Historic Courthouse Renovation — Bid BPM057809

Exactly as extracted, unformatted — for checking against the original. The readable version is easier to read.

Bid Number: BPM057809
Category: Public Works
Status: Open
Publication Date/Time: 7/1/2026 12:00 AM
Closing Date/Time: 7/29/2026 2:00 PM
Contact: Mr. Alan Quimby, Director of Public Works Aquimby@qac.org
Detail page: https://www.qac.org/bids.aspx?bidID=323
Attachments:
  - drawing - ARCHITECTURAL_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01 reduced (https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/26045)
  - RFQ_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01 (https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/26044)
  - drawing - WATERPROOFING_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01 (https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/26043)
  - drawing - STRUCTURAL_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01 (https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/26042)
  - drawing - PLUMBING_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01 (https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/26041)
  - drawing - MECHANICAL_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01 (https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/26040)
  - drawing - LOW VOLTAGE_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01 (https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/26039)
  - drawing - FIRE PROTECTION_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01 (https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/26038)
  - drawing - FIRE ALARM_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01 (https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/26037)
  - drawing - ELECTRICAL_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01 (https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/26036)
  - drawing - CIVIL_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01 (https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/26035)

Description:
Queen Anne’s County (County), requests Qualifications for a General Contractor (GC) for Construction Services for the complete renovation of the Historic Courthouse (HCH) located within the Town of Centreville at 100 Courthouse Square. The intent is to completely renovate the 17,800-ft2 Courthouse, which is now dormant except for a ‘back-up’ 911 call center in the basement (which will be taken out of service for the duration of construction). The last renovation occurred in the 1960s when the building was modified to meet Civil Defense needs. The HVAC and electrical service all date from that era as is the construction of the ‘bomb shelter’ via greatly expanding the basement. Exterior work has been undertaken more recently to protect the structure from weather although the last roof replacement occurred in 1993. The renovated building will continue to house the traditional courtroom on the second floor that will be used for ceremonial events and as a back-up courtroom. The ground floor will house the Register of Wills office and the Orphans Courtroom. The basement level will house the existing back-up 911 call center, plus flexible meeting and office space, a break room, restrooms and utility spaces. The renovation will include the abatement of existing asbestos floor tile and interior lead paint. Demolition will include existing electrical, HVAC and plumbing systems, a LULA elevator and stairways, and selected walls, floors, ceilings and finishes. The new HVAC system includes multiple VRF units, both ducted and ductless mini-split units, energy recovery ventilators, and control system. New plumbing includes all new fixtures and piping. A sprinkler system will be added as well as a new water service. The new electrical system includes a new service, back-up power generator, distribution system, lighting, fire alarm and lightning protection. New telecom, security, audio visual, and public safety DAS systems are also included. Among the architectural improvements is the reconfiguring of spaces to improve function and life safety which includes a new hydraulic elevator,new stairs, access control, new and refurbished doors and new door hardware. Where possible existing finishes are being preserved and repaired but some areas will receive new veneer plaster or drywall. New flooring will be added in the public areas on the first and second floors that will be milled from the historic elm tree that was once on the court square. Some new millwork will be added and all spaces will be repainted. The asphalt shingle roof is being replaced with traditional slate with copper flashing, maintaining the newly replaced gutters and downspouts. Work will also require the installation of two small ‘dormers’ to provide for fresh air intake and exhaust. Structural improvements include underpinning of existing foundations to expand the basement for the new stair and elevator and provide access under the entire historic portions of the building. A new masonry elevator shaft is being added. The roofs, and some floor and ceiling framing will be reinforced where existing framing is inadequate. A new concrete utility tunnel is being added from the basement to the exterior equipment corral. Site work includes exposing the earth-covered portion of the basement in order to install new waterproofing on its concrete roof. New perimeter drainage will be added for the underground roof as well as for the downspouts from the upper roof. The yard will be reestablished when the subterranean work is complete.

