Florida International University
FIU BT-925 CasaCuba A/E
NOTICE TO ARCHITECT/ENGINEERS BT-925 CasaCuba
The Florida International University Board of Trustees announces that services in the discipline of Architecture/Engineering are required for the project identified below:
Project Name and Number: CasaCuba, BT-925
Project Location: Modesto Maidique Campus, Miami, Florida
Project Description:
CasaCuba is a new initiative of Florida International University (FIU) to build a premier global venue for the study of Cuba and the preservation and celebration of Cuban culture. The facility that will provide a home to CasaCuba will be an iconic, multi-story building estimated to be 57,876 gross square feet in its first phase, located at a primary entrance to FIU´s main campus. This state-of-the-art venue will be a gathering place for researchers, students, the South Florida community, and visitors from around the world. It will offer a welcoming home away from home to learn about Cuba and the Cuban diaspora, and a think tank that provides a forum for exploration and discussion of Cuban affairs, producing impactful analysis for the use of policymakers and business leaders. As a cultural institution, and with the aid of advanced, interactive digital media, CasaCuba will celebrate artistic expression in all its forms, recognizing talent and achievement and inspiring creativity in the Cuban community and beyond. The first phase of the building is estimated to have a total construction cost of $25,578,299 as described in the Program Budget Summary.
In 2015, FIU announced plans to build CasaCuba to leverage its significant academic and non-academic resources and expand FIU’s depth and breadth of teaching, scholarship, and cultural engagement on Cuba and the Cuban diaspora. Under the leadership of FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg and Agustín R. Arellano, Sr., a group of prominent community members came together to form a Board of Advisors. More recently, CasaCuba has received prestigious grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities(“NEH”) , empowering the University to launch CasaCuba’s architectural design phase.
CasaCuba is envisioned as the most ambitious public building paying homage to the Cuban heritage. The venue will house the leading think tank dedicated to conducting and sharing research on a wide range of topics related to Cuba. At the same time, CasaCuba aspires to be a preeminent institution for the celebration of Cuban culture. Importantly as well, CasaCuba will be a community center – but one that is grounded in a leading university with high academic standards – that welcomes individuals, families, and social and professional groups that will find an inviting environment to learn about Cuban history and culture.
CasaCuba plans to include a state-of-the-art event venue; exhibition galleries; classrooms and seminar rooms; a flexible working area; vibrant gathering spaces such as a garden, courtyard, porch and gift shop; as well as administrative suites for the leadership of CasaCuba and the Cuban Research Institute. All areas should be focused on service to the FIU and local communities, as well as visitors from other parts of the country and the world at large. The building should accommodate a variety of uses and people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds; nurture reflection, artistic expression, creative thinking, social interaction, experimentation, intellectual rigor and curiosity, scholarly research and multimodal learning; and showcase purpose-driven design, as well as the ability to adapt with changes in technology. It must represent the Cuban legacy, telling a compelling story about Cuba’s past, present and future, and resonating emotionally with visitors and the surrounding community. Throughout its design, the building will articulate CasaCuba’s vision and transmit hope and innovation, fueling the aspiration to make a positive difference. The building will serve as a gateway to other cultural and academic resources at FIU, and will create a new international destination that enables the exchange of ideas and collaboration among like-minded institutions around the world.
FIU is committed to producing buildings that comply with sustainable energy conservation strategies and standards (minimum LEED Silver Certification).
The project scope may be modified by the University, in its sole discretion, to reduce scope or to include additional spaces or square feet should a funding source for such scope increases be identified prior to project completion. For instance, the project may be split into two phases. The first phase would include the project described in the approved Program dated March 27, 2019 as Phase 1. The second phase would include additional gallery space, teaching laboratory space, food service facilities and support areas as generally contemplated in the description of Phase 2 in the approved Program. With proper approvals, components of Phase 1 and Phase 2 may be revised due to funding changes and/or changing program needs. The selected Architecture/Engineering firm may be instructed to proceed with the second phase of the project if funding becomes available prior to completion of the first phase.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, applicants are hereby notified that in the event the University is unable to secure full funding, the University intends to proceed only with design and construction of fully funded project components, if any.
