IN ACCORDANCE WITH N.J.S.A 40A:11-53 et seq. and N.J.A.C 5:34-10 et seq.
FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER HIGH SCHOOL
IN JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that the Hudson County Improvement Authority (the “HCIA”) is seeking to engage the services of a Design-Build Team to provide certain design consultant and general contracting services for the construction of the Liberty Science Center High School in Jersey City, New Jersey (the “Project”). The Project involves the construction of a new vocational high school academy with programs of study in Astrophysics & Astronomy, Climate Science & Sustainable Engineering, and Biological Systems Science. The school will be on a new site near Liberty State Park and Liberty Science Center in Jersey City. The new vocational school will be for 400 students and offer many CTE courses.
The Project site is +/- 156,291 SF (3.58794 AC) and comprises the proposed school, parking lot, site access, student drop-off, and outdoor fitness space. Student drop-off is proposed as a 200’ zone, plus a 100’ alternate drop-off zone is available. There are parking spaces for +/- (94) cars, (11) buses, and (80) bicycles. The site is secured by a perimeter fence, security gates, and a security booth.
The school building is three stories with a partial fourth story comprising 85,875 square feet of administrative services, student services, physical education, food service, and CTE education, as well as general classrooms and large component spaces and an alternate gymnasium of 6,665 square feet for a total building size of 92,540 square feet.
The Design-Build Team will provide complete design, construction administration and general contracting services (for all trades), including securing all required permits and approvals, for the Project. The Design-Builder must achieve certification of the Project by the U.S. Green Building Council to LEED Certified.
The Project will be awarded and constructed in accordance with the Design-Build Construction Services Procurement Act under the Local Public Contracts Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-53 et seq. and its implementing regulations, N.J.A.C. 5:34-10 et seq. (the “Design-Build Process”). The Design-Build Process involves a two-phase approach for the selection of the Design-Build Team for the Project. The first phase in the Process involves the public advertisement and issuance of a Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”), which describes the Project, outlines the scope of work involved and requests information concerning the qualifications, experience and the organization structure of the Respondent’s proposed Design-Build Team (the “Respondent’s Qualification Proposal”).
The Respondent’s Qualifications Proposal will be reviewed and evaluated by members of a Technical Review Committee established by the HCIA. The Technical Review Committee will prequalify and select a “short list” of up to six (6) qualified Respondents to compete for a Design-Build contract for the Project, based on the Technical Review Committee’s review and evaluation of the Qualifications Proposals which are judged most advantageous to the HCIA in terms of qualifications other than price. In the event that there are fewer than six (6) qualified Respondents submitting responsive RFQ Proposals, the short list will consist of all qualified firms submitting responsive RFQ Proposals. The Respondents selected for the short list will be invited to participate in the second phase of the selection process. The short list will be published on the HCIA’s website at www.hcia.org and all Respondents that submitted a Qualifications Proposal will be notified in writing of the Respondents selected for the short list. No member of the Technical Review Committee or any member of the HCIA’s Bridge Document Team may be part of the Respondent’s Design-Build Team.
The second phase in the selection process involves the issuance of a Request for Proposals (“RFP”), to the short list of Respondents. The RFP describes the procurement process and forms the basis for the Design-Build proposals. The RFP shall require the submission of a proposal in two separate parts: a Technical Proposal and a Price Proposal. The Technical and Price Proposals shall be evaluated separately, in accordance with the evaluation factors and process set forth in the RFP. The Design-Build proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by the members of the Technical Review Committee. The Technical evaluation factors to be utilized in the selection process will include the following: the Respondent’s experience on projects of similar size, cost and/or complexity; the Respondent’s design consultant’s experience on projects of similar size, cost and/or complexity; the Respondent’s demonstrated prior affirmative action experience; the Respondent’s overall approach and methodology for executing the Project; the Respondent’s approach to schedule; the Respondent’s approach to LEED requirements; and the Respondent’s interview. The Respondent with the highest overall score shall be recommended to the HCIA by the Technical Review Committee for an award of the Design-Build contract. If the recommendation is approved by the HCIA, the HCIA will notify the successful Design-Builder. The HCIA has no obligation to make an award and reserves the right to waive any non-material defects, reject any and all submissions in accordance with applicable law and to terminate the selection process at any time.
The RFQ package is available on the HCIA’s website at www.hcia.org as of April 7, 2025. Any questions concerning the RFQ package should be directed to the HCIA’s special counsel, Leslie G. London, Esq. at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and Jessica F. Silva at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Respondents are required to comply with the requirements of N.J.S.A. 52:32-44 for proof of Business Registration Certification and the requirements of N.J.A.C. 17:27 and N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2.
Respondents must submit ten (10) copies and one electronic/disk copy of its RFQ Qualifications proposal no later than 2:00 p.m. on May 9, 2025 to:
HUDSON COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY
830 BERGEN AVENUE – 9th Floor
JERSEY CITY, NJ 07306
ATTENTION: Norman M. Guerra, Chief Executive Officer
PROJECT: Construction of Liberty Science Center High School
Important Note: Faxed or emailed RFQ Qualifications Proposals will not be accepted. RFQ Qualifications Proposals received after the above cited date and time will be returned unopened.
Date Issued: April 7, 2025
