Request for Qualifications

Addendum No. 1 issued 4/23/26

Pre-Submittal Conference:

There will be NO Pre-submittal Conference.

Solicitation Questions Due Date:

April 24, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Arizona Time

All solicitation questions must be emailed to SOQ Questions with the subject line of “DS2604.451  Fiber to the Home (FTTH) Inspections RFQ”.   Questions received after the due date and time will NOT be considered.

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ)Submittal Due Date:

May 7, 2026, 3:00 p.m. Arizona Time

SOQ pdf must be emailed to SOQ Submittals.  SOQ’s received after the due date and time will NOT be considered.  All SOQs must be emailed as a pdf attachment.  Any SOQ submitted as a link will not be considered.

Project Reference Forms (PRF) must be emailed, by the evaluator, to:  Project Reference PRF’s received after the due date and time will NOT be considered.

Interview Date:

There will be NO interviews.

Section 1 - Project Description

The City of Chandler, Arizona, through its Development Services Department and Public Works & Utilities Department, administers the Telecommunications & Utility Franchise (TUF) program, which regulates and oversees utility and telecommunications construction within the public rights-of-way (ROW) and Public Utility Easements (PUE). The City continues to experience significant increases in utility permit activity due to ongoing broadband expansion, fiber-optic deployment, infrastructure upgrades, and private development projects, including Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) and other telecommunications network installations throughout the City.

To support the growing volume and technical complexity of these projects, the City intends to establish up to three (3) professional services contracts with qualified consulting firms to provide Construction Management, Engineering Plan Review, Permit Review, Inspection, and Utility Coordination services associated with telecommunications, utility, and related infrastructure work within the City limits.

Work performed under this contract will primarily support and may include review, permitting, inspection, and documentation of construction activities performed by utility companies, telecommunications providers, franchise holders, developers, and contractors operating within public rights-of-way and utility easements. These activities include, but are not limited to, installation of fiber optic conduit systems, vaults, handholes, pedestals, cabinets, directional drilling, trenching, utility relocations, joint trench installations, and associated restoration work.

All work must comply with applicable City, State, and Federal requirements, including but not limited to:

• City of Chandler Utility Permit Manual (UDM-148)
• City of Chandler Unified Development Manual
• City of Chandler Engineering & Design Standards Manual
• City of Chandler Standard Details and Specifications
• MAG Uniform Standard Specifications for Public Works Construction
• Arizona Blue Stake Law
• Applicable Federal, State, and Local regulations
• Approved permit documents and construction plans

The selected consultant(s) will provide professional staff to assist the City in ensuring that all utility and telecommunications construction within the ROW and PUE is properly permitted, coordinated, inspected, and constructed in accordance with approved plans, City standards, and applicable regulations. Services may include engineering plan review, permit review, field inspection, construction management support, utility coordination, conflict resolution, documentation, and verification of restoration work.

Consultant staff may be required to coordinate with multiple City divisions and outside agencies, including but not limited to Development Services, Public Works & Utilities, Capital Improvement Projects, Traffic Engineering, Streets, Water/Wastewater, Solid Waste, GIS/Records, franchise utility providers, and private contractors to ensure projects are properly deconflicted, scheduled, and constructed in a manner that protects existing infrastructure and maintains public safety.

Due to the nature of telecommunications and utility work, services under this contract may require field inspections during normal business hours, nights, weekends, or emergency conditions, and may involve multiple simultaneous projects occurring throughout the City.

The intent of this solicitation is to obtain highly qualified professional services firms with demonstrated experience in utility permitting, telecommunications infrastructure, public right-of-way construction, and inspection services to provide timely, accurate, and consistent support to the City’s Telecommunications & Utility Franchise program.

The City anticipates awarding up to three (3) professional services contracts for an initial term of one (1) year, with the option to extend the contract in one-year increments for up to four (4) additional years, for a total potential contract duration of five (5) years, subject to City approval and funding availability.

