REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
July 11, 2017
CONSULTING SERVICES FOR NORTH DAKOTA’S STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN (SHSP)
HES-9-999(398) PCN 21953
Ron Henke, P.E.
INTERIM DIRECTOR
NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
PROPOSALS MUST BE DELIVERED TO
STEVE CUNNINGHAM
ENVIRONMENTAL AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES DIVISION
By 12:00 PM Central Time AUGUST 1, 2017
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) is requesting the services of a qualified firm to provide consulting services for North Dakota’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) and associated processes.
NDDOT reserves the right to assign work in phases and have the firm selected perform any additional work not currently assigned. Project work items may be added or removed from the contract by work authorization or supplementary agreement.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The NDDOT administers the state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). The SHSP establishes statewide performance measures, goals, and objectives to reduce motor vehicle crash fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads in North Dakota. The SHSP includes priority emphasis areas and describes a program of strategies that use road design, technology, behavior and policy approaches to crash reduction.
The SHSP is the comprehensive plan through which other transportation safety plans must coordinate. The SHSP is a federal requirement codified under 23 USC § 148 with implementing rules under 23 CFR Part 924.
The SHSP must consist of the following features:
· A consultative approach with multidisciplinary stakeholders
· Strategic direction and coordination
· Data driven problem identification
· A performance-based approach
· Use of effective strategies (i.e., countermeasures)
· A process for implementing strategies
· Consideration of 4Es (education, enforcement, engineering and emergency medical services) when determining highway safety strategies
· A process for evaluation
· Application of special rules
o High risk rural roads
o Strategies to address older driver and pedestrian safety, if there has been an increase in fatalities and serious injuries to older drivers and pedestrians
Federal regulation designates the state Department of Transportation (DOT) as the lead agency and also identifies stakeholder groups that must be included in the SHSP process. The SHSP must be approved by the Governor or a responsible state agency. States must update their SHSP every five years.
The NDDOT completed a Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan (CHSP) in June 2005. The CHSP was updated to meet newly established SHSP requirements in 2006. And, the SHSP was updated again in 2013. The administrative structure for North Dakota’s SHSP is provided below (Figure 1). Implementation of the strategies within the 2013 North Dakota SHSP is ongoing.
The 2013 SHSP can be viewed at:
https://www.dot.nd.gov/divisions/safety/docs/ND_SHSP_final_2013-09-09.pdf
Figure 1
The NDDOT Safety Division is responsible to coordinate the SHSP process on behalf of SHSP stakeholders statewide and consistent with applicable federal rules and regulations.
Priorities for North Dakota’s SHSP are to:
· Focus prevention efforts and resources to the priority emphasis areas that will most dramatically reduce overall crash fatalities and serious injuries.
· Identify, deploy, and evaluate strategies to move North Dakota toward zero deaths – a long-term goal within North Dakota’s SHSP.
· Expand stakeholder involvement to elevate the SHSP as a statewide priority.
· Establish a safety culture in North Dakota where deaths and injuries from vehicle crashes are recognized as preventable and no longer tolerated as acceptable.
SCOPE OF WORK
The NDDOT requests proposals from applicants interested in providing the following scope of work.
PHASE 1 – CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE NORTH DAKOTA SHSP
General Activity
· Complete all work in cooperation with the NDDOT’s SHSP program coordinator and other NDDOT team members. Coordinate with other entities identified by the NDDOT including stakeholders and consultants identified in this scope of work.
· Coordinate and conduct weekly conference calls with the SHSP program coordinator and other NDDOT team members to guide project activity.
· Evaluate North Dakota’s SHSP structure and capacity to: (1) engage stakeholders, (2) analyze data, (3) implement strategies, and (4) evaluate progress. Suggest opportunities and actions for improvement based on best practices.
· Assure all federal rules and regulations are met during the SHSP update process and within the SHSP document.
Public Engagement
· Identify key stakeholders – those required by federal regulation and other traditional and non-traditional partners – for participation in the SHSP process.
· Develop and maintain stakeholder lists including stakeholder name, organization, and contact information.
· Develop public engagement and outreach strategies to build a foundation for knowledge of and support for the SHSP statewide.
