RFP_-_14th_Street_Protected_Bikeway.pdf

Request for Proposals Design Services for 14th Street Two-way Protected Bikeway

SP 2805

Department of Public Works Mobility Division

1685 Main Street, Mail Stop 38 Santa Monica, CA

90401

ISSUE DATE: JUNE 10, 2026

QUESTIONS DUE: JUNE 22, 2026

SUBMITTALS DUE: JULY 17, 2026

Proposer RFP Checklist

Read the entire document. Note critical items such as mandatory requirements; supplies/services required; submittal dates; format; contract requirements (i.e., insurance, performance and or reporting, etc.).

Attend the pre-proposal conference if one is offered. These conferences provide an opportunity to ask clarifying questions, obtain a better understanding of the project, or to notify the City of any ambiguities, inconsistencies, or errors in the RFP.

Take advantage of the “question and answer” period. Submit your questions by the due date. View all answers given in the formal addenda issued for the RFP.

All addenda issued for an RFP are posted on the City’s online vendor portal:

OpenGov Procurement and will include all questions asked and answered concerning the RFP.

Follow the format required in the RFP when preparing your response. Provide point-by-point response to all sections in a clear and concise manner. The proposals are evaluated based solely on the information and materials provided in your response.

Check the City’s online vendor portal: OpenGov Procurement for RFP addenda.

Before submitting your response, check whether any addenda were issued for the RFP. If so, you must submit a signed acknowledgment for each addendum issued along with your response

Review and read the RFP document again to make sure that you have addressed all requirements.

Submit your response on time. Note all the dates and times listed on the front page of the RFP document and be sure to submit all required items on time. Late proposals are never accepted.

I. INTRODUCTION

The City of Santa Monica, (referred to hereafter as “the City”) is inviting proposals from qualified consultant teams interested in designing the 14th Street Two-way Protected Bikeway for an estimated term of 5 years. Scope of work includes concept design, community outreach and engagement, develop plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E), assistance with utility coordination and relocation, and construction support.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL

In December 2025, the City of Santa Monica was awarded state funding through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program to support the development of affordable housing and sustainable transportation infrastructure. This funding will help advance active transportation, improve safety for vulnerable roadway users, and strengthen a complete and connected bicycle network. The proposed Project spans approximately 1.3 miles along 14th Street between Washington Avenue and Pico Boulevard. It will upgrade the existing north-south Class II bike lanes to a two-way Class IV cycle track. The Project will enhance connectivity to key destinations, including Santa Monica College, the SMC/ 17th Street Expo Station, Lincoln Middle School, Memorial Park and the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway (MANGo).

In certain sections, the bike facility may be elevated to sidewalk level to navigate constrained areas such as bus zones, wide driveways, and off-set intersections. The Project may also include improvements such as upgraded bus zones, relocated bus stops, street reconstruction, green infrastructure, and enhanced pedestrian safety features within the project corridor.

Figure 1: Project Limits

The selected Consultant will work with the City to produce preliminary engineering for evaluation. Once the preliminary concept design is established, the Consultant will support community outreach and engagement, develop plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E), assist with utility coordination and relocation, right-of-way, preparation and approval of Caltrans’ General Order 88-B form, community engagement, and construction support.

The anticipated start date for the PS&E is 9/1/2026, with an estimated design duration of 18 months. Total contract term is estimated at 5 years from grant award date of 12/25/2025, accounting for support during construction.

Proposal Calendar The following is a list of key dates:

Request for proposals issued ....................................................................................... 6/10/2026 Submission of inquiries due ............................................................................................... 6/22/2026 Proposals due ........................................................................................................................... 7/17/2026 Final candidate interviews ...................................................................... Week of July 27th, 2026 City Council date (tentative) for award of bid .......................................................8/25/2026

A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION/ SCOPE OF WORK

The following Scope of Work identifies the minimum service level expected from the successful consultant team and as such should be modifi-ed and augmented based upon the experience of the firm, as necessary to complete the project:

Reconfigure roadway to accommodate new bike facility o The Consultant will determine alternatives for reconfiguring the roadway and signals in order to accommodate a two-way cycle track on the east side of the street within the public right-of-way with consideration given to existing constraints.

Civil street improvements to enhance traffic safety and reduce conflicts for all modes especially vulnerable roadway users.

o Curb extensions/bulb-outs o Resurfacing/repaving o Sidewalk, curb, and gutter repair o Improved/new crosswalks o Accessible pedestrian pathways

Bus zone improvements o Several bus zones are located along the corridor with spatial constraints.

Consultant to identify the appropriate design and solution for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users navigating the space

Traffic Operations Analysis, Signal Design, and Signal Timing o The Consultant will collect traffic data and perform traffic operations analyses to determine the benefits and tradeoffs of roadway and signal reconfiguration alternatives, including the use of bike signals and any changes in lane configuration, signal timing, and corridor coordination, and make recommendations.

o The Consultant will develop signal design plans that incorporate signal modifications and improvements, including APS and yellow signal backplates.

o The Consultant will develop updated signal timing plans for all signals in the corridor.

