RFQ - Addendum 1.docx

Request for Qualifications and Proposals Northwest Hills Council of Governments Naugatuck River Greenway – Bogue Road (Harwinton) to Thomaston Road Park & Ride (Litchfield)

RFQ/RFP EDC 01- 2026 -01

Addendum #1

Due to Blizzard Calvin, RFP deadline has been extended to Noon on Monday March 9, 2026. Proposals can be left with the attendant at the front desk of the EdAdvance building.

1. Is topographic survey data available for the existing corridor? If not, does NHCOG expect topographic surveying to be included in the proposed scope of work?

Yes, topographic surveying should be included in the proposed scope of work.

2. Has right-of-way been discussed and/or secured with O&G and/or CTDOT, as may be required based on the alternatives developed as part of the initial study?

Preliminary discussions were had with O&G at the time the Routing Study was done. WE are unsure what discussions, if any, were had with CT DOT. Further discussion with both O&G and CT DOT will need to be had before a final route is determined. NHCOG and municipalities will lead the conversation with O&G, but expect the consultant to lead the conversation with CT DOT and be part of conversations will all property owners, as appropriate.

3. Does NHCOG expect right-of-way acquisition to be included in the proposed scope of work? Yes, the consultants should identify and assist NHCOG in acquiring the necessary ROW acquisitions.

4. The RFP states “potential bridge design.” Does NHCOG expect geotechnical investigation and/or structural design to be included in the proposed scope of work? Geotechnical investigation should be proposed as a service that can be added if it is necessary and budget allows.

5. The RFP states, “Identify all necessary permits to complete construction of this route.” Does NHCOG expect environmental permitting to be included as part of the proposed scope of work? Environmental factors such as wetlands, flood plain, NDDB should be taken into consideration and if permitting for these factors are necessary, noted. Design should be in such a way that permitting is possible. Since it is unknown when construction will take place, it is not anticipated that permits will be applied for at this time.

6. The RFP states that “…the consultant(s) will lead a series of public meeting(s) to ensure residents…the opportunity to provide input.” How many public informational/workshop meetings does NHCOG anticipate for this project? The consultant shall prepare a public outreach plan. At a minimum, we expect to have at least one in-person meeting in the Town of Harwinton and one in the Town of Litchfield. Other meetings can be virtual or in-person.

7. Please specify the standards the design will be expected to meet and the anticipated review/approval process (e.g., CTDOT, USACE, CTDEEP). This may vary based on the final route. It is expected that the consultant will identify the necessary permits or review process and prepare plans accordingly.

8. Based on the initial study and knowledge of the corridor, this project will present many challenges related to topography, right-of-way, safety, environmental resources, geotechnical investigation, design (trail, roadway, structural), community engagement, and permitting (local, state, federal). Is NHCOG committed to utilizing the available funds ($220k) for a design consultant to conduct field/geotechnical investigations and prepare final designs and environmental permitting, or is NHCOG open to considering this project as an updated feasibility study that results in a preferred route, 30% design-level plans, realistic design/construction costs, and an action plan to explore/secure future funding? The goal is to get design plans as close to shovel ready as possible. At a minimum to have plans at a stage that give good construction cost estimates and help secure construction funding.

9. Depending on when responses to comments are provided, is NHCOG prepared to extend the proposal submission date? Due to Blizzard Calvin the deadline has been extended to noon on Monday March 9, 2026.

10. We are excited to see the progress the region is making on the NRG and look forward to submitting on this important assignment. Upon review of the RFP we have one key point we would like to clarify. Task A references ‘boundary survey’ as part of the ‘Preliminary Data Collection, Survey & Mapping’, is this task meant to include a land survey or only a desktop review through available mapping and parcel data to define the corridor and ROW impacts? Boundary survey to the extent necessary to identify ROW impacts. We expect this work would include survey work to take place in the field for property identification of property lines and ROW. If existing A-2 surveys are readily available, those would be acceptable to use, but NHCOG does not have surveys on file.