BR-87-2701 Georgia Highlands College Master Plan

Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
Request for Qualifications
(Step I)
and
Request for Proposals and Interviews
(Step II)
To Provide Professional Planning Consulting Services for
Project Number BR-87-2701
"Georgia Highlands College Master Plan"
Georgia Highlands College
Rome/Cartersville, GA
Solicitation Date: 25 September 2026
Statements of Qualification Due: 26 October 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
BR-87-2701 - Georgia Highlands College Master Plan Consultant RFQ/RFP 1

CONTENTS
Step I - Request for Qualifications
1. Project Background 3
2. Project Overview, Fee, and Engagement/Completion Dates 4
3. Schedule of Events (Step I) 5
4. Submission of Questions and Requests for Clarification 5
5. Instructions for Preparing Statements of Qualifications 5
6. Submission of Qualifications 7
7. Qualifications Review Process 7
8. Finalist Notification 7
Step II - Requests for Proposals and Interviews (Qualified Finalists
Only)
1. Schedule of Events (Step II) 7
2. Mandatory Site Visit 7
3. Submission of Proposal - Work Plan and Fee Allocation 8
4. Interview/Presentation Information 8
5. Selection Process 8
Additional Terms and Conditions 9
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STEP I - REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
IMPORTANT - Read the document carefully, the selection requirements and procedures have changed!
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (BOR) on behalf of Georgia Highlands College (GHC)
is soliciting statements of qualifications from firms interested in providing professional consulting services for the
Georgia Highlands College Master Plan (BR-87-2701). BOR (Owner) is releasing this Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
to identify potential consultants. Respondents determined by the Owner to be especially qualified may be invited to offer
proposals and interview. All respondents to this RFQ are subject to instructions communicated in this document, and
should review the entire RFQ and follow instructions carefully. BOR reserves the right to reject any or all statements of
qualifications.
1. PROJECT BACKGROUND
GHC is a State College of the University System of Georgia (USG). GHC was founded 1970 as a USG Junior College,
and in 2011 became a State College authorized to offer 4-year degrees. Today, GHC offers four Bachelors degrees in
nine majors along with a variety of career and transfer Associate degrees.
The project scope will include two campuses (GHC: Cartersville and Rome). Rome consists of both Floyd and Heritage
Hall. GHC instructional sites in Dallas, Marietta, and downtown Rome must be understood as part of the planning
context, but are not included in the active project scope.
GHC's original main campus in Rome (233 acres, ~250K GSF) has eight buildings totaling ~195K GSF which were built
1970-1980, with the remaining 55K GSF of inventory built in the 1990s. The Cartersville campus (197 acres, 3 buildings,
262K GSF) opened in 2005. There is no student housing on either GHC campus. The last comprehensive master plan
for the Rome campus was completed in 1997, with a subsequent "campus repositioning" planning study undertaken in
2016. The Cartersville campus master plan was completed in 2008. A "refresh" of the GHC strategic plan was initiated
in 2024.
The following table tracks recent GHC enrollment trend data. Overall, fall enrollment at Cartersville has remained
steady, with a slight decline of 2% from Fall 2022 to Fall 2025, and a projected return to 2022 numbers by Fall 2027.
Fall enrollment for Rome (Floyd + Heritage Hall) has also remained steady, and is projected to remain as such through
Fall 2027. In Fall 2025, over 28% of GHC students took 100% of their courses online, which has increased 3% since
Fall 2022.
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2. PROJECT OVERVIEW, FEE, AND ENGAGEMENT/COMPLETION DATES
Preliminary Project Scope and the 2018 USG Master Plan Guidelines
In October 2018, the updated USG Master Plan Guidelines were implemented to describe data collection
responsibilities and the general scope for master plans at institutions within the system. The GHC Master Plan process
and scope will follow these guidelines, with the specific scope of work to be refined during contract negotiations with the
selected firm.
The GHC Master Plan will largely rely on the university's internally maintained data, including the room inventory
and departmental office assignment information used for space utilization analysis, as well as planning-level building
condition information, campus infrastructure studies, etc. Base building/room space inventory data, faculty/staff data
and room-level analysis of scheduled instructional utilization for instructional spaces (110 general classroom, 211
instructional lab, 212 computer classroom, and 213 distance learning classroom) will be provided by the system office at
project commencement; however, consultants should be prepared to conduct additional analysis in alignment with USG
approach and methodology.
