RFQ #26-088 Security Design & Consulting Services

WAKE COUNTY PHYSICAL SECURITY DESIGN &
CONSULTING SERVICES
Request for Qualifications
RFQ #26-088
September 3, 2026

I. Project
Consulting Services for Physical Security Systems in Wake County New Construction, Renovation &
Security Improvements Projects as well as consulting services for various types of assessments
II. Summary of Projects
Wake County occupies or has responsibility for over 186 buildings totaling over 5.0 million square feet of
building space.
General Services Administration (GSA) manages a comprehensive and diverse portfolio of facilities and
fleet for the County. The department supports criminal justice and general government functions. GSA is
dedicated to ensuring safe and productive work environments, safe and reliable vehicles, and consistent
support to County departments. GSA is organized into five major service delivery divisions: Administration
and Support Services, Facility and Field Services, Fleet Operations, Physical Plant, and Safety and Security.
GSA uses a resource matrix model to provide a broad range of services to the County, the 10th Judicial
District, and related partners and customers. The department prioritizes reducing risk to County employees
and citizens, maintaining the County's facility portfolio, and ensuring the efficient delivery of general
government and court operations.
The Safety and Security Division implements safety and security procedures and physical security
safeguards to reduce risk for County personnel, visitors, and assets within County facilities. Services include
support to the County's Risk Team, administering Physical Security, card access, photo ID employee
badging, monitoring fire and intrusion alarms, overseeing incident report management and tracking, threat
assessments, training County employees on security and safety related topics, and creating and updating
each facility's Emergency Action Plan.
In accordance with Wake County's commitment of protecting and preserving its assets, in partnership with
General Services Administrations, Facilities Design & Construction Department manages the planning,
design and construction of all capital investment and preventive maintenance funding projects undertaken
by the County. Generally, the projects include improvement, new building, and/or replacement of physical
security systems libraries, public safety facilities, health and human services buildings, housing facilities,
justice and detention facilities, parks and nature preserves, office buildings, historic building restorations,
emergency communications facilities, water and sewer facilities, and solid waste facilities, etc. Design,
construction work, materials testing and various other services are outsourced to private firms through
competitive procurement methods as allowed by NC General Statutes. Construction costs for security scope
of projects in this request will range between $10,000 and over $1 million each.
For most of these projects, the security system new design, improvement or replacement are part of much
larger, more comprehensive new building or renovation projects for which the selected consultant firms
from this RFQ may be requested as part of or in tandem with the overall design teams. For some projects
in existing buildings, the security systems upgrades may be standalone projects for which the security
consultant will act as prime consultant throughout the project design, procurement, and construction
administration phases.
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III. Request
Wake County Government hereby requests qualifications and proposals from consultant firms for providing
all physical security consulting services required to satisfactorily complete all phases of an assigned project
within stipulated time limitations. The Physical Security consultant firm shall take the lead in all contracted
security services by either GSA or FD&C on selected projects. Anticipated services include the following:
* Preliminary Design (Studies and Assessments)
* Peer Review of security design completed by other consultants
* Cost estimating
* Schematic Design
* Design Development
* Construction Documents and Specifications
* Bidding Phase
* Construction Administration
* 100 Percent Commissioning of Installed Systems
* Project Close-out including warranty administration
* Security Assessments and Trainings
* Investigations
* All other services requested and customarily furnished by design consultants on similar projects and
in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Standard Wake County Agreement for
Professional Services.
IV. Consultant Qualifications
The security consultant firm and proposed staff to be assigned responsibilities on Wake County projects
must be highly qualified and experienced in all phases of the planning, design, and construction of similar
public facilities. In addition, the physical security consultant firm and proposed staff must have extensive
experience in access control, electrified hardware integration, security camera systems, security
infrastructure, and security network design and planning on similar projects. Consultant should have
thorough knowledge of the regulations governing the design, bidding, and construction of such facilities in
the State of North Carolina, and a proven capability to effectively and efficiently manage projects of similar
complexity to produce a facility consistent with and meeting the needs and goals outlined by Wake County.
Consulting firm will become knowledgeable of the "Wake County Design and Construction Guidelines and
Standards".
V. Scope of Work
Provide all security design and consulting services required for Wake County New Construction &
Renovation Projects as well as for various types of assessments.
Systems required will vary by building and project, but may include security access control, electrified
hardware integration, video management systems, intrusion detection systems, intercom, detention touch
screen and programmable logic controller (PLC) systems, electronic key management systems, video
visitation systems, x-ray and magnetometer systems, security infrastructure, security network design, and
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more. Phases and scope of professional services will vary by project, but may include initial studies and
assessments, full design from schematic through construction documents, bid support including review of
bid proposals, construction administration, systems commissioning, closeout, and warranty support. Firms
may also be asked to provide peer review and owner support services on projects where the security design
is led by another consultant. It is expected that the security consulting firm will follow the Owners
requirements set forth in the Physical Security Standards and Facilities Security Levels documents.
