ISSUED November 5, 2026
DEADLINE November 19, 2026
Part 1 - Introduction
The City of Calipatria ("Owner") is a General Law city with a City Manager form of government. It is home to the tallest flagpole in the United States, built by and dedicated to the "Good Neighborliness" of Calipatria's townspeople. The California Department of Parks and Recreation has awarded a grant to the City of Calipatria to revitalize the western section of the city. This grant will fund the construction of a Community Park, address the lack of a Community Center and providing much-needed amenities for the residents.
Owner is soliciting Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) and Proposals from qualified geotechnical engineering and materials testing consultants to provide construction-phase geotechnical observation, testing, consultation, and closeout services for the City of Calipatria Community Center (the "Project"). The successful Consultant will be selected based on demonstrated qualifications, relevant experience, staffing capacity, responsiveness, and fee proposal. The selected Consultant will coordinate with the Owner, Gafcon, the Contractor, the design team, and applicable authorities having jurisdiction to provide timely field coverage and complete documentation in support of construction and closeout.
Part 2 - Submission Instructions
2.1 Questions & Clarifications Proposing firms should read the entire RFQ/P and all accompanying information before preparing its proposal. Proposers shall seek clarification of any requirements they do not fully understand.
All questions must be received no later than 5:00 PM (PDT) November 12, 2026.
Respondents shall address any issue or question via email to:
Chris Larsen (Sr. Project Manager, Gafcon) CLarsen@gafcon.com
Addenda and additional information related to the RFQ/P will be emailed directly to each Respondent's designated Project Manager. Respondents are responsible for any addenda and their incorporation into the SOQ/P.
2.2 Submission of RFQ/P Response RFQ/P responses shall be emailed no later than 5:00 PM (PDT) November 19, 2026 to:
Gaby Eagle (Project Manager, Gafcon) gaby.eagle@gafcon.com
Brevity and clarity are of utmost importance; each submission shall provide a concise and straightforward description of the Firm's ability to meet the requirements of the RFQ/P. Standard marketing materials shall be minimized as firms are already pre-selected for participation in this RFQ/P.
The responses to this RFQ/P shall be 8 ½" x 11" portrait in electronic portable document format (PDF).
Responses that do not comply with all applicable requirements may be deemed non-responsive and rejected.
2.3 Owner Contact Gafcon PM/CM LLC. ("Gafcon") has been retained as the Owner's Representative. All communication regarding this RFQ/P and the scope contained therein will be directed to Gafcon directly. Gafcon and Owner will review and evaluate each response in depth in preparation for final interviews. Based on the RFQ/P response and interviews, Gafcon will recommend the best- qualified firm to the Owner for final selection. Gafcon will then proceed with final negotiations. Should negotiations fail to attain full agreement, Gafcon will proceed to the next highest-rated proposing team.
Respondents may not contact the Owner in conjunction with this RFQ/P solicitation at any time. Any contact with a City of Calipatria staff member regarding this RFQ/P may be grounds for rejection of the response.
Part 3 - Project Information
3.1 Project Criteria and Program
Item Project Information
Project Calipatria Community Center
Address 440 West Main Street, Calipatria, CA 92233
Building New one-story, Type V-B, fully sprinklered community center
Building Area Approximately 8,413 square feet
Major Site Elements Parking and paving, accessible routes, utilities, stormwater basins/treatment facilities, landscaping, playground, splash pad, shade structures, site furnishings, fencing, and related improvements
Reference Geotechnical Report Nicklaus Engineering, Inc., Geotechnical Report No. 025-0119, including the original report dated July 9, 2025 and the addendum dated November 13, 2025.
Reference Plan Set Current City of Calipatria Community Center stamped/approved plan set issued with this RFQ/P, including Architectural, Structural, Civil, Landscape, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical drawings.
3.2 Project Goals • Implement geotechnical recommendations consistently across the building and site improvements.
• Provide timely field coverage, clear reporting, and rapid communication of nonconforming or changed conditions.
• Maintain complete testing records that support agency acceptance and project closeout. • Coordinate services to minimize missed inspections, retesting, delays, and scope gaps.
3.3 Compliance with Applicable Laws
Services shall comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, licensing requirements, permit conditions, approved project documents, and the final professional services agreement.
Part 4 - Scope of Services
4.1 Earthwork and Grading Observation • Observe removals, scarification, moisture conditioning, proof-rolling, over-excavation, recompaction, site preparation, and fill placement, as applicable.
• Evaluate exposed subgrades and provide recommendations for soft, yielding, disturbed, wet, undocumented, expansive, or unsuitable materials.
• Observe and test controlled/engineered fill supporting the building pad, slabs, pavements, sidewalks, curbs, utilities, stormwater facilities, playground, splash pad, and other improvements. Verify fill material suitability, moisture conditioning, lift thickness, placement, and required compaction in accordance with the approved construction documents and geotechnical recommendations.
4.2 Field Density and Laboratory Soil Testing • Perform in-place density and moisture testing at frequencies sufficient to evaluate compliance. • Perform laboratory moisture-density relationships and classification or index testing for native soil, proposed fill, aggregate base, and trench backfill as needed.
