Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Alerus Event Center Scoreboard Replacement

Link to pdf of RFQ Document

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN SERVICES for ALERUS EVENT CENTER SCOREBOARD REPLACEMENTGRAND FORKS, ND

The City of Grand Forks, ND, (the “City”) in collaboration with the Alerus Center Events Center Commission (the “Events Center Commission”) are seeking a team of qualified professionals in LED video boards, event venue infrastructure and technology, digital displays, and related fields for project development and design services that will be used to competitively bid a replacement scoreboard system for the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND. The selected consultant will be expected to use a team approach to combine stakeholder input and local needs with world-class expertise to create 1) a design package for a new scoreboard system including plans and specifications, and 2) support the City and Events Center Commission as they competitively bid the proposed project.

Background and Context

The Alerus Center is located in Grand Forks – the third-largest city in North Dakota. Grand Forks is the regional center for northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota with a population of approximately 60,000 with the Grand Forks, ND – East Grand Forks, MN MSA topping 102,000. Grand Forks is home to the University of North Dakota and is the county seat of Grand Forks County. The Grand Forks Air Force Base is located 16 miles to the west.The Alerus Center, owned by the City, is located at 1200 S 42 ^nd St. in Grand Forks, NDand is currently managed by Oak View Group (OVG) under the direction of the Events Center Commission.  The Alerus Center was first opened in 2001 and has acted as the region’s and community’s premier event center ever since. It serves as the home stadium for the University of North Dakota’s Football Team as well as the host venue for upwards of 8 concerts and 350 events, annually. The event center is capable of holding up to 21,000 for concerts and 13,000 for football games. It is estimated that the Alerus Center circulates upwards of 200,000 guests annually and has seen an upward trend in attendance over the past several years. To ensure that the Alerus Center has all of the necessary tools and resources to continue to grow and be an asset to the region and community, the City and Events Center Commission seek to replace the scoreboard system with new state-of-the-art equipment and system.

Project Overview & Scope of Work

The City seeks a consultant with the experience and capacity to provide the following:

• Stakeholder Engagement
  
  • The Alerus Center is a regional and community asset and by extension, so are the equipment and systems within the building. The consultant will be responsible for facilitating roundtable discussions with stakeholders that include, but are not limited to: City staff, City Council Members, Alerus Center management staff, and Events Center Commission members.
• Project Development & Design
  
  • Based on stakeholder engagement, the consultant will be responsible for producing plans and specifications to be used to procure the following equipment and installation services via competitive bids. The following are initial and basis of design requirements that will need to be reviewed, analyzed, and finalized as part of the design and specification process.
    
    • Main Video Boards – Two primary LED indoor displays that are approximately 24’ x 62’ (H x W)
    • Auxiliary Displays – Four auxiliary LED indoor displays that are approximately 12’ x 23’ (H x W)
    • Ribbon Displays – Two ribbon LED indoor displays that are approximately 4’ x 89’ (H x W)
    • LED display control system and hardware
    • Scoring system
    • Fully integrated production system
    • Installation of all specified material
    • System and equipment warranty
      

      It is anticipated that bid alternates may be included in the scope of work for the consultant as well. These are expected to include plans and specifications to be able to bid alternates that either add or remove equipment from the list or modify equipment already listed.

  • Plans and specifications will be reviewed by both the Events Center Commission and City Council with final approval from City Council. The selected consultant is expected to be available for any questions and revisions necessary through the review process.
  • Once plans and specifications are finalized, the selected consultant is expected to provide support services to the City as the project is advertised, bid, and recommended for award to the City Council.
  • Selected consultant may be requested for Engineer of Record and construction support services at a future date.

