Garretson Street Bridge

Austin Borough is seeking qualified engineering firms to provide preliminary engineering services for the remediation and redevelopment of two condemned commercial structures at 25 and 27 Main Street, located in one of Pennsylvania’s most economically distressed rural communities. The borough acquired 25 Main Street in February 2026 after years of tax delinquency and abandonment, and a 2025 hazardous materials survey confirmed lead-based paint and severe structural deterioration on both buildings. The project, contingent upon the successful submission of the DCED Neighborhood Assistance Plan Grant on May 29th, entails full demolition, lead abatement, site clearance, and the construction of a finished exterior wall on the adjacent privately owned 23 Main Street, with the ultimate goal of transforming the site into a community memorial green space. Original brick from the historic pre-1911 structures will be salvaged and repurposed, incorporating engraved memorials to the 78 victims of the 1911 Austin Dam disaster to support heritage tourism linked to the Austin Dam Memorial Association. The procurement follows Pennsylvania’s Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) process, emphasizing technical merit and firm experience over price, with evaluation factors weighted heavily toward relevant experience and qualifications (30%), technical approach to preliminary engineering (25%), and understanding of borough infrastructure needs (15%). The contract is not a traditional federal acquisition, lacks standardized FAR clauses, and does not require UEI, CAGE codes, or socioeconomic certifications. Proposers must submit a comprehensive package—including a letter of interest, detailed scope of work, proposed timeline, fee proposal, resumes of key personnel, examples of similar projects, proof of PennDOT prequalification, and proof of insurance—all through the PennBid portal by May 31, 2026. Work is scoped to preliminary engineering deliverables such as survey base maps, preliminary plan sets, cost estimates, and grant-ready documentation supporting DCED and PennDOT funding applications; final design and construction services are excluded. The borough retains the right to delay, cancel, or phase the project based on grant funding availability, and the selected firm is prohibited from providing both design and construction services to prevent conflicts of interest. All payments are contingent upon receipt of grant funds, and no fixed contract value has been established.