Drainage o Consultant to identify areas where drainage may present issues with the proposed design and propose solutions.

o Perform hydrology and hydraulic analysis of existing drainage area and storm drain network; identify existing drainage issues and ownership of infrastructure (City vs. County) o Coordinate and obtain permits on behalf of the City from LA County Flood Control District for any required relocations

Street Lighting o The Consultant will evaluate and determine the appropriate street lighting requirements and illumination levels throughout the project corridor based on the latest applicable Illuminating Engineering Society roadway lighting and applicable City adopted standards, with particular focus on the segments between Washington Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard and between Santa Monica Boulevard and Colorado Avenue, where street lighting is currently absent.

o The Consultant will prepare street lighting plans, calculations, and supporting construction documents, including wiring diagrams, pole and foundation details, luminaire specifications, electrical service information, and all other elements necessary to support the design and implementation of the proposed lighting improvements. Consultant will coordinate with Southern California Edison for any new or modified electrical service facilities.

Additional Improvements o The Consultant will determine locations for traffic calming measures, low-cost systemic safety measures, and green infrastructure.

Coordination with property owners o Several businesses are located at intersections along the corridor. The businesses have driveways and parking lots that will be impacted by the installation of new sidewalk/curb/gutter. The consultant is to coordinate with property owners and to ensure positive circulation is maintained with the new improvements.

Coordination with utility providers o If utility conflicts are identified as part of the design process, the Consultant is to coordinate with the utility provider to create a relocation plan.

Coordination with city public landscape team o There are many large city trees located within the parkway adjacent to the sidewalk. Consultant will coordinate with urban forestry team to ensure trees are maintained or replaced as needed.

Figure 2: 14th Street two-way cycle track conceptual plans prepared by City staff as part of the grant application which may be utilized to inform the preliminary design.

Figure 3: Proposed areas where street lighting improvements are needed.

Task 1. Project Management

The designated City Project Manager will coordinate project management through the Mobility Division and the Department of Public Works. The Consultant shall be responsible for general project management, coordination of all aspects of the project including progress, adherence to schedule, budget and City of Santa Monica requirements. This includes coordination with other agencies such as Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), State of California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Caltrans, and utilities impacted by the Project. The Consultant shall show a demonstrated ability to interface and coordinate with multiple agencies.

To ensure a timely progression of the project from inception to final deliverable, the following activities should be anticipated once the Notice to Proceed (NTP) is authorized and as the Project progresses:

1.1 The Consultant shall schedule and conduct a project kick-off and team meeting within two (2) weeks of NTP to discuss Project details, establish goals, review the Project schedule and coordinate efforts. Tasks include but are not limited to:

Schedule and attend regular project meetings with City staff, providing agenda, project updates, and meeting notes

Provide monthly progress and performance reports and invoices in accordance with the requirements of AHSC.

Coordinate and facilitate any necessary project meetings including preparing meeting materials for stakeholders or utility agencies, such as but not limited to LA Metro, CPUC, Los Angeles County Public Works, or Southern California Edison

(SCE).

Coordinate and facilitate public outreach meetings

Deliverables:

Meeting agenda and meeting notes with action items for each of the meetings

Project schedule

Monthly invoices and progress reports. Charges for each individual task shall be listed separately including reimbursable expenses/travel/direct costs. Errors, omissions, or work that is unacceptable will be rejected by the City

Utility coordination and communication records of all correspondence with affected utility companies and representatives

Task 2. Data Collection and Site Investigation

2.1 The Consultant shall assemble all available information and reports pertaining to the Project including utility information, aerial maps, topographic surveys, right- of-way data, utility excavations (include potholing or Electronic Depth Verification via GPR or other methods), geotechnical reports, irrigation and flood control facilities, utilities, drainage, GO88-B form, and any additional pertinent information for the Project to develop preliminary engineering.

2.2 The Consultant shall collect traffic count data and parking count data necessary for conducting the analysis for the project. The traffic count data should include at a minimum vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters in the AM, PM, mid-day, and weekend periods (at least 3 hours each). The parking count data shall provide an inventory of the parking supply within the project area for which the results can support further analysis of parking occupancy to understand the effect on accessible parking spaces per Public Right of Way Accessibility Guidelines ( PROWAG)and feasibility of accommodating accessible parking within the project area.

2.3 The Consultant shall provide a list of all reports, plans, analysis, documents and information needed to inform the design of the Project. The City will provide copies of all records that are available from the City. For all other records needed for the design of the project, the Consultant shall be responsible to research existing reports, obtain, and review all pertinent Project-related data needed to prepare and complete PS&E package.

