High Country Times

County of Mitchell issued the following announcement on Feb 11.

Mitchell County is soliciting architectural/engineering firms to design a sheriff’s office. Information on the project is here. 

Mitchell County, North Carolina Board of Commissioners (hereinafter “Board”) has approved design work related to construction of a Sheriff’s Office (Department currently has a staff of 23 full time and one part time employee).  The addition of an evidence custodian/tech and a Computer /IT/ICAC position are contemplated in the near future.  The current need for housing the department with presently contemplated future positions is estimated to be 9,000 square feet (the Project).

The Board is soliciting responses from capable and experienced architectural/engineering firms with experience in designing similar law enforcement centers.  The facility proposed by the Board will not contain any confinement facility including temporary holding cells.  Design services will be procured through a qualification-based selection process without regard to fee, in accordance with G.S. 143-64.31

A proposed site to be considered by the Board is an undocumented and uncontrolled fill area.  The Board has employed an engineering company to conduct test borings of the soil and assess the suitability of the proposed site for the facility. The Board has requested of the Engineering firm site preparation recommendations and recommendations regarding earthwork, foundations, slab and pavement and on-site soil characteristics.  Recommendations on an adjoining portion of the fill were for cut and fill with suitable compacted materials.    

Mitchell County constructed a Communication Center on an adjoining portion of this fill area after receiving recommendations for supporting the structure on compressed structural fill soil.  The results of the Architectural Engineering Report on the proposed site for the location of the Sheriff’s Department Facility will be shared with all interested Architectural/Engineering firms responding to this Request for Qualifications.  It is necessary that responding firms document that it will have on, or working with, its Design Team persons capable of designing and supervising the installation of all actions recommended in the Geotechnical Engineering Report including all recommendations in the report for facilitating foundation construction on the proposed site.

The A/E Design Team shall cooperate with Mitchell County Sheriff and County Manager to design the Project in line with the Board’s goals and budget.  The A/E Design Team shall demonstrate experience with all authorities having jurisdiction including EPA, DENR, and Building Code Enforcement personnel including the Local Building Inspector.\The proposal shall contain no less than three of the following:

• Provide three (3) sets of submittals in an 8 ½” x 11” hardcopy format not to exceed fifteen (15) pages, double or single sided; and one (1) electronic submitted PDF to manager@mitchellcounty.org and one set to mcsd@mitchellcounty.org.
• A letter of interest and statement summarizing the team’s composition, interest, qualifications, experience, and special qualifications for this type of work.
• A listing of specific team members, their respected positions in the firm and role in the performance of the design and administration work anticipated to be shown in the organization flow chart. The lead designer for each specialty must be clearly identified.
• A listing of similar type of work performed by your firm with client references.
• Photographs, graphic illustrations, and reports from similar work and projects.
• Experience and efficiency working with all authorities having jurisdiction and normally involved in development of standards in the design and review process for construction of public safety facility.
• Certification that the entity is not, nor has ever been debarred from doing business with the State of North Carolina.
• A schedule showing past project completions.
• A statement noting the entity’s proximity to and familiarity with the proposed project location.

Professional services for each team shall be rendered using a modified architect/owner contract.  All questions, inquiries and submittals shall be made only to:

Mitchell County Manager

26 Crimson Laurel Circle, Suite 1

Bakersville, NC 28705

Phone:  (828) 688-2139 extension 1

Email:  manager@mitchellcounty.org

Under no circumstances shall contacts be made with Mitchell County’s personnel or members of the Board regarding this Request for Qualifications and selection process.  Based upon interviews, a firm and alternate will be named followed by negotiations for a service fee.  If an Agreement with the named firm cannot be completed, negotiations with the alternate firm shall commence.

Deadlines for receipt of responses is March 10, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.  Interviews will be scheduled and conducted and it is contemplated that a design team will be selected by May 3, 2022.

Original source can be found here.