SS4A final RFP (1).pdf

Request for Proposals

Safe Streets For All Safety Action

Plan

Introduction

The River Valley Regional Commission (RVRC) invites qualified consulting firms to submit written proposals to provide a systemic analysis that identifies safety focus areas and develops a roadway design counter measure toolbox to aid in the development of a regional Comprehensive Safety Action Plan for the River Valley Region. This planning effort is the result of the USDOT Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary grant program which awarded funds to RVRC. The program was developed with funds appropriated under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The purpose of the grant is to develop a holistic, well-defined strategy to prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries in the region. Once complete, the plan will allow RVRC and its member municipalities to apply for implementation grant funding through the SS4A initiative and other funding mechanisms.

Regional Overview

The region consists of sixteen counties and their municipalities. Counties included in this RFP are: Clay, Randolph, Quitman, Stewart, Webster, Sumter, Crisp, Dooly, Macon, Harris, Schley, Talbot, Taylor, Marion and Harris County.

Muscogee is not included in this plan.

These fifteen counties collectively occupy an area of approximately 5400 square miles with a population of around 375,000. Much of the land area is rural, with Columbus, GA comprising the region’s urban core.

Background

The purpose of SS4A grants is to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through safety action plan development and implementation focused on all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, personal conveyance and micromobility users, and commercial vehicle operators.

RVRC will create a committee to oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring of the Action Plan. The RVRC Board will endorse the Action Plan and commitment, including a goal and timeline for eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries.

Project Narrative

RVRC and its member governments understand our shared responsibility in eliminating fatal and serious crashes for all roadway users, including those who walk, bike, drive, ride transit, and travel by other modes in our community. We are committed to a holistic approach in how we think about transportation safety and how we prioritize investments across the entire transportation system so that we can build a safe and better system for all users of all modes.

By developing the first regional comprehensive safety action plan for the RVRC region, the RVRC will commit to providing a framework of innovative strategies and implementation actions that will ensure crash reductions and support federal safety initiatives.

Through expanded collaboration with regional stakeholders and community members, as well as guidance from FHWA’s Safe System approach and the SS4A Action Plan Components, RVRC and its regional partners will develop a joint comprehensive safety action plan that is founded upon the following:

· Stakeholder and public engagement, with a strong emphasis on equity and outreach

· Data collection and review, including a summary of existing programs, policies, and studies, as well as a peer review of comparable metropolitan areas.

· Safety analysis, including an analysis of regional trends, contributing factors, and patterns of transportation-related accidents in the region.

· Transportation equity review, including an assessment of regional equity indicators related to accessibility, connectivity, environment, health, engagement, and effectiveness, and how transportation systems affect and/or influence safe and equitable outcomes.

· Countermeasure toolkit, including graphic visualizations that illustrate safety countermeasures, context-sensitive solutions, user educational Components, and performance measure tracking.

· Implementation matrix for implementing safety measures including:

o Policies, programs, innovative practices, and low-cost/high-impact strategies; and o Specific construction projects with scope, budget, and time frame.

Scope of Work and Performance Tasks

RVRC is seeking a consultant to partner in the development of the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (CSAP) to position the counties and municipalities for implementation funding opportunities. Outlined below is the scope of work that will guide the development of the

CSAP.

The outline is not necessarily all-inclusive, and the consultant may include in the proposal any additional performance tasks that will integrate innovative approaches to successfully complete the CSAP Project Work Plan

The consultant team will partner with RVRC to perform the following tasks to deliver a Safety Action Plan for the study area shown below:

Tasks:

Task 1 –Stakeholder and Public Engagement Plan

· The consultant team will be expected to attend periodic steering committee and project management meetings. The steering committee and project management meetings are anticipated to be held monthly, but meeting frequency and the need for the consultant attendance can be adjusted as needed.

· The consultant team, working with the RVRC staff, will develop an inclusive public engagement strategy. The RVRC will lead the Community Engagement planning component.

Task 2 – State of Practice and Data Review

· The consultant team will conduct a comprehensive review of existing safety data, reports, and studies relevant to the 15-county region. The consultant will work with RVRC staff in collecting and reviewing data.

