Invitation to Bid For Professional Services for Educational Specification Development Bid No. 2026-0005

Request for Proposal
For Ed Spec Development
I. Project Overview
The South Windsor Public Schools (District) is exploring the creation of a new High
School in a location to be determined. The District is planning to submit a grant
application prior to June 30, 2027, and will require the development of an
Educational Specification (Ed Spec) that meets all Office of Grants Administration
(OGA) standards for inclusion in a grant application. The District is experiencing
significant growth with an anticipated maximum high school enrollment of 1,874
students.
II. Project Scope
Educational Specification development 9-12 grade configuration
The A/E firm will collaborate with the Superintendent, Board of Education (BOE),
and district and school administrators to develop comprehensive educational
specifications for a grade 9-12 high school that will meet all OGA requirements
and is suitable for submission as part of a future grant application.
The A/E team shall include all required meetings with the Superintendent, district
and school administrators, BOE and will document all working sessions required to
develop the Ed Spec. The Design team should also plan on meeting with selected
staff and coordinate public input through visioning and focus group sessions as
directed by the district.
In addition to all required meetings to develop the educational specification the
design team should include attendance at up to three (3) additional BOE meetings
including travel time to present, solicit feedback and obtain final approval of the
educational specifications prior to January 20, 2027.
The first phase of the Ed Spec development will include programing and the
development of a draft space program summary including all required educational
and support spaces, circulation, and core factors to develop a total project area
to be used for the creation of a conceptual budget by the Owners Project
Manager. This phase must be completed no later than September 1, 2026.
The second phase of the Ed Spec development will include additional meetings to
develop and refine the project specific program requirements, project rationale,
building systems, building interiors, site program, sustainability requirements,
community use and any pathways or specialized programs not included in the
original space program. The Design team will also present the Ed Spec to the BOE
at this time and modify the draft Ed Spec to include the input received. The Design
team will continue to refine the space program summary up to the point where the
final Ed Spec is approved by the Board of Education, anticipated by January 20,
2027.
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III. Project Schedule
The consultant's scope of work will commence immediately upon contract
execution. The District anticipates the following dates for this work.
* RFP Issuance June 12, 2026
* Questions due: June 19, 2026, 4:00 pm
* Addenda Issued if required: June 23, 2026
* Proposals Due Electronically via email: June 26, 2026, 12:00 pm
* Review responses and shortlist Week of June 29, 2026
* Interview and Selection from 10:00am to 12:30pm July 7, 2026
* Start of Ed Spec Development - kick off July 13, 2026
* Phase 1 Ed Spec complete (for budgeting) September 1, 2026
* Phase 2 Ed Spec complete (including BOE approval) January 20, 2027
Note: These dates are subject to change.
IV. Selection Process
A. Review Process
The District plans to select the Consultant through a "Quality Based Selection
Process" which includes experience, references, capabilities, past performance,
fees, and other relevant criteria. The District will shortlist up to 3 firms to interview
based on these criteria as well as calls to references during the review process.
The consultant teams submitting for this scope of work shall demonstrate experience
with school design as well as considerable experience developing educational
specifications that resulted in completed projects. Specific consideration will be
paid to firms that have completed high school Ed Specs.
The Design team shall be led by a licensed architect in the state of Connecticut.
B. Formal Presentation and Interview
The District will interview selected firms. Key members of the proposed team are
expected to participate in the interview/presentation including the Principal of the
firm and lead members for the team that will be developing the Educational
Specification. All firms submitting proposals in response to this RFP must be prepared
to make in-person presentations and participate in interviews.
Anticipated dates for the interviews are provided herein; interview times will be
finalized during the shortlist process. It is assumed that the interviews will be 40
minutes in length and the shortlisted firms should focus on their specific experience,
process and approach, aligning stakeholder visions, unique challenges balancing
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For Ed Spec Development
technology changes with building longevity, educational trends, and specialized
needs.
C. Evaluation Criteria of Proposals
The following criteria will be used in evaluating the firm's proposals:
1. Clarity of proposal
2. Technical competence
3. CT School experience
4. Experience creating educational specifications.
5. References
6. Team member experience, organization & team structure
7. Fees
8. Interview chemistry
9. Coherence with their approach to developing Ed Specs
D. Form of Agreement
The District will provide a simple form of agreement after selection.