For this project, initial funding is expected to allow completion of design services by the Architecture/Engineering firm. A/E services may be suspended or terminated before the Construction Documents Phase, or earlier, according to the terms of the standard contract. At the present time, no State funding will be used for design and construction of this project.
The FIU Board of Trustees has approved “the design phase for CasaCuba using funding from donors, and the corresponding amendment of the University Campus Master Plan, and upon further review of the design, funding, and other data, the Board will consider approval for construction.” Further note that the A/E will not be required to do any campus master plan work.
Commencement of any work involving construction, and release of the NEH grant funds, are contingent on completion by the NEH of the project reviews required pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). These reviews will be conducted concurrently with this selection process.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Firms desiring to apply for consideration shall submit copies of a Letter of Intent and Summary with an Introduction Narrative highlighting qualifications/legal nature of organization including a proposed organization chart and the following required proposal data attached:
1. A completed "Florida International University Professional Qualifications Supplement (FIUPQS)." The latest version of official FIUPQS forms (FIUPQS_08_2015) must be downloaded from the FIU web site at http://facilities.fiu.edu/projects/BT-925.htm. Applications on any other form will not be considered.
2. A copy of the applicant's current Professional Registration Certificate(s) from the appropriate Governing board. An applicant must be properly licensed and authorized to practice its profession in the State of Florida at the time of application, in accordance with Florida Law. If the applicant is a corporation, it must be properly chartered by the Florida Department of State to operate in Florida.
3. Note that for this project there will be a change in the way that joint venture applicants will be evaluated. Under the FIUPQS section “Special Instructions for Joint Venture Applicants” on page 5 Part C, the location rating will be scored based on the location rating score of the party of the joint venture which is closest to the project.
Submit nine (9) bound copies of the required proposal data and one electronic copy in Adobe Acrobat PDF format of the requested qualifications to: Selection Committee, Florida International University, Facilities Planning, Campus Support Complex, 11555 S.W. 17th St., Room CSC-142, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, Florida 33199. Applications that do not comply with the above instructions will not be considered. Application material will not be returned. The University reserves the right to suspend or discontinue the selection process at any time and to return or reject any or all submissions of qualifications without obligation to the respondent. The award of this contract is subject to availability of funds.
The plans and specifications prepared by the A/E are subject to reuse in accordance with the provisions of Section 287.055, Florida Statutes. As required by Section 287.133, Florida Statutes, a consultant may not submit a proposal for this project if it is on the convicted vendor list for a public entity crime committed within the past 36 months. The selected consultant must warrant that it will neither utilize the services of, nor contract with, any supplier, subcontractor, or consultant in excess of the threshold amount provided in Section 287.017 for CATEGORY TWO in connection with this project for a period of 36 months following the date of their being placed on the convicted vendor list.
FIU HAS CREATED STANDARD CONTRACT FORMS AND STANDARD INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO A/E’S FOR A/E SERVICES TO PROVIDE FOR AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE PROCESS. THESE FORMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AND CAN BE FOUND AT http://facilities.fiu.edu/projects/BT-925.htm FOR THE A/E AGREEMENT AND https://facilities.fiu.edu/formsandstandards.htm FOR STANDARD INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. ALL APPLICANTS SHOULD REVIEW THE APPLICABLE FIU CONTRACT FORM AND STANDARD INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS CAREFULLY PRIOR TO MAKING A DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO RESPOND TO THIS ADVERTISEMENT.
The Project Fact Sheet, which describes the selection process schedule for this Project and additional information regarding the Project scope, may be obtained from the web-site http://facilities.fiu.edu/projects/BT-925.htm. Requests for meetings by individual firms will not be granted. Once the firm acquires the required forms, questions may be directed to Facilities Planning via email to griffith@fiu.edu cc: angpaz@fiu.edu.
SUBMIT QUALIFICATIONS TO: Selection Committee, Florida International University, Facilities Planning, Campus Support Complex, 11555 S.W. 17th St., Room #142, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, Florida 33199. Submittals must be received between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. OR 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. local time, Friday, January 31, 2020.
Submittals will not be accepted before or after the times and date stated above. Facsimile (FAX) submittals are not acceptable and will not be considered.