Tentative Timeline

April 22, 2026	RFQ Issued
May 14, 2026	Submission Deadline for Proposals
Week of May 18, 2026	Interviews with finalist firms and Events Center Commission recommendation of firm selection
June 1, 2026	City Council Approves firm selection, scope and fee
July 22, 2026	Events Center Commission recommends plans and specifications to Grand Forks City Council for approval
August 3, 2026	City Council approves final plans and specifications and directs staff to bid the project
September 23, 2026	Events Center Commission recommends lowest responsible bid to City Council
October 5, 2026	City Council approves award to lowest responsible bidder
October 6, 2026	Lowest responsible bidder receives notice to proceed with work from the City and Events Center Commission
July 30, 2027	Completion deadline for scoreboard project to be fully functional for 2027 UND Football Season

Submission Content

Firms responding to this RFQ must provide the following:

• Letter of Intent – Brief statement describing the lead firm's interest in the project.It must be signed by a principal or authorized representative who is qualified to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the project team.
• Statement of Experience and Qualifications – Complete and concise description of the firms on the consultant team, including their location, size, and specialties, focusing on their capacity to provide the services described herein.Include details for key individuals on the team, and their specific role(s) in the process.
• Past Projects Summary – Description of at least three recent, relevant projects of comparable size, scope or intent, including references with contact information (name, email, phone number) Also include key personnel on the proposed project that were involved in the reference projects.
• Project Understanding and Approach – A statement that outlines the respondent’s proposal and timeline, and that demonstrates an understanding of and familiarity with the services, conditions and outcomes described herein, both site-specific and area-wide.
• Acknowledgement – A signed letter that acknowledges that, if selected, the consulting firm and any/all of its subconsultants will not be allowed to bid on or have any financial interest in the project beyond the scope of the professional services described above.

Scoring Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on the above information on the following 100-point scale. It is expected that an initial ranking process will result in a short list of firms to be interviewed; however, the City reserves the right to forego interviews and select a firm based on the submission alone.  Fees shall be negotiated with the highest-rated firm.  If a fee cannot be agreed upon, the City reserves the right to terminate negotiations, then negotiate with the second and third ranked firms in order, if necessary, until a satisfactory contract is negotiated.

Firm Experience/Qualifications (25%)

• Relevant Project Portfolio (15%)
  
  • Demonstrates a minimum of 5 years of experience working on multiple projects of a similar nature, specifically for NCAA Division 1 football teams, professional sports arenas, or other comparable athletic organizations.
• Technical Expertise (10%)
  
  • Demonstrates experience with LED video boards, digital scoring systems, integrated AV components, and real time data integration.

Team Member Experience (25%)

• Project Manager (8%)
  
  • Demonstrates experience managing complex, time-sensitive projects in active stadium environments including coordination with community, university, and event center stakeholders.
• Lead Designers/Engineers (7%)
  
  • Provides resumes or summaries of team members with direct experience in scoreboard system design, electrical engineering, and AV integration for sporting and event venues.
• Technical Specialists (5%)
  
  • Includes experts in software development for scoring systems, structural engineering for mounting systems, and IT/network expertise for integration.
• NCAA Compliance Knowledge (5%)
  
  • Identifies team members familiar with NCAA rules for scoreboard content, advertising, and operation protocols during games.

Project Approach (40%)

• Design Process (20%)
  
  • Outlines steps for needs assessment, conceptual design, technical specifications, and stakeholder reviews.
• Technology Integration (10%)
  
  • Describes the approach to hardware/software selection, compatibility with existing venue infrastructure.
• Timeline & Milestones (10%)
  
  • Provides a realistic project timeline, including key phases of the project.

References (10%)

• Requirements (10%)
  
  • Provides 3-5 references from projects within the past 5 years.
  • Prioritizes references from NCAA Division 1 Athletic Departments and/or venue managers from similar sized or larger venues.
  • Includes project name, location, completion date, scope of work, final project value, and client contact information.

Instructions

Both hard copy and electronic (pdf) versions of submission packets are required, and both must be received by May 14, 2026.  By providing a submission, the submitting firm authorizes the City to verify all information contained therein, and submission materials become public record.

1.         Direct inquiries and submissions (pdf plus 6 hard copies) to:

Christian Danielson – Assistant City Engineer

255 N. 4th Street

Grand Forks, ND 58203

cdanielson@grandforksgov.com

(701) 746-2612

2.         The City  reserves the right to waive irregularities, to reject any or all submissions, to re-solicit submissions, and to negotiate with selected respondents if such action is deemed to be in the City’s best interests.

3.         The City  retains the right to negotiate modifications to all submissions.

4.         No reimbursement will be made for any costs incurred in responding to this Request.

5.         No member, officer, or employee of the City, its governing body or of any local public body having jurisdiction within the City’s service area, shall have any interest, direct or indirect, in any resultant contract or the proceeds thereof.