Section 2 scope of Work

The City of Chandler is soliciting qualified consulting firms to provide professional services to support the Telecommunications & Utility Franchise (TUF) program. Services may include engineering plan review, permit review, construction inspection, construction management support, and coordination services for utility and telecommunications work occurring within public rights-of-way (ROW) and Public Utility Easements (PUE). These services are required to support the City in managing the increasing volume of utility and broadband infrastructure projects, including fiber-optic and Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) installations, utility relocations, joint trench installations, and related construction activities throughout the City.

All services shall be performed in accordance with applicable City, State, and Federal requirements, including but not limited to the City of Chandler Utility Permit Manual (UDM-148), City of Chandler Unified Development Manual, City of Chandler Engineering & Design Standards Manual, MAG Uniform Standard Specifications for Public Works Construction, City of Chandler Standard Details and Supplements, Arizona Blue Stake Law, approved permit documents, and all applicable regulations governing work within the public right-of-way.

The purpose of this contract is to provide professional staff to assist the City in ensuring that all utility and telecommunications construction within the ROW and PUE is properly permitted, reviewed, coordinated, inspected, documented, and constructed in accordance with approved plans, City standards, and permit conditions. The Consultant shall provide qualified personnel capable of performing engineering review, construction inspection, construction management support, and utility coordination services as directed by the City.

Services under this contract may include general program support, engineering plan and permit review, construction inspection, construction management assistance, utility coordination, record keeping, and project closeout verification. Consultant staff shall coordinate with multiple City departments and outside agencies, including but not limited to Development Services, Public Works & Utilities, Capital Improvement Projects, Streets, Water/Wastewater, Traffic Engineering, Solid Waste, GIS/Records, franchise utility providers, telecommunications companies, developers, and contractors to ensure that work within the public right-of-way is properly coordinated, deconflicted, and constructed in a safe and compliant manner.

The Consultant shall perform engineering plan review and permit review for utility and telecommunications projects submitted for work within the public right-of-way and utility easements. Review services shall include verification that permit applications are complete, confirmation that proposed work is located within the permitted limits, review of construction plans for compliance with City standards, verification of required utility clearances and separations, review of joint trench opportunities, confirmation of bore and trench requirements, review of traffic control plans, and verification that restoration requirements are properly identified. Plan review shall also include review of telecommunications installations such as fiber conduit systems, vaults, handholes, pedestals, cabinets, and other related infrastructure to ensure compliance with City requirements for underground placement, equipment location, and right-of-way use.

The Consultant shall provide construction inspection services for utility and telecommunications work occurring within the ROW and PUE. Inspection services shall verify that construction is performed in accordance with approved plans, permit conditions, City standards, MAG specifications, and applicable regulations. Inspection duties may include observation of trenching operations, directional drilling, conduit installation, vault and handhole placement, equipment installation, backfill operations, pavement restoration, sidewalk restoration, landscaping restoration, and traffic control implementation. Inspection staff shall attend pre-construction meetings, field meetings, and coordination meetings as required, and shall verify that required permits, plans, locates, and traffic control approvals are in place prior to the start of construction.

The Consultant shall prepare and maintain detailed inspection reports documenting daily activities, materials used, work locations, compliance with plans, conflicts encountered, instructions given, and any deviations from approved plans. Inspection documentation shall include written reports, photographs, and supporting records, and shall be provided to the City for permanent records. The Consultant shall also verify that required materials testing and compaction testing results meet applicable specifications and shall confirm that restoration of pavement, concrete, curb and gutter, sidewalk, landscaping, irrigation, and striping meets City requirements.

Construction management support services may include review of schedules, review of requests for information, review of submittals, review of change orders, field coordination, contractor coordination, and assistance with resolving field conflicts. The Consultant may provide recommendations for minor field adjustments, such as running line changes or minor location adjustments, when necessary to resolve conflicts, provided that all changes are documented and approved by the City prior to implementation.