2.4 The Consultant shall provide a topographic and boundary/route survey expanding the entire linear route as shown in Figure 1, with spot elevations at all curb returns, grade breaks, top of curb, flow lines, storm drains and inlets, back of walk, property lines, etc.

for each intersection along corridor. Spot elevations of these features should be taken at a minimum of 25 feet intervals or as needed to ensure the design is compliant with all grading, drainage, and accessibility requirements. The mapping scale will be 1” = 20’ along the street and 1” = 10’ at all intersections.

2.5 In an effort to expedite project delivery, and/or avoid potential schedule delays for the entirety of the project, the Consultant shall determine early how to expedite review for work at sections that require outside approvals (LA Metro Expo light rail crossing via CPUC, Caltrans District 7 bridge crossing and Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD). The Consultant shall be responsible for preparing, documenting and delivering required forms for approval from partnering agencies. The Consultant shall detail in their approach their experience and strategy for advancing approvals with these agencies and provide a permitting schedule.

2.6 The Consultant shall work with staff to identify the potential for incorporating drought-tolerant landscape treatments within the bike barrier where feasible. Although it is anticipated that opportunities for landscape within the public right of way may be limited.

2.7 The Consultant shall work with staff and abutters to incorporate any additional access and/or curb needs identified and refine these treatments as appropriate.

2.8 The Consultant shall assess sidewalk conditions and identify spot locations in need of repair.

2.9 The Consultant shall ensure design changes comply with PROWAG and ADA standards.

Deliverables:

Document and compile information pertinent to the Project as described in Task 2, including but not limited to photographs, maps, data tables, GPR surveys, preliminary utility layout plan and potential storm drain, and other utility relocations required, schematics, field notes, completed Caltrans and Metro forms, right-of-way needs, parking inventory, and ADA access needs.

Task 3. Public Outreach and Community Engagement

Throughout the conceptual design and PS&E phases, the City and Consultant team will conduct robust community engagement to inform project development and educate the public on project goals, benefits, and trade-offs. Outreach efforts shall include a combination of digital and in-person engagement opportunities, as well as direct coordination with and input the Santa Monica City Council. The Consultant shall develop a Public Engagement Plan that includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Develop illustrative materials for printing and digital communication (i.e.

project renderings, posters, notices, photographs, online survey/map, interactive dashboard, or digital story map, etc.) for promotion of project.

Design and install pop-up event (1-2) along the corridor.

Direct mail notifications.

Develop tools to assess the project pre and post construction, including but not limited to online surveys.

Host two (2) in-person workshops at the concept design and 60% design milestones.

Support City staff to present to City Council up to two (2) times.

Document and summarize the community outreach and feedback collected at each engagement activity.

Deliverables:

Items described in Task 3

Task 4. Traffic Operations Analysis and Signal Timing Plan

4.1 The Consultant shall identify appropriate traffic design, signal phasing, and coordination strategy for the addition of a two-way cycle track at intersections and analyze their traffic operations:

The Consultant should consider the use of bicycle signals and other approaches to direct the two-way cycle track across the intersection, such as protected intersections. Vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian detection modifications should be considered.

Turn lane additions or removals, if any, should be analyzed.

The Consultant may analyze and recommend additional safety improvements, such as leading pedestrian or bicycle intervals, protected right/left turn phasing, yellow signal backplates, and/or other innovative strategies.

Operational analysis should include, but is not limited to, pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and vehicular safety, speed, and delay at all project intersections and along the project corridor. Operational analysis should also account for parking loss across the corridor.

Operational analysis should be compared with the existing condition and across alternatives.

4.2 The Consultant shall utilize traffic operational findings to support public outreach, community engagement, alternatives development, refinement, and selection, and the initial conceptual design. The Consultant should update the analysis based on public outreach, community engagement, design updates, and discussion outcomes.

4.3 The Consultant shall develop final signal timing plans and database files for field implementation.

Deliverables:

To be proposed by The Consultant, but at a minimum, should include analysis software (ex. Synchro v11/SimTraffic) files, analysis software outputs, and traffic operations technical memos stamped, signed, and dated by a licensed civil or traffic engineer at each of the following stages:

o Developing conceptual design alternatives o Final conceptual design

Final traffic signal timing plans and database in MaxTime, bench tested with the City and ready for field implementation in coordination with City crews.

Task 5. Conceptual Design

The Consultant shall develop initial concept designs (30%) using nationally recognized best practices for bicycle facilities and Complete Streets design, as well as the traffic analysis. The concept designs shall reflect comparison of existing conditions with proposed alternatives and identify key benefits and trade-offs to support clear communication with the community and stakeholders. Design concepts shall prioritize implementation within the existing right-of-way and roadway footprint, emphasizing cost-effective solutions that leverage existing infrastructure wherever feasible.

