Carroll County Broadband- Pipers Gap Fiber Project

Carroll County, Virginia is issuing a Request for Proposals for the Pipers Gap Fiber Project, seeking qualified Internet Service Providers and private-sector partners to design, construct, operate, and maintain a fiber-optic broadband network. The project encompasses the construction of more than 8.2 miles of new fiber infrastructure serving 402 serviceable units, with a minimum service requirement of 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload speeds. Proposals must be submitted in six print copies and one electronic copy on USB drive by April 21, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time to Michael Watson, County Administrator, at the Carroll County Government Complex in Hillsville, Virginia, with no submission fees required. The County will evaluate proposals based on seven weighted criteria: project comprehension (20%), experience (30%), capacity (15%), services (10%), timeline (10%), fiber maintenance (10%), and relations (5%). The County's evaluation and selection timeline includes staff and project team review in late April 2026, committee recommendations in early May 2026, and Board of Supervisors approval in May/June 2026, with a Notice of Award and Notice to Proceed expected in June 2026. Required qualifications include demonstrated experience in broadband infrastructure development and operation, technical capacity to execute the project, and ability to comply with all federal and state requirements.

The RFP does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to specific types of organizations such as disadvantaged enterprises or minority-owned businesses. The project is funded through a combination of $582,481.00 in Appalachian Regional Commission federal funds and $640,705.00 in Carroll County local matching funds, with the selected firm responsible for any additional costs exceeding this total budget of $1,223,186.00. The County will retain ownership of the constructed fiber assets and lease them to the selected provider; following the performance period, assets will transfer to the selected firm. All resulting contracts must comply with Virginia Code public-private partnership requirements, federal labor standards including the Davis-Bacon Act, and various federal and state compliance obligations regarding non-discrimination, drug-free workplaces, and environmental regulations. The Appalachian Regional Commission will require the awarded provider to execute a Notice of Federal Interest before construction commences. The County reserves the right to award to one or multiple offerors, conduct negotiations beginning with the highest-ranked firm, and reject any or all proposals.