GDA-057-CxA RFQ New Regulatory Laboratory

Georgia State Financing &
Investment Commission
Request for Qualifications
RFQ No. GDA-057-Cx
(Step I)
And
Request for Proposal (Interview)
(Step II)
To Provide
Building Commissioning Services
for
Project No. GDA-057
New Regulatory Laboratory
Forest Park, Georgia

TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. PROJECT FACT SHEET
II. RFQ OVERVIEW
1. GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION
2. PROCUREMENT PROCESS
3. TERMS
III. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
1. QUESTIONS
2. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
3. EVALUATION CRITERIA
4. COMMISSIONING AGENT TASKS
4.1 PHASE ONE TASKS
4.2 PHASE TWO TASKS
4.3 SYSTEMS TO COMMISSION
4.4 OWNER'S DOCUMENTATION
5. STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS CONTENTS
6. SUBMITTAL OF STATEMENTS OF QUALIFICATIONS
7. FINALIST NOTIFICATION
IV. REQUEST FOR INTERVIEWS
1. QUESTIONS
2. PRE-PROPOSAL SITE VISIT
3. INTERVIEW INFORMATION
4. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION
IV. EXHIBITS
1. Exhibit A - Certification Form
2. Exhibit B - Contractor Affidavit Under O.C.G.A 13-10-91(b)(1)
3. Exhibit C - Disclosure Statement
4. Exhibit D - OPR Guidelines
5. Exhibit E - OPR Outline

I. PROJECT FACT SHEET
Building Commissioning Services for No. GDA-057-CM
The following Schedule of Events represents the Owner's best estimate of the schedule that will be followed. All
times indicated are prevailing times in Atlanta. The Owner reserves the right to adjust the schedule as the Owner
deems necessary.
STEP I
Date Time Activity
April 1, 2026 --- RFQ/RFP issued
April 16, 2026 2:00 PM Deadline for written questions
April 28, 2026 2:00 PM Statement of Qualifications Due
STEP II (Optional)
TBD 2:00 PM Deadline for written questions
TBD ---- Finalist Interviews
PROCUREMENT CONTACT
Kelsey Ayers
e-mail: Kelsey.ayers@gsfic.ga.gov
Phone: 404-270-0207
EGNYTE UPLOAD LINK
Upload one (1) electronic copy of the complete package in .pdf format onto the GSFIC / Egnyte ftp site by selecting
this link: https://gsfic.egnyte.com/ul/pNZmp64ims and following the upload instructions provided below.
Click on the provided link above, when the page opens, enter name, email address, and company name, click
"Continue."
Drag and drop your file or click the "Browse" button to select a document from your computer. You should see an
upload progress bar and when it gets to 100% the upload is complete.

II. RFQ OVERVIEW
Building Commissioning Services
The Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission (GSFIC), as "Owner", on behalf the Georgia
Department of Agriculture, ("Using Agency" or 'GDA''), is seeking firms interested in providing building
commissioning services for a project known as Project No. GDA-057 - New Regulatory Laboratory located
at the Georgia Agriculture Terminal and State Farmers' Market campus in Forest Park, Georgia.
1. GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION
Project Background:
The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) was established in 1874 and is the oldest state department
of agriculture in the United States. The GDA helps farmers, consumers, and businesses. We regulate
animals, food, fuel, plants, soil, and pesticides produced or sold within the State of Georgia. Together with
GDA's licensing and inspection programs, the GDA regulatory laboratories protect consumers by ensuring
their food, fuel, seed, fertilizer, pesticides, and feed meet the highest quality standards.
GDA operates two state regulatory laboratories located in Atlanta and Tifton, Georgia. The labs support
regulatory actions by testing seed, feed, fuel, fertilizer, food, dairy products and pesticides, and calibrating
devices which measure weight and volume. The different locations offer different services based on the
industries they serve. As a regulatory entity, GDA's facilities are self-policing with most of the labs using
BSL-2 facility, engineering, and biosafety practices.
GDA's regulatory lab in downtown Atlanta was initially constructed in the 1950s, and the lab functions were
relocated to a leased facility in September 2024 as part of a redevelopment effort. The lab lease expires in
September 2028, and GDA's new laboratory will need to be open for business before the lease expires.
GDA is constructing a new, purpose-built lab facility from the ground up to achieve the following:
* Proper support for each lab program for the next 30-50 years.
* Adequate space for the current specific needs of each lab section.
* Flexibility to grow as programmatic needs change over time.
* Security for all testing areas and samples.
* Proper space for specialty testing.
GDA owns and manages the existing 140-acre Georgia Agriculture Terminal and State Farmers' Market
campus in Forest Park, Georgia. The scope of the project will include redeveloping a central area of the
campus to construct a new 2-story building of approximately 45,300 gross square feet, along with various
site improvements. Multiple GDA programs/functions will be collocated within the building:
* Dairy Lab
* Food Safety Lab
* Pesticide Lab
* Secure DEA lab
* Lab Administration/Quality
* Markets Operations
The project will include shared spaces for staff including, but not limited to, a training room, conference
room, break room, reception, and secure parking.

