Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Master Planning Services for the North Dakota State Capitol Complex

The State of North Dakota, specifically the Office of Management and Budget's Facility Management Division, is seeking qualified architectural firms to develop a comprehensive master plan for the State Capitol Complex in Bismarck. The project encompasses seven buildings totaling over 370,000 square feet across 160 acres, including the capitol tower, legislative and judicial wings, department of transportation building, state fleet facility, Liberty Memorial Building, Heritage Center, State Lab, and Governor's Residence. The master plan must provide a 20-year outlook, incorporating public and stakeholder engagement, office space and parking needs analysis, campus preservation and development recommendations, vehicle and pedestrian circulation planning, monument and statue location strategies, and probable cost estimates. Evaluation criteria will allocate 60 points for related experience, 25 points for professional personnel abilities, 10 points for firm description, and 5 points for statement of interest. Qualification submissions are due by 2:00 PM CST on December 31, 2025, with a selection process that includes short-list review, interviews scheduled for January 20-22, 2026, final ranking on January 23, 2026, contract negotiation from January 26-30, 2026, and service commencement on February 1, 2026. The anticipated project completion timeline is 6-8 months after contract award.

Non-resident corporations, LLCs, and LLPs must be registered with the North Dakota Secretary of State before contract execution. Location preference will be given to firms headquartered in North Dakota, as outlined in North Dakota Century Code 54-44.7-03. The nine-member Capitol Grounds Planning Commission will serve as the project steering committee, requiring the selected firm to attend a minimum of three meetings: a project kick-off, a milestone meeting, and a final presentation. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the documentation. The State will not include an arbitration clause in the contract, and no specific pricing information, incumbent contractors, or funding sources are detailed in the Request for Qualifications. Interested firms should contact Julie Strom at (701) 328-2471 or jastrom@nd.gov to receive full RFQ submittal instructions, with additional questions to be directed to Brandon Solberg at bransolberg@nd.gov or (701) 328-4002.