351512703_Attachment C and D Included.pdf

Request for Proposal # 351512703

For

Strategic Distributed Antenna System (DAS) Partnership

10/26/2026

Note: This public body does not discriminate against faith-based organizations in accordance with the Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4343.1 or against a bidder or offeror because of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment.

RFP # 351512703, Strategic DAS Partner

INCLUDE THIS PAGE WITH YOUR PROPOSAL, SIGNATURE AT SUBMISSION IS REQUIRED

DUE DATE: Proposals will be received until 12/01/2026 at 3:00 PM. Failure to submit proposals to the correct location by the designated date and hour will result in disqualification.

INQUIRIES: All inquiries for information regarding this solicitation must be submitted in HokieMart or directed to Emma Ruby, Phone: (540) 231- 9514 e-mail: emmaru97@vt.edu. All inquiries will be answered in the form of an addendum. Inquiries must be submitted by 3 PM on 11/05/2026. Inquiries must be submitted to the procurement officer identified in this solicitation.

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE: A pre-proposal conference will be held on 11/3/2026 at 2 PM. See RFP Section IX, Pre-proposal Conference for additional information for the conference.

RFP Issued 10/26/2026 Pre-Proposal Conference 11/03/2026 at 2 PM EST via in-person in Blacksburg.

Questions Due 11/06/2026 by 3 PM EST via HokieMart or email.

Responses Issued 11/13/2026 Proposal Due Date 12/01/2026 by 3 PM EST via HokieMart.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION:

Proposals must be submitted electronically at:

https://bids.sciquest.com/apps/Router/PublicEvent?CustomerOrg=VATech

Vendors will need to register through this procurement portal, hosted by Jaggaer. It is encouraged for all vendors to register prior to the proposal submission deadline to avoid late submissions.

Registration is easy and free. If you have any challenges with the registration process, please contact Jaggaer Support at 1-800-233-1121 or procurement@vt.edu.

Click on the opportunity and log in to your vendor account to begin preparing your submission. Upon completion, you will receive a submission receipt email confirmation. Virginia Tech will not confirm receipt of proposals. It is the responsibility of the offeror to make sure their proposal is delivered on time.

Hard copy or email proposals will not be accepted. Late proposals will not be accepted, nor will additional time be granted to any individual Vendor.

Attachments must be smaller than 50MB in order to be received by the University.

In compliance with this Request For Proposal and to all the conditions imposed therein and hereby incorporated by reference, the undersigned offers and agrees to furnish the goods or services in accordance with the attached signed proposal and as mutually agreed upon by subsequent negotiation.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: ____________________________ Date: _________________________

[INCLUDE THIS PAGE]

I. PURPOSE:

This Request for Proposal (RFP) seeks to solicit proposals from qualified firms to establish a contract through competitive negotiations by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The purpose of this RFP is to identify and contract with a strategic partner for the operation, management, commercialization, maintenance, and monetization of Virginia Tech’s existing Distributed Antenna System (DAS) infrastructure. Virginia Tech’s DAS is a Neutral Host Consortium, ensuring carrier-agnostic mobile connectivity across Virginia Tech facilities. A key objective of this solicitation is to keep the DAS equally accessible for all major wireless carriers on commercially reasonable terms with no carrier exclusivity or preferential configurations.

Virginia Tech’s objective is to maximize the value of its DAS assets while enhancing cellular coverage and capacity, carrier participation, fan experience, public safety communications, and long-term financial returns. Virginia Tech is open to a variety of financial models but is interested in partnerships in which a private sector partner assumes operational responsibility and leverages industry relationships to:

• Optimize connectivity for the Virginia Tech campus community, including visitors

• Maximize the long-term financial return to the University.

• Incentivize continuous growth in carrier participation and revenue generation.

• Promote ongoing investment in DAS modernization and technology refreshes.

• Align operator compensation with revenue growth and asset value creation.

• Preserve Virginia Tech’s strategic control and ownership interests.

• Provide transparent financial reporting and revenue-sharing mechanisms.

• Establish a scalable platform capable of supporting future cellular technologies and commercial opportunities.

Virginia Tech’s DAS currently consists of:

• Multi-carrier neutral-host architecture

• Existing fiber backbone from the DAS head-end facility

• Distributed indoor and outdoor antenna infrastructure

• Existing carrier participation agreements

• Centralized head-end facilities

Virginia Tech’s current DAS supports the following locations: Lane Stadium, Miles Hall, Ambler

Johnston Hall, Cochrane Hall, Harper Hall, New Hall West, and Pritchard Hall.

II. SWaM BUSINESS PARTICIPATION:

The mission of the Virginia Tech supplier opportunity program is to foster opportunity in the university supply chain and accelerate economic growth in our local communities through the engagement and empowerment of high quality and cost competitive SWaM, and local suppliers.

Virginia Tech encourages prime suppliers, contractors, and service providers to facilitate participation through partnerships, joint ventures, subcontracts, and other inclusive and innovative relationships.

For more information, please visit: https://www.sbsd.virginia.gov/

III. CONTRACT PERIOD:

The term of this contract is for 10 year(s), or as negotiated.