Project Delivery Method:
The delivery method for this Project will be construction manager at-risk (CM/GC), and, at a minimum, will
employ the services of a Design Professional and a Commissioning Agent, in addition to the services of a
CM/GC.
Project Budget
The preliminary Stated Cost Limitation (SCL) or construction cost of the Project is estimated at $34,000,000.
The final SCL may be revised by the Owner due to final programmatic requirements, funding availability or
other circumstances.
Project Schedule
The Design Professional's services are anticipated to begin in Fall of 2025. Material Completion MUST be
complete by April 30th, 2028, to avoid excessive liquidated damages. Early component change orders will
be contemplated for abatement, demolition, site prep, and foundations to help expedite the schedule.
(Note: All of the dates indicated in this section are estimates and as such are subject to change.)
Sustainable Approach
The project will incorporate the requirements of the Energy Efficiency & Sustainable Construction Act of
2008 (O.C.G.A. 50-8-18) and it is the desire of the Owner to incorporate sustainable design and
construction concepts in the project where feasible to do so. Further, Georgia Peach certification is required
with commissioning.
Owner's Project Management Program (e-Builder)
CxA shall be required to use the Owner's free Project Management Program, E-Builder, for contract
administration processes including, but not limited to, Requests for Information, Change Orders, Payment
Applications, Notices of Non-Compliance and Incumberance Records.
Contract Information
The contract for Building Commissioning Services will be the GSFIC Building Commissioning Services
Agreement. The agreement can be located on the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission's
website:
https://gsfic.georgia.gov/doing-business-gsfic/construction-agreements-agency-request-form
Firms are encouraged to review and become familiar with the terms and conditions of this agreement.
Firms participating in this procurement process agree to execute the GSFIC contract form without
modification.
2. PROCUREMENT PROCESS
Selection of the Commissioning Agent will be a two-step process based upon the CxA's qualifications and
interview, as determined by a Selection Committee.
Step I - Request for Qualifications
The selection process starts with the Request for Qualifications ("RFQ"). Interested firms shall submit
Statements of Qualifications. Firms meeting the Minimum Qualifications outlined in the RFQ will have their
Statements of Qualifications reviewed by Selection Committee consisting of representatives of the Using
Agency, GSFIC, and possibly a third-party representative (i.e., another state representative, program
manager, etc.). The Selection Committee shall score each Statement of Qualifications to determine the
shortlisted firms.