Task 3 – Crash Data Analysis

· The consultant team will analyze available crash data to identify high crash locations, characteristics, and contributing factors in each of the 15 identified counties, to include both local and state roads.

· The consultant team will conduct analysis of crash data using appropriate statistical methods to identify regional patterns, trends, and opportunities for countermeasures to include crash patterns involving vulnerable road users as well as appropriate countermeasures.

Task 4- Countermeasure Toolkit

The consultant will identify countermeasures to address the findings in the safety analysis. The consultant will include strategies and performance measures to measure progress over time and be tracked at the regional level. A process will need to be set up to ensure transparency in reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries.

Task 5 – Implementation Matrix

The consultant will develop an implementation matrix that identifies potential projects, strategies, and recommendations for future funding opportunities, measures that can be included in regular maintenance cycles and potential updates to the RVRC jurisdictions to better align with safety best practices.

This implementation section will identify potential projects, strategies, and recommendations for future funding opportunities in each of the 15-counties;

multiple recommendations per county as required. This section will recognize the needs of all users of the regional transportation system, potential projects that are feasible and applicable for grant or other funding, conceptual infrastructure improvements with estimated costs, and schedule for implementation.

A project readiness should be included for short-term (0-5 years), mid-term (5-19) years, and long-term (10+ years).

Task 6 – Progress and Transparency

· Working with RVRC staff, develop a method to measure progress over time after an Action Plan is developed or updated, including outcome data.

Task 7 – Administrative Draft and Final Plan

· The consultant will prepare an administrative draft of the Comprehensive Safety Plan for review and comment by the steering committee. Comments received will be incorporated into the final plan

· Upon final review and consent by the steering committee, the consultant will develop a final report that is visually appealing, easy for policymakers and stakeholders to understand, and communicates action plan strategies and recommendations. The report should be able to be used both digitally and in hard copy format.

Specifically, the consultant should develop a final report that:

o Is organized and communicates a clear message both graphically and with accompanying text;

o Is easy to read and understand; and o Explains key implications as they relate to policies, programs, practices, strategies, infrastructure projects, funding, and other recommendations.

The consultant shall provide the RVRC with appropriate presentation materials for final review and approval of the Safe Streets For All Safety Action Plan. RVRC staff will be responsible for presenting and achieving final approval.

Task 8 – Executive Summary/Fact Sheet.

· Upon completion of the Safety Action Plan, the consultant shall develop a brief executive summary or fact sheet in PDF format which relays all pertinent information in an easy-to-follow format. The summary should be concise and highly graphic, highlighting major assumptions, strategies and recommendations.

Task 9 – Deliverables

· Upon final project completion, the consultant will be responsible for providing a high-resolution document in PDF format.

Note: If the consultant wishes to modify or include additional tasks deemed necessary to complete the study, this must be agreed to by RVRC before issuing the notice to proceed.

By developing the first regional comprehensive safety action plan for the River Valley Region, the RVRC staff in partnership with the consultant will provide a framework of innovative strategies and implementation actions that will ensure crash reductions and support federal initiatives; the Safe Streets For All Safety Action Plan will be inclusive of the following components to meet FHWA requirements:

· Leadership commitment and Goal Setting: An official public commitment to an eventual goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries.

· Planning Structure: A committee, task force, or similar body charged with oversight of the Action Plan development, implementation, and monitoring.

· Safety Analysis: Analysis of exiting conditions and historical trends that provides a baseline level of crashes involving fatalities and serious injuries across each of the 15 identified counties.

· Engagement and Collaboration: Robust engagement with the public and relevant stakeholders, including the private sector and community groups, that allows for both community representation and feedback.

· Equity Considerations: Plan development using inclusive and representative processes.

· Policy and Process Changes: Assessment of current policies, plans, guidelines, and/or standards to identify opportunities to improve processes and prioritize transportation safety.

· Strategy and Project Selections: Identification of a comprehensive set of projects and strategies, shaped by data, the best available evidence and noteworthy practices, as well as stakeholder input and equity considerations, that will address the safety problems described in the Action Plan.

· Progress and Transparency: Method to measure progress over time after and Action Plan is developed or updated, including outcome data.

