Architectural and Engineering Services Recreation Court

R EQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
BID SOLICITATION DOCUMENT
SOLICITATION INFORMATION
Solicitation
Bid Number: RFQ-26-004 June 17, 2026
issued:
Description: Architectural & Engineering Services - Recreation Courts
Agency: Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC)
SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR RESPONSE
Bid Opening Date: July 7, 2026 Bid Opening Time: 10:00AM., Central Time
Proposals shall not be accepted after the designated bid opening date and time. In accordance with Arkansas
Procurement Law and Rules, it is the responsibility of Vendors to submit proposals at the designated location on or
before the bid opening date and time. Proposals received after the designated bid opening date and time shall be
considered late and shall be returned to the Vendor without further review.
DELIVERY OF RESPONSE DOCUMENTS
Delivery Address: Northwest Arkansas Community College
Purchasing Department, Attn: Karen Walls
Burns Hall Room 1128.7
One College Drive
Bentonville, AR 72712
Proposal's Outer Packaging: Outer packaging must be sealed and should be properly marked with the
following information. If outer packaging of proposal submission is not
properly marked, the package may be opened for bid identification purposes.
* Bid Number
* Date & Time of Bid Opening
* Vendor's Name & Return Address
Proposed Timeline of Events
June 17 , 2026 Solicitation Issued
June 24, 2026 Last day for written questions
June 30, 2026 Question answers posted
July 7, 2026 Bid Opening
July 10, 2026 Proposals Evaluated
Demonstration Meetings - If
needed
July 14, 2026 Tentative Winner Selected
2026 ALC Submission, If needed
20170301

Bid Solicitation Document Bid No. RFQ-26-004
S ECTION 1 - GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION
* D o not provide responses to items in this section unless specifically and expressly required.
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) is a comprehensive public community college serving Northwest
Arkansas and the surrounding region. As part of its commitment to student success, workforce development,
community engagement, and quality of life, NWACC continues to invest in campus facilities and recreational amenities
that support both students and the broader community.
NWACC Athletics competes in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and currently sponsors men's
and women's cross country, track and field, esports, and men's and women's soccer. The athletic department serves as
a key component of the college's enrollment, retention, student engagement, and community outreach strategies while
contributing to the continued growth of athletics, recreation, and wellness opportunities throughout Northwest Arkansas.
Through funding awarded by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council (ANCRC), NWACC is advancing the
Trail-Connected Recreation Court Project, a transformational outdoor recreation initiative identified within the NWACC
Campus Master Plan. The project is intended to expand access to recreation, wellness, and outdoor activity
opportunities for students, employees, and community members while enhancing connectivity between existing and
future recreational assets on campus.
The project includes the development of a multi-sport recreation court, pickleball courts, approximately 0.3 miles of
ADA-compliant trail connector development, site preparation and grading, a storage facility, and associated site
amenities and accessibility improvements. The project has been designed to support long-term campus growth and
future master plan development while creating a destination for recreation, wellness, and community engagement.
NWACC is seeking qualified architectural firms with demonstrated experience in recreation, parks, trails, athletic
facilities, and public-sector projects to provide professional design services and support the successful implementation
of this project. The selected firm will be expected to work collaboratively with NWACC stakeholders, maintain alignment
with project budget and grant requirements, and deliver design services within an accelerated project schedule to
support ANCRC funding timelines
1.2 P URPOSE
NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) issues this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to obtain
proposals and a contract for Architectural & Engineering Services in accordance with Arkansas Code Annotated
(A.C.A.) 19-11-1001.
1.3 T YPE OF CONTRACT
A. The initial term of this contract shall be for one (1) year. The anticipated starting date for the contract is in
August 2026.
1.4 B ID OPENING LOCATION
Responses submitted by the opening time and date shall be opened at the following location:
NorthWest Arkansas Community College
One College Drive, Burns Hall, Room 1128.7
Bentonville, AR 72712
10:00 AM Central Standard Time
1.5 C ONTACT
Please submit all questions about this RFQ to:
Karen Walls
One College Drive, Burns Hall, Room 1128.7
Bentonville, AR 72712
Email: kwalls2@nwacc.edu
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Bid Solicitation Document Bid No. RFQ-26-004
1.6 D EFINITION OF REQUIREMENT
A. The words "must" and "shall" signify a requirement of this solicitation and that vendor's agreement to and
compliance with that item is mandatory.
