, and Assurances of Compliance prior to contract award. Firms claiming Section 3 Business Concern status—defined as possessing 51 percent or more ownership by low- or very low-income persons, 75 percent or more labor hours performed by Section 3 workers, or 51 percent or more ownership by public housing or Section 8-assisted housing residents—must provide notarized Section 3 Business Concern Certification documentation and maintain compliance throughout the contract term or face liquidated damages of $100 per day, contract termination, or debarment from future HUD-funded projects. The solicitation does not specify an incumbent vendor, contract award value, or budget range. All submissions must include signed and notarized certifications attesting to the accuracy and truthfulness of provided information, and the City reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals and to waive informalities.