[Attached specification: RFQ_QAC Historic Courthouse RFQ_2026.07.01]
Q A ' C
UEEN NNE S OUNTY
D P W
EPARTMENT OF UBLIC ORKS
J 1, 2026
ULY
G C
ENERAL ONTRACTOR
R Q
EQUEST FOR UALIFICATIONS
H C
ISTORIC OURTHOUSE
R
ENOVATION
100 COURTHOUSE SQUARE
CENTREVILLE MARYLAND
P D
ROPOSAL UE
2:00 . . J 29, 2026
P M ULY

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
GENERAL CONTRACTORS
for the
COMPLETE RENOVATION
of the
HISTORIC COURTHOUSE
July 1, 2026
Queen Anne’s County (County), requests Qualifications for a General
Contractor (GC) for Construction Services for the complete renovation of the
Historic Courthouse (HCH) located within the Town of Centreville at 100
Courthouse Square.
The Queen Anne’s County Courthouse was constructed between 1792 and
1794 after the Maryland Assembly of 1782 authorized relocating the County
seat from Queenstown to a newly created town to be known as Centreville. It
was expanded significantly in 1876 when a new courtroom and wings were
added to the building. Additional expansion underground was undertaken in
1961 “to accommodate the County government in an emergency of a national
nature”, i.e. to meet civil defense needs.
General Contractor RFQ 1 6/8/2026

It remained in continuous operation as the Circuit Court and Clerk of the Court
until 2019 when a new Circuit Courthouse was built.
1. GENERAL INFORMATION and PROCESS
The County will undertake a three-part process in order to select a GC firm to
provide complete construction services for the Historic Courthouse renovation.
Part 1: Review of Qualifications. All submissions will be reviewed and
scored by a Committee who will develop a select list of firms that will
proceed to Part 2.
Part 2: Interviews and Site Visit.
Part 3: Review of Proposals. On the basis of results of Parts 1 and 2
above, price proposals will be requested from a short-list of firms
that were pre-qualified in Parts 1 and 2 for GC services. Note a
selection of subcontracting ‘disciplines of concern’
(mechanical, electrical, low voltage, roofing, millwork, civil-
site, under pinning of foundation) will also be shortlisted and
provided to the GC for further selection and inclusion within
the GC’s proposal.
A. Each GC submitting Qualifications shall submit a ‘pdf’ of the Qualifications
document via email prominently marked in the subject line “GC RFQ HCH”
followed by the name of the organization submitting the Qualifications.
B. Qualification submissions must be received no later than 2 p.m. on July 29,
2026. Qualifications ‘pdf’s are to be submitted to:
Mr. Alan Quimby, Director of Public Works
Email: Aquimby@qac.org
Interested firms are to communicate solely with the individual listed above.
C. The County reserves the right, in the exercise of its sole judgment, to reject
any or all Submissions, to negotiate with any or all responsible
Respondents, and to re-advertise and award the Contract in the regular
manner, or to waive any informalities, irregularities, mistakes, errors or
omissions in any Response received. The Bidder shall be responsible for
any and all expenses incurred in preparing submissions.
D. By responding to this RFQ, Respondents accept the evaluation
process and acknowledge and accept that the determination of the
short listed selected GC Firms may require subjective judgments by
the County.
General Contractor RFQ 2 6/8/2026

E. All submissions and/or follow up documentation shall become the property
of the County.
2. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
Scope of Work:
The intent is to completely renovate the 17,800-ft2 Courthouse, which is
now dormant except for a ‘back-up’ 911 call center in the basement (which
will be taken out of service for the duration of construction).
The last renovation occurred in the 1960s when the building was modified
to meet Civil Defense needs. The HVAC and electrical service all date
from that era as is the construction of the ‘bomb shelter’ via greatly
expanding the basement. Exterior work has been undertaken more
recently to protect the structure from weather although the last roof
replacement occurred in 1993.
The renovated building will continue to house the traditional courtroom on
the second floor that will be used for ceremonial events and as a back-up
courtroom. The ground floor will house the Register of Wills office and the
Orphans Courtroom. The basement level will house the existing back-up
911 call center, plus flexible meeting and office space, a break room,
restrooms and utility spaces.
The renovation will include the abatement of existing asbestos floor tile
and interior lead paint. Demolition will include existing electrical, HVAC
and plumbing systems, a LULA elevator and stairways, and selected walls,
floors, ceilings and finishes.
The new HVAC system includes multiple VRF units, both ducted and
ductless mini-split units, energy recovery ventilators, and control system.
New plumbing includes all new fixtures and piping. A sprinkler system will
be added as well as a new water service.
The new electrical system includes a new service, back-up power
generator, distribution system, lighting, fire alarm and lightning protection.
New telecom, security, audio visual, and public safety DAS systems are
also included.
Among the architectural improvements is the reconfiguring of spaces to
improve function and life safety which includes a new hydraulic elevator,
new stairs, access control, new and refurbished doors and new door
hardware.
General Contractor RFQ 3 6/8/2026