5.1 The Consultant shall develop a rough order of magnitude (ROM) estimate for the preliminary conceptual design.

5.2 The Consultant shall plan and facilitate community outreach meetings to present design alternatives, clearly communicate associated benefits and trade-offs, and gather input from stakeholders and the public. This includes preparing all necessary presentation materials to support clear and accessible communication. Feedback collected through these efforts shall be documented and used to refine the alternatives and guide the project team toward a final concept design.

5.3 The Consultant shall use AutoTURN to model and verify that the fire hazmat truck, garbage truck, and transit vehicle can safely navigate proposed intersection treatments.

5.4 The Consultant shall evaluate lighting along the project extent and provide recommendations to the City based on the latest applicable illuminating engineering lighting standard or best practices for similar projects; The Consultant shall prepare lighting calculations, identify any deficiencies, and recommend improvements needed.

The design shall emphasize the efficient use of street lighting infrastructure, including pole placement, fixture selection, optics, mounting height, and photometric distribution.

Dedicated bikeway lighting shall be avoided unless necessary to meet applicable lighting criteria or to address a specific constraint that cannot be resolved through the street lighting system.

5.5 The Consultant shall analyze the existing drainage and storm drain infrastructure along the project extent; Identify existing drainage issues and potential issues based on the proposed design; Provide recommendations and propose solutions.

5.6 The Consultant shall analyze the existing sidewalk infrastructure along the project extent; Identify sidewalk issues that need repair; Curb ramps in need of upgrades to align with ADA requirements.

5.7 The Consultant shall coordinate and communicate with Metro and CPUC for their review and comment on the traffic analysis and conceptual designs.

5.8 The Consultant shall identify any other required permits, prepare all permit applications, and assist the City with negotiations related to permit conditions, if required.

The Consultant shall expect three rounds of review and comments from the City before concept designs are finalized and design is advanced to 60%.

Deliverables:

AutoTURN analysis

Street lighting analysis

Drainage analysis

Sidewalk improvements and curb ramp accessibility analysis

Utility layout and analysis

Memo summarizing the benefits and trade-offs of the proposed modifications for all modes of travel, the results of the public outreach, modifications of the design and mitigation measures that support the Final Conceptual Design.

Memo identifying any required permits and procedure for acquiring.

Final Conceptual Design with a rough order of magnitude (ROM) estimate.

Task 6. Plans, Specifications and Cost Estimate

The Consultant shall prepare 60%, 90%, 100% and Final PS&E. The PS&E documents may include, but are not limited to, the following items:

Title Sheet with Vicinity Map

Survey/Existing Utility Plans

Demolition

Civil Street Improvement Plans (resurfacing/repaving, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, curb ramps)

Typical Sections

Grading and Drainage Plans and Details

Utility Plans and Details

Traffic Signal Design Plans

Signing and Striping Plans

Landscape and Irrigation Plans

AutoTURN Analysis

Street Lighting Plans

Technical Specifications

Project Cost Estimate

The Consultant shall expect two rounds of review and comments from the City before advancing each phase.

Deliverables:

The Consultant shall review and provide responses to all design review comments received from the City and other agencies reviewing the documents. If necessary, the consultant will meet with the City and other agencies to resolve issues prior to advancing the design plans to the next phase. All agreed upon comments will be incorporated into the design documents.

The Consultant shall prepare PS&E for each phase.

The Consultant shall prepare Final PS&E bid-package, stamped and signed.

Task 7.0 Construction Support

The Consultant shall provide assistance during bidding and construction phases on an as-needed basis such as the following:

Review and respond to questions and requests for information during bidding.

Assume one round of questions.

Review and respond to Request for Instruction (RFIs) and Request for Change (RFCs) during construction. Assume 20 requests at 2 hours per request.

Prepare revisions and change order documents as needed. Assume 20 requests at 2 hours per request.

Reviewing all shop drawings and materials submittals transmitted by the Contractor during construction. Assume 15 submittals at 2 hours per submittal

Prepare post-construction as-built drawings for the project. It should be assumed the Contractor will be responsible for redlining drawings in the field. Submit final Record Drawings in CADD and pdf format.

III. Schedule

Work is expected to begin on or before September 1, 2026. All deliverables requested under this work order request would be due on or before December 23, 2030. In your response to this WOR, include a schedule demonstrating your ability to meet this deadline. Assume that all City reviews of PS&E will take 14 business days. Consultant should anticipate reviews from Metro, CPUC, and Caltrans will have separate but parallel reviews that need to meet the final project deadline.

A. CITY CONTACT

The City has designated Jacqui Swartz as its contact (the “City Contact”) for this request for proposals (this “RFP”). The City Contact’s information is listed below:

City of Santa Monica Public Works, Mobility Division Project Manager Name: Jacqui Swartz 1685 Main Street, Mail Stop #38 Telephone: (310) 458-8955 E-mail: jacqui.swartz@santamonica.gov

Office Hours:

Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM Alternate Fridays 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

The City of Santa Monica offices are closed every other Friday.

