Watermen’s Hall Visitor Center Renovation & Campus Improvements

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) is seeking qualified construction firms to renovate the Watermen’s Hall Visitor Center and implement campus‑wide improvements at its Gloucester Point campus. The work is divided into three distinct packages: (1) Great Road entry enhancements including new signage, landscaping, and hardscape; (2) Watermen’s Hall interior and exterior renovations—new exhibit spaces, a café, and classroom relocations; and (3) construction of a mixed‑material riverwalk with interpretive nodes and viewing platforms. The solicitation is a pre‑qualification RFQ; firms that meet the experience, licensing, bonding, and small‑business participation criteria will be shortlisted for a subsequent competitive RFP. • Scope covers demolition, site work, structural upgrades, interior finishes, exhibit‑level construction, café build‑out, and landscape/riverwalk development. • Minimum qualifications: three comparable projects (~10,000 sf, $10 M) in the past 10 years, key personnel with similar experience, Virginia contractor license, and bonding capacity equal to the estimated cost. • Mandatory registrations: Virginia eVA and William & Mary BuyW&M portals; optional pre‑qualification conference on 24 Mar 2026.