San Rafael subcommittee lays out RFQ timeline for Measure P library and community center

The Measure P Subcommittee on June 2 heard a detailed procurement schedule for the new San Rafael library and community center, as staff moved the project into the RFQ/RFP phase. Project manager Gary Chub of Griffin Structures said the team plans to publish the RFQ on June 15, hold a mandatory pre-RFQ meeting and one-on-one proprietary meetings with teams July 6–7, receive RFQ responses by July 29 and interview shortlisted teams on Aug. 20.

Gary Chub said the city will use a progressive design-build delivery to attract teams that combine architecture and construction. "We are essentially 99% done," he said, describing outreach to eight or nine interested teams and a market that should yield multiple qualified firms. He described the selection as a best-value approach scored on a 200-point matrix that uses qualification narratives, references, project experience and a financial/fee section that counts for 20% of points.

Council members asked how the RFQ will capture "design excellence." Staff responded that the RFQ requires detailed narratives, project references and resumes for key personnel and that checking references and past, built work will be central to shortlisting. "The teams that understand economics and how the money should be spent will delineate that for evaluation," Chub said.

Staff signaled flexibility in how many firms to shortlist and said the recommended team will return to the Measure P subcommittee (noted Aug. 31) before a council award in November. Staff also said a public recording of the subcommittee was available to proposers and that detailed scoring criteria will be published in the RFQ package.