Request for Proposal – Owner’s Representative

There is not an architect or construction manager selected for the project. The bidding and selection process for the architect and general contractor will fall within the Owner’s Representative scope of work.

$10 million of funding has been secured. The organization has launched a capital campaign for the remaining funding. The organization has a strong track record with capital campaigns, having just closed a $250 million campaign with $242 million raised.

Grants and private donations. We are interested in pursuing other supplemental financing options including tax credit programs.

No, we will not issue a draft form of the agreement. We are willing to use the consultant’s template as a basis for the agreement.

Yes, we are willing to use the consultant’s template as a basis for the agreement.

We prefer to receive projects related to school or childcare facility experience.

We are not philosophically opposed to a conversion of an existing building. However, due to the unique needs of the building as an early childhood educational facility, all Educare school builds have been new construction. The project will likely be a new structure.

We are very interested in environmental considerations for the building. We are less concerned with specific program compliance (LEED, Well Building) than the overall environmental approach and impact. We are interested in net zero energy buildings as well as climate neutral and climate positive construction.

The total construction cost and the breakdown of costs is still to be determined.

The facility and play spaces should be ADA compliant at a minimum. Inclusivity in building design and construction is very important to Start Early.

Start Early is committed to taking affirmative steps to assure that minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, Business Enterprises owned by People with Disabilities (BEPD), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), and Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE), and labor surplus area firms are used whenever possible.

Yes, we anticipate the architect will hold engineering and other design contracts.

Start Early does not have a preferred design team.

A site selection consultant has not yet been hired.

The facility will be owned by Start Early.

Yes, Start Early will consider alternative forms of energy for the building. We are very interested in environmental considerations for the building. We are less concerned with specific program compliance (LEED, Well Building) than the overall environmental approach and impact. We are interested in net zero energy buildings as well as climate neutral and climate positive construction.

We are open to various designs, including single story and multi-story building options, as long as they meet funder, local, and licensing regulations.

No. Start Early built Educare Chicago in 2000 and Educare Washington DC in 2011. Start Early continues to operate Educare Chicago.

Start Early is still in the exploration phase for land options. We will take into consideration transportation factors and ease of access when selecting a site.

Start Early is still in the exploration phase for land options. Time to shovels in the ground and cost will be considerations in selecting a site.

Is there a current facility that will be relocating? Is all furniture, fixtures & Equipment new or will it be relocating from an existing location?

No, there is no need to decommission an existing facility.

No, there is no need to decommission an existing facility.

There will be two interim programming sites (leased) that will be relocating to the new Educare school. At one of the two interim sites we will be leaving furniture, fixtures, and equipment in place. It has not yet been determined if any furniture, fixtures, and equipment will transfer to the new site.

Budget approvals will be made as quickly as possible. Given sufficient information is provided, Start Early is committed to making prompt budget approvals and other decisions. Budget decisions will generally be made by one executive at Start Early, allowing us to move quickly.

Start Early is looking for the Owner’s Representative proposal to include suggested milestone dates as part of the timeline to achieve the proposed completion date.

Attachments can be added to the proposal and are not subject to the 30-page limitation.