DescriptionThe creation of a new State Park centered around the iconic High Falls and the Genesee River in the heart ofdowntown Rochester is underway. Originally announced as part of the ROC the Riverway initiative, this parkwill be transformative in revitalizing this historic area. The proposed 40-acre park will provide public access tothe land surrounding this unique natural environment set mostly within the context of the river, gorge,waterfalls, and surrounding lively and culturally rich urban backdrop. The site's unique location and industrialhistory provides many storytelling and educational opportunities to enhance the visitor experience. Overallplanning and high level design approaches considering ecology, heritage, connections, programming, and equityare being explored during the design of High Falls State Park. In late 2025, Parks unveiled a concept plan forthe park (see attached illustrative site plan) which includes programmatic elements such as bridges, walkingpaths, roads, infrastructure improvements, substantial ecological restoration including native plantings, adaptivereuse of existing buildings and relics and several playgrounds. It is anticipated that the park will be constructedin multiple phases. NYS Parks expects to advance the first phase of construction in fall 2026, with subsequent phases to follow, andis seeking a Construction Manager (CM) to coordinate the first phase of construction only. It is anticipated thatthis phase will be contracted via single prime contractor and will be governed by a Project Labor Agreement(PLA).Request for QualificationsThe New York Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) is seeking proposals for CMservices in support of the implementation of the first phase of construction of the forthcoming High Falls StatePark. Selection will be according to Qualification Based Selection Procedures. This document summarizes thecontracting opportunity, potential activities to be performed under the contract, submittal instructions, andrequired qualifications. Fee structure, actual fee, and task orders will be negotiated after the most qualified firmhas been selected.Services to be ProvidedThe Consultant scope of services under this Term Contract may include any or all the following: Preconstruction Services including but not limited to special emphasis on developing successful bidstrategies, contract document review, constructability review, value engineering, cost estimating,supervision of exploratory site investigation, participation in an in-depth potential pull-plan schedulereview, and code compliance review. The selected construction manager may also be required to reviewa PLA feasibility study, review a PLA and execute a PLA for a single prime contract. In the event that aPLA is not pursued, multiple prime contracts under WICKS law may be utilized, and the constructionmanager must be prepared to coordinate multiple trades accordingly. Additional services may includeretaining an arborist firm to do work prior to construction, geotechnical engineer, and other similarservices.  Bid Phase Services including, but not limited to, participating in pre-bid and pre-construction meetings,attendance in producing a construction duration and milestones for inclusion in the bid package, provideoutreach to potential plan-holders, assisting Owner with RFI responses and addenda. Construction Phase Services including but not limited to management of the construction project,maintaining project budgets and schedules, managing submittals, managing project safety, recordkeeping,reviewing payment applications, managing RFIs, and inspection services. A cloud-basedconstruction management software platform shall be procured, which shall provide access to allcontractors, owners, and consultants. The CM will be required to provide close coordination and qualitycontrol of the work. Close attention must be paid to the sequencing of all work to ensure meetingmilestone(s) and opening date. Telecommunications: The project site currently has cellular connectivity, but no wiredcommunications utility is available in the immediate area. If cellular connectivity lacks adequatebandwidth and/or reliability, the Consultant may need to procure a temporary communications servicethat shall allow internet/calling connectivity, potentially utilizing satellite data services. Post-Construction Phase Services including but not limited to project close-out, claims negotiation,and settlement.Proposed project scope is illustrated in Attachment 1 on a site plan.The services summarized above will be performed specifically in association with the construction of HighFalls State Park. Project information and sample activities are provided in more detail below. Project InformationCurrent High Falls Terrace Park SiteApplicable Contracts: General Construction Contract (estimated bid advertisement date – July 2026)Construction Duration: 12-14 Months (approximately)Construction Cost: $13,000,000 (approximately)Approximate Site Area: 3.2 acres This initial phase of the project will include reconstruction of the existing High Falls Terrace Park. This projectwill include reconstruction of various park elements to eventually integrate into the larger plan for High FallsState Park. It is anticipated that the parcel in its entirety will be closed to the public for the duration ofconstruction. The CM will be required to coordinate and supervise the project scope which includes, but is notlimited to: Construction Phase: Selective demolition Site Protection: Installation of construction fencing, soil erosion control, review tree protection,historic feature protection. Landscape: Tree & plantings care, cutting, trimming, and planting. Earthwork: Grading & excavation for landscape features, roads, trails, utilities, and undergroundinfrastructure. Site utility infrastructure (storm water management, electric, force main sanitary system, water andelectrical connection). Construct new entrance and parking lot, trails, ADA walkways. Installation of new landscape plantings, site furnishings, lighting and accessible routes and relatedpathways. Permits for project will be secured by OPRHP CM shall secure and administer all third-party inspections including but not limited to concretestrength testing, steel and rebar inspection, subgrade compaction testing, mortar cube sampling etc. Ensure compliance with soil management plan CM shall Provide job office on site & related temporary utility connections Tracking EC3 carbon reporting requirement SWPPP inspections and document management CM shall be responsible for PLA administration Anticipated Activities & Scope of Work (see attachment) Site VisitInterested firms are strongly encouraged to visit this location on May 7th at 10:00am local time. RSVP to SaraGilbert ([email protected]) by 4:00pm May 4th. The sign-in location will be High Falls Terrace Park. Contract ValueUpon completion of the qualifications-based selection process, Parks will enter fee negotiations with the mosthighly qualified bidder whereby the bidder will be required to provide a proposed fee inclusive of all servicesoutlined in the “Services to be Provided” section for review and approval by Parks. It is the expectation ofParks that the bidder will use best faith efforts to negotiate a fair and reasonable fee for the work outlined in thisRFQ. However, if a fair and reasonable fee cannot be reached with the most highly qualified bidder, Parksmay, at its sole discretion, end negotiations with the most highly qualified bidder and begin fee negotiationswith the second most highly qualified bidder, and subsequently the third, and so on if deemed necessary. Construction Cost EstimateSubject to the availability of funding, the estimated construction cost is expected to be approximately$13,000,000. Proposal Format and Submission InstructionsInterested firms shall submit qualifications consisting of a short portfolio that includes:  A Letter of Interest Not more than 20 additional single-side pages describing the following:o Firm’s qualifications and relevant experience, including specific project information and photos.o Proposed staffing and present workload for prime and sub-consultants. If subconsultants areproposed, the role of each should be discussed. The submission should describe the organizationof proposed project staff indicating the role of each key individual. Include an organizationchart.o A brief description of a proposed project approach.o An organization chart of entire team One- or two-page resumes of key personnel including: a.) education; b.) professional registrations and/orindustry certifications; c.) experience and previous assignments; d.) current assignments (includingproject locations and duties); and e.) estimated completion date of current assignments. Proofs of professional registration and/or licensure for licensed professionals and proof of firmauthorization. All proposing firms (and subconsultants) must be legally authorized by the New YorkState Education Department (NYSED) to practice their respective professions within the State of NewYork at the time of proposal submission. Individual lead professionals must hold a current New YorkState professional license and registration. Provide proof of the firm’s Certificate of Authorization orvalid professional entity status with the proposal. Client Reference List: Provide the names and contact information for five different Clientrepresentatives worked with in the last 3 years. Include: client (company) name, primary contact, andcontact information. Contractor Reference List: Provide the names and contact information for five different Contractorsworked with in the last 3 years. Include: contractor (company) name, primary contact, and contactinformation. By the due date listed, a PDF version of the submission shall be e-mailed as an attachment [email protected]. The subject line of the e-mail shall contain the contract number and title ofthe offering for which the submission is being provided. E-mails containing a link to a PDF submission willnot be accepted. Submissions e-mailed to the authorized contacts will not be accepted, nor will theyconstitute timely responses if submitted only to the authorized contacts before the due date and time.Professional firms, including Minority, Women, and Service- Disabled Veteran-Owned firms are encouraged toreply. CM Scoring CriteriaSelection of the firm(s) deemed to be “the most highly qualified” shall be in accordance with QualificationBased Selection Procedures. For this proposed Professional Construction Management Services Contract, theresumes of key personnel must include a) current assignments (project location and duties), b) estimatedcompletion date of current assignments and c) client, client contact person and telephone number. If subconsultantsare proposed, the role of each sub-consultant should be detailed. The submission should describe theorganization of proposed project staff indicating the role of each key individual. A brief description of aproposed project approach may be included. Firms should demonstrate how they apply each of the following criteria by providing specific examples of howthey achieved each metric in three previously completed projects:  Demonstrated Innovation and Problem-Solving Ability: Consideration will be given to firms whoseoverall presentation demonstrates a unique and/or superior understanding of the project’s needs. Qualifications / Experience of Key Personnelo Consideration will be given to the team’s combined mix of education, experience, andprofessional qualifications. Core team members’ overall years and quality of experience in construction management.Level of education, experience, and professional qualifications will be judged relative to the field ofapplicants. Project Portfolio & Firm Experience: Consideration will be given to firms who have previousconstruction management experience on a range of relevant/similar projects. Similar projects include,but are not limited to visitor centers, museums, landscaping projects, municipal/government work, andprojects of similar complexity and construction cost. Additional Selection Criteria: In addition, firms should demonstrate how they apply each of thefollowing criteria by providing specific examples of how they achieved each metric in three previouslycompleted projects:• Management of complex, multidiscipline, high profile projects.• Ability to maintain project harmony and resolve conflicts which commonly arise on constructionsites• Demonstrable leadership in atypical/unforeseen challenging situations The above criteria will be scored, and firms will be ranked accordingly, resulting in a “short list” of top-rankedfirms. Top-ranked firms will also be required to participate in an in-person interview in Rochester, NY with theOPRHP selection committee. Parks anticipates these interviews to take place the week of June 8, 2026. Thecontent of this interview will be used to confirm, or re-evaluate the scores assigned to the above selectioncriteria. Short list candidates will be re-ranked based upon the final/re-evaluated scores and the most qualified firms willbe selected. State's Rights to ProposalsBy submitting a bid, the Bidder agrees not to make any claim for, or have any right to, damages because of anymisinterpretation or misunderstanding of the specifications, or because of any misinformation or lack ofinformation. OPRHP reserves the right to exercise the following: Change any of the scheduled dates herein; Amend RFQ Requirement(s) after their release to correct errors or oversights, or to supply additionalinformation as it becomes available; Withdraw the RFQ, at its sole discretion without any obligation or liability to any vendor; Eliminate any mandatory, non-material requirement that cannot be complied with by all of theprospective Bidders; Evaluate, accept and/or reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, and to waive technicalities,irregularities, and omissions if, in OPRHP’s judgement, the best interests of OPRHP will be served.In the event compliant bids are not received, OPRHP reserves the right to consider late or nonconformingbids as offers; Require the Bidder to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of OPRHP, any information presented as part oftheir proposal; Require clarification at any time during the procurement process and/or require correction ofarithmetic or other apparent errors for the purpose of assuring a full and complete understanding of anOfferor’s proposal and/or to determine an Offeror’s compliance with the requirements of thissolicitation; Disqualify any Bidder whose conduct and/or bid fails to conform to the requirements of thesolicitation; Use proposal information obtained through OPRHP investigation of