Request for Qualification for Capital Improvement Project; Food Service for the Raleigh Convention Center Expansion

The City of Raleigh is requesting qualifications for professional foodservice design and consulting services for the Raleigh Convention Center Expansion, with submittals due September 8, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. EST. Pricing is non-determinant under North Carolina's Mini-Brooks Act; hourly rates must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope and cannot serve as a competitive advantage.

The scope includes programming, design, specification, and bid-document preparation for all commercial foodservice equipment and food and beverage service areas within the new approximately 322,646-square-foot facility at the current Red Hat Amphitheater location. Services span comprehensive design through post-occupancy phases, coordination with the design team and construction manager, submittal review, RFI responses, site observations, and equipment start-up and commissioning. The facility will house main production and catering kitchens, banquet and warewashing areas, ballroom and meeting-room service pantries, concessions and portable service points, cafes and retail coffee outlets, bars, receiving and dock areas, and storage spaces. All design and specifications must comply with North Carolina State Building Codes, North Carolina Food Code, NSF/ANSI sanitation standards, NFPA 96 commercial cooking ventilation standards, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Wake County Environmental Health Department requirements.

Evaluation criteria are weighted equally at 20 percent each across five categories: Corporate Background and Experience, Firm Financial Stability, Project Understanding, Project Approach, and Team Firm Experience and Qualifications. Proposers must demonstrate financial viability through audited or reviewed financial statements, compiled financial statements, or a certified CPA statement and must submit corporate background with at least three references from similar projects within the past five to seven years.

Construction is anticipated to begin in November 2026 with a duration of approximately 36 months. Selection is anticipated for the week of September 28, 2026, with a tentative announcement on October 2, 2026. Written questions are due August 24, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. EST.