IV. EVA BUSINESS-TO-GOVERNMENT ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT SYSTEM:

https://www.sbsd.virginia.gov/

The eVA Internet electronic procurement solution streamlines and automates government purchasing activities within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia Tech, and other state agencies and institutions, have been directed by the Governor to maximize the use of this system in the procurement of goods and services. We are, therefore, requesting that your firm register as a vendor within the eVA system.

There are transaction fees involved with the use of eVA. These fees must be considered in the provision of quotes, bids and price proposals offered to Virginia Tech. Failure to register within the eVA system may result in the quote, bid or proposal from your firm being rejected and the award made to another vendor who is registered in the eVA system.

Registration in the eVA system is accomplished on-line. Your firm must provide the necessary information. Please visit the eVA website portal at https://eva.virginia.gov/register-now.html and register with eVA. This process needs to be completed before Virginia Tech can issue your firm a Purchase Order or contract. If your firm conducts business from multiple geographic locations, please register these locations in your initial registration.

For registration and technical assistance, reference the eVA website at: https://eva.virginia.gov/, or call 866-289-7367 or 804-371-2525.

V. CONTRACT PARTICIPATION:

It is the intent of this solicitation and resulting contract to allow for cooperative procurement.

Accordingly, any public body, public or private health or educational institutions, or Virginia Tech’s affiliated corporations and/or partnerships may access any resulting contract if authorized by the contractor.

Participation in this cooperative procurement is strictly voluntary. If authorized by the Contractor, the resultant contract may be extended to the entities indicated above to purchase at contract prices in accordance with contract terms. The Contractor shall notify Virginia Tech in writing of any such entities accessing the contract, if requested. No modification of this contract or execution of a separate contract is required to participate. The Contractor will provide semi-annual usage reports for all entities accessing the Contract, as requested. Participating entities shall place their own orders directly with the Contractor and shall fully and independently administer their use of the contract to include contractual disputes, invoicing and payments without direct administration from Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech shall not be held liable for any costs or damages incurred by any other participating entity as a result of any authorization by the Contractor to extend the contract. It is understood and agreed that Virginia Tech is not responsible for the acts or omissions of any entity, and will not be considered in default of the contract no matter the circumstances.

Use of this contract does not preclude any participating entity from using other contracts or competitive processes as the need may be.

https://eva.virginia.gov/register-now.html https://eva.virginia.gov/

VI. STATEMENT OF NEEDS:

Virginia Tech’s DAS currently operates as a neutral-host consortium providing carrier-agnostic mobile connectivity across Virginia Tech facilities and designated campus areas. Offerors shall provide or support a partnership-funded infrastructure model that promotes carrier participation, preserves Virginia Tech’s autonomy and supports academic and research innovation while delivering reliable cellular services to all campus community members, visitors, and first responders. Offerors shall respond fully to the statement of needs below in their proposals:

A. DAS Operations: In close coordination with Virginia Tech IT staff, the Offeror will manage and oversee the following services:

1. Network monitoring

2. Performance management

3. Preventative maintenance

4. Corrective maintenance

5. Asset lifecycle management

6. Carrier coordination

7. Network optimization

8. Radio Frequency (RF) Propagation Optimization

B. Campus Operations:

1. Offerors must comply with all Virginia Tech requirements concerning construction, scheduling, environmental protection, historic resources, accessibility, traffic control, fire safety, life safety, occupational safety, utility coordination, infection control where applicable, and protection of research and instructional activities.

2. Offeror shall obtain and maintain all permits, licenses, approvals, inspections, and governmental authorizations required for its work.

3. Offeror shall protect Virginia Tech property and operations, maintain clean and secure work areas, and promptly repair damage caused by its activities.

C. Service-Level Expectations:

1. Offerors shall respond with their Service Level Agreements, including, but not limited to, availability of on-site personnel during events, resolution time during events and resolution time during nonevents.

2. Athletic events, move-in and move-out period, commencement, major campus events, emergencies and other identified high-density periods shall be included in capacity planning and operational readiness testing.

3. Offeror shall monitor system performance continuously or at intervals approved by Virginia Tech.

4. Offeror shall provide dashboards, reports, alarms, and trend data sufficient to identify degradation before it materially impacts users.

5. All planned maintenance affecting service shall require advance notice and Virginia Tech approval, except for emergency maintenance necessary to project life, safety, security, or system integrity.

6. Offeror shall minimize outages and coordinate maintenance to avoid critical campus events.

7. Offeror shall maintain a documented incident management process, including severity classifications, escalation contacts, response targets, root-cause analysis, and corrective-action tracking.

8. Offerors shall maintain regular communication with Virginia Tech and set a cadence for recurring, scheduled meetings to discuss progress and coordinate activity.