VI. Project Schedule
The duration of assigned projects varies. The contract documents for each project specifies the duration and
requires the awarded contractor to develop a detailed schedule.
VII. Proposal Format Requirements
All proposals shall be submitted on 812" x 11" paper, side bound with Table of Contents and reference tabs
for key sections. The total submittal shall not exceed either twenty (25) double-sided or fifty (50) single-
sided pages with text, consecutively numbered (front/back covers, cover letter, Table of Contents and Tab
pages are excluded from these totals). Submittals must include responses to each of the following:
A. Letter of Interest
Letter of interest including information about the security consultant's firm such as history/background,
years of service, number of employees, number of locations, certifications, professional memberships,
and other relevant information which the security consultant believes to be of importance.
B. Project Organization and Staffing of Design Team
Provide the following:
1. Organization chart listing all assigned staff including job titles.
2. Detailed resumes of all assigned staff with list of completed projects and years of experience.
3. Description of responsibilities to be fulfilled by each assigned staff member.
4. Current workload of staff members.
C. Experience
Provide summary of at least eight (8) representative projects, four (4) design and construction and four
(4) security assessments for which the security consultant was responsible. Each of the project
summaries shall include the following:
1. Description of facility or project, including size, functions housed, original project budget, actual
project cost, and year completed,
2. Description of services provided,
3. Summary of client's program along with key design and/or development elements and how they
were addressed,
4. List of staff assigned to the project,
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5. Degree of involvement (prime or associate),
6. Associate firms involved and their assigned responsibilities,
7. Principal and associate staff involved along with their assigned responsibilities, and
8. References including names, addresses (including e-mail addresses) and telephone numbers.
D. Design Approach
Provide the following:
1. Describe your approach to the project design to assure the Owner's functional and quality
requirements are satisfactorily addressed for the Project. Explain your firm's procedures for
quality control and coordination of the various disciplines of work in preparing construction
documents.
2. Describe the process by which your firm will develop alternative schematic design solutions for
the Project.
3. Describe any Computer-Aided Drafting, Building Information Modeling, and Design
technology that will be used by your firm and that of your associates.
4. Explain how your firm will prepare cost estimates and control project cost to assure the project
budget is not exceeded.
5. Explain the management tools, techniques and procedures your firm uses to maintain the
project's schedule.
6. Describe your team's approach to operation and maintenance considerations in both the design
and construction administration phases.
7. Explain how your firm manages the Construction Administration process to include conducting
project meetings, reviewing submittals, responding to requests for information, issuing field
orders, processing construction change directives, issuing bulletin drawings, reviewing and
justifying contractors' cost proposals, processing change orders, processing payment
applications, performing final inspections and assembling close-out documents.
8. Describe in detail steps which will be taken by your firm to guard the Owner against defects and
deficiencies in the work of the contractors during the construction phase.
9. Explain why you believe your firm is the most qualified firm to provide the requested services
for this Project.
D. Assessment Approach
Provide the following:
1. Describe your approach to a comprehensive security assessment project. Explain your firm's
methodology for conducting a security assessment including site visits, interviews,
documentation review and data collection.
2. Describe the process for identifying security vulnerabilities, risk severities, and
recommendations.
3. Describe any tools and/or techniques that will be used during a comprehensive security
assessment by your firm and that of your associates.
4. Explain how your firm will prepare cost estimates and control project cost to ensure the project
budget is not exceeded.
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5. Describe your team's approach to consolidating the information gathered into a comprehensive
security assessment report
6. Describe how your team will present the comprehensive security assessment report to the
Owner.
7. Explain why you believe your firm is the most qualified firm to provide the services requested
for this Project.
E. Consultant Professional Fees, Litigation, and Workload
1. Submit an hourly billing rate schedule for all personnel by job title who will work with the
County in providing professional services for this project. Provide firm's unit costs schedule.
2. List any pending or settled lawsuits, mediation or arbitration cases in which the firm was
involved during the past ten (10) years.
3. List current and proposed projects including man-hour estimates, scheduled completion dates,
and assigned team members. Provide workload chart indicating monthly commitments of team
members for next twelve months.
VIII. Selection of Security Consultant Firms
A. Process
Procedures similar to those followed by Wake County in the selection of consultants will be followed.
This will ensure that the security consultant firms are selected in a fair and uniform manner and have
appropriate qualifications and experience.
A Selection Committee comprised of County staff has been established. Upon receipt of proposals from
respondents, Selection Committee members will review the proposals in detail and identify ("short list")
those firms that appear to be most qualified to provide services for the Project. Separate presentations
and interview sessions will then be scheduled with the "short-listed" firms to permit the Selection
Committee to further evaluate each firm's qualifications and proposal. From these interviews, it is
anticipated that the Selection Committee will select two (2) to three (3) firms to perform the referenced
work. Upon selection, the General Services Administration and Facilities Design & Construction
Departments will the negotiate terms, conditions and fees of a professional services agreement with
each selected firm. In the event negotiations of specific contract terms and conditions prove
unsuccessful with a selected firm, the Selection Committee will select another firm with which to begin
contract negotiations.