V. Instructions for Submission
A. Submission Logistics - Proposal Package
An electronic submission via email is required no later than Friday June 26, 2026, by
12:00 p.m. or as modified by addendum. Responses received after this date and
time will not be accepted, and the firm will not be considered for the project. Please
address and email your response to the following:
* Ms. Chris M. Chemerka
Chief Financial & Operations Officer
South Windsor Public Schools
1737 Main Street
South Windsor, CT 06074
proposals@southwindsorschools.org
In addition, please email an electronic copy on June 26, 2026, by 12:00 pm to:
* Scott Pellman, Associate Director,
Colliers Project Leaders,
scott.pellman@collierseng.com
Questions regarding this request shall ONLY be directed via electronic mail to Scott
Pellman listed above.
Questions must be submitted by Friday June 19, 2026, by 4:00 p.m. A final
addendum if required will be posted on the Board of Education website by
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Tuesday June 23, 2026, by 4:00 p.m. It is the respondent's responsibility to check for
all addenda and to acknowledge any issued addenda on the Fee Proposal Form
Appendix B.
B. Contents of Written Proposals
The proposing firms should take care to present a succinct but informative
proposal. The following is a list of minimum information to be included in the
written proposals to be submitted:
1. Letter of interest and project approach
2. Experience developing Educational Specifications: Provide a list of
educational specifications produced by your firm and accepted by
the board of education and Office of Grants Administration for use in
a completed school building project.
3. Team Capacity: Demonstrate that the proposed team has the
capacity to conduct the scope of services within the proposed
timeline.
4. Team Resumes: Provide resumes for all team members who are
proposed for the project highlighting their experience with CT School
Construction, and the development of Educational Specifications.
5. List of 3 references Include three references for school systems where
the design team has competed educational specifications. Include
the grade configuration of the Ed Specs, if the project was submitted
to OGA and if it was constructed.
6. Insurance: Proof of Insurance shall be carried as outlined in Section VII
below.
7. Any additional information that the consultant deems appropriate to
demonstrate their full team's experience.
C. Submission Logistics - Fee Proposals
Firms shall submit their Fee Proposal utilizing the Fee Proposal Form, Appendix B,
and shall include a list of their current hourly rates for each team member and
for each of their consultants' team members. Fee proposals shall be submitted
as a separate document with cover letter in the same submission as their written
proposal.
In the event of a formula error, the individual costs for each scope of work will
be used to determine the total cost. The District reserves the right to clarify costs
with all proposers where a discrepancy may occur.
VI. Termination or Amendment
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The District reserves the right to amend or terminate this RFP, to reject any or all
respondents, to request additional information, to waive any informalities or non-
material deficiencies in a response, and to take any and all other action that, in the
District's sole judgment, will be in its best interests. The District reserves the right to
ask any respondent to clarify its response or to submit additional information that
the District in its sole discretion deems desirable.
In addition, the District may, before or after statement opening and in its sole
discretion, clarify, modify, amend, or terminate this RFP if the District determines it is
in the District's best interest. Any addenda will be transmitted to all shortlisted firms
via email from Colliers Project Leaders.
Proposals must be held firmly and cannot be withdrawn for sixty (60) calendar days
after the opening date. The District reserves the right to amend or terminate this
Request for Proposals, accept all or any part of a proposal, reject all proposals,
waive any informalities or non-material deficiencies in a proposal.
VII. Proposer's Full Knowledge and Contract Terms
A. Presumption of Proposers Full Knowledge
Each proposer is responsible for having read and understood the entirety of this RFP,
all appendices, and any addenda issued by the District. A proposer's failure to have
reviewed all information that is part of or applicable to this RFP, including but not
only any addenda issued, shall in no way relieve it from any aspect of its submission
or the obligations related thereto.
Each proposer is deemed to be familiar with and is required to comply with all
federal, state, and local laws, regulations, ordinances, codes, and orders that in any
manner relate to this RFP or the provision or goods or performance of the work
described herein.
By submitting a package, each proposer represents that it has thoroughly examined
and become familiar with the scope of work outlined/the goods described in this
RFP, and it can perform the work to achieve the District's objectives. If applicable,
each proposer shall visit the site, examine the areas, and thoroughly familiarize itself
with all conditions of the property before preparing its submission.
B. Insurance Requirements
See Appendix A for the BOE's standard insurance thresholds.