B. Exceptions taken to any mandatory requirement in this Bid Solicitation, whether submitted in the vendor's
response or in subsequent correspondence, shall cause the vendor's response to be disqualified.
C. Vendor may request exceptions to NON-mandatory items. Any such request must be declared on, or as an
attachment to, the vendor's response to this Bid Solicitation. Vendor must clearly explain the requested
exception and should reference the specific solicitation item number to which the exception applies.
1.7 D EFINITION OF TERMS
A. The State Procurement Official has made every effort to use industry-accepted terminology in this Bid
Solicitation and will attempt to further clarify any point of an item in question as indicated in Clarification of Bid
Solicitation.
B. The words "bidder" and "vendor" are used synonymously in this document.
C. The words "The State", "Agency", and "NWACC" are used synonymously in this document.
D. The terms "Request for Qualifications", "RFQ" and "Bid Solicitation" are used synonymously in this document.
E. The term "OSP" refers to the "Office of State Procurement" with the State of Arkansas.
1.8 R ESPONSE DOCUMENTS
A. O riginal Response Packet
1. The original Response Packet must be submitted on or before the bid opening date and time.
2. The Response Packet should be clearly marked "Original" and must include the following:
a. Original signed Response Signature Page. (See Response Signature Page.)
b. Response to the Information for Evaluation section included in the Response Packet.
c. Other documents and/or information as may be expressly required in this Bid Solicitation.
d. EO 98-04 Disclosure Form. (See Standard Terms and Conditions.)
e. Copy of Vendor's Equal Opportunity Policy. (See Equal Opportunity Policy.)
f. Combined Certifications Form
Instructions - https://transform.ar.gov/wp-content/uploads/Instructions-for-Combined-Certifications-Form-
102423.pdf
3. DO NOT include any other documents or ancillary information, such as a cover letter or
promotional/marketing information.
B. Pricing is not requested for this solicitation and m ust not be submitted with the bidder's response.
C. A dditional Copies
In addition to the original Response Packet, the following items should be submitted:
a. A flash drive with a copy of the Response Packet.
1.9 O RGANIZATION OF RESPONSE DOCUMENTS
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Bid Solicitation Document Bid No. RFQ-26-004
A. It is strongly recommended that vendors adhere to the following format and suggestions when preparing their
Response.
* Response Signature Page. (See Appendix)
* Signed Addenda, if applicable.
* E.O. 98-04 - Contract Grant and Disclosure Form. (See Appendix)
* Equal Opportunity Policy.
* Combined Certifications - Israel Boycott Restriction,, Illegal Immigrant Restriction, Energy, Fossil Fuel,
Firearms, and Ammunition Industries Boycott Restriction, Scrutinized Company Restriction
* Other documents and/or information as may be expressly required in this Bid Solicitation. Label
documents and/or information to reference the Bid Solicitation's item number.
* Response to the Information for Evaluation section of the Response Packet.
1.10 C LARIFICATION OF BID SOLICITATION
A. Any questions requesting clarification of information contained in this Bid Solicitation must be submitted in
writing via email by 2:00 p.m., Central Time on or before June 24, to the individual listed in section 1.5
Contact, of this Bid Solicitation.
1. For each question submitted, vendor should reference the specific solicitation item number to which the
question refers.
2. Vendors' written questions will be consolidated, and NWACC's written response is anticipated to be posted
to the NWACC website by the close of business on June 30.
B. Vendors may contact NWACC with non-substantive questions at any time prior to the bid opening.
C. Oral statements by agents of NWACC shall not be part of any contract resulting from this solicitation and may
not reasonably be relied on by any vendor as an aid to interpretation unless it is reduced to writing and
expressly adopted by NWACC.
