RFP-Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Project

PATRICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program RFP
PATRICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA
106 Rucker Street | Stuart, Virginia 24171
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program
Internet Service Provider Procurement | ARC Grant No. 24-BB-03A
Issuing Organization Patrick County, Virginia
Funding Sources Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Grant No. 24-BB-03A
RFP Issue Date September 23, 2026
Proposal Deadline 4:00 PM on October 21, 2026
Submit Proposals To Michael Armbrister, West Piedmont PDC,
marmbrister@wppdc.org
Contact Email marmbrister@wppdc.org
Program Website https://www.co.patrick.va.us
Patrick County is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to ensuring no person is excluded from participation
in or denied the benefits of its services on the basis of race, color, or national origin, as protected by Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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PATRICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program RFP
Introduction
Patrick County, Virginia (the "County") is soliciting proposals from qualified Internet Service Providers
("Offerors") to provide broadband infrastructure construction and related services for eligible
broadband expansion areas within Patrick County. The purpose of this Request for Proposals ("RFP")
is to establish a contract with a qualified Offeror capable of designing, engineering, permitting,
constructing, activating, operating, and supporting the broadband infrastructure necessary to extend
reliable, high-speed internet service to eligible locations within Patrick County.
Patrick County has identified broadband service areas requiring infrastructure expansion to address
remaining unserved and underserved locations. Through this solicitation, the County seeks an
experienced Internet Service Provider capable of implementing a comprehensive broadband solution
within the identified project area and meeting all applicable project, funding, performance, and
reporting requirements.
The selected Offeror will be responsible for coordinating with Patrick County and the West Piedmont
Planning District Commission ("WPPDC"), which serves as grant administrator, throughout project
development, construction, implementation, and administration. The project is supported by the
Appalachian Regional Commission ("ARC") under Grant No. 24-BB-03A (WPPDC West ARC/VATI
2023 Universal Broadband Project), administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and
Community Development ("DHCD"), and may also utilize local and private funding. Because ARC
funds are federal financial assistance, the selected Offeror will be required to comply with federal
Davis-Bacon prevailing wage, Build America, Buy America, and equal employment opportunity
requirements, in addition to all requirements of the other funding sources.
This procurement is intended to promote competitive pricing, ensure the efficient use of available
broadband funding, and identify a qualified Internet Service Provider capable of successfully
completing the proposed broadband expansion project and providing reliable long-term service to the
identified locations. The County places particular value on Offerors that demonstrate first-hand
knowledge of Patrick County's terrain, infrastructure, and communities and a record of successfully
completing comparable projects in similar settings.
Proposals shall be prepared in complete accordance with the requirements contained herein. Failure
to comply with any requirement of this RFP may result in the proposal being deemed non-responsive.
PART 1 - SOLICITATION AND PROGRAM INFORMATION
1. General
1.1 Issuing Entity
This Request for Proposals is issued by Patrick County, Virginia (the "County") pursuant to the
Virginia Public Procurement Act ("VPPA"), Va. Code 2.2-4300 et seq., and the County's
procurement policies. The County is the sole purchasing entity under this solicitation.
Throughout this RFP, the County may be referred to as the Purchaser. Any contract resulting
from this solicitation will be between the County and the successful Offeror.
WPPDC serves as grant administrator for ARC Grant No. 24-BB-03A and is assisting the County
with the administration of this procurement. WPPDC is not a party to this solicitation or to any
resulting contract.
1.2 Purpose
The purpose of this solicitation is to obtain competitive proposals from qualified Internet Service
Providers capable of providing a turnkey broadband infrastructure solution, including planning,
engineering, permitting, construction, testing, activation, reporting, and other related activities
necessary to complete broadband deployment within the Patrick County project area.
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PATRICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program RFP
The project is supported by ARC Grant No. 24-BB-03A, administered by DHCD as ARC's
Registered State Basic Agency, and shall comply with all applicable ARC and DHCD funding
requirements.
1.3 Procurement Method
This procurement is conducted by competitive negotiation in accordance with the Virginia Public
Procurement Act. The County will engage in discussions with one or more Offerors deemed fully
qualified and best suited among those submitting proposals, and will select the Offeror whose
proposal is determined to provide the best value to the County, considering price and the other
evaluation factors set forth in Section 5. Because the project is funded in part with federal
financial assistance, this procurement is also conducted in accordance with the federal
procurement standards of 2 C.F.R. 200.317 through 200.327.
Pricing shall be considered but need not be the sole determining factor.
