Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization

Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) CONSULTANT FOR MPO POLICY COMMITTEE Nathaniel Moran, County Judge Glenn Green, District Engineer Jeff Warr, County Commissioner Scott Taylor, Public Works Director Ed Broussard, Tyler City Manager Gary Halbrooks, NETRMA Member Carolyn Caldwell, Lindale City Manager Joe Carlyle, Troup Mayor Aaron Smith, Whitehouse City Manager Frank Davis, County Engineer Committee Chair MPO Executive Director Martin Heines, Tyler Mayor Heather Nick, AICP

Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR A July 2018 The Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is seeking qualifications from qualified sources to provide a Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) update. For questions concerning this Request For Qualifications (RFQ) packet, contact Michael Howell, MPO Manager, P.O. Box 2039, Tyler, Texas 75710-2039, mpo@tylertexas.com. The MPO and the City of Tyler, as the fiscal agent for the MPO, reserve the right to accept or reject any or all submittals as a result of this request, to negotiate with all qualified sources, or to cancel in part or entirety if found to be in the best interest of the City of Tyler and the MPO. This RFQ does not commit the City of Tyler or the MPO to award a contract or to pay cost incurred by Respondents in the preparation, presentation, interviews or negotiation of Responses submitted in response to this solicitation. All qualifications shall be submitted in PDF format through Dropbox. Click the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/request/koq7i3ayh4bpsogtxfio and follow the instructions to submit your RFQ. Once the RFQ has been submitted, please send a confirmation email to mpo@tylertexas.com, and a staff member will respond to confirm reception of the submittal. All submissions must be received by 5:00 p.m. on August 10 th, 2018. The firm selected to provide this study is subject to approval by the Tyler City Council. The City of Tyler and the MPO may authorize contract negotiations to begin without further discussion with the contractors; therefore, each qualification should be submitted as completely as possible. The City of Tyler and the MPO reserve the right to request additional data or oral discussions/presentations in support of the written qualifications. Contracts shall be awarded on the basis of the best interest of the City of Tyler and the MPO, content and other factors being considered in the RFQ. The preparation and publication of this document was financed in part by funds provided by the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration. The provision of Federal financial assistance should not be construed as denoting U.S. Government approval of any plans, policies, programs or projects contained herein. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PAGE - 2

OBJECTIVE The objective of this RFQ is to compile a list of qualified firms to develop an update to the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) for the Tyler Area MPO. Although the MTP update will build upon previous plans and adopted policies, respondents to this RFQ are encouraged to assemble a broadbased team of consultants that have demonstrable experience and skills in long-range transportation plan development. Innovative project management approaches and strategies must also be considered. Respondents are encouraged to identify appropriate best practices for complete streets and embolden local agencies to develop an interconnected system of streets, bikeways, and walkways that supports a more compact development form. Support corridor mobility investments along major arterials that aid multiple modes of travel, through combining road capacity improvements with operational improvements to support smart growth. Furthermore, the update must demonstrate compliance with the Fixing America s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act in accordance with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) rulings. This compliance includes but is not limited to review of the current scoring mechanism and propose adjustments as necessary to ensure performance based planning is incorporated, performing revenue and project cost forecasting, and creating separate ranking categories for highway, transit, and hike and bike improvements. Proposers are invited to submit demonstrated competence and qualifications of their ability to provide these services. The information contained within this document is intended to provide interested firms or individuals with the requirements and criteria that will be used to make the selection. STUDY AREA This project encompasses Tyler Area MPO boundary. The study area is approximately 670 square miles and includes the cities of Tyler, Arp, Bullard, Hideaway, Lindale, New Chapel Hill, Noonday, Troup, Whitehouse, Winona and unincorporated areas within Smith County. The Metropolitan Area Boundary (MAB) associated with the Tyler MPO, represents the portion of the census defined as an urbanized area and the area expected to become urbanized within the next 20 years. A map of the MAB can be found here and is available on the MPO s homepage. SCHEDULED/TIME FRAME The work for this project is scheduled to begin on or about October 1, 2018. The 2045 MTP will be formally approved by the MPO Policy Committee and has an adoption deadline of November 14, 2019. There is a public involvement deadline of October 14, 2019 to present the draft transportation plan to the public. BACKGROUND Federal law requires the MTP to conform to air quality goals for the region, satisfy financial constraints such that all proposed projects can be reasonably funded, and undergo extensive public review. State law further requires the MTP process include careful environmental analysis and review. The Tyler MSA is currently in attainment of all national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and is expected to remain in attainment over the next five years. On Nov. 4, 2014, Texas voters approved the ballot measure known as Proposition 1, which authorized a constitutional amendment for transportation funding. Under the amendment, a portion of existing oil and natural gas production taxes (also known as severance taxes) would be divided evenly between the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF) and the State Highway Fund (SHF). Pursuant to Section 49-g(c), Article III, Texas Constitution, the funds may only be used for "constructing, maintaining, and acquiring rights-of-way for public roadways other than toll roads." REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PAGE - 3

