RFQ-ES01-25 Consultant Services for Traffic Safety Program.pdf

COUNTY OF ORANGE

Request for Qualifications for Consultant Services for the Orange County Traffic Safety Program funded under the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Grant

Designated Contact Person:

Robert Doss, Deputy Commissioner Orange County Department of Emergency Services Division of Police Liaison Services 22 Wells Farm Road Goshen, New York 10924 Phone: 845-615-0564 Fax: 845-291-2121 Email: rdoss@orangecountygov.com

Date issued: September 18, 2025

Please submit responses via email with subject line:

RFQ for Consultant Services for OC Traffic Safety Program To: rdoss@orangecountygov.com

Please submit responses via fax with subject line:

RFQ for Consultant Services for OC Traffic Safety Program Facsimile No: (845) 291-2121

Due By 4:45 P.M., prevailing time, September 29, 2025

Please note that this is merely a Request for Qualifications for Consultant Services and NOT an instruction to proceed with the services, unless and until a contract is executed.

SCOPE AND SPECIFICATIONS

I. Background. The County of Orange (“County”) Traffic Safety Program (“Program”) has operated for over sixteen (16) years and is recognized as the leader in traffic safety prevention education.

The Program’s mission is to further traffic safety through the coordination of enforcement, prosecution, probation, rehabilitation, public information, and school and community education efforts. This mission is accomplished by collaborating with the Program’s partners, communities and stakeholders, including the Traffic Safety Board, law enforcement agencies (municipal, the County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police), the Magistrates’ Association, Orange- Ulster Board of Cooperative Educational Services (“BOCES”), the County District Attorney’s Office, and a wide-variety of school district personnel (“Program Partners”), to develop and implement creative programs and initiatives to promote safer roadways and to reduce and prevent injuries and fatalities.

II. Program Goals and Objectives. The Program’s goals and objectives have been carefully crafted by the Program Partners, which include reducing the number of crashes by drivers in the age bracket of 16-24; reducing the number of personal injuries and fatalities by drivers and their passengers; and reducing the overall number of crashes, injuries, and fatalities in the County (“Program Goals and Objectives”).

III. Grant.

A. Grant. The Program is funded entirely by the New York State (“Grantor”) Governor’s Traffic

Safety Grant (“Grant”). Historically, the County receives the Grant funding annually for each October 1st through September 30th grant program year.

RFQ-ES01-25 Consultant Services for the Orange County Traffic Safety Program

B. Funding. The funding available for performance of the Services (as defined below in Section IV of this RFQ) for the 2025-2026 program year is NINETY-ONE THOUSAND EIGHTY AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($91,080.00) of which ten percent (10%) may be used for administrative and overhead costs of operating the Program. The budget for such services is outlined in Exhibit 1 in the form of contract to be executed if awarded the Contract (as such term is defined in Section (III)(C) of these Specifications) and shall not exceed budget line amounts.

C. Executory Clause; Reductions in Grant Funding; Termination. The successful offeror (“Consultant”) awarded a contract (“Contract”) in response to this Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) acknowledges and agrees that if for any reason the Grantor terminates the Grant or reduces its appropriation to the County under the Grant or fails to pay the full amount of the County’s Grant allocation, the County may terminate the Contract or reduce the funding payable to the Consultant under the Contract, provided that no such reduction or termination will apply to allowable costs already incurred by the Consultant so long as funds are appropriated and available to the County to pay for such costs incurred. The County shall have no liability under the Contract to Consultant or to anyone else beyond the funds appropriated and available for the Contract.

D. Grant Requirements. Consultant agrees to abide by all terms and conditions in the Grant Agreement between the Grantor and the County (“County Grant Agreement”), a copy of which is attached as Exhibit A to the form of contract to be executed if awarded the Contract.

Consultant agrees to make all the certifications and assurances required by the County Grant Agreement, which certifications and assurances are set forth in Exhibit B to the form of contract to be executed if awarded the Contract.

IV. Services. Under the direction of by the Orange County STOP-DWI Coordinator or his designee, the Consultant will administer and operate the Program on behalf of the County and maintain detailed fiscal and programmatic reports pertaining to Program expenses and activities in accordance with the Grant requirements, furnishing the following services (collectively, the “Services”):

A. Traffic Safety Educators – Consultant must fund and maintain four (4) part-time1 Traffic

Safety Educators (each, an “Educator” and collectively, the “Educators”). The Consultant will ensure that the Educators facilitate the delivery of preventative education program activities and will provide a countywide program targeting teen drivers, who are drivers 16-24, as follows:

1. Promote a Public Information and Education (“PI&E”) Media Campaign to include public service announcements (“PSAs”), posters, and written materials. The Program must incorporate “DMV’s Be Smart.” “Drive Smart”, “100 Deadliest Days”,” Have a Plan”,” Share the Road”, and “One Text or Call Could Wreck It All” message to

1 A part-time position is a position held by an individual that dedicates not less than 18.5 hours of his or her time to the performance of the Services.

promote good teen driving habits, seatbelt usage, hands-free cell phones (or no use of cell phones) while driving, sober driving, obeying the speed limit, move over laws and graduated licensing rules.

