REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

COVER SHEET

FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT & FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE

WAUSAU AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM WAUSAU, WISCONSIN

SOLICITATION NUMBER (must be included on all proposal documents that are submitted)

WFS2026

THIS SOLICITATION CLOSES ON

1/5/2026 at 4 PM CT

Proposals must be submitted by this date and time. Late PROPOSALS or offers will not be accepted.

SUBMIT PROPOSALS/OFFERS TO

Ron Schuenke, Wausau Metro Ride Transit Director – 420 Plumer Street, Wausau, WI 54403. 715-261-6565 Ronald.Schuenke@wausauwi.gov

FOR INFORMATION ON THIS PROCUREMENT, CONTACT

Ron Schuenke, Transit Director, 715-261-6565 or Ronald.Schuenke@wausauwi.gov

ITEMS OR SERVICES TO BE PURCHASED

The City of Wausau and The Wausau Area Transit System (WATS), d.b.a. Metro Ride, are requesting proposals to complete a site condition assessment and feasibility study to assess whether the existing transit garage at 420 Plumer Street can support future needs of Metro Ride and be modernized to support a battery-electric fleet. The current facility serves 25 full sized buses, 5 paratransit buses, and space for all Metro Ride office and administrative staff. Modernization of the existing facility needs to be analyzed for cost against investment in constructing a new facility. The project consists of an analysis of the existing facility, a survey of alternate sites and consideration of environmental and other practical factors, such as the availability of electrical infrastructure at each location.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS/DATES

ISSUE DATE

12/2/2025

LAST DAY TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS

12/19/2025 at 4 PM CT

PROPOSAL CLOSING DATE

1/5/2026 at 4 PM CT

ESTIMATED EVALUATIONS BEGIN

1/6/2026

ESTIMATED EVALUATIONS COMPLETED

1/14/2026

ESTIMATED CONTRACT AWARD DATE

1/15/2026

ESTIMATED CONTRACT START DATE

2/1/2026

There will not be a public opening for this RFP

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Services

· Late PROPOSALS will be rejected. PROPOSALS MUST be date and time stamped by the soliciting purchasing office on or before the date and time that the Proposal is due.

· PROPOSALS dated and time stamped in another office will be rejected. Receipt of a Proposal by the mail system does not constitute receipt of a Proposal by the purchasing office.

· Any Proposal which is inadvertently opened as a result of not being properly and clearly marked is subject to rejection. PROPOSALS must be submitted separately, i.e., not included with sample packages or other PROPOSALS.

· Records will be available for public inspection after issuance of the notice of intent to award or the award of the contract.

· Proposer should contact the person named below for an appointment to view the Proposal record. PROPOSALS shall be firm for acceptance for sixty (60) days from date of Proposal opening, unless otherwise noted.

· The attached terms and conditions apply to any subsequent award.

· There will be no public proposal openings

SUBMITTING THE PROPOSAL

Offerors must submit proposals via one of the following method(s):

One electronic copy delivered though email

Ronald.Schuenke@wausauwi.gov The submittal must include all required documentation organized and named as detailed in this RFP.

Table of Contents

Appendix A - Pricing Proposal (Excel) Appendix B - Proposal Signature Page Appendix C – Affidavid of Non-Collusion Appendix D – Proposer Information Appendix E – References Appendix F – Designation of Confidential and Proprietary Information Appendix G – Standard Terms & Conditions (DOA-3054 (R08/2016)) Appendix H - Supplemental Standard Terms and Conditions for Procurements for Services (DOA-3681 (R01/2022)) Appendix I - Federal Clauses for Federal Contracts (Separate Document) Appendix K – Insurance Appendix L – Record Keeping

Definitions For the purposes of this Request for Proposal and resulting Contract(s), the following definitions of terms shall apply, unless otherwise indicated.

1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

General Description The City of Wausau (Metro Ride) is seeking Proposals from qualified contractors to provide a facilty condition assessment & feasibility study for the wausau area transit system.

The PROCURING AGENCY intends to use the results of this solicitation to award a contract to a Proposer for the aforementioned services.

