REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS ADDENDUM 3 (THREE)

Walla Walla County Rural Library District, 37 Jade Avenue, Walla Walla WA 99362 Tel. (509)527-3284

Fax (509)527-3740

www.rurallibrary.com

ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION AND MODERNIZATION FOUR (4) LIBRARY FACILITIES May 27, 2014

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS ADDENDUM 3 (THREE) Issue Date: June 15, 2014

Response Date and Time: UNCHANGED

Walla Walla Rural Library District RFQ

Addendum 3

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QUESTIONS RECEIVED BY JUNE 15, 2014 Note: Questions are numbered and the WWRLD responses, in italics follow each one.

1. [I/we] visited the Prescott, Burbank, and Touchet sites yesterday and I have a question about the oldest 2 facilities (Touchet and Prescott). I am curious if WWRLD or John Campbell, during the work done to date engaged a structural engineer to assess the condition of the structures and if so did they identify any issues that would need to be addressed to convert the buildings into libraries?

a) Only preliminary programming work has been done in connection with these sites. As provided by previous addendum, a local contractor has looked at and offered written comments about the stone building at Touchet. To the extent that the work to date has been only preliminary the course and direction of future work and decisions about the best approach to securing suitable modern library facilities at these sites should be guided by programming and well considered cost benefit analysis. 2. It looks as though considerable work has been done at the Prescott Branch. My eye would say that is ready for entering contract docs. a) Based on greater familiarity with these projects it is suspected that this question should in fact refer to the Burbank location rather than Prescott as stated. Based on that assumption, it is conceivable that this project may be at a suitable point from which to commence preparation of Construction Documents however this must be validated by the firm selected to insure that project goals are met in particular, but not limited to, cost. It is believed, in general, that the proposed floor plan meets programming needs and community approval. 3.

My Q is, do you have a firm (Jon Campbell) that is currently serving that is preferred to carry thru? a) No. The firm which has been involved to date, Jon Campbell, will not have further involvement.

4. . . . , should we submit and make the interview round, what days are a general target for interviews? a) Please see RFQ, page 11, Schedule of Events, Item 4 “INTERVIEW SHORT LIST FIRMS”. Conformance with this schedule is not guaranteed for the full duration shown however it is the current guide and it is expected, especially early on, to be reasonably accurate. 5. We understand that the Rural Library District has already put a lot of time and energy into the initial designs for the libraries. Is the board comfortable that the existing designs architecturally meet the library needs, or do you expect that the selected architectural team will go through a process of design validation and / or redesign with the board? a) The various projects are at different points in their evolution. Walla Walla Rural Library District RFQ

Addendum 3

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Burbank. See response to Question 2, above with respect to the Burbank site. This project is the most advanced.

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Central. Considerable preliminary work has been done with the municipality of College Place concerning siting of the Central Library. Information about this work has been provided in a previous Addendum. It might be said that a building foot print has been largely defined in terms of area and location on the site. The final configuration of the building remains to be developed to meet programming requirements within the availability of funds.

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Prescott and Touchet. Preliminary concepts have been created for these locations however in general these projects have not been advanced beyond the most preliminary stages.

6. Will you, Janis Barton, be the library district’s main point of contact throughout design and construction? a) At this time I (Janis Barton) serve as a member of the WWCRLD Board of Trustees, and at the Board's direction (and pleasure), function as the Project Liaison. 7. During construction will the Rural library be hiring a construction manager? a) Presently this is not the preferred course for the projects. 8. Per the conversation at the board meeting last night, I understand that the current director is in an interim position, and that there is an effort to hire a permanent director. Do you know what the time-frame for the transition of the director position is going to be, and how that might interface into the design schedule? a) The current director does not occupy an interim position. 9. I’m still wondering why the library would not continue working with Jon Campbell as it appears he has performed some of the design work. Do you think the Walla Walla Rural Library [is] open to working with a Seattle-based design firm or is there a strong preference for a local consultant? a) The WWRLD is actively seeking a firm that can provide project leadership in the terms set forth in the RFQ. Such a firm would have experience working with small public agencies such as small school districts or other taxing districts for whom in-house facility staff is limited or absent. There is a competency and experience preference in the selection rather than local preference. Respondents should be prepared to discuss how they will manage their involvement and communication with the WWRLD during the project whatever the distance may be since that is a critical aspect of the relationship. Since cost is an important aspect of project management respondents need to anticipate that defining travel cost for the project will have to be addressed in any agreement that might follow.


Addendum 3

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10. What will be the involvement from this point on of the firm that did the initial programming work? a) See response to question 3, above. 11. What is the extent of assistance required for management of all four projects? a) Based on experience with small public agencies (see reply to question 9, above) we anticipate that a qualified respondent will help define the leadership and management they will offer to insure the success of the projects. 12. Is the funding a USDA loan? a) No, an USDA loan is not part of the funding arrangements. A portion of the funding is available due to a business and industries bank loan that has an USDA gaurantee. The reporting requirements that would pertain to an USDA loan are not involved. A portion of the funding also flows from the WWRLD. Due to loan requirements a cash flow balance needs to maintained between the two sources as the funds are drawn.


Addendum 3

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