Step II - Interview / Presentation (at owners' discretion)
The Owner may elect to interview one or more finalist(s) and shall notify finalist(s) in writing of the place
and time for the interview session. Detailed interview instructions and requirements of the finalists will be
provided in the Finalist Notification. All members of the Selection Committee will be present during all of
the presentations and interviews. Firms shall not address any questions, prior to the interview, to anyone
other than the designated Procurement Services Department representative.
3. TERMS
All respondents to this RFQ are subject to instructions communicated in this document and additional terms
and conditions contained herein.
Restriction of Communications
From the issue date of this (RFQ) solicitation until the final selection is announced, proposers are not
allowed to communicate FOR ANY REASON regarding this project with any members of the Selection
Committee except communications allowed or required during the solicitation process. Proposers are
further prohibited from communicating with GSFIC, the Using Agency, the End-User, or the Architect,
REGARDING THIS RFQ OR THIS PROJECT except for communications with the GSFIC Procurement
Representative. All questions regarding this RFQ should be directed to the Procurement Representative.
For violation of this provision, the Owner reserves the right to reject the qualifications/proposal of the
offending proposer.
Submittal Costs and Confidentiality
All expenses for preparing and submitting responses are the sole cost of the party submitting the response.
The Owner is not obligated to any party to reimburse such expenses. All submittals upon receipt become
the property of the Owner. Labeling information provided in submittals "proprietary" or "confidential," or any
other designation of restricted use will not protect the information from public view. Subject to the provisions
of the Open Records Act, the details of the proposal documents will remain confidential until the final award.
Award Conditions
This request is not an offer to contract or a solicitation of bids. This request and any proposal submitted in
response, regardless of whether the proposal is determined to be the best proposal, is not binding upon
GSFIC and does not obligate GSFIC to procure or contract for any services. Neither GSFIC nor any party
submitting a response will be bound unless and until a written contract mutually accepted by both parties
is negotiated as to its terms and conditions and is signed by GSFIC and a party containing such terms and
conditions as are negotiated between those parties. The Owner reserves the right to waive non-compliance
with any requirements of this RFQ and to reject any or all Statements of Qualifications submitted in
response. Upon receipt and review of responses, the Owner will determine the party(s) and proposal that
in the sole judgment of the Owner is in the best interest of the Owner (if any is so determined), with respect
to the evaluation criteria stated herein. The Owner then intends to conduct negotiations with such party(s)
to determine if a mutually acceptable contract may be reached and in the course of doing so may use ideas
expressed in any proposal.
Evaluation of Submittals and Qualifications
Evaluation of the Statements of Qualifications will be conducted by a Selection Committee consisting of
various project stakeholders. Based upon the predetermined rating criteria contained in the RFQ, the
committee will assign a composite rating to each firm. Proposers understand and accept that by responding
to this solicitation they are willingly participating in a process that consists to some degree of subjectivity
on the part of selection committee members in determining the firm(s) capable of providing the best overall
solution.
Reciprocal Preference Law
For the purposes of evaluation only, a proposer that resides in the State of Georgia will be granted the
same preference over proposers that reside in another State in the same manner, on the same basis, and

to the same extent that preference is granted in awarding bids for the same goods or services by such other
State to proposers that reside therein. For the purposes of this law, the definition of a resident proposer is
one who maintains a place of business with at least one employee inside the State of Georgia. A P.O. Box
address will not satisfy this requirement.
Joint-Venture Proposals
GSFIC does not generally desire to enter into "joint-venture" agreements with multiple Commissioning
Agent firms. In the event two or more firms desire to "joint-venture," it is strongly recommended that one
incorporated firm propose and maintain status as the Commissioning Firm with the remaining firms
participating as major consultants.
Small and Minority Business Enterprise
It is the policy of the state of Georgia that minority-owned business enterprises (MBE), woman-owned
business enterprises (WBE) and small business enterprises (SBE), have a fair and equal opportunity to
participate in the state purchasing process. Therefore, the Owner encourages all MBE, WBE and SBE to
compete for contracts to provide goods, services, and construction, and encourages contractors to solicit
MBE, WBE and SBE in procuring subcontractors and suppliers. This desire on the part of the Owner is not
intended to restrict or limit competitive bidding or to increase the cost of the work. The Owner supports a
healthy free market system that seeks to include responsible businesses and provides ample opportunity
for business growth and development.
Contractors and subcontractors who utilize qualified minority subcontractors may qualify for a Georgia state
income tax credits for qualified payments made to minority subcontractors. In accordance with O.C.G.A.
48-7-38, when computing taxable net income of a Georgia based corporation, partnership, or individual,
there shall be subtracted from federal taxable income or federal adjusted gross income 10 percent of the
amount of qualified payments to certified minority subcontractors for state-agency-related construction
projects. For more information on filing only, contact the Georgia Department of Revenue at 404-417-2399.
A company cannot receive an MBE Certification with the state of Georgia government without first receiving
the DBE certification. To obtain information on the DBE/MBE Certification contact:
Georgia Department of Transportation DOAS Supplier Relations
One Georgia Center 200 Piedmont Avenue, S.E.
600 West Peachtree NW Suite 1308, West Tower
Atlanta, Georgia 30308 Atlanta, Georgia 30334-9010
404-631-1990 404-657-6000
Statement of Agreement
With submission of a proposal, the Proposer agrees that he/she has carefully examined the Request for
Proposal, and the Proposer agrees that it is the Proposer's responsibility to request clarification on any
issue(s) in any section of the Request for Proposal with which the Proposer disagrees or needs clarified.
The Proposer also understands that failure to mention these items in the proposal will be interpreted to
mean that the Proposer is in full agreement with the terms, conditions, specifications and requirements in
the therein. With submission of a proposal, the Proposer hereby certifies: (a) that this proposal is genuine
and is not made in the interest or on behalf of any undisclosed person, firm, or corporation; (b) that Proposer
has not directly or indirectly included or solicited any other Proposer to put in a false or insincere proposal;
(c) that Proposer has not solicited or induced any person, firm, or corporation to refrain from sending a
proposal.
Debarred, Suspended or Ineligible Firms
Contracts will not be executed and bids or proposals will not be solicited or considered from debarred,
suspended or ineligible persons or firms during the period of debarment. The list of debarred, suspended
or ineligible firms can be located on the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission's website at
http://www.gsfic.georgia.gov. Once on the website, select the "Doing Business with GSFIC" tab, then select
"Procurement Services," then click on the "Debarred, Suspended or Ineligible Entities" tab for access to the
list of those firms currently considered debarred, suspended or ineligible to compete, contract or
subcontract for work on projects administered by the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission.

III. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
All firms interested in performing Commissioning Services shall submit a Statement of Qualifications in
accordance with the terms below.
1. QUESTIONS
The deadline for submission of questions relating to the RFQ is the time and date shown in the Schedule
of Events shown above. All relevant and significant questions that have been submitted in writing prior to
the deadline will be compiled, and answers will be posted to the project information on the Georgia
Procurement Registry at http://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/PRSapp/ . Questions from Commissioning Firms about
any aspect of the RFQ, or the project, shall be submitted in writing (e-mail is preferable) to the Point of
Contact on the Project Fact Sheet.
2. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Firms must meet the following Minimum Qualifications in order to have their Statement of Qualifications
reviewed and scored by the Selection Committee.
The firm or its principals are not currently ineligible, debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded
from bidding or contracting by any state or federal agency, department, or authority.
The firm or its principals have not been terminated for cause or be currently in default on any public
works contract.
The firm must have current Commercial General Liability Insurance coverage with minimum limits of
$1,000,000 per occurrence. Firm must also have current professional a liability coverage in the
amount of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence. (The Owner reserves the right to require additional
limits and/or coverage for actual contract.)
3. EVALUATION CRITERIA
The Selection Committee will evaluate the Statements of Qualifications which have met the above minimum
qualifications according to the Criteria for the evaluation are listed below:
Stability of the firm, including the firm's corporate history, growth, resources, form of
25% - Stability
ownership, litigation history, financials, and other evidence of stability.
Firm's relevant project experience and qualifications, including the demonstrated
ability of firm in effective commissioning of facilities comparable in complexity, size,
45% - and function to the one contemplated hereby. Experience with Owners such as the
Experience & State of Georgia or other similarly structured organizations. Proposed organization of
Qualifications the CxA Team for this project including individuals and their roles and responsibilities.
Proposed CxA Plan for the project including firm's proposed overall role in this project,
firms anticipated level of management responsibility and accountability for project
concerns.
Firm's apparent suitability to provide the required services for the Project, including
but not necessarily limited to the firm's apparent fit to the project type and/or needs of
the Owner. Any special or unique company or personnel qualifications, current and
30% - Suitability projected workloads with the Owner, the proximity of office or lead staff to Project
location, and services offered by the firm that they are best suited for the anticipated