Please call to ensure that offices are open and that staff is available.

Any inquiries, questions or requests regarding this RFP should be submitted via OpenGov Procurement. All Questions must be entered in the Question and Answers section within OpenGov Procurement - Do not email questions directly to the Project Manager.

Other City officers, agents, employees or representatives do not have authority to respond on behalf of the City. Contact with unauthorized City personnel during the selection process may result in disqualification.

CITY’S ONLINE VENDOR PORTAL

The website for this RFP and related documents is: OpenGov Procurement or https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/santa-monica-ca.

All project correspondence will be posted on the OpenGov Procurement website. It is the responsibility of Proposers to check the website regularly for information updates and RFP clarifications, as well as any RFP addenda.

B. ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS

Proposer shall complete and return the following documents via OpenGov Procurement:

The forms are available on City's procurement webpage (OpenGov).

Please refer to Project Documents Tab, Section 7. Vendor Questionnaire to access the pdf. copy of the forms.

1. RFP/RFQ Form (vendor to upload to OpenGov)

2. Cost Proposal (vendor to upload to OpenGov)

3. City Contract Template Acknowledgement The proposer certifies that they have reviewed the City’s contract template and agree to be bound by its terms and conditions.

4. Living Wage Certification (if the award amount is >$54,200)

5. Oaks Initiative Disclosure Form (if the award amount is >$25,000 annually;

identifies recipients of public benefit in relation to political donation restrictions:

click here for more information)

6. Levine Act Disclosure Form

7. Prevailing Wage Acknowledgement

8. Subcontractor List

9. Non-Collusion Declaration (this does not need to be notarized)

10. Non-Discrimination Policy Acknowledgement

11. Certification Regarding Debarment

12. Public Works Insurance Requirements The contractor attests that he will require every employer to be insured against liability for workers’ compensation

13. Business License (if selected you must also obtain a business license or provide your current business license number.) You can go to the Business License page for more information.

14. RFP Addenda if issued (vendors must acknowledge & sign addenda electronically via OpenGov Procurement)

15. Payment Bond - not applicable

C. BEST QUALIFIED PERSON OR FIRM FOR PSA

The award, if any, will be made to the best qualified person or firm(s). In evaluating whether a proposer(s) is (are) the best qualified person or firm(s) pursuant to the Santa Monica Municipal Code, City staff may utilize some or all of the following criteria:

1. The training, credentials and experience of the person or firm;

2. The demonstrated competence, ability, capacity and skill of the person or firm to perform the contract or provide the services;

3. The capacity of the person or firm to perform the contract or provide the service promptly, within the time specified, and without delay;

4. The sufficiency of the person’s or firm’s financial and other resources;

5. The character, integrity, reputation and judgment of the person or firm;

6. The ability of the person or firm to provide such future service as may be needed;

7. The price which the person or firm proposes to charge, including whether the price is fair, reasonable and competitive; and

8. Any other factor which will further the intent set forth in Section 608 of the City

Charter.

The City shall have absolute discretion in determining the applicability and weight or relative weight of some or all of the criteria listed above and is not required to select the lowest monetary proposer.

E. PREVAILING WAGE

Bidders are hereby notified that pursuant to provisions of Section 1770, et seq., of the Labor Code of the State of California, the Contractor shall pay its employees the general prevailing rate of wages as determined by the Director of Department of Industrial Relations. In addition, the Contractor shall be responsible for compliance with the requirements of Section 1777.5 of the California Labor Code relating to apprentice public works contracts.

No contractor or subcontractor may be listed on a bid proposal for a public works project (submitted on or after March 1, 2015) unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code section 1725.5 [with limited exceptions from this requirement for bid purposes only under Labor Code section 1771.1(a)].

No contractor or subcontractor may be awarded a contract for public work on a public works project (awarded on or after April 1, 2015) unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code section 1725.5.

This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations.

II. CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE PROCUREMENT

A. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

This procurement will be conducted in accordance with the City of Santa Monica procurement codes and procedures.

1. Receiving Time / Late Proposals

It is the responsibility of proposer to see that their proposal is submitted with sufficient time to be received by the City prior to the proposal closing time. The receiving time in the City Office will be the governing time for acceptability of proposals. Late proposals are not accepted.

2. Acceptance of Conditions Governing this RFP Submission of a proposal constitutes acceptance of the Evaluation Factors contained in this RFP.

3. City Contract Template Acknowledgement By submitting a proposal, the Proposer certifies that they have reviewed the City’s contract template for this project and agree to be bound by its terms and conditions.

Any requested exceptions must be clearly identified within the proposal; otherwise, the contract template shall be deemed accepted in its entirety. Failure to acknowledge and accept these terms may result in disqualification of the proposal.