D. Commercial Management: In close coordination with Virginia Tech Finance and Advancement, the Offeror shall:

1. Market the DAS to cellular carriers

2. Assist Virginia Tech in the negotiation of carrier participation agreements

3. Identify new revenue opportunities for Virginia Tech

4. Administer carrier contract on behalf of Virginia Tech as required and allowable

5. Manage billing and collections with all carriers in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

E. Revenue Generation: Offerors may opt to address revenue and value generating opportunities for Virginia Tech including but not limited to:

1. Carrier revenue

i. New carrier onboarding

ii. Additional spectrum deployment, upon written approval from Virginia Tech

iii. Increased carrier utilization

2. Venue revenue

i. Enhanced event connectivity offerings

ii. Sponsorship integration opportunities

3. Athletics revenue

i. Sponsorship opportunities, including:

1. Sports Marketing

2. Advertising

3. Sponsorship activations

4. Name, image, and likeness (NIL)

ii. Enhanced fan experience options

4. Student success initiatives

i. Scholarships

ii. Student programming

iii. Internships

iv. Experiential learning

v. Workforce development initiatives

5. Research development and emerging technologies

i. Enhanced research partnerships and investments with carriers

ii. Early access to technology pilots

iii. Testbeds

iv. Private 5G

v. IoT Platforms

vi. Smart campus applications

vii. Smart venue applications

F. Capital Improvements and DAS modernization: The modernization of Virginia Tech’s existing

DAS infrastructure is a primary objective of this partnership. Offerors must propose a comprehensive strategy to transform Virginia Tech’s DAS into a modern, cellular platform capable of supporting current and future carriers as well as institutional athletic, academic, research, residential, and visitor requirements.

1. DAS Update Requirements: At minimum, Offerors must address:

i. Replacement or modernization of aging DAS components and head-end equipment.

ii. Upgrades required to support current and upcoming cellular carrier technologies.

iii. Expansion of spectrum support across all participating carriers.

iv. Capacity enhancements for high-density venues and special events, with a priority on Lane Stadium capacity as soon as possible.

v. Improvements to backhaul, transport, and related infrastructure.

vi. Software and monitoring platform upgrades.

vii. Cybersecurity and network resiliency and redundancy enhancements.

viii. Infrastructure standardization recommendations to support long-term efficiency.

2. Athletic Venue Modernization: Offerors must provide a project plan and strategy for immediately enhancing capacity in key Athletic Venues, including Lane Stadium. The project plan and strategy shall include:

i. Increased node capacity within Lane Stadium no later than July 23, 2027.

ii. Increased node capacity and coverage within other athletic facilities, arenas, and major event facilities. Required venues for increased node capacity include, but are not limited to: Lane Stadium, Cassell Coliseum, the Parking Lots 1-5 surrounding Lane Stadium and Cassell Coliseum, Mosley Practice Field, and the following dorms, Miles Hall, Pritchard Hall, Ambler Johnston Hall, New Hall West, Cochrane Hall, and Harper Hall.

iii. Coverage and capacity for Athletic venues must extend to the field surface.

Extended field service coverage and capacity must be sufficient for University Commencement, concerts, and games.

iv. Supported peak attendance demand during athletic events, concerts, commencement ceremonies, and other large gatherings.

v. Improved fan connectivity and mobile engagement experiences no later than the start of the Fall 2027 athletic season.

vi. Accommodations for increased data consumption and carrier spectrum requirements.

vii. Support for venue technologies, including mobile ticketing, digital concessions, and cashless operations.

viii. Offerors shall provide metrics across four categories to measure enhanced capacity:

1. Coverage gaps

2. Capacity constraints

3. User experience

4. Demographic and density demand

ix. Offeror shall provide cellular coverage heatmap demonstrating improved signal coverage for all outdoor areas of the stadium and improved signal coverage and call quality for all users in the facility.

x. Offerors shall enhance capacity to ensure upload and download speed of 25MBs for all users.

3. Technology Readiness: Offerors must describe their approach to emerging technologies, including:

i. 5G Advanced deployment support.

ii. Future 6G, 7G and C-Band Overlay readiness planning.

iii. CBRS and private wireless network integration

iv. IoT applications

v. Smart campus and smart venue initiatives

vi. Public safety interoperability requirements

vii. Emerging technologies not currently deployed.

4. Capital Investment Plan: Offerors shall include a detailed capital improvement and modernization plan identifying:

i. Current system deficiencies and phased opportunities for improvement.

ii. Recommend a timeline of upgrades during the first year of the agreement, first three years of the agreement, and first five-year contract term. If a different term structure is recommended to maximize revenues and efficiencies, please propose two timelines of upgrades.

iii. Long-term modernization covering at minimum 10 years of partnership.

iv. Estimated capital investment commitments.

v. Proposed funding mechanisms with a strong preference for continuing carrier-paid infrastructure requirements.

vi. Anticipated performance improvements and return-on-investment figures for improvements.

vii. Any additional impacts on revenue generation and carrier participation.

5. Technology Refresh Requirements: Offerors must provide:

i. Technology refresh cycles

ii. Equipment replacement standards

iii. Capacity upgrade triggers

iv. Performance thresholds with modernization requirements

v. Processes for nimble and low-cost adoption of future wireless technologies

G. Partnership Structure: Successful Offerors must maximize value to Virginia Tech through capital investments, industry relationships, increased carrier participation, expanded commercial opportunities, and measurable, long-term financial value for both parties. Virginia Tech is open to a variety of models that meet this goal, including:

1. Operations, Modernization and Revenue-Sharing Partnership:

i. Virginia Tech retains ownership of the DAS infrastructure.

ii. Offeror assumes responsibility for operations, maintenance, modernization, carrier relations, and commercialization activities with final oversight from Virginia Tech.

iii. Annual management or operating fee structure payable to Offeror.

iv. Revenue-sharing arrangement based on gross or net revenues generated through DAS operations, including carrier participation agreements, new carrier onboarding, spectrum expansion initiatives, infrastructure licensing, etc.

v. Minimum annual revenue guarantee payable to Virginia Tech.

vi. Revenue-sharing percentages based on revenue growth thresholds.

vii. Partner-funded capital investments and modernization commitments.

viii. Performance incentives tied to carrier growth, revenue growth, and network modernization objectives.