USG's approach to space utilization is outlined in the 2013 Space Utilization Study, wherein new methods and metrics
were developed for the assessment of over 60 USG campuses and instructional sites during Fall semester 2012. High-
level metrics and detailed specialty analyses are conducted for individual institutions and campuses as warranted for
planning, capital prioritization, and decision support.
Project Fee, Engagement, and Completion
The budgeted fee for the project is $350,000, including all reimbursables. Finalist firms will be required to submit a
detailed proposal for the anticipated allocation and deployment of the project fee in Step II.
Project contract execution will occur in December 2026, with initial project engagement anticipated in January 2027.
The anticipated target date for project completion is January 2028.
3. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (STEP I)
The following Schedule of Events represents the Owner's best estimate of the procurement schedule. The Owner
reserves the right to adjust the schedule as the Owner deems necessary.
EVENT DATE TIME
a. Advertisement of RFQ 25 September 2026
b. Deadline for written questions/clarifications (see Section 5) 14 October 2026 1:00 PM EDT
c. Deadline for submission of qualifications 26 October 2026 4:00 PM EDT
d. Owner completes evaluation, post results, and issues notification to finalist firms 06 November 2026
4. SUBMISSION OF QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION
It is the responsibility of each respondent to examine the entire RFQ, seek clarification in writing, and review its
submittal for accuracy before submitting the document. Questions about any aspect of the RFQ or project shall be
submitted in writing via email to USG Director of Planning Maura Ikharo (maura.ikharo@usg.edu). Please include
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"BR-87-2701 Consultant RFQ Questions" in the subject line of the message.
The deadline for submission of questions relating to the RFQ are listed in Section 4, Schedule of Events. All relevant
questions and requests for clarification received by the Owner and the corresponding responses will be posted on the
Georgia Procurement Registry as an addendum to the original solicitation for services.
5. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
Firms seeking consideration must submit a Statement of Qualifications pursuant to the instructions and specifications
listed below. Statements of qualifications shall be prepared and submitted electronically as a single PDF file formatted
for printing to a standard 8.5" x 11" page size and a maximum overall length of 20 pages sequentially numbered,
including any title pages, photo pages, or other pages with limited content. Statements of Qualifications must be
responsive to all requested information, and be further organized and enumerated as outlined below:
A. Cover Letter
Provide a cover letter signed by firm principal which certifies the accuracy of the information submitted within the
Statement of Qualifications.
B. Description and Resources of Firm(s)
B1 Basic prime firm information, including company name, address, primary contact, telephone number, email
address, and company website (if available). If the firm has multiple offices, the qualification statement shall
include information about the parent company and branch office(s) separately and identify the office from
which the project will be managed. Provide form of ownership, including state of residency or incorporation.
B2 Has the firm been involved in any litigation in the past five years? Describe your experience with litigation with
Owners. List any active or pending litigation and explain.
B3 Has the firm ever been removed from a Consultant services contract or failed to complete a contract as
assigned? (if yes, please describe.)
B4 Briefly describe the history and growth of the firm, including number of years in business and total revenue
from the past three years.
B5 Describe the prime firm's master planning services and provide general information about the firm's
personnel resources. Include, by discipline, the number of staff that are currently licensed/certified
(AICP, AIA, ASLA, PE, etc).
B6 Describe the prime firm's approach to subconsultant teaming. Identify confirmed and/or potential
subconsultant firms, indicate their roles on the master planning team, and describe their past collaborations
with the prime consultant and other subconsultants.
C. Experience and Qualifications
C1 Provide professional qualifications and description of experience for proposed planning personnel.
C2 Provide information on the prime firm's experience on projects of similar type, size, function, and complexity.
Describe no more than ten (10) and no fewer than five (5) projects, in order of most relevant to least relevant,
which demonstrate your firm's capabilities to perform the project. For each project, the following information
should be provided:
* Project name
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* Client name
* Project location
* Project time-frame (including beginning and ending months and years)
* Brief project description
* Representative graphic deliverables
* Your firm's role as prime consultant or subconsultant
* Project fee and (if applicable) your firm's share of the fee
* Services performed by your firm
* Primary project personnel and their roles
* Owner's current contact information for potential reference
D. Statement of Suitability
D1 Provide any information that may serve to differentiate the firm from others in terms of suitability and
unique qualifications for the project. Describe any services offered by the firm that may be particularly suitable
for this project.
D2 Provide current and projected firm workloads to demonstrate adequate bandwidth for project success.
D3 Provide Minority/Woman-Owned Business Enterprise status, and any non-discrimination and affirmative action
policies of the firm.