4. Incurring Cost Any cost incurred by the proposer in preparation, transmittal, presentation of any proposal or material submitted in response to this RFP shall be borne solely by the proposer.

5. Prime Consultant Responsibility Any agreement that may result from the RFP shall specify that the prime consultant is solely responsible for fulfillment of the agreement with the City. The City will make agreement payments only to the prime consultant.

6. Sub-consultants

Use of sub-consultants must be clearly explained in the proposal, and major sub-consultants must be identified by name. Prime consultants shall be wholly responsible for the entire performance whether or not sub-consultants are used.

7. Amended Proposals

A proposer may submit an amended proposal before the deadline for receipt of proposals. Such amended proposals must be complete replacements for a previously submitted proposal and must be clearly identified as such in the transmittal letter. City personnel will not merge, collate, or assemble proposal materials.

8. Proposer’s Rights to Withdraw Proposal

Proposers will be allowed to withdraw their proposals at any time prior to the deadline for receipt of proposals. The proposer must submit a written withdrawal request signed by the proposer’s duly authorized representative addressed to the City Contact.

9. Proposal Offer Firm

Responses to this RFP, including proposal prices, will be considered firm for ninety (90) days after the due date for receipt of proposals or sixty (60) days after receipt of a best and final offer, if one is requested.

10. Best and Final Offer The City reserves the right to request Best and Final Offers from any or all proposers.

This will be the only opportunity to amend or modify proposals based on feedback from the City. Information from competing proposals will not be disclosed to other proposers prior to submission of a Best and Final Offer.

11. Living Wage Requirement Any agreement issued as a result of this Request for Proposal may be subject to the City’s Living Wage Ordinance, Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 4.65 (LWO), and its implementing regulations.

12. Disclosure of Proposal Contents

All proposals are subject to the provisions of the California Public Records Act, California Government Code section 6250 et seq., and any information submitted with a response is a public record subject to disclosure, unless a specific exemption applies.

13. No Obligation This RFP in no manner obligates the City to the eventual rental, lease, purchase, etc., of any goods or services offered until a valid written agreement is executed by the City and the selected proposer.

14. Termination

This RFP may be canceled at any time and any and all proposals may be rejected in whole or in part when the City determines such action to be in the best interest of the City of Santa Monica.

15. Sufficient Appropriation

Any agreement awarded for multiple years as a result of this RFP may be terminated if sufficient appropriations or authorizations do not exist. Such termination will be affected by sending written notice to the selected proposer. The City’s decision as to whether sufficient appropriations and authorizations are available will be accepted by the selected proposer as final.

16. Errors and Restrictive Specifications If a proposer discovers any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other error in the RFP, the proposer should immediately notify the City Contact designated in Section I, B. Without disclosing the source of the request, the City may issue a written addendum to clarify the ambiguity, or to correct the problem, omission, or other error.

If prior to the submission date, a proposer knows of or should have known of an error in the RFP but fails to notify the City Contact of the error, the proposer shall submit their proposal at his, her or its own risk, and, if awarded an agreement, shall not be entitled to additional compensation or time by reason of error or its later correction.

17. Legal Review

The City requires that all proposers agree to be bound by the General Requirements contained in this RFP.

18. Governing Law This RFP, and any agreement entered into pursuant to this RFP, are governed by the laws of the State of California.

19. Oral Changes and Basis for Proposal

Proposers may not rely upon oral explanations. All changes and addenda will be issued in writing. Only information supplied by the City in writing through the City’s Contact, or in this RFP should be used as the basis for the preparation of proposals.

20. Agreement Terms and Conditions

The agreement between the City and the selected proposer(s) will follow the format specified by the City and contain the terms and conditions set forth in Exhibit A, Professional Services Agreement. However, the City reserves the right to negotiate with a successful proposer the final provisions or provisions in addition to those contained in this RFP. The contents of this RFP, as revised and/or supplemented, and the successful proposal will be incorporated into and become part of the agreement.

Should a proposer object to any of the City’s terms and conditions, as contained in this Section or in Exhibit A, that proposer must propose specific alternative language in his, her, or its proposal. Proposer must provide a brief discussion of the purpose and impact, if any, of each proposed changed followed by the specific proposed alternate wording. The City may or may not accept the alternative language.

General references to the proposer’s terms and conditions or attempts at complete substitutions are not acceptable to the City and may result in disqualification of the proposer.

21. Proposer’s Terms and Conditions

Proposers must submit with the proposal a complete set of any additional terms and conditions that they expect to have included in an agreement negotiated with the City.

22. Proposer Qualifications

The City may make such investigations as necessary to determine the ability of the proposer to adhere to the requirements specified within this RFP.

23. Right to Waive Minor Irregularities

The City reserves the right to waive minor irregularities and the right to waive mandatory requirements, provided that all of the otherwise responsive proposals fail to meet the same mandatory requirements and/or doing so does not otherwise materially affect the procurement. This right is at the sole discretion of the City.

