TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Douglas Hewett, ICMA-CM, City Manager
Jeffrey Yates, ICMA-CM, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Kimberly Toon, Assistant Chief Financial Officer Procurement
Bryan Roof, Project Manager -Cumming-Group
DATE: September 28, 2026
RE:Title
Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with Samet Corporation for Fire Station No. 4 preconstruction services in an amount not to exceed $400,000.Title
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
4
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal 1: Safe and Secure Community
Executive Summary:
Staff recommends authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with Samet Corporation for Fire Station No. 4 preconstruction services in an amount not to exceed $400,000. Following review of three firms’ qualifications and interviews, the selection committee ranked Samet first based on its experience, proposed team, and project approach, including its fire station experience and prior work with Stewart Cooper Newell and Associates.
With the design complete, preconstruction services will focus on reviewing plans and site conditions, developing costs and schedules, and establishing quality controls for subcontractor supervision, inspections, testing, and correction of deficient work. Funding is available within the project budget. The proposed Guaranteed Maximum Price and authorization for construction will return to City Council separately.
Background:
Fire Station No. 4 will replace the existing station at 406 Stamper Road with a modern facility at 4210 Bragg Boulevard. The new station is intended to improve emergency response and provide the space, decontamination areas, living quarters, and other features needed to support firefighter health, safety, and operations. The existing station will continue providing service during construction.
The original construction contract was terminated in April 2024 following documented construction deficiencies and delays. Applied Building Sciences subsequently conducted an independent engineering assessment and concluded that the unfinished facility could not be repaired safely or economically. The firm recommended removal of the unfinished structure, foundations, and installed systems to prepare the site for construction. City Council subsequently approved demolition and site clearing. The parties’ responsibility for the unsuccessful construction remains disputed.
The design is complete, and Stewart Cooper Newell Architects will continue supporting the project through design review and construction administration. Cumming Group serves as Project Manager, coordinating schedule, cost, documentation, and contractor-performance tracking. Freese & Nichols serves as the separate Owner’s Advisor, providing independent technical review and advice. The City retains contracting, decision-making, and final acceptance authority.
The City issued the CMAR Request for Qualifications on August 20, 2026, received three responses on September 10, and conducted interviews on September 17. Following its evaluation, the selection committee ranked Samet Corporation first and recommended the firm based on its overall qualifications, project approach, and team capability.
The proposed preconstruction agreement will establish the foundation for construction oversight and quality control. Samet will work with the project team to review the completed plans and site conditions, develop estimates and schedules, and prepare a project-specific quality-management plan. That plan will define subcontractor supervision, inspections, materials testing, documentation, and correction of deficient work, including required verification before critical work is concealed. Samet and its subcontractors will remain responsible for workmanship and contract compliance, supported by independent inspections and City oversight.
This action authorizes negotiation and execution of a preconstruction agreement not to exceed $400,000. The proposed Guaranteed Maximum Price and authorization for construction will return to City Council for separate consideration.
Issues/Analysis:
The selection committee reviewed and interviewed three highly qualified firms. All three proposals are attached.
The selection committee recommends Samet Corporation based on its evaluation of the three firms’ qualifications and interviews. The review considered relevant project experience, proposed personnel, workload and available capacity, project approach and schedule, safety performance, and financial capacity. Following this process, the committee ranked Samet first, concluding that the firm demonstrated the strongest overall qualifications, project approach, and team capability.
Samet’s experience with fire stations and public safety facilities supports its recommendation for Fire Station No. 4. Its submission identifies 18 fire stations completed or underway, including projects in several North Carolina communities. This experience is relevant to coordinating apparatus bays, firefighter living quarters, decontamination areas, and specialized building systems. Samet also reports recent work with Stewart Cooper Newell and Associates on the Gordon Road and Castle Hayne fire stations. That working relationship provides familiarity with the design team’s documents, expectations, and coordination practices, which can support efficient review of the completed design and timely resolution of construction questions.
The proposed project team includes personnel experienced in fire station and public safety construction, with defined responsibilities for executive oversight, preconstruction, project management, and field supervision. For Fire Station No. 4, the qualifications and availability of the individuals managing daily construction are particularly important. The negotiated agreement should establish expectations for staffing continuity, on-site supervision, and review of proposed changes to key personnel.
Samet’s proposed quality-management practices include coordinated plan reviews, detailed subcontractor scopes, pre-installation meetings, review of materials and shop drawings against specifications, and centralized tracking of project documents and quality issues. These practices should be incorporated into a project-specific quality plan with clear inspection requirements, documentation standards, and procedures for verifying work before it is concealed.
The ability to address substandard subcontractor work is also essential. The agreement and quality plan should require Samet to promptly identify and document deficient work, prevent affected work from being concealed or incorporated into subsequent construction, and coordinate corrective measures with the design team. Corrective work should be inspected and, where appropriate, retested before acceptance. Persistent subcontractor performance problems should trigger escalation and contractual remedies, including replacement when warranted. The City should also confirm through reference checks how Samet has managed comparable remediation situations, including its responsiveness, accountability, and verification of completed corrections.
The recommendation combines Samet’s qualifications and proposed approach with the City’s planned oversight structure. Cumming Group, Freese & Nichols, the design team, and independent inspection and testing services will support verification of performance while Samet remains responsible for construction quality and subcontractor supervision. This approach supports timely identification of deficiencies, documented corrective action, and confirmation that completed work meets the approved plans and specifications.
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Budget Impact:
None - Included in the project budget
Options:
1. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and enter into a contract for pre-construction activities with Samet, not to exceed $400,000
2. Do not authorize City Manager to negotiate and enter a contract for pre-construction activities with Samet and provide further guidance.
Recommended Action::Recommended Action
Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with Samet Corporation for Fire Station No. 4 preconstruction services in an amount not to exceed $400,000.
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Attachments:
Request for Qualifications
Samet Submittal
Barr & Barr Submittal
Swinerton Submittal
Score Matrix