Professional Services - Construction Manager at Risk for the Durham Rail Trail Project
| Location: | North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Posted: | Dec 4, 2025 |
| Due: | Jan 20, 2026 |
| Agency: | City of Durham |
| Type of Government: | State & Local |
| Category: |
|
| Solicitation No: | 26-1011 |
| Publication URL: | To access bid details, please log in. |
| Bid Number: |
26-1011
|
| Bid Title: |
Professional Services - Construction Manager at Risk for the Durham Rail Trail Project
|
| Category: | Requests for Proposals/Qualifications and Services |
| Status: | Open |
|
Attachment Preview
Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
For
Professional Services - Construction Manager at Risk
for the Durham Rail Trail Project
Date of Issue: 12/4/2025
A. PURPOSE FOR RFQ
1. Through this request for qualification (RFQ), notice is hereby given that the City of Durham, North
Carolina, General Services Department, is seeking a team to provide Construction Manager at Risk
(CMAR) services for preconstruction and construction of Durham Rail Trail.
Anticipated CMAR services will include: Pre-construction/constructability reviews, value
analysis/cost analysis, cost control, quality assurance/quality control, scheduling,
logistics/phasing, and construction phase services. Prior experience with FTA projects in an active
downtown setting is desired.
2. This RFQ provides complete information on the services being sought, the submittal requirements,
and timeline. Copies of the RFQ may be downloaded directly from this site:
http://durhamnc.gov/bids.aspx.
Interested firms shall email a Statement of Qualifications, meeting the requirements defined in the
RFQ to:
Michael Aresco
City of Durham, Owner
General Services Department
2011 Fay Street
Durham, NC 27704
Phone: 919-560-4197
Email: michael.aresco@durhamnc.gov
3. Emailed Statements of Qualifications must be received by 5:00pm on 1/20/2026
To ensure receipt of any addenda to the RFQ, please contact the person listed above to register as
an interested firm. The City is not responsible for providing updated information/changes to firms
not known by the City as holding a copy of this RFQ.
4. Any questions regarding this RFQ must be received in writing prior to 1/9/2026 by 3:00pm.
Questions received after this date may not receive response. Questions should be directed to
Michael Aresco at michael.aresco@durhamnc.gov and will be answered in an addendum posted on
the City’s website: http://durhamnc.gov/bids.aspx. Firms who are registered as interested firms will
receive the addendum via email. Questions received by the Department of General Services after
this date will not receive a response or be the subject of addenda.
5. This RFQ does not obligate the City to pay any costs incurred by respondents in the preparation and
submission of a response. Furthermore, the RFQ does not obligate the City to accept or contract for
any expressed or implied services. The City of Durham reserves the right to reject any and all
submittals. The City of Durham is committed to a program of equal employment opportunity
regardless of race, color, creed, sex, age, nationality, or disability.
B. BACKGROUND AND SCOPE OF SERVICES
The Durham Rail Trail (DRT) is recommended in both the adopted Downtown Durham and the Durham Trails
and Greenway Master Plans. This DRT corridor offers an opportunity to unite several urban communities by:
a. linking east Durham to Downtown and connecting Durham Station to the city center,
b. providing amenities and open space for local and regional users, and
c. displaying cultural and historical characteristics that reflect the communities of Durham.
The approximately two-mile trail will provide safe transit for pedestrians and bicyclists through residential
and downtown areas with destinations including Durham Station, the Amtrak station, the Durham History
Hub, the Ellerbe Stormwater Project, the South Ellerbe Creek Trail, the Duke Park neighborhood, Old North
Durham, and neighborhoods/businesses along Avondale Drive.
In 2018, City Council received and adopted the DRT Plan to guide long term development around and within
the trail corridor. Upon receipt of this plan, City Council authorized the $7.8M purchase of the former
Norfolk and Southern railway corridor for development of the DRT.
The City has leveraged State and Federal grants to support the project with the North Carolina Department
of Transportation (NCDOT), the current regulatory authority. However, the City has requested that all
federal funds for the project be flexed so that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will transition to the
lead regulatory approval agency for this project during construction.