2. Long-term Concession Partnership:

i. Virginia Tech retains ownership of the DAS assets.

ii. Virginia Tech grants the Offeror exclusive rights to operate, manage, modernize, and commercialize the DAS infrastructure for a term.

iii. Upfront concession payment to Virginia Tech.

iv. Fixed annual concession payments across the term.

v. Minimum annual guaranteed revenue commitments.

vi. Revenue-sharing arrangement above established revenue thresholds.

vii. Requires Offeror capital investment commitments over the term of the agreement.

viii. Requires funding and schedule for technology refreshes and modernization initiatives.

ix. Increasing payment schedules tied to inflation, carrier growth, or revenue performance.

3. Lease and Commercialization Partnership:

i. Virginia Tech retains ownership of the DAS assets.

ii. Virginia Tech grants the right to commercialize the DAS infrastructure, excluding any conduit or network pathways at Virginia Tech, to the Offeror.

iii. Offeror assumes responsibility for operations, maintenance, carrier engagement, and growth initiatives with oversight from Virginia Tech.

iv. Annual lease payments payable to Virginia Tech.

v. Guaranteed minimum annual payments.

vi. Revenue-sharing arrangement based on gross or net revenues generated through DAS operations, including carrier access agreements, infrastructure licensing, fiber and transport services, colocation opportunities, emerging wireless technology and event-related wireless services.

vii. Capital investment commitments associated with modernization and expansion.

viii. Periodic financial true-up mechanisms between both parties to ensure equitable revenue allocation.

4. Alternative Partnership Structures:

i. Virginia Tech is open to hybrid approaches or innovative commercial partnership structures that enhance connectivity and revenue generating opportunities.

Respondents proposing an alternative structure must clearly describe:

1. Ownership and governance framework

2. Risk and responsibility allocation

3. Revenue-generation strategy

4. Capital investment commitments

5. Financial protections for Virginia Tech

6. Expected financial and revenue returns over the life of the agreement

H. Financial and Revenue Model

1. Initial Financial Model: Regardless of the partnership model approach selected in section VI.G, all offerors must include the following financial details in their proposal:

i. Total projected financial value to the University over the contract term.

ii. If applicable, proposed upfront payments.

iii. Annual guaranteed payments.

iv. Minimum revenue guarantees.

v. Revenue-sharing methodology and percentages.

vi. Capital investment commitments.

vii. Technology modernization commitments.

viii. Operating and maintenance responsibilities.

ix. Financial reporting and audit provisions.

x. If applicable, assumptions supporting a projected financial performance.

2. Revenue Sharing Model: Offerors must identify revenue sharing percentages for the list below and any other revenue generating opportunities identified in their proposal:

i. Carrier revenues

ii. Lease revenues

iii. Infrastructure fees

iv. New commercial services

v. Event-related services

3. Long-term, 20-year financial model: Offerors must include a 20-year financial model of their proposed partnership clearly demonstrating:

i. Guaranteed annual payment

ii. Revenue share waterfall

iii. Carrier growth assumptions

iv. Capital growth assumptions

v. Capital investment schedule

vi. NPV to the university

vii. Sensitivity analysis for additional carriers, spectrum additions, and major venue expansions.

I. Venue Requirements

1. Athletic venue requirements shall specifically address the following items across all

Virginia Tech athletic venues, including particular attention to Lane Stadium:

i. High-density event coverage

ii. Peak attendance network coverage

iii. Capacity planning

iv. Premium seating and suite-level connectivity to include:

1. Third floor academics level

2. Fourth floor University Club / President’s Suite

3. Fourth and sixth West Indoor Club Spaces

4. Fifth floor press box

5. Seventh floor operations and stadium command level

6. Third floor South Endzone Indoor Club Level

v. Coverage enhancements

vi. Event-day operations

2. Offerors shall submit specific, timebound plans for meaningful connectivity enhancements to Lane Stadium ahead of the Fall 2027 athletics season.

3. Offerors may also address other key venues on campus, including but not limited to:

i. Cassell Coliseum

ii. Miles Hall

iii. Ambler Johnston Hall,

iv. Cochrane Hall

v. Harper Hall

vi. New Hall West

vii. Pritchard Hall

viii. Burruss Hall (Optional)

ix. Holtzman Alumni Center (Optional)

x. Center for the Arts (Optional)

4. Offerors must describe how improved connectivity and infrastructure support:

i. Mobile ticketing

ii. Mobile concessions

iii. Fan engagement

iv. Sponsorship activations

v. Digital advertising opportunities

vi. Sports wagering compliance, if applicable and where permitted

J. Key Performance Indicators (KPI): Offerors shall propose KPI targets based on this scope of services with their proposal.

