Public Announcement
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR CRITERIA ARCHITECT/ENGINEER
DESIGN NEW FIRE STATION FACILITY
Violet Township, Fairfield County, Ohio (“the Township”) hereby requests Statement of Qualifications (“SOQ”) from qualified persons/firms (“firms”) interested in providing professional Criteria Architectural/Engineering design services to the Township for the design of Fire Station 593. Firms submitting an SOQ must be able to demonstrate the firm's history, experience and technical expertise in designing and engineering of fire stations.
Firms interested in being considered for a contract to provide the required services must reply in writing with a statement of qualifications no later than 12:00 pm on November 29, 2024. Statements received after this will not be considered. All questions must be submitted in writing by e-mail to Michael J. Little, Fire Chief (contact person) no later than seven days before the above-stated deadline for submission of the Statement of Qualifications. Answers to any questions will be emailed to all firms receiving this RFQ which have provided an email address to the Owner. SOQ’s shall not be e-mailed.
Sealed SOQs shall be sent by regular U.S. Mail, recognized overnight delivery service, or via hand delivery to:
Fire Chief Michael J. Little
Violet Township Fire Department
8700 Refugee Road
Pickerington, OH 43147
E-mail: Mike.little@violet.oh.us
As required by Ohio Revised Code 153.65, et seq., responding firms will be evaluated and ranked in the order of their qualifications. All submitted SOQ will become a public record in accordance with Section 149.43, and the property of Violet Township. Following this evaluation, the Township may enter into contract negotiations, with the most highly ranked firm.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The proposed new facility will be Station 593 located on Yarmouth Drive in Pickerington, Ohio 43147. The total project cost, including construction, site work, all A/E fees, permits, etc. is estimated to be approximately $6,500,000-$7,500,000. The anticipated project delivery method is Design-Build. The building and site improvements shall be designed and constructed utilizing sustainable, high performance building practices similar to LEED requirements developed by the United States Green Building Council. LEED certification is NOT required for this project.
PROJECT DELIVERY AND SCOPE OF WORK
Form of Contract
The A/E Contract will be negotiated with the Township.
Description of Services
The A/E will work cooperatively with the Township and will provide, among other services, those design professional services customarily furnished in accordance with generally accepted architectural and engineering practice on similar projects, consistent with the terms of Contract. These services include Design Criteria, Best Value Selection, Preconstruction, Construction and Closeout, and Additional Services of all types.
Preconstruction Phase services will include programming, schematic design, design development, construction documents, estimate development and other services required under the Contract.
SOQ FORMAT
Submission Requirements
All hardcopy submissions must be contained in a bound document and organized with the following tabs:
Tab 1 Firm Qualifications
1. Provide an overview of your firm and describe (1) why your firm/team is the most-qualified for the Project and (2) your firm’s approach to achieving a project that is properly scoped, on time, and on budget.
2. Describe any projects or assignments that your firm has not completed or been replaced on in the past five years.
3. Describe any pending legal action (including without limit mediation, arbitration, and litigation) in which your firm is involved directly or indirectly.
Tab 2 Personnel Qualifications — If not applicable, please state why.
1. Provide an organizational chart of your proposed Project team.
2. Describe the availability of each member of your proposed Project team and the amount of time each team member is expected to dedicate to the Project.
3. Include a detailed resume for each member of your proposed Project team.
Tab 3 Project-Specific Qualifications
1. Similar Projects. Describe similar projects to this project that your firm has completed in Central Ohio (Franklin County and the counties contiguous to Franklin).
2. Estimating. Describe your firm’s estimating process, use of trade contractors during the various stages of estimating, in-house estimators, and use and role of an estimating or design “contingency” during the various estimating points. Include a description of your firm’s track record of designing projects to the original budget.
3. Scheduling. Describe your firm’s track record of designing projects to the original schedule.
4. Construction Administration. Describe your firm’s approach to record keeping, review, monitoring and other processes in connection with submittals (e.g., shop drawings), pay applications, contract modifications (e.g., change orders), and claims.
Tab 4 Financial Responsibility
1. Provide evidence of your firm’s workers compensation insurance, and a copy of your firm's certificate of insurance showing your firm's current limits of liability for employer's liability, commercial general liability, business automobile liability, pollution liability, and professional liability.
Tab 5 Overall Team Experience
1. Provide an overview of your previous team performance as indicated by evaluations and/or letters of reference.
2. Provide your experience with similar projects (i.e. fire station design) by indicating the number of projects designed no matter the location.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
The evaluation of the statements of qualifications will be based primarily, but not conclusively, on the following:
1. Competence of the design firm to perform the required professional design services, as indicated by the technical training, education and experience of the firm's personnel who are likely to be assigned to perform the services.
2. Ability in terms of workload and the availability of qualified personnel, equipment, and facilities to perform the required professional design services competently and expeditiously.
3. Experience of the firm with comparable projects for comparable public entities, based on, among other things, the size and nature of the project.
4. Past performance as reflected in evaluations of previous clients with respect to factors such as control of costs, quality of work and meeting deadlines.
5. Other similar factors as deemed appropriate and lawful by the Township.
SELECTION AND RANKING PROCESS:
The Township will evaluate statements of qualifications submitted and select and rank professional design firm candidates in compliance with Ohio Revised Code 153.69 and notify all parties submitting statements of appropriate Township action.
Prior to selection, the Township, at its discretion, may hold interviews or discussions with individual or associated candidate firms to explore a firm's statements of qualifications, the scope and nature of the services the firms would provide, and the various technical approaches the firm(s) may take toward the Project.
Statements of qualifications must be signed by a duly-authorized official of the proposing firm or if a joint venture by an official from each participating firm.
Any proposed contract negotiations between the Township and the successful firm, as a result of this request for statements of qualifications, are subject to approval by the Violet Township Board of Trustees.
During this selection and ranking process, Violet Township reserves the following rights:
1. To reject any and all statements of qualifications, to postpone selection, and to re-solicit or cancel the procurement if deemed in the best interests of the Township.
2. To reject additional information from any and all submitting firms.
3. To subject the execution of the contract to the availability of funds and negotiation of agreeable terms with the successful firm.
4. To enter into a contract with any submitting firm based upon the firm's initial offer. Oral presentations may be conducted with one or more proposing firms as deemed necessary by the Township.
NEGOTIATIONS DISCLAIMER
Should a firm be selected, and if the Township cannot successfully negotiate within a reasonable period of time (as determined by the Township) a contract with the selected firm ranked best qualified, the Township shall inform the firm in writing of the termination of negotiations and may enter into negotiations with the firm ranked next best qualified. If negotiations again fail, the same procedure shall be followed with each next best qualified firm selected until a contract is negotiated. Violet Township reserves the right to cancel this request in part or in its entirety at its sole discretion.