UPDATED 3/21: Answers to questions we received through 3pm Friday 3/16, per the RFQ, are posted at the bottom of this post.
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Request for Qualifications: Architecture, Engineering, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture Services
March 12, 2012

Background:
Early in 2011, Surly Brewing Company announced plans to expand with a $20 million “Destination Brewery”. The only problem was a Prohibition-era law that prohibited breweries from selling pints of their own beer on their premises. With help from Surly Nation, political leaders, and a community of supporters, we succeeded in changing the law. For more information on the campaign to change the law, check out our blog post.

We’re Ready!
TEGRA Group, on behalf of Surly Brewing Company, invites architecture and engineering firms with a strong local presence to submit qualifications for the design of a new brewery and multi-purpose event facility.

Privately-held, Surly was founded in 2005 and is based in Brooklyn Center, MN. It has gained international recognition for its craft beers that are served in more than 500 restaurants and bars throughout Minnesota. Surly is currently envisioning an initial 60,000 to 80,000 square foot facility with a capacity for future growth. The facility master plan will include space for brewhaus, production, packaging, warehousing, cold storage, beer hall, restaurant, event center and an outdoor beer garden. Both raw land and sites with existing structures for adaptive reuse are being considered. Surly intends to use a Construction Manager @ Risk with a GMP project delivery method. They may engage a Construction Manager for pre-construction and construction services after the site is identified. Their goal is to be in full production in the new facility as early as 2014.

Surly intends to have its A/E firm under contract by mid-year 2012. Surly anticipates short-listing three to five candidate A/E firms in April. Short-listed firms will be invited to respond to a Request for Proposal focused on specific team members, proposed consultants, and detailed information about approach to design, etc. It is not necessary to identify specific team members for this Qualifications Request.

Please provide your qualification information in the following order:

Part One: Firm Overview Information

1. Firm name, address, main phone and website address.
2. Name, address, phone and e-mail of primary contact person.
3. Firm ownership structure and year established.
4. List of in-house design disciplines and number of registered professionals.

Part Two: Firm Experience

Please provide a summary of similar project experience with project name, location, construction value and a thumbnail graphic image. These should be projects carried out by the responding firm.

A. Similar Project Experience

1. Food or beverage processing, packaging, R&D and pilot plant facilities which meet regulatory food safety requirements.
2. Food or beverage warehouse/distribution facilities, including cold storage.
3. Event facilities with features such as performance stages and seating areas.
4. Bars, restaurants and commercial kitchens.
5. Multi-use projects with pedestrian, auto and truck traffic circulation all on one site.

B. Additional Applicable Experience

1. Projects which demonstrate the ability to translate a brand/ image into architectural and interior design.
2. Urban projects with complex municipal approval processes.
3. Projects in excess of $10M construction value.

Evaluation Criteria

Qualifications will be evaluated based on succinct demonstration of the requested experience.

Preference will be given to firms who have successfully translated a brand/image into architectural and interior design and have food or beverage processing, bar/restaurant and event center experience.

Please submit Qualifications by 3:00 PM on Friday March 23rd, 2012. Your submittal is strictly limited to four (4) – 8.5 x 11 pages. Questions can be submitted to Paul Koerber at the email below by 3:00pm Friday, March 16th. Questions and answers will be publicized on Surly’s website. Surly requests no direct communication with Surly personnel.

Please submit four (4) hard copies and one (1) emailed electronic copy to:

TEGRA Group
Attn: Paul Koerber
801 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1850
Minneapolis, MN 55402
pkoerber@tegragroup.com

Surly Nation awaits your creativity and help! We look forward to your response.

UPDATED 3/21: Answers to questions we received through 3pm Friday 3/16, per the RFQ:
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Q1: Is the blog the entire RFQ document?
A1: Yes.
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Q2: Can Surly release a list of interested firms at this point?
A2: Since the RFQ was posted on the company’s website Surly is unable to confirm on interested firms at this time.
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Q3: Would a cover letter be viewed as one of the four pages that the RFQ response is limited to?
A3: Yes.
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Q4: Can the four page hard copy include front and back printing?
A4: No.
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Q5: Are we allowed to use the Surly logo or images in our RFQ?
A5: Surly will not make any logo or images available. Responding firms may use logo/image material collected from the company’s website for purposes of responding to the issued RFQ only.
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Q6: Would Surly consider a fully integrated design/build project delivery methodology?
A6: Not at this time.
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Q7: Does Surly have a branding consultant?
A7: Yes.
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Q8/related inquiries:
For RFQ response Part One, do we provide information on all team member firms or just the lead firm?
Can the “similar project experience” be met with consultant team members?
Should the RFQ response list consultant engineers?
A8: As shared in the RFQ, preference will be given to firms who have successfully translated a brand/image into architectural and interior design and have food or beverage processing, bar/restaurant and event center experience. In turn Surly will be mostly focused on firms presenting these capabilities. In the event that a firm decides to partner with another firm, or firms, in order to better satisfy this condition, Surly will focus its review primarily on the identified lead firm and its experience in managing such partnerships. In regard to engineering partners, other proposed consultants, etc., related information will be considered through a subsequent RFP process.
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Q9: Will the selected architect be involved in the final site selection?
A9: Yes. While the TEGRA Group is leading the site search effort, the overall project team looks forward to design partner insights in comparing short-listed sites.
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Q10: Will the project seek green building certification through LEED, Mn Green Star or other?
A10: Sustainable design and operation will be important factors for Surly consideration, and Surly may pursue a formal sustainability designation.