1071 Procurement of New Building Construction and Major Improvement-Remodeling

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to establish and define the process for procuring construction services for new building construction and major improvement or remodeling of existing or planned County buildings. The policy is intended to assure quality in construction, transparency in the purchasing process, and fair competition between vendors.

ELECTED OFFICIALS/DEPARTMENTS AFFECTED: All

POLICY:

The Adams County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) requires a formal pre-qualification
process for the construction of all new county buildings and all major improvements or
remodeling of existing or planned County buildings. Major, for the purpose of this policy, shall
be defined as improvements or remodeling projects estimated to require $1,000,000 or more
of construction costs.

The BOCC recognizes that these projects are significant to the community and to the County
organization. The substantial investment of public monies, the long lives of these assets, and
the impact to our citizens and employees drives the need for quality in construction. The policy
recognizes that improved quality in construction may have lower total lifetime project costs
than projects awarded using only lowest cost procurement. This policy also recognizes that
quality of construction can be enhanced through the use of highly qualified contractors who
employee personnel that are well trained and have the developed skills required to perform the
required work.

The pre-qualification process will utilize the following general evaluation criteria for each
submitting vendor:
1. Past performance and experience in successfully completing similar projects, including
timeliness, budgetary performance, and quality of final building projects;
2. Project management capabilities and experience;
3. Contractor responsibility, including safety history and safety programs; financial,
bonding and insurance capacity; and past claims, litigation, convictions, and history of
business practices;
4. Personnel available for the project, including the utilization of local labor, personnel
recruitment, and workforce training and development;
5. Employee total compensation packages, including retirement and benefit programs; and
6. Other project-specific criteria that may be relevant.

The Purchasing Division, in cooperation with the Facilities Planning and Operations
Department, will develop a draft pre-qualification solicitation for planned qualifying projects,
including specific evaluation criteria. This draft pre-qualification solicitation, including
evaluation criteria, will be presented to the BOCC for approval at Study Session prior to posting
by the Purchasing Division.

A pre-qualification review team will be selected, including representatives from the County
Manager’s Office, the Facilities Planning and Operations Department, the Human Resources
Department, the Finance Department, and the department(s) who will be the primary users of
the building, to evaluate responses. Vendors may be asked to provide oral presentations on
their submissions.

The Purchasing Division will present a list of recommended vendors to the BOCC at Public
Hearing for consideration, along with evaluation results. No vendor may be recommended to
the BOCC unless the majority of the pre-qualification review team deems them to be within a
normal and acceptable range within the industry and the local community in each of the
evaluation areas. For the purpose of employee total compensation, this means that employees
receive fair and proper benefits commensurate with similar employees in the area. The BOCC
may approve or deny any responding vendors, at the BOCC’s discretion, for inclusion on the list
of pre-qualified vendors.

The Purchasing Division will utilize the list of pre-qualified vendors to solicit either a formal
Request for Proposal (RFP) or Formal Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the actual construction award.
A bid will follow the process prescribed in Policy 1060 – Formal Invitation for Bid (IFB). An RFP
will follow the process prescribed in Policy 1070 – Formal Request for Proposal (RFP).
Evaluation criteria for the RFP will include price, specific project plan, and any other criteria
unique to the project. Neither the bid nor the RFP will request or reevaluate the criteria
contained in the pre-qualification process, but will require reaffirmation from the vendor that
the same conditions exist as presented in the pre-qualification response, or alternatively, that
any changed conditions be updated and explained.

EXCEPTIONS:
Unless otherwise prohibited by State or Federal law, or these Policies and Procedures, the
BOCC does not require a formal pre-qualification under any one of the following circumstances:
1. The County may participate in joint use facilities with other local governments utilizing
alternative procurement procedures of the other participating entity, with the pre-approval
of the BOCC.
2. The BOCC, at their discretion, may use the existing pre-qualified vendor list if the scope of
work and evaluation criteria is deemed consistent with the new project.
3. This process may be waived by the BOCC for federally funded projects if this process is in
conflict any grant funding requirements.
4. This process may be waived by the BOCC for emergency improvements or repairs.

PROCEDURE:
1. The Purchasing Manager shall assign Purchasing Division staff to assist the Facilities
Planning and Operations Department to:
1.1. Aid in the development and review of the specifications or scope of work for the prequalification solicitation;
1.2. Develop the advertisement for the newspaper or publication;
1.3. Develop the vendor solicitation list;
1.4. Distribute the pre-qualification solicitation;
1.5. Aid in the evaluation of the pre-qualification responses; and
1.6. Place vendors on the pre-qualified vendor list for the subsequent bid or RFP.
2. The Purchasing Division will present to the BOCC at Study Session the recommended prequalification solicitation and evaluation criteria and make any amendments directed by the
BOCC prior to solicitation.
3. Once the pre-qualification solicitation document is completed, the Facilities Planning and
Operations Director must sign off on the completed document before it can be sent out to
vendors. The Purchasing Division staff shall then:
3.1. Post the package to the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System and newspapers where
applicable; obtain as many proposals as possible.
3.2. Prepare the pre-qualification solicitation packets which include:
3.2.1. The Scope of Work or specifications and plans that details Adams County’s
situation and the desired final outcome;
3.2.2. Special provisions;
3.2.3. Date, time, and location of the pre-qualification conference, if required;
3.2.4. Date and time when questions must be submitted in writing to be included in
any addendum; and
3.2.5. Date and time when the pre-qualification solicitation must be delivered to
Adams County.
4. Pre-qualification conference – the Purchasing Division staff shall:
4.1. Coordinate all pre-qualification conferences to record the attendees;
4.2. Note any issues which require explanation; and
4.3. Develop and distribute to all vendors any addenda to the pre-qualification solicitation
document.
5. Pre-qualification response opening – the Purchasing Division staff shall assure:
5.1. Acceptance of all sealed responses up to the time of response opening; noting the time
and date the response was delivered on the outside of the sealed package. No
responses shall be opened prior to the time and date specified in the pre-qualification
solicitation;
5.2. All responses submitted after the time stipulated in the pre-qualification solicitation
shall not be opened and shall be returned to the sender with a letter stating that the
response was submitted late and shall not be considered;
5.3. Copies of all responses, including all appropriate attachments, shall be forwarded to
the pre-qualification review team for their review and evaluation. The recommendation
of the pre-qualification review team is to be sent to the Purchasing Division for
processing through the BOCC; and
5.4. The Purchasing Division shall be involved in the review process and shall review the
recommendation to assure this policy was properly followed.
6. When processing the recommendation – The Purchasing Division staff shall:
6.1. Prepare the package to be presented to the BOCC including:
6.1.1. The agenda item and resolution; and
6.1.2. A summation of the evaluation; and
6.2. E-mail a copy of the agenda item and resolution with all supporting documents to all
submitting companies informing them as to the date and time when the resolution will
be presented in public hearing. This gives any vendor the opportunity to file a protest
(see Policy 1075 – Vendor Protests).
7. Pre-qualification close – The Purchasing Division staff shall:
7.1. Notify all vendors that were not selected for inclusion on the list of pre-qualified
vendors; and
7.2. Prepare a list of pre-qualified vendors for the project.
8. RFP or bid – the County shall follow either the process outlined in Policy 1070 – Formal
Request for Proposal (RFP) or the process outlined in Policy 1060 – Formal Invitation for Bid
(IFB) for the actual construction award, depending on the procurement method chosen.