1.11 RESPONSE SIGNATURE PAGE
A. An official authorized to bind the vendor(s) to a resultant contract must sign the Response Signature Page
included in this Bid Solicitation, located in appendix.
B. Vendor's signature on this page shall signify vendor's agreement that either of the following shall cause the
vendor's response to be disqualified:
1. Additional terms or conditions submitted intentionally or inadvertently.
2. Any exception that conflicts with a Requirement of this Bid Solicitation.
1.12 PRICING
Pricing will be negotiated with the apparent successful vendor after the evaluation of responses. Vendor must not
include any pricing in their response. Should the hard copies or electronic copies of their Response Packet contain
any pricing, the response shall be disqualified.
1.13 PRIME CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITY
A. A single vendor must be identified as the prime contractor.
B. The prime contractor shall be responsible for the contract and jointly and severally liable with any of its
subcontractors, affiliates, or agents to the State for the performance thereof.
1.14 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
A. Submission documents pertaining to this Bid Solicitation become the property of the State and are subject to
the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
B. One (1) complete copy of the submission documents from which any proprietary information has been redacted
should be submitted on a flash drive in the Response Packet.
C. Except for the redacted information, the redacted copy must be identical to the original hard copy, reflecting the
same pagination as the original and showing the space from which information was redacted.
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Bid Solicitation Document Bid No. RFQ-26-004
D. The vendor shall be responsible for identifying all proprietary information and for ensuring the electronic copy is
protected against restoration of redacted data.
E. The redacted copy shall be open to public inspection under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) without
further notice to the vendor.
F. If a redacted copy of the submission documents is not provided with vendor's response packet, a copy of the
non-redacted documents, with the exception of financial data, shall be released in response to any request
made under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
G. If the State deems redacted information to be subject to FOIA, the vendor will be contacted prior to release of
the documents.
1.15 CAUTION TO VENDORS
A. Prior to any contract award, all communication concerning this Bid Solicitation must be addressed
through NWACC.
B. Vendor must not alter any language in any solicitation document provided by NWACC.
C. All official documents and correspondence related to this solicitation shall be included as part of the resultant
contract.
D. Responses must be submitted only in the English language.
E. The State shall have the right to award or not award a contract, if it is in the best interest of the State to do so.
F. Vendor must provide clarification of any information in their response documents as requested by NWACC.
G. Qualifications must meet or exceed the required specifications as set forth in this Bid Solicitation.
1.16 REQUIREMENT OF ADDENDUM
A. This Bid Solicitation shall be modified only by an addendum written and authorized by NWACC.
B. An addendum posted within three (3) calendar days prior to the bid opening may extend the bid opening and
may or may not include changes to the Bid Solicitation.
C. The vendor shall be responsible for checking the NWACC website,
h ttps://www.nwacc.edu/web/purchasing/open_bids for any and all addenda up to bid opening.
1.17 QUALIFICATION AND AWARD PROCESS
A. Successful Vendor(s) Selection
The ranking of vendors shall be determined by the total score each receives in evaluation. NWACC will
enter pricing negotiations with those responsible offers determined, based on the ranking of the proposals, to
be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award.
B. Negotiations
1. If the agency so chooses, it shall also have the right to enter discussions with the highest-ranking
vendors to further define contractual details. All negotiations shall be conducted at the sole discretion of
NWACC. NWACC shall solely determine the items to be negotiated.
2. If negotiations fail to result in a contract, NWACC may begin the negotiation process with the next
highest-ranking vendor. The negotiation process may be repeated until an anticipated successful
vendor has been determined, or until such time NWACC decides not to move forward with an award.
C. A nticipation to Award
1. Once an anticipated successful vendor has been determined, the anticipated award will be posted on the
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Bid Solicitation Document Bid No. RFQ-26-004
NWACC website at h ttps://www.nwacc.edu/web/purchasing/open_bids.
2. The anticipated award will be posted for at least a period of three (3) days prior to the issuance of a
contract. Vendors and agencies are cautioned that these are preliminary results only, and a contract will
not be issued prior to the end of the three-day posting period.
3. NWACC shall have the right to waive the policy of Anticipation to Award when it is in the best interest of
the State.