On Nov. 3, 2015, Texas voters approved the ballot measure known as Proposition 7, which authorized a constitutional amendment for transportation funding. Under the amendment, a portion of sales and use taxes as well as a smaller portion of motor vehicle sales and rental taxes may only be used to (1) construct, maintain, or acquire rights-of-way for public roadways other than toll roads; or (2) repay the principal of and interest on general obligation bonds issued as authorized by Section 49-p, Article III. On Dec. 4, 2015, The Fixing America s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act was approved which continues the requirement for an overall performance management approach to transportation planning which was established by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21 st Century Act (MAP-21). The provisions required each State to set performance targets. MPOs are mandated to adopt performance targets and may adopt the State targets or establish their own. The Tyler Area MPO has chosen to adopt the safety targets established by the State and the Transit Asset Management (TAM) targets established by Tyler Transit. The State has not yet set targets for system performance and freight. The MPO recently completed an update of its Travel Demand Model (TDM) in cooperation with the TxDOT Traffic Analysis Division. The model has a 2013 base year, a 2045 forecast year, and interim years modeled for 2018, 2023, and 2028. The TDM was modeled using TransCAD software and features GIS functionality, using the TexPACK software developed for TxDOT. The MPO s Transportation Policy Committee is currently scheduled to receive final delivery and a presentation of the model from TxDOT on September 27, 2018. On Feb. 14, 2018, the MPO executed a contract with Toole Design Group to develop an Active Transportation Plan. The purpose of the plan is to establish a comprehensive bike and pedestrian network for transportation and recreational purposes and define policies, plans and programs to assist the MPO planning area in becoming a more walkable and bicycle friendly area while encouraging more people of all ages and abilities to safely walk and ride a bicycle more often. The plan, called Active Tyler, is expected to be adopted in January of 2019. SCOPE OF WORK: EXHIBIT A attached. CONTENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS Submissions, as a minimum, must include the following information as described in sections A through D below: A. Cover Letter The cover letter should include a brief summary of important points/sections of the proposal, project objectives, brief description of each section of attached proposal, and any special considerations. The letter must include the primary contact name, telephone number, and email address for each respondent agency in a proposed team. B. Project Work Program and Schedule The consultant should identify how they will undertake the tasks listed in this RFQ. The consultant should recommend a specific methodology for performance of the scope of work as defined in Exhibit A. The methodology for each task should be expanded and appropriately scheduled for the completion of the work. The MPO prefers that this contract be completed within ten months. Consultant should provide a schedule that accomplishes the scope of work within the best possible period. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PAGE - 4

