Financial Advisor Services

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Finance, is requesting proposals for financial advisor services (RFP 3000012956), with proposals due October 19, 2026, at 1:00 PM EST and written questions due October 7, 2026. The University seeks a nationally recognized financial advisory firm to provide strategic guidance on debt capacity, capital structure, and financial risk management to preserve its AAA credit rating while executing a multi-year capital program.

The scope encompasses twelve major tasks: capital structure and debt capacity analysis, multi-year financial forecasting, scenario planning and stress testing, credit rating preservation and analytics, capital planning support, liquidity and cash flow management, benchmarking and peer analysis, advisory support and executive reporting, model governance and maintenance, transaction and issuance support, risk management framework development, and ongoing advisory and governance support.

Vendors must demonstrate extensive experience advising AAA-rated or equivalent public institutions, particularly large public universities with multi-billion-dollar operating and capital structures. At least three client references from comparable engagements are required, with preference for public universities and AAA/AA+ rated institutions. Required qualifications include advanced capital structure and debt optimization capabilities and institutional-grade financial modeling proficiency. The successful firm must maintain Professional Liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per loss and $1,000,000 aggregate, plus fidelity bonding of at least $10,000. Vendors must obtain North Carolina Secretary of State registration and comply with E-Verify requirements. Criminal background checks are required for all personnel prior to contract commencement.

The initial contract term is three years from the effective date, with options for two additional one-year renewals (up to five years total). Work must begin within thirty business days of the effective date. The University requests an annual lump sum fee payable monthly, quarterly, or annually. Evaluation uses a best-value methodology considering relevant experience, technical approach, team qualifications, institutional understanding, project management capabilities, and cost proposal. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the North Carolina Electronic Vendor Portal as a single PDF file.