· Assist the NDDOT to inform and involve stakeholders in the process to update the North Dakota SHSP. Stakeholders include: the SHSP Executive Leadership Team, the SHSP Steering Committee, the SHSP implementation teams and other identified partners.
Data Analysis
The primary characteristic of a SHSP is that it is data-driven. Data provides SHSP stakeholders with the information necessary to: identify the priority safety problems, direct limited resources to areas with the highest potential to reduce crash fatalities and serious injuries, select appropriate strategies, and measure the effectiveness of the plan.
· Work with the NDDOT and the North Dakota State University (NDSU) Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) to identify traffic records data for analysis and to determine an approach to analyze the data to identify priority emphasis areas and strategies for the SHSP. UGPTI will complete the data analysis.
SHSP Development
· Develop a timeline of activity to complete an update to the North Dakota SHSP that is compliant with all federal rules and regulations.
o A draft SHSP must be complete and available to the SHSP coordinator by July 1, 2018 for stakeholder review and comment.
o The SHSP must be complete and available to submit to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) North Dakota Division for approval by August 1, 2018.
· Assure coordination with other safety plans including the Highway Safety Improvement Plan (HSIP), the Highway Safety Plan (HSP), the Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan (CVSP), Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) plans, and statewide, local, and tribal transportation plans.
· Through literature review and use of the following resources, identify effective strategies for selection, prioritization and implementation by stakeholders.
o The National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) 500 Series
o The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Countermeasures That Work document
· Provide expert technical assistance and training related to infrastructure and non-infrastructure strategies throughout the process.
· Plan and facilitate regional workshops for stakeholder involvement and input on the update to the SHSP. Workshops will focus on:
o An orientation to the SHSP process
o Data analysis
o Priority emphasis areas based on data
o Safety performance measures, targets, rules and regulations
o Evidence-based or innovative strategies that exist to improve infrastructure and behavior safety
o Strategy selection and prioritization for each priority emphasis area
o Implementation plan
o Evaluation plan
· Develop or provide assistance to produce “plan products” to include:
o Meeting agendas and support materials
o Meeting minutes
o Reports and summaries to document planning and technical assistance meetings with stakeholder groups, as necessary
o An updated SHSP document that is compliant with federal requirements
§ A draft SHSP must be complete and available to the SHSP coordinator by July 1, 2018 for stakeholder review and comment.
§ The SHSP must be complete and available to submit to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) North Dakota Division for approval by August 1, 2018.
SHSP Implementation
· Work with the NDDOT, the SHSP Executive Leadership Team, the SHSP Steering Committee, and strategy implementation teams for effective SHSP strategy implementation.
· Develop or provide assistance to produce “plan products” to include:
o Strategy implementation plans
o A communications plan for ongoing stakeholder involvement
SHSP Evaluation
· Work with the NDDOT, the SHSP Executive Leadership Team, the SHSP Steering Committee, and strategy implementation teams for effective SHSP evaluation.
· Develop or provide assistance to produce “plan products” to include:
o An SHSP evaluation plan
o An annual report template
PHASE 2 – REVIEW OF THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (HSIP) SAFETY ANALYSIS PROCESSES
The NDDOT reserves the option to retain services for a review of the HSIP safety analysis processes.
Phase 2 shall consist of all activities necessary to complete a review and documentation of the NDDOT existing HSIP safety analysis processes, and identify steps for enhancement. The review should identify how the NDDOT highway safety analysis can employ state-of-the-practice methods and advanced analytical techniques to continue to meet HSIP requirements and NDDOT needs.
Activities to include:
· Review existing processes
· Identify safety analysis gaps and limitations
· Develop options for addressing current safety analysis gaps and limitations
· Develop an implementation plan with specific action steps and identify specific system enhancements and supporting elements needed to implement the action plan
Phase 2 activities shall be consistent with HSIP requirements and shall follow the Highway Safety Manual roadway safety management process. Phase II will be considered complete upon receipt of documentation of the review and an implementation plan.
PROJECT SCHEDULE
The NDDOT anticipates entering into a contract with an effective date beginning on or before October 1, 2017.
NDDOT intends to execute one cost plus fixed fee contract requiring monthly billings with the chosen firm to complete Phase I.
