CITY OF WORTHINGTON REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS QUALIFICATIONS STRATEGIC BICYCLING AND WALKING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Transcription

1 CITY OF WORTHINGTON REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS QUALIFICATIONS STRATEGIC BICYCLING AND WALKING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN The City of Worthington is seeking a team of qualified design professionals (engineers, landscape architects, and/or planners) with experience in urban design, health, pedestrian and bicycle transportation planning for the preparation of a strategic bicycling and walking implementation plan for the City. This plan is intended to serve as the guiding document for the development of a network of bicycle and pedestrian routes linking activity centers within the City, as well as to the larger regional network. The network will not only make bicycling and walking a more viable mode of transportation, but will contribute to an enhanced quality of life in the City and its resultant benefits to existing residents and economic development. The selected firm will work with City of Worthington staff and decision makers to make recommendations and prepare a Master Plan document to guide the future development of active transportation infrastructure in Worthington. In particular, the City is asking the consultant to provide recommendations regarding location, type, design, operations, management and maintenance of facilities; citywide policy; education, encouragement and outreach; and, implementation and funding opportunities. Meetings with the public, business leaders, other stakeholders, City elected and appointed officials, and local pedestrian and bicycle experts and advocates are expected. BACKGROUND Worthington was founded in 1803 and is considered a first ring suburb of Columbus. The City is compact at 5.5 square miles of land, serving a population of 14,000. The "center" of the City consists of a very unique Village Green and walkable downtown that was established by its founders. The Village Green is bisected by High Street, which runs north and south, and by Dublin-Granville Road, which runs east and west. The Olentangy River also bisects the town east & west, and has a very popular regional bike trail that connects Worthington to Downtown Columbus. Interstate 270 (a bypass route) forms the northern edge of our town. Many of the older streets are narrow, with tight building setbacks and mature trees. None of the streets have designated bike lanes, and many allow visitor parking along one or on both sides of the streets. Although there is generally a good sidewalk network in the historic parts of Worthington, there are places where infill sidewalks are needed to accommodate pedestrians. Several of the neighborhoods developed over the past fifty years have no sidewalks and some of these are in neighborhoods with destination sites such as schools and shopping centers. Recognizing the need for and benefit of planned sidewalk, trail, path and bicycle connections, the Worthington City Council created a Bike and Pedestrian Steering Committee in 2013 to make recommendations to help Worthington become more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. One of the recommendations in the 2014 Bike and Pedestrian Steering Committee Recommendations Report to City Council was the establishment of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAB) which serves to advise and consult with the City Council and City Administration on the implementation of bicycle and pedestrian plans as well as annually update the Bike and Pedestrian Recommendations. To date, the City of Worthington has implemented many of the recommendations including the installation of Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons in the historic downtown area, installation of a trailhead at the Olentangy Parklands, and a Bike Rodeo with AAA. Additionally, the Advisory Board has reviewed and made recommendations on bicycle and pedestrian improvements for several construction projects in the City including the Northeast Gateway Project which has not yet been constructed and engaged in the annual Page 1 of 8

2 Street Improvements Program (SIP). Another related initiative underway being led by the Service and Engineering Department is the development of a Complete Streets Policy with technical assistance from MORPC. The need for an overall guiding document on appropriate bike and pedestrian accommodations as identified in the Bike and Pedestrian Recommendations has become a top priority. PROJECT DESCRIPTION In accordance with recommendations outlined in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Steering Committee Recommendations Report and adopted by Worthington City Council in December 2014, the city desires to develop a bicycling and walking masterplan which demonstrates its commitment to promoting health and wellness as well as providing a safe and accommodating bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. This plan will identify optimal biking and walking routes and preferred treatments. It will serve as an important implementation document that can ensure that practical key elements of the bicycle and pedestrian network are considered during road maintenance and reconstruction, included in the street improvement program, capital program and funding requests, as well as when important land use decisions are made. The masterplan will be accomplished through key elements including: Developing a clear vision and goals for bicycling and walking based on robust public input; Identifying gaps and barriers, both