C. Project Organization and Management A draft organizational and management plan for this project shall be developed. The plan shall include project staffing with an indication of the personnel to be involved, their respective roles, and percentage of hours by task dedicated to the project. A general summary of the approach to be used in accomplishing the work should be given. Consultant teams, if proposed, shall describe functions and responsibilities of the firms and staff involved. Responders to this RFQ shall clearly delineate all individuals, by names and titles that will be working on this study and their areas of responsibility. If substitutes or back-up personnel are planned on a contingency basis, they should be indicated in the plan. D. Responsibility and Qualifications The project manager and other key staff members must be specified and a clear indication given as to their involvement in the project, the amount of time they will be on-site and the percent of his/her time dedicated to this project. Brief résumés of staff members should be included. The successful respondent(s) to this RFQ must understand that they are expected to provide qualified personnel to accomplish each portion of the work in this study. Substitutions for essential personnel involved in the study will not be allowed without the MPO's prior approval and resulting delays will be the responsibility of the contractor. The MPO retains the right to request removal of any personnel found, in the MPO s opinion, to be unqualified to perform the work. We request that the prime contract signatory be specified, with title, to facilitate the preparation of the contract. E. Budget The budget for this study is $150,000. Respondents to this RFQ are not to submit a budget with their proposal but be prepared to provide a detailed budget in a timely fashion should their consultant team be ranked first. EVALUATION PROCEDURES A. The MPO RFQ Evaluation Team will review the responses to the RFQ on the basis of the respondent s documented competence, technical qualifications, and understanding of the proposed scope of work that are received by the designated closing date (August 10, 2018 at 5:00pm). B. The Evaluation Committee may elect to interview respondents in order to clarify their responses and/or for the respondents to make oral presentations. If interviews or presentations are held, the Evaluation Committee may re-evaluate the responses of those firms interviewed. Should interviews be conducted, they will be held between on a date between August 20, 2018 and August 24, 2018. C. The RFQ Evaluation Team reserves the right to contact respondents for clarification of information submitted. The MPO also reserves the right to contact references to obtain information regarding past performance, reliability, and integrity. D. Consortiums, joint ventures, or teams submitting qualification statements will not be considered responsive to this RFQ unless they have demonstrated in a management plan that all contractual responsibility rests solely with one prime contractor or legal entity of the team. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PAGE - 5

EVALUATION CRITERIA The proposal evaluation criteria for the selection of the consultant will include: Professional Qualification of Team (40%): Within the last five years, the consultant team must have completed one similar project. The consultant team must demonstrate familiarity through past performance and providing references. Experience/Availability of Project Manager and consultant team (15%): The consultant team must demonstrate its ability to meet the project schedule. The proposal shall address availability of all principal personnel in terms of percent availability by task. The prime consultant must show that sufficient resources are available to complete requested work. Understanding of Project Scope (40%): The responding consultant team must present their team s approach through further clarification and understanding of all tasks involved in this project. Any work on similar type projects may be listed to validate this understanding. The response will include a proposed schedule. Special Considerations (5%): The responding consultant team should consider including womenowned businesses (WBE), minority-owned businesses (MBE), or historically-underutilized business (HUB) where available and qualified for specific tasks. An analysis of this size and scope also offers opportunities for cost savings and innovation, and these will be recognized. CONTRACT AWARD: Evaluation team scores for each respondent will be averaged in various ways with the MPO reserving the right to choose the methodology for ranking. The scores will be used to develop a list of proposers with whom negotiations may be conducted. Additional documentation shall be at the discretion of the City of Tyler and the MPO. The targeted date for City Council approval is September 26, 2018. The City Council reserves the right to change that date. ETHICS REQUIREMENTS As a recipient of Federal funds, the successful respondent is expected to agree to abide by the ethical standards established for all public employees. Prior to City Council approval of the contract, the successful respondent will be required to complete a Form 1295 through the Texas Ethics Commission and provide proof of submittal to the MPO. PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTS WITH COMPANIES BOYCOTTING ISRAEL In accordance with Texas Government Code Section 2270, a governmental entity may not enter into a contract with a company for goods or services unless the contract contains a written verification from the company that it: 1. does not boycott Israel; and 2. will not boycott Israel during the term of the contract. Prior to City Council approval of the contract, the successful respondent will be required to submit a signed document certifying that the company agrees to the conditions listed above. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PAGE - 6

COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS The successful respondent will be required to comply with, in addition to other provisions of the agreement, the conditions required by applicable Federal regulations, including the following: A. Equal Employment Opportunity Successful respondent will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity Laws and Regulations. B. Title VI Assurances Successful respondent will be required to comply with all requirements imposed by Title VI of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 (49 U.S.C. Section 2000d), the Regulations of DOT issued there under (49 C.F.R. part 21), and the assurances by the MPO thereto. C. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Participation In connection with receiving grants from the Department of Transportation, the MPO has established a goal of 1.76% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation in its third party consulting opportunities. Each selected respondent is encouraged to take affirmative action and make every effort possible to utilize DBE firms in the performance of work under this contract. Nothing in this provision shall be construed to require the utilization of any DBE firm, which is either unqualified or unavailable. MPO RESPONSIBILITIES The MPO is responsible for project administration and final decisions on all contractual matters. Further inquiries as to the Scope of Work should be directed to: Michael Howell MPO Manager mpo@tylertexas.com No oral interpretations as to the meaning of the RFQ will be made to any respondent. Any explanation desired by a respondent regarding the meaning or interpretation of the RFQ, Scope of Work, etc., must be requested in writing on or before August 8, 2018. Responses to inquiries about the RFQ and attachments and/or any addendums will be posted on the webpage https://www.cityoftyler.org/departments/tylerareametropolitanplanningorganization/requestforqualifi cations.aspx. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PAGE - 7

EXHIBIT A SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE METROPOLITAN TRANAPORTATION PLAN In this Scope of Work, Consultant refers to the Team of Consultants with the Prime Consultant serving as the principal contact with the MPO. The scope of services to be provided by the Consultant involves developing a Metropolitan Transportation Plan for the Tyler Area MPO. In general, the Plan is envisioned to consist of recommendations for a community-supported comprehensive network of multimodal transportation options to connect neighborhood users to special generators and key destinations. TASK 0 PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION The Consultant s Project Manager, in coordination with the MPO staff, will be responsible for directing and coordinating all activities associated with the project. 0.1 Progress Reports and Invoices The Consultant will review the project schedule and prepare monthly progress reports for review by the MPO Manager. Invoices for all work completed during the period will be submitted monthly [with a progress report] for work performed by the Consultant and all Sub consultants. Monthly progress reports will include a summary of: A. Activities, ongoing or completed, during the reporting period; B. Activities planned for the following month; C. Problems encountered and actions to remedy them; D. Status, including a tabulation of percent complete by task, management schedule showing study progress, supporting documentation and, E. Summaries of stakeholder or public meetings held. 0.2 Control/Scheduling At the beginning of the project the Consultant will prepare a graphic schedule indicating tasks, milestones, and deliverables. 0.3 Sub-consultant Management and Meetings The Consultant will prepare subcontracts for Sub-consultant(s), monitor Sub-consultant staff activities and adherence to schedules, and review and recommend approval of Sub consultant invoices. Also, the Consultant will schedule and participate in meetings throughout the project. 0.4 Quality Assurance/Quality Control The Consultant will provide continuous quality assurance and quality control throughout the life of the study. The prime consultant shall provide the MPO staff periodic opportunities to perform their contract monitoring duties of all consultant team agencies. 0.5 Deliverables Project schedule; Monthly invoice and progress report; and Letter stating that the sub consultant agreements are in place. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PAGE - 8

