RFQ - Feasibility Study & Architectural Services for the Sheriff's Office

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
FOR
ROWAN COUNTY
Feasibility Study & Architectural Services
Sheriff's Office Facility Assessment, Expansion, Renovation, or New
Construction
# 2027-011
ROWAN COUNTY
130 West Innes Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
704-216-8178
jody.farrow-bennett@rowancountync.gov
Date Issued: Thursday, August 20, 2026
Date Due: Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET
Administered By: Jody Farrow-Bennett, Purchasing Director

Rowan County Request for Qualifications
Date Due: Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET Sheriff's Office
Rowan County Facilities Management
Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
SOQs shall be clearly marked:
RFQ 2027-011
Feasibility Study & Architectural Services for the Sheriff's Office
Rowan County is soliciting Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) from qualified architectural firms to
provide professional architectural, engineering, planning, feasibility study, site selection, design, and
construction administration services for the Rowan County Sheriff's Office Facility Project. Rowan
County anticipates awarding a single contract for the required services.
SOQs will be accepted until 3:00 PM ET on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the Rowan County
Purchasing Department, 130 West Innes Street, Suite 31, Salisbury, NC 28144. Submittals received after
the deadline will not be considered. Faxed submissions will not be accepted. Electronic submission via
email is preferred.
Upon issuance of this RFQ, all communications regarding the solicitation shall be directed solely to the
Purchasing Director. Contact with County staff, Sheriff's Office personnel, or members of the Rowan
County Board of Commissioners regarding this RFQ is prohibited and may result in disqualification.
All questions regarding this RFQ shall be submitted in writing to the Purchasing Director no later than
12:00 PM ET on September 8, 2026.
Any contract awarded that is funded, in whole or in part, with federal grant funds shall be procured and
administered in accordance with all applicable federal laws, regulations, policies, and standards.
Rowan County reserves the right to reject any or all submittals, waive informalities or irregularities,
request additional information, and award the contract deemed to be in the best interest of the County.
For complete details and submission requirements, refer to the full RFQ document available from the
Rowan County Purchasing Department.
Jody M. Farrow-Bennett
Director of Purchasing & Contract Administration
Rowan County Purchasing Department
130 West Innes Street, Suite 31
Salisbury, NC 28144
jody.farrow-bennett@rowancountync.gov
Rowan County
By: Jody Farrow-Bennett
Rowan County Director of Purchasing
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Rowan County Request for Qualifications
Date Due: Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET Sheriff's Office
1. Section 1: Introduction & General Instructions
1.1. Intent of Request
Rowan County Facilities Management seeks Statements of Qualifications from qualified
architectural and engineering firms to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study for existing
Sheriff's Office facilities and provide recommendations regarding renovation, expansion,
consolidation, or construction of new facilities.
The selected firm shall evaluate current and future operational needs and develop practical,
cost-effective facility solutions that support law enforcement operations, public service
functions, employee safety, and long-term growth. Following completion of the feasibility study,
the County may negotiate a separate agreement with the selected firm for architectural and
engineering design services.
1.2. Schedule:
Task Date
Release RFQ August 20, 2026
Questions September 8, 2026, 12pm ET
Accept Qualifications September 17, 2026, 3pm ET
Interview (if applicable) Week of September 21, 2026
Award Contract on or after October 5, 2026
2. Section 2: Requirement/Scope
The selected firm shall provide all professional services necessary to complete the feasibility study,
including but not limited to:
2.1. Existing Conditions Assessment
* Review and evaluate existing Sheriff's Office facilities.
* Assess building conditions, systems, infrastructure, and site constraints.
* Document facility deficiencies and operational challenges.
* Evaluate compliance with applicable building codes, accessibility requirements, life safety
standards, and law enforcement facility best practices.
2.2. Operational Needs Assessment
* Conduct stakeholder interviews and workshops with Sheriff's Office leadership, County staff,
and other relevant stakeholders.
* Review existing organizational structure, staffing levels, operational workflows, and service
delivery requirements.