a Bidder’s qualifications,experience, ability or financial standing, and any material or information submitted by the Bidder inresponse to OPRHP’s request for clarifying information in the course of evaluation and selection underthis RFQ; Prior to the award, determine a tie breaking mechanism for award of the Contract to serve the bestinterests of OPRHP and the State of New York; Negotiate with the successful Bidder within the scope of the RFQ to serve the best interests of OPRHPand the State of New York; Conduct Contract negotiations with the next ranked responsible Bidder, should OPRHP beunsuccessful in negotiating an Agreement with the selected Bidders; Conduct negotiations with the next ranked responsible Bidder should any of the selected professionaldesign teams fail to implement these Services upon approval of the Contract; If OPRHP terminates the Contract for non-performance, OPRHP reserves the right, with the approvalof the Attorney General and the Office of the State Comptroller, to award a contract to the next highestranked Bidder of the original bid submission within the first twelve months of the award; Utilize any and all ideas submitted in the bids received; Make an award under the RFQ in whole or in part; and Seek revisions of bids. Bids containing false or misleading statements, or which provide project contacts that do not support an attributeor condition claimed by a Bidder, may be disqualified from consideration. If, in the opinion of the Agency, astatement is intended to mislead the Agency in its evaluation of the bid, and the attribute, condition, or capabilityis a requirement of the RFQ, the bid shall be disqualified from consideration. Response to Bidder Questions and Requests for ClarificationThe Agency will provide a written response to all substantive questions and requests for clarification. Tie BidsIn the event there is a tie in the final scoring, final determination will be made by the OPRHP DeputyCommissioner for Capital. Modification or Withdrawal of BidsBid modifications that are submitted in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the bidding firmwill be considered for award if received by OPRHP prior to the scheduled proposal due date. Bids may bewithdrawn or cancelled prior to the scheduled proposal due date. A bid may be rejected by OPRHP: if it showsany alteration of terms, conditions, or requirements; for any other irregularities; if it is incomplete, or if it offersan alternate bid not invited by the specifications. Freedom of Information LawYour bid to OPRHP, including accompanying documents, is subject to the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL)found in Article 6 of the N.Y. Public Officer Law. FOIL provides that certain records are exempt from disclosure,including those that contain (1) trade secrets, (2) information that, if disclosed, would cause substantial injury tothe competitive position of your organization, or (3) critical infrastructure information. Records may be redactedto protect only the portions of documents that fall within a FOIL exemption. An entire document may not bewithheld if only a portion of the document is exempt from disclosure. Blanket assertions that information is atrade secret, confidential, or proprietary are insufficient to justify withholding information under FOIL. If youidentify information seeking an exemption from public disclosure due to the above-mentioned reasons suchrequest will be reviewed, and a determination will be made as to whether the information is exempt fromdisclosure under FOIL. However, such submissions seeking non-disclosure will not be considered unless it isaccompanied with an explanation justifying the privilege. The State’s determination may be appealed pursuantto POL §89(5)(c). Pursuant to POL §87(2)(b), the State, without having to request it, will redact information that“if disclosed would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.” Timely SubmissionThe Bidders are solely responsible for timely delivery of their bid to the location set forth by the stated bid duedate/time and are solely responsible for delays in receipt. Bidder Proposal ClarificationPrior to award, OPRHP reserves the right to seek clarifications, request proposal revisions, or to request anyinformation deemed necessary for proper evaluation of proposals from all Bidders deemed to be eligible forContract award. Failure of a bidder to cooperate with OPRHP’s effort to clarify a proposal may result in theproposal being labeled as non-responsive and be given no further consideration.Additionally, OPRHP reserves the right to use information submitted by the Bidder in response to OPRHP’srequest for clarifying information in the course of evaluation and selection under this RFQ. Bid Review and Contract ApprovalThe Contract resulting from this RFQ will not be effective until approved by the Office of the Attorney Generaland the Office of the State