2. Participate in a media Traffic Safety Campaign with the County’s STOP-DWI Program targeting prom, graduation, summer, and holidays (Thanksgiving through New Year’s).

3. Implement expanded parent education component in a partnership with BOCES and at participating County high schools to include but not be limited to: “100 Deadliest Days,” “Not One More,” and information related to graduated licensing, driver inattention/distractions, cell phone use and driving, passenger responsibility, and related topics.

4. Display and distribute PI&E materials utilizing “Be Smart. Drive Smart,” “Share the Road,” and “One Text or Call Could Wreck It All” messages targeting teen good driving habits including passenger responsibility at “Night-Out Against Crime Events” – in participating communities. Previous events have included partnership with local law enforcement agencies.

5. Display and distribute PI&E materials to high school students at parking permit programs and sporting events at participating County high schools, Orange County Community College, Mount Saint Mary College and BOCES. Distribution must be coordinated with the school resource officers, school nurses, health teachers, and student assistance counselors.

6. Distribute PI&E materials, both written and electronic, to all participating County high schools for “Teen Driver Safety Week” in October.

7. Exhibit the “One Second, Everything Changes” teen driving panels in participating County high schools and share with other counties in the region.

8. Participate in the “Not One More” collaborative partnership in participating County high schools utilizing the teen panels that feature a fatal texting-related crash and local speakers: victims, funeral directors, law enforcement, emergency room personnel, insurance agents, etc. Utilize the videos “It Can Wait”, “Shattered Dreams”, “The Consequence of No Consequences” and “It Starts with You. Zero Tolerance and Distractions” with the parent education component focusing on graduated licensing, seat belt use, driver distractions, hands-free electronic portable device law, move over law, speed, and the “100 Deadliest Days.”

9. Assist County schools to include PSAs, brochures and important traffic safety links on school websites and parent mailings.

10. The program will incorporate pedestrian safety to the program partners as well as established partnerships with other local law enforcements, school districts, community coalitions, and agencies such as but not limited to Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs, After School Programs, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and summer camps (“Additional Partners”) to improve pedestrian safety by focusing on the importance of crosswalks, high visibility, and following all traffic signs and signals. The Consultant will develop Orange County specific pedestrian safety information sheets, pamphlets, and lawn signs to promote pedestrian safety. The program will also include purchasing pedestrian safety lights and distributing them at community events throughout the year to increase pedestrian safety in all cities, towns, and villages. The Consultant will also provide pedestrian safety information at any traffic safety event and disseminate information throughout all social media platforms.

11. The program will help educate the residents of Orange County about the importance of school bus safety, including not passing school buses when the stop arm is extended and red lights are flashing. The PI & E materials will be designed and created by traffic safety educators and be mailed to addresses in Orange County within the school districts who currently have the Stop Bus Arm Program. The PI&E materials will inform residents of the school bus NYS VTL laws, civil penalties and tips for sharing the road with school buses. Development of the products will be done throughout the grant cycle and rolled out two to three weeks before school begins.

Traffic Safety Educators will partner with the Orange Conty School Bus Program

Enforcement Technicians to provide training to communities regarding the above topics.

B. Driving Simulator Program – The Consultant will:

1. Assist participating County high schools as requested with implementation of

Simulator Program including their school district’s program plan and statistical summary sheet;

2. Work with participating County high schools to include PSA’s and other relevant information on school websites and as a part of parent mailings conducted by the school districts;

3. Implement on-going training and monitoring for the designated teaching staff as needed assigned to the Driving Simulator Program in participating County high schools;

C. Cultural/Language Barriers – Hispanic Population - The Consultant will provide specific educational and PI&E programs targeting the Hispanic/Latino populations in the Cities of Newburgh, Port Jervis, and Middletown by sponsoring one (1) event in each city annually increasing the number of Hispanic/Latino participants in these events. PI&E Media Campaign will include the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Spanish posters, and written materials as well as child passenger safety materials in Spanish. The New York State Association of Traffic Safety Board’s (NYSATSB) Multi- Cultural committee has also provided materials focusing on basic “good driver habits” and these must be disseminated throughout the Cities of Newburgh, Port Jervis and Middletown as follows:

1. During enforcement activities such as road checks;

2. At County high school “Not One More” forums and teen driver safety events;

3. At specific community events like “El Dia De Los Ninos” and “Night Out Against

Crime;”’

4. To County Human Services agencies that work with the Spanish/Latino populations;

and

5. To businesses in the Cities of Newburgh, Port Jervis, and Middletown for display on counters and in storefront windows.