6. SUBMISSION OF QUALIFICATIONS
Statements of qualifications shall be submitted via email or other appropriate electronic file transfer mechanism to USG
Director of Planning Maura Ikharo (maura.ikharo@usg.edu) by 26 October 2026 at 4:00 PM EDT. Submissions received
after this time will not be considered.
7. QUALIFICATIONS REVIEW PROCESS
A selection of finalist firms will be made by a Selection Committee consisting of BOR and GHC representatives. The
Selection Committee will receive and review Statements of Qualifications submitted in response to this RFQ and
evaluate the submittals based on the following criteria:
* 15% Factor: Stability of the firm(s), including the firm's history, resources, form of ownership, litigation status, etc.
* 50% Factor: Firm's relevant project experience and qualifications, including the demonstrated ability of the firm in
effective master planning for institutions/campuses that are comparable in scope, function, complexity, and size.
* 35% Factor: Suitability of the firm(s) to provide required services, including the firm's apparent fit to the project,
unique qualifications, resource bandwidth, etc.
8. FINALIST NOTIFICATION
Upon completion of the evaluation of Statements of Qualifications, the finalist firms will recieve written notification via
email. The finalist firms will also appear on the USG website at https://www.usg.edu/facilities/external_partners/other_
project_selections and be posted at the RFQ solicitation on the Georgia Procurement Registry.
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STEP II - REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND INTERVIEWS (QUALIFIED
FINALISTS ONLY)
1. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (STEP II)
The following Schedule of Events represents the Owner's best estimate of the Step II procurement schedule. The
Owner reserves the right to adjust the schedule as the Owner deems necessary.
EVENT DATE TIME
a. Notification of finalist firms 06 November 2026
b. Mandatory site visit for finalist firms N/A
12 November
c. Deadline for submission of proposal - work plan and fee allocation 4:00 PM EST
2026
d. Interviews of finalist firms 18 November 2026 TBA
2. MANDATORY SITE VISIT
Not Applicable for this selection.
3. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL - WORK PLAN AND FEE ALLOCATION
Proposals submitted by finalist firms shall be prepared pursuant to the instructions and specifications listed below. The
Work Plan and Schedule element (described below in 3.A.) shall be prepared and submitted electronically as a single
PDF file formatted for printing to a standard 8.5" x 11" page size and a maximum overall length of 15 pages sequentially
numbered, including any title pages, photo pages, or other pages with limited content. The Anticipated Fee Allocation
and Deployment element (described below in 3.B.) must be entered using the "GHC Master Plan Fee Allocation
Template" Excel workbook provided to finalist firms.
A. Work Plan and Schedule
A1 Provide your team's anticipated scope of services and work plan for the project, organized within the four-
phase framework identified in the USG Master Plan Guidelines. The work plan and scope should include
relevant tasks, anticipated stakeholder engagements (on campus and/or virtual), deliverables and key
process milestones. Include mapping of how project work and responsibility will be assigned to individual
team firms/members. The scope and work plan should convey your team's master planning methods,
priorities, and values.
A2 Provide a preliminary schedule (preferably in graphic form), also organized within the four-phase framework
identified in the USG Master Plan Guidelines. The schedule should lay out the timing of proposed tasks,
anticipated stakeholder engagements (on-campus and/or virtual), and deliverables. The schedule should be
organized within the four-phase framework identified in the USG Master Plan Guidelines.
A3 Describe how your team integrates data into the planning process. Identify and describe which data sets are
most critical to master planning, and how your team has addressed data deficiencies and/or has successfully
advanced despite the deficiencies during previous projects.
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B. Anticipated Fee Allocation and Deployment
B1 Provide the anticipated allocation and deployment of the $350,000 project fee by project phase as specified
in the USG Master Plan guidelines using the provided "GHC Master Plan Fee Allocation Template" Excel
workbook. This template, which accommodates data for the prime firm and up to six subconsultant firms,
requires entry of: a) name, title, and hourly billing rate for each identified staff member; b) anticipated billable
hours for each staff member by project phase; and c) the total anticipated reimbursable expenses for each
firm. The fee data are calculated by pre-entered formulas. The template workbook will be distributed to finalist
firms upon notification.
4. INTERVIEW/PRESENTATION INFORMATION
Consultant interviews will be conducted on 18 November 2026, with specific times to be provided at finalist notification.
Virtual Interview Format
Interviews will be a total of 45 minutes conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams, with 30 minutes allocated for team
presentation and 15 minutes for Selection Committee questions and discussion. Consultant teams will have five minutes
prior to the interview to connect to the meeting and set up and share digital presentation materials. The Selection
Committee will consist of representatives from GHC and BOR.
