Request for Proposal (RFP) Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART): Vanpool Program Telematics Air Quality Improvement Before and After Study Introduction The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART), in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration, is seeking to engage qualified planning consultants for an Air Quality improvement Before and After study. The purpose of this study is to identify the air quality benefits associated with the implementation of telematics devices in PART s vanpool fleet. It is anticipated that this study will include both a before and after analysis. It is expected that the awarded consultant be able to propose what methodology and tasks are needed to accurately complete the project; however, it is assumed that the study will include a phased approach. The successful consultant will be expected to: 1) develop a detailed scope of work laying out specific tasks with approximate durations, required resources, and responsibility assignments, 2) outline detailed instructions for completing individual tasks for consistency, 3) provide a detailed sheet listing proposed man hours to accomplish each task, and 4) provide complete and detailed documentation and dataset for each task. Primary (and/or sub consultant firm(s) shall be in good standing and have the ability to be approved to perform services for the NCDOT Transportation Planning Branch. Background Information State and local organizations have worked with various types of transportation services to better meet the travel needs of their constituents. These innovative projects also may show promise in reducing emissions, but do not yet have supporting data. The FHWA has supported and funded some of these projects as demonstrations to determine their benefits and costs. Such innovative strategies are not intended to bypass the definition of basic project eligibility, but seek to better define the projects' future role in strategies to reduce emissions. 9/27/2017 Page 1
For a project or program to qualify as an innovative project, it should be defined as a transportation project and be expected to reduce emissions by decreasing VMT, fuel consumption, congestion, or by other factors. The FHWA encourages States and MPOs to creatively address their air quality problems and to consider new services, innovative financing arrangements, PPPs, and complementary approaches that use transportation strategies to reach clean air goals. Given the untried nature of these innovative projects, before-and-after studies should be completed to determine actual project impacts on air quality as measured by net emissions reduced. These assessments should document the project's immediate impacts in addition to long-term benefits. A schedule for completing the study should be a part of the project agreement. Completed studies should be submitted to the FHWA Division office within 3 years of implementation of the project or 1 year after the project's completion, whichever is sooner. Project Objective The primary objective will be to collect vanpool group and vehicle behavioral data to identify activities that may result in unnecessary emission outputs and wasteful fuel consumption. This could include elements such as vehicle idling, maintenance, faulty equipment, and aggressive speeding. The awarded consultant should provide detailed recommendations outlining how such data will be collected. Subsequently, the awarded consultant will be expected to compare these behavioral traits against data collected and provided by the telematics devices to determine which activities could be addressed or minimized by the installation and use of the devices. It is expected that the consultant will coordinate with PART s proposed telematics vendor to obtain a full understanding of the data the devices can collect, ability for PART to receive information regarding faults, system benchmarking, and historical data/trend analysis provided through administrative functionality. It is also expected that the consultant will investigate how the devices can support data collection on positive air quality effects taking place by the vanpools. Final Deliverables The consultant will be expected to provide the following project deliverables: 1) Methodology and Tasks (with responsibilities) for completing the project. 2) Vanpool Air Quality Benefits and Current Driver Behavior 3) Changes in Drive Behavior and Emission Benefits (Carbon Monoxide (CO), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and Particulate Matter (PM2.5) after the installation of Telemetric Devices 9/27/2017 Page 2
Task 1.0: Project Management Plan This task covers all of the administrative tasks needed to manage and run a successful project. After completing negotiations with the PART project manager the successful consultant will develop a project management plan that addresses the following items: Project Purpose, Assumptions and constraints, A scope of work, A work breakdown structure assigning responsibility to members of the consulting team, Processes for managing cost, scope and schedule changes, Project milestones, Critical dependencies (i.e., what critical items the consulting team must have to complete their work, and when they need it to meet the schedule), and A communications plan showing what messages go to stakeholders, when they are sent, how often they are sent, the media used, and the feedback mechanism, and a list of foreseeable risks to project completion or success. Task 2.0: Scope of work A consultant should be able to propose what methodology and tasks are needed to complete this project. Given the untried nature of these innovative projects, before-andafter studies should be completed to determine actual project impacts on air quality as measured by net emissions reduced. These assessments should document the project's immediate impacts in addition to long-term benefits. A schedule for completing the study should be a part of the project agreement. Task 3.0: Final Report Task 3.1 Summary The consultant needs to prepare and present the final project report to the PART Project Committee. Task 3.2 Prepare and Present Summary Project Report to PART Project Committee The consultant shall prepare a summary report for presentation to the PART Program Manager. The summary report shall be in Word.docx format. A presentation shall be prepared in PowerPoint format. The consultant will present the summary report to the PART Project Oversight Committee at a mutually acceptable location. This final report shall be written to be understandable by a non-specialist layman who may be required to evaluate the project. The report shall include the following sections: 9/27/2017 Page 3