D. Distracted Driving, Aggressive Driving & Speeding – The Consultant will provide specific educational and PI&E programs targeting distracted driving, inexperience, cell phone use and speeding behaviors. Consultant’s Educators will facilitate a public awareness campaign with assistance from the law enforcement community to include information regarding cell phone use; use of blinkers/signals; safe speed; safe following distances with respect to cars, trucks, and motorcycles; yielding the right of way; safe passing distances and obeying traffic control devices and the move over law. PSAs, posters, and written materials will be disseminated as follows:

1. Coordinate media blitz with local enforcement activities to emphasize the importance of safe driving behaviors; and

2. Disseminate, with the assistance of teens and law enforcement, posters, and written materials throughout the County at main events such as the General Montgomery Day, Health Fairs, Nights Out Against Crime, Goshen’s Great American Weekend, local town/villages, and City Street Fairs, etc.

3. Post traffic safety messages, data, and events weekly on the County’s Traffic Safety

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.

E. Motorcycle Safety – Consultant will partner with local law enforcement agencies and the Motorcycle Safety Solutions School (Newburgh) to provide motorcycle safety information at traffic safety events and social media pages.

F. Senior Driving Safety – Consultant will work with the County’s Office for the Aging to assist with the “The Effects of Aging on Driving Skills” program which includes the Senior Driving Self-Assessment. Consultant will partner with local law enforcement to provide information on myths concerning seatbelt use, air bags and removal of licenses from the senior population.

G. Cultural/Language Barriers – Hasidic Population – Consultant will partner with the New

York State Police to provide information and PI&E materials regarding pedestrian safety and child passenger safety to the Hasidic population in the County.

H. Child Passenger Safety Program and Car Fit Training. – Consultant will provide a CPS

Certified Instructor and two (2) Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technicians to provide recertification and training classes. Consultant will provide at least three (3) car fit events.

Additionally, Consultant will implement a car fit training program with certified technicians at three (3) car fit stations. Consultant will hold a CPS awareness training for Orange County Department of Social Services staff that regularly transport children.

Consultant will educate Maternity Nursing staff at Garnett Health Medical Center and Montefiore St. Luke’s/Cornwall hospital on the proper installation and use of car seats.

I. Bicycle Events. Consultant will co-Sponsor as requested bicycle safety events with local law enforcement agencies.

J. Pedestrian Safety. Consultant will partner with local law enforcements, school districts, community coalitions, and agencies to improve pedestrian safety by focusing on the importance of crosswalks, high visibility, and following all traffic signs and signals.

TERM

The County anticipates that the initial term of the Contract will be for one (1) year. Upon expiration of the original term or any renewal, the Contract may be extended unilaterally by the County for an additional period of up to three (3) months with notice to the Consultant on the same terms and conditions as the original Contract as amended or extended including, but not limited to, quantities, prices, and delivery requirements (all prorated for such extension, as applicable).

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

I. Completed and Signed Response to RFQ Form: Offeror must submit a completed and signed Response to RFQ Form.

II. Qualifications and Experience. Offeror must submit a statement detailing a brief history of its business, its qualifications, its staffs’ qualifications, and its experience with similar projects.

III. Program Services. Offeror must submit a statement detailing how it would deliver the Services and meet the Program Goals and Objectives, identifying its staff and detailing its availability.

IV. References. Offeror must submit three (3) references from clients for whom similar services of equivalent program scope and size have been performed.

BASIS OF AWARD

Responses will be evaluated by an evaluation committee using the following criteria:

ITEM CRITERIA SCORE

Qualifications of Offeror, and its staff

• Demonstrated training and experience in traffic safety program instruction and specifically with the instruction of teens;

• Demonstrated training and experience operating and instructing school district staff in utilizing driving simulator equipment and software; and

• Availability of a certified CPS instructor and technicians.

4-20

Experience administering traffic safety programs of similar size and scope.