The PROCURING AGENCY makes no express or implied warranties whatsoever that any particular quantity or dollar amount of Services will be procured. The PROCURING AGENCY reserves the right to cancel this RFP for any reason prior to the issuance of a notice of intent to award.

Contract Term One (1) contract will be awarded. The Contract which will cover the period February 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026 (11-Month Base Contract). The contract will contain no optional renewals.

Supplier must not invoice agency for any costs accrued prior to this contract start date.

Any Contract resulting from this solicitation shall not be, in whole or in part, subcontracted, assigned or otherwise transferred to any other Supplier without prior written approval from the Agency.

Number of Contracts It is the intention of the agency to award One contract for the services required in this solicitation.

Procurement Manager All communication and/or questions on all matters regarding this Proposal must be made in writing and refer to Request for Proposal number WFS2026 and be directed to the agency Procurement Manager: Ron Schuenke. ronald.schuenke@wausauwi.gov Any contact or communication with any employee or officer concerning this RFP except the Procurement Manager is strictly prohibited from the date this RFP is released until the date the notice of intent to award is issued. The Procurement Manager may authorize in writing contact or communication with another State employee or officer as circumstances dictate. Vendors who hold a current Contract may continue to communicate with the appropriate Contract Administrator regarding the performance of that current Contract.

Federal Participation This procurement is subsidized with state and federal transit operating funds. Federal grant monies ($100,000) fund this contract, in whole or in part (Section 5304). Applicable Federal clauses are set forth in Appendix I of the solicitation.

Contractor Selection The Municipality reserves the right to award a contract to a Vendor without clarifications, discussions, or negotiations following an evaluation of which Vendor is determined to be the highest scoring (technical factors and price considered) based on the factors discussed below. As such, Vendors should always submit their best technical and price proposal from the onset.

1. Professional Competence - The extent to which the firm's proposal is complete and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the solicitation/contract requirements.

2. Capacity - The extent to which the firm’s proposal demonstrates that it has the financial resources, skilled personnel, equipment, software, and facilities to perform the scope of work.

3. Experience - The extent to which the firm’s proposal demonstrates successful current and past experience in performing similar work, including the level of achieved client satisfaction.

4. Price - The competitiveness of the Vendor’s prices.

Contract Term Price Options Proposers must price 1 base contract prices at the time of proposal submission in order to be considered for award. The price sheet submitted by the successful Proposer will be incorporated in the resultant contract as the contract’s Pricing Schedule.

This is a firm-fixed price contract for a base period of 11 Months with no option periods. Proposers are required to submit a firm-fixed price for the contract base period (first one contract year) that covers all operating and administrative costs of performing the service.

The competitiveness of the offered prices will be based on the total price of the sum of Section A.

Contract Modifications The resulting Contract must only be used to purchase services within the scope and intent of the original Request for Proposal. Any modifications made to the resulting Contract must fall within the scope of the Proposal.

All modifications must be made in writing and signed by both parties.

Completeness and Validity of Offers Vendors must complete and submit all required forms with their Proposals. This includes the “Affidavit of Non-Collusion” which Vendors must submit with their pricing proposal.

Vendors must acknowledge receipt of any solicitation amendments. Offers must remain valid for a minimum of 90 days after Proposals are submitted.

Correspondence Related to the Solicitation Questions, noted errors, discrepancies, ambiguities, exceptions, additions, or deficiencies noted in this solicitation must be submitted by e-mail to the identified Procurement Administrator prior to the specified solicitation closing date.

Any changes in the solicitation (including specification) will be made by amendment issued to all Vendors.

Reasonable Accommodations City of Wausau (Metro Ride) can provide reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. If a Vendor needs accommodations at the outset of this solicitation process, please contact the Procurement Manager.

Wisconsin Public Records Law WisDOT and all records it retains are subject to Wisconsin Public Records law, sec. 19.31, et seq, Wis. Stats. WisDOT will advise proposer request for records it has designated as proprietary or confidential. All records shall be retained in a safe and secure place for a period of four (4) years after the end of the final contract year.