Interview Requirements
The primary intent of the interview process is to provide the Selection Committee with in-depth and clarifying information
about the firm and project team. Information provided should assist the Selection Committee in making an informed
decision as to the proposer best suited for the work.
Interview presentations should focus on:
* Team members relevant experience and specific roles proposed in this project.
* The proposed schedule, scope, and work plan for the project.
* Notable and/or unique team characteristics and/or services to be offered within the proposed project.
Firms are discouraged from reviewing general company history and past experience as submitted in Statements of
Qualifications unless this information is particularly relevant to the presentation. All key personnel should be present at
the interview to demonstrate team dynamics and discuss how the team will successfully complete the project.
5. SELECTION PROCESS
The Selection Committee will determine the successful firm based on the following criteria:
* 20% Factor: Planning team qualifications and experience, including the quality and suitability of the proposed team;
demonstrated evidence of effective team collaboration; the team's demonstrated ability to provide effective master
planning services for comparable institutions; client assessments of the quality and value of those services, etc.
* 40% Factor: Master planning approach, including the overall quality and relevance of the proposed project scope
and work plan, the extent to which the proposed allocation and deployment of the project fee resourcefully targets
team resources across scope phases and components, and the extent to which the proposed project approach
fulfills the intent of the USG Master Plan Guidelines while addressing system and institution issues and needs.
* 20% Factor: Presentation of team qualifications and planning approach during the interview, including the team's
collaborative effectiveness, the quality of verbal communication, the efficacy of presentation materials, the degree
to which the focus is placed upon high-priority issues and information, etc.
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* 20% Factor: Team Communications: Committee's overall impression of the effectiveness of firm(s) and team
member communication and presentation during the interview, and the team's ability to effectively answer questions
during the interview.
Upon completion of the evaluation and interview process by the Selection Committee, the firms will be ranked in
descending order of recommendation. Negotiations will then be initiated with the top-ranked firm to finalize contract
terms and conditions (including the project scope description and schedule). In the event that a satisfactory agreement
cannot be reached with the highest ranking firm, the Owner will formally terminate the negotiations in writing and enter
into negotiations in turn with the second-highest ranking firm and so on until a mutual agreement is established and
the Owner awards a contract, which will be based on the BOR standard General Consultant Services Contract. The
Owner does not intend to modify any language contained in the general terms and conditions of the contract, and any
significant exceptions proposed by a firm could lead to the firm being deemed non-responsive.
ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
It is the sole responsibility of the respondent to assure delivery to the noted locations by the specified deadlines; the
Owner cannot accept responsibility for incorrect delivery, regardless of reason.
It is the responsibility of the Proposers to examine the entire Request, seek clarification in writing, and review their
qualifications for accuracy before submitting a response. Once the deadline has passed, all submittals will be final.
RESTRICTION OF COMMUNICATION - From the issue date of this RFQ solicitation until a successful proposer is
selected and the selection is announced, Proposers are not allowed to communicate about this solicitation or this
Project for any reason with any members of the Selection Committee, the Institution, or BOR, except for submission
of questions as instructed in the RFQ, or during the mandatory site visit (if applicable), or as provided by any existing
work agreement(s). For violation of this provision, the Owner reserves the right to reject the 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 final award.
AWARD CONDITIONS - This request is not an offer to contract or a solicitation of bids. This request and any
statement of qualifications or proposal submitted in response, regardless of whether the proposal is determined to
be the best proposal, is not binding upon the Owner and does not obligate the Owner to procure or contract for any
services. Neither the Owner 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 the Owner 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 Request for Proposal and to reject any or all proposals submitted in
responses. 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.
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
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satisfy this requirement.
JOINT-VENTURE PROPOSALS - The Owner does not desire to enter into "joint-venture" agreements with multiple
firms. In the event two or more firms desire to form a collaborative project team, it is strongly recommended that one
incorporated firm propose and maintain status as the contracted lead firm with the remaining firms participating as sub-
consultants to the lead firm.
MINORITY AND SMALL 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 Georgia state
income tax credits for qualified payments made to minority subcontractors. See Official Code of Georgia Annotated
(O.C.G.A.) O.C.G.A. Section 48-7-38. For more information, please contact:
The Governor's Entrepreneur and Small Business Office
75 Fifth Street, Suite 825
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
Phone: 404.962.4071
http://www.georgia.org/Business/SmallBusiness/
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