* Analyze current and projected staffing, equipment, fleet, storage, training, and support
space needs.
2.3. Space Needs Analysis
* Develop current and future space requirements.
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Rowan County Request for Qualifications
Date Due: Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET Sheriff's Office
* Identify deficiencies in existing space allocations.
* Project facility needs based on anticipated growth over a minimum 20-year planning
horizon.
2.4. Facility Alternatives Evaluation
Evaluate feasible options, including:
* Renovation of existing facilities.
* Expansion of existing facilities.
* Consolidation of functions into a single facility or campus.
* Construction of new facilities.
* Hybrid approaches combining renovation and new construction.
2.5. Site Evaluation
Where applicable, evaluate potential sites and identify:
* Site suitability.
* Accessibility.
* Security considerations.
* Utility availability.
* Traffic impacts.
* Expansion potential.
2.6. Parking Needs Assessment and Conceptual Design
* Evaluate existing parking conditions and utilization.
* Assess current and future parking requirements for Sheriff's Office staff, visitors, inmates,
official vehicles, fleet operations, evidence transport, and other operational functions.
* Evaluate site circulation, traffic flow, access points, and security considerations related to
parking areas.
* Identify opportunities for parking expansion, reconfiguration, or shared-use arrangements
where appropriate.
* Review accessibility requirements and compliance with ADA standards.
* Develop conceptual parking layouts for viable alternatives and provide recommendations to
accommodate projected operational needs and future growth.
2.7. Conceptual Planning
* Develop conceptual layouts and planning diagrams for viable alternatives.
* Provide preliminary space programming.
* Identify operational advantages and disadvantages of each option
.
2.8. Cost Analysis
* Develop preliminary construction cost estimates for each alternative.
* Identify projected lifecycle considerations and operating impacts.
* Provide comparative cost-benefit analyses.
2.9. Final Recommendations
* Present recommended solution(s).
* Establish a phased implementation strategy if applicable.
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Rowan County Request for Qualifications
Date Due: Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET Sheriff's Office
* Identify project priorities and estimated timelines.
* Deliver a final feasibility study report suitable for presentation to County leadership and
governing officials.
3. Section 3: SOQ Submission Requirements
3.1. Submission and Deadline
One (1) electronic SOQ should be submitted in .pdf format using software such as Adobe,
CutePDF or PDF Writer.
The address for electronic deliveries is: jody.farrow-bennett@rowancountync.gov and, if the
firm prefers delivering a paper version; the address for mailings/hand-deliveries is:
Rowan County Purchasing Department
Attn: Jody Farrow-Bennett, Purchasing Director
130 West Innes Street, Suite 31
Salisbury, NC 28144
Subject: "RFQ 2027-011 Feasibility Study & Architectural Services for the Sheriff's Office".
SOQs received after the deadline of Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET, will not be
considered.
All questions regarding this RFQ shall be submitted by 12 pm, September 8, 2026, by email to the
same email address listed above.
No Contact shall be made with any Rowan County staff or elected officials once this RFQ is
released to the public. Rowan County reserves the right to reject any and /or all SOQ's and to
waive informalities therein.
3.2. Submission Format
To facilitate review of your SOQ by Rowan County, it is requested that your submission conform
to the following format:
Coversheet - List project title (Feasibility Study & Architectural Services) the name of
your firm, and the name, address, email address and telephone number of a contact
person for questions concerning the proposal submitted.
Experience of the Firm - Provide a narrative of your firm's prior experience and
qualifications in planning and administrative work for similar projects. Provide a list of
similar projects completed within the last five (5) years. Also, please reference the
experience of firm personnel in working with similar projects.
Project Team - Provide a list of the project team members that you propose to use on
this project and identify the responsibility of each team member and their current office
location. Provide a brief resume for each person, detailing specific similar project
experience.
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Rowan County Request for Qualifications
Date Due: Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET Sheriff's Office
References - Provide the name, address, email address and telephone number of at
least three (3) references familiar with the quality of work done by your firm on similar
projects.