perceived and actual, in the existing network where high priority routes are disconnected; Developing a metric and methodology for prioritizing projects including identifying non-disruptive routes in historic Worthington, family friendly routes, and a tiered network that serves experienced riders and less experienced riders, and all ages and abilities of people on foot and bike; Identifying a system that features a first and last mile approach that maximizes use of transit, SRTS, and use of main street and parks where people walk or bike rather than drive to these destinations. Incorporating design guidance into City road standards, and best practices for operations and maintenance that can be applied to a typology of different streets and provide for a sustainable community; Encouraging the use of walking and biking not just as a viable, but as preferred alternative modes of transportation while maintaining safe, effective and efficient means of accommodating vehicular traffic within and through the community SCOPE OF SERVICES Development of the Strategic Bicycling and Walking Implementation Plan shall include, at a minimum, the following tasks and scope of services. It is anticipated that the selected firm will design and lead a process consistent with the work program outlined below. City staff and stakeholders will play a prominent role throughout the duration of the project and the selected firm will conduct regular meetings to update the Project Management Team. Consultants may suggest refinements to this work program that would better achieve project goals. Task 1 Existing Facilities, Policies and Document Review The consultant will review an inventory of existing and proposed bikeway facilities for the City of Worthington and adjacent communities within a three-mile radius. The City of Worthington will provide all available materials to the consultant. The information will include projects that have been constructed, recently completed, under construction, funded, in design, and proposed for the future. This information will be used to determine a bicycle and pedestrian network for the City of Worthington and adjacent communities. Page 2 of 8

3 In addition, some current city policies, prior studies and planning efforts have focused on non-motorized and active transportation in Worthington. The selected consultant will review these documents and policies, and will summarize key elements, common themes and inconsistencies that may exist between them. The consultant should also, as applicable, use existing data provided by Mid-Ohio regional Planning (MORPC) and other adjacent subdivisions, as appropriate. Task 2 Meetings with Steering Committee A Steering Committee consisting of approximately 8-10 representatives from the City of Worthington s Service/Engineering Department, Parks and Recreation Department, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Planning Commission and other key stakeholders will be created to coordinate with the consultant throughout the plan process. It is expected that the consultant will meet with the Steering Committee at key points in the planning process (4-6 meetings). Task 3 Public Engagement Process The selected firm will design a public engagement process that identifies and involves stakeholders at key moments throughout the study. At minimum, the following shall be included in the public engagement process: Community Workshops (minimum 2) with members of the general public. It is envisioned that the first public meeting would serve to both inform the public of the Master Plan and to listen to comments, concerns and suggestions. It is anticipated that this meeting will be an interactive workshop in which participants can markup maps indicating such items as the destinations they want to go to by bicycle or walking, the routes they prefer to use for recreation and transportation, the streets they avoid, the types of bicycle and pedestrian facilities they like, safety issues, and where bicycle parking or other amenities are needed. At the second public meeting the consultant will present the findings and recommendations of the draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and the draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Network to the general public to provide an opportunity to review and comment on the draft plan, approved by City Staff, prior to submittal to the Worthington Planning Commission, and Worthington City Council. Alternative meeting formats should be considered in order to provide the highest levels of accessibility and to reach and engage often underrepresented members of the public. Focus Group Meetings (2-4 meetings) with key stakeholder groups identified by the Steering Committee and consultant. These may include (but are not limited to) agency staff from Franklin County, Metro Parks, COTA, MORPC staff, and neighboring cities, Worthington School District administrators, members from the business community (including the Old Worthington Business Association), as well as pedestrian, bicycle, area schools, AARP and other advocacy groups. Additional Outreach and Engagement Tools should also be proposed. These include (but are not limited to) alternative meeting formats/locations/times of day, a project website, surveys and online/mobile mapping tools, utilization of the City s social media networks and biking and walking audits. Task 4 Draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Network Recommendations The consultant will compile and analyze all data collected and compiled and develop a preliminary bicycle and pedestrian network. The consultant will analyze relevant streets for potential addition of bicycle and pedestrian facilities using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis and field evaluation. The streets will be determined by the existing data review and public input. The criteria used to evaluate and screen the routes for selection into the draft network will include: suitability for bicycling and walking without improvement potential to be improved Page 3 of 8

