A.        INTRODUCTION AND REISSUANCE
 
This Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) is issued by the Lower Cameron Hospital Service District’s (“District”) It seeks to replace its acute care hospital facilities in rural Creole, Louisiana that suffered significant damages caused by Hurricane Laura in August of 2020.
 
 
B.        PURPOSE, SCOPE, AND BACKGROUND
 
Your firm has been invited to submit its Qualifications to provide Professional Architectural and Engineering Services for the development of bid plans and specifications for the design and construction of a replacement acute care hospital facility to be located on the District’s hospital campus in rural Creole, Louisiana (“Project”). All work product arising hereunder for the Project will be owned by the District, and the replacement facility must be designed and constructed in a manner to qualify for Federal Stafford Act and additional source of funding as the District may also seek funding from other sources, including but not limited to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) under the Housing and Community Development Act, as amended, or any other HUD program. Therefore, when executing the respective AIA contract, the respondent awarded the work for the Project must comply with Stafford Act and Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG”) requirements, including those under the Disaster Recovery program such as the CDBG Compliance Provisions for Professional Service Contracts from the LA OCD-DRU Administrative Manual.
 In November 2006, with the assistance of funding through the Federal Stafford Act, a small twenty-five (25) bed state-of-the-art hospital was constructed after the impact of Hurricane Rita. Through design and construction of the new hospital facilities, the following mitigating factors were incorporated into the District’s replacement hospital facilities, which included: (i) rebuilding the hospital ten (10) feet above sea level, and approximately six (6) feet above the ground with open flow-through piling foundation designed to mitigate velocity floodwaters, (ii) designing construction of interior wall finishes that were replaceable and able to withstand corrosion or erosion in the event of another disaster, (iii) the structural ability to withstand 130 mile-per-hour winds, (iv) building the Hospital with high-grade structural concrete, (v) elevated electrical supply, generators, and transformers, and (vi) other mitigating construction techniques. Notwithstanding these mitigation efforts, the Hospital suffered significant wind and water damage during Hurricane Laura in August 2020. The onsite physician housing facility was destroyed and is to be demolished. The onsite staff housing facility was significantly damaged and, in its current state, would only be suitable for storage. The Creole, LA hospital facility is the only hospital and emergency room in Cameron Parish. The damage sustained has caused the facility to be temporarily unusable creating a barrier to access to essential health care services in lower Cameron Parish, and in particular, the access to all-important emergency services in an area devastated by natural disaster. Therefore, the selected respondent will need to address these challenges and recommend new mitigation opportunities.
 
Time is of the essence in designing plans and specifications for this replacement hospital facility as it is a critical need facility for the District. If a temporary hospital is required by the District, the selected respondent to produce all work for the Project relating to the temporary hospital within 120 days of selection and execution of an appropriate AIA contract. The replacement facility hospital must meet all current code requirements for acute care hospital facilities in Louisiana, as governed by all Louisiana laws and regulations including those established by the Louisiana Department of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The design of the Project must also comply with Stafford Act and, HUD’s, CDBG requirements. While this RFQ sets forth the requirements that must be satisfied, the District encourages Respondents to be creative and innovative with respect to their proposals to meet the goals of the District.
 
This RFQ is a competitive selection process designed to engage a firm to provide Professional Architectural and Engineering Services for the Project. More specific requirements for this proposal are set forth below.

See more information on attached document(s)...