4. It is the vendor's responsibility to check the NWACC website for the posting of an anticipated award.
D. I ssuance of a Contract
1. Any resultant contract of this Bid Solicitation shall be subject to State approval processes which may
include Legislative review.
2. A State Procurement Official will be responsible for award and administration of any resulting contract(s).
1.18 MINORITY BUSINESS POLICY
A. Minority is defined by Arkansas Code Annotated 15-4-303 as a lawful permanent resident of this State who is:
* African American * Pacific Islander American
* American Indian * A Service-Disabled Veterans as
* Asian American designated by the United States
* Hispanic American Department of Veteran Affairs
B. The Arkansas Economic Development Commission conducts a certification process for minority businesses
and disabled veterans. The vendor's Certification Number should be included on the vendor's Response
Signature Page.
1.19 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY
A. In compliance with Arkansas Code Annotated 19-11-104, NWACC is required to have a copy of the vendor's
Equal Opportunity (EO) Policy prior to issuing a contract award.
B. EO Policies may be submitted in electronic format to the following email address:
e eopolicy.osp@dfa.arkansas.gov, but should also be included as a hardcopy accompanying the solicitation
response.
C. Vendors are responsible for providing updates or changes to their respective policies, and for supplying EO
Policies upon request to other State agencies that must also comply with this statute.
D. Vendors who are not required by law by to have an EO Policy must submit a written statement to that effect.
1.20 PROHIBITION OF EMPLOYMENT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
A. Pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated 19-11-105, prior to the award of a contract, selected vendor(s) must
have a current certification on file with OSP stating that they do not employ or contract with illegal immigrants.
B. It is the vendor's responsibility to make sure their certification has not expired and is on file. The vendor must
provide a copy of their certification to NWACC before a contract will be awarded.
1.21 PAST PERFORMANCE
In accordance with provisions of State Procurement Law, specifically OSP Rule R5:19-11-230(b)(1), a vendor's past
performance with the State may be used to determine if the vendor is "responsible". Responses submitted by
vendors determined to be non-responsible shall be disqualified.
1.22 PUBLICITY
A. Vendor shall not issue a news release pertaining to this Bid Solicitation or any portion of the project without
NWACC's prior written approval.
B. Failure to comply with this Requirement shall be cause for a vendor's response to be disqualified.
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Bid Solicitation Document Bid No. RFQ-26-004
1.23 RESERVATION
NWACC shall not pay costs incurred in the preparation of a response.
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Bid Solicitation Document Bid No. RFQ-26-004
S ECTION 2 - MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
D o not provide responses to items in this section unless specifically and expressly required.
2.1 S COPE OF SERVICES REQUESTED
A. NWACC is seeking a qualified firm to provide architectural and engineering professional design services for the
ANCRC Trail-Connected Recreation Court Project located on the NWACC campus in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Agencies responding to this proposal should be able to provide satisfactory work on projects similar to the
following:
1. Multi Sport Recreational and Pickleball Courts
2. Drainage Specifications
3. ADA Upgrades
4. Site grading and preparation
5. Space Planning
6. Storage Building Design
7. Utility Coordination
8. Master Plan & New Construction
The project is funded through the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council (ANCRC), is identified within the NWACC
Campus Master Plan, and has an anticipated project budget of approximately $800,000.
Time is of the essence for this project. Due to ANCRC grant requirements, the project must be substantially completed and
closed out no later than June 30, 2027. Responding firms should demonstrate their ability to provide design services on an
accelerated schedule and support timely procurement, permitting, bidding, and construction activities necessary to meet the
required completion deadline. Experience delivering recreation, trail, athletic, park, campus, or other publicly funded projects
within accelerated timelines and grant-funded project deadlines will be viewed favorably.
The selected firm will provide architectural, engineering, civil engineering, landscape architecture, permitting, bidding
assistance, and construction administration services necessary to support the design and construction of the project.