In March of 2019, The John R. McAdams Company, Incorporated (McAdams) was selected as the most
qualified firm for the project and teamed with sub-consultant, Perkins & Will, to support the community
engagement process. In February of 2020, NCDOT provided approval of the proposed design scope and fee
for the work. In March of 2021, GSD executed a design contract to initiate design, surveying, and
engagement of the DRT corridor. An amendment to the contract was approved in January of 2023 to include
65% base trail design and conceptual design for enhanced amenities. A third amendment to the design
contract was approved in June of 2024 for the completion of the base trail design and the recommended
design enhancements.
During robust engagement sessions summarized in the Community Engagement Compendium, feedback
was received from communities adjacent to the trail corridor, including groups typically underrepresented.
Several themes emerged showing consistent concern around four areas of the trail design — function,
safety, equity, and experience. The trail should serve as a recreational amenity and a place that enables
social interactions and strengthens community connections. A theme of place making emerged as a way to
honor Durham’s culture through historic rail line corridor character preservation, using native plantings,
informational signage that recognizes local history, and incorporation of public art. Additional engagement
occurred with adjacent property developers indicating support for connectivity to future development.
In June 2024 Council approved inclusion of enhancements to the trail, which reflect the initial trail vision
featuring linear park amenities, expanding the base design as outlined in the 2018 Master Plan. These
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features include a new gateway park that links the trail to Durham Station and the DRT enhancements,
which include additional site furnishings to unify common themes and highlight cultural context.
In June 2025, the City published the Public Art Vision Plan for the project. In the document, the City’s Public
Arts division, in coordination with design team, identify different phases of opportunities for public art along
the rail trail corridor. The first phase will be integrated into the project during construction, and include
stamped and stained concrete, custom railings, unique art benches, wayfinding, sculpture, and lighting. The
plan also identifies opportunities to be phased later once additional funding is identified.
In October 2025, the City received Council approval for an amendment to McAdams’ contract to include
Construction Administration services. These services include review of construction activities, responding to
questions that arise during construction, providing revised design information as needed, review of shop
drawings and materials submittals, reviewing change order requests and pay applications, and closeout
phase documentation. Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) services will be contracted separately.
Design is currently at about 85% complete, with all permitting complete by October 2026.
a. 90% Submittal City Review: March 2026
b. CD Submittal to Planning and Development: March 2026
c. 90% NCDOT submittal: March 2026
d. R/W Acquisition: Prior to R/W Certification May 2026
e. NCDOT ROW Certification: as late as May 2026
f. 90% NCDOT Approval: June 2026
g. Pre-Construction Notification to NCDOT: late June 2026
h. PS&E (final plans and specs) NCDOT Approval: September 2026
i. Permitting: July 2025 – October 2026 (not including ENOI for SEC permit)
j. NCDOT ROW Certification: October 2026
k. Federal Funding Construction Authorization: October 2026
l. Final CD and bid package: October 2026
m. Construction: January 2027 – June 2028
C. CMAR SERVICES
Anticipated services of the CMAR include: Pre-construction/constructability review, value analysis/cost
models, quality assurance/quality control, scheduling, logistics/phasing, and construction phase services.
The CMAR contract will be performed in two phases which are as follows:
• Phase 1 will include modified pre-construction phase services up to and including the negotiation of
the preliminary guaranteed maximum price (pGMP). As a part of pre-construction services, the
construction manager (CM) will develop a Master Project Implementation Plan that will identify
schedule, phasing, and logistics of completing scope of work. The City of Durham requires that the
pGMP be submitted prior to bid opening(s) for the project. A final GMP will be submitted after
completion of 95% complete construction documents, or upon award of bids and serve as an
attachment for execution of the construction contract. This contracting arrangement is preliminary,
and a sequentially phased project may be developed, depending upon the ability of the CM to
forecast and deliver earlier delivery and cost efficiency in sequential phases within the approved
final project construction budget.
• Phase 2 (or additional sub-phases) will (or may) include the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)
proposal and construction management of the project from bid to close-out.
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• Procurement of the CM services will be made in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 143-64.31
which requires that CM firms be selected based on demonstrated competence and qualification for
the type of professional services required without regard to fee. After selection of a qualified CM,
the City and the selected firm will negotiate a contract for those services at a fair and reasonable fee
with the best qualified firm.
