The Research Foundation of The City University of New York supports the academic and operational infrastructure of CUNY’s senior and community colleges through strategic procurement of construction, maintenance, and professional services. Its core mission is to enable safe, functional, and modern ed...
The Research Foundation of The City University of New York supports the academic and operational infrastructure of CUNY’s senior and community colleges through strategic procurement of construction, maintenance, and professional services. Its core mission is to enable safe, functional, and modern educational environments by managing capital improvements, facility upgrades, and critical system maintenance across CUNY’s campus network. Strategic priorities include the renovation and expansion of academic buildings, enhancement of vertical transportation systems, and procurement of specialized consultant services to ensure compliance, safety, and operational continuity in higher education facilities. Key programs focus on institutional resilience, accessibility improvements, and long-term infrastructure sustainability to support student success and institutional growth.
The agency frequently procures general construction services for commercial and institutional buildings, along with maintenance contracts for industrial lifting and material handling equipment, emergency job order systems, and vertical transportation systems. It relies heavily on requirement contracts and request-for-proposals mechanisms to secure flexible, long-term vendor partnerships that respond to evolving campus needs without repetitive bidding cycles. These structures allow for rapid mobilization of contractors for both planned renovations and urgent repairs.
Primary procurement activity centers on NAICS 236220 (commercial building construction), 333924 (industrial truck and stacker machinery), and 611210 (junior college services), reflecting a strong emphasis on physical infrastructure and institutional support. Architectural, engineering, and temporary staffing services are also regularly engaged to facilitate project delivery. The agency does not utilize set-asides and maintains an open, competitive procurement posture, seeking qualified vendors across all sizes and capabilities to deliver complex, mission-critical services.
As the fiscal and operational arm of The City University of New York, the Research Foundation operates statewide to manage procurement for CUNY’s 25 institutions. It functions under the broader authority of New York’s public higher education system, utilizing requirement contracts, JOCs, and RFPs to streamline acquisition across diverse campus environments. Its structure enables centralized oversight while accommodating localized facility needs.