1.4 Contract Formation
This Request for Proposals shall form the basis of any contract awarded pursuant to this
solicitation. The successful Offeror shall execute an agreement with the County incorporating the
requirements of this RFP, the applicable wage decision (Attachment I), the Federal Construction
Contract Inserts (Attachment J), the Offeror's proposal, negotiated modifications, and any
additional contractual provisions required by DHCD, ARC, or other funding agencies.
In the event of a conflict among the proposal documents, the executed contract shall govern,
followed by this RFP and any addenda, followed by the Offeror's proposal. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in the event of any conflict between a federal requirement set forth in Section 10,
Attachment I, or Attachment J and any other provision, the federal requirement shall govern.
1.5 Federal Requirements Notice
Because this project is funded in part with ARC federal financial assistance, all construction
work is subject to the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts and the prevailing wage rates in U.S.
Department of Labor General Decision No. VA20260030 (Attachment I); the Virginia minimum
wage; the Build America, Buy America Act; Executive Order 11246 equal employment
opportunity requirements; and the Federal Construction Contract Inserts (Attachment J).
Offerors shall review Section 10 and Attachments I through K carefully and shall reflect the full
cost of compliance in their proposals. Failure to acknowledge these requirements may result in
the proposal being deemed non-responsive.
1.6 Additional Solicitations
Nothing contained herein shall prohibit the County from issuing future solicitations for additional
broadband infrastructure projects or other services. The County reserves the right to reject any or
all proposals, negotiate with Offerors, and pursue any procurement method authorized under the
Virginia Public Procurement Act.
1.7 Pre-Proposal Conference
No pre-proposal conference will be held.
1.8 Questions, Inquiries, and Addenda
All inquiries shall be submitted in writing by email to Mr. Michael Armbrister, Grant
Administrator, West Piedmont PDC, at marmbrister@wppdc.org. Offerors are requested to
include the RFP title in the subject line of the email.
Only written addenda issued by the County shall be binding. Oral statements, interpretations, or
clarifications made by any County representative shall have no effect.
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PATRICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program RFP
Changes to this RFP may be issued between the Issue Date and the Proposal Deadline. It is the
sole responsibility of the Offeror to monitor the Program Website for addenda and to
acknowledge receipt of all addenda on the Certifications and Addenda Acknowledgement form
provided as Attachment G. Failure to acknowledge an addendum may result in the proposal
being deemed non-responsive.
1.9 Reasonable Accommodation
If an Offeror requires a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to participate
in this procurement, please contact the County as soon as possible so that appropriate
arrangements can be made.
1.10 Examination of Solicitation and Project Area
By submitting a proposal, the Offeror represents that it has carefully examined the information
contained in this RFP and all addenda; that it has satisfied itself as to the conditions of the project
area, including terrain, access, the availability of poles, conduit, rights-of-way, and other existing
infrastructure; and that its proposal is based upon that examination.
The County provides eligible location data and mapping in good faith based upon the best
information available. Offerors are responsible for independently verifying field conditions.
2. About the Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program
2.1 Program Overview
The Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program has been established to facilitate the efficient
deployment of broadband infrastructure to eligible service locations within Patrick County.
Through this procurement, the County will select a qualified Internet Service Provider capable of
designing, engineering, permitting, constructing, activating, and supporting broadband
infrastructure within the Patrick County project area.
Nothing contained within this RFP guarantees the award of any project or establishes a minimum
quantity of work. Individual projects shall be awarded based upon available funding, proposal
evaluation, negotiations, funding agency approval, and final approval by the applicable Purchaser.
2.2 Program Background and Funding Agency Approval
The Patrick County project area is part of the WPPDC West ARC/VATI 2023 Universal
Broadband Project and is the subject of existing grant agreements under ARC Grant No. 24-BB-
03A for which the originally designated Internet Service Provider is no longer able to complete the
work. DHCD has authorized the County, as Grantee, to submit a written request to amend the
applicable agreements to identify a replacement provider.
Offerors are advised of the following conditions, which apply to any award made under this
solicitation:
* Any award is contingent upon DHCD approval of the successful Offeror's qualifications and
capacity to complete the project, and upon DHCD's issuance of an amended or new grant
agreement.
* The successful Offeror shall execute a Memorandum of Agreement with the County
consistent with the requirements of the applicable ARC grant agreement and shall be
designated as "The Company" under that agreement.
* The successful Offeror shall provide, as part of its proposal, all documentation required by
DHCD's rescope procedures as further described in Section 3.10. The County cannot
submit an amendment request without this documentation.