scope of the project. Firms process for efficiently addressing and reporting
discrepancies as well as your follow-up procedures. Proposed timeline covering the
commissioning milestones throughout the commissioning process. O&M
Documentation and training process.
4. COMMISSIONING AGENT TASKS
The Owner desires commissioning for the project to ensure that all systems including the building envelope
are complete and will function properly when installed or constructed and that the facility staff has adequate
system documentation and training.
Specific requirements of the Commissioning process and responsibilities, duties, and obligations of the
Commissioning Authority (CxA) team are described herein, Commissioning Tasks. To accomplish these
tasks, the CxA shall be required to coordinate their activities with other entities.
The Commissioning process does not take away from or reduce the responsibility of the Design
Professional to provide a finished and fully functioning product. It is noted that the services of the Design
Professional or Construction Professional and various subcontractors are NOT provided for under this
Scope of Work and the CxA is not responsible for providing their services.
The CxA will not be responsible for design concept, design criteria, compliance with codes, design, or
general construction scheduling, cost estimating, construction management, or construction supervision.
The CxA may assist the Design Professional with design issues or problem solving, but ultimate
responsibility for meeting the project objectives and requirements resides with the Design Professional.
For the purposes of this RFQ, commissioning tasks are separated into two phases. The first phase shall
consist of the development of the Owner's Project Requirements document by the CxA and Review of the
DP's Basis of Design information to ensure consistency with the OPR. The second phase services shall
consist of all tasks identified beyond the OPR and BOD documents. Typically, the Owner will contract with
the CxA for the first phase and then at the Owner's sole discretion, will negotiate for phase two services
and if agreeable, amend the CxA contract to include those additional services.
4.1 PHASE ONE TASKS
* Develop Owner's Project Requirements (OPR) per the ASHRAE Standard 202-2018
* Review Owner's Project Requirements for completeness and clarity
* Review the DP's Basis of Design (BOD) information and ensure consistency with OPR.
The OPR should contain the following items: general project information (size and schedule), training
operations and maintenance requirements, building space and occupancies summary, and building
performance criteria (energy, materials and resources, and indoor air quality). Sample OPR Guidelines and
Outline are provided with this RFQ, see Exhibits D and E.
The BOD information will be used to satisfy the OPR. The BOD should include an overview of building
systems, summer and winter design conditions (interior and exterior), HVAC system selection, utilities,
lighting, code and life safety requirements, budget and special systems (pure water, air, etc.)
4.2 PHASE TWO TASKS
The following tasks (for MEP Systems and Building Envelope) will be accomplished by the CxA to provide
Commissioning during the following phases of the project: (All tasks listed are Georgia (Peach) Required).

DESIGN PHASE
* Conduct a Design Phase Cx kickoff meeting.
* Develop preliminary Commissioning Plan, provide DP with draft.
* Coordinate with the Design Professional to incorporate commissioning specifications/requirements
into the construction documents.
* Conduct Cx design reviews of drawings and specs at phases determined by Owner.
* Create commissioning deficiencies / issues log to be updated throughout Cx.
* Complete checklist verifying that CxA has received the latest version of design documents.
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
* Conduct a Construction Phase Cx kickoff meeting.
* Update commissioning plan as necessary
* Review contractor submittals applicable to systems being commissioned.
* Develop Construction checklists for equipment and systems to be commissioned.
* Develop functional test procedures and documentation formats for all commissioned equipment
and systems.
* Develop and maintain site observation reports.
* Prepare Cx progress reports.
* Hold construction phase Cx meetings in conjunction with construction progress meetings (OAC
meetings)
* Maintain Cx deficiencies / issues log.
* Verify Cx deficiency corrections.
* Review Requests for Information (RFI's) and changes for impacts on Cx
* Review completed copies of factory or contractor provided pre-start up and start up test forms.
* Perform on-site validation of successful completion of Functional Performance Test (FPT)
* Maintain record of functional testing
* Witness the Test and Balance (TAB) testing for completeness and accuracy.
* Review TAB report
* Review Operation & Maintenance (O&M) manuals, as-built documentation, and training
documentation
* Perform installation and walk-thru and prepare observation reports.
* Review equipment warranties
* Review and participate in contractor provided training program for agency maintenance personnel.
* Verify that requirements for staff training are complete.
* Develop a system manual for commissioned systems.
* For Envelope Cx the following activities will apply:
Review of building envelope mock-ups (roof, skin, windows, etc)
Observe or conduct envelope tests (water, sealant tests, wind load, etc.)
Attending installation meetings as needed (pre-roof, curtain wall, exterior skin, etc.)
Conduct envelope inspections and prepare observation reports during installation.
OCCUPANCY AND WARRANTY
* Complete final Cx issues log that includes resolved and unresolved issues.
* Address concerns with operating facility and staff
* Verify the installation and performance of all commissioned systems no later than 10 months after
material completion of the project (Complete and submit checklist form, click link below for sample
form)
http://web01.spo.ga.gov/construction/CommissioningGuidelines/ChecklistForm.pdf
* Complete final Cx Report
(Final Commissioning Report to contain all relevant information, correspondence, tests,
data, findings, and summary for the entire project. Typical reports include an executive