Construction Manager at Risk - Utility Plant Building Expansion - Cates Chiller Plant

Project Description

The Cates Utility Plant, combined with the Yarbrough Utility Plant, supply steam, chilled water, and electricity to support the North and Central Campus Precincts (~7,250,000 gsf). This project will expand the Cates Utility Plant to support short- and long-term university growth and ensure utility 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.

Project Funding

The total project budget is expected to be $32,500,000. The project is currently funded for advance planning and will be identifying additional funding to begin this phased project.

Project Scope

The University seeks the professional services of a Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) to join the team in the design development phase to provide services for the project through design, construction and post acceptance.

Project Schedule

Design Start 4/15/26

Schematic Phase Document Submittal 6/24/26

Design Development Phase Document Submittal 12/9/26

Final Bid Document Submittal 6/9/27

Bid Opening 10/4/27

Construction Start 9/1/27

Submittal Requirements

Interested firms can participate in the process by submitting a proposal that addresses all the information requested by the Qualifications Questionnaire for CM at Risk. The Questionnaire will be available on July 6, 2026 through the Project Manager or on the website .Please note that the length of the proposal should be limited to twenty (20) pages on both sides. This limitation does not include the Cover Sheet, Tabs or Financial Statements.Firms are requested to submit electronic proposals at the email address listed below by July 31, 2026 .

Critical Selection Factors

Critical selection factors include the following:

1. Workload that is fully able to accommodate the timely execution of this project. List projects for which the company is currently committed including name and location of each project, time frame to complete, and dollar volume of each project.
2. Record of successfully completed projects of similar scope without major legal or technical problems. List three projects of similar size, scope and complexity, including details on the scope of preconstruction and construction phase services.
3. Provide annual workload for each of the last five years; number of projects and total dollar value. Provide complete information regarding past litigations and claims.
4. Record of Financial viability. Attach latest balance sheet and income statement if available, based on company type. Audited statements preferred. If not available, attach a copy of the latest annual renewal submission to the relevant licensing board. Indicate Dunn and Bradstreet rating if one exists. Attach letter from Surety Company or its agent licensed to do business in North Carolina verifying proposer’s capability of providing adequate performance and payment bonds for this project.
5. Previous experiences with the Owner, a good working relationship with Owner representatives, have completed projects in a timely manner and have performed an acceptable quality of work. For the three projects requested in item 2 above, provide owner references including contact information for the project owner representative. Additionally, list all construction projects performed by the proposer for agencies and institutions of the State of North Carolina during the past 10 years.
6. Key personnel that have appropriate experience and qualifications. Attach sworn statement that key personnel will be exclusively assigned to this project for its duration. For each person, detail what aspects of pre-construction or construction the person will handle, as well as his experience in the firm, other prior and relevant experience with projects of similar size and scope, and the person’s location. Include current resumes and references, and provide an email address for each individual.
7. Relevant and easily understood graphic or tabular presentations.
8. Completion of CM at Risk projects in which there was little differences between the GMP and final cost. For the three projects requested in item 2 above, list the GMP and the total cost of the project at completion.
9. Projects that were completed on or ahead of schedule. For the three projects requested in item 2 above, compare the number of days in the original schedule with the number of days taken for actual completion.
10. Construction administration capabilities.
11. Proximity to and familiarity with the area where the project is located and the dynamics of the local market.
12. Approach to design phase services, including constructability reviews and cost estimating. Appropriate level of commitment to each phase of service, staffed with appropriate personnel. Provide a brief description of how the project will be organized and managed and how the services will be performed in both pre-construction and construction phases. Project planning that offers the same project manager for pre-construction and construction phases will be given preference. Include information regarding value engineering, constructability issues, cost modeling and estimate, project tracking and reporting, request for information and shop drawings, quality control, schedule and staffing plan.
13. Quality of compliance plan for minority business participation as required by G.S.143-128.2. History of successful implementation of similar HUB efforts. Describe the program that your company has developed to encourage participation by minority and other HUB firms to meet or exceed the goals set by the statute. Attach a copy of that plan to the proposal. Provide documentation of the minority and other HUB participation that you have achieved over the past two years on both public and private construction projects. Outline specific efforts that your company takes to notify minority and other HUB firms of opportunities for participation. Indicate the minority participation goal that you expect to achieve on this project.
14. Utility plant construction/renovation experience for higher education campuses.
15. Proximity to and familiarity with NCSU campus.

CMR 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 three (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 of North Carolina through the University and coordinate services with Design and Construction.

CMR Contract

The contract will be negotiated with the CMR in two parts. Part one of the contract is pre-construction services. The second part of the contract is for bidding, construction, and close-out services.

CMR Pre-Submittal Meeting

A Pre-submittal Meeting will be held July 14, 2026 at 3:00 pm in Conference Room 101 of the Admin III Building at 2601 Wolf Village Way on the NC State University campus. Attendance at the CMR Pre-Submittal Meeting is mandatory. Obtain parking permits from NCSU Transportation, located in Administrative Services I, at 2721 Sullivan Drive.

In order to offer Construction Manager at Risk services in the response to this solicitation, the proposer must be licensed as a general contractor 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, Project Manager
NC State University, Design and Construction
Box 7520, 2601 Wolf Village Way
Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7520
Phone 919-515-2030
david_hammock@ncsu.edu

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00-CMR Qualifications Questionnaire

12 CMR RFP Data Sheet

01 CMR Section I

02 CMR Section II

03 CMR Section III

CMR Information Form – Cates Plant Expansion

CMR Project Summary Ad (pdf) – Cates Plant Expansion