1. At minimum, KPIs shall address:

i. Network operations

ii. Maintenance and incidents

iii. Assets and modernization

iv. Carrier relations

v. Revenue and financial performance

vi. Venue connectivity

vii. Technology and resiliency

viii. Strategic value

2. KPIs must be measurable and, where possible, reported by venue, carrier, technology, event, and timeframe.

3. Repeated or material failure to meet KPIs may result in performance remedies, penalties, and / or breach.

K. Performance Management and Reporting:

1. Performance Management Plan: Based on the final executed contract and within 60 days of contract execution, the Offeror must submit a Performance Management Plan for Virginia Tech’s review and approval. The plan must identify:

i. KPIs, definitions, calculation methods, data sources, targets, and reporting frequency;

ii. Baseline performance and proposed service levels;

iii. Responsibilities for data collection, review meetings, and escalation procedures;

and

iv. Processes for identifying risks, addressing missed targets, and updating KPIs as requirements evolve.

2. Reporting: The Offeror shall provide the following reports in a format and on a cadence approved by Virginia Tech:

i. Monthly Reports:

1. Operations report shall include network availability and performance by venue and carrier; any outages and service degradation; capacity and utilization; incidents and response times; preventative and corrective maintenance; recurring faults; asset condition and lifecycle risks;

cybersecurity and resiliency issues; and recommended corrective actions.

2. Revenue report shall include revenue by category; billing, collections, receivables, and disputes; revenue sharing calculations; and results to date compared with minimum commitments, guarantees, and incentives.

ii. Quarterly Reports: Virginia Tech’s fiscal year begins on July 1 and Offerors must provide the following reports on a quarterly basis.

1. Commercial and revenue reports shall provide a quarterly snapshot of that quarter’s monthly revenue reports as well as a report of carrier participation and onboarding activity; upcoming agreements and renewals; new revenue opportunities; venue commercialization; and risks impacting carrier growth or financial performance.

2. Capital and modernization reports shall include progress against approved capital and modernization plans; expenditures and forecasts;

project schedule, budget, and risks; capacity and spectrum upgrades;

improvements to head-end, backhaul, transport, monitoring, cybersecurity, and resiliency; Lane Stadium and other high priority venue improvement projects; technology-readiness activities; and updated ROI projections.

iii. Ad-hoc and Annual Reports:

1. Event and venue reports shall be available within 10 business days after a major athletic event, concert, commencement, or other high-density event and must include:

a. Attendance report or

b. Peak demand data

c. Network availability

d. Capacity

e. Utilization

f. Congestion

g. Service

h. Incidents

i. Digital service impacts

j. Recommended improvements

2. All reports must be comprehensive and configurable per carrier.

3. Event and venue reports must address mobile ticketing, mobile concessions, cashless operations, fan engagement, premium areas, and other applicable, in-place venue services.

4. Offeror shall deliver an annual strategic report summarizing performance against all contractual commitments; financial results and total value delivered to Virginia Tech; carrier, revenue, utilization, and capital trends;

the status of modernization and technology-refresh obligations; the updated long-term financial model; and recommended priorities for the following year.

5. The annual strategic report shall be provided no later than July 15th of every fiscal year.

L. DAS Access:

1. Offerors shall ensure the DAS is available to all major national wireless carriers on commercially reasonable, transparent, and non-discriminatory terms.

2. Carrer onboarding, pricing, technical requirements, service levels, capacity allocations, upgrade opportunities, and operating requirements shall be applied consistently, subject only to documented technical differences that are necessary and approved in writing by Virginia Tech.

3. Offerors shall provide Virginia Tech with regular reporting to verify that carrier participation and system treatment are equitable. Upon request, the Offeror must provide carrier participation reports, pricing schedules, capacity allocations, and service records.

M. Relationship with Virginia Tech:

1. Virginia Tech retains ultimate authority over all Virginia Tech assets, including:

i. Physical DAS equipment and related infrastructure located on or serving Virginia Tech property;

ii. Real estate rights-of-way, easements, licenses, pathways, rooftops, utility spaces, and other access rights;

iii. Approval of locations, installation methods, equipment standards, and site access;

iv. Vendor and subcontractor oversight;

v. System governance and carrier participation decisions; and

vi. Future infrastructure expansion, relocation, replacement, modernization, or decommissioning decisions.

2. Virginia Tech shall maintain carrier relationships and overall system governance.

Offerors shall not restrict or meter Virginia Tech’s direct communications, audits, or oversight.

3. Offerors shall only receive the limited, non-exclusive, revocable rights expressly granted in the final contract. No agreement shall transfer Virginia Tech’s ownership of real estate, rights of ways, facilities, or other Virginia Tech assets.

4. Offerors shall not sell, assign, pledge, encumber, relocate, remove, abandon, or materially modify any DAS asset or university access right without Virginia Tech’s prior written approval.

N. Design, Engineering, and Technical Requirements:

1. Offerors shall operate the DAS to provide reliable coverage, capacity, resilience, and service continuity throughout the covered locations and venues.

2. Technical architecture must be carrier-agnostic, scalable, interoperable, and capable of supporting current and future wireless technologies, subject to applicable regulatory, engineering, and security requirements.

