Introduction
The CSU makes professional appointments on the basis of demonstrated competence and professional qualifications. Professional appointments are made at the campus level.
Overview of Architectural Prequalification
CSU Board of Trustees policy requires all architectural firms seeking commissions on major capital outlay projects to be prequalified. The CSU Office of the Chancellor has established an annual prequalification process that fulfills this requirement.
- Interested parties are invited to submit their application on the web-based application forms via PlanetBids.
- CSU Architectural Prequalification is a systemwide effort and is valid for all campuses. Individual campuses do not maintain individual prequalification programs.
- Firms seeking architectural prequalification must primarily provide architectural services. Other service providers (i.e., structural, MEP, civil engineering firms, land planning, etc.) are not subject to systemwide prequalification and therefore are not included in this systemwide architectural listing.
- Prequalification is an annual requirement. Prequalification does not roll over into the next year. The prequalification application is revised from year to year. A new application must be submitted each year.
- Firms seeking prequalification must maintain an active office within the state of California.
- All prequalified firms are eligible for any CSU project regardless of size, scope or whether self-ranked as having a particular type of experience.
- Firms with multiple offices are encouraged to complete an application for each office that will be seeking work with the CSU; if a firm elects to submit an application for each office, each separate application requires a separate and different email address.
- Acceptance into the Architectural Prequalification Database does not guarantee work within the CSU system. It is the obligation of individual architectural firms to establish and maintain professional relationships with the individual campuses in seeking upcoming project commissions.
- There is no application fee.
Requirements of Architectural Prequalification is not mandated for projects below the major capital project threshold.
Applying for Prequalification
To begin your application for the 2025-26 year, please follow these steps:
2. Select vendor registration.
3. Complete the initial registration; you will receive an email verification.
4. Select verify (on email verification) to complete the registration process.
5. Select CSU Pre-qualification to apply.
6. See the top righthand corner for support.
Complete the application for the up-coming annual prequalification year that starts on July 1st and ends on June 30th of the following year; the application for the up-coming annual year can be submitted anytime between March 24th through June 30th. Your application will be reviewed and, if approved, will be added to the database. Following approval, the answers you submitted will automatically populate the searchable database. Any errors in your application could affect the ability of your company to be found.
Resources, Documents & Templates: