St. Paul Campus NE District Infrastructure Improvements

The Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota is requesting proposals for architectural and engineering design services for Phase 1 of the NE Corridor District Chilled Water project on the St. Paul campus, with proposals due September 21, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. and a pre-proposal meeting scheduled for September 10, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. at the intersection of Gortner Avenue and Dudley Avenue. The contract will be awarded as a fixed lump-sum fee agreement using AIA B101-2017, with no exceptions or deviations permitted.

The scope encompasses district chilled water infrastructure extensions, in-building mechanical modifications, civil and site restoration, electrical and duct bank improvements, OIT/fiber infrastructure, and traffic/parking coordination along Dudley Avenue between Gortner Avenue and Lindig Street. The A/E team must develop a coordinated design that establishes a constructible Phase 1 while preserving opportunities for future Phase 2 expansion. Construction documents for exterior work must be complete by December 31, 2026, with construction anticipated to begin Spring 2027. The estimated construction cost is $1.3 million in current dollars with no escalation. The respondent's proposed fee must include all required services, reimbursable expenses, overhead, and profit, with basic services divided into phases: Schematic Design (20%), Design Development (25%), Construction Documents (30%), and Procurement/Construction Administration (25%).

Evaluation criteria are RFP Cover Page and Declaration (pass/fail), Respondent Team Qualifications (30 points), Project Work Plan (10 points), Project Schedule (30 points), and Project Fee (30 points). Respondents must demonstrate experience with comparable infrastructure projects completed within the last five years and provide an hourly-rate schedule along with the lump-sum fee proposal. Cost estimating must be completed by a qualified contractor, not a cost estimating consultant, and should include subcontractor backup, unit rates, and material and labor breakdowns. Questions are due September 14, 2026 at noon. Anticipated authorization to proceed is October 5, 2026.