* Any award is subject to DHCD's review of this procurement for compliance with federal
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PATRICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program RFP
procurement standards and ARC requirements.
2.3 Project Area
The project area for this solicitation consists of the eligible unserved locations within Patrick
County, Virginia, shown in Attachment H. The estimated eligible location count is provided for
planning purposes only and is subject to verification against current DHCD Office of Broadband
and County E-911 address data. Unserved project addresses have been updated to reflect the
FCC's Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric.
Detail
Project Element
Project Area Patrick County, Virginia (see Attachment H)
Funding Agency Grant ARC Grant No. 24-BB-03A - WPPDC West ARC/VATI 2023
Universal Broadband Project
Estimated Eligible Locations 468
Available ARC Funding $700,000
Applicable Wage Decision VA20260030, Modification 1 (05/18/2026) - Heavy; Patrick
County
The project area and estimated location count may be modified by written addendum issued prior
to the Proposal Deadline.
2.4 Funding
The project may utilize one or more funding sources, including but not limited to:
* Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Grant No. 24-BB-03A
* Private investment by the successful Offeror
Offerors shall clearly identify all proposed funding sources, including the amount of public funding
requested and any private investment to be contributed by the Offeror. Nothing contained herein
obligates the County to fund the full amount requested.
Offerors are advised that the public funding available for the project is limited and fixed by the
existing ARC grant award. Proposals requesting public funding in excess of the amount available
may be rejected without negotiation.
2.5 Program Objectives
The objectives of this procurement include:
* Expanding reliable broadband service to eligible locations;
* Maximizing the number of locations served using available funding;
* Completing construction and activating service within the schedule required by the
applicable funding agency;
* Encouraging competitive pricing;
* Promoting high-quality construction standards;
* Ensuring long-term network sustainability and provider viability;
* Engaging a provider with demonstrated knowledge of Patrick County's terrain,
infrastructure, and communities; and
* Maintaining compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
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PATRICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program RFP
PART 2 - SCOPE OF SERVICES
3. Scope of Services
3.1 General Description
The successful Offeror shall furnish all labor, supervision, professional services, engineering,
materials, equipment, permitting, transportation, construction, testing, documentation, reporting,
warranty services, and other resources necessary to provide a complete and operational
broadband infrastructure project.
All work shall be performed in accordance with this Request for Proposals, the applicable contract
documents, all applicable federal and state funding requirements, manufacturer
recommendations, industry best practices, and all applicable federal, state, and local laws and
regulations.
The intent of this RFP is to describe a functionally complete project. Any labor, documentation,
services, materials, or equipment that may reasonably be inferred from this RFP, or from
prevailing custom or trade usage, as being required to produce the indicated result shall be
provided whether or not specifically called for, at no additional cost to the Purchaser. The RFP
documents are complementary; what is required by one is as binding as if required by all.
3.2 Minimum Technical Requirements
The proposed broadband network shall:
* Internet speeds shall reliably meet or exceed the federally mandated minimums or 100
Mbps download speeds and 20 Mbps upload speeds, whichever is greater at time of award.
* Include all electronics, cabinets, power, and customer premises equipment necessary to
activate customer service.
* Utilize commercially accepted, currently supported equipment from established
manufacturers.
* Be engineered for reliable long-term operation and for future capacity expansion without
replacement of the outside plant.
* Comply with all applicable National Electrical Safety Code, pole owner, and utility
construction standards.
Any proposed deviation from these requirements must be expressly identified in the Offeror's
proposal and is subject to written approval by the Purchaser and the applicable funding agency.
Unidentified deviations may render a proposal non-responsive.
3.3 Engineering Services
The Offeror shall be responsible for all engineering necessary to complete the project, including
but not limited to route design, pole attachment engineering, make-ready coordination, utility
coordination, environmental review, easement identification and acquisition, construction
drawings, material specifications, cost estimating, and network design documentation.
3.4 Permitting
The successful Offeror shall obtain all permits, approvals, licenses, easements, utility
authorizations, VDOT land use permits, National Park Service authorizations for any Blue Ridge
Parkway crossings, environmental permits, and other approvals required to complete
construction, and shall bear all associated costs unless expressly identified otherwise in its
proposal.
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PATRICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program RFP
3.5 Construction
Construction services shall include, at a minimum, fiber placement; underground construction;
aerial construction; pole transfers; splicing; cabinet installation; electronics installation; restoration
of disturbed areas; traffic control; site cleanup; and final acceptance testing.