The project is anticipated to include:
* Construction of a multi-sport recreation court
* Construction of pickleball court facilities
* Development of approximately 0.3 miles of ADA-compliant trail connecting existing campus recreation assets
* Site grading and preparation
* Drainage and stormwater considerations, as required
* Storage building design and placement consistent with the Campus Master Plan
* Associated site furnishings and amenities, including but not limited to benches, trash receptacles, bike racks, signage, and
gathering spaces
* ADA accessibility improvements
* Utility coordination and evaluation of future infrastructure needs, including electrical service and security infrastructure
B. This listing is not meant to be exhaustive and projects may vary based on need. Each assignment will be
issued individually in writing and the scope and fees shall be negotiated for each at said time.
C. In addition to the projects listed above, selected firm(s) shall provide professional services including but not limited to
the following:
* Review of NWACC's project program, budget, ANCRC grant requirements, and Campus Master Plan
objectives
* Site analysis and feasibility review
* Review of Agency's program and budget for each project
* Code analysis to ensure the facility complies with all applicable Federal and State codes as well as State
rules and standards
* Review of the proposed site for compliance with Federal and State regulations and rules regarding
floodplain development management
* Development of an estimate of the maximum probable cost of construction
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Bid Solicitation Document Bid No. RFQ-26-004
* Development of a schematic design submittal (approximately 15% complete documents) and an estimate
of the annual utility consumption and operating cost for review and approval by the Agency
* Development of a design development submittal (approximately 50% complete documents) and a revised
estimate of construction for review and approval by the Agency
* Development of a construction document submittal (100% complete documents), a revised estimate of
construction cost, and a revised estimate of the annual utility consumption and operating cost for review
and approval by the Agency
* Submittal of the construction documents to all applicable regulatory review agencies on behalf of the
Agency
* Submittal of the final documents to NWACC for approval
* Assistance with the preparation of bid advertisements and submittal to NWACC Construction Section for
approval, attendance at bid openings, evaluation of bids, and review of contract documents in conjunction
with award of the bid
* Construction contract administration and project observation to include review of contractor submittals,
progress of work proposal request, progress payments, contract change order, substantial completion and
project closeout.
* Review of the project site at the end of the contractor's warranty period and development of a list of
deficiencies for correction under the terms of the warranty
9. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
* State law requires that all contracts for services include Performance Standards for
measuring the overall quality of services provided. Performance Standards should identify
expected deliverables, performance measures, or outcomes; and defines the acceptable
standards a vendor must meet in order to avoid assessment of damages.
* NWACC will outline the Performance Standards with those vendors that NWACC wishes to
negotiate a contract with during contract negotiations.
* NWACC may be open to negotiations of Performance Standards prior to the commencement of
services, or at times throughout the contract duration.
S ECTION 3 - CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
3.1 R ESPONSE SCORE
A. NWACC will review each Response Packet to verify submission Requirements have been met. Response
Packets that do not meet submission Requirements shall be disqualified and shall not be evaluated.
B. An agency-appointed Evaluation Committee will evaluate and score qualifying responses. Evaluation will be
based on vendor's response to the Information for Evaluation section included in the Response Packet.
* Members of the Evaluation Committee will individually review and evaluate proposals and complete an
Individual Score Worksheet for each proposal.
* After initial individual evaluations are complete, the Evaluation Committee members will meet to discuss
their individual ratings. At this consensus scoring meeting, each member will be afforded an opportunity to
discuss his or her rating for each evaluation criteria.
* After committee members have had an opportunity to discuss their individual scores with the group, the
individual committee members will be given the opportunity to change their initial individual scores, if they
feel that is appropriate.
* The final individual scores of the evaluators will be recorded on the Consensus Score Sheets and
averaged to determine the group or consensus score for each proposal.
* Other agencies, consultants, and experts may also examine documents at the discretion of the Agency.
3.2 I IINFORMATION FOR EVALUATION
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Bid Solicitation Document Bid No. RFQ-26-004
Submittals which exceed the maximum page limits shown below shall be disqualified.
A. Transmittal Letter (1 page maximum)
The letter should provide the name, title, address, and telephone number of the official contact and an
alternate. This individual(s) should be available to be contacted by phone or attend meetings to provide
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