B. Timeline
The key activities and milestone dates for the selection process are listed below:
Activity Milestone Date
Announce Request for Qualifications and Proposal September 3, 2026
Deadline for Respondent Questions September 21, 2026
Proposal Submission Deadline October 5, 2026
Selection Committee meeting to determine short list Late October, 2026
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Selection Committee presentation/interviews sessions Early November, 2026
Announce Firm Selections Mid November, 2026
IX. Evaluation Criteria
A. The following criteria will be the basis on which firms will be selected for further consideration:
1. Core business strength,
2. Organizational chart and expertise/qualifications of staff,
3. Experience and past performance of firm on similar projects,
4. Project Quality Control plan including recent experience with cost control, change orders, and
maintaining design and construction schedules,
5. Proximity and familiarity with the area the projects are to be located,
6. Construction administration approach,
7. Hourly billing rates,
8. Record of successfully completed projects without major legal or technical problems,
9. Current workload, and
10. Other factors that may be appropriate for the Project.
X. Submission of Proposals
Seven (7) complete packages must be received at the following address by
4:00 p.m. on Monday, October 5, 2026.
County of Wake
Facilities Design & Construction Office
336 Fayetteville Street, Suite 1100,
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601
Attention: Ms. Sarah Kahr Richter, Facilities Project Manager
XI. Professional Services Agreement
Professional services required to complete the proposed projects will be authorized through the County's
standard form of Agreement for Professional Services. Implementation of projects will be accomplished
by amendment to the base Agreement.
XII. General Comments
A. Any cost incurred by respondents in preparing or submitting a Request for Qualifications and
Proposal for the Project shall be the respondents' sole responsibility.
B. All responses, inquiries or correspondence relating to this Request for Qualifications and Proposal
will become the property of Wake County when received (subject to Section XIII - Confidentiality).
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C. Wake County has sole discretion and reserves the right to reject any and all responses received with
respect to this Request for Qualifications and Proposal and to cancel the process at any time prior
to entering into a formal agreement. The County reserves the right to request additional information
or clarification of information provided in the response without changing the terms of the Request
for Qualifications and Proposal.
D. The Selection Committee intends to select a minimum of two security consultant firms to provide
professional services for Wake County Facilities Design & Construction projects.
E. Please refer to the following website location for a copy of the Request for Qualifications and
Proposal and any other related information. If a question of general concern is asked by any firm,
an addendum will be issued to include a copy of the written response.
https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/finance/current-business-
opportunities
F. Below is a list of electronic files that can be accessed on the following ftp web site:
https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/facilities-design-
construction/facilities-design-construction-guidelines-standards
G. Respondents are advised to refrain from contact with Selection Committee members. Any specific
questions regarding the Request for Qualifications and Proposal should be directed to the Project
Manager at the following addresses:
Sarah Kahr Richter
Facilities Project Manager
Wake County Facilities Design & Construction
336 Fayetteville Street, Suite 1100,
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601
USPS Only: P.O. Box 550
Raleigh, NC 27602
TEL (919) 856-6363
MOBILE (984) 480-6404
sarah.kahrrichter@wake.gov
XIII CONFIDENTIALITY OF DOCUMENTS
In general, documents that are submitted as part of the response to this Request for Qualifications and
Proposal will become public records, and will be subject to public disclosure. North Carolina General
Statutes Section 132-1.2 and 66-152 provide a method for protecting some documents from public
disclosure. If the engineering consultant firm follows the procedures prescribed by those statutes and
designates a document "confidential" or "trade secret", the County will withhold the document from public
disclosure to the extent that it is entitled or required to do so by applicable law.
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If the County determines that a document that the security consultant firm has designated "confidential" or
"trade secret" is not entitled to protection from public disclosure, the County will provide notice of that
determination to the contact person designated by the firm, in any reasonable manner that the County can
provide such notice, at least five business days prior to its public disclosure of the document. If the firm
does not designate anyone to receive such notice, or if, within five business days after the designated person
receives such notice, the firm does not initiate judicial proceedings to protect the confidentiality of the
document, the County will not have any obligation to withhold the document from public disclosure.
By submitting to the County a document that the security consultant firm designates as "confidential" or
"trade secret", the firm agrees that in the event a third party brings any action against the County or any of
its officials or employees to obtain disclosure of the document the firm will indemnify and hold harmless
the County and each organization's affected officials and employees from all costs, including attorney's
fees incurred by or assessed against any defendant, of defending against such action. The firm also agrees
that at the County's request the firm will intervene in any such action and assume all responsibility for
defending against it, and that the firm's failure to do so will relieve the County of all further obligations to
protect the confidentiality of the document.
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