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Appendix - A
BOE OF SOUTH WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT
INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR
Educational Specification Development
Insurance Requirements/Standard Service Contract
The Contract/Consultant shall secure and maintain the following minimum insurances
at their own expense:
1. Commercial General Liability Insurance: $1MM per occurrence, $2MM general
aggregate.
2. Automobile Insurance: $2MM combined single accident for bodily injury, death of
any person, and property damage arising out ownership, maintenance and use of
owned, hired or non-owned autos, along with any other statutorily required automobile
coverage.
3. Workers' Compensation: As required by the State of Connecticut, with Statutory limits,
and Employer's Liability coverage with a limit of no less than $500,000 each accident,
$500,000 by disease/each employee, and $500,000 bodily injury, disease aggregate.
4. Professional Liability Insurance: $1MM per claim, $1MM in aggregate. If the architect
maintains broader coverage and/or higher limits than the minimums shown, South
Windsor Public Schools requires and shall be entitled to the broader coverage and/or
the higher limits maintained.
5. The South Windsor Public Schools and the Town of South Windsor shall be named as
additional insureds on the Commercial General Liability and
Automobile Insurance policies.
Consultant shall provide a Certificate of Insurance coverage to the Owner prior to the
start of work on the Project. No policy shall be canceled or non-renewed without thirty
(30) days prior notice to the Owner.
Vendor shall agree to maintain in force at all times during which services are to be
performed the following coverages placed with company(ies) licensed by the State of
Connecticut which have at least an "A-" VIII policyholders rating according to Best
Publication's latest edition Key Rating Guide.
To the extent caused by Vendor's gross negligence or willful misconduct, * "The BOE of
South Windsor shall be named as "Additional Named Insured," and coverage is to be
provided on a primary, noncontributory basis. Wavier of subrogation to be provided.
If any policy is written on a "Claims Made" basis, the policy must be continually
renewed for a minimum of two (2) years from the completion date of this contract. If
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the policy is replaced and/or the retroactive date is changed, then the expiring policy
must be endorsed to extend the reporting period for claims for the policy in effect
during the contract for two (2) years from the completion date.
Original, completed Certificates of Insurance must be presented to the Acting
Purchasing Agent prior to purchase order/contract issuance. Vendor endeavors to
provide replacement/renewal certificates at least days prior to the expiration of the
policy. Should any of the above-described policies be cancelled before the expiration
date, written notice must be made to the City 30 days prior to cancellation.
END OF INSURANCE REQUIREMENT BOE OF SOUTH WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT
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Appendix - B
BOE OF SOUTH WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT
Educational Specification Development
Fee Proposal Form
PROPOSER'S FULL LEGAL NAME: _________________________________________________
Pursuant to and in full compliance with the RFP, the undersigned proposer, having
visited the site or property if applicable, having thoroughly examined every document
comprising the RFP, including any addenda, hereby offers and agrees as follows:
Fee for Ed Spec Development (completed in two phases including all meetings)
Lump Sum Fee: $________________________
Fee in Words: _______________________________________________ Dollars
Fee for three (3) specific BOE meetings in addition to all Ed Spec development meetings
Lump Sum Fee: $________________________
Fee in Words: _______________________________________________ Dollars
In submitting this Proposal Form, the undersigned proposer acknowledges that the
price(s) include all labor, materials, transportation, hauling, overhead, fees and
insurances, bonds or letters of credit, profit, security, permits and licenses, and all other
costs to cover the completed work called for in the RFP. Except as expressly stated
otherwise in the RFP, no additional payment of any kind will be made for work
accomplished under the price(s) as proposed.
Proposed Staff: (Provide Experience and Credentials on Separate sheet for each person)
Name Title Hourly Billing Rate
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The Sub-Consultant Company Name (if applicable):
Name Title Hourly Billing Rate
REQUIRED DISCLOSURES
1. State Debarment List
Is the proposer on the State of Connecticut's Debarment List?
Yes
No
2. Arbitration/Litigation
Has either the proposer or any of its principals (regardless of place of employment)
been involved for the most recent ten (10) years in any resolved or pending
arbitration or litigation?
Yes
No
If "yes," attach a sheet fully describing each such matter.
3. Criminal Proceedings
Has the proposer or any of its principals (regardless of place of employment) ever
been the subject of any criminal proceedings?
Yes
No
If "yes," attach a sheet fully describing each such matter.
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