Town of Fair Bluff Small Business Center – Suite Restaurant Upgrade

The Town of Fair Bluff, North Carolina, in Clay County, is issuing a Request for Architectural/Engineering Qualification Statement for professional services related to the Small Business Center Suite Restaurant Upgrade project. The procurement seeks licensed architectural and engineering firms to provide comprehensive design and renovation services for Suite 100 at the Fair Bluff Downtown Development Center, funded by a $188,888 Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The project scope includes schematic design, design development, construction document design and permitting, construction document procurement and bidding, construction inspection and observation, and construction administration as a single "turn-key" professional contract that incorporates RBDG requirements. The renovation will enable the conversion of Suite 100 from retail space to a full-service restaurant with food preparation capabilities for the current tenant, Kousins Kitchen Soul & Catering, while ensuring compliance with Columbus County Health Department guidelines. Minimum qualifications require respondents to be licensed to practice in North Carolina with a current office in the state, maintain an architect and engineer on staff with appropriate North Carolina professional credentials, and provide a Certificate of Insurance for professional liability and workers' compensation. Evaluation criteria include completeness and content of proposals, past performance on similar projects, personnel qualifications, and minority, small business, local business, and Section 3 business status. Qualification statements must be submitted in five sets to Bobbie Faircloth, Project Manager, Town of Fair Bluff, 1054 Main Street, Fair Bluff, North Carolina 28439-0151, by 2:00 PM on May 27, 2026, with no formal bidders' conference or mandatory site visit specified, though firms are encouraged to visit the site to become familiar with project conditions.

The procurement does not identify specific set-aside designations; however, the evaluation criteria explicitly consider minority, small business, local business, and Section 3 business status as factors in proposal evaluation. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are listed for this project. The project will utilize the existing Suite 100 retail space within the Town of Fair Bluff Downtown Development Center, which currently operates under deli-style menu restrictions due to food preparation limitations, and the renovation must integrate with the infrastructure of this existing downtown facility. The procurement indicates that the Town reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to negotiate price and services with selected offerors, though no specific award value beyond the $188,888 grant funding is detailed in the solicitation materials.