The Northwest Arctic Borough ("Borough" or "NAB") is requesting proposals for the award of a contract to perform Architectural/engineering services for the Borough's Fire/Search and Rescue warm storage buildings in the communities of Selawik, Noorvik, Deering, Noatak, and Kivalina, Alaska. Additional work may follow on a task-order basis. This Request for Proposals (RFP) details the overall scope of desired services, specific qualifications, and necessary skills. Responses to this RFP will be used to select and negotiate with a qualified engineering firm to provide the services described in this RFP. The Borough may issue separate RFPs for additional work. The Borough Assembly will approve the award of this contract based on the evaluation criteria identified in Section III of this RFP.
This RFP does not commit the Borough to enter into a contract, nor does it obligate the Borough to pay for any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of responses to this RFP. The Borough reserves the right at its sole discretion: to make selections, to reject any or all submissions, to issue subsequent RFPs, to remedy technical errors in the RFP process, and to enter into a contract for all or some of the services described in this RFP. Proposals must be received by the Northwest Arctic Borough Clerk, P.O. Box 1110, Kotzebue, Alaska 99752 or at the Borough office located at 163 Lagoon Street, Kotzebue, Alaska 99752, by 4:30 p.m., local time on Monday, November 30, 2026. The proposals will be opened publicly at 9:00 a.m. December 1, 2026, or as soon thereafter as practicable. Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered. FACSIMILE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
RFP documents may be obtained from the office of the Northwest Arctic Borough Clerk by mail, email, at www.nwabor.org, or in person at the Borough offices in Kotzebue, Alaska or by calling (907) 442-2500, ext. 105. Questions about this RFP may be directed to John Bullock project manager @ jbullock@nwabor.org or (907) 442-2500.
SECTION II - INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS
PROPOSAL PREPARATION
Proposal Format: Proposals must be typewritten or prepared in ink and must be attached to the form provided in Section IV of the RFP. Proposals must also include a completed "Local Bidder Certificate" found in Section V of the RFP. No oral, telephone, or facsimile proposals will be accepted. See Proposal Submission below. Conformance to Proposal Requirements: Proposals must conform to the requirements of the RFP. All necessary attachments (residency statement, references, descriptive literature, etc.) must be submitted with the proposal. Cost proposals must be stated as indicated in the proposal. Failure to comply with all requirements of the RFP may result in proposal rejection. Time of Completion: Contractor must be able to achieve substantial completion by March 2027.
Signature on Proposal: An authorized representative of the proposer must sign proposals in ink. Signature on a proposal certifies that the proposal is made without collusion with any person, firm, or corporation making a proposal for the same goods and/or services, and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. Signature on a proposal also certifies that the proposer has read and fully understands all proposal specifications, terms, and conditions. Proposal Modification: Modifications or deletions made before submitting a proposal must be initialed in ink by the person signing the proposal. Proposals, once submitted, may be modified in writing before the time and date set for proposal closing. Any modifications must be prepared on the proposer's letterhead, signed by an authorized representative, and state that the new document supersedes or modifies the prior proposal. Modifications must be submitted in a sealed envelope or PDF email clearly marked "Proposal Modification," and identify the proposal number and closing date.
Proposal Withdrawals: Proposals may be withdrawn in writing on proposer's letterhead signed by an authorized representative and received by the Borough Clerk prior to proposal closing time. Proposals may also be withdrawn in person before proposal closing time upon presentation of appropriate identification. Protest of Proposal Specifications: A proposer who believes proposal specifications are unnecessarily restrictive or limit competition may submit a protest, in writing, to the Northwest Arctic Borough Clerk. To be considered, protests must be received at least five (5) days before the proposal closing date. Envelopes containing protests should be marked as follows: "Protest Proposal RFP FY27-02, Closing Date: 11/30/2026." Proposal Submission: Hard copy sealed proposals or PDF emails must be received and time-stamped by the Borough Clerk at the listed addresses below prior to proposal closing time. No proposal received after the submission deadline will be considered. To ensure proper identification and handling, all proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope or PDF email, clearly identified as "RFP FY27-02." The Borough Clerk will not be responsible for the proper identification and handling of any proposal not submitted in an envelope bearing the required proposal label. Please be advised that the Borough email system rejects all emails exceeding 25mb in size. Proposers are encouraged to confirm receipt of all email submissions.