Response Requirements

Interested firms should submit a proposal that addresses the factors identified in the above Request for Proposals.

· Proposals are limited to a maximum of 20 numbered pages.

· Type size should be no smaller than 11 points for narrative sections but may be reduced for captions, footnotes, etc. while maintaining legibility.

· Non-conforming submissions may be removed from consideration at the sole discretion of the RVRC.

· Firms must respond to this RFP with electronic versions of their proposals in a PDF file format. Firms must email and electronic copy or file link to Tracie Hadaway at thadaway@rivervalleyrc.org.

· Proposals are due no later than 3:00 PM, August 17, 2026.

Proposals must include the following information:

1. Name of lead firm and any sub-consultants.

2. Point of contact (name, title, phone number, mailing address, and email address) at lead firm.

3. Executive Summary demonstrating the consultant’s understanding of the project.

4. Description of relevant experience on projects of this type.

5. Qualifications and technical competence of consultant/or sub-consultants in the type of work required.

6. Description of experience on similar projects including a list of at least 3 references within the past 5 years, with current contact information.

7. Listing of key project personnel and their qualifications.

8. A detailed description of the technical approach proposed for accomplishment of the work,

9. A detailed budget set out by tasks.

10. Documentation that the consultant has the staffing capacity necessary to perform the work in an adequate and appropriate timeframe.

11. A timeline detailing the order and duration of listed tasks and the project, as well as which tasks will be completed by the lead consultant, subcontractors (if any), RVRC, and/or local jurisdictions.

12. Statement of compliance with all federal and state laws and local ordinances and acceptance of required clauses in contract, if awarded. Attached to the RFP are the federal clauses.

Proposal to be in effect - Each proposal shall state that it is valid for a period of not less than 90 days from the date of receipt. Selection is also dependent upon the negotiation of a mutually acceptable contract with the chosen firm.

Late responses - RFP responses arriving late or not meeting these minimum requirements may be disqualified.

Review - Review and assessment of proposals will be conducted by a committee consisting of RVRC staff and council members. The review will be based on the following evaluation criteria, with the relative weights in parentheses:

Proposal evaluation criteria will consist of the following:

• Qualifications and relevant experience of firm and key team members in providing similar services and projects (40%)

• Proposed technical approach (30%)

• Work Plan and schedule (20%)

• Multi-jurisdictional and federally funded project experience (10%)

The selection committee is responsible for making recommendations based on the above evaluation criteria. The committee will focus on identifying the relative strengths, weaknesses, deficiencies, and risks associated with each proposal. The RVRC reserves the right to obtain clarification or additional information from any firm regarding its proposal.

The RVRC reserves the sole right to select the most qualified consultant(s) based on the best overall proposals that are most advantageous to the Commission. Firms that submit proposals will be notified of the selection results. Final approval of any selected firm is subject to the approval of RVRC Council.

Proposed Schedule

· RFP released: July 15, 2026

· Questions due: July 29, 2026

· Answers to questions posted: August 3, 2026

· Proposals due: August 17, 2026

· Anticipated contract: October 1, 2026

· Project Kick off: October 15, 2026

· Draft Action Plan: August 2028

· Final Action Plan: October 2028

· RVRC Action Plan Adoption: November 2028

· Final Report: January 2029

Additional Information:

Addenda - If it becomes necessary to revise any part of these instructions, a supplement will be posted to http://www.rivervalleyrc.org/publicnotices. Respondents are free to amend or replace an already-submitted proposal until the RFP submission deadline.

Rejection rights - RVRC retains the right to reject all proposals and to re-solicit if deemed to be in the best interest to do so.

Cost of proposal preparation - No reimbursement will be made for any costs incurred for the preparation of a proposal or during the selection process.

Inquiries - Questions may only be submitted in writing and sent to Tracie Hadaway, at Thadaway@rivervalleyrc.org. All questions submitted and responses will be made publicly available at http://rivervalleyrc.org/publicnotices. The identity of persons submitting questions will not be posted.