Federal Public Records Law The Supplier must maintain the following records which will be available to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for inspection upon demand. All records, whether handwritten or electronic, must be accurate, organized, and legible. All records shall be retained in a safe and secure place for a period of four (4) years after the end of the final contract year and the grant has been closed.

Order of Precedene In the event of contract award, the contents of this RFP (including all attachments), RFP addenda and revisions, the bid response from the successful bidder, and additional terms agreed to, in writing, by WisDOT and Contractor shall become part of the contract.

The following priority for contract documents will be used if there are conflicts or disputes:

1. The Contract Document

2. Official Purchase Order

3. Proposal response as accepted by The Agency

4. The Agency’s Published Request for Proposals

2.0 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

City of Wausau (Metro Ride) will not be hosting a pre-proposal conference.

3.0 PROPOSAL SCHEDULE

City of Wausau (Metro Ride) intends to adhere to a schedule in procuring these services. The schedule below is provided for informational purposes, may be affected by unforeseen circumstances, and is subject to change.

Listed below are dates and times of actions related to this solicitation. The events with specific dates must be completed as indicated unless otherwise amended. In the event that the Agency finds it necessary to change any of the specific dates and times in the calendar of events listed below, it will do so by issuing an amendment to this solicitation. There may or may not be a formal notification issued for changes in the estimated dates and times.

At the time of issuance, the procurement schedule shall be as follows:

4.0 GENERAL PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Proposals which do not comply with the format set forth below may be rejected without further consideration. These restrictions are not intended to hamper proposal preparation but to provide uniformity in evaluating responses to this RFP.

A. Corporations, individuals, or other organizations interested in providing service should so indicate by answering all questions included throughout this RFP. Vendors must respond to any questions and forms included throughout this RFP.

B. The completeness and responsiveness to the RFP’s stated requirements (Scope of Work), questions, tables, and forms will be used in evaluating Proposals in accordance with solicitation’s evaluation factors and the assigned weights for such factors. For Proposals to remain eligible, all information provided must be true and accurate and reasonably verifiable.

C. Proposals received after the due date and time will be considered late Proposals and will not be accepted. Reliance upon public carriers for delivery of Proposals is at the Offeror’s risk. Proposals submitted via fax will not be accepted.

D. The pricing proposal must be submitted on the form shown in Appendix A, and must be signed by an individual authorized to contractually obligate the Offeror. The provided pricing sheet should not be modified or altered to present different or additional information than what the form is asking for.

E. The pricing proposal (Appendix A) shall be placed in a separately sealed envelope and its contents not disclosed or revealed elsewhere within the submitted RFP package. The pricing proposal (Appendix A) shall depict the fixed hourly rate(s) to be used for the duration of the contract. The hourly rate shall cover all operating and administrative costs of performing the service.

5.0 Proposal Format

Proposal Format Each proposal shall include complete and detailed written responses to the items below. Each Offeror’s response to these items will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria stated in this RFP Hard Copy or email If electronic, each proposal should be in Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, or equivalent format, using 12-point font and a standard 8 ½” x 11” page format.

Cover Letter The Cover Letter must specifically state that the information contained in the Offeror’s proposal is accurate and complete as of the date of submission; that the information is true and reasonably verifiable as of the date of submission; and that the Offeror is willing to comply with all stated contractual requirements.

6.0 Contract Deliverables

The City of Wausau (Metro Ride), (hereinafter referred to as Municipality or City), is soliciting Proposals from firms (also may be referred to as Offeror or Contractor) to provide a facilty condition assessment & feasibility study.

All deliverables in this section are considered the minimum deliverable for the services required. The following deliverables must be met at no additional cost above the pricing provided in the Proposal. Failure to meet any minimal deliverables may result in the disqualification of the Proposal. In the event no Vendor is able to meet individual specifications, the agency reserves the right to continue the review of Proposals and to select the Proposal that most closely meets the specifications detailed in this RFP.

The following contract deliverables must be met at no additional cost above the pricing provided in the Proposal.

Before the award of any Contract, the Agency shall be satisfied that the Vendor has sufficient qualified resources available for performing the work described in this Proposal. It is the Vendor’s responsibility to acquaint the Agency with these qualifications by submitting appropriate or supporting documentation.