Task objectives and deliverable descriptions; Description of task methodology; Presentation of summary observations; and Discussion of findings and Emission Benefits (Carbon Monoxide (CO), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Task 3.3 Prepare and Present Summary Project Report to PART Board of Trustee s The consultant shall prepare a summary report and presentation for the PART Board of Trustee s. The report and associated PowerPoint presentation will summarize the work completed in this project as well as identify application of the Use of Telematics devices to the Vanpool / Shared ride industry for Emission Benefits (Benefits (Carbon Monoxide (CO), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and Particulate Matter (PM2.5). Technical Oversight and Review A Project Oversight Committee consisting of members from PART, NCDOT and FHWA will be responsible for direct supervision of tasks performed. A lead technical contact will be designated and is responsible for day to day project management. Regularly submitted status updates will be disseminated by email or conference calls to the PART Project Manager and will give Oversight Committee members an opportunity for input and technical guidance. Consultant/Contractor Selection The Technical Oversight Team intends to use a qualifications based process in which the selection committee reviews submittals by consultants and in which PART will negotiate the contract with the most qualified respondent. If PART is unable to successfully negotiate a contract with the preferred consultant then PART reserves the right to suspend negotiations with that consultant and open negotiations with the next most qualified respondent. PART anticipates a large number of respondents and reserves the right to make the final selection based on presentations made by up to three finalist respondents. Selection Criteria The Technical Oversight Team will use the following criteria to evaluate the respondents and select finalists from amongst the full list of respondents. We will ask the reviewers to rate each criterion on a five point scale: poor, fair, average, good or excellent. 9/27/2017 Page 4
Work Plan (30%) The project selection committee will review the responses for clarity, completeness, and understanding of the needed work. The work plan shall include enough detail for professionals working in transportation or land use planning to evaluate its validity and the pros and cons of the approach. This is the heart of the projects and is weighted as such. Similar Experience (30%) The project selection committee seeks a consultant with a strong understanding of Vanpool operations and Air Quality data and calculating emission benefits. Similar is key here the selection committee suggests that proposers carefully consider the projects listed in this section. Professional Qualifications of the Project Manager and Project Team (20%)- The project selection committee seeks a project team familiar with USDOT (FHWA) and NCDOT requirements as they relate to Air Quality and data compilation, analysis, emission reduction strategies. In particular the project manager shall be able to demonstrate a track record of successfully completing similar project plans and related technical studies. The Consultant shall also be able to demonstrate that the team includes specialists in the Air Quality field, Emission reduction studies or Vanpool operations. The Ability to quickly and efficiently complete the project (10%) - The respondent shall provide sufficient information in their proposal to allow the project selection committee to ascertain that the consultant can develop and maintain a project schedule and meet the project deadline. Working Relationship with Stakeholders (10%) At a minimum the project selection committee expects that the selected consultant and team members be capable of inclusion to NCDOT s approved list of consultants for this type of work. The selection committee also hopes that the selected consultant will have performed work for more than one of the Project Oversight committee stakeholders in the past. PART reserves the right to use a two-step selection process in which a maximum of three short-listed consultants present their proposals to the selection committee. In the event that there is an interview and the firm is short-listed PART expects the presentation to focus on the work plan and schedule. However, in order to expedite the project PART hopes to select based solely on the written proposals. 9/27/2017 Page 5
The Consultant Selection Committee The consultant selection committee will consist of five members distributed as follows two staff members from PART, one representative each from FHWA, and two members from NCDOT. Submission Guidelines Preparing and reviewing a work proposal is a significant investment of staff time for both proposers and the reviewers. One of the selection committee s goals is to minimize the selection committee s review time as well as the time needed for the consultants to prepare a meaningful proposal. Please ensure that any submittals meet the following submission guidelines: A one page cover, or, transmittal letter to PART (The cover letter does not count against the page limit), A project proposal that is no longer than 15 numbered pages. The proposal may be either single or double sided but double sided proposals shall be numbered front and back, Neither the front nor back covers of bound