RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – MCNC has announced it has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Construction and Splicing of the fiber optic middle-mile project related to the expansion of the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN) through the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative (GLRBI).

MCNC is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to provide construction and splicing for those routes funded by MCNC’s second federal Broadband Technologies Opportunities Program (BTOP) award, received in August 2010, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s BTOP staff.

The project requires the appropriate vendor(s) to construct a new fiber cable network that connects universities, community colleges, schools, health and safety facilities, libraries, county offices, and other community anchor institutions to a statewide fiber optic network.

The construction encompasses seven routes in North Carolina and divided into these identified segments:

Total North Central segments (approximately 203.9 route miles)

Total Northeast segments (approximately 282.8 route miles)

Total Outer Banks segments (approximately 243.3 route miles)

Total South Central segments (approximately 238.7 route miles)

Total Central segments (approximately 113.5 route miles)

Total Graham segments (approximately 18 route miles)

Total Northwest segments (approximately 50 miles)

Respondents may submit proposals for one or more segments. The priorities for segment completion will vary with some segments requiring streamlined construction timelines due to their location and potential impact.  At MCNC’s sole discretion, each segment may be awarded separately or not at all.

Proposals will be accepted in electronic format only. Proposals should be submitted to pmoody@mcnc.org.  Bid bonds also are due by the proposal due date and may be submitted to: Patricia Moody, MCNC Chief Financial Officer, P.O. Box 12889, Research Triangle Park, N.C.  27709.

The firm deadline for submission is Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. EST. Late proposals will not be accepted or reviewed.

The GLRBI must be completed in accordance to federal guidelines. All construction must be finished by Jan. 31, 2013 to allow MCNC to equip and place the fiber optic into service on or before July 31, 2013. Interested parties also can register to view the RFP, Construction Agreement, and Baseline Route Maps at www.mcnc.org/btop.

The GLRBI will be constructed in mainly rural regions of North Carolina and involves construction in 69 counties. The project will build a fiber optic, broadband delivery infrastructure that serves community anchor institutions statewide. Also, through partnerships with private-sector service providers, the project has the potential to deliver affordable broadband service to many rural areas of the state that today lack this service.

In evaluating the responses to this RFP, MCNC will work with the North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development (NCIMED) in Durham to reach N.C. companies who qualify as small, disadvantaged and minority-owned businesses. NCIMED has been advising MCNC on BTOP-related opportunities for several months and will continue to work with MCNC to make businesses throughout the state aware of BTOP-related opportunities.

The NCIMED, through their Minority Business Enterprise Center, has with partners like the Self Help Credit Union, created loan programs targeted for small, minority, and local businesses who desire to bid on ARRA opportunities such as this RFP that are part of MCNC’s BTOP Round 2 award. Respondents interested in learning more about these loan programs should contact Kaye Gantt at the Minority Business Enterprise Center via e-mail at kgantt@ncimed.com or phone at (919) 956.8889.

MCNC reserves the right to modify or change any information presented in this RFP as more information becomes available.