Minimum Qualifications IMPORTANT – EACH OFFEROR MUST DEMONSTRATE IN ITS PROPOSAL THAT IT MEETS ALL OF THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS SET FORTH BELOW AS OF THE DATE THAT IT SUBMITS ITS OFFER. OFFERORS THAT DO NOT CONFORM TO THESE REQUIREMENTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

This RFP is to obtain the professional services of a qualified licensed, registered, or certified firm to provide a site condition assessment and feasibility study.

1. To be considered for award, your company must have at least three (3) years prior organizational history for Professional Services by a person licensed, registered, or certified.

1. The vendor must possess creativity and have experience with transportation and facility design. The vendor is responsible for submitting appropriate qualifications.

1. The vendor must possess creativity and have experience with transportation and building planning and initiatives. The vendor is responsible for submitting appropriate qualifications.

Estimated Number of Hours The estimated number of hours to complete this project is: 550 hours Firms should base their pricing on completing the required deliverables within this number of hours. The Agency does not guarantee to purchase any specific quantity, or pay any minimum Contract price during the term of the Contract.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

The outcomes anticipated from the project will include an analysis of the current facility and whether it can support fleet expansion and modernization to battery electric charging infrastructure, as well as a comparison of the costs/benefits of retrofitting the existing facility versus constructing a new one. This feasibility study and its associated reports will be used to guide future engineering work based on whether the City of Wausau chooses facility modification or designing a new facility. Additionally, this project will include the identification and analysis of potential sites for a new bus maintenance facility.

Metro Ride staff, with support from the Wausau MPO, will be administering the project and will be the local point of contact for the consultant, as well as establishing all meeting times and dates needed. Consultant participation may be necessary at Transit Commission meetings, only as related to key work efforts or presentations. The Transit Commission meets regularly on the third Thursday of the month.

TASK #1

Prepare an independent assessment of the existing conditions of the Metro Ride Bus Maintenance Facility.

This will be an existing conditions assessment of the current bus maintenance facility. The consultant shall inspect the substructure, shell, interior conveyance, plumbing, HVAC, fire protection, electrical, equipment, and the surrounding site for any deficiencies and note them. Additional components of this assessment include notation of any maintenance equipment that is lacking for service of an electrical fleet, flood plain consideration, an analysis of the electrical infrastructure available at the current facility and environmental considerations at the facility.

TASK #2

The consultant will conduct a discussion with Metro Ride staff, local staff, and decision makers to determine perspectives on future needs of Metro Ride and constraints related to modification of the existing facility versus construction of a new site.

The consultant should develop a decision matrix to determine suitability of sites. Factors would include (but may not be limited to) cost, ability to meet the needs of Metro Ride, site considerations, ability to acquire land, etc. NOTE: Any alternative sites will need to be located within the City of Wausau and preferably owned by the city.

TASK #3

Investigate if it is possible and financially prudent to invest capital funds in modernizing the existing facility and establish a probable development budget for such an initiative.

Once the analysis is complete, using the data collected, the consultant will prepare a cost benefit/analysis that will examine the possibility of retrofitting the existing facility, bringing it up to proper building standards and able to facilitate an electric bus fleet, as opposed to constructing a new facility at a new location. The estimated dollar cost for each option shall be included.

At a high level, this task should also include estimated annual capital and operating costs associated with this facility (building and infrastructure for maintaining fleet).

TASK #4

Prepare a functional space needs assessment for a new maintenance facility that will best serve Metro Ride’s current and anticipated future activities and prepare a development budget for this new facility. Develop a list of potential sites suitable for a new maintenance facility.

Regardless of the results of task #1-3, the consultant will develop an inventory of space needed for a new bus maintenance facility, including the exterior spaces such as landscaping and parking. Additionally, a list of maintenance equipment needed to operate the facility is required. The consultant will also list the required square footage of each building space and develop a preliminary cost for each. At a high level, this task should also include estimated annual capital and operating costs associated with these facilities (building and infrastructure for maintaining fleet).

