Skip to content

Procurement Documents

View of campus from distant with snow capped Sierra's in the distance 

The Merced 2020 Project development team was selected after a competitive procurement process

Multiple teams of design professionals submitted proposals to develop the Merced 2020 Project. In 2016, the Plenary Properties Merced consortium was selected following the conclusion of an RFQ/RFP process.

The project consisted of the comprehensive development, including the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of some or all of the elements of academic, administrative, research, recreational, student residence and student services buildings, utilities and infrastructure; outdoor recreation and open space areas; and associated roadways, parking and landscaping for UC Merced.

I.  Request for Qualifications Phase

In 2014, UC Merced issued a Request for Qualifications to identify design and development teams interested in building, financing and maintaining the 2020 Project.    

The six respondents who submitted statements of qualifications by the October 2014 deadline are listed at this link.

 

II.  Request for Proposals Phase 

In January 2015, three teams were shortlisted to participate in the Request for Proposals (RFP) phase, which solicited detailed proposals for the design and development of academic, administrative, research, recreational, residential and student-services facilities sufficient to accommodate 10,000 students by the 2020-2021 academic year. 

The RFP was released to the three shortlisted teams in early 2016, and proposals were received in Spring 2016.

III.  Project Agreement with Plenary Properties Merced

In July 2016, the University of California Board of Regents granted final approval for the Project based on a submission from the Plenary Properties Merced consortium.  This was followed by execution of a Project Agreement between the Regents of the University of California and Plenary Properties Merced.  

Financial close occurred on August 16, 2016. The performance-based project was the first higher education Availability Payment Concession to be awarded in the United States.  Groundbreaking occured on October 14, 2016.

Download the Project Agreement

The Project Agreement includes commercial and risk-allocation provisions that reflect:

  • Allocation of financing responsibility between the University and Plenary Properties Merced
  • Phased delivery of all facilities by Fall 2020
  • Penalties for late delivery or poor performance
  • Good-faith thresholds to employ local businesses from the San Joaquin Valley
  • Maintenance and renewal requirements of the facilities for 35 years
  • Prevailing-wage and other labor-related provisions, and worker safety standards
  • Governmental, regulatory, sustainability, and building official approval requirements
  • Limitations on the ability of the Developer to assign or transfer its obligations
  • Procedures for force majeure events such as earthquakes and natural disasters
  • University’s oversight and approval rights, including step-in rights
  • Duration and allocation of responsibility for various elements of Project operations