3. DAS system shall be designed to support advanced academic, research, instructional, public-safety, and innovation initiatives, while complying with all Virgina Tech polices and approved technical standards.

4. Offerors must have the following items approved by Virginia Tech in writing:

i. Radio-frequency design documents and coverage predictions;

ii. Capacity models and assumptions;

iii. Equipment specifications and bills of materials;

iv. Fiber, backhaul, power, grounding, and redundancy designs;

v. Integration and interoperability plans;

vi. Cybersecurity and access-control architecture;

vii. Maintenance, monitoring, and incident-response procedures; and

viii. Testing, acceptance, and documentation plans.

5. No material design, configuration, software, equipment, or topology change may be implemented without the approvals required in the final contract.

O. Public Safety and Emergency Communications:

1. Offeror shall design, operate, and maintain the DAS to fully support emergency communications and public safety.

2. Offeror shall not configure or operate the DAS in a manner that prevents any person on Virginia Tech’s campus from dialing for emergency services due to their mobile or cellular provider.

3. Offeror shall support Virginia Tech’s and local authorities’ distribution of critical cellular alerts, including severe weather warnings, active shooter warnings, evacuation notices, and other emergency messages.

4. Offeror shall coordinate emergency testing and incident response with Virginia Tech and, where requested, relevant public safety stakeholders.

5. Offeror shall notify Virginia Tech immediately of any emergency-impacting incidents.

6. Offeror shall recognize that campus emergencies may involve Virginia Tech police, local police, county sheriff departments, fire departments, emergency medical services, and other agencies whose personnel may use different cellular carriers.

7. DAS shall support reliable in-building cellular communications for responding personnel, subject to each agency’s devices, plans, network availability, and lawful operating requirements.

8. DAS shall improve the ability of users on participating national carriers to place emergency calls from supported locations and venues, including hard-to-reach indoor locations.

VII. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION:

A. Specific Requirements Proposals should be as thorough and detailed as possible so that Virginia Tech may properly evaluate your capabilities to provide the required goods or services. Offerors are required to submit the following information/items as a complete proposal:

1. Offerors must fill out and complete the RFP response matrix (attachment B, separate Excel File).

2. Offerors must provide a written proposal responsive to the RFP Statement of Needs, including a detailed financial model and operational plan.

3. Offeror must submit resumes (limited to one page each) of all key proposed project personnel.

4. Offerors must submit references and brief, one page summaries of three similar projects completed with similarly sized, public institutions.

5. Participation of SWaM Business:

If your business cannot be classified as SWaM, describe your plan for utilizing SWaM subcontractors if awarded a contract. Describe your ability to provide reporting on SWaM subcontracting spend when requested. If your firm or any business that you plan to subcontract with can be classified as SWaM, but has not been certified by the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD), it is expected that the certification process will be initiated no later than the time of the award. If your firm is currently certified, you agree to maintain your certification for the life of the contract. For assistance with SWaM certification, visit the SBSD website at http://www.sbsd.virginia.gov/

6. The return of the Submission Instruction page and addenda, if any, signed and filled out as required.

B. General Requirements http://www.sbsd.virginia.gov/

1. RFP Response: In order to be considered for selection, Offerors shall submit a complete response to this RFP to include;

a. One (1) electronic document in WORD format or searchable PDF of the entire proposal as one document, INCLUDING ALL ATTACHMENTS must be uploaded through the Virginia Tech online submission portal. Refer to page 2 for instructions.

Any proprietary information should be clearly marked in accordance with 2.b. below.

b. Should the proposal contain proprietary information, provide one (1) redacted electronic copy of the proposal and attachments with proprietary portions removed or blacked out. This redacted copy should follow the same upload procedures as described on Page 1 of this RFP. This redacted copy should be clearly marked “Redacted Copy” within the name of the document. The classification of an entire proposal document, line item prices and/or total proposal prices as proprietary or trade secrets is not acceptable. Virginia Tech shall not be responsible for the Contractor’s failure to exclude proprietary information from this redacted copy.

No other distribution of the proposals shall be made by the Offeror.

2. Proposal Preparation:

a. Proposals shall be signed by an authorized representative of the Offeror. All information requested should be submitted. Failure to submit all information requested may result in Virginia Tech requiring prompt submission of missing information and/or giving a lowered evaluation of the proposal. Proposals which are substantially incomplete or lack key information may be rejected by Virginia Tech at its discretion. Mandatory requirements are those required by law or regulation or are such that they cannot be waived and are not subject to negotiation.

b. Proposals should be prepared simply and economically providing a straightforward, concise description of capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP. Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity of content.

c. Proposals should be organized in the order in which the requirements are presented in the RFP. All pages of the proposal should be numbered. Each paragraph in the proposal should reference the paragraph number of the corresponding section of the RFP. It is also helpful to cite the paragraph number, subletter, and repeat the text of the requirement as it appears in the RFP. If a response covers more than one page, the paragraph number and subletter should be repeated at the top of the next page.

