RFPQ-LLB: Groups K&L for Certain District Projects, Preconstruction & Construction Services

The San Diego Unified School District is soliciting qualified contractors for preconstruction and construction services using the Lease-Leaseback (LLB) delivery method under Education Code section 17406. The District intends to establish two pools of qualified contractors for a term of two to four years: Group K for projects valued at or below 32 million dollars and Group L for projects valued at 32,000,001 dollars or more. Under the LLB model, the District leases real property to a builder for one dollar per year, and the contractor is responsible for financing a portion of the construction. Upon completion, the District leases the facilities back from the contractor through predetermined monthly payments. The selection process follows a three-step best value approach consisting of a required prequalification application, an invitation-only Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) scoring phase, and optional contractor interviews. Prequalification requires a minimum of 160 points based on preconstruction expertise, project experience, and team qualifications. Awarded contracts require the submission of performance and labor and material payment bonds equal to the total direct cost of the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP), as well as comprehensive insurance certificates. Contractors must adhere to strict compliance standards, including California Labor Code prevailing wage requirements and federal laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act. There is a strong emphasis on diversity through the Emerging Business Enterprise (EBE) and Disabled Veteran Business (DVB) programs, requiring the appointment of an EBE Small Business Liaison Officer. Performance is managed via Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling, and all work is subject to inspection by the Architect and Project Inspector to ensure industry-standard quality and adherence to the Master Facilities Lease.