Foothills Regional Airport Industial Sewer Project

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

For the Preliminary Engineering Report, Design and Construction Services of;

Foothills Regional Airport Industrial Sewer Project

DATE ISSUED

December 18, 2025

DUE DATE

January 16, 2026

2:00 p.m.

PHYSICAL DELIVERY/MAILING LOCATION

Caldwell County

Attn: Heather Cox, Purchasing Agent

PO Box 2200

905 West Ave NW

Lenoir, NC 28645

RFQ# 26-0116

Caldwell County

Request for Qualifications for Engineering Services

Preliminary Engineering Report

Design and Construction Services

Project: Foothills Regional Airport Industrial Sewer Project

Caldwell County is seeking a qualified engineering firm for the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER), Design, and Construction Services for the Foothills Regional Airport Industrial Sewer Project. The airport is located on Highway 18, 8 miles north of Morganton and 9 miles south of Lenoir, NC.

1. Preliminary Engineering Report (PER)

The County requires a PER to evaluate options for installing public sanitary sewer to the Foothills Regional Airport and the surrounding 1,054 acres owned by the airport authority.

Key Components of the PER:

• Project Description: A detailed account of all project elements.

• Drawings and Layouts: General layouts showing existing site conditions and proposed project components, including rough dimensions and quantities.

• Feasibility Analysis: Assessment of project constructability, including design and construction constraints.

• Permits and Approvals: A list of required permits and a timeline for obtaining them.

• Environmental Considerations: Address potential environmental impacts, including necessary assessments (e.g., biological assessments for endangered species).

• Construction Cost Estimate: A detailed estimate covering quantities, unit costs, and total costs, with a defined basis for construction contingencies.

• Schedule: Estimated construction schedule.

2. Design and Construction Services

The County plans to apply for Economic Development Administration (EDA) funding based on the completed PER. If funding is secured, the County anticipates contracting the firm that supplied the PER for the subsequent design and construction phase.

This follow-on contract will encompass scheduling, cost estimation, infrastructure design, permitting, specification, bid document preparation, bidding, project administration/inspection, and final certification.

The selected firm will be employed by Caldwell County and will coordinate with staff from the Foothills Regional Airport and the City of Lenoir Utility Department. Caldwell County is the official selection entity.

3. Submission Details and Requirements

Contact for Specific Questions:

• Ashley Bolick, Economic Development Director

• Telephone: (828) 728-0768

• Email: abolick@caldwellcountync.org

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ)

Caldwell County seeks a competent/qualified firm registered to practice in North Carolina with experience in the following areas:

• Specialized Expertise: Appropriate expertise for this type of project.

• Team Capacity: Adequate staff, proposed team, and project manager, including location, past performance on similar work, and current workload.

• Recent Experience: Track record with project costs and schedules.

• Familiarity: Proximity to and familiarity with the project area.

• Success Record: History of successfully completed projects without major legal or technical issues.

• EDA Experience: Demonstrated successful experience with EDA-funded projects, including prior PER submissions.

• Insurance: Appropriate insurance coverage for the scope of work.

• Other Factors: Any other factors deemed appropriate for the project.

Evaluation Criteria

A County staff review committee will rank proposals based on the following criteria:

Criteria	Relative Importance
Experience (Project Team, Funding Program, etc.)	30
Work Performance (past record)	30
Capacity to Perform (Available Staff, Location, Schedule, etc.)	30
Other Factors which may be deemed appropriate	10

Labor Rates/Costs

The submittal should include labor rates by category (including overhead and profit), travel costs, and a list of reimbursables not covered by overhead.

Deadlines and Submission

• Publish Date: December 18, 2025

• Closing Date: January 16, 2026 at 2:00 PM (Proposals received after this time will not be considered.)

• Submittal Format: TWO (2) hard copies of the proposal (no more than 30 pages double-sided) and ONE (1) electronic copy on a flash drive.

Submit To (Heather Cox, Purchasing Agent:

	Mailing Address	Physical/Delivery Address
Address:	PO Box 2200, Lenoir, NC 28645	905 West Ave NW, Lenoir NC 28645
Phone/TDD:	(828) 728-0768-4280 / TDD # 1-800-735-2962

Caldwell County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and promotes Fair Housing practices, encouraging small, minority, and female-owned businesses to submit qualifications.

Block Ad Publication Requirements

The selection process also requires running a block ad:

• Run one time in a local newspaper (Affidavit Required).

• Run one time in The Charlotte Post (Best Black News Publication in North Carolina).

• Post on the NC electronic Vendor Portal (evP) and Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Solicitation Portal.

• Must include Fair Housing and EEO Logos.