Other Supporting Data - Include any other information you feel to be relevant to the
selection of your firm for this project. The entire SOQ must not exceed fifteen (15)
pages, excluding the cover sheet and letter of introduction. SOQ's exceeding 15 pages
will not be considered.
4. Section 4: SOQ Evaluation and Selection
4.1. General Evaluation Procedure
Criteria to be used in screening and ranking of the SOQ and selection of the successful firm are
as follows:
Qualifications of the Firm, Including Firm Personnel - Preference shall be given to
those firms and personnel with experience and training in planning and administration
for similar projects, as outlined in this RFQ.
Availability - Preference shall be afforded to those firms, who in the opinion of Rowan
County are able to adequately respond to requests for consultation meetings and meet
project administration requirements.
Experience with Similar Projects - Qualifications of the Project Manager and those
personnel that will be assigned to the project, including the location of their office, will
be considered. Preference shall be given to project teams with specific experience in
similar projects and any familiarity with the region and proposed projects, as outlined in
this RFQ.
Methodology -The firm's system of methods, principles, understand of our detailed
project requirements will be evaluated.
4.2. Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation criteria are intended to allow the County to evaluate specific aspects of a
Respondent's experience, technical competence, and capability to perform. The County will
evaluate and rank responsive Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) by scoring the qualitative
evaluation criteria set forth below to generate a shortlist. Preference shall be given to firms and
personnel with experience and training in planning and administration for similar projects, as
outlined in this RFQ.
Additional preference may be given to firms whose proposed project team includes personnel
with prior law enforcement leadership experience, particularly those who have served in
command, administrative, or executive-level roles and can provide operational insight into the
planning, programming, and design of law enforcement facilities. The total number of points
that will be used in evaluating all factors for this SOQ is 100, allocated as shown below:
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Rowan County Request for Qualifications
Date Due: Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET Sheriff's Office
1. 20% = Qualifications of Key Personnel
2. 20% = Availability
3. 30% = Experience with Similar Projects
4. 20% = Methodology
5. 10% = References
4.3 Contract
After all the SOQ's have been reviewed, the firm selected will be invited to negotiate a contract
with Rowan County. Rowan County reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for all or
a portion of the services described in this Request for Qualifications.
A detailed scope of work will be developed and agreed to by the Architecture firm and Rowan
County for each project undertaken. This detailed scope of work and associated fee will be
developed into a work authorization and included as an attachment to the contract. The terms
of the contract will not be exclusive, and the contract may be cancelled by either party for any
reason at any time.
5. Section 5: General Comments
1. Any cost incurred by respondents in preparing or submitting a proposal shall be the respondents'
sole responsibility.
2. All responses, inquiries or correspondence relating to this RFQ will become the property of the
County.
3. The County reserves the right to reject any or all packages received or to request additional
information as may be needed to determine qualifications. It is the intention of the County to
negotiate contracts for services at fair and reasonable prices with what it determines to be the
best qualified Consultant.
4. The County may or may not conduct interviews. If interviews are held, firms are hereby notified
that the interview process will quickly follow the submittal deadline and firms should prepare
their submittal and proposed team accordingly. Elaborate presentations and submittals during
the interview process are not expected or requested. Each interview will last no more than two
hours and will be conducted at the J. Newton Cohen, Sr. Rowan County Administration Building
located at 130 West Innes Street.
5. The following federal provisions apply pursuant to 2 C.F.R. 200.326 and 2 C.F.R. Part 200,
Appendix II (as applicable):
Equal Employment Opportunity (41 C.F.R. Part 60); Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148);
Copeland "Anti-Kickback" Act (40 U.S.C. 3145); Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act
(40 U.S.C. 3701-3708); Rights to Inventions (37 C.F.R. 401.2)Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401-
7671q.) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387); Debarment and
Suspension (Executive Orders 12549 and 12689); Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C.
1352); Procurement of Recovered Materials (2 C.F.R. 200.323); Record Retention
Requirements (2 CFR 200.324); Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications (2 C.F.R.
200.216); and Domestic Preferences for Procurements (2 C.F.R. 200.322)
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