The Consultant shall coordinate with utility companies, franchise holders, contractors, developers, and City staff to resolve conflicts, verify easements, coordinate joint trench installations, and ensure that work is properly scheduled and does not interfere with existing utilities, City projects, or recently constructed streets. The Consultant shall maintain accurate records of plan reviews, inspections, testing, changes, and project status, and shall provide documentation necessary for permit tracking and project closeout.

At the completion of each project, the Consultant shall verify that all required restoration has been completed, that as-built information has been provided when required, that all inspections are complete, and that the permit can be closed in accordance with City procedures.

Services shall be provided on an as needed basis as directed by the City, and workload may vary depending on permit volume, telecommunications deployment activity, development activity, and utility construction throughout the City. Consultant staff may be required to work during normal business hours, nights, weekends, or emergency conditions as needed to support construction activities occurring within the public right-of-way.

Compensation for services under this contract shall be fully inclusive of all ordinary and incidental business expenses required to perform the work, including but not limited to City of Chandler travel, vehicle usage, fuel, mileage, overhead, administrative support, equipment, communications, and other routine costs. No separate payment or reimbursement shall be made for gas, mileage, or local city travel expenses, and such costs shall be deemed included in the Consultant’s proposed billing rates, unit prices, or overall cost of services.

The Consultant shall demonstrate experience in utility plan review, right-of-way permitting, telecommunications infrastructure, utility construction inspection, public works construction, and multi-utility coordination, and shall provide qualified personnel capable of performing engineering review, field inspection, construction management, and utility coordination services necessary to support the City’s Telecommunications & Utility Franchise program. 

Pre-Submittal Conference:

There will be NO Pre-Submittal Conference.

Solicitation Questions Due Date:

April 30, 2026, 3:00 p.m. Arizona Time

All solicitation questions must be emailed to SOQ Questions with the subject line of “City Project No.: TP2202.451; Federal No.: CHN-0(252)D; ADOT No.: T038701C  Kyrene Branch and Highline Canal Shared Use Paths RFQ”.   Questions received after the due date and time will NOT be considered.

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) Submittal Due Date:

May 14, 2026, 3:00 p.m. Arizona Time

SOQ pdf must be emailed to SOQ Submittals. SOQ’s received after the due date and time will NOT be considered.  All SOQs must be emailed as a pdf attachment.  Any SOQ submitted as a link will not be considered.

Project Reference Forms (PRF) must be emailed, by the evaluator to project reference. PRF’s received after the due date and time will NOT be considered.

Interview Date:

There will be NO Interview.

Section 1 - Project Description

The Kyrene Branch and Highline Canal Shared Use Paths project is located along a portion of the Kyrene Branch Canal and Highline Canal. A 0.9-mile path along the Kyrene Branch Canal and a 0.25-mile path along the Highline Canal will connect to existing concrete paths in the City of Tempe. Bike lanes will also be added on Orchid Lane and 54th Street. The project improvements include concrete shared-use paths, lighting, landscaping and irrigation, wayfinding signage, signalized crossing, and pavement marking improvements. This is a federally funded project, using FHWA funds.

Section 2 - Scope of Work

Provide all Construction Management services to construct the improvements in accordance with the contract documents and city standards.

The scope of work will typically include the following services:

• Preconstruction Assistance
• Construction Management
• Lead Weekly Construction Meetings
  • Evaluate CPM Schedules
  • Review, evaluate, and respond to:
  • RFI’s (Request for Information)
    • Shop Drawing Submittals
      • Field Directives
      • Change Orders
      • Contractor Payment Applications
  • Prepare RFP’s (Requests for Proposal)
  • Construction Inspection
    • Provide Inspection and Special Inspections for Code Compliance
    • Landscape and Irrigation Inspection Services
    • Facilitate Project Closeout
  • Utility Coordination
    • Permitting Coordination
  • Materials Testing and Quality Assurance
  • Coordination with Stakeholders
  • Public Outreach