4 destinations served (parks, schools, shopping, downtown, library, etc.) public interest in the route contribution to overall connectivity coverage of Worthington and other possible factors This network study will develop a comprehensive and continuous bicycle and pedestrian network that is appropriately distributed throughout the City of Worthington. The consultant will determine the most appropriate type of bicycle facility (i.e. on-street bike lanes, off-street bike paths, shared-use paths, signed bike routes) for each of the streets identified in the network. The type of facility will be based on: available pavement width available right-of-way community input and other site-specific conditions The Draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Network Recommendations at a minimum shall include Engineering recommendations including typical sections for new roadways based on roadway classifications and inclusion of bike and pedestrian facilities on roadways that are included in the annual Street Improvement program, Education and Encouragement recommendations, Economic, Environmental and Community recommendations and Multi-Modal Connection recommendations. The consultant will provide the Plan and Network Map in hard copy and electronic versions. Task 5 Final Strategic Implementation Plan Based on comments from the public engagement process, the consultant will finalize the Strategic Bicycle and Pedestrian Implementation Plan as well as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Network Map and provide both the Plan and Network Map in hard copy and electronic versions. In addition, the final product will also include recommendations on: Policy strategies, such as adoption of Complete Streets, or other relevant city-wide policies to support active transportation; identification of training and capacity building needs to accelerate strategic plan implementation; inclusion of additional guidance (e.g. NACTO or other model guides),as appropriate to enhance and broaden current street design standards; summary of project priorities, funding strategies and changes to existing City Standards, Codes and/or Ordinances plan of action, from short-term, mid-term and long-range changes that is action ready The consultant will present the Strategic Bicycle and Pedestrian Implementation Plan and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Network Map in a public presentation to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, Municipal Planning Commission and City Council. It is intended for the Plan and Network Map to be approved and adopted as part of the City of Worthington s Comprehensive Plan. The selected consultant shall be responsible for all elements of the Scope of Work until successful completion and final acceptance by the City. DELIVERABLES Below is a list of the minimum deliverables required for this project as described in the Scope of Work. If additional deliverables are required or will be created during the project, please list them in your proposal. All deliverables must be included in the budget. Page 4 of 8

5 Summary of existing plans and policies relevant to bicycling/walking in Worthington, and map of existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities in hard copy and electronic format (ESRI/ArcGIS compatible files). Documentation of all meetings in a summary (1 page) memorandum as well as documentation of key findings and stakeholder comments. Strategic Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan and Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Network Map Final Strategic Bicycle and Pedestrian Implementation Plan Document and Final Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Network Map. Plan of Action, from short-term, mid-term and long-range changes that is action ready Regular meetings to update the Project Management Team. In addition, attendance at the following elected/appointed official meetings is also anticipated: Three (3) Worthington Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAB) meetings One (1) Municipal Planning Commission work session Two (2) City Council meetings (one work session and one final presentation). Additional data collection (if necessary). ANTICIPATED PROJECT SCHEDULE The date for initiation of the contract as well as the overall contract performance period will be negotiated with the selected consultant based on the tentative time schedule listed below. All dates are estimates. Proposals should include any recommendations on a preferred time line by the responder. February 8, 2018 March 5, 2018 March 2018 April 2018 August 2018 November 2018 RFP distributed Proposals due Consultant interviews Contract award Draft Plan Review Final Plan Submittal PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS Proposers shall submit five (4) bound sets and one electronic PDF format copy. Bound proposal sets shall not exceed 11 x 17 in size. Proposers should provide the following: The Project Team - A brief description of the primary consultant and sub consultant (if applicable) team members along with an organization chart of the project team. Describe the role and relevant background experience of the primary individuals