Administration of New York programs preferred, but not required. County reserves the right to award additional points for experience with New York program administration and delivery of services. Experience in administrating grant funds is preferred, but not required; experience administering Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Grant funds is preferred, but not required.

12-60

Availability - Sufficient staff and resources to administer and operate the Program and meet Grant Goals and Objectives.

2-10

4 References 2-10

Each response will be scored against each criterion above using the rating scale below, in accordance with the weight given to the applicable point range for that criterion.

Item

Does Not Meet Criterion

Requirements / Expectations

Partially Meets Criterion

Requirements / Expectations

Meets Criterion Requirements /

Expectations

Partially Exceeds Criterion

Requirements / Expectations

Exceeds Criterion

Requirements / Expectations

1 4 8 12 16 20

2 12 24 36 48 60

3 2 4 6 8 10

4 2 4 6 8 10

The submission of a response to this RFQ implies the Offeror's acceptance of the evaluation criteria and Offeror’s acknowledgment that subjective judgments must be made by the evaluation committee. Award of the Contract will be made to the responsible, responsive Offeror whose response is determined to be in the best interest of the County. The County reserves the right to accept other than the lowest priced offer, waive any informality, or reject any or all response, with or without advertising for new response, if in the best interest of the County.

PROCUREMENT LOBBYING LAW RESTRICTED PERIOD FOR COMMUNICATIONS

Pursuant to State Finance Law §139-j and §139-k, this solicitation includes and imposes certain restrictions on communications between the County and an Offeror during the procurement process.

An Offeror is restricted from contacting other than designated staff from the earliest notice of intent to solicit offers through final award and approval of the Procurement Contract (as defined in State Finance Law §139-j(1)(g)) by the County Executive ("restricted period") unless it is a contact that is included among certain statutory exceptions set forth in State Finance Law §139-j(3)(a). County employees are required to obtain certain information when contacted during the restricted period.

The designated staff contact listed on the contact information.

PAY-TO-PLAY LAW

Please be advised that this solicitation is subject to Orange County Local Law 13 of 2013 the "Pay-to- Play Law", as amended. Pay-to-Play disclosure forms will be required for execution of a contract by the County.

INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

During the term of the Contract, or longer if required, the Consultant shall maintain, at its expense, worker's compensation, disability and liability insurance policies of the types and minimum coverages specified the enclosed contract template (i.e. Agreement for Vendor Services, Agreement for Consultant Services, etc., as applicable). Certificates of insurance evidencing the Consultant’s compliance with these requirements shall be required prior to execution of the Contract by the County.

FORM OF AGREEMENT

The Offeror awarded the Contract agrees to execute the following documents in the same form as enclosed in this RFQ in the timeframe, if any, indicated in this RFQ: Agreement for Consultant Services with attachments, including Schedule A, Schedule B, Exhibit 1, Grant Contract and Grant Addendum.

QUESTIONS

Any questions can be submitted in writing to Christine Saccone, Executive Assistant via email at csaccone@orangecountygov.com or fax at 845-291-2121 no later than 3:00 PM on September 22, 2025.

Anticipated Timeline RFQ Circulated September 18, 2025 Questions Due September 22, 2025 by 3:00 PM Offers Due September 29, 2025 by 4:45 P.M.

Interviews if needed Consultant Selected October 2, 2025

RESPONSE TO RFQ FORM

Business Name:

Business Address:

Contact Person:

Name: ___________________________________________ Phone: ____________________

Title: ____________________________________________ Fax: ______________________

Email: ___________________________________________

Does this business have a minority, women's, disadvantaged or small business status? Yes No If yes, please list the designation(s) and the certifying entity (ties):

The undersigned proposes to furnish and deliver the services described in the Request for Qualifications for Consultant Services for the Orange County Traffic Safety Program for the compensation set forth in this RFQ. The individual submitting this document on behalf of the business entity noted above certifies by his or her signature below that:

• he or she understands and has complied with the requirements of State Finance Law Sections 139-j and 139-k and will continue to do so throughout the restricted period;

• he or she has read and understood the full Request for Qualifications cited above; and

• he or she is duly authorized to submit this response on behalf of the business entity noted above.

Additionally, by submission of this response, the individual signing on behalf of the business entity noted above certifies, and in the case of a joint response each party thereto certifies as to its own organization, under penalty of perjury, that the individual or business entity submitting the response has and has implemented a written policy addressing sexual harassment prevention in the workplace and provides annual sexual harassment prevention training to all of its employees. Such policy shall, at a minimum, meet the requirement of New York State Labor Law §201-g.

By: ___________________________________ Date: _______________________________

Name: _________________________________ Title: ________________________________