The successful Offeror shall provide all equipment, materials, and qualified personnel required to
perform the work in a professional, first-class manner. Contractor personnel must be aware of the
safety of the public at all times during operations and shall adhere to all federal, state, and local
safety laws. The Contractor shall assume all on-the-job responsibilities for the actions of its
personnel and those of its subcontractors.
All construction work is subject to the federal labor standards, Davis-Bacon wage, Virginia
minimum wage, and Build America, Buy America requirements set forth in Section 10.
3.6 Customer Connections
The Offeror shall provide customer service connections in accordance with project requirements.
Service installations for eligible locations situated within 2,000 feet of the public right-of-way shall
be completed without charge to the subscriber beyond a minimal standard installation fee. All
costs associated with extending service drops to those locations shall be borne by the project and
included within the project cost proposal.
Individual customer installations shall be completed contemporaneously with infrastructure build-
out rather than deferred to a subsequent phase.
3.7 Service Offerings and Affordability
The successful Offeror shall offer service to eligible locations on terms no less favorable than
those offered to comparable customers elsewhere on its network. The Offeror shall specify in its
proposal:
* All service speed tiers to be offered and the monthly recurring charge for each;
* The standard installation fee and all other non-recurring charges;
* Any equipment, modem, router, or subscriber module charges;
* Data caps, overage charges, or usage-based pricing, if any;
* Contract or term commitment requirements, if any;
* A low-cost service option and the terms on which it is offered; and
* The maximum rate escalation, expressed as a percentage, that the Offeror will apply in
each of the first three (3) years following activation of service.
The rates and escalation limits stated in the Offeror's proposal shall be incorporated into the
contract and shall be binding for the periods stated.
3.8 Time for Completion
Time is of the essence in all respects of the work. Proposals that propose a substantial
completion date later than December 31, 2027 may not be considered.
The proposed duration shall encompass all pre-construction activities, including securing
easements, pole attachment agreements, make-ready, and permits. The proposed schedule shall
conform to any milestone timeline required or approved by the applicable funding agency.
Substantial completion means that all infrastructure has been constructed, tested, and activated;
all eligible locations are capable of receiving service meeting the standards in Section 3.2; and all
customer installations requested as of that date have been completed.
3.9 Project Reporting
The successful Offeror shall provide all reporting required by the County, WPPDC, DHCD, ARC,
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PATRICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program RFP
and any other funding agency. Reporting shall include, at a minimum:
* Monthly progress reports
* Construction schedules and schedule updates
* Financial status reports and drawdown documentation
* Passings completed
* Subscriber counts and take rates
* GIS updates
* Weekly certified payrolls and other labor standards and Build America, Buy America
documentation required by Section 10
* Final closeout documentation
In addition, the Offeror shall provide post-closeout reports as required by County and DHCD, including
at 6 months and 12 months following achievement of substantial completion.
3.10 Funding Agency Documentation
For the project area, the Offeror shall furnish the documentation required by DHCD's rescope
and amendment procedures in a form suitable for submission by the County to the funding
agency. This documentation shall include:
* A signed letter from the Offeror describing the proposed scope, including budget, project
area, technology, and provider information;
* A PDF map of the proposed project area;
* Point and polygon shapefiles of the proposed project area;
* A funding sources table;
* A derivation of costs;
* A completed passing form;
* A completed RDOF passing form, if applicable;
* A proposed milestone timeline; and
* Commitment letters for any additional match proposed by the Offeror.
This documentation is a required element of a responsive proposal. The Offeror shall also
cooperate fully with the County and the funding agency in responding to any request for
supplemental information during the amendment review process, at no additional cost to the
Purchaser.
PART 3 - PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
4. Contents of Proposals
4.1 General Requirements
To be considered for award, Offerors shall submit a complete proposal addressing all
requirements contained within this Request for Proposals. Proposals shall be organized in the
order identified below and include sufficient detail to permit a comprehensive evaluation of the
Offeror's qualifications, technical approach, financial capacity, and ability to successfully complete
the proposed work.
Failure to submit the information required herein may result in the proposal being determined
non-responsive. The County reserves the right to request clarification of any information
submitted and to waive minor informalities where permitted by law.
