Design build - orange county convention center north - south building chilled water system upgrade

Orange County, Florida is soliciting design-build proposals for a chilled water system upgrade at the Orange County Convention Center North-South Building under RFP Y26-805-RC, with sealed responses due October 15, 2026 by 4:00 PM EST via the OpenGov e-Procurement Platform. This is a two-step selection process in which only respondents achieving a minimum of 165 points in Step One (Statements of Qualifications) advance to Step Two for technical and price proposals.

The scope encompasses engineering design, permitting, construction, commissioning, startup, training, and closeout services to remove and replace existing chilled water lines, valves, pumps, insulation, and supports, converting from victaulic couplings to welded piping systems. The Design-Build Firm must provide all required consultant services across civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, and other necessary disciplines. Key personnel—a Professional Engineer-licensed Project Manager, a Professional Engineer-licensed Project Engineer, and a Construction Manager—must each submit three similar projects completed within the past 20 years involving commercial renovation work with chilled water or hydronic piping replacement exceeding $1 million in total project cost.

The estimated total project cost is $77,147,255.73, consisting of a design budget of approximately $5,047,016.73 and a construction budget of $72,100,239.00. The Design-Build Firm has 1,140 consecutive calendar days from Notice to Proceed for substantial completion and 1,170 days for final completion, with liquidated damages of $500.00 per day for substantial completion delays and $250.00 per day for final completion delays. Work hours are anticipated 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM, seven days per week, subject to OCCC Project Manager approval for exceptions. The Orange County Convention Center remains an occupied, active facility throughout the project; the awardee must coordinate all work with facility operations, obtain OCCC-issued badges following Florida Statute 435.03(2) background-check requirements, and comply with utility coordination and project-progress-meeting protocols.

Non-mandatory site visits are scheduled for September 24 and 25, 2026 at 9:00 AM at the South Building. A non-mandatory virtual pre-proposal conference is scheduled for September 21, 2026 at 11:00 AM. Questions are due September 30, 2026 by 5:00 PM EST. Parking pass requests are due September 23, 2026 by 12:00 PM to Rochelle Chambers at rochelle.chambers@ocfl.net. The primary purchasing agent contact is (407) 222-2364.