Integrated Digital Enterprise Accelerator Lab (IDEAL) - Solicitation #2

New Mexico State University is requesting proposals for architectural and engineering design services for the Integrated Digital Enterprise Accelerator Lab (IDEAL) facility under RFP 2027-RFP-873, with proposals due September 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM Mountain Daylight Time and a mandatory site visit on August 27, 2026 at 10:00 AM. New Mexico resident businesses, Native American resident businesses, resident veteran businesses, and Native American resident veteran businesses receive preference points of up to 8–10 points (depending on classification and annual gross revenues) on a 110-point scale.

The scope encompasses full-cycle architectural and engineering design services — programming, schematic design, design development, construction documents, cost estimating, bidding support, construction administration, and closeout — across all disciplines (architectural, structural, civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and technology coordination) for a grid-connected microgrid research facility. The Design Professional must support a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery model, including preconstruction planning, value engineering, phased bid-package coordination, and overlapping design-and-construction activities. Final Completion is targeted for June 15, 2028. Work is performed at NMSU's Main Campus Photovoltaic Center & Labs in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and deliverables must be provided in native editable digital and PDF formats compatible with NMSU standards.

Evaluation is weighted across six criteria: specialized planning and design technical competence (35 points), firm capacity and capability (25 points), past record of performance with government and private sector contracts (25 points), proximity and familiarity with the project location (5 points), percentage of design work performed in New Mexico (5 points), and volume of prior incomplete NMSU work (5 points). Questions are due September 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM local time. Addenda are due by September 10, 2026 at 5:00 PM. NMSU anticipates issuing a Notice of Award on September 22, 2026. The selection committee may conduct interviews with top-rated proposers but may award contracts based solely on written submissions.