2026-045M25/ Capitol Heat Pumps Replacement

The State of Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration is requesting qualifications for architectural and engineering services to design and manage the replacement of ground-source heat pump systems at the State Capitol Complex, with qualifications due August 7, 2026, and a mandatory pre-submission conference and site tour held July 23, 2026.

Colorado labor must comprise at least 80 percent of work performed, and preference is given to Colorado resident vendors. Qualified firms must demonstrate at least two prior projects exceeding $8.6 million in hard costs, have operated under the same name for a minimum of two years, and have not been terminated by the State for non-performance. All respondents must acknowledge acceptance of the sample Architect/Engineer/Consultant Agreement terms in Appendix B. The project is subject to the Buy Clean Colorado Act, requiring the engineer to specify Environmental Product Declarations for eligible materials meeting maximum acceptable global warming potential limits.

The scope includes design services under a Design/Bid/Build delivery approach. The Capitol Complex geothermal system, originally installed in 2012 as part of an Energy Performance Contract and previously conversion-only, has been converted to heating and cooling capability. The State has re-integrated previously disconnected chilled water systems to address potential capacity concerns. The chosen firm will maintain direct involvement in managing all subcontractors on behalf of the State. The Capitol Complex currently lacks trending monitoring systems for operational hours and BTU consumption data across geothermal, chilled water, and steam systems.

The estimated project cost is $8.6 million in hard costs. Construction is projected to occur between May 2027 and December 2028. A short list of three to five firms will be selected for oral interviews anticipated the week of August 17, 2026, with award and contract negotiations scheduled for September 2026 and design start anticipated in September 2026. Qualification submittals are limited to 10 double-sided pages (20 total pages) excluding the cover letter and required Appendix C Acknowledgment and Attestation Form. Electronic submissions are due to paul.chaney@state.co.us by August 7, 2026 at 5:00 PM MST. Evaluation criteria include project team qualifications, firm capabilities, prior project experience, project approach, equity and diversity initiatives, and work location proximity to the project.