QA Final.pdf

SOLICITATION QUESTION AND ANSWER

Solicitation Number: 2465-025-01 Solicitation Name: City of Appleton (Valley Transit) Transit Development Plan

Date: 2/10/2025

Quest.

No.

Question Answer

1. Page 11 of the RFP refers to “Document requirements: Times New Roman, Size Font – 12”. Please clarify if these requirements are for the entire proposal or cost proposal only.

Yes, please use Times New Roman, size 12 font for the entire proposal.

2. Is it acceptable for us to include content that we would typically include in a cover letter in our Transmittal Letter so they are more-or-less combined?

Yes.

3. On page 11 the document mentions brief document requirements of Times New Roman, Size Font-12. Is this in fact a requirement for the entire document?

Yes, please use Times New Roman, size 12 font for the entire proposal.

4. On page 26 under Contract Deliverables, the document states we are to provide a point-by-point response to each mandatory requirement specified in Section 2. Was it intended to have been Section 3 or 4 instead?

Yes, please see RFP Amendment 1 for correction.

5. On page 13, number 11, the document states we are to provide three references. Are these three references in addition to the four we are required to provide in Appendix D? Can you please clarify how many references and where in the document you would like them to be included?

Please provide a minimum of three references using the form in Appendix D. See Section 11.11 on page 28.

6. Based on the provided Attachment A – Pricing Proposal, it appears you are requesting one number for total hours for the project and one number for the total cost of the project. However, on page 9, under 4.1, the document states mileage, air fare, lodging, and meals should be included in travel expenses in Attachment A. Should the total cost also reflect these costs and any other direct costs in addition to labor?

Yes. The total cost provided in the Attachment A Pricing Proposal must be all inclusive to carry out the services included in this RFP, in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP.

7. What is the not-to-exceed budget for this project? Provide your best pricing on this Pricing Proposal Excel Document. 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.

8. How frequently will the Steering Committee meet? Is there a standing date and time for such meetings? Will the consultant be expected to attend each meeting in person?

The Steering Committee will meet approximately 5 times over the development of the plan. According to the anticipated project schedule, this works out to approximately once every two months. No standing dates and times are currently set. It’s expected the consultant will have at least one staff member attend in-person.

9. Are these the same meetings as the project check-in meetings with core team members? If not, who will comprise the Steering Committee?

No, project check-in meetings are separate.

The Steering Committee will be comprised of Valley Transit staff, East Central staff, members of the Transit Commission, and other representatives of community organizations with vested interest in transit services.

10. As used in item 5.a on page 10 of the RFP, does the ECWRPC intend “bi-monthly” to mean every other month or twice per month (with respect to the frequency of project check-in meetings)?

Project check-in meetings will occur two times a month.

11. Item 1.C on page 9 of the RFP says “analyze boarding and alighting data (in partnership with ECWRPC).” Does this mean boarding and alighting data will be provided by the ECWRPC? Please clarify.

Boarding and alighting data will be available from Valley Transit. Other data will be available from Valley Transit and/or ECWPRC as needed. It’s expected ECWRPC, Valley Transit, and the consultant will share data as necessary for proper development of the project.

12. What is the status of Valley Transit’s ZEV transition (as discussed under item 2.b on page 10 of the RFP)? Is there a report available for review?

Valley Transit’s fixed-route fleet is currently low-emission diesel. Valley Transit is in the process of building infrastructure necessary for ZEV transition. After infrastructure is operable, Valley Transit is planning the introduction of ZE vehicles within the next 2-4 years.

13. In addition to the Fox Valley Transit Commission, how many other end-of-project presentations are expected?

No other end-of-project presentations are expected besides the Fox Valley Transit Commission.

14. What registrations and/or licenses must a bidder possess in order to be deemed qualified?

Please see Section 10 for Registration and Licenses requirements.

15. Our firm does not commission audited financial statements. Can you provide a sample of a bank letter that would satisfy the request for Financial Stability Documentation cited on page 27 of the RFP?

No. Please see section 11.5 for Financial Stability Documentation information.

16. Is there a formal registration process with ECWRPC required prior to submitting a response? In searching the ECWRPC’s website, we could not find a method to register.

ECWRPC does not have a separate formal registration process for RFP’s.

Please submit your proposal via email.

17. Are Valley Transit buses equipped with AVL/APC systems for stop-level ridership data collection?

Yes

18. Please identify all available data sources that will be available to the consultant.

Ridership data, including boarding & alighting, will be available at the stop level for the selected vendor. East Central and Valley Transit have additional data and will assist and share with the selected consultant as needed and relevant to the project. Both East Central and Valley Transit believe in data-driven planning.

19. Does the City or the services cited utilize an operations / maintenance purchased transportation services contract with a third party? If so, please specify the type of service(s), contractor, and term.

Fixed-route operations and maintenance services are performed in-house. Paratransit services are performed by a contractor. Paratransit programs are separated into multiple contracts. Each contract’s term varies between 5-8 years.

20. For insurance requirements, if the awardee utilizes subcontractors, do the subcontractors also need to meet the City's insurance requirements?

Can the City of Appleton provide the draft final contract agreement it intends to use in advance for our legal and procurement review?

Subcontractors must meet all requirements as stated in the RFP. See Section 7.7. The contract will only be drafted after a vendor has been selected and the draft contract can be shared with the selected vendor.

No draft is available for review at this time. Please note the contract would be between the Agency and the selected vendor.

21. For meetings, can members of the consulting team attend meetings remotely?

It’s expected the consultant have at least one project team member attend the Steering Committee meetings in person. Other members may attend remotely, and check-in meetings may be attended virtually.

22. Since the City is seeking pricing as a fixed firm contract, can the City provide details on its payment process? By example, are invoices to provide time spent on tasks with rates and cumulative total for that period? Or will payment be based on percentage of work completed within the month period being submitted with its invoice?

Invoices will be provided and payments made for time spent on deliverables. Payment will not occur as a percentage.

23. Please confirm the DBE requirements, if any, for this project. Please see DBE requirements listed in Section 10.4 and Appendix A:

Federal Clause #7.

24. Can the City provide the required forms in Word or PDF fillable format?

No, please use required forms included in the RFP.