The proposal should contain a table of contents which cross references the RFP requirements. Information which the offeror desires to present that does not fall within any of the requirements of the RFP should be inserted at an appropriate place or be attached at the end of the proposal and designated as additional material. Proposals that are not organized in this manner risk elimination from consideration if the evaluators are unable to find where the RFP requirements are specifically addressed.

d. Ownership of all data, material and documentation originated and prepared for Virginia Tech pursuant to the RFP shall belong exclusively to Virginia Tech and be subject to public inspection in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Trade secrets or proprietary information submitted by an Offeror shall not be subject to public disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. However, to prevent disclosure the Offeror must invoke the protections of Section 2.2-4342F of the Code of Virginia, in writing, either before or at the time the data or other materials is submitted.

The written request must specifically identify the data or other materials to be protected and state the reasons why protection is necessary. The proprietary or trade secret material submitted must be identified by some distinct method such as highlighting or underlining and must indicate only the specific words, figures, or paragraphs that constitute trade secret or proprietary information. The classification of an entire proposal document, line item prices and/or total proposal prices as proprietary or trade secrets is not acceptable and may result in rejection of the proposal.

3. Oral Presentation: Offerors who submit a proposal in response to this RFP may be required to give an oral presentation of their proposal to Virginia Tech. This will provide an opportunity for the Offeror to clarify or elaborate on the proposal but will in no way change the original proposal. Virginia Tech will schedule the time and location of these presentations. Oral presentations are an option of Virginia Tech and may not be conducted.

Therefore, proposals should be complete.

VIII. SELECTION CRITERIA AND AWARD:

A. Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated by Virginia Tech using the following:

Maximum Point Criteria Value

1. Quality of products/services offered and suitability for 25 the intended purposes

2. Qualifications and experiences of Offeror in providing 20 the goods/services

3. Specific plans or methodology to be used to provide the 25

Services

4. Cost (or Price) / Financial Incentives 20

5. Participation of SWaM Business 10

Total 100

B. Award

Selection shall be made of two or more offerors deemed to be fully qualified and best suited among those submitting proposals on the basis of the evaluation factors included in the Request for Proposal, including price, if so stated in the Request for Proposal. Negotiations shall then be conducted with the offerors so selected. Price shall be considered, but need not be the sole determining factor. After negotiations have been conducted with each offeror so selected, Virginia Tech shall select the offeror which, in its opinion, has made the best proposal, and shall award the contract to that offeror. Virginia Tech may cancel this Request for Proposal or reject proposals at any time prior to an award. Should Virginia Tech determine in writing and in its sole discretion that only one offeror has made the best proposal, a contract may be negotiated and awarded to that offeror. The award document will be a contract incorporating by reference all the requirements, terms and conditions of this solicitation and the Contractor's proposal as negotiated.

Virginia Tech reserves the right to award multiple contracts as a result of this solicitation.

IX. OPTIONAL PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE:

An optional pre-proposal conference will be held on November 3, 2026 in Lane Stadium. The purpose of this conference is to allow potential Offerors an opportunity to present questions and obtain clarification relative to any facet of this solicitation.

Offerors will meet at Lane Stadium in the lobby (Room W118) between the two towers on the West side of the stadium, directly outside the Hokie Shop.

While attendance at this conference will not be a prerequisite to submitting a proposal, offerors who intend to submit a proposal are encouraged to attend.

Bring a copy of this solicitation with you. Any changes resulting from this conference will be issued in a written addendum to this solicitation.

It is strongly recommended that you obtain a Virginia Tech parking permit for display on your vehicle prior to attending the conference. Parking permits are available from the Virginia Tech Parking Services Department located at 505 Beamer Way, phone: (540) 231- 3200, e-mail: parking@vt.edu.

X. INVOICES:

Invoices for goods or services provided under any contract resulting from this solicitation shall be submitted by email to vtinvoices@vt.edu or by mail to:

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) Accounts Payable North End Center, Suite 3300 300 Turner Street NW Blacksburg, Virginia 24061

XI. METHOD OF PAYMENT:

Virginia Tech will authorize payment to the contractor as negotiated in any resulting contract from the aforementioned Request for Proposal.

Payment can be expedited through the use of the Wells One AP Control Payment System. Virginia Tech strongly encourages participation in this program. For more information on this program please refer to Virginia Tech’s Procurement website:

http://www.procurement.vt.edu/vendor/wellsone.html or contact the procurement officer identified in the RFP.

XII. ADDENDUM:

Any ADDENDUM issued for this solicitation may be accessed at https://bids.sciquest.com/apps/Router/PublicEvent?CustomerOrg=VATech. Since a paper copy of the addendum will not be mailed to you, we encourage you to check the web site regularly.

mailto:parking@vt.edu mailto:vtinvoices@vt.edu http://www.procurement.vt.edu/vendor/wellsone.html

XIII. COMMUNICATIONS:

Communications regarding this solicitation shall be formal from the date of issue, until either a Contractor has been selected or the Procurement Department rejects all proposals. Formal communications will be directed to the procurement officer listed on this solicitation. Informal communications, including but not limited to request for information, comments or speculations regarding this solicitation to any University employee other than a Procurement Department representative may result in the offending Offeror’s proposal being rejected.