Based on the requirements for a new facility determined in Task 2, create a list of up to 4 new sites located within the City of Wausau city limits that meet the parameters for the placement of a new bus maintenance facility. One of these sites, to be selected by Metro Ride, shall have an in-depth analysis performed, similar to the analysis done in Task #1, including an analysis of the impact on non-revenue miles compared to the existing site, vehicle accessibility, and environmental issues. This chosen site will also have high-level environmental scoping completed to include:

TASK #5

Technical Memo and Report Specific work products to be issued at completion of the project will include a technical memo and report upon completion of the existing conditions assessment, as well as the analysis of potential future sites and a finalized consultant's report.

TASK #6

Presentations The consultant will be asked to present to the Wausau Transit Commission, possibly the Wausau City Council, and the Wausau MPO as part of the final work product. Virtual attendance would be possible.

ANTICIPATED MEETINGS

The selected consultant shall plan to examine the bus maintenance facility in-person. A meeting shall take place (in-person) to go over the deficiencies of the current building/site with Metro Ride staff. The meetings for Task #2 can be conducted virtually. The consultant should plan for 2-3 status update meetings, and 1-2 other meetings during completions of Tasks #3-#6. These meetings should be virtual to reduce travel costs.

As part of the final product, the consultant will also need to present the findings to the Wausau City Council, Wausau Transit Commission, and the Metropolitan Planning Organization Commission.

END PRODUCTS

The following summarizes the documentation to be furnished under the terms of the contract. The consultant shall submit the following:

· Transit Commission

· Wausau City Council

· Wausau MPO

7.0 Proposal Content

Proposals must include the information listed below in the same order as listed below. With the exception of Section 7.6 Minimum Qualifications, each Offeror's response to these items will be evaluated in accordance with this RFP. Additional data, exhibits, and explanations may be included should the Offeror deem them important to the evaluation of its proposal.

Information Pertinent to the Offeror and Offeror’s Proposal. The proposal must include the following information:

Offeror Identification Provide the Offeror’s name, business address, telephone number, facsimile number, e-mail address.

Offeror’s Legal Status Identify the Offeror’s business type (e.g., whether the organization is a sole proprietor; for-profit corporation or joint venture corporation; for-profit partnership; non-profit; public agency; or other type (identify), etc.).

Chief Executive or Administrator of the Organization Provide the name and contact information for this individual.

Offeror’s Authorized Representative Provide the name and contact information for the individual authorized to represent the Offeror in discussions or negotiations, acknowledge amendments, and/or otherwise commit the Offeror.

Offeror’s Business Function Describe the major business function(s) or activities of the organization.

Minimum Qualifications The Minimum Qualifications located in Section 6.1 will be used to determine eligibility to continue to the evaluation phase of this procurement. Restate each minimum qualification and provide a synopsis of how the Offeror meets those minimum qualifications.

Service Background Provide information for transportation services which the Offeror currently provides under other contracts or service agreements.

Service History Restate each Performance Requirement found in section 6.3 and provide a synopsis of how the Offeror will meet these Performance Requirement.

· Provide a description of your work approach to the tasks as identified in the PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS found in section 6.3. In addition, identify and describe potential services that may have applicability. Any concepts, techniques, and tools which you intend to utilize in preparing the study should be included.

· Identify data which will be needed to conduct the study. Identify if the data will be provided and/or collected by consultant or supplied by Metro Ride.

· Provide a description of all additional subcontracts and associations with other firms you propose to utilize in the performance of this work. Fully explain the intended working relationships and responsibilities of each firm, as well as any examples of past experiences working together and also working with Wausau Metro Ride or Marathon County, WI (Wausau MPO).

Service History Provide information about your service history. Vendor must include:

· Provide a PDF versions of 1- 3 comparable studies or projects completed or undertaken by the project manager you are proposing for this project.

References Using Appendix E - REFERENCES, provide the names of at least three (3) agencies for which the Offeror has provided contract services over the past three (3) years. These agencies will be queried for references in order to ascertain the Offeror’s past performance history.

References Implementation Vendor must provide project details for the references provided in Appendix E.

· Provide the dates over which the projects were conducted.

· Provide a summary of what type of project was conducted for the reference.

· Provide the status of implementation of your recommendations for these projects.