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EXHIBIT A

APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS

By entering into this agreement for a FY 2025 Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant, the

Recipient assures and certifies, with respect to this Grant, that it will comply with all applicable Federal laws, regulations, executive orders, policies, guidelines, and requirements as they relate to the application, acceptance, and use of Federal funds for this Project. Performance under this agreement shall be governed by and in compliance with the following requirements, as applicable, to the type of organization of the Recipient and any applicable sub-recipients. The applicable provisions to this agreement include, but are not limited to, the following:

General Federal Legislation

a. Federal Fair Labor Standards Act – 29 U.S.C. 201, et seq.

b. Hatch Act – 5 U.S.C. 1501, et seq.

c. Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 – 42

U.S.C. 4601, et seq.

d. National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 - Section 106 – 54 U.S.C. 306108

e. Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 – 54 U.S.C. 312501, et seq.

f. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act – 25 U.S.C. 3001, et seq.

g. Clean Air Act, P.L. 90-148, as amended – 42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq.

h. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, as amended – 33 U.S.C. 1344

i. Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, P.L. 93-205, as amended – 16 U.S.C. 1536

j. Coastal Zone Management Act, P.L. 92-583, as amended – 16 U.S.C. 1451, et seq.

k. Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 - Section 102(a) – 42 U.S.C. 4012a

l. Age Discrimination Act of 1975 – 42 U.S.C. 6101, et seq.

m. American Indian Religious Freedom Act, P.L. 95-341, as amended

n. Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972, as amended – 21 U.S.C. 1101, et seq.

o. The Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment and

Rehabilitation Act of 1970, P.L. 91-616, as amended – 42 U.S.C. 4541, et seq.

p. Sections 523 and 527 of the Public Health Service Act of 1912, as amended – 42 U.S.C.

290dd through 290dd-2

q. Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 – 42 U.S.C. 4151, et seq.

r. Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act of 1978, P.L. 100-42 - Section 403 – 42 U.S.C.

s. Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act – 40 U.S.C. 3701, et seq.

t. Copeland Anti-kickback Act, as amended – 18 U.S.C. 874 and 40 U.S.C. 3145

u. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 – 42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.

v. Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, P.L. 90-542, as amended – 16 U.S.C. 1271, et seq.

w. Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended – 33 U.S.C. 1251-1376

x. Single Audit Act of 1984 – 31 U.S.C. 7501, et seq.

y. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 – 42 U.S.C. 12101, et seq.

z. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended – 20 U.S.C. 1681 through

1683 and 1685 through 1687

aa. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended – 29 U.S.C. 794

bb. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – 42 U.S.C. 2000d, et seq.

cc. Title IX of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 – 40 U.S.C.

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1101 -1104, 541, et seq.

dd. Limitation on Use of Appropriated Funds to Influence Certain Federal Contracting and

Financial Transactions – 31 U.S.C. 1352

ee. Freedom of Information Act – 5 U.S.C. 552, as amended

ff. Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act – 16 U.S.C. 1855

gg. Farmland Protection Policy Act of 1981 – 7 U.S.C. 4201, et seq.

hh. Noise Control Act of 1972 – 42 U.S.C. 4901, et seq.

ii. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1956 – 16 U.S.C. 661, et seq.

jj. Section 9 of the Rivers and Harbors Act and the General Bridge Act of 1946 – 33 U.S.C.

401 and 525

kk. Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 – 49 U.S.C. 303

ll. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980

(CERCLA), as amended – 42 U.S.C. 9601, et seq.

mm. Safe Drinking Water Act – 42 U.S.C. 300f to 300j-26

nn. Wilderness Act – 16 U.S.C. 1131-1136

oo. Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 – 42 U.S.C. 6901, et seq.

pp. Migratory Bird Treaty Act – 16 U.S.C. 703, et seq.

qq. The Federal Funding Transparency and Accountability Act of 2006, as amended (Pub.