Mail to:
Borough Clerk
Northwest Arctic Borough P.O. Box 1110 Kotzebue, AK 99752
Or Email to:
satoruk@nwabor.org
Proposal Opening: Proposals will be opened at 9:00 a.m. on December 1, 2026, in the Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly Chambers (unless otherwise specified), 163 Lagoon Street, Kotzebue, Alaska 99752. Proposers may be present; however, award decisions will not be made at the opening, and any proprietary information may be withheld from public inspection.
Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be evaluated based on the evaluation criteria set forth in Section III of this RFP and on the recommendations received from the Evaluation Committee.
Award: The contract will be awarded based on the evaluation criteria and to the proposer who, at the discretion of the Borough, offers the best combination of price and performance, and meets all requirements of the specifications. At its discretion, the Borough may award contracts to more than one proposer. Upon successful completion of the contract, the Borough may consider awarding subsequent projects to the selected contractor(s).
Proposal Rejection: The Borough reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.
Local Bidder Preference: "Local Bidders" are entitled to a 5% cost preference as described in the Northwest Arctic Borough Code ("NABC") § 6.16.470, but a contract under this RFP will not be awarded on the basis of cost alone.
Payment: A progress payments payment will be made following invoicing. Proposals that require payment in less than 30 days after receipt of invoice or delivery of services, whichever is later, may be rejected.
Proposal Results: Only a proposer who receives an award will be notified of proposal results; unsuccessful proposers will not be notified. Proposal files are public records and available for review at the Borough Clerk's office between 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Equal Opportunity: Proposals will receive fair and equitable consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, or handicap.
Contact: Direct questions regarding RFP requirements to: John Bullock, Project Manager, in person or by mail at the Borough offices or by phone at (907) 442-2500, or through email at jbullock@nwabor.org.
SECTION III - EVALUATION CRITERIA
The Borough's Evaluation Committee will evaluate RFP responses. The Committee will consider how well the proposal meets the Borough's requirements as described in the RFP. It is important that the responses be clear and complete to ensure that the Committee can adequately understand all aspects of the proposal.
Primary Evaluation Criteria
1. Experience rural design and engineering work in rural Alaska.
2. Adherence to requirements for RFP preparation.
3. Cost.
Minimum Criteria (no points)
1. One year in business.
2. Current Alaska business license.
3. Current Architect, Engineer Professional License
4. At least 2 references from clients in Alaska.
5. Professional and general liability insurance; and workers' compensation insurance as required by law.
Criteria to be Scored and Weight
1. Architecture/Engineering experience performing similar work (20 points).
2. Service proposal and process (30 points).
3. Cost (50 points).
SECTION IV - PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM
I, the undersigned, submit the following proposal for building renovation services as further described in this Request for Proposals.
(Proposal form fields follow: Proposer's Signature; Proposer's Printed Name; Company Name; Address; Phone; Fax Number; Email Address; Business License Number; Federal Tax ID Number (EIN))
SECTION V - LOCAL BIDDER CERTIFICATE
"Local Bidder" Certification:
Yes, I certify that I am a "local bidder." The Northwest Arctic Borough Code ("NABC") § 6.16.470 describes the requirements to be considered a "local bidder." Local bidders are eligible for a 5% preference in price consideration. Price consideration is not the sole criteria for awarding a contract under this RFP.
No, I am not a "local bidder" as described in NABC § 6.16.470.
SECTION VI - DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS
At this time, the scope of services includes the following minimum specifications. The scope of services will be finalized once the engineer(s) for the project is selected.
1.0 Scope of Services
The Northwest Arctic Borough is seeking an architecture or engineering company to perform the following design and engineering services for the Selawik, Noorvik, Deering, Noatak, and Kivalina Fire/Search and Rescue (SAR) warm storage buildings. The Borough initially elected to go with a lower cost option using only selected items referenced in the conceptual design. The "High-Cost Option" is referenced in the conceptual design. In turn, Proposers should respond to the High-Cost Option; however, the Borough reserves the right to negotiate with the selected contractor to select elements from the Low-Cost Option. The preliminary and full design must meet 7 CFR 1942.18(k) and 2 CFR 200.317 through 200.327. The building package are subject to Build America, Buy America Act 2 CFR part 184.