involved in the project, qualifications of key personnel and their responsibilities. Clearly identify the project manager and primary day-to-day contact individual. All teams must include a registered landscape architect, and a licensed civil engineer, including a verification that sufficient resources and staffing hours for key individuals identified will be available to this project Statement of Understanding Provide a brief discussion of the approach to the performance of the work requested that illustrates the proposer s understanding of the nature of the work being requested. Proposers may suggest alternatives to the proposed tasks or deliverables that improve upon achievement of the project objectives. Scope of Work - Provide a detailed proposed scope discussing the approach, methodology, personnel assigned to these tasks, proposed project timeline and any other deliverables. Proposers may suggest alternatives to the proposed tasks or deliverables that improve upon achievement of the project objectives. Please indicate additions or deletions and reason for change. Relevant Examples of Previous Work - Provide three (3) to five (5) representative examples of your firm s work on a project similar to this Masterplan. Include narrative, graphic and/or photographic examples. Page 5 of 8

6 Include the project name; project description; location; role and level of involvement of the prime firm as well as any sub-consultants; design and/or construction dates of completion; and client references with name, phone number and address. Reference information MUST include: client name, title, address, phone, and . All information must be current. At least one (1) project description and reference for each of the team members or subcontractors should also be included. Feel free to include additional information such as website links or drawings. Cost Proposal Provide a cost proposal for performing all of the work described in the proposed scope of services. Include percentage of fee assigned to each firm on the team and any other details you feel are necessary to explain/support your fee. If identifying changes/modifications to the proposed scope, provide supporting info in fee. Include identification of any anticipated reimbursable costs for mileage, lodging, meals, etc. with no markup included. Cost proposals must be valid for a minimum of ninety (90) days from receipt of proposals. Proposed Schedule Provide a time line for completion of the various Phases or tasks including key milestones and critical path items. REQUIRED CONTRACT TERMS The following contract terms will be included in the contract between the successful proposer and the City. If any proposer is not willing to comply with any of these terms, then the proposer must explain the reason for any requested modification of these terms in the Response/Price Proposal Form. 1. APPLICABLE LAWS: The proposer agrees to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Charter and Codified Ordinances of the City of Worthington. Legal action to enforce this agreement shall only be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in Franklin County, Ohio. 2. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The proposer will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, veteran status, disability or age. The proposer shall ensure that applicants for employment are considered for employment and that employees will be treated during employment, without regard to their race, religion, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, military status, disability or age. 3. INDEMNIFICATION BY PROPOSER: To the fullest extent allowed by law, the proposer shall indemnify and hold harmless the City, its employees and agents, from any liability for claims, damages, losses and expenses, including reasonable attorney fees, resulting from the negligent performance of the contract, or any negligent act or omission, by proposer, its employees, agents, subcontractors or assigns. Proposer s obligation to indemnify under this section shall not be construed to negate, abridge, or reduce other rights of indemnity or contribution to which the City, its agents or employees are legally entitled. 4. NO INDEMNIFICATION BY CITY: The City does not agree to indemnify or hold harmless the proposer, its employees and agents, from any liability for claims, damages, losses and expenses, including reasonable attorney fees, resulting from or arising under the contract. 5. INSURANCE: The proposer shall comply with the laws of the State of Ohio relating to insurance coverage and shall carry during the performance of this Agreement and keep in full force, Worker s Compensation, in amounts required by law, covering all of the proposer s employees. The proposer shall furnish documents evidencing such Worker s Compensation to the City prior to the commencem ent of the services, and upon request by the City at any time during this Agreement. The proposer shall carry the following minimum amounts of General, Automobile Liability and Professional Liability Insurance, with the City named as the additional insured, each with the following limits: a. General Liability Insurance in the amount of $500,000 for bodily injuries including those resulting in death of any one person and on account of any one accident or occurrence, $1 million aggregate. b. Automobile Liability Insurance in an amount of $500,000 from damages on account of any one accident or occurrence. Page 6 of 8