Key Personnel Identify the organization’s key individuals who will be responsible for day-to-day management of any contract resulting from this solicitation and synopsize their background or experience in delivering the type of services required to support and/or perform any contract resulting from this solicitation.

Provide a resume for each “key” individual. Note that the replacement of any individual identified as “key personnel” requires the notice to the Municipality and its prior approval.

Provide PDF versions of resumes of all professionals who will be actively working on this project. Resumes should list related project experience and general project duties.

Volunteer Staff Identify if any volunteer staff will be used in the performance of a contract awarded as a result of this solicitation. Specifically, identify their names, positions, responsibilities, and number of volunteer hours expected to be recorded during each of the contract’s base and option years.

Note that the Municipality must be notified in the event of changes in volunteer staff otherwise dedicated to a contract awarded under this solicitation.

Paid Staff Specifically discuss or describe:

A. How many full-time employees are currently on staff;

B. How many part-time employees are currently on staff; and C. The minimum hiring criteria for drivers and how compliance is checked.

Financial Stability Documentation A. Financial Statement. In order to determine the Offeror’s financial capability, the Offeror must attach a copy of its most recent annual audited financial statement. The Statement must be dated no later than one year from proposal due date.

B. Liens and Judgments. Provide any documentatio and explain any past, current, or pending liens, judgments, or lawsuits against property owned by or otherwise concerning the Offeror and any existing legal suits (pending) against the Offeror which may potentially impact the Offeror’s capability to provide the required contract services solicited by this RFP.

Insurance Coverage Describe the Offeror’s current vehicle liability insurance program for transportation services by answering the following questions in Appendix K - Insurance Record-Keeping Briefly describe the Offeror’s record-keeping capabilities as they relate to the contract (if not already noted elsewhere in this proposal) in Appendix L – Record Keeping Pricing Proposal Provide your best pricing on Pricing Proposal Excel Document. Vendors must submit costs for each deliverable. The total cost provided must be all inclusive to carry out the services included in this RFP, in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP. Please sign and date Pricing proposal.

This submitted pricing proposal must include direct labor costs, any mark-up for fringe benefits, overhead, profit, and other direct expenses such as transportation, housing, printing, and per diem.

The Agency does not guarantee to purchase any specific quantity, or pay any minimum Contract price during the term of the Contract. Proposals that require a minimum number of commodities or services be ordered will be disqualified. The submitted price must apply to any number of hours purchased, up to the contract’s maximum.

This is a firm-fixed price contract for a base period of 11 months with a no option period. Proposers are required to submit a firm-fixed price for the contract base period that covers all operating and administrative costs of performing the service.

Federal Clauses for Federal Contracts – Appendix I Vendor must review and sign the federal clauses. At time of submission, vendor must submit a signed copy of the federal clauses. PROPOSALS received without signed federal clauses will not be accepted and will automatically be disqualified from further consideration Proposals that do not comply with the Federal Clauses will be disqualified. Federal clauses cannot be negotiated or changed.

Standard Terms and Conditions - Appendix G and H By submitting a proposal the vendor is agreeing to all Terms and Conditions included in Appendix G – Standard Terms & Conditions (DOA-3054 (R08/2016) and Appendix H - Supplemental Standard Terms and Conditions for Procurements for Services (DOA-3681 (R01/2022)). Proposals that do not comply with the standard terms and conditions will be disqualified. Standard terms and conditions cannot be negotiated or changed.

Additional Relevant Information Submit any additional information which the Offeror believes may be relevant to the evaluation of the Offeror’s qualifications..

8.0 EVALUATION AND AWARD PROCESS

Evaluation Committee The proposal evaluation committee consists of members who have been selected because of their special expertise and knowledge of the service(s) that are the subject of this RFP. Offerors shall not contact members of the evaluation committee.

Violation of the “no contact” rule could result in the Offeror’s disqualification from further consideration for award.

Preliminary Evaluation Proposals will be initially reviewed to determine if minimum and mandatory requirements have been met. Failure to meet these requirements shall result in the proposal being rejected. In the event that all Offerors do not meet one or more of the minimum or mandatory requirements, the evaluation committee reserves the right to continue the evaluation of the Proposals, which most closely meet the minimum and mandatory requirements of this RFP.

Right to Reject Proposals The Issuing Agency reserves the right to accept or reject any or all PROPOSALS or Proposals, wholly or in part, and to make awards in any manner deemed in the best interest of the Issuing Agency.

Scoring of Technical Proposals Proposals will be independently evaluated. Each evaluation committee member will score each of the solicitation’s stated technical evaluation criteria for each Offeror. Members will then sum all individual technical scores for each Offeror to determine the overall evaluation score for that particular Offeror.

The Chair of the evaluation committee (typically, the Procurement Administrator) will convene a meeting of the evaluation committee to reach a consensus score for each Offeror. Consensus scoring is intended to facilitate an open discussion among the evaluators as to the strengths and/or weaknesses of each Offeror’s proposal based upon the solicitation’s technical evaluation factors (Professional Competence, Capacity, and Experience).

The Chair will record the consensus score for each Offeror on a scoring summary sheet to attain a rank order of the most technically qualified Offerors. Price Proposals will remain sealed at this point.

Additional Factors for Proposal Consideration (prior to evaluating price) Failure by the Offeror to provide information clearly and accurately within the submitted documents may be reflected in the evaluators’ scoring results.

If it is deemed necessary on behalf of the evaluation committee, the evaluation committee Chair may initiate inquiries for the purposes of confirming or verifying proposal information already provided and disseminated for evaluators’ consideration. The evaluation committee may not contact Offerors directly but may request an interview with the Offerors if an interview process is deemed necessary and approved by WisDOT.

The evaluation committee will make every reasonable attempt for scheduling at a time and location that is agreeable to the Offeror. An Offeror’s failure to fulfill or accommodate interview requests from the evaluation committee may result in rejection of that Offeror's proposal.

Final Evaluation Based on the information obtained through any confirmation or verification inquiries, reference checks or interview process, the evaluation committee will review their evaluations and unilaterally make adjustments to their respective scores.

The evaluation committee's scoring will be tabulated by the evaluation committee administrator and Proposals again ranked based on the numerical scores assigned. If no further criteria was or is to be considered, the evaluation committee administrator may proceed to open and score the pricing proposal portions of the offers and tabulate final scores.

Prior to the procurement administrator’s issuance of a “Notice of Intent to Award,” all evaluations and score tabulation results remain strictly confidential between evaluation committee members and evaluation committee procurement administrator.

Evaluation Summary Proposals will be evaluated and scored using the methodology described below. Technical factors are: Professional Competence, Capacity, and Experience. Price is rated solely by the evaluation committee Chair.

A. EVALUATION FACTORS (CRITERIA) - A total score of 100 points is possible.

Professional Competence (Maximum 20 points) - The extent to which the firm's proposal is complete and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the solicitation/contract requirements.

Capacity (Maximum 25 points) - The extent to which the firm’s proposal demonstrates that it has the financial resources, skilled personnel, equipment, software, and facilities to perform the scope of work.

Experience (Maximum 25 points) - The extent to which the firm’s proposal demonstrates successful current and past experience in performing similar work, including the level of achieved client satisfaction.

Price (Maximum 30 Points) - The competitiveness of the offered prices.

B. RATINGS FOR EACH TECHNICAL EVALUATION FACTOR - Each evaluator will rate each evaluation factor for each Offeror. This is done by first determining the rating which the evaluator will assign for the factor being rated. Second, by multiplying the numerical percentage value assigned to that value by the weight (points) assigned to that evaluation factor to arrive at the individual factor’s computed numerical value. The sum total of all such computed values (sum value of all factors) will equal 70 points or less (price is scored separately at a maximum value of 30 points).

C. RATING DESCRIPTIONS

Excellent – Outstanding level of quality; the proposal indicates an exceptional approach and understanding of the requirement; significantly exceeds the minimum requirements in all respects; has a high probability of success (low risk of unsuccessful performance); no significant weaknesses. Value is 100 percent of total point score available for the evaluation factor.