A. Building Design
The NAB public safety department seeks to enhance the storage and maintenance capacity in each designated village for VPSO, Search and Rescue, and Fire equipment in Selawik, Noorvik, Deering, Noatak, and Kivalina. The Borough seeks buildings with the following specifications: 27' wide by 42' long side walls at 12' center peak at 18' 1,134 square feet. The building will need to be designed for a 100 pound per square foot snow load roof, all electrical and mechanical. A typical foundation system subject to change per location. R-40 wall insulation, R-60 ceiling spray foam may be utilized but will need coating for fire protection. Electrical will include a 200-amp service, sufficient outlets and lighting both outside and inside. Mechanical of a minimum of 60,000 BTU. Heat exchangers will be utilized to help offset the cost of fuels. A garage door of 12' tall and 16' wide, with a 3/0-man door both fire rated located at front of building.
B. Geo-Tech Work
The Borough will also require Geo-Tech services and also QA/QC services for each village building site. Geo-Tech will include but not be limited to soil samples, frost elevations, and foundation systems. There will be no excavation done at the Sites. All engineering will be for above-grade for sites. Additionally, Geo-Tech work must identify three feasible foundation options for each site. The foundation systems will need to take into consideration that materials will need to be flown into the village. Cost will be a factor. The QA/QC will consist of site visits to make sure all construction is being carried out per engineer plan. A Gantt chart will need to be put together for scheduling visits at key times of construction. The QA/QC person will need to stay in direct contact with the contractor. A detailed report for each location will be needed at end of project location. Day visits will need to be made to alleviate costs for per diem, hotels, housing, flights. Unforeseeable contingencies will need to be included in costs.
2.0 Agreement Period
Work will be performed pursuant to a standard form Borough professional services agreement (sample available from Borough Clerk) and will commence as soon as possible. The Borough may agree to extend the agreement for additional construction services, to be determined at a later date on a task-order basis or IDIQ indefinite delivery indefinite quantity basis.
3.0 Payment
Payment will be made upon monthly invoices, itemizing services rendered and approved reimbursable expenses. The Borough will pay invoices submitted by the selected contractor on a time and materials basis as stipulated in the services agreement. Prior to payment, invoices will be reviewed to determine if billing is reflective of actual agreed-upon project services and performance. Upon acceptance of the billing by the Borough Finance Department, the payment will be processed and submitted to the contractor.
4.0 Review and Selection Process
4.1 The Northwest Arctic Borough Evaluation Committee consists of the Borough Mayor, the Public Services Director, and Borough Project Manager. The Borough reserves the right to modify the membership of the Evaluation Committee.
4.2 The Evaluation Committee will rank the proposals against the criteria in Section III of this RFP and submit its recommendation to the Assembly for approval and execution of a construction services agreement. The Assembly will award the contract in its sole discretion and judgment.
4.3 The Northwest Arctic Borough may reject any proposal not in compliance with all prescribed public bidding procedures and requirements in this RFP and may reject any proposals upon a finding that it is in the Borough's interest to do so. The Borough also reserves the right to waive any informality in any proposal and to delete matters from proposals if not prohibited by law.
5.0 Information Required
For hard copy submissions, proposers must submit one (1) clearly marked "Original" and three (3) copies of their proposal. The Borough reserves the right to solicit additional information from applicants if the Borough deems such information is necessary during the evaluation process.
Responses to this RFP shall include the following components:
5.1 Name or business name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address.
5.2 Number of years in business performing engineering service work.
5.3 List of proposed personnel to be involved with this project, their education and/or experience related to the project, and the name of the individual who would be the Borough's primary contact.
5.4 Staff availability, considering the current and planned workload in order to perform the required services.
5.5 Specialized experience performing similar work.
5.6 Past record of performance regarding similar work.
5.7 Methodology.
5.8 A minimum of two references. List contact name, address, phone number, fax number, and email address for each reference. The Borough reserves the right to investigate the references and past performance of any applicant with respect to its successful performance of similar projects, compliance with specifications and contractual obligations, completion of prior projects on time, and other factors related to the work of this project. The Borough is not limited to the references provided by the proposer.
5.9 Include a copy of current and valid Alaska business license.
