Minot Metro Dark Fiber RFP

The State of North Dakota, through its Information Technology Department (ITD), is seeking proposals from qualified bidders for the provision of dark fiber services in the Minot Metro area, located within Ward County. The selected contractor will be required to lease dark (non-lit) fiber optic cabling to connect existing locations in the Minot Metro area to the State. The scope of work includes the installation and maintenance of the fiber optic infrastructure, with the contractor managing all right-of-way issues and obtaining the necessary permits. Bidders must provide a detailed technical and cost proposal, including a breakdown of project costs, direct and indirect expenses, hourly rates, and any value-added features. The State will evaluate proposals based on both technical and cost criteria, with each component accounting for 50% of the total score. The contract term is expected to be from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2030, with the State having the option to renew for up to five additional 12-month terms.

The procurement does not appear to have any set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond. The Notice of Intent to Award indicates that the State received responses from two bidders, Midcontinent Communications and SRT Communications Inc., and has announced its intent to award the contract to SRT Communications Inc. The procurement documents do not provide details on the incumbent vendor, if any, or the budget range for the contract award.