Good – Substantial response; proposal meets requirements and indicates a thorough approach and understanding of the requirements; good probability of success (low risk of unsuccessful performance); strengths outweigh weaknesses. Value is 80 percent of total point score available for the evaluation factor.

Acceptable – The proposal meets requirements and indicates an adequate approach and understanding of the requirements; strengths and weaknesses are offsetting or will have little or no impact on contract performance. Risk of unsuccessful performance is no worse than moderate. Value is 50 percent of total point score available for the evaluation factor.

Marginal – The proposal lacks essential information and does not demonstrate an adequate approach or understanding of the requirements. Proposal has one or more weaknesses which are not offset by strengths. Risk of unsuccessful performance is high. Value is 20 percent of the total point score available for the evaluation factor.

Unacceptable – The proposal fails to meet minimum requirements; there is little likelihood of success; needs major revision to be made acceptable. Value is zero percent of the total point score available for the evaluation factor.

D. PRICE SCORING - The Procurement Administrator will evaluate pricing Proposals and assign scores to each Offeror based upon the sum total of the offered Hourly Service Rate (HSR) for the base and each option years (i.e., HSR for Year 1 & 2 + HSR for Year 3 + HSR for Year 4 + HSR for Year 5 = Total HSR). Price points will be assigned as follows:

· Lowest total price (including option years) – 100% of 30 points

· Second lowest price (including options years) – 80% of 30 points

· Third lowest price (including option years) – 60% of 30 points

· Fourth lowest price (including option years) – 40% of 30 points

· Fifth lowest price (including option years) – 20% of 30 points

· Sixth and lower (including option years) – 10% of 30 points SAMPLE SCORING SCENARIO (following consensus scoring)

OFFEROR A

OFFEROR B

Contract Award A. Proceed with Award. The award may be granted to the highest responsive, responsible scored proposal (technical and price) in accordance with the final tabulation of all scoring elements and without clarifications, discussions, or negotiations; OR B. Schedule oral presentations. With prior WisDOT approval AND BEFORE pricing Proposals are opened, Offerors will be provided with a list of questions or issues concerning their Proposals which require explanation or clarification and scheduled for oral presentations to address such issues concerning their Proposals.

Oral presentations are for explanation or clarification purposes only and Offerors will not be permitted to revise their Proposals. Presentations will NOT be scored. After such presentations, the Administrator/Chair will open and evaluate the attendant pricing Proposals to determine the apparent successful Offeror; OR C. Schedule negotiations. With prior WisDOT approval, the Municipality may choose to negotiate any outstanding conditions, exceptions, reservations, or understanding to any of the contractual requirements, including any pricing issues, with a “short” list of the top-ranked (usually no more than three offerors).

This “short” list is determined after the Procurement Administrator has opened pricing Proposals and made a clear point demarcation between offerors who have made the “short” list and those who have not. Following negotiations, offerors would be required to submit a sealed “Best and Final Offer” (BAFO) which would reflect any modifications made to their Proposals as a result of the negotiations.

The evaluation committee would conduct a final technical evaluation and the Procurement Administrator would evaluate any revised pricing Proposals before making a determination of the apparent successful Offeror.

Notification of Intent to Award All Offerors will be notified in writing of the intent to award a contract as a result of the selection process described in this RFP.

Appeals Process A. Notices of an “intent to protest” and “protests” must be submitted in writing to the Procurement Administrator identified on the Cover Sheet of this solicitation. A copy of such documents must simultaneously be sent to the Transit Procurement Manager, 4822 Madison Yards Way, Sixth Floor South, Madison, WI 53705 B. Protesters must clearly identify the solicitation number and program title in all correspondence. Protests must be as specific as possible and identify specific statutes and Wisconsin Administrative Code Provisions that are alleged to have been violated.

C. Protests can be filed at any point through the solicitation process. However, a written notice of “intent to protest” must be filed with and received by the Procurement Administrator no later than five (5) working days after the Notice of Intent to Award is issued.

D. The complete written “protest” must be provided to the same addressees, (as provided above for the written “intent to protest”) within (10) working days after the Notice of Intent to Award is issued.

E. The Procurement Administrator will issue a decision on the…