24. Change in Agreement or Representatives

The City reserves the right to require a change in the selected proposer or representatives if the assigned representatives are not, in the opinion of the City, meeting its needs adequately.

25. City Rights The City reserves the right to award the proposal to separate proposers on any of the services as set forth in the proposer’s proposal. It is further understood that if the proposer to whom any recommended award is made fails to enter into an agreement with the City, award may be made to the next best qualified person or firm, who shall be bound to perform as if she, he or it received the award in the first instance.

26. Right to Publish

Throughout the duration of this procurement process and agreement term, potential proposers, and proposers, must secure from the City written approval prior to the release of any information that pertains to the potential work or activities covered by this procurement or the subsequent agreement. Failure to adhere to this requirement may result in disqualification of the proposer or termination of the agreement.

27. Ownership of Proposals

All documents submitted in response to the RFP shall be become the property of the City of Santa Monica and are subject to the provisions of the California Public Records Act, as described in Section II. A. 11. herein.

28. Agreement Award Proposal will be evaluated by a committee comprised of City staff and may include outside consultants (the “Evaluation Committee”). The Evaluation Committee will make an award recommendation to City staff. City Council may give approval of the agreement and/or direct staff to negotiate the final terms and execute the agreement.

This agreement shall be awarded to the proposer or proposers whose proposal is best qualified, taking into consideration the evaluation factors set forth in the RFP.

The most qualified proposal may or may not have received the most points or be the lowest cost proposal. Proposers will be notified when the award is being made or an award recommendation goes to the City Council for approval.

29. Protest Deadline

PUBLIC WORKS ONLY

All parties wishing to file a protest shall comply with the procedures set forth below.

Proposer may file a written protest with the Director of Public Works no more than seven calendar days following the posting of award recommendation on the City’s online vendor portal website. The protest must include the name address and telephone number of the protestor and or the person representing the protesting party.

Once a protest has been filed with the Director of Public Works no contract shall be awarded until the Director of Public Works has issued his or her final determination on the protest. The Director of Public Works shall review the merits and timeliness of the protest and issue a written decision to the protestor within ten calendar days of receipt of the protest. The Director of Public Works shall have final authority to sustain or deny a protest. The Director of Public Works decision shall constitute the City’s final determination on the protest.

Protests received after the deadline will not be accepted.

29. Records and Audits The Consultant shall maintain such detailed records as may be necessary to demonstrate its performance of the duties required by this Agreement, including the date, time and nature of services rendered. These records shall be maintained for a period of three years from the date of the final payment under this Agreement and shall be subject to inspection by City. The City shall have the right to audit any billings or examine any records maintained pursuant to this Agreement both before and after payment. Payment under this Agreement shall not foreclose the right of City to recover excessive and/or illegal payments.

30. Enforcement of Agreement/Waiver

A party's failure to require strict performance of any provision of this Agreement shall not waive or diminish that party's right thereafter to demand strict compliance with that or any other provision. No waiver by a party of any of its rights under this Agreement shall be effective unless expressed in writing and signed by the party alleged to have granted the waiver. A waiver by a party of any of its rights shall not be effective to waive any other rights.

31. Prevailing Wage, Apprentices, Penalties & Certified Payroll

In accordance with the provisions of Labor Code Section 1773.2, the Director of Industrial Relations has determined the general prevailing rates of wages and employer payments for health, welfare, vacation, pensions and similar purposes applicable, which is on file in the State of California Office of Industrial Relations. The contractor shall post a copy of these prevailing wage rates at the site of the project.

It shall be mandatory upon the contractor to whom the contract is awarded and its subcontractors hired to pay not less than the said prevailing rates of wages to all workers employed by him in the execution of the contract as required under Articles 2 and 3, Division 2, Part 7, Chapter 1 of the Labor Code, State of California, including, but not limited to, Sections 1771, 1774 and 1815.

It is the duty of the contractor and subcontractors to employ registered apprentices and to comply with all aspects of Labor Code Section 1777.5.

There are penalties required for contractor’s/subcontractor’s failure to pay prevailing wages and for failure to employ apprentices, including forfeitures and debarment under Labor Code Sections 1775, 1776, 1777.1, 1777.7 and 1813.

Under Labor Code Section 1776, contractors and subcontractors are required to keep accurate payroll records. The prime contractor is responsible for submittal of their payrolls and those of their subcontractors as one package. Payroll records shall be certified and made available for inspection at all reasonable hours at the principal office of the contractor/subcontractor pursuant to Labor Code Section 1776.

The contractor, and any work performed under this CSA, shall, at all times comply and be in accordance with, and subject to the provisions of Articles 2 and 3, Division 2, Part 7, Chapter 1 of the Labor Code, State of California.

32. Exhibits A and A-1 summarize and reference additional procurement requirements for this grant, including the procurement of this design RFP.