Where possible existing finishes are being preserved and repaired but
some areas will receive new veneer plaster or drywall. New flooring will be
added in the public areas on the first and second floors that will be milled
from the historic elm tree that was once on the court square. Some new
millwork will be added and all spaces will be repainted.
The asphalt shingle roof is being replaced with traditional slate with copper
flashing, maintaining the newly replaced gutters and downspouts. Work
will also require the installation of two small ‘dormers’ to provide for fresh
air intake and exhaust.
Structural improvements include underpinning of existing foundations to
expand the basement for the new stair and elevator and provide access
under the entire historic portions of the building. A new masonry elevator
shaft is being added. The roofs, and some floor and ceiling framing will be
reinforced where existing framing is inadequate. A new concrete utility
tunnel is being added from the basement to the exterior equipment corral.
Site work includes exposing the earth-covered portion of the basement in
order to install new waterproofing on its concrete roof. New perimeter
drainage will be added for the underground roof as well as for the
downspouts from the upper roof. The yard will be reestablished when the
subterranean work is complete.
Tentative Construction Budget (bonding will be required): $12M
Tentative Schedule:
RFQ Issued July 1, 2026
RFQ Questions Due July 15, 2026
RFQ Due July 29, 2026
Interviews & Site Visits (week of) August 10, 2026
RFQ Review Complete S e p t ember 18, 2026
Proposal Issued S e p tember 23, 2026
Proposal Questions Due O c tober 21, 2026
Proposal Due November 2, 2026
Notice of Award Issued November 10, 2026
Anticipated Notice to Proceed January 4, 2027
Anticipated Construction Complete J uly 1, 2028
General Contractor RFQ 4 6/8/2026

3. ITEMS FOR INCLUSION IN THE QUALIFICATIONS DOCUMENT
All submissions shall address the following items in the order listed below and
shall be designated A. through F. in the submission document and will be
evaluated utilizing the stated weighted percentage by category. Responses
should detail the compatibility of team members, familiarity with project and
site, familiarity with conditions of building on the Eastern Shore of Maryland,
past experience in the renovation of historic structures. The County reserves
the right to request clarifying information from any and all Respondents at any
time during the evaluation process.
A. Description of Firm and Project Team (10%) – Provide an overview regarding
the size, location, nature of related work performed, years in business,
staffing capabilities, and specialized in-house expertise. Demonstrate past
record of effectively meeting project objectives, time schedules and budgets.
B. Interest Statement (10%) – Briefly describe the particular or main interest
your firm has in performing the services outlined in this RFQ and why your
firm should be selected over other firms.
C. Specific Experience Relative to Renovation of Historic Structures (30%) –
Provide a detailed summary of the firm’s past successful experience and
competence in the renovation of historical structures in general and
specifically three examples of projects relative to the complete renovation
(MEP, structural, low voltage, etc.) of historic structures. Provide the
following information for each project (one page per project maximum):
1. Project name and location, size and scope
2. Owner’s name, address, contact person and telephone number
3. Architect’s name, address, contact person and telephone number
4. Completion date
5. Owner’s budget and actual final construction cost, including total
change orders as a %.
6. Project delivery method (Construction Manager At Risk, Construction
Management Agency, General Contracting, Other)
7. Construction phase period (dates)
8. Special features and challenges, if any
9. Any legal claims
D. Background/Compatibility of GC Firm’s Personnel (20%) – Identify principal
members of the firm (Superintendent and Project Manager) who would be
dedicated to this particular project for its duration which is anticipated to be
18 months. Principal members should show 8 or more years’ experience
with complete renovation projects (including full MEP replacement and/or
upgrade).
General Contractor RFQ 5 6/8/2026

