REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
RFQ #354-UT26-30
Project Title: On-Call Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) Services
Issue Date: May 22, 2026
Due Date: June 17, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET
Issuing Department: Utilities
Direct all inquiries concerning this RFQ to:
Zach Rotstein, EI
Project Manager
Email: zach.rotstein@carync.gov
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Purpose & Background.......................................................................................................................1
1.2 RFQ Timeline...........................................................................................................................................1
1.3 Questions...................................................................................................................................................2
1.4 Submittal Requirements and Contact Information ................................................................2
1.5 Rights to Submitted Material............................................................................................................3
1.6 Communications ....................................................................................................................................3
1.7 Lobbying.....................................................................................................................................................3
1.8 Gifts and Favors.....................................................................................................................................3
1.9 Proposer Expenses ..............................................................................................................................3
1.10Proposer Acceptance ..........................................................................................................................3
2 QUALIFICATIONS PACKAGE .................................................................................................. 5
2.1 Request for Qualifications Required Document Format ....................................................5
2.2 Hourly Rates ............................................................................................................................................6
2.3 Qualifications Package Documents..............................................................................................6
3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION ........................................................................................................ 7
3.1 Evaluation Criteria.................................................................................................................................7
3.2 Final Selection.........................................................................................................................................7
3.3 Notice to Proposers Regarding RFQ Terms and Conditions ..........................................7
4 SCOPE OF SERVICES ................................................................................................................ 8
5 EXECUTION OF PROPOSAL..................................................................................................11
APPENDIX I ............................................................................................................................................. 12
APPENDIX II............................................................................................................................................ 13
APPENDIX III .......................................................................................................................................... 15
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose & Background
The Town of Cary is seeking one or more qualified firm(s) with which to contract for the
following services:
The Town of Cary, hereafter referred to as the “Town”, is issuing this Request for
Qualifications (RFQ) to solicit proposals from qualified firms, hereafter referred to as the
“Professional”, to provide Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) services for the Town.
The categories and scope of services for this RFQ are listed in Section 2. The Project is
to establish the location of existing underground utilities within the proposed project limits
of various construction projects in the planning, design, preconstruction, or construction
phase. The SUE services required for these types of projects would be an on-call and as
needed basis for two (2) years, with a two (2) year optional extension. At the sole
discretion of the Town, one or more Professionals may be selected and awarded
contracts under this RFQ. Contracts will be set up on a unit cost basis with individual task
orders for each project. Task orders will be funded through existing Town projects or
operational funds.
The Town reserves the right to cancel the program any time and create a new program
as needed. Selected Professionals that do not meet the Town’s performance
expectations, routinely decline opportunities to participate in projects offered through the
program, or lose significant internal expertise submitted with their original RFQ
response/Proposal may be dropped from the program. A Master Agreement for On-Call
Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) Services will be the basis of the contract with
associated Task Orders for each project which outlines a particular project’s scope of
work (see Appendix III).
A detailed scope of services is provided in Section 4 of this solicitation.
Information related to this solicitation, including any addenda, will be posted to the North
Carolina electronic Vendor Portal (NCeVP) at: https://evp.nc.gov/.
1.2 RFQ Timeline
Provided below is a list of the anticipated schedule of events related to this solicitation.
The Town of Cary reserves the right to modify and/or adjust this schedule to meet the
needs of the project. All times shown are Eastern Time (ET):
RFQ Process
RFQ Advertisement Date
Deadline for written questions
Town Response to Questions (anticipated)
Submittal Due Date and Time
Date and time
May 22, 2026
June 3, 2026
June 10, 2026
June 17, 2026, 5:00 PM
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1.3 Questions
Requests for clarification and questions to this RFQ must be received by the Town not
later than the date shown above in Section 1.2, entitled “RFQ Timeline”, for the submittal
of written inquires. The Town will not entertain any further questions after the due date.
All questions related to this solicitation must be submitted in writing (via email) to the
following individual:
Contact Name
Zachary Rotstein, EI
Email Address
Zach.rotstein@carync.gov
Indicate “RFQ #354-UT26-30 – Questions” in the subject of the email. Questions
submitted via telephone will not be answered.