proposals count against the page limit, Full page graphics count as pages, The project plan, project schedule, team availability charts, man hours per task, project references, and resumes all count against the page limit, Any forms, or certifications, required to fully respond to the proposal shall be included in an appendix and will not count against the page limit, The proposal shall specifically address each of the project selection criteria listed above, Minimum Font size for the body text is 10 points. However, a 12 point font is preferred. Any firm proposing to use corporate subsidiaries or subcontractors must include a statement that these companies are properly registered with the State of North Carolina (NC Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, NC Board of Licensing for Geologists, NC Appraisal Board, and NC Real Estate Commission, NC System of Higher Education, etc.). The Professional firm performing the work and in responsible charge of the work must be licensed in the State of North Carolina as a professional firm or accredited with a higher education system of the State of North Carolina and must have a good ethical and professional standing. All other professionals performing the work and in responsible charge of the work must be registered by the appropriate Board or Commission in the State of North Carolina or accredited with a higher education system of the State of North Carolina and must have a good ethical and professional standing. It is the 9/27/2017 Page 6
responsibility of the selected firm to verify the registration of any corporate subsidiary or subcontractor prior to submitting a Letter of Interest. The firm must have the financial ability to undertake the work and assume the liability. The selected firm will be required to furnish proof of Professional Liability insurance coverage in the minimum amount of $1,000,000. The firm must have an adequate accounting system to identify costs chargeable to the project. DBE/MBE/WBE/HUB SUBCONTRACTOR CERTIFICATION Form RS-2 The firm shall submit a Form RS-2 Form with its proposal whether or not DBE participation is anticipated. Complete a Form RS-2 for each DBE firm to be or anticipated to be utilized by your firm. Complete each Form RS-2 as follows: TIP No. and/or Type of Work (Limited Services) Insert TIP Number and Project Description; Consultant/Firm Name and Federal Tax ID Complete the Consultant/Firm name and Federal Tax ID Number for the primary firm information; Sub-consultant/Firm Name and Federal Tax Id Complete the Subconsultant/Sub Firm name and Federal Tax ID Number for the sub firm information; Service/Item Description Describe work to be performed by the Sub Firm; Anticipated Utilization Insert dollar value or percent of work to the Subconsultant/Sub Firm, and; Completion of both Signature boxes Signatures of both Sub-consultant and Prime Consultant are required on each RS-2 Form to be submitted with the Letter of Interest (LOI) to be considered for selection. In the event the firm has no DBE participation, the form must be signed and submitted with the Letter of Interest (LOI) with the word NONE entered under Service/Item Description, or ZERO under anticipated utilization. The form is available on the NCDOT website under the Connect NCDOT Business Partner Resources tab at http://www.connect.ncdot.gov/business. Enter in the search field RS-2 to obtain the applicable pdf file for your ability to fill out and submit with your project proposal. Submission Date Private firms are invited to submit letters of interest and completed RFQs for providing the requested project development, to the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation at 9/27/2017 Page 7
107 Arrow Rd., Greensboro, NC 27409, Attention Supriya Raghav, PART Regulatory Affairs Specialist by 4:00 P.M. EST on October 20, 2017. Letters of interest and completed RFPs submitted after this deadline will not be considered. Three (3) total letters of interest and completed RFP s are required. Firms submitting fewer copies will not be considered. In addition, PART requires receiving one electronic (PDF) version of the proposal submitted to minimize the time needed to transmit proposals to the reviewers. The electronic version should be less than 6MB for email distribution. Firms should make themselves available for interviews on November 2, 2017. The firms that are short listed for a follow up interview by the technical committee will be notified directly by the PART Executive Director. Firms submitting letters of interest and completed RFPs are encouraged to carefully check them for conformance to the requirements stated above. If letters of interest and completed RFPs do not meet these requirements or if they are delivered to any office other than the PART administrative office the submittal will be disqualified. No exception will be granted. Firms wishing to submit by US Mail or other service should address their letters of interest and completed RFPs to: Supriya Raghav Regulatory Affairs Specialist PART 107 Arrow Road Greensboro, NC 27409 Firms needing clarifying information on the scope of work should contact Supriya Raghav, by telephone at (336) 291-4322, or email supriyar@partnc.org. 9/27/2017 Page 8
ATTACHMENT A Reference Contract Clauses - Attachment A documentation that accompanies this RFP. Properly reviewed and signed Federal clauses are a requirement of RFP submittal and contract consideration. The information below is a reference to the federal compliances related to the project. Federally Required and Other Model Contract Clauses 1. Patent Rights and Data 2. Energy Conservation 3 Clean Water Requirements 4. Access to Records and Reports 5. Federal Changes 6. Clean Air 7. No Government Obligation to Third Parties 8. Program Fraud and False or Fraudulent Statements and Related Acts 9. Termination 10. Government-wide Debarment and Suspension 11. Privacy Act 12. Civil Rights Requirements 13. Breaches and Dispute Resolution 14. Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) 15. NC E-Verify 16. Iran Divestment Act 9/27/2017 Page 9