XIV. CONTROLLING VERSION OF SOLICITATION:

The posted version of the solicitation and any addenda issued by Virginia Tech Procurement Services is the mandatory controlling version of the document. Any modification of/or additions to the solicitation by the Offeror shall not modify the official version of the solicitation issued by Virginia Tech Procurement Services. Such modifications or additions to the solicitation by the Offeror may be cause for rejection of the proposal; however, Virginia Tech reserves the right to decide, on a case by case basis, in its sole discretion, whether to reject such a proposal.

XV. TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

This solicitation and any resulting contract/purchase order shall be governed by the attached terms and conditions, see Attachment A.

XVI. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION:

A. The individual user departments at Virginia Tech shall be identified as the Contract Administrators and shall use all powers under the contract to enforce its faithful performance.

B. The Contract Administrators in each user departments shall determine the amount, quantity, acceptability, fitness of all aspects of the services and shall decide all other questions in connection with the services. Contract Administrators, or designees, shall not have authority to approve changes in the services which alter the concept or which call for an extension of time for this contract. Any modifications made must be authorized by the Virginia Tech Procurement Department through a written amendment to the contract.

C. Emma Ruby, Associate Director of Procurement, shall oversee the contract in its entirety and will serve as the point of contact for issues involving this contract.

XVII. ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment A - Terms and Conditions Attachment B – RFP Response Matrix

Attachment C - Virginia Tech Football Parking Map

Attachment D – Lane Stadium Floor Plans

ATTACHMENT A

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

RFP GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

See: https://www.procurement.vt.edu/content/dam/procurement_vt_edu/docs/terms/RFP-General-Terms- And-Conditions.pdf

ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. ADDITIONAL GOODS AND SERVICES: The University may acquire other goods or services that the supplier provides other than those specifically solicited. The University reserves the right, subject to mutual agreement, for the Contractor to provide additional goods and/or services under the same pricing, terms and conditions and to make modifications or enhancements to the existing goods and services. Such additional goods and services may include other products, components, accessories, subsystems, or related services newly introduced during the term of the Agreement.

2. AUDIT: The Contractor hereby agrees to retain all books, records, and other documents relative to this contract for five (5) years after final payment, or until audited by the Commonwealth of Virginia, whichever is sooner. Virginia Tech, its authorized agents, and/or the State auditors shall have full access and the right to examine any of said materials during said period.

3. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: It is understood and agreed between the parties herein that Virginia Tech shall be bound hereunder only to the extent of the funds available or which may hereafter become available for the purpose of this agreement.

4. CANCELLATION OF CONTRACT: Virginia Tech reserves the right to cancel and terminate any resulting contract, in part or in whole, without penalty, upon 60 days written notice to the Contractor.

In the event the initial contract period is for more than 12 months, the resulting contract may be terminated by either party, without penalty, after the initial 12 months of the contract period upon 60 days written notice to the other party. Any contract cancellation notice shall not relieve the Contractor of the obligation to deliver and/or perform on all outstanding orders issued prior to the effective date of cancellation.

5. CONTRACT DOCUMENTS: The contract entered into by the parties shall consist of the Request for

Proposal including all modifications thereof, the proposal submitted by the Contractor, the written results of negotiations, the Commonwealth Standard Contract Form, all of which shall be referred to collectively as the Contract Documents.

6. IDENTIFICATION OF PROPOSAL: Virginia Tech will only be accepting electronic submission of proposals. All submissions must be submitted to the Virginia Tech online submission portal. Upon completion you will be directed to your Submission Receipt. Virginia Tech will not confirm receipt of proposals. It is the responsibility of the offeror to make sure their proposal is delivered on time.

Attachments must be smaller than 50MB in order to be received by the University. Proposals may NOT be hand delivered to the Procurement Office.

7. NOTICES: Any notices to be given by either party to the other pursuant to any contract resulting from this solicitation shall be in writing via email.

8. SEVERAL LIABILITY: Virginia Tech will be severally liable to the extent of its purchases made against any contract resulting from this solicitation. Applicable entities described herein will be severally liable to the extent of their purchases made against any contract resulting from this solicitation.

https://www.procurement.vt.edu/content/dam/procurement_vt_edu/docs/terms/RFP-General-Terms-And-Conditions.pdf https://www.procurement.vt.edu/content/dam/procurement_vt_edu/docs/terms/RFP-General-Terms-And-Conditions.pdf

9. CLOUD OR WEB HOSTED SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS: For agreements involving Cloud-based Web-hosted software/applications refer to link for additional terms and conditions:

https://www.procurement.vt.edu/content/dam/procurement_vt_edu/itprocurement/Data-Security- FERPA-Addendum.pdf.

10. CRIMINAL CONVICTION CHECKS: All criminal conviction checks must be concluded before the

Contractor’s employees gaining access to the Virginia Tech Campus. Employees who have separated employment from Contractor shall undergo another background check before re-gaining access to the Virginia Tech campus. Contractor shall ensure subcontractors conduct similar background checks. All criminal conviction checks will normally include a review of the individual’s records to include Social Security Number Search, Credit Report (if related to potential job duties), Criminal Records Search (any misdemeanor convictions and/or felony convictions are reported) in all states in which the employee has lived or worked over the past seven years, and the National Sex Offender Registry. In addition, the Global Watch list (maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of The US Department of Treasury) should be reviewed.