7 c. Professional Liability Insurance in the sum of not less than $1,000, annual aggregate, on a claims-made basis. The proposer shall require that any assignee, designee, contractor, or subcontractor maintain the same coverages. The proposer shall provide the City with Certificates of Insurance indicating coverage and conditions stipulated herein prior to the commencement of the Services, with the City, its elected officials, officers, agents, employees, contractors, and volunteers named as an additional insured thereon, with the exception of the Professional Liability coverage. The proposer agrees that the insurance policies required herein shall require the insurer to provide the City with thirty days prior written notice before changing the terms, amounts of coverage or the canceling of a policy. 6. MUNICIPAL INCOME TAX: The proposer shall withhold all municipal income taxes due or payable under the provisions of the income tax ordinance for wages, salaries, and commissions paid to its employees pursuant to Taxation Code found in Part 17 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Worthington, Ohio. The proposer shall require any approved subcontractors to withhold any such municipal income taxes due for services performed under this contract. The proposer will be required to sign a tax affidavit as may be required under section of the Ohio Revised Code. 7. NO PERSONAL LIABILITY FOR CITY OFFICIALS: No covenant, obligation or liabilities of the City contained in the agreement shall be deemed to be a covenant, obligation or liability of any present or future member of Council, officer, agent or employee of the City in other than their official capacity and neither the members of the City Council nor any City Official executing this Agreement, shall be liable personally by reason of the covenants, obligations or agreements of the City contained in the agreement. 8. TERMINATION FOR LACK OF FUNDS: The agreement shall be subject to immediate termination by the City, if funds are not appropriated for any fiscal period during the term of the agreement, or when the City has exhausted all funds legally available for all payments due under the agreement. 9. TERMINATION: The City reserves the right to terminate the agreement in whole or in part for default (termination due to the proposer s failure to perform satisfactorily) or convenience (termination due to the best interests of the City). The City may, without cause and without prejudice to any other right or remedy, elect to terminate the contract after giving the proposer ten (10) days written notice. The notice may be mailed, hand-delivered, or sent electronically. In such case, the proposer shall be paid for work executed, goods delivered and accepted, and any expense sustained plus a reasonable profit, unless such termination was due to the act or conduct of the contractor. Notwithstanding the above, the proposer shall not be relieved of liability to the City for damage sustained by the City by virtue of breach of the contract by the proposer and the City may withhold any payments to the proposer for the purpose of set off until such time as the exact amount of damages due the City from the proposer is determined. EVALUATION CRITERIA A review panel comprised of City Staff, BPAB members, and relevant Council Members will review all the proposals submitted. The following criteria will be used in evaluating the qualifications of each consultant: The proposal team s experience with similar projects and the references of its clients; The qualifications of the project team and their anticipated fit and working relationship with City Staff and other local officials; The demonstrated understanding of the project and the City s intended outcome of a strategic bicycling and walking implementation plan for the City; The proposed methodology and the degree of creativity and innovation displayed; The proposer s effective allocation of time and resources. Up to three (3) finalists may be invited for an interview. The individual or composite ratings and evaluation forms prepared by review board members will not be revealed. Those firms selected to participate in the Page 7 of 8

8 interview process will be provided a specific script and schedule prior to the interview. It is anticipated that a firm will be selected and a contract approved within ninety (90) days of receipt of proposals. NOTICE TO PROPOSERS This Request for Proposals does not constitute a contract or offer of employment. The cost of preparation of proposals shall be the sole obligation of the consultant. All proposals, whether accepted or rejected, shall become the property of the City. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. Elements and/or tasks may be added or deleted at the discretion of the City pending negotiation of the scope of work and compensation. All completed work, including surveys, workshop documents, schematic designs, ancillary reports and the final master plan, whether in written, video or electronic formats, becomes the property of the City at the end of the project. Questions about the proposal may arise as proposers are preparing their responses. Inquiries are to be made in writing prior to February 22, 2018 and answers thereto will be ed to all firms who have received or requested copies of the RFP. Origin of the questions will not be identified. Please direct questions to Celia Thornton, Parks and Recreation Department, (614) or cthornton@ci.worthington.oh.us. Interested firms or teams are invited to submit their proposals and statements of qualifications as described above in sealed envelopes to: Darren Hurley Director, Parks & Recreation Department 345 E. Wilson Bridge Road Worthington, OH (614) Proposals must be submitted no later than 4:00 PM on Monday, March 5, Page 8 of 8