Governor Ivey Announces Qualified Developer Teams for Alabama Prison Program Request for Proposal

MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) announced today that four developer teams have qualified to receive the Request for Proposal (RFP) to improve the state’s prison infrastructure.

Statements from each of the following teams can be found in the attached document. The four developer teams are listed alphabetically and are not in any ranking.

  • Alabama Prison Transformation Partners: Star America; BL Harbert International; Butler-Cohen; Arrington Watkins Architects; and Johnson Controls, Inc.
  • CoreCivic: CoreCivic; Caddell Construction; DLR Group; and R&N Systems Design
  • Corvias: Corvias; Municipal Capital Markets Group; HDR Architecture; JE Dunn Construction (no relation to ADOC Commissioner Jeff Dunn) & CORE Construction (joint venture); TKC Management Services; TreanorHL; Seay, Seay & Litchfield Architects; White-Spunner Construction; Mead & Hunt; and Baldwin Consulting Group
  • GEO Group: GEO; White Construction Company; and NELSON Wakefield Beasley & Associates

The developer teams responded to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) issued by the ADOC on June 27. The RFQ evaluation committee, comprised of representatives from the ADOC and the Alabama Department of Finance, including the Division of Construction Management, with support from third-party experts HPM and CGL, evaluated the firms’ Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) to identify the developer teams qualified to receive the RFP. The SOQs were opened on August 26 at the ADOC Headquarters Building in Montgomery.

“I appreciate the hard work conducted by the RFQ evaluation committee and am pleased with the integrity of this procurement process,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “The revitalization of prisons in Alabama is crucial, and this plan to improve the state’s infrastructure is a major step towards reduced recidivism and improved public safety. I am committed to propelling this plan forward.”

The teams were evaluated based solely upon their respective SOQ submissions using objective criteria set forth in the RFQ. A minimal score out of 1000 had to be met to move on in the procurement process. The four developer teams selected to move forward exceeded the minimal score requirement. To ensure an unbiased and competitive process, scores will remain confidential at this time. All scoring details will be made available after awards have been made and the process has been completed. The evaluation criteria are listed on page 26 in the RFQ: Minimum Requirements, Respondent Team Lead, Design and Construction Team, and Service Provider.

“The Governor’s Office, my staff, and project team are pleased with the qualified developer teams and look forward to the review of their proposals this spring,” ADOC Commissioner Jeff Dunn said. “This development of three new prisons is a key focus of our strategic effort to reduce staffing shortages and crowding, improve working conditions for our officers, increase safety, and provide facility infrastructure for enhanced educational and vocational programs. We are confident that this foundational element of our multi-faceted solution will allow for positive and transformational change within the ADOC.”

Participation in the RFQ process was mandatory and required interested developer teams to respond and submit a SOQ to demonstrate the team’s financial capacity and technical expertise. This process provides structure to protect the interests of the State of Alabama, ensuring that only qualified developer teams are permitted to participate in the proposal process. This pre-qualification process is similar to those used for many Alabama public works construction projects.

The RFP, which will serve as the foundation for negotiations with developer teams moving forward, will be released in December 2019. Confidential attachments to the RFP will be unable to be released due to potential security risks. The ADOC anticipates receipt of proposals for the new prisons in the spring of 2020.

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About Alabama’s Prison Program

Alabama is revitalizing its corrections system by replacing prison facilities that pose the greatest risk to public safety, place the largest financial burdens on taxpayers, and inhibit development of programs for inmate rehabilitation. Governor Kay Ivey is leading this change, fulfilling campaign promises to improve the state’s infrastructure and reduce public safety risks. The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) is working with Alabama-based public works professionals, HPM, which has partnered with national prison and correctional system experts, CGL. These improvements are part of Alabama’s commitment to reduce crowding and facilitate statewide prison reform which will save money, make prisons safer, reduce recidivism, and improve public safety.

Provided by the Office of the Governor of Alabama | governor.alabama.gov