Kansas State University

University calls for proposals for FY25 deferred maintenance project, Next-Gen K-State 1:1 match for research space innovation

Submitted by Ethan Erickson and David Rosowsky

The university is now accepting proposals to address deferred maintenance in fiscal year 2025, which includes proposals addressing research space innovation in alignment with the Next-Gen K-State strategic plan.

Cost estimate requests are due March 4, and the submission deadline is April 15. Complete details are available online.

Deferred maintenance and research space innovation proposals

The call for proposals follows Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly's recommendation to appropriate another round of funding to state universities in FY25 to help address deferred maintenance. Although the recommendation must still be approved by the Kansas Legislature, the university anticipates allocating $1.5 million in one-to-one match funding.

In addition, the university will provide up to $500,000 in matching dollars to improve core/shared use research space, upgrading fixed equipment and/or systems within university laboratory spaces as part of our Next-Gen K-State funding initiatives. 

Proposal requirements

All proposals require a one-to-one funding match and must address maintenance and improvements in mission-critical buildings. Additionally, projects should address one or more university and Kansas Board of Regents initiatives to:

• Improve space and classroom utilization.
• Improve facility condition index ratings.
• Improve condition of research space and/or fixed equipment.
• Address life safety, ADA or code issues.
• Align with education, research or service missions.
• Align with one or more of the Next-Gen K-State strategic plan imperatives. 

Proposal submission process

• An estimate of project costs from the Division of Facilities must be included in proposals. Submit cost estimate requests to Campus Planning and Project Management by March 4 at faccampusplanning@k-state.edu.
• Proposals will be accepted from college or major unit leaders — deans, vice presidents, provost or president — until April 15. Proposals should utilize the provided project proposal template (PDF) and should be sent to Tara Fronce at tarap@k-state.edu.
• The Campus Planning and Development Advisory Committee will review and prioritize proposals based on alignment with university and Kansas Board of Regents goals.
• The total funding award will be determined once the Legislature concludes its budgetary work. Final projects selected for funding will be announced to campus later this spring.

Complete details for this process are available on the Deferred Maintenance webpage, which you can also access from the Next-Gen K-State funding opportunities page.

Last year, the Kansas Legislature also appropriated funding to state universities to help address deferred maintenance for FY24 that required a one-to-one funding match from university resources. Of the available funds, K-State allocated $3.2 million to support renovations to infrastructure necessary to relocate departments from the Unger Complex to existing main campus facilities and $210,000 to support K-State Salina campus infrastructure. The remaining $2.5 million was allocated in support of eight projects recommended by the Campus Planning and Development Advisory Committee following a call for proposals.

Questions? Contact Casey Lauer, associate vice president for facilities, at cslauer@k-state.edu; Ethan Erickson, vice president for administration and finance, at eerickson@k-state.edu; or David Rosowsky, vice president for research, at rosowsky@ksu.edu.