4. #26-1010 - Request for Qualifications - Southeastern Catawba County...

Location:	North Carolina
Posted:	Feb 18, 2026
Due:	Mar 18, 2026
Agency:	Catawba County
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	C - Architect and Engineering Services - Construction R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

SOUTHEASTERN CATAWBA COUNTY BUSINESS PARK

MASTER PLANNING SERVICES

RFQ NO. 26-1010

Date of Issue: February 18, 2026

Qualifications Statement Due Date: March 18, 2026

Time: 4:00 PM ET

Issued by:

Catawba County Purchasing Manager

25 Government Drive

Newton, North Carolina 28658

(828) 465-8224

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INTRODUCTION

Catawba County (hereinafter “County”) is soliciting the submittal of qualification statements from

experienced professional services firms (hereinafter “Firm”) interested in providing conceptual site

master planning services for approximately 107.38 acres of County-owned property targeted for

development of the Southeastern Catawba County Business Park. The selected Firm will provide

professional conceptual master planning services for this project, which is envisioned as a

collaboration between Catawba County, Catawba Valley Community College, Catawba Valley

Medical Center, and private industry as facilitated through the Catawba County Economic

Development Corporation.

Catawba County reserves the right to reject any and all submittals. This submittal request is neither

a contractual offer nor a commitment to purchase services. The County assumes no contractual

obligation as a result of the issuance of this request, the preparation or submission of a qualifications

statement by a Firm, the evaluation of statements or final selection.

RFQ SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFQ. Catawba County will make every effort

to adhere to this schedule.

Event

Issue RFQ

Submitted Written Questions

Provide Responses to Questions

Submit Statement of Qualifications

Presentations (if requested)

Contract Award

Contract Effective Date

Responsibility

County

Firms

County

Firms

County

Date and Time

February 18, 2026

March 5, 2026 by 5:00 PM

March 9, 2026 by 5:00 PM

March 18, 2026 by 4:00 PM

March 30, 2026

TBA

Upon execution

The qualifications statement shall be submitted no later than 4:00 PM, March 18, 2026. No

submittals will be accepted after the deadline.

RFQ QUESTIONS

Written questions shall be emailed to tinawright@catawbacountync.gov by the date and time

specified above. Firms should enter “RFQ # 26-1010 – Questions” as the subject for the email.

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the County’s response, and any additional

terms deemed necessary by the County will be posted in the form of an addendum to the Catawba

County website, https://www.catawbacountync.gov/county-services/purchasing/bid-notices/ and

shall become an Addendum to this RFQ. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or

informally by any County personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in

connection with this RFQ, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Firms shall rely only on

written material contained in an Addendum to this RFQ.

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SUBMISSION OF QUALIFICATIONS

The qualifications statement must be submitted with one (1) original and one (1) electronic copy on

flash drive. When responding to this RFQ, please follow all instructions carefully. Please submit

proposal contents according to the outline specified. Failure to follow these instructions may be

considered a non-responsive submission and may result in immediate elimination from further

consideration. The qualifications statement should be sent to the address indicated in the table below.

Mailing address for delivery of proposal via

US Postal Service

RFQ Number: RFQ 26-1010

Catawba County Government Center

Attn: Purchasing Department

Post Office Box 389

Newton, North Carolina 28658

Office Address of delivery by any other

method (hand delivery, overnight, or any

other carrier)

RFQ Number: RFQ 26-1010

Catawba County Government Center

Attn: Purchasing Department

25 Government Drive

Newton, North Carolina 28658

IMPORTANT NOTE: All qualifications shall be physically delivered to the office address listed

above on or before the submission deadline in order to be considered timely, regardless of the method

of delivery. This is an absolute requirement. All risk of late arrival due to unanticipated delay—

whether delivered by hand, U.S. Postal Service, courier or other delivery service is entirely on the

Firm(s). It is the sole responsibility of the Firm to have the qualifications physically in this Office

by the specified submission deadline.

BACKGROUND

For the past 15 years or so, the southeastern corner of Catawba County (SECC) has experienced rapid

residential growth. Proximity to Lake Norman, the growing communities of Mooresville to the east

and Charlotte to the south, and transportation improvements to NC 16 Highway and Interstate 485

have all positioned SECC to be a strategic, high-impact development location. In the early 2000s,

Catawba County anticipated this residential growth trajectory and installed targeted water and sewer

infrastructure as a means of encouraging orderly and thoughtful development. As this solid residential

growth has established a community development blueprint in this area, the Catawba County Board

of Commissioners recognizes the importance of catalyzing the creation of job centers to compliment

the residential and retail growth that are shaping the area. The BOC’s economic vision for the area

includes an appropriate mix of larger-scale business, health care providers, education centers, and

industry operations to provide high quality jobs for citizens who want to enjoy the amenities and

lifestyle the SECC area offers.

To that end, Catawba County has assembled approximately 107 contiguous acres strategically located

at the juncture of NC Highway 16 and NC Highway 150 ideally suited as an employment center with

a mix of uses that include education, health care, and industry. Public water and sewer are available

to serve the properties. To further support the County-owned 107 acres for strategic development,

the County is seeking a partner to develop a Master Plan for the Southeastern Catawba County

Business Park. Transportation network and ingress / egress planning will involve coordination with a

private developer working on a 90+ acre project adjacent to the County-controlled acreage. (This

privately controlled mixed use development project is currently in the planning phase. The County

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has collaborated with this developer on technical transportation analyses important to ensuring

adequate site access for both parties.) Ideally, the Master Plan will contemplate the adjacent

development in designing transportation network connectivity, ingress / egress, traffic facilities, and

other utilities and amenities.

In 2024 the Catawba County Economic Development commissioned and completed an Industry

Growth Analysis, attached hereto as Attachment B. This analysis describes data-driven economic

opportunities throughout Catawba County and provides very specific guidance for SECC job and

business sector growth. Market conditions and targeted industries as identified in this analysis should

guide the development concepts, streetscape, amenities and vertical building components most likely

to attract targeted industries.

Generally, Catawba County is seeking to emulate the development style and subsequent development

criteria as the Trivium Business Park developed in partnership between Catawba County and the City

of Hickory.

1. Scope of Services

The intent of this Request for Qualifications is to procure professional services to develop a Master

Plan for the Southeastern Catawba County Business Park. The Master Plan should incorporate

direction derived from the 2024 Industry Growth Analysis completed by the Catawba County

Economic Development Corporation, completed site analysis and due diligence work, and the unique

aspects of each development partner’s potential contributions to the array of planned uses for the site

assemblage. The review of qualifications will focus in part on the expertise, experience, and

understanding of the project evidenced by the project team. Note that consultants are not limited to

the components presented here and are encouraged to expand on the suggested components and the

approach they would take to develop the Master Plan. The plan should contain, but may not be limited

to, the following key elements to establish a solid development foundation for the parcels and to

guide future development and investment decisions:

• Proposals shall focus on the total 105.52-acre development area comprised of the following

County-owned properties targeted for development of the Southeastern Catawba County

Business Park: Parcel Identification Numbers 368601358496 (LRK 16000), 368614443110

(LRK 16056), 368614337677 (LRK 16063), 368614337127 (LRK 803655), 368614330207

(LRK 16065), 368614446172 (LRK 800453), 368614447211 (LRK 800452), 368614448318

(LRK 800451), and 368614447318 (LRK 16057) in Maiden, North Carolina. A map

highlighting these parcels is attached hereto as Attachment C.

• A vision statement, mission statement, goals, requirements, and objectives reflective of the

partners’ specific and targeted interest in developing the property.

• Development recommendations and considerations establishing form and scale and

incorporating a mix of uses to include light industrial / industrial headquarters, educational

programming / instructional space, and medical office / outpatient services, among other

targeted non-residential uses as appropriate.

• Connectivity Framework identifying a future multimodal network and potential roadway

improvements, developed with acknowledgement of and in conjunction with contiguous

mixed use development project currently in planning phase.

• Identification of site challenges and opportunities, design optioneering, design prototyping,

and ultimately design reconciliation resulting in preparation of a future vision map,

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conceptual illustrations of key project components, and supporting imagery to guide public

investment decisions and inform potential partner investors.

• A recommendation for business park naming, based on Master Plan components and

overarching site identity.

• Development of project visual representations, videos, and renderings (aerial, eye-level, fly-

through, etc.) to be used for project marketing

• Project Coordination and Management:

o Lead and manage project, identifying lead staff person as direct point of contact for

local project team;

o Prepare detailed work plan and schedule for accomplishing scope of work, including

major milestones, check-ins with the local project team, and decision points;

o Coordinate and meet with stakeholders and planning partners, including Catawba

Valley Medical Center, Catawba Valley Community College, Catawba County EDC,

and adjacent property owners, among others;

o Visit site and general area, with representatives of local project team;

o Prepare all necessary data collection, maps, graphics, and exhibits. Catawba County

will become the owners of these documents at the end of the process. The consultant

will furnish finished documents (i.e., PDFs) and as available, editable documents (i.e.,

Word docs), and CAD and GIS shapefiles.

Eligible firms must have demonstrated experience in conceptual master planning from design through

project certification.

CONTENTS OF QUALIFICATIONS STATEMENT

Respondents must carefully read the information in this “Contents of Qualifications Statement”

section and submit a complete Qualifications Statement responding to each request for information.

Incomplete Qualifications Statements will be considered non-responsive and are subject to rejection.

Qualifications shall be submitted on 8-1/2 x 11 paper, side bound with Table of Contents and reference

tabs for key sections.

The qualification statement must be submitted with one (1) original and one (1) electronic copy on

flash drive.

Qualification Statement shall include the following information:

1. Introduction – Letter of Transmittal

• Summarize in a brief and concise manner the Firm’s understanding of the scope of work and

make a positive commitment to perform the work in a professional and timely manner.

2. Qualifications of Firm

Please provide:

• General work plan that demonstrates the Firm’s complete understanding of the scope of work.

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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

4. #26-1010 - Request for Qualifications - Southeastern Catawba County Business Park - Master Planning Services

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