L. 109–282, as amended by section 6202 of Public Law 110–252)

rr. Cargo Preference Act of 1954 – 46 U.S.C. 55305

ss. Section 889 of the John D. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year

2019, Pub. L. 115-232

Executive Orders

a. Executive Order 11990 – Protection of Wetlands

b. Executive Order 11988 – Floodplain Management

c. Executive Order 12372 – Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

d. Executive Order 12549 – Debarment and Suspension

e. Executive Order 14005 – Ensuring the Future is Made in All of America by All of

America’s Workers

f. Executive Order 14025 – Worker Organizing and Empowerment

g. Executive Order 14149, Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship

h. Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy

i. Executive Order 14151, Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and

Preferencing

j. Executive Order 14168 Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and

Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government

k. Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based

Opportunity

Presidential Policy Directives and Memorandums

a. Presidential Policy Directive 21 – Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience

b. National Security Presidential Memorandum on Improving Cybersecurity for Critical

Infrastructure Systems

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General Federal Regulations

a. Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for

Federal Awards – 2 C.F.R. Parts 200, 1201

b. Non-procurement Suspension and Debarment – 2 C.F.R. Parts 180, 1200

c. Investigative and Enforcement Procedures – 14 C.F.R. Part 13

d. Procedures for predetermination of wage rates – 29 C.F.R. Part 1

e. Contractors and subcontractors on public building or public work financed in whole or part by loans or grants from the United States – 29 C.F.R. Part 3

f. Labor standards provisions applicable to contracts governing federally financed and assisted construction (also labor standards provisions applicable to non-construction contracts subject to the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act) – 29 C.F.R.

Part 5

g. Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Equal Employment Opportunity, Department of Labor (Federal and federally assisted contracting requirements) – 41 C.F.R. Parts 60, et seq.

h. New Restrictions on Lobbying – 49 C.F.R. Part 20

i. Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of Transportation –

Effectuation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – 49 C.F.R. Part 21, including any amendments thereto

j. Uniform relocation assistance and real property acquisition for Federal and Federally assisted programs – 49 C.F.R. Part 24

k. Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance – 49 C.F.R. Part 25

l. Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from Federal Financial Assistance – 49 C.F.R. Part 27

m. DOT’s implementation of DOJ’s ADA Title II regulations compliance procedures for all programs, services, and regulatory activities relating to transportation under 28 C.F.R.

Part 35

n. Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Conducted by the Department of Transportation – 49 C.F.R. Part 28

o. Denial of public works contracts to suppliers of goods and services of countries that deny procurement market access to U.S. contractors – 49 C.F.R. Part 30

p. Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance) – 49 C.F.R. Part 32

q. DOT’s implementing ADA regulations for transit services and transit vehicles, including the DOT’s standards for accessible transportation facilities in Part 37, Appendix A – 49 C.F.R. Parts 37 and 38

r. Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in Department of Transportation Financial Assistance Programs – 49 C.F.R. Part 26, including any amendments thereto (as applicable under section 18.3 of this agreement)

Office of Management and Budget Circulars

a. Any applicable OMB Circular based upon the specific FY 2025 Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Recipient.

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Highway Federal Legislation

a. Agreements relating to the use of an access to rights-of-way—Interstate System, 23

U.S.C. 111

b. Planning, 23 U.S.C. 134 and 135 (except for projects that are not regionally significant that do not receive funding under Title 23 or Chapter 53 of Title 49)

c. Tolls, 23 U.S.C. 301 (to the extent the recipient wishes to toll an existing free facility that has received Title 23 funds in the past); except as authorized by 23 U.S.C. 129 and 166.

d. Efficient Environmental Reviews - 23 U.S.C. 139

e. Policy on lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites - 49 U.S.C. 303

Federal Highway Regulations

a. Planning – 23 C.F.R. Part 450 (except for projects that are not regionally significant that do not receive funding under Title 23 or Chapter 53 of Title 49)

b. National Highway System Design Standards – 23 C.F.R. Part 625

c. Location and Hydraulic Design of Encroachments on Flood Plains – 23 C.F.R. Part 650

Subpart A

d. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices – 23 C.F.R. Part 655

e. Environmental Impact and Related Procedures – 23 C.F.R. Part 771

f. Parks, Recreation Areas, Wildlife and Waterfowl Refuges, and Historic Sites (Section

4(f)) – 23 C.F.R. Part 774

g. Permitting Requirements under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System –

40 C.F.R. Part 122

Specific assurances required to be included in the FY 2025 Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant agreement by any of the above laws, regulations, or circulars are hereby incorporated by reference into this agreement.

SSFA RFP draft version Tracie(2)