Town of Granite Falls- RFQ for Design-Build Services for a New Fire Station

The Town of Granite Falls, North Carolina is issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for design-build services to construct a new fire station and evaluate the existing station located at 119 N. Main Street. Qualified design-build firms must submit Statements of Qualifications addressing the design and construction of a new fire station featuring a minimum of three drive-through apparatus bays (80 feet in depth), individual sleeping quarters, ADA-compliant restrooms and showers, decontamination and laundry areas, SCBA storage facilities, administrative offices, a fitness room, mechanical mezzanine, and emergency power generation, as well as an assessment of the existing station's structural integrity, building systems, renovation feasibility, and code compliance with order-of-magnitude cost comparisons. Proposals must be submitted in five paper copies with a PDF copy via email, limited to 20 pages single-sided or 10 pages double-sided with minimum 12-point font, and must not include pricing information at this stage. Evaluation criteria consist of project team and experience (20 percent), project timeline (30 percent), design performance (20 percent), construction performance (20 percent), and project approach (10 percent); if interviews are conducted, final selection will be based on project team experience and qualifications (40 percent), project understanding and approach (30 percent), and project management approach (30 percent). Critical deadline dates include April 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM for submission of written questions, April 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM for responses to questions, May 4, 2026 at 5:00 PM for proposal submission, and an anticipated contract award date of June 1, 2026. Interested firms should direct inquiries to Katie Parlier, Special Projects Manager, at katilyn.parlier@granitefallsnc.gov or 828-396-3131.

Selection shall comply with North Carolina General Statute 143-128.1A and requires submission of at least three responsive SOQs, with minority business participation goals and good-faith efforts compliance mandatory for participation. The Town has secured $5 million in initial funding for the new fire station, though funding is not currently planned for renovation or demolition of the existing station; the design-build team must provide anticipated costs for that work with the goal of completing both projects concurrently or in immediate succession, with priority given to the new station. State-issued funding requires the Town to obligate funds in fiscal year 2027 with final construction completed in fiscal year 2028. The design-build team must work collaboratively to validate scope, provide cost opinions at key milestones, and deliver a project balancing operational needs, durability, sustainability, and fiscal responsibility. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documentation, and no existing infrastructure or technology integration requirements are specified beyond general fire station operational necessities.