A&E Services, SDSU New Construction, Renovations, Upgrades

The State of South Dakota, specifically the Office of the State Engineer, is seeking professional architectural and engineering (A&E) services for the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Cottonwood Field Station project located in Phillip, South Dakota. The procurement involves comprehensive design, bidding, and construction services for new construction, renovations, and upgrades to a 2,640-acre field station. Key project deliverables include designing a new fully enclosed, climate-controlled building with classroom, laboratory, and animal handling spaces, as well as upgrading existing animal welfare facilities such as working barns, chutes, and pens. Firms must submit a Statement of Interest (SOI) by 4:00 PM CT on August 25th, 2022, with evaluation criteria focusing on specialized expertise, available resources, past performance, local familiarity, and proposed project management techniques. A technical review committee will shortlist firms for interviews by the Building Committee, who will make the final vendor selection. The project timeline anticipates design and bidding completion by fall 2023, with construction to be finalized by fall 2024.

While no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations were explicitly mentioned in the procurement documents, the project aims to transform the Cottonwood Field Station into a nationally recognized range beef cattle research and education site. The procurement appears open to qualified architectural and engineering firms with demonstrated expertise in agricultural research facility design and construction. No incumbent vendors were identified, and no specific budget range was disclosed in the available documentation. The project represents a significant investment in agricultural research infrastructure, focusing on supporting ranchers and rangeland managers through enhanced facility capabilities. The selected firm will be responsible for creating comprehensive design plans that meet the SDSU's objectives for improving research and educational capabilities at the Cottonwood Field Station.