2026 Data Center West Facility Upgrades

The City of Columbus, Department of Finance and Management is issuing a Request for Proposals for architectural and engineering services to support interior renovations of the Data Center West facility located at 1601 Arlingate Lane, Columbus, Ohio 43228. This procurement seeks qualified design and engineering firms to provide comprehensive professional services including programming, design, construction contract administration, and close-out services for breakroom renovation, office renovation, vestibule renovation, and other interior upgrades. The selected architect/engineer must be licensed in Architecture or Engineering in Ohio and must hold valid contract compliance certification from the City of Columbus Office of Diversity and Inclusion prior to contract award. The evaluation criteria include location of lead consultant (maximum 10 points), subconsultants (5 points), statement of understanding (20 points), competence to perform (20 points), past performance (20 points), design project tasks and schedule (10 points), cost containment (10 points), and environmentally preferable approach (5 points). Proposals must be submitted electronically via Bonfire by 3:00 PM local time on March 30, 2026, with a pre-proposal meeting and facility tour scheduled for March 10, 2026 at 3:00 PM at the project site. The anticipated project schedule includes approximately four months for design, three months for construction procurement, six months for construction, one month for record documents, with City Council legislation anticipated for June 2026 and a Notice to Proceed expected in August 2026. During construction, the architect/engineer shall be present on-site not less than 10 hours per week, and the selected firm will be notified in April 2026 followed by a scope meeting in May 2026.

Participation by City of Columbus Certified minority, women, and emerging business enterprises (M/WBEs) is encouraged but not a condition of award; however, all contractors and subcontractors must hold valid Contract Compliance Certification Numbers from the City of Columbus Office of Diversity and Inclusion and are prohibited from subcontracting to vendors without valid certification. The Equal Opportunity Clause prohibits discrimination against employees or applicants based on race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, familial status, or military status, and contractors must take affirmative action in employment decisions. Prospective offerors may hold applicable certifications such as Small, Rural, or Emerging Business (SRBE), Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE), Emerging Business Enterprise (EBE), Veteran Business Enterprise (VBE), or LGBTBE designations, which should be documented for each subconsultant. No pricing is submitted with proposals; instead, fees will be negotiated with the selected firm following selection, with compensation structured to include a Basic Fee, Additional Services Fees, Reimbursable Expenses, and Design Contingency funds allocated at the City's discretion. The selected architect/engineer must maintain specified insurance coverage including commercial general liability of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate, along with professional liability insurance and other required coverages. The selected consultant must execute a written contract within ten business days of receipt and comply with Ohio Revised Code Section 3517.13 regarding campaign contributions, with the contract term extending from the executed purchase order until all work is completed and approved by the City.