Bee County seeks engineer for courthouse restoration; RFQ approved for Texas Historical Commission grant application

Bee County Commissioners Court on Jan. 13 approved a request for qualifications to solicit an engineering firm to prepare a conditions assessment, master planning drawings and grant administration services for a 2026 Texas Historical Commission grant to repair the county courthouse.

Commissioner Medias explained the project will seek to use remaining and new Texas Historical Commission funding and noted the state program requires firms experienced in historic renovation and willing to comply with the commission’s review and easement requirements. "They've got to be on their approved vendor list that does historical restoration," Medias told the court, noting grant funding after prior rounds has grown and that the county wants to pursue available federal/state historic preservation resources while minimizing county cash outlays.

The RFQ will request firms to include proposed contract forms and grant administration capabilities; commissioners asked county staff to provide the proposed agreements with sufficient time to review before any contract award. The court approved issuing the RFQ by voice vote.