III. SUBMISSION FORMAT AND ORGANIZATION

A. NUMBER OF RESPONSES

Proposers must upload their proposal electronically as a PDF document within OpenGov Procurement + accompanying forms located in the Vendor Questionnaire Section.

B. PROPOSAL FORMAT

1. Letter of Transmittal

a. Identify the submitting organization;

b. Identify the name, title, telephone, and e-mail address of the person authorized by the organization to contractually obligate the organization;

c. Identify the name, title, telephone, and e-mail address of the person authorized to negotiate the contract on behalf of the organization;

d. Identify the names, titles, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses of persons to be contacted for clarification;

e. Be signed by the person authorized to contractually obligate the organization;

f. Acknowledge receipt of any and all amendments to this RFP (vendors must acknowledge & sign addenda electronically via OpenGov Procurement)

2. Qualifications Provide a brief summary of your firm’s history, its capabilities, and its recent relevant experience (last five years). Also, describe your demonstrated experience with similar projects and qualification including professional licenses and certifications.

3. Key Personnel Describe the project team composition and include resumes of key personnel.

Proposed members should be available for ninety (90) days from the proposal due date. The City must be promptly notified of any changes in key personnel prior to award.

4. References List a minimum of three (3) references for whom comparable services were provided to in the last five (5) years. Include the name of the firm, name of the contact, telephone number of the contact, email address of contact (if available), brief description of the services provided and your firm’s role, and the start and completion date.

5. Project Work Plan Describe your understanding of the project and approach. Include deliverables, milestones, assumptions, and identify potential risks that could delay the project. List any resources you expect the City to provide.

6. Cost Proposal Provide a proposed total fee outlining the proposal and identify the hourly fee schedule for all personnel to be involved in the project. The hourly rates should include fringe benefits, indirect costs and profit. The Consultant should also indicate what percentage of the scope of work is expected to be completed by each individual or pay classification included in fee proposal. Additionally, if applicable, a schedule of reimbursable expenses should be included.

IV. EVALUATION

A. EVALUATION POINT SUMMARY

All proposals meeting the requirements will be further evaluated using the same criteria and point structure. Evaluations will be based on the weighted criteria listed below, which correspond to information requested in various sections of the proposal:

Only finalist proposers may receive points for an oral presentation and demonstration if part of the criteria.

CRITERIA MAXIMUM POINTS

Understanding of the work to be done 25

Experience with similar kinds of work 20

Project team 15

Familiarity with state and federal procedures 10

Financial responsibility and schedule management 10

Demonstrated technical ability 10

Interview (top rated candidates) 10

TOTAL POINTS 100

B. EVALUATION FACTORS

A maximum of 100 points may be awarded based upon the quality and thoroughness of the proposer’s response to each evaluation factor as follows:

Understanding of the work to be done: Up to 25 points may be awarded based on the proposer’s approach to completing this effort in an efficient and effective manner and demonstrated knowledge of the project goals and local environment.

Experience with similar kinds of work: Up to 20 points may be awarded for direct experience providing professional services for projects similar in size and scope.

Evaluation will also be based on level of the firm’s previous projects of comparable complexity, scale, and nature; training and proven expertise in the area of work required. At least ten years of civil design experience in California is required.

Project Team: Up to 15 points may be awarded based on relevant experience of key personnel based on resumes. Proposals should clearly demonstrate the ability to provide a strong and effective project manager that will serve as a single point of contact and will direct all aspects of this project.

Familiarity with state and federal procedures: Up to 10 points may be awarded based on the proposer’s understanding of state (Caltrans) and LA Metro requirements for this project and other state and federal procedures and funding sources that may be considered to advance recommendations from this effort.

Financial responsibility and schedule management: Up to 10 points that may be awarded for demonstrated ability to add value to the project, effectively track work timelines and associated costs, and overall management of the project budget and schedule. Cost control and performance within budget allocations are essential to the success of this project. Brief descriptions of previous project experiences should be used as examples of how this was achieved with former clients.

Demonstrated technical ability: Up to 10 points may be awarded for demonstrated ability relating to the technical aspects of the project.

Interview: The top-rated candidates may be invited to an interview.

Interviews would evaluate the vendor's ability to communicate, collaborate, and demonstrate their understanding of the project requirements and objectives.

C. CONSULTANT SELECTION PROCESS:

Selection The City of Santa Monica, through either the City Council or the City Manager (or his designee) has the sole authority to select the consulting firm and reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. The City reserves the right to approve or reject all sub-consultants and engineers proposed to be retained by the prime consultant.

Upon signing of the agreement, no change in proposed personnel or sub-consultants can be made without the City’s review and written authorization.

By submitting a response to this RFP, prospective consultants waive the right to protest after award or seek any legal remedies whatsoever regarding any aspect of this RFP. The City reserves the right to select any number of finalists.