• Record test locations by site feature, lift or elevation, utility run, stationing, or another reproducible reference.
• Promptly communicate failures and document corrective work and retesting.
4.3 Utility Trench and Backfill Observation • Observe trench subgrade, bedding, shading, backfill placement, lift thickness, moisture conditioning, and compaction when requested.
• Test backfill for sewer, water, fire service, storm drainage, electrical, communications, irrigation, gas, and other utilities.
• Provide recommendations for unsuitable trench conditions or groundwater encountered within the consultant's discipline.
4.4 Foundation and Slab Support Observation • Mandatory Hold Point: The Geotechnical Engineer shall observe all footing and foundation excavations and verify that exposed bearing materials are suitable and consistent with the geotechnical recommendations before reinforcing steel and/or concrete placement. Written acceptance shall be provided before construction proceeds.
• Evaluate bearing materials and confirm correction of loose, disturbed, softened, or unsuitable footing bottoms.
• Observe building slab subgrade preparation and geotechnical aspects of aggregate or capillary- break materials and vapor-retarder support conditions.
• Provide same-day field confirmation followed by written acceptance documentation.
4.5 Pavement and Site Improvement Testing • Observe and test prepared subgrade and aggregate base placement and compaction for parking areas, driveways, sidewalks, exterior flatwork, accessible routes, playground and splash-pad support areas, equipment pads, utility trenches crossing paved areas, hardscape, and related site improvements.
• Provide asphalt sampling and in-place density testing as an included or clearly identified optional service.
• Observe support conditions for exterior flatwork, accessible routes, equipment pads, playground, splash pad, trash enclosure, shade structures, and related features when requested.
4.6 Related Materials Testing • Clearly identify concrete field testing and compressive-strength testing as included, optional, or excluded.
• Clearly identify masonry and grout testing, reinforcing steel observation, welding, high-strength bolting, fireproofing, and other special inspections as included, optional, or excluded.
Soils and Foundation Special Inspections: Clearly state whether the proposal includes all soils- and foundation-related special inspections identified in the approved structural drawings, including site preparation before controlled fill, controlled-fill material and density verification, lift-thickness verification, and verification of soils supporting foundations. Identify each excluded inspection so the Owner may assign it to a separate testing agency.
4.7 Construction Consultation and Closeout • Respond to changed conditions, failed tests, groundwater, unstable soil, substitutions, and corrective work plans.
• Review relevant RFIs, submittals, and change proposals within the contracted scope. • Compile final field and laboratory reports, deficiency and corrective-action records, open-item and retest logs, and reproducible location records.
• Provide final compaction certification and a signed or sealed geotechnical compliance/observation letter summarizing services performed, test results, deficiencies, corrective work, retesting, exclusions, limitations, and unresolved items.
Part 5 - Deliverables and Reporting
Deliverable Minimum Requirement Timing
Observation/testing plan Hold points, frequencies, contacts, Before field work
request procedure
Daily field report Work observed, locations, tests and Within 1 business day
results, deficiencies, direction, personnel
and hours
Urgent field notice Failed test or condition affecting quality, Immediately, then written
schedule, or concealment
Laboratory report Sample ID, source/location, method, Promptly after testing
result, criteria, reviewer
Weekly summary Open failures, retests, unresolved items, Weekly during active work
pending reports, budget status
Monthly invoice package Task, labor classification, hours, expenses, Monthly
budget status, supporting detail
Acceptance documentation Location, condition, corrective work, Before concealment
acceptance status, limitations
Final report or letter Summary, certifications, attachments, At closeout
exclusions, unresolved items
Reports shall be electronic and searchable. Use consistent project naming, dates, test identification, and reproducible location references. Provide editable logs when requested.
Part 6 - Appendices
• Appendix A - PRELIMINARY PROJECT INFORMATION o Exhibit A - Contract Documents List and FTP Link
• Appendix B - PROJECT SCHEDULE (Gafcon v1.7)
• Appendix D - ADDENDA ACKNOWLEDGEMENT (if applicable)
• Appendix E - AGREEMENT FOR GEOTECHNICAL SERVICES o Exhibit E1 - City/DBIA/Gafcon - Waiting to hear back from City
• Appendix F - INSURANCE & LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
• Appendix G - WORKERS' COMPENSATION CERTIFICATE
• Appendix I - NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT
Part 7 - General Conditions
This RFQ/P is not a commitment or contract of any kind. The Owner reserves the right to pursue any, or none of the proposals generated by this request. Costs for developing the proposal are entirely the responsibility of the applicants and shall not be reimbursed. The Owner reserves the right to: select the proposal that is in the Owner's best interests; to reject any and all proposals at any time and for any reason; to terminate the RFQ/P process; and to waive any requirements of this RFQ/P when it determines that doing so is in its best interests. Further, while every effort has been made to ensure the information presented in this RFQ/P is accurate and thorough, the Owner assumes no liability for any unintentional errors or omissions in this document.
