North Iowa Community Schools
Linking Students with Success
Serving the communities of Buffalo Center, Lakota, Rake and Thompson
November 7, 2011
Dear Architect/Engineer:
The North Iowa Community Schools, located in Buffalo Center, IA, intends to apply for a State of Iowa Safe-Room
Grant through the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division and Federal Emergency Mitigation
Agency. North Iowa Community School District is proposing a multi-purpose community safe room that will
provide near absolute life safety for students and staff in the event of high wind and tornado events. When not in
use as a Safe Room it will be utilized as a gymnasium with attached fitness/locker room area.
North Iowa Community Schools is requesting competitive proposals for the Architectural and Engineering design
to be completed in two phases by one bidder. Each phase will have a separate contract. The Scope of Work is as
follows:
Scope of Work
The proposed multi-purpose community safe room shall be located at the North Iowa Community Schools, 111 3rd
Ave. NW, Buffalo Center, IA. The Safe Room shall be approximately 4644 square feet with additional square
footage for the fitness/locker room area. Safe room occupancy is estimated at 650-780 people. Construction type
shall be non-combustible, concrete slab-on-grade with concrete roof deck designed with either pre-stressed
precast concrete or reinforced masonry walls.
The first phase will be the preliminary design of the safe room and compilation of the estimated budget.
Preliminary design includes floor plan, site plan, and elevations of the proposed safe room. The estimated project
budget is to be completed in accordance with documentation received from FEMA and HSEMD. All quotes and
estimated budget line items must be justified with proper documentation. The first phase must be completed in
January, 2012. Architect and engineers must be available to answer questions throughout the entire grant
application process. The Multi-Purpose Community Safe Room must be designed to meet the Design and
Construction Guidance for Community Safe Rooms, FEMA 361, Second Edition / August 2008.
The second phase will be for the final design/engineering, soil boring, peer review, and professional design
oversight. Final design and engineering documents must meet the requirements set forth in the Design and
Construction Guidance for Community Safe Rooms, FEMA 361, Second Edition / August 2008. Documents must
have full peer reviews completed. Surveys, soil borings, and testing shall be included within the proposal.
Appropriate construction observation and special inspections should also be included in the second phase of this
project. The second phase will not begin until a grant is funded and the school district has received a letter of
grant award from FEMA which may be several months later.
Peer Reviews. Construction documents for community safe rooms should undergo peer reviews by an
independent registered design professional in conformance with the Design and Construction Guidance for
Community Safe Room, FEMA 361, Second Editions, August 2008. The peer reviews should focus on the structural
and non-structural design of elements that provide life safety protection for the occupants of the safe room. The
North Iowa Community Schools | 111 3rd Ave. NW, Buffalo Center, Iowa 50424
design professional(s) performing the peer reviews may be within the same firm as the proposer but unfamiliar
with the project.
The enclosed Required Federal Contract Clauses for Governmental Organizations are required with a Federal
Grant. The Eligible and Ineligible expenses list is attached. All invoices submitted for payment requests must be
broken out into safe room eligible items only.
The FEMA Region VII Safe Room Designer Checklist is to be completed and included with FEMA review
construction documents. The FEMA Region VII Safe Room Designer Checklist is to be completed again at the close
of the project to verify that the project has been built to meet the design of the documents and specifications.
The Instructions for FEMA VII Safe Room Designer Checklist and the FEMA VII Safe Room Designer Checklist are
attached.
The final Construction Documents must include a Safe Room Design Information Sheet. Please see attached
example.
If your firm is interested in our project please complete the following questionnaire with supporting
documentation and return 2 copies to following address by November 28, 2:00 PM:
North Iowa Community School District
Attn: Cory Myer, Superintendent
111 3rd Ave. NW
Buffalo Center, Iowa 50424
Sincerely,
Cory Myer
Superintendent
North Iowa Community Schools
North Iowa Community Schools | 111 3rd Ave. NW, Buffalo Center, Iowa 50424
Please answer all questions. You may use additional paper if needed.

Do you have the time to consider this project and submit preliminary designs and cost estimates in
January, 2012?

What is your firm’s design philosophy?

Please list your firm’s qualifications and experience in general?

Is your firm a member of any professional organizations? If so, which organizations?

Have you ever designed plans for FEMA Tornado Safe Room? If yes, please explain. If no, what similar type
of building has your firm designed?

Have you ever completed to preliminary design and estimated construction budgets for Homeland
Security Emergency Mitigation Department participating in the grant application process?

Have you worked in the surrounding area or in Buffalo Center on projects in the past? If yes, please list
projects.

Explain how you establish your fees? And what services are included/not included.
North Iowa Community Schools | 111 3rd Ave. NW, Buffalo Center, Iowa 50424

North Iowa Community Schools is interested in a flat fee for the entire design of this project; what fees
would you expect for this project?

Are you willing to make site visits to observe construction to ensure the project is built according to plans
and specifications?

Do you work closely and subcontract with an engineer?

Please submit 3 references from past clients.

Please provide a copy of each architect’s and engineer’s license to practice in Iowa.

Have you or anyone in your firm ever had any licensing board or professional ethics body ever require you
to surrender your license or found you guilty of violation of ethics codes, incompetence, unprofessional
conduct or negligence in any state or country? If yes, please explain, and provide copies of
correspondence, charges, findings, etc. in order for your firm to be considered.
The proposals will be evaluated by North Iowa Community Schools on the following criteria: (100 total points)
 Timeliness, 15 points
 Work experience and qualifications, 25 points
 Safe Room and similar project experience, 20 points
 Willingness to work on all phases of the project from preliminary design to construction closeout, 15
points
 Fee structure, 10 points
 Experience with projects in the surrounding area, 15 points
North Iowa Community Schools | 111 3rd Ave. NW, Buffalo Center, Iowa 50424