Commissioning Advertisement Utility Plant Building Expansion ? Cates Chiller Plant

Project Description: The project will expand the Cates Avenue Plant (1974) to support short- and long-term university growth and to ensure N+1 redundancy as the North and Central Campus precincts grow. Phase I will address the building expansion and install a heat recovery chiller plant, providing low-temperature hot water to campus. Phase II will prepare for the next large centrifugal chiller installation. The primary focus of the Commissioning Agent will be on the new plant equipment and controls, but some small scope related to building systems may be included in the commissioning scope.

Project Funding: Project budget is $32,500,000. This includes design, construction, and miscellaneous project costs.

Project Scope: The Cates Avenue Chiller Plant was constructed in 1974 and has 34,097 gsf. The underground central utility system is connected to the Yarbrough Utility Plant and supports most of the North and Central Campus Precincts. The University seeks the professional services of a Commissioning Agent (CxA) to join the team in the design development phase to provide services for the project through design, construction, and post acceptance. Commissioning services shall be provided as defined by the latest State Construction Office manual, guidelines and checklists.

Project Schedule:

Schematic Design Submittal June 2026

Design Development Submittal September 2026

Construction Documents Submittal March 2027

Bid Date July 2027

Notice to Proceed October 2027

Construction Completion December 2028

Qualifications: The CxA must be a registered engineering firm in the State of North Carolina, and the selection process will be based upon qualifications and demonstrated experience commissioning central utility plant systems in higher education or of equivalent complexity. The CxA must exhibit the basic qualifications outlined in the State Construction Office Building Commissioning Guidelines for Third Party Commissioning. http://www.nc-sco.com/guidelines.aspx

Critical Selection Factors: Interested firms can participate in the process by submitting a current SF 330 form and addressing the following in a written proposal. Please note that only one copy of the proposal is requested. Most of the criteria listed below can be accommodated in sections A-G of the 330 form. Section H can be used for any additional information and should be limited to ten sheets of paper. Both sides of the sheet may be used. Firms are requested to ensure receipt of proposals at the address listed below by 5:00 p.m. on July 16, 2026.

1. Experience and expertise in the project type being evaluated.
2. Past performance on similar projects
3. Experience in design projects to be part of an existing campus context.
4. Adequate staff and proposed consultant team – qualifications and examples of previous collaborations.
5. Historically Underutilized Business representation in the proposed consultant team
6. Current workload and State projects awarded.
7. Proposed design approach or methodology.
8. Recent experience with project cost estimates and schedule adherence.
9. Construction administration capabilities.
10. Record of successfully completed projects without major legal or technical problems.
11. Other factors that may be appropriate to the project.
12. Demonstrated experience commissioning higher education central utility plant systems or utility plant projects of similar size and scope.

Contract: The contract will be negotiated with the CxA in two parts. Part one of the contract starts at the beginning of the design and ends upon completion of the project bidding process. After the scope and costs for the project are finalized, a second part of the contract will then be executed for the construction and occupancy phases of commissioning. The contract with the CxA will be in the form of a Letter Agreement approved by the State Construction Office.

Selection Process: Following the receipt of proposals, a University Interview Committee, appointed by the Secretary to the University Board of Trustees’ Building and Property Committee, will shortlist 3 firms, interview, and make a recommendation of selection to the University Board of Trustees’ Buildings and Property Committee. The selected firm will contract with the state through the University and coordinate services with the Capital Project Management Department, design and construction PM.

Pre-Submittal Meeting: A Pre-submittal Meeting will NOT be held. Please submit questions to the project manager, and a comprehensive list of questions and university responses will be posted as they are received.

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In order to offer Commissioning Agent services in response to this solicitation, the proposer must be licensed as an engineer in the state of North Carolina.

Questions/Proposal Submittal: In order that the selection process be as objective as possible, do not contact members of the Board of Trustees or any university officials other than the project manager. All questions and project submittals are to be directed to:

David Hammock, PE
Design and Construction
2601 Wolf Village Way
Raleigh, NC 27695-7520
david_hammock@ncsu.edu