The Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency on Oct. 28 postponed action on RFQ 202501, the progressive design-build solicitation for the northwest 800 block of West Atlantic Avenue, after commissioners said they needed more time to review evaluation materials and community feedback.

Christine Tibbs, assistant director for the CRA, told the board the RFQ was issued Jan. 30, 2025. Three proposers submitted timely responses and an evaluation committee scored each submission; the proposers were DMR Construction Services, Hatcher Construction and Development, and Waypoint Contracting Inc. The RFQ envisions a two-phase progressive design-build agreement with preconstruction/design followed by construction upon agreement of a guaranteed maximum price.

During discussion, several commissioners said they had not had adequate time to review the evaluation details. Commissioner Carney asked for more time to study the grades and said she had concerns about the project generally. Commissioner Rob Long said he was “leaning towards the DMR project” based on the presentations and that the firms’ modular approaches appeared to address earlier community objections about a shipping-container aesthetic. Commissioners noted the proposers’ scores were close and asked staff for the underlying evaluation materials.

Given those concerns, the board voted to table the item to the next meeting. Commissioner Carney moved to table the RFQ and Commissioner Long seconded; the motion passed with a recorded affirmative vote from Commissioners Carney, Long, Chair Andrew Burns, Vice Chair Markert and a counted yes for Deputy Vice Chair Cassell (who had departed earlier). No selection or award was made Oct. 28.

The board’s vote follows several public comments earlier in the meeting calling for broader master planning of the West Atlantic corridor rather than a piecemeal, single-block approach; speakers argued a corridor-wide master plan covering the 600, 700 and 800 blocks would yield shared infrastructure, lower costs and a more cohesive gateway to downtown. The board asked staff to resend the evaluation materials and schedule the RFQ for the next meeting, giving members additional time to review scoring and to consider public feedback.

Staff said the RFQ process allows the board to accept the evaluation committee scoring and award to the highest-scoring proposer, select a different proposer the CRA believes best serves its interests, or cancel/reissue the RFQ. The board chose to postpone rather than take any of those actions.