PROPOSED SUB CONSULTANT REQUEST
Sub Consultant firms that have been contacted and agree to be listed on the Prime Consultants Project Proposal for work with NDDOT must submit original form and one copy to be attached to the Prime Consultants Proposal. This form is used for informational purposes only. See NDDOT web site for form SFN 60232. (http://www.dot.nd.gov/dotnet/forms/forms.aspx)
PRIME CONSULTANT REQUEST TO SUBLET
The successful firm will be required to include the attached ‘Prime Consultant Request to Sublet’ form for each sub consultant listed on the contract prior to execution of the contract. The form assures that the contract between the Prime consultant and all Sub consultants contains all the pertinent provisions and requirements of the prime contract with the NDDOT. See NDDOT web site for form SFN 60233. (http://www.dot.nd.gov/dotnet/forms/forms.aspx)
DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (DBE)
49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 26 (CFR) states that the consultant, sub recipient, or sub consultant shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex in the performance of this contract. Consultants shall carry out applicable requirements of 49 CFR Part 26 in the solicitation, award, and administration of USDOT-assisted contracts. Failure by the consultant, to carry out these requirements is a material breach of the contract, which may result in the termination of the contract or such other remedy as the recipient deems appropriate. For information regarding the DBE Program, see the 2016 DBE Program Manual at: http://www.dot.nd.gov/divisions/civilrights/docs/dbe/dbe-program-admin-manual.pdf
TITLE VI/NON-DISCRIMINATION AND ADA
Title VI assures that no person or group of persons may, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any and all programs or activities administered by the Department. For information regarding Title VI, see the 2016 Title VI/Nondiscrimination and ADA Program at: http://www.dot.nd.gov/divisions/civilrights/docs/titlevi/NDDOT-Title-VI-ADA-2016.pdf
The two paragraphs above apply to every consultant on the project, including every tier of sub consultant. It is the consultant’s, or sub consultant’s responsibility to include the two above paragraphs in every subcontract.
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Firms interested in performing the work must submit five hard copies of their proposal and one electronic copy in PDF format. Both the hard copies and electronic copy must be submitted prior to the date and time listed on the cover of this RFP to be considered. Late proposals will not be considered.
Proposals shall be submitted to:
Steve Cunningham
Environmental and Transportation Services Division
NDDOT
608 East Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58505
· Each proposal shall contain a cover letter signed by an authorized officer who can sign contracts for the firm. The pages of the cover letter will not be counted as a part of the pages. Also include the individual’s email address below each signature on the cover letter.
· The proposal pages shall be numbered and must be limited to 10 pages in length (size 11 font). Proposals that exceed the page length requirement will not be considered.
· The proposal must include the following information.
o Experience and Past Performance. Provide information specific to prior experience completing Phase 1 and Phase 2 activity (if any). Discuss the project and the outcome. Provide a point of contact for each project as a reference whom the NDDOT may contact for more information.
o Approach and Timeline. Provide a proposed approach to completing Phase 1 activity that demonstrates an understanding of the requirements of the project. Provide a proposed schedule for Phase 1 activity.
§ Public Engagement. Provide information about prior experience seeking public input on a project and the proposed approach to public engagement for this project.
o Appendix. The consultant’s proposal shall include an appendix for Phase 1 activity. The appendix may include updated Federal form 330 if you do not have one on file with Consulting Administration Services (CAS). The pages in the appendix will not be counted as a part of the pages. The appendix shall include the following in this order:
Appendix A
A schedule for the project. If accepted the schedule will be included as part of the contract.
Appendix B
A staffing plan identifying the key project personnel (including titles, education, and work experience) and the respective roles and responsibilities for the project.
Appendix C
Project Specific QC/QA Plan including check lists, persons, responsibilities, proposed submittals and reviews, and DOT response timelines. The QC/QA Plan will be reviewed by the NDDOT and, if accepted, become part of the project after the contract has been signed.
Appendix D
Sub-consultants and associated activities to be completed by the sub-consultants. Attach proposed sublet form SFN 60232 for each sub at the end of this section.
EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS
Each proposal will be evaluated by a selection committee consisting of NDDOT staff members and/or representatives. NDDOT reserves the right to limit the interviews to a minimum of three firms whose proposals most clearly meet the RFP requirements. Firms not selected to be interviewed will be notified in writing.