State of Ohio Computer Center (SOCC

The City of Upper Arlington is issuing a solicitation for qualified vendors to design and construct fiber infrastructure connecting the city’s metropolitan fiber plant to the State of Ohio data center, specifically the State of Ohio Computer Center (SOCC). The project involves establishing two fiber connections and includes the provision of racks inside the SOCC data center, with a contract value estimated between $500,000 and $1.5 million. The bidding process is formal and competitive, with detailed instructions provided in the "Information to Bidders" documents, emphasizing the importance of adherence to submission guidelines, pricing rules, and bid security requirements. The city encourages participation from all businesses, including minority and women-owned enterprises, and has scheduled a bidders’ conference on May 28, 2025, at the Municipal Services Center in Upper Arlington. Responses to the RFP must be submitted via IonWave by June 2, 2025. The solicitation, identified as UA25-55, is managed by Valerie Piccininni, the Purchasing Administrator. The city has also issued Addendum 1 to clarify or modify initial bid instructions. The project aims to enhance the city’s fiber network infrastructure, supporting improved data connectivity between municipal facilities and the state data center, with the city reserving rights to reject or accept bids based on compliance and evaluation criteria. The procurement process is governed by established bidding policies, ensuring transparency and fairness in awarding the contract to the most qualified vendor.