Owner's Representative Services

The City of Indianola, Iowa (population 16,829), located in the southern portion of the Des Moines Metropolitan Area and serving as the county seat of Warren County, is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to provide comprehensive Owner’s Representative services through a multi-year master agreement. The City is embarking on several major facility improvement initiatives, including condition assessment and repair planning for the Indianola Public Library, merger of Activity Center programming into the Indianola Wellness Campus with a related needs assessment and concept design for a potential addition, and a concept design study addressing future City Hall and Public Safety facilities at municipal sites.

• Leading or supporting the development of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for professional services, construction services, and related project needs.
• Assist with determining project delivery method including construction manager at-risk (CMAR).
• Drafting or assisting with bid specifications for identified projects, and assisting with compliance with Chapter 26 bidding procedures as needed.
• Serving on steering committees, providing guidance, and reviewing conceptual design reports.
• Assisting with onboarding architectural, engineering, construction, and consulting firms.
• Preparing and evaluating proposals and coordinating site due diligence.
• Developing and maintaining master design and project schedules.
• Establishing and overseeing master budgets, including contingencies and escalation.
• Managing and overseeing the design process.
• Providing constructability and value engineering recommendations.
• Assisting with project updates at each design milestone.
• Supporting public information and education planning. For any project subject to a ballot vote, the Owner’s Representative shall limit public information to factual, informational materials which remain compliant with Iowa law.
• Overseeing facility construction projects to ensure adherence to schedule and budget.
• Provide assistance with grant and/or tax credit coordination.
• Provide project phasing support.
• Assistance with furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E), to include information technology and move management.
• The Owner’s Representative will act as an independent contractor and will have no authority to bind the City, approve change orders, waive irregularities, or direct the work of third-party contractors unless expressly authorized in writing. Final decision-making authority on the schedule, budget, and scope of work remains with the City.

Response Delivery

Electronic proposals must be submitted to jmeshke@indianolaiowa.gov by the deadline. Late submissions will not be considered. Please submit as a single PDF no larger than 25 MB. The City will confirm receipt by email. Proposals must not exceed 25 pages (minimum 11-point font), excluding appendices.

RFP Selection Process

Proposals will be evaluated on the following:

• Qualifications and experience of the firm and team
• Relevant public-sector Owner’s Representative experience and references
• Proposed approach
• Fees and rates
• Completeness of the proposal

Following evaluation, a shortlist of firms will be invited to participate in interviews.

Insurance Requirements

• Workers Compensation as provided by law.
• Commercial General Liability of not less than **$1,000,000** per occurrence and **$2,000,000** aggregate, for bodily injury, personal injury, and property damage
• Commercial automobile liability in the amount of **$1,000,000** for combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage.
• The Contractor shall furnish the City with proof of insurance before work begins. Each policy shall require a 30-day notice of cancellation.

Schedule

• Shortlist Candidates – Week of November 23
• Interviews Conducted – Week of December 7, 2026
• Anticipated Council consideration on the Master Services Agreement and Notice to Proceed – December 2026