Commercial Structured Cabling RFP Checklist

1. Project basics

Identify the commercial conditions that change price and schedule before bidders guess.

• site address
• building type
• new construction / renovation / occupied
• bid date
• award target
• rough-in window
• trim-out window
• turnover/opening date
• working-hour restrictions

2. Drawings and counts

Counts belong in the bid package, not in a later addendum after everyone has already priced a guess.

• architectural plan
• reflected ceiling plan
• furniture plan
• telecom drawings
• device/drop schedule
• workstations
• APs
• cameras
• access doors
• AV/conference rooms
• printer/POS/equipment drops

3. Copper specification

Name the cable, termination, and hardware series so bidders are pricing the same plant.

• Cat6 / Cat6A
• UTP / shielded
• riser / plenum
• color
• T568A / T568B
• jack manufacturer/series
• patch-panel manufacturer/series
• faceplates

4. Fiber

If fiber is in scope, define strand count, connectors, and test method in the RFP.

• OS2 / OM3 / OM4
• strand count
• connector type
• MDF-to-IDF route
• spare strands
• splice vs pre-terminated
• enclosures
• loss-test requirement
• OTDR requirement

5. Telecom rooms

The closet is part of the cabling system. Leave rack, plywood, bonding, and switch ownership explicit.

• MDF/IDF locations
• rack/cabinet size
• wall vs floor rack
• plywood/backboard responsibility
• patch panels
• management
• ladder rack/tray
• bonding responsibility
• UPS/PDU responsibility
• switch owner

6. Pathway

Pathway responsibility is one of the most common sources of incomparable cabling bids.

• J-hooks
• tray
• conduit
• sleeves
• core drilling
• existing pathway reuse
• EC vs LV pathway responsibility
• hard ceilings
• outdoor/underground
• lift requirements

7. Penetrations / firestop

Rated walls need an owner, a system, and documentation — not a punch-list argument.

• penetration responsibility
• firestop responsibility
• required system/manufacturer
• rated-wall documentation

8. Testing

Define the test level before pricing. Verification, qualification, and certification are different.

• verification
• qualification
• certification
• permanent link vs channel
• test standard
• required tester/platform
• calibration
• PDF/native format
• failed-link remediation
• fiber loss/OTDR

9. Labeling

A plant without a naming convention is not finished, even if every drop links.

• naming convention
• TIA-606 or owner standard
• room/jack/panel ID
• both-end cable labels
• patch-panel labels
• device IDs

10. Closeout

State the evidence the owner and IT team must receive.

• test results
• port schedule
• as-builts/redlines
• photos
• rack elevation
• device list
• warranty/O&M
• punch list
• handoff/training

11. Commercial requirements

These items change price even when the drop count does not.

• permits
• prevailing wage
• certified payroll
• union
• badging
• background checks
• OSHA
• insurance limits
• additional insured
• lien waivers
• payment terms
• retainage

12. Furnished-by responsibility

Identify owner/GC/EC/IT/LV responsibility for switches, APs, cameras, racks, patch panels, cable, jacks, UPS, mounts, and controllers.