TASK 1 ANALYSIS 1.1 Review Current Plans The Consultant will reference the MPO s current transportation planning documents. The MTP will be consistent with and will advance the goals and objectives of the adopted planning documents and plans currently under development (see below). The plan will build upon these plans to establish a comprehensive multi-modal transportation network. A. 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan B. Master Street Plan C. Tyler Transit System D. Demographic and Employment Inputs for Travel Demand Forecast E. Industry Growth Initiative F. Active Tyler (in development) i. Regional Trail Plan (current plan) ii. Pedestrian Access Study (current plan) G. City of Tyler Comprehensive Plan, Tyler 1st, with particular focus on: i. Chapter 4: Downtown Master Plan ii. Chapter 5: North End Revitalization iii. Chapter 9: Business and Economy iv. Chapter 10: Transportation and Circulation v. Chapter 14: Implementation Plan H. Area Development Plans: i. Texas College ii. University Woods iii. Midtown 1.2 Travel Demand Model The Consultant will develop socioeconomic forecasts that reflect anticipated future growth in the region and conduct an analysis of future transportation system needs across all modes of travel. 1.3 Roadways The Consultant will utilize the Travel Demand Model to forecast future system performance. The analysis shall identify the most congested streets in the base, interim and forecast years. The Consultant will use alternatives analysis and scenario planning to forecast the impact of various transportation improvements on the needs assessment. 1.4 Public Transportation The Consultant will review the existing public transportation network for providers of public transportation services (e.g. bus, rail, airports) and private providers of transportation (including intercity bus operators, employer-based commuting programs, such as carpool program, vanpool program, transit benefit program, parking cash-out program, shuttle program, or telework program). The analysis will include a summary of the availability and connectivity of these services, identify service gaps and discuss opportunities for improvements. 1.5 Active Transportation The Consultant will reference the information from the Active Tyler plan which is expected to be adopted in January of 2019. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PAGE - 9

1.6 Freight The Consultant will review the freight network in accordance with the FAST Act performance measures and targets to be developed by the State and provide a summary identifying needs and opportunities for improvements. 1.7 Environmental The Consultant will provide an environmental analysis covering all FAST Act mandated areas (e.g. air quality, stormwater mitigation, energy conservation, etc.) and provide a summary identifying needs and opportunities for improvements. 1.8 Equity The Consultant will conduct an environmental justice assessment, and perform an analysis demonstrating job locations versus living quarters similar to the Center for Transportation Equity Decisions & Dollars. The Consultant will create maps to shows the results of the analyses along with a summary identifying needs and opportunities for improvements. 1.9 Deliverables TransCAD files for any revisions made to the transportation model; PDF copies of all maps and other visual aids created to support the analyses; and GIS data related to all maps and other visual aids created to support the analyses. TASK 2 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 2.1 Public Involvement Methods The Consultant is expected to utilize a range of stakeholder involvement methods to reach and engage the entities to maximize input throughout the plan development. The planning process shall combine face-to-face meetings with the use of digital tools to enhance stakeholder participation. The plan will include documentation of all stakeholder and public involvement activities and provide a summary of the feedback garnered. 2.2 Stakeholder/Agency Outreach The Consultant will work with the MPO to identify key stakeholders and MPO partners that are required to be included in the transportation planning process. These stakeholders/agencies may include: local governments, freight companies, transportation providers, and representatives for pedestrians, bicyclists and the disabled. The consultant will create an engagement strategy for these entities that satisfies Federal requirements. The Consultant will work with the MPO to schedule and conduct regular review meetings throughout the MTP development process. 2.3 Public Meetings The Consultant will provide personnel, documents and visual aids for two (2) meetings with the Public. One meeting will be at the beginning of the study to inform the public of the project and its objectives. The second meeting will be at the end of the study to report and receive input on finding and outcomes. The meetings will be compliant with the MPO s adopted Public Participation Plan (PPP). 2.4 Digital Engagement The Consultant will engage the public utilizing digital means which may include, but is not limited to: design, creation and launch of an on-line website with citizen survey, survey equipment (ipad kiosks at public libraries, city halls, etc.), virtual public meeting or open house, interactive techniques during public meetings and other public outreach activities. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PAGE - 10