• The CM will be an integral member of the integrated project team, which consists of representatives
from the City, the project Architect/Engineer (Project Design Team), and other consultants, as
determined by the City. It will be the responsibility of the construction manager to work to integrate
the design and construction phases, utilizing the firm’s skills and knowledge of general contracting
to contribute to the development of the project during the pre-construction phase. During the
construction phase, the CM will be responsible for affecting construction of the project within the
GMP and providing all necessary construction services through trade contractors selected as
provided by the NC General Statutes.
D. EXCEPTIONS
Any and all exceptions to the RFQ, including the attached contract (Appendix D), must be listed on an item-
by-item basis and cross-referenced with the RFQ document. If there are no exceptions, Firm must expressly
state that no exceptions are taken.
E. FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE FIRM
The City is seeking a CMAR who clearly possesses the financial resources necessary to undertake the
requirements of the proposed contract. To demonstrate those resources, firms must submit the most recent
two (2) years’ financial statements of the firm. In the event you believe that this information is proprietary,
submit with your proposal a single copy of the document(s) containing this information in a separate, sealed
envelope marked “Confidential” together with a stamped, self-addresses envelope. The City will return all
confidential, proprietary information to you at the termination of the selection process.
Firms must submit a statement from an A- or better Surety Company licensed to do business in North
Carolina attesting to the firm’s bonding capacity to provide adequate performance and payment bonds for
this project. In the event you believe that this information is proprietary, submit a single copy of the
document(s) containing this information in a separate, sealed envelope marked “Confidential” together with
a stamped, self-addresses envelope. The City will return all confidential, proprietary information to you at
the termination of the selection process.
Firms must submit a current comprehensive Dun & Bradstreet financial report inclusive of Dun & Bradstreet
rating.
The City may request that the Submitter provide an annual operating statement, income tax form, and/or
other reasonably comprehensive evidence of financial condition.
F. PROJECT BUDGET
The Rough Order of Magnitude for the total project is:
$45,322,305.00
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G. SCHEDULE
Preliminary Project Schedule
Issue/Advertise RFQ
Pre-Submittal Meeting
Deadline for written questions and clarifications on RFQ
Deadline for submission of Statement of Qualifications
Owner completes qualification evaluation and scheduled
shortlist interviews
Interviews
Notify selected team, begin contract negotiations
Complete contract negotiations with selected firm
City Council award of contract
Notice to Proceed
Date
December 4, 2025
December 16, 2025
January 9, 2026
January 20, 2026
February 3, 2026
February 10-17, 2026
February 24, 2026
March 10, 2026
April/May 2026
April/May 2026
H. PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING
There will be a pre-submittal meeting for interested firms on Tuesday, 12/16/2025, at 11:00am at the
General Services Dept., 2011 Fay St. Durham, NC 27704. Attendance at the pre-submittal meeting is strongly
encouraged but not required. The General Services Department staff will present details about the project
and submittal requirements and be available to answer questions. Please email the City’s Project Manager,
Michael Aresco, for any meeting concerns at michael.aresco@durhamnc.gov.
I. EQUAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM
1. It is the policy of the City to provide equal opportunities for City contracting for small firms owned
by socially and economically disadvantaged persons doing business in the City’s Contracting
Marketplace. It is further the policy of the City to prohibit discrimination against any firm in pursuit
of these opportunities, to conduct its contracting activities to prevent such discrimination, to correct
present effects of past discrimination and to resolve complaints of discrimination. This policy applies
to all professional services categories.
The goals for this RFQ are 0% Minority/UBE and 0% Women/UBE. Goals for Construction are TBD.
In accordance with the Ordinance, all proposers are required to provide information requested in
the Professional Services Forms package included with this request. Proposals that do not contain
the appropriate, completed Professional Services Forms may be deemed non-responsive and
ineligible for consideration. The UBE Participation Documentation and the Letter of Intent to
Perform as a Sub-consultant documents are required of all proposers. The Request to Change
UBE Participation and “UBE Goals Not Met/Documentation of Good Faith Efforts” forms are not
applicable at this time.
2. The Finance Department Underutilized Business Compliance Division is responsible for the Equal
Business Opportunity Program. All questions about Professional Services Forms should be referred
to department staff at (919) 560-4180 ubcfinance@durhamnc.gov.
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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.
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