Comptroller. Debriefing SessionsA debriefing is available to any entity that submitted a proposal or bid in response to a solicitation (“Bidder”). ABidder will be accorded fair and equal treatment with respect to its opportunity for debriefing.Debriefing must be requested in writing by any bidder within fifteen (15) calendar days of OPRHP notifying theunsuccessful bidders that another vendor was selected. A bidder’s written request for a debriefing must be submitted to the designated contact listed on the cover of thisRFQ.The debriefing will be scheduled within ten (10) business days of receipt of written request by OPRHP or as soonafter that time as practicable under the circumstances. Bid Protest ProcedureOPRHP procedures for handling protests of bid awards are set forth in the Bid Protest Procedures which can befound at the end of this document. IndemnificationThe Contractor agrees to indemnify, defend, save, and hold harmless the State of New York, OPRHP, and theirofficers, employees, and agents of and from any claims, demands, actions, or causes of action of any kind arisingout of the services of the Contractor provided for in this agreement. SolicitationThis RFQ is a solicitation to bid, not an offer of a contract. Licensing RequirementsDesignated professional firms must submit proof of authority to practice in New York State immediately upondesignation. Proposed subconsultants shall also submit proof of authority to practice architecture, landscapearchitecture, engineering, and land surveying in New York State, if applicable. Gender-Based Violence and the Workplace CertificationEffective November 5, 2025, Pursuant to New York State Finance Law §139-M, all proposers on competitivestate procurements are required to certify that they maintain a written policy addressing gender-based violencein the workplace. (Please review the form for details regarding minimum requirements.) Each proposalsubmission must include a signed and completed copy of the certification form. If an organization is unable tomake the certification, a signed statement explaining the reason must be submitted with the proposal. Failure toinclude the completed form or explanatory statement with the proposal submission will result indisqualification. This form has been included as Attachment A. EO 177 CertificationSelected firms will be required to provide a completed EO 177 certification prior to contract award. Executive Order No. 16 CertificationThe successful bidder will be required to provide an executed Executive Order No. 16 certification form prior tocontract award. The Executive Order can be found here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/executive-order/no-16-prohibiting-stateagencies-and-authorities-contracting-businesses-conducting The Executive Order Certification Form can be found here:https://ogs.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/04/eo16_certification.pdf Procurement Lobbying 139-j and 139-k Interested firms must comply with the OPRHP agency policy statement related to §139-j and §139-k of theState Finance Law. The OPRHP agency policy statement can be accessed on the OPRHP website at:https://parks.ny.gov/documents/business/ImplementationGuidelines.pdf A signed “Certification of Permissible Contacts” form should be included with each submission. Failure toprovide a signed “Certification of Permissible Contacts” form may lead to disqualification. The “Certificationof Permissible Contacts” form can be accessed on the OPRHP website at:https://parks.ny.gov/documents/business/CertificationOfPermissibleContacts.pdf Attention: In accordance with State Finance Law Section 139-j, the following agency staff has been designatedas contacts for this contract: Tyler Hoerz: [email protected] Murray: [email protected] Hartson: [email protected] Gilbert: [email protected] Honan: [email protected] Please note that contacting any other agency staff regarding this contract may be a violation of State FinanceLaw Section 139-j resulting in a determination of contractor non-responsibility. Other Applicable FormsOther forms that might be required prior to awarding this contract can be found here:https://parks.ny.gov/business/capital-programs.aspx MBE, WBE, and SDVOB GoalsGood faith efforts apply to Minority-Owned Business, Women-Owned Business, and Service-DisabledVeteran-Owned Business subcontracting.Minority Owned Sub-Contracting Goal: 15%Women Owned Sub-Contracting Goal: 15%Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Contracting Goal: 6%Disadvantaged Owned Sub-Contracting Goal: 0% Business enterprises awarded an identical or substantially similar procurement contract within the past five years: none Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) SDVOB Goal: 6.00% Minority / Women Business Enterprise contracting goals (MWBE) MBE Goal: 15.00% WBE Goal: 15.00% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise contracting goals (DBE) DBE Goal: 0.00%