2.5 Deliverables Responses to questionnaires and comment forms; A brief memorandum for each public meeting describing the event, attendance, questions, comments about the study, outcomes, and follow up needed; and A brief memorandum outlining reoccurring statements made through the digital engagement activities. TASK 3 PROJECT PRIORITIZATION 3.1 Project Identification The Consultant will work will the MPO to develop a list of projects to be used in conjunction with the public input and needs analysis to evaluate various transportation improvement scenarios. This task includes conducting a call for projects exercise with the MPO s Transportation Policy Committee. The Consultant will also update the descriptions of projects currently listed in the 2040 MTP to include recommendations from the Active Tyler plan in the project scope. 3.2 Project Ranking Methodology The project ranking methodology in the current MTP provides a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis which was established to satisfy the requirements of MAP-21. The Consultant will review the methodology and create an update which incorporates any new considerations put in place by the FAST Act. The current process includes a weighting system based on public input. This weighting system will be presented to the public for potential revisions. The Consultant will provide the MPO with a Standard Operating Procedure for the methodology and provide any spreadsheets, databases or other documents required for the MPO to add and rank a new project. 3.3 Scoring Exercise The Consultant will provide staff and resources to conduct a complete project ranking exercise with the MPO s Technical Advisory Committee to score all projects identified in Task 3.1 using the revised ranking methodology developed in Task 3.2. 3.4 Bicycle, Pedestrian and Transit Projects The Active Tyler Plan will include a list of projects, scoring methodology and rankings. The Consultant will work with Tyler Transit to develop listing of items required to meet Federal Transit Administration requirements. 3.5 Deliverables Standard Operating Procedure (Word or PDF format) for ranking a new transportation project; and Spreadsheets, databases or other documents required for the MPO to add and rank a new project. TASK 4 FEDERAL COMPLIANCE 4.1 Financial Constraint In accordance with the mandates of the FAST Act, the MTP recommendations must be fiscally constrained. The Consultant will prepare an assessment of the estimated funding availability which can reasonably be expected to be available from all sources during the plan period. The calculations will include a rate of growth factor which will be agreed upon in consultation with the MPO and TxDOT. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PAGE - 11

4.2 Performance-Based Planning In accordance with the mandates of the FAST Act, the MTP must include a description of the Federally required performance measures and performance targets used in assessing the performance of the transportation system. The Consultant will provide a brief memo demonstrating how the MTP is compliant with the provisions of the FAST Act and how performance based planning has been incorporated into the MTP process. The Consultant will also create a system performance report evaluating the condition and performance of the transportation system with respect to the Federally required performance targets including progress achieved by the MPO toward the performance targets. 4.3 Deliverables Assessment of the estimated funding including rate of growth factor for MPO and TxDOT review; and A brief memorandum demonstrating FAST Act compliance and outlining how performance based planning has been incorporated into the MTP process. TASK 5 FINAL REPORT 5.1 Report Contents The Consultant will deliver a final report which addresses all Federal transportation planning requirements and reasonably satisfies all comments made during the public involvement phase of the project. The report will include a description of the public engagement and contain a summary of how the feedback was incorporated into the decision making process. The report shall be delivered in 8.5x11 inch portrait format. Separate maps, drawings and or other exhibits may be printed larger 8.5x11 in order to provide optimal detail. 5.2 Plan Recommendations The Consultant will use the financial assessment of the anticipated costs and revenues to prepare a realistic list of projects for construction based on the anticipated funding levels. Identified projects which cannot reasonably be forecasted to have available funds by 2045 will be grouped as illustrative projects. In addition to the projects list, the Consultant will propose policies and actions to address system deficiencies and opportunities identified during the multimodal analysis (Task 1). 5.3 Draft Plan The Consultant will develop a draft plan for consideration by the public, stakeholders and policy makers and make revisions to the draft in consultation with the MPO staff. All outreach will be compliant with the MPO s Public Participation Plan. 5.4 Deliverables One (1) digital copy of the report (8.5x11 portrait format) and exhibits in Adobe PDF format; One (1) digital copy of the report in an editable format such as MS Word or other common program; and PDF copies of all system map(s) in the report sized to their original aspect ratio. END OF EXHIBIT A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS PAGE - 12