The Firm’s failure to request clarification and submit questions by the date in the RFQ
Timeline above shall be considered to constitute the Firm’s acceptance of all Town’s
requirements. The Town shall issue addenda reflecting questions and answers to this
RFQ, if any, which shall be posted to the NCeVP Website. No information, instruction or
advice provided orally or informally by any Town personnel, whether made in response
to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFQ, shall be considered authoritative
or binding. Respondents shall be entitled to rely only on written material contained in an
Addendum to this RFQ.
It is important that all Respondents submitting to this RFQ periodically check the
NCeVP website for any Addenda. It is the Respondent’s responsibility to ensure
that all addenda have been reviewed and, if required, signed and returned.
1.4 Submittal Requirements and Contact Information
Electronic responses ONLY will be accepted using the eBid button displayed on the NC
IPS website. In order to submit proposals electronically, interested parties must be logged
into IPS. Registration information is available at NC Electronic Vendor Portal (eVP).
Proposals must be clearly marked with name of the submitting company, the RFQ number
and RFQ title (i.e., Company Name 354-UT26-30 On-Call SUE Services).
Proposers must submit one (1) electronic version, submitted as a viewable and printable
Adobe Portable Document File (PDF), on or before the submittal due date and time
provided in Section 1.2. Submissions that do not comply with the stated submission
method will be deemed non-responsive.
Cary reserves the right to reject any or all proposals for any reason and to waive any
informality it deems in its best interest. Any requirements in the RFQ that cannot be met
must be indicated in the proposal. Proposers must respond to the entire Request for
Qualifications (RFQ). Any incomplete proposal may be eliminated from competition at
the discretion of Cary.
It is the responsibility of the Firm to ensure that their response arrives at the designated
location specified in this Section by the due date and time specified in Section 1.2 RFQ
Timeline.
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1.5 Rights to Submitted Material
All proposals and supporting materials, as well as correspondence relating to this RFQ,
shall become the property of the Town. The content of all submittals will be held
confidential until the selection of the firm is made. Proposals will be reviewed by the
Evaluation Team, as well as other Town staff and members of the general public who
submit public record requests. Any proprietary data must be clearly marked. In submitting
a Proposal, each Prospective Proposer agrees that the Town may reveal any trade secret
materials contained in such response to all Town staff and Town officials involved in the
selection process and to any outside consultant or other third party who serves on the
Evaluation Team or who is hired by the Town to assist in the selection process. Proposals
marked entirely as “confidential”, “proprietary”, or “trade secret” will be considered non-
responsive and will be removed from the evaluation process.
1.6 Communications
All communications of any nature regarding this RFQ with any Town staff, elected Town
officials, evaluation committee members are strictly forbidden from the time the
solicitation is publicly posted until award. Questions must be submitted in writing to the
individual designated in Section 1.3 prior to the deadline provided in Section 1.2.
Violation of this provision may result in the Firm’s proposal being removed from
consideration.
1.7 Lobbying
By responding to this solicitation, the Firm certifies that it has not and will not pay any
person or firm to influence or attempt to influence an officer or employee of the Town or
the State of North Carolina, or any elected official in connection with obtaining a contract
as a result of this RFQ.
1.8 Gifts and Favors
Contractor shall become aware of and comply with laws related to gifts and favors,
conflicts of interest and the like, including N.C.G.S. §14-234, N.C.G.S. §133-1, and
N.C.G.S. §133-32
1.9 Proposer Expenses
The Town of Cary will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by any Firm in the
development of a response to this Request for Qualifications or any other activities
associated with this procurement including but not limited to any onsite (or otherwise)
interviews and/or presentations, and/or supplemental information provided, submitted, or
given to Town of Cary and/or its representatives. Further, the Town of Cary shall reserve
the right to cancel the work described herein prior to issuance and acceptance of any
contractual agreement/purchase order by the recommended Firm even if the awarding
authority for each entity has formally accepted a recommendation.
1.10 Proposer Acceptance
Submission of any proposal indicates a Proposer’s acceptance of the conditions
contained in this RFQ unless clearly and specifically noted otherwise with the proposal.
The Town of Cary has the sole discretion and reserves the right to cancel this RFQ, and
to reject any and all proposals, to waive any and all informalities and/or irregularities, if it
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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.