Orange County NC Website
15 <br /> Request For Qualifications (RFQ) Process of Evaluation <br /> In July 2023, Orange County issued a RFQ to identify a qualified consultant to provide Design <br /> Services for the Greene Tract Master Plan on behalf of Orange County and the two Towns. <br /> Six Statements of Qualifications were received and evaluated by the proposal review committee <br /> composed of Orange County, Town of Chapel Hill, and Town of Carrboro Planning staff. The <br /> committee evaluation was based on the following criteria: <br /> 1. Past performance of the lead consulting firm on similar planning projects of similar size <br /> and scope <br /> 2. Adequate and experienced staff and proposed team for the project <br /> 3. Current workload and firm capacity <br /> 4. Strategy for providing required services <br /> 5. Understanding of the area where the project is located and scope of services. <br /> Based on the evaluation process, the review committee requested proposals from and <br /> interviewed two of the firms, and unanimously recommends Thomas & Hutton Engineering Co. <br /> (T&H), for contract award. T&H is a respected and established multidisciplinary firm in the <br /> southeast, with 15 locations in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and North Carolina, including <br /> the office in Research Triangle Park that houses the primary staff for this project. T&H merged <br /> with Coulter Jewell Thomas in 2022, bringing all principal staff featured in the proposal to T&H. <br /> The principal management staff for this project has done work in Orange County, the Town of <br /> Chapel Hill, and the Town of Carrboro, including the 2009 Rogers Road Small Area Plan for the <br /> Town of Chapel Hill, designing the Homestead Road Residential Community, and leading the <br /> engineering and design for the Morgan Creek Greenway Master Plan and Implementation Plans. <br /> Summary of Project Scope and Approach <br /> Orange County Planning staff negotiated the scope of services and budget with T&H, as reflected <br /> in the Letter Agreement of Services (Attachment 1). The T&H proposal is intended to assist <br /> Orange County, the Town of Carrboro, and the Town of Chapel Hill with civil design services to <br /> create a Greene Tract Master Plan. The intention of both the Greene Tract owners and T&H is to <br /> deliver a conceptual plan that can be utilized to define and directly inform a site plan for entitlement <br /> with the Town of Chapel Hill to develop the Greene Tract consistent with the terms established <br /> by the 2021 Interlocal Agreement including commitments to Public Engagement, Affordable and <br /> Mixed Income Housing and other uses, a School Site with Public Recreation, Connectivity, and a <br /> Development Agreement; and the 2021 Resolution that affirmed land use needs and goals to <br /> promote mixed-income housing opportunities; preserve environmental features; protect historical <br /> and cultural resources; promote cost-effective infrastructure; incorporate school and recreation <br /> sites; and earmark development areas for mixed income housing and mixed use potential. <br /> The design services project features four primary services: <br /> 1) Project Coordination and Management, including all data collection and collaboration with <br /> the Community Engagement consultant, Gensler; <br /> 2) Master Planning — Housing, Recreation and Community support/service center, including <br /> the preparation of an executive summary and two (2) "Conceptual Master Plans" for <br /> presentation and feedback, that shall feature: <br /> a. Residential uses (focus on affordable housing and mixed income housing); <br /> b. Non-residential uses (focus on low intensity commercial and services uses); <br />