TWO STEP INVITATION FOR BIDS REQUEST FOR STATEMENTS OF QUALIFICATIONS

The University of Virginia is soliciting statements of qualifications for the construction of the Fontaine Data Center at Fontaine Research Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. This project involves the development of a 50,000 square foot, three-story LEED Silver certified facility designed to support Academic Research high-performance computing and UVA Health Information Technology. The building will feature an initial capacity of 4MW for Research Computing and 500mW for HIT, with the infrastructure designed to scale up to 17MW. The construction is expected to take approximately 21 months and must be executed in accordance with the University of Virginia Higher Education Capital Outlay Manual. The procurement follows a two-step invitation for bids process where the university will first pre-qualify construction firms licensed in Virginia based on their technical capability, financial solvency, and experience with mission-critical data centers. Key evaluation factors include experience managing critical power systems, cooling infrastructure, and construction logistics within active healthcare environments to ensure uninterrupted operations. Prequalified firms must demonstrate 100 percent bonding capacity for the project value and provide detailed resumes for key personnel. The final contract will be awarded through competitive sealed bidding to the pre-qualified firms. Statements of qualifications are due by October 6, 2026.