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PATRICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program RFP
4.2 Cover Letter and Executive Summary
Each proposal shall begin with a cover letter signed by an individual authorized to legally bind the
Offeror. The cover letter shall include, at a minimum:
* Legal name of the Offeror as registered with the Virginia State Corporation Commission
* Corporate headquarters and Virginia office locations
* Primary point of contact, telephone number, and email address
* Statement acknowledging receipt of all addenda
* Acknowledgement that the Offeror has reviewed the federal labor standards, Davis-Bacon wage
decision, Virginia minimum wage, and Build America, Buy America requirements of Section 10
and Attachments I through K
* Summary of the proposed project approach
* Certification that the Offeror is authorized to conduct business in Virginia
4.3 Company Qualifications
Provide a description of the Offeror including company history; years providing broadband
services; organizational structure and ownership; existing Virginia operations; existing fiber
network within Virginia; number of customers currently served; financial stability; and experience
with publicly funded broadband projects.
The Offeror shall disclose any of the following occurring within the past five (5) years:
* Mergers, acquisitions, changes of control, or reorganizations;
* Bankruptcy filings or petitions by or against the Offeror or any parent or affiliate;
* Significant litigation, arbitration, or claims arising out of construction or service delivery;
* Any contract terminated for cause, or from which the Offeror withdrew prior to completion;
* Any grant award from which the Offeror was removed, or under which the Offeror was
subject to a corrective action plan, repayment demand, or determination of non-
performance by a funding agency; and
* Any debarment, suspension, or exclusion proceeding.
Failure to disclose a matter described above may result in rejection of the proposal or termination
of any resulting contract.
4.4 Knowledge of Patrick County and Project Area Approach
Describe the Offeror's knowledge of conditions in the Patrick County project area and how that
knowledge informs its technical approach. The response should be specific to Patrick County and
should address, at a minimum:
* Terrain, geology, and access conditions in the project area, including steep grades, rock,
stream crossings, and seasonal weather, and how these conditions affect the Offeror's
construction methods, cost, and schedule;
* Pole ownership, attachment, and make-ready conditions with the utilities and pole owners
serving the project area, including any existing pole attachment agreements held by the
Offeror;
* Right-of-way and permitting requirements, including VDOT land use permits, any crossings
of the Blue Ridge Parkway or other federal lands, and environmental and historic review;
* Existing middle-mile, backbone, and network facilities in or near Patrick County that the
Offeror owns, leases, or proposes to use, and the proposed interconnection points;
* The Offeror's understanding of existing broadband service, remaining service gaps, and
community anchor institutions in Patrick County;
* Field investigation the Offeror has conducted in preparing its proposal, such as route drive-
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PATRICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Program RFP
outs, pole surveys, or make-ready assessments; and
* The Offeror's approach to engaging Patrick County residents, including pre-registration,
communication during construction, and coordination with County officials.
Responses that are specific to the Patrick County project area will be evaluated more favorably
than general descriptions of the Offeror's capabilities. See Section 5.
4.5 Relevant Project Experience
Provide descriptions of at least three (3) broadband infrastructure projects completed within the
previous five (5) years that are similar in scope and complexity to the project contemplated by
this RFP. For each project include:
* Client and location, including county and state
* Number of passings and fiber miles constructed
* Terrain, housing density, and pole and right-of-way conditions, and how they compare to
the Patrick County project area
* Total project cost and funding source
* Contracted completion date and actual completion date
* Scope of services and project outcomes
* Owner contact information
Offerors are encouraged to include projects completed in Patrick County or in the surrounding
region, including Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, and Henry Counties and the City of Martinsville in
Virginia and Stokes and Surry Counties in North Carolina, as well as other rural projects in
mountainous terrain comparable to Patrick County. Projects funded through ARC, VATI, the
Capital Projects Fund, BEAD, or similar publicly funded programs, particularly projects subject to
Davis-Bacon and Build America, Buy America requirements, will be considered more directly
comparable. Comparability will be evaluated as described in Section 5.
4.6 Project Team and Key Personnel
Identify the key personnel proposed for the project, including the project manager, construction
manager or superintendent, engineer of record, and the individual responsible for labor standards
and grant compliance, and identify all principal subcontractors. Provide a resume or summary of
qualifications for each, describing their experience on comparable projects, including any projects
in Patrick County or the surrounding region. Key personnel identified in the proposal are subject
to Section 9.8.
4.7 References
Complete Attachment C and provide at least three (3) references for projects similar in scope.
References for projects in Patrick County, the surrounding region, or comparable rural,
mountainous settings are encouraged. References will be contacted; Offerors should verify all
contact information before submitting. The County reserves the right to contact any reference
provided, or any other client of the Offeror known to the County.
4.8 Financial Capacity
The Offeror shall demonstrate sufficient financial resources to successfully complete the
proposed work. Include:
* Evidence of financial stability
* Ability to provide the proposed matching funds
* Existing financing arrangements, letters of credit, or committed capital, if applicable
* Description of financial resources available for construction
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