RRPM2026-1_Nov_12_26_solicitation_doc.pdf

This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), Office of Rail, soliciting proposals for rail property management, leasing, and asset development services across state-owned passenger and freight lines. The contractor will manage the state's rail real estate portfolio, including the New Haven Line, Danbury Branch, Waterbury Branch, New Canaan Branch, state-owned freight lines, and all associated railroad rights of way. The scope of work encompasses creating administrative processes and record-keeping systems for CTDOT's Office of Rail real estate interests and generating recurring and non-recurring non-fare revenue through strategic real estate disposition. The RFP opened on August 27, 2026, at 8:00 AM EDT and closes on October 30, 2026, at 5:00 PM EDT. Vendor questions were accepted through October 2, 2026, at 5:00 PM EDT. The proposal presentations are scheduled for the week of November 16, 2026, and contractor selection is estimated for the week of December 7, 2026. The contract term is three years with successive one-year renewal options at CTDOT's discretion, with a Notice to Proceed anticipated by April 26, 2027. All vendors are eligible to respond; no set-asides apply to this solicitation.

Compensation is to be negotiated, and pricing is evaluated at 30 points of the total scoring. Proposals are limited to 50 pages and must be submitted electronically in PDF format. Evaluation criteria include technical approach and methodology (10 points), proposer qualifications and relevant experience (20 points), project management and key personnel (20 points), and oral presentation (20 points). The contractor must carry specific insurance coverage, including Automobile Liability ($1 million minimum), Commercial General Liability ($1 million per occurrence/$2 million aggregate), Professional Liability ($1 million with three-year tail), Workers' Compensation, and Valuable Papers Insurance ($25,000 minimum). The contractor is responsible for procuring all required software licenses and subscriptions, though the property management system remains with CTDOT upon contract conclusion. The contractor will manage more than 4,000 acres of land, approximately 300 miles of track, 52 stations, and more than 500 existing lease and license agreements, and must submit a revenue opportunities report within 90 days of Notice to Proceed and a transition plan within 90 days of NTP.