E. Background/Compatibility of GC Preferred Subcontractors (25%) – Identify
preferred subcontractors in the ‘disciplines of concern’ being mechanical,
electrical, low voltage, roofing, millwork, foundation underpinning and civil
site which the GC firm has worked with on similar projects. More than one
per subcontractor per discipline may be submitted. For each subcontractor
identified, provide a brief description of experience that makes the firm
preferred and that is relevant to the proposed project. Note it is the intent
to pre-qualify these disciplines in addition to the GC and provide a
listing of multiple firms within each discipline to the GC for selection
and inclusion in the final Bid. Not every subcontractor listed at this stage
will be prequalified and the County reserves the right to add subcontractors
not listed by any Respondent. It is also not the intent for any GC to work
with any subcontractor with which they have reasonable objection. The
intent of this exercise being to allow the GC to hire competent
subcontractors without being constrained entirely with ‘low bid’.
F. Other (5%) - Provide any additional information on firm resources or
experience that may be pertinent to this Request for Qualifications.
4. FORMAT OF SUBMISSION
Submissions shall be prepared simply and economically, providing a
straightforward, concise description of the respondent's experience and
capabilities. Emphasis shall be on quality, completeness, and clarity of content.
Submissions shall be a MAXIMUM of thirty (30) pages, inclusive of the cover
letter and supplementary documents in a font not less than 12.
A. Format: Submissions in ‘pdf’ shall be able to be printed on letter-size (8-
1/2” x 11”) paper. Fold-outs of larger-format documents up to 11” X 17” may
be included at the end of the submission.
B. Cover Letter: Include a cover letter prepared on the Bidder’s business
stationery, listing all items contained within the Qualifications document.
5. SELECTION PROCESS
The County will use the following process to select a GC to perform the services
outlined in this Request for Qualifications and the subsequent Proposal
request. The County or its designee reserves the right to disqualify any Bidder
at any time prior to award by the County.
A. Part 1: Pre-Qualification.
General Contractor RFQ 6 6/8/2026

1. Each interested GC shall submit the Request for Qualification document
as outlined in Section 3. Questions may be submitted in accordance
with the Schedule in Section 2. Note no addendums to the plans will be
issued at this stage.
2. The Project Steering Committee consisting of the architect (Torchio
Architects of Centreville), and representatives from the Department of
Public Works and the Department of Information Technology will
evaluate the Qualifications submitted.
3. The steering committee may invite select firms of interest to an
interview on-site. The proposed Superintendent and Project Manager
will be required to attend.
4. The steering committee will then evaluate and score the RFQ resulting
in a short list of pre-qualified GCs.
B. Part 2: Price Proposal and Selection
1. The Committee will then request prices from the three GC based on the
final plans and specifications provided following a normal bid process as
will be detailed in the final specifications (specific questions and issues
addressed via formal issued addendum) culminating in sealed bids from
the pre-qualified GCs. The GC must use the provided list of pre-qualified
subcontractors for the ‘disciplines of concern’ as provided by the County
in their proposal.
2. Award will be on the basis of base bid (with no consideration of
deduct alternates – if any). Once the low bidder has been identified,
the low bidder will be informed of any action taken on deduct
alternates.
C Part 3: Final Selection Action
1. The County Commissioners of Queen Anne’s County will take final
action to issue a Notice of Award to the GC firm for the project.
6. INFORMATION AVAILABLE for RFQ PROCESS
A. 95% Plans (not ready for bidding or construction) are available at qac.org
and eMaryland Marketplace Advantage
(end of RFQ)
General Contractor RFQ 7 6/8/2026