The old Habersham County courthouse may soon be a recent memory. The sealed bid process for contractors to bid on the demolition project for the courthouse is currently underway. According to the bidding process and schedule, demolition may not begin until April of 2024.
Intergovernmental agreement
The County Commission approved an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Development Authority and the City of Clarkesville for temporary financing for the demolition of the courthouse during their August 21 commission meeting. That approval came as a 3-2 vote with Commissioners Bruce Palmer and Jimmy Tench dissenting. Palmer was in favor of demolition but wanted the county to apply for a grant to save taxpayers money on the project. Tench dissented explaining that the county could use the old courthouse for additional office space.
Request for Proposal
The county advertised the request for proposal (RFP) on November 8. The RFP required those interested in bidding on the project to attend a mandatory pre-proposal meeting that was held on November 30 at the old courthouse. Only those bidders that attended that mandatory meeting are eligible to submit a project proposal.
Representatives from 14 companies attended the mandatory meeting. A list of those companies is below. Those companies in attendance were also asked four questions in an addendum that had a deadline of December 7.
The RFP stipulates that recycling efforts are to be part of the proposal and that the county will receive clean brick and concrete for their use in public works projects.
Non-hazardous materials only
According to the RFP, no hazardous abated materials will be taken to the county landfill. Non-hazardous materials may be taken to the landfill at no cost and placed in the C&D cells if the county finds that it is in the public’s best interest and reduces the overall cost of the project.
The county has a provision in the RFP that the contractor must salvage the elevator, a generator, the letters comprising the phrase “HABERSHAM COUNTY” that faces Monroe Street, and a wind vane atop the cupola which may have residual value to the county. The county reserves the right to have those items contracted separately but the elevator and generator must be listed separately in a bid proposal.
County Criteria
The county will follow a method of selection that will be scored on four criteria. The four criteria and scoring method are as follows:
- Documented prior work experience…… up to 25 points
- References…… up to 20 points
- Approach to project and schedule…… up to 25 points
- Proposed fees for abatement and demolition…. up to 30 points
The proposed fees for abatement and demolition submission is required to be in a separate sealed envelope. The fee proposal will only be opened after the first three criteria have been scored.
A map is included in the RFP that demonstrates the demolition project area for the old courthouse. According to that map, the courtyard that encompasses the gazebo, the large evergreen tree, and the V.F.W. Memorial Monument will be unaffected. Also unaffected will be access to Wood’s Furniture and the Agriculture Service building.
The deadline for sealed bid submission is January 10, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. At this time, the bids will be opened in the Public Meeting Room in the Administration Building at 130 Jacobs Way in Clarkesville. The tentative award date is Monday, February 19, 2024. A town